Habutae

"Will there be any problems this time?"

After watching Diao Ao and the others leave, Uzuki asked Duan Mu.

Based on her understanding of Duan Mu, he had never accepted a commission he wasn't confident he could complete.

But Duan Mu had already suffered a setback in District 79 a month ago. It was only natural for her to worry, especially since... the clients this time were the same people who had caused Duan Mu such a huge loss before.

"Don't worry. I haven't spent all this time staying with Brother Iwao for nothing."

Uzuki nodded at that and didn't press further. As long as Duan Mu had made up his mind and was confident he could complete the task, she wouldn't interfere in the slightest. After living for so many years, she had long since shed that coy, fidgety demeanor of a little girl.

Duan Mu chatted with Uzuki for a while, mainly recounting what had happened to him over the past month. He then asked about the shop's situation during that time.

"Looks like we need to get back to work as soon as possible."

After hearing Uzuki's report, Duan Mu nodded.

Although Yorozuya had become somewhat famous, that kind of fame came quickly and faded just as quickly. If they stopped accepting commissions for too long, the residents of Rukongai would simply forget Yorozuya existed. If they couldn't make people think of Yorozuya first whenever they ran into trouble, earning money later would be difficult.

"Close the shop and rest for today. We'll reopen tomorrow, but hang up the sign saying we're out working. If any commissions that aren't too urgent come in, accept them first. I'll finish this job and return as soon as possible."

"Mm."

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

Early the next morning, before Duan Mu had even woken up, someone knocked on Yorozuya's door. A heated argument could be heard outside at the same time.

"Hss~ Ahh~~"

Amid the racket, Duan Mu climbed out of bed, clutching his head from the hangover.

Hmm...

"I really should quit drinking!"

After making his habitual complaint, Duan Mu took a new black work uniform from the wardrobe. He had specifically had these uniforms custom-made. Their style was similar to the property security uniforms from his previous life. They were extremely loose-fitting, as well as resistant to dirt and wear.

Duan Mu couldn't get used to the clothing commonly worn by the residents of Rukongai, so during all these years in Rukongai, he had generally worn this style of clothing while working.

He unlocked the iron door, opened the bedroom door, and went downstairs.

"Big Brother Duan Mu, we really have an emergency. Please wake up Boss Duan Mu."

"We've already paid, too. We're customers!"

"Those bastards from District 80 are getting ready to act. If Boss Duan Mu doesn't set out now, it'll be too late by then."

"..."

After listening for a while, Duan Mu already understood what had happened.

After accepting the commission yesterday, he and Diao Ao hadn't agreed on a time to begin work. They had only said that he would head to District 79 himself the next day to take a look at the situation.

He hadn't expected those people from West District 80 to arrive so quickly.

No, that wasn't right...

Duan Mu shook his head. If he remembered correctly, Diao Ao and the others had come to District 38 five days ago. In other words, they had received the news—or rather, the order—five days ago, telling the people in District 79 to merge with a faction in District 80.

After receiving no reply for nearly a week, it was perfectly normal for the people from District 80 to launch a forced takeover.

"Come in and talk."

Duan Mu opened the sliding door and spoke to Diao Ao and the others outside before turning and walking toward the washroom.

"Boss Duan Mu, since you took our money, you have to do the job."

As soon as Diao Ao entered, he said anxiously, "Our brothers sent word. They said that 'Habutae'—that bitch—had notified us that if we didn't report to District 80 voluntarily before noon today, she would personally bring people to 'take us over.'"

"Habutae?"

Duan Mu turned his head while washing up. "A woman?"

"Huh?" Diao Ao was clearly startled. After hesitating, he said, "I suppose she counts as one?"

A question?

His reply left Duan Mu stunned. A woman was a woman, and not a woman was not a woman. It couldn't be that District 80 was like some beautiful country that had come up with countless genders, could it?

Diao Ao answered Duan Mu's question with a single sentence.

"Habutae's physical features are about the same as Daimaru's. She even looks more muscular than Daimaru."

"..."

The image of Daimaru, two meters tall and covered in bulging muscles, quickly surfaced in Duan Mu's mind. Then he imagined putting a wig on Daimaru's head... The resulting image sent a shiver down his spine.

"That really does make it hard to tell."

Duan Mu took a towel and wiped his face, his tone calm. "From the way you're talking, you're very familiar with that female hero known as 'Habutae,' aren't you?"

"She was born in District 78."

Diao Ao paused before continuing, "Daimaru once led us in fighting against the District 78 she ruled for more than a decade. Her strength was equal to Daimaru's, and neither side could do anything to the other. In the end, no one knows what she was thinking, but she suddenly took the people from West District 78 and went to District 80."

"Because she took so many people with her, District 79 became the strongest faction in West Rukongai apart from District 80. Daimaru's ambitions swelled, and he even set his sights on the Shiba Clan."

"I really can't understand you people. What is there to fight over in a place where even drinking water is difficult?" Uzuki said disdainfully from the side.

"That's certainly how it looks from where you stand." Diao Ao didn't argue. Instead, he nodded in agreement before saying, "But unlike here, the districts with higher numbers are all places the Seireitei doesn't govern. People like us are obviously better suited to living there."

"What I'm curious about is why someone like you, Big Brother Duan Mu, would enjoy living in a place like this. You spend every day under the noses of people who could kill you at any moment. I couldn't stand it."

Duan Mu looked at Diao Ao through narrowed eyes. "Is living in District 79, right next to District 80, not spending every day under the noses of people who could kill you at any moment?"

"That's different."

Diao Ao shook his head. "Those who can truly become Great Villains are people who purely want to fight the strong. Their targets have always been the powerful people in their own district or in District 80 of other regions. They have no interest in us. I told you before—the 'Habutae' who set her sights on us is merely a follower of a Great Villain."

"I heard she nearly got hacked to death by someone, then took the initiative to cling to them."

"Then why don't you follow them?" Uzuki interrupted.

"Who'd want to go to District 80?"

Diao Ao looked wary. "We simply like using direct methods to obtain what we want. Although the most direct method is often killing the other party, if something can be resolved without killing, we don't have to fight anyone."

"But the people in District 80 are different. Apart from fighting stronger opponents, they have nothing else they want. They live only to kill or be killed. That's fundamentally different from us. If we went there, that bitch Habutae would only use us as cannon fodder."

This guy was unexpectedly shrewd. No wonder he had taken over West District 79 directly after Daimaru's death.

"Speaking of which..." Duan Mu looked at Diao Ao curiously. "If I hadn't accepted your commission, what were you planning to do? Flee to another district?"

"Of course not!!"

Diao Ao seemed to remember something and looked disdainful. "We're different from Daimaru. In his eyes, 'West District 79' was merely a stepping stone. His target was District 80 as well."

"But we're different. District 79 is our home. When we first decided to move against that kid from the Shiba Clan, we were all opposed to it at first. But in the higher-numbered districts, strength is equivalent to the right to speak. Our opposition was useless. Though, I admit there was also a tiny part of us that found it exciting."

"If you hadn't accepted our commission, we would have fought that bitch to the death. Since becoming cannon fodder would mean dying anyway, we might as well fight her to our hearts' content!"

A tiny part?

Duan Mu smiled. Back then, those people had acted completely unafraid of death, each one crazier than the last. Daimaru's long-term rule over District 79 had certainly intimidated them, but this group of lunatics who called everyone else crazy definitely also found it exciting.

Never use a normal person's thought process to guess what a madman is thinking.

Although Diao Ao's words sounded reasonable, Duan Mu didn't think they were any different from the villains of West District 80. The only difference was their strength—the despairing gap between them and those Great Villains had changed their outlook, gradually making them seem more normal...

In the end, they had categorized those who stood out from the rest as a different kind of people, completely losing the will to resist them.

"You should go back first."

After speaking, Duan Mu watched Diao Ao's expression change. "I need to make a trip to the Shiba Clan first. I'll head over afterward."

Diao Ao's face suddenly filled with realization, and he hurriedly nodded. "Right, right, right. That's what we should do. I was so anxious that I got muddled."

His reaction left Duan Mu stunned.

What was going on?

Could it be that they had also noticed the Onmitsukidō hiding in the shadows?

After returning to District 38, Duan Mu had discovered that the Onmitsukidō, who hadn't monitored him for some time, had begun watching him again because of Diao Ao and the others' appearance. However, they had remained well hidden and hadn't come near the shop.

This mission obviously couldn't let the Onmitsukidō know.

Although Big Sister Kūkaku had said that as long as he didn't oppose the Seireitei, it didn't matter if he displayed his strength, she had also said that continuing to conceal what should be concealed was perfectly fine.

In any case, Duan Mu didn't want to reveal himself to the upper echelons of the Seireitei too early.

To shake off the Onmitsukidō without arousing suspicion, the best method was to use cultivation as an excuse to go to the Shiba Clan. Once he arrived there, the Onmitsukidō wouldn't approach him.

He would be free to go wherever he wanted.

As for whether the Onmitsukidō would investigate West District 79, that wasn't within Duan Mu's consideration. Judging from the Seireitei's attitude toward the higher-numbered districts, Shinigami basically never went there.

The people in the higher-numbered districts also had no contact with Shinigami, as though they were two isolated worlds. Unless something unexpected happened, it would be difficult for news to reach the Seireitei.

Even if it did, they would probably remain skeptical without seeing it with their own eyes.