Chapter 73
Upper-ranking nobles.
"Whoosh!"
In a secluded building near the courtyard wall, a figure dressed as a ninja, seemingly using Stealth Force Shunpo, appeared in front of a door.
"The mission is complete?"
Behind the ornate sliding doors, the shadow of the massive structure was cast outwards by the light.
"Yes, sir."
The "ninja" knelt on one knee and bowed his head respectfully in response.
How effective is the medicine?
"Perfectly in line with expectations."
"Completely?"
The slightly displeased tone made the ninja instantly break out in a cold sweat.
"... No, I mean, the difference is as expected, no more than 20%."
Fortunately, he quickly organized his thoughts; otherwise, the same fate his predecessor had brought upon him might already befall him.
"Very good..."
"Is everything alright at the Shin'ō Medical Institute?"
Suddenly, the shadow changed the subject.
"Rest assured, sir. We have more than one piece of leverage over the main agent, and the experimental data was destroyed immediately."
After the ninja finished reporting, the tense fifteen seconds finally ended as the shadow spoke again:
"Well done. What did Tsunayashiro say?"
There was no response.
The ninja shook his head.
"... A bunch of old foxes. It's a pity about that little fox whose fur hadn't even fully grown in; it died a little too young."
After saying this, the shadow fell silent again.
"Never mind."
"The matter of collecting Zanpakuto is temporarily on hold."
"Working under the noses of the Kuchiki Clan, if we're discovered, the Tsunayashiro Clan might not protect us."
"With so many prototypes, it's about time that old codger Kumoi produced some results."
"Otherwise..."
"There's still a difference between the elder and the head of the family."
If Haruto were present, he would definitely be familiar with the surname mentioned by the shadow.
"Go and finish up."
After listening to the report for nearly half an hour, Shadow finally ended the conversation.
"Yes, sir!"
The ninja breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly left the terrifying doorway.
"..."
"Call."
The lights were blown out.
In the pitch-black room, only the shadows' self-talk remained.
"The Ginrei Kuchiki are already old and decrepit."
"But the Kuchiki Clan has been recruiting too many people in recent years, and they seem to be catching up with the Tsunayashiro Clan."
The voice from the shadows carried a hint of displeasure, not directed at the Kuchiki Clan, but at the "masters" above them.
"Fortunately, their brains and fighting power weren't concentrated on one person, otherwise, none of the younger generation of the Tsunayashiro Clan would be able to take up the mantle right now."
"..."
"Etc."
"It's not in one person..."
"Perhaps we—no, the Tsunayashiro Clan probably thinks the same way."
The darkness of tonight has not yet dissipated, but Kusaka's dark clouds have already arrived.
――――
Volume 1: Chapter 47, Night Talks at the Kotetsu Clan
The late autumn nights are a bit chilly.
"Knock knock."
Two knocks, followed by a one-second pause.
"Whoosh."
Haruto smiled and opened the door.
The lights, several times brighter than those in the moonless courtyard behind them, instantly flooded their eyes.
Am I not late?
So-so~
Ayaka, who was not the owner of this place, shook her head in a pretentious manner.
"I didn't ask you."
Haruto feigned a sigh.
"A-Qing."
Isane, who was sitting closest to the door, turned around and led Haruto into the house.
"What about my mother..."
"Looks like things went fairly smoothly?"
Haruto didn't cover his hands: the wound from the Shiren that morning had completely healed by now.
The reddish bandages were removed long ago.
"Um."
Haruto nodded.
"Lieutenant Yamada Kaidō... This injury is basically a piece of cake."
Earlier, Isane Haruto to find his mother, who, after hearing what had happened, immediately led him to the Fourth Division Barracks.
Ask the Fourth Division vice-captain Kiyōnosuke Yamada, for help with treatment.
"Why did it take so long when it should have been so easy?"
Facing the door, Byakuya, whom we hadn't seen in a long time, asked— Haruto was worried that this guy might get sick from practicing at home all day, so after getting Isane's permission, he specially invited him over.
Although Kuchiki Sōjun wasn't home, the Kuchiki man was quite understanding and released Byakuya.
"Well..."
Haruto paused for a moment with a strange expression.
"My aunt chatted with me for a bit longer, so Captain Yamada became quite interested in my Kidō abilities and wanted me to try out the Kaidō."
Isane's mother knows quite a bit about Haruto's situation; it seems Isane has talked about her own affairs quite a bit since she came home...
Or perhaps Kiyone deliberately revealed it when teasing her older sister.
"Didn't you say you lack the talent to Kaidō Dao?"
So that's why~
Haruto shrugged and walked towards the seat next to Byakuya... The latter quickly understood what Haruto meant.
The Shin'ō Academy has a systematic and effective way of identifying talent. It's not that Haruto's physical condition will change the results of his talent test regarding the Kaidō... It simply means that it doesn't exist.
Certainly.
As Haruto continued to improve his skills in the Kidō way of the spirit world), even simpler Kaidō were no longer difficult for him to use.
It's just a case of doing twice the work for half the result.
Furthermore, Haruto firmly believed that "the Kaidō cannot save Soul Society," and genuinely had no intention of developing the Kaidō.
Byakuya already knew all of this.
So.
Haruto repeated it again...
"I see."
Byakuya shifted his position to the side.
Although Byakuya had some reservations about Haruto taking his place, he was still processing the information and didn't have the extra attention to worry about such a trivial matter.
What Lieutenant Yamada was really interested in was Haruto's body after it was modified by Heavenly Bedding Pill... This is something that can't be said openly to everyone.
――――
Where is Kiyone?
The group gathered around an exquisite brazier.
Isane, Nanao, Ayaka, Byakuya... Haruto glanced around and realized there were still some characters who hadn't arrived.
He just left.
Ayaka picked up where Haruto left off.
Do you remember why she didn't come to school during the day?
"... went shopping with friends?"
Haruto is quite confident in his memory; he can remember even casually mentioned information very clearly.
"Bingo~"
Ayaka's language system is not limited to Soul Society.
"To be precise, she dragged her neighbor out shopping."
"I've been waiting for you to come back for ages, Kiyone just gave up—"
"Knock knock knock."
Before Ayaka could finish speaking, the sound of running footsteps could be heard in the corridor, and it sounded like there was more than one person.
"Whoosh—"
"I'm back!"
Accompanying the sliding door was Kiyone's usual loud voice.
"Oh~"
"A-Qing is back, and she seems to be recovering well!"
Kiyone spotted Haruto sitting cross-legged at a glance.
"Come!"
"Let me introduce you to a new friend..."
Kiyone took off her shoes and went into the house first, then turned to the side to reveal her somewhat thin and frail body.
"Speaking of which, it's actually related to your injury treatment, A-Qing!"