Chapter 36

Even before taking the Heavenly Bedding Pill, Haruto had already been on the threshold of Sixth-Class Spiritual Pressure.

By sensing his own Reiatsu, Haruto found that it was about to return to its former peak.

Even breaking through to the sixth class was within reach.

If he continued training at his current pace, he should be able to take that step by the time he returned to Shin'ō Academy.

Sixth-Class Spiritual Pressure.

That was the level of third and fourth seats in the Gotei 13, also known as "high-ranking Seated Officers," just one step away from lieutenant.

Another reason Haruto was so eager was the pair of Kidō Orbs tied to his sword guard:

Once he could use Dankū and Kyōmon, he would surely be able to wield even greater combat power in combination with a further improved Zanka no Tachi.

When that time came, he might even have a chance to take on a weaker lieutenant.

Of course, none of that could be achieved overnight, and even those of the same Reii class differed in strength.

"Knock, knock!"

While Haruto appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, his thoughts were actually running wild. Just then, a knock came from outside, right on time.

"Come in."

"Slide."

The paper sliding door opened, revealing Inukai before Haruto, a resolute look on his face.

He had abandoned the wealthy gentleman's attire Haruto had seen him in before and put on a tight-fitting hunting robe that suited the dark night perfectly—though his protruding belly made the lines of his body look a little less smooth. At his waist, he wore a jitte shaped like an iron ruler.

"Big Brother Haruto, I'm ready."

"Mm..."

Haruto looked Inukai up and down, vaguely regaining some of the feeling he once had.

"Then let's go."

A pitch-black forest, with swaying shadows cast by the trees.

Haruto had experienced this feeling before—it had nothing to do with how strong he was. Walking alone in such a place really could give a person goosebumps, especially when there were hardly any lights to be seen at night in District 66.

The weather had been perfectly clear during the day, but for some reason it had turned overcast after nightfall... There was no counting on the shy moonlight.

Fortunately, the wind wasn't very strong.

"Tap."

"Tap."

Inukai walked in front with a torch, his straw sandals crushing the sun-baked, cracked ground into loose sand.

Land like this clearly couldn't support crops.

"Inukai."

"Big Brother Haruto?"

Inukai answered without looking back.

He was glancing nervously from side to side. The torch held high made him the most conspicuous target in the night. Although Big Brother Haruto had said he could get him away, who could guarantee that this Hollow wasn't strong enough to kill him in one blow?

"You've gone the wrong way."

Five years away from home hadn't made Haruto forget the road to the well.

"..."

Inukai stopped in his tracks, then hurried to explain after a moment of surprise.

"Big Brother Haruto, ever since the gang was absorbed, they've blocked the original road to the well with sharpened wooden stakes."

"If we want to get there, we'll have to go around from the west to the north."

"...Oh."

Haruto replied noncommittally, but his response made Inukai nervous at once—

Whenever Haruto had spoken like that in the past, someone had been about to suffer.

"Big Brother Haruto..."

"Have you spotted the Hollow?"

Inukai asked tentatively.

"No."

The answer from Haruto only gave Inukai less than half a second to relax—

"I haven't spotted the Hollow yet, but there seem to be quite a few people here."

"!!"

Inukai's back was instantly drenched in sweat.

"Inukai, do you know what's going on?"

"Clatter!"

The bright torch fell to the ground, and Inukai ran away from Haruto as fast as he could, as though pouring all his life's strength into it.

At the same time.

"Disintegrate, Black Dog of Rondanini."

"Upon reading, burn completely to ashes and cut your own throat!"

On the moonless night, a light breeze stirred the overlapping, indistinct black shadows, completely concealing the source of the chant echoing through the forest.

"Bakudō #9: Hōrin!"

From within the darkness that seemed utterly empty, a crimson rope of light formed from Reishi shot toward Haruto.

"Whoosh!"

In an instant.

Haruto's upper body had been tightly bound up like a rice dumpling by Hōrin.

"Kehehehe!"

An excessively unrestrained laugh rang out from the direction the Bakudō had come from.

Dozens of flames lit up one after another around Haruto, quickly dispelling the darkness that obscured his view.

"Old man Nagumo, this is the great threat you were talking about?"

At the very center of the firelight, surrounded like a star among admirers, a male Soul Reaper spoke with disdain, his Soul Reaper uniform draped over his shoulders like a haori.

"Shin'ō Academy students are substitutes for Soul Reapers at best. An ordinary squad member can easily take on two or three of them."

"As for me..."

"I'm the Seventh Division's twelfth seat!"

Volume one: 024, I took him out in an instant

"I see."

Haruto watched quietly as the flames drew closer.

The Seventh Division was the court guard squad, and its members' duty was to actually defend the Seireitei. They rarely had a chance to leave it.

Much less carry out a mission somewhere as remote as District 66.

In other words—

"You're a wanted fugitive Soul Reaper, aren't you?"

"..."

Haruto's words made the male Soul Reaper's expression turn ugly.

"Brat."

He was clearly furious with Haruto's choice of words.

"Watch your tone."

Fugitive Soul Reapers.

They were Soul Reapers who had been expelled from the Gotei 13 or the Kidō Corps for various reasons... Those expelled from the Stealth Force were usually executed on the spot.

Whether they had simply wanted to retire, violated the rules of Soul Society, or raised the banner of rebellion was unknown.

Whatever the reason.

Those who had been expelled were placed on the Seireitei's wanted list indefinitely;

Although the standards varied from person to person, anyone who successfully captured one, dead or alive, could earn a substantial reward.

The proof of success, naturally, was bringing the target's Zanpakuto back to the Seireitei.

"If I were a fugitive..."

"Then you should understand that your life is in my hands right now."

The male Soul Reaper inconspicuously glanced around.

As mentioned earlier.

It was a very serious matter for an official Soul Reaper to attack a Shin'ō Academy student. Although this place was even farther from the Seireitei than the Yoshiwara District, the Seventh Division's culture was completely different from the 11th Division's.

If the other party really was a wanted criminal, it would undoubtedly be very dangerous... For the gang led by Nagumo, it would actually be even more troublesome, since there was a good chance it would be regarded as an organization harboring a fugitive Soul Reaper.

Of course.

All of that depended on Haruto really being nothing more than an ordinary Shin'ō Academy student.

"I didn't expect you to care so much about that old bastard Nagumo... Are you worried there are too many gang members to kill them all, or are you just no good at making money?"

"You don't look like the sentimental type, either."

"#!"

Haruto's ability to infuriate people hadn't declined since he left the academy.

"Arrogant brat!"

"Get this straight, everyone here is my witness!"

The male Soul Reaper gripped his sword's hilt with his right hand.

The strange looks around him weren't obvious, but with so many eyes on him at once, he still felt uncomfortable.

So...

He decided to bring this pointless conversation to an end with force.

"I was only going to give you a slight punishment, so you'd learn your lesson and understand that you shouldn't get involved in incidents concerning Hollows so casually."

"But now it seems you have no respect for your elders at all!"

"Shing!"

The drawn Zanpakuto pointed at Haruto from a distance.

"If someone like you joined the Gotei 13..."

"Even if I have to face punishment from my division, I'll get rid of a menace like you!"

The male Soul Reaper was very good at convincing himself; Haruto had almost believed him... Unfortunately, he knew the old bastard Nagumo's character too well: if he chose not to act, that was one thing, but once he did, he would surely seek to eliminate the problem at its root.

Although Nagumo had given the male Soul Reaper the spotlight and stood silently to the side like an adviser, the fact that the gang boss had personally come to the front lines at his advanced age was enough to show his determination to eliminate Haruto.

The male Soul Reaper extended the middle finger of his left hand and pressed it against the center line of his Zanpakuto's blade.

As he swiftly pulled the sword back with his right hand, the harsh scraping and piercing whistle of the wind shook everyone's eardrums at once.

"Hadō #65!"