Chapter 245

"Let me go fight Vasto Lorde..."

The Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force is relatively isolated and is clearly unaware of Haruto's latest identity.

Are you truly blind, or do you have some grudge against me?

Even though he was already injured like this, he was still able to protect his three companions and stand up to Haru Kusaka for so long. Even a blind man would know that the Menos Grande in front of him was not simple... The one who could make Adjuchas submit so willingly must be almost as powerful as Vasto Lorde.

Certainly.

You'll never get a response from a dead person.

Haruto shifted his gaze to Haru Kusaka.

Aside from his eyes, Haru Kusaka looks almost exactly like his brother; but it is this difference in his eyes that makes him appear humble and gentle, rather than the gloomy and unapproachable En Kusaka.

"Your Haruto."

Compared to the outspoken nobleman just now, Haru Kusaka's words sounded very polite.

"The weather is really nice today."

"..."

I heard it's the other person's catchphrase.

But in this Forest of Menos even the sky is invisible, it's a mystery how he could utter such philosophical nonsense.

"So?"

Haruto asked rhetorically.

"So, can you cover our retreat?"

Haru Kusaka held the folding fan to the side and said: That's Zanpakuto, and it's already in its fully released state.

My relationship with your brother isn't very good.

"Me too."

Haru Kusaka's clear and crisp reply echoed.

Aren't you curious about the reason?

"Well... he always manages to get into some inexplicable trouble for the family... and right now, it seems that Haruto is the biggest one yet."

Haru Kusaka's tone was tinged with distress.

What's your proposal?

"I will go back to inherit the position of head of the family... Although there will definitely be a lot of trouble, if I don't do this, Haruto probably won't leave anyone alive, right?"

"Kusaka -sama?"

Haru Kusaka's words elicited incredulous expressions from the nobles behind him.

Even within the Kusaka Clan, the head of the three great priestly families, Haru Kusaka is undoubtedly the strongest, showing no fear whatsoever in the face of Vasto Lorde... How could such a Haruto as Haru Kusaka possibly submit to Haruto?

On what grounds...?

Where's your brother?

These conditions are still not enough.

"Send them to the Maggot's Nest. You shouldn't trust the Ninth Division... I heard that Haruto has a good relationship with the Shihoin Clan?"

Haru Kusaka without the slightest hesitation.

"My surname is now Shihoin."

"... What does Shihoin think?"

Haru Kusaka's speed in changing her tune was incredibly fast.

"Can."

The Maggot's Nest is now under the Kisuke Urahara.

Haruto didn't even need to reveal his status as deputy commander; their relationship was enough for him to intervene: sending them to the Maggot's Nest... that was the most ruthless decision Haru Kusaka could make without killing his own kind.

"That...?"

Haru Kusaka snapped her fan shut and poked it towards the headquarters, which was still quite a distance away.

"Please go ahead."

The agreement between nobles is not as simple as it sounds, especially after Haruto revealed his current identity as a Shihoin Clan.

Thank you.

Haru Kusaka weather will be fine. He bows slightly and clasps his hands in greeting.

"Whoosh!"

Then, without looking back, he used his full Shunpo to escape.

Soul Reaper is always easier to talk to than Hollow.

The nobles behind him—the most foolish of whom was already dead—were all close confidants of Haru Kusaka. If it weren't for concerns about their lives, it wouldn't have been difficult for Haru Kusaka to leave on his own. His only worry was being ambushed by the enemy during his retreat.

But.

After Haruto arrived, the nature of the situation changed completely.

Estimate...

Tier Harribel was worried about the same thing.

――――

"Tier Harribel?"

Haruto did not draw his sword when facing Vasto Lorde, but waited for Haru Kusaka and the others' Reiatsu to gradually subside.

After getting away.

"?"

The half- Visored couldn't hide Tier Harribel's surprised expression.

Without self-awareness, they naturally do not have names, but after evolving to a certain stage, Vasto Lorde and some Adjuchas will acquire names.

—The vast majority of these names were chosen based on personal experiences, while only a very small number were able to reclaim their original human names.

So.

When referring to specific Hollows, Soul Reaper generally only use their identity (e. g., Vasto Lorde) and do not care whether they have names.

Not to mention...

It's right to call someone "the one" on the first meeting.

I've never seen you before.

Tier Harribel did not lower the fin sword in her hand, but her tense expression visibly relaxed for a moment.

"... But I know you."

Haruto subtly glanced at her three adjutants and companions.

"No matter how powerful Adjuchas is, he can't pose a threat to Vasto Lorde, even with three burdens."

"You bastard!!"

Haruto's words instantly enraged the doe.

However, Haruto ignored her.

The fact that it can still shout a couple of times shows it's in good spirits. Didn't it see the lion and white snake next to it, whose injuries were similar? They barely had the strength to even open their eyes!

"You..."

Haruto refocused his gaze on Tier Harribel.

"Were they chased here by Vasto Lordes from Las Noches?"

The wound on her Arrancar...

Its Reiatsu comes from another Vasto Lorde.

Ordinary Soul Reaper are not very sensitive to the Reiatsu of different Menos Grande, but Haruto can perceive it very clearly.

He easily discerned Tier Harribel's predicament.

For Baraggan...

The entire Hueco Mundo is his territory.

Whether it 'Vasto Lorde or Adjuchas, once discovered by his spies, they'll only have two choices: obedience or death—although Hueco Mundo is far too vast for Baraggan to fully control—but... to see and then conquer is indeed Baraggan's principle.

Tier Harribel was a newly promoted Vasto Lorde who had recently come into Baraggan's sights; after several unsuccessful invitations, Las Noches began its relentless campaign against her... Baraggan, who called himself king, would not personally take action; such matters were naturally handled by his subordinates and lieutenants.

So what?

"Tier Harribel said calmly."

Even when wounded, Vasto Lorde is still Vasto Lorde, and she will never betray the title of the Highest-class Menos Grande. Otherwise, Las Noches would not have considered her three companions as a weakness, trying to gradually wear down and disintegrate Tier Harribel's power.

Comparing teams of the same level?

The "General" of Las Noches might not actually be a match for Tier Harribel.

"..."

"How about we team up and take down that Vasto Lorde?"

"Ha?"

Haruto finished speaking than the doe once again emitted a disdainful sound at just the right moment...

His handling skills are quite similar to Apache's.

"Soul Reaper!"

"You're all just opportunists, what makes you think you can compare to Lord Tier Harribel— "

"I just wounded Szayelaporro."

"!?"

Apache was sunk by Haruto's single sentence.

"... What did you say?"

Tier Harribel promptly picked up the second half of his companion's sentence.

"As a fellow Vasto Lorde, you should be able to feel it... The Reiatsu belonging to Szayelaporro hasn't dissipated from me yet."

"..."

Tier Harribel remained silent for a moment.

Just as Haruto said, Vasto Lorde were quite sensitive to each other's presence, let alone when they were enemies.

"Soul Reaper."

Tier Harribel continued.

"Injuring Szayelaporro proves your strength, but cooperation is still out of the question; Baraggan's army is virtually inexhaustible, and even if we could eliminate one of them, the cost would be unbearable..."

Tier Harribel glanced discreetly at Apache and the others behind him.

"Not to mention they'll be back soon."

"What the Las Noches has in abundance is..."

It's just weak.

――――

Tia Tier Harribel.

Death is symbolized as "sacrifice".

If we're talking about who among the Espada values their comrades the most, then besides Starrk is number one, it would undoubtedly be Tier Harribel.

Neither her rejection of Las Noches's invitation nor her current opposition to Haruto's proposal stemmed from any consideration for herself.

—But for the sake of our companions.