Chapter 219

"... Give."

"Wow!"

Ayaka exclaimed in surprise as soon as she picked up the Scorching Water Mirror. Haruto was startled and quickly asked:

"What's wrong?"

"It's so cool and refreshing!"

Ayaka shivered as if to say, "I'm so cold."

"... You expect metal mirrors to be warm?"

"But its name contains the character for fire!"

Before Haruto could even complain, Seigen picked up the conversation for Haruto:

That's right.

The Scorching Water Mirror was passed around among the people.

"The Scorching Water Mirror only exhibits its warming properties when held by members of the Kyōshiba Family. If outsiders hold it for too long, their Reiatsu will be absorbed without them even realizing it... and it may even affect their absorption of Reishi."

"..."

"What a troublesome ability."

Ayaka made a comment.

"In that case, it's completely useless to outsiders. It's just too much trouble to use it only to suppress the Kyōshiba Family."

"... Who knows?"

While replying to Ayaka, Haruto returned the Scorching Water Mirror to Seigen.

"Captain Seigen."

"You and Sister Ika wait here for a moment. I need to go greet our guests."

Haruto turned his head and glanced out the sunlit window.

"Thank you for your help."

"It's a small matter... would it expose your presence?"

Haruto dusted himself off and stood up.

The others didn't follow along; without knowing the newcomer's intentions, it would be easy to cause misunderstandings if they rashly stepped forward.

"If you think it's necessary."

With the Scorching Water Mirror back in his hands, Seigen showed great trust in Haruto.

"Is one of your old friends inside?"

Haruto countered with a question.

"After all, he's one of the beneficiaries too. I don't know who I can trust... otherwise I wouldn't have come here."

Seigen is clearly not the one who excels at thinking.

Compared to Ika, his character is more like someone who's clueless.

"Sister Ika will definitely refute you."

Haruto left those words behind, then opened the window and jumped straight from the third floor... When the Soul Reaper is on his way, who would bother with the main entrance?

――――

Soul Reaper doesn't use the front door to carry out its business.

Furthermore, work clothes (Shihakushō) are also very necessary.

If it were Captain-level, the Captain's Haori traditional Chinese robe) would be worn at all times... This was also a requirement of Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

So after Haruto climbed down from the window...

The combination of white and black has been waiting here for a long time.

Good afternoon~

Haruto smiled and waved to the two people across the street.

"Are you two here for dinner?"

The former, with his side-swept bangs and bob haircut, stood out quite a bit in the sunlight, while the latter was Haruto's direct superior, who hadn't been wearing the white robe for long.

"Captain Hirako, Captain Kaien."

"..."

"Hey, Haruto!"

Shinji Hirako's expression remained as sunny and cheerful as ever, while Kaien's expression was less composed: coming to the World of the Living was clearly not his intention, not to mention that he was now burdened with a mission he did not want to undertake.

Shinji Hirako was the first to step across the traffic light.

How's business?

"Not bad."

Haruto dared not stand there and wait for the two captains to come over.

There's definitely somewhere for you two to eat.

He also started walking across the street.

"With so many beautiful girls in the shop, you haven't encountered any difficult customers, have you?"

Shinji Hirako's attitude was like that of an old friend meeting.

—Although the two didn't meet often, their personalities alone determined that their relationship wouldn't be bad.

If I had to say something...

Soi Fon just left with the Stealth Force.

There were no vehicles on the road, and not even any pedestrians could be seen— Haruto's mental suggestion was only directed at customers who came into the store; such a large-scale dispelling of the barrier was clearly not his doing.

That's it?

"... We can't possibly include the two captains among the difficult guests, can we?"

Shinji Hirako questioning did not yield the answer he desired.

—Speaking of which, in recent years, it seems that it has always been Shinji Hirako, not Seigen Kyōshiba, who wears the Fifth Division Captain's haori; if it weren't for Ika's image being so deeply ingrained in people's minds, many members would probably have forgotten who the real captain is.

"Not a guest, or not a difficult customer?"

"What are you saying, Captain Hirako?"

Right in the middle of the road.

The two were only two meters apart, a distance from which they could easily draw their swords and strike.

"Of course..."

"They weren't a difficult customer."

"..."

The noisy world fell silent for a moment.

Kaien, who had neither greeted anyone nor taken a step, remained frozen in place, hesitating. If the two were to fight, it wouldn't be good for him to side with either side, but doing nothing seemed even worse.

Is my captain home?

Shinji Hirako cut to the chase.

The Central 46 Chambers lacked accurate intelligence, otherwise the group that arrived would definitely not be this newly formed team—they were all familiar faces, and they seemed more like the "reasoning-based" type— Haruto's stance was normal, but if his inclinations were problematic... the Baishin he dealt with had once taken down two people in an attack by six Captain-level.

With the addition of Seigen Kyōshiba, who wields a divine weapon, the Gotei 13 would need at least four veteran captains to make it look decent.

This is also why Haruto wasn't nervous:

"Exist."

Haruto was equally outspoken.

"I'm not here to arrest anyone."

I believe you.

Others might question his motives, but based on Haruto's understanding of Shinji Hirako... he would definitely find even that troublesome haori he was wearing superfluous.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"You might as well say you've caused trouble for our Captain Kaien; he's definitely thinking about which side to help right now."

Kaien is not weak at all, but his youth is both an advantage and a disadvantage... It will take another hundred or two hundred years for him to fully mature.

Should we tease him a little?

"... The situation is urgent, please come in and talk."

――――

Volume 1: Chapter 132, Intrigue and Schemes

Nine people were gathered in the small room.

Isane's Kaidō technique was indeed superb. Ika, who had fainted due to exhaustion of Reiatsu, had already regained consciousness by the time Haruto brought Shinji Hirako and Kaien Shiba into the house... and even figured out the situation in the shortest possible time.

What did they say from the Soul Society?

As the owner of the house, Haruto quickly gained the right to speak.

"The Central 46 Chambers issued a search warrant, and even went further by demanding that 'any resistance be met with immediate killing'."

Shinji Hirako casually folded up the Captain's Haori and tossed it onto the pile of clutter by the room's entrance.

"They've abandoned the true bloodline?"

According to Captain Seigen's previous statement, if even he and his sister were to die, there would be no more Soul Reaper in Soul Society who could use the Scorching Water Mirror.

The divine artifact was thus rendered completely useless.

"I don't know what they were thinking, but that's the order the Gotei 13 received."

Shinji Hirako waved his hand, and Kaien Shiba nodded in agreement beside him.

How did you find my place?

"Captain Kaien's suggestion."

Shinji Hirako pointed to Kaien Shiba somewhat embarrassed beside him.

"?"

After Haruto shifted his gaze—

"Both of them are so badly injured, and they want unofficial treatment... Aren't Kotetsu Clan's two daughters on vacation here with you?"

"... This is truly a twist of fate."

Haruto had to smile bitterly.

Who would have thought that the reason we came to him was for this reason?

"One way or another."

Haruto looked at everyone in the room.

Because several Captain-level had suddenly appeared in the room, even Ayaka seemed quite reserved... The girl was sitting up straight at the moment.

Let's all brainstorm and come up with an idea together?

Shinji Hirako and Kaien Shiba are both friends, not enemies. Involving them means that the Fifth Division and Thirteenth Divisions are excluded from this arrest—the former is a direct descendant of the Fifth Division, and the latter is indebted to Haruto... Of course, more importantly, neither of them approves of the Central 46 Chambers's actions.

The captain who made so many contributions to the Gotei 13 was not even as valuable as a divine weapon that was mostly scrap metal and was originally found by someone else.

This is truly disheartening.

If the Shiba Clan hadn't been excluded from aristocratic circles, Kaien probably wouldn't even be able to stand up straight when he speaks.

"The First Division won't get involved in these matters; Old Man Yamamoto will be on maintaining stability."