Chapter 76
"Who would be in a hurry...?"
"I'd guess they're just upper-class nobles of the same level."
Haruto finished his analysis.
"..."
"Sigh~"
Byakuya let out a long sigh of relief.
"Your judgment is exactly the same as your father's."
Although he didn't show it, there was definitely admiration in his voice.
"So what?"
"The old man probably doesn't need my help in analyzing and corroborating the evidence, right?"
Kuchiki Sōjun is currently the brains of the Kuchiki Clan. Haruto, while not considering himself stupid, is no match for him—and that's only because he has "foresight" and has information provided by the other party.
Moreover, in the eyes of the Kuchiki Clan, Haruto's true value lies in his potential in the Kidō), as being too clever makes him difficult to master.
"Of course not."
Byakuya shook his head.
"Then how were you able to come out tonight?"
He said it was related to him, but he didn't need his help... Given Ginrei Kuchiki's personality, he wouldn't let his grandson out just to play.
"Take a guess?"
"... You can't expect me to be your thug, can you?"
"..."
Byakuya chose to remain silent, and his silence was the best answer.
"Holy crap, are you serious?!"
Haruto couldn't help but swear.
Fortunately, he lowered his voice in time, otherwise the modified Kyokkō would probably have been shattered on the spot.
"As you know, my father is being closely watched by other companies, and he doesn't have many secret units he can field."
So you're sending the two of us to mess with the upper-class nobles?
Although times have changed, as long as they can still stand in the position of upper-class nobles, it means that there is likely Captain-level Soul Reaper in this family.
Haruto and Byakuya work together fairly well, and together they have a chance to take down a strong vice-captain.
But if you encounter Captain-level—
Forget about running away; they'd be dead and never found.
"How is that possible!"
"... Could you please stop talking and breathing so heavily?"
Haruto needs to rely on the Kuchiki Clan in many ways, and based solely on Byakuya's friendship, there's not much more the Kuchiki Clan can invest in.
Moreover, at Haruto's current level, he no longer cares about ordinary items, and the Kuchiki Clan wouldn't easily give away anything they wanted.
This is a common problem among the great nobles, and even if Kuchiki Sōjun were to rise to power, it wouldn't change much.
So.
When the Kuchiki Clan needs him, Haruto still needs to prove his political leanings and practical value.
"You're just making things up, okay?"
Judging from Byakuya's tone, this guy definitely did it on purpose... Byakuya is probably the second person in Soul Society who understands him best.
There are two goals for tonight.
"Explain."
Byakuya has changed quite a bit in the past six months. Although he hasn't completely tamed his temper, he has become more composed and reliable.
One is to go to the Mikazuki Clan to protect Munechika.
Byakuya isn't in a hurry at all tonight.
This indicates that the Kuchiki Clan already knew the timing of the other party's actions.
Haruto thought about it more and more and felt that this was a test for Byakuya's training during this period... He was just a tutor to the prince.
"... And the other one?"
Haruto didn't have any particular feelings for Munechika, but since the latter had just injured him during the day, his eagerness to go over to him felt a bit like Gandhi's behavior.
The auction selling the two drugs was shut down.
When Haruto said those words, he could clearly see the light in Byakuya's eyes.
"Don't we need to consider the higher-ranking nobles behind them?"
"This is exactly the kind of opportunity we're going to use to teach them a lesson."
"... I see."
The Kuchiki Clan also wanted to use this opportunity to establish their authority—although the main members of the family were being targeted by the Tsunayashiro Clan because of what happened half a year ago, the Kuchiki Clan still had ways to let their subordinates know what a "great noble" really was.
"Byakuya."
The two were quite fast; they reached their first destination in less than fifteen minutes.
"I have to take the fifth graders to the World of the Living tomorrow for Konsō practice."
"So?"
Byakuya has grown a lot in the past six months, but the Kuchiki Clan's way of thinking makes him somewhat uncomfortable with Haruto's thought process.
"I can't stay up late tonight."
"... Understand!"
Byakuya, mimicking Haruto's gesture, gave an "OK" sign.
"You know nothing! Just tell me the exact time of the operation!"
Haruto intended to kick Byakuya in the butt, but the guy was prepared and dodged it with Shunpo.
"You have ten minutes, I'll make my move in an hour."
The modified Kyokkō shattered upon contact with Byakuya's movement.
"... half an hour."
Haruto extended a finger and then slowly pressed it down halfway.
"Ah?"
"I'll go help as soon as I'm done here."
Haruto said it with absolute certainty, as if he were truly willing to go to great lengths for his brothers.
"Actually, I..."
Just as Byakuya was about to refuse, Haruto bluntly "confessed" to him.
Don't even think about eating it all by yourself.
"... Okay then."
"Tick-tock."
Dark clouds, the same hue as the night, quietly arrived.
The rain, which was supposed to arrive tomorrow, fell prematurely on the streets of Seireitei.
Volume 1: Chapter 49, Carrying a Knife on a Rainy Night
That same night, at the Mikazuki Clan.
Inside the rather unimpressive main hall.
The presence of three silent middle-aged men created an eerie atmosphere in the room.
It was quite unusual to see someone sitting in a chair; the current head of the Mikazuki Clan, Munemori, was sitting there. Standing next to him, looking rather thin, was Munemori's second younger brother Muneban. Finally, kneeling on both knees, with a burly and robust build but his hands tied behind his back, was his third younger brother Munehata.
"..."
"Munehata."
Munemori, as the clan leader, spoke first.
"After Principal Mitarai's visit, I took Munechika to the Shin'ō Medical Institute."
Before Munehata could refute, Munemori continued to add to the discussion.
"It's not the Seireitei Medical Clinic we usually go to."
"..."
Having said all that, Munehata knew that things had been exposed.
"Munechika's injuries weren't inflicted by that brat Haruto. Not only did Principal Mitarai confirm this himself, but I also sent people to the Shin'ō Academy to verify it... That's right, they didn't even use one of their own people."
Munemori's expression was cruel and complex.
"Those medicines..."
Why did you harm Munechika?
"..."
The sound of raindrops pattering against the window gradually grew louder, and the silence inside the room became increasingly unsettling.
"Big brother."
Munehata was kneeling on the ground, looked up at his elder brother.
"Find a way to improve Munechika's strength, so that he can avenge his humiliation and restore the reputation of my Mikazuki Clan. Isn't that the task you assigned me?"
"That's right."
Munemori nodded.
"My Mikazuki Clan's reputation is only worth a mere sixty gold coins!?"
Munemori had barely finished speaking when he was rudely interrupted by his third brother.
"This is the family's last remaining operating funds."
Munemori frowned and said that he still couldn't fully understand Munehata's thoughts.
"... That's the problem, brother."
All funds?
Munehata questioned him with a sneer.
"How much did the family go to obtain the qualification to watch that secret technique in order to allow Munechika to unleash his Zanpakuto?"
"Big brother, you haven't forgotten so quickly, have you?"
The veins bulging on Munehata's bound arms were enough to prove his indignation.
Two hundred gold coins!
"This represents ten years' worth of expenses for the family!"
"Now, you're going to spend all the money everyone's saved up so painstakingly on that good-for-nothing brat again—"
"Big brother, don't my second brother and I need to make a living?"
"Or are you saying that your nephews and nieces are not worthy of bearing the Mikazuki Clan name?"
Munehata unleashed his pent-up emotions in a frenzy.
"..."