First-Level Alert (3,000 Words) - Second Update

First-Level Alert (3,000 Words) — Second Update

The night sky was like a deep-blue curtain, dotted with twinkling stars that drew the eye and left one utterly entranced.

A girl, her face filled with worry and concern, walked beneath the night sky through the Fifth Division Barracks. She looked exceptionally delicate, her hair tied up in a bun, yet no one dared underestimate her.

Her name was Hinamori Momo, the 5th Division's lieutenant. Though she looked fragile, she was a true expert in Kidō. In terms of Kidō alone, she ranked among the best of the lieutenants across the Thirteenth Division.

"Captain Aizen." The barely audible murmur slipped from Hinamori Momo's lips, her voice laden with worry.

Hinamori Momo, who admired Aizen, was always keeping an eye on him. But ever since Seireitei had decided to put the Sōkyoku Execution into effect some time ago, Captain Aizen had been acting strangely.

She would sometimes catch a trace of unease beneath Captain Aizen's gentle smile. It was as if he had discovered some secret; his eyes were filled with worry and weariness. This left her deeply concerned.

No matter how she asked, however, Captain Aizen only told her gently that nothing was wrong.

Hinamori Momo felt disappointed, but even more worried. A vague sense of foreboding lingered in her heart.

So these past few days, she had tried every way she could to stay by Captain Aizen's side. But when she had just gone to his office, she found that he had disappeared again. After searching around, she still hadn't found him.

In the end, she had no choice but to give up and planned to ask around in the other divisions first thing tomorrow morning!

Lost in thought, Hinamori Momo stepped into the 5th Division dining hall. But the moment she entered, her brows knitted together. The dining hall was utterly silent.

It wasn't empty. Everyone inside was staring in shock in a certain direction. Following their gazes, Hinamori Momo spotted a young man in bizarre orange clothes sitting there.

A stranger?

Hinamori Momo frowned. As the 5th Division's lieutenant, remembering the face of every member of her division was the bare minimum. So with one glance, she could tell that the young man wasn't from her division.

After all, during the recent entrance examinations, she had already memorized the faces and names of all the new recruits. She had also checked the roster afterward. But this young man... she was certain he wasn't on the list.

Frowning, she walked up and casually tapped one of the onlookers on the shoulder.

"What?" the man replied, sounding annoyed, before turning around. When he saw Hinamori Momo behind him, his expression shifted. He hurriedly said with respect, "Lieutenant Hinamori Momo!"

As he turned, his face came into view. By an incredible coincidence... he was the very same bearded man who had spoken with Wu Biao earlier.

"Who's that boy? And what's going on here?" Hinamori Momo asked with a frown.

The bearded man smiled and pointed at Wu Biao, who was still bent over his food. "Lieutenant, this kid's a new recruit who reported in today. His name is... um, ah, right, Wu Biao."

Wu Biao?

Hinamori Momo raised her brows. She wasn't surprised by a name that definitely wasn't on the roster; she had already suspected as much.

"There's nothing strange about a new recruit making everyone curious. They're all acting like this because of how much that kid can eat!"

The bearded man stared at Wu Biao in astonishment as he continued, "Lieutenant, look at that bowl he's eating from. He's already eaten two huge bowls in no time—enough food for thirty of us. And from the looks of it, he could still eat another one. He must've suffered a lot in Rukongai. And what's wrong with Shino Academy these days? Even if they've graduated, they shouldn't let their students go hungry. Just look at how starved this kid is!"

If Shino Academy had heard him, they would've been at a loss for words. What was he even talking about? No matter how little funding they had, the academy would never starve its students to this extent!

Hinamori Momo couldn't help but find it amusing, but this wasn't the time to laugh. The most important thing now was to find out who the boy was. If he was a new recruit from another division who had come to the wrong place, she could arrange for someone to take him back...

With that in mind, Hinamori Momo walked straight up to Wu Biao, who was still eating voraciously. "Which division are you in?"

"..."

Wu Biao didn't even look up. He kept eating the food in his bowl. He had heard Hinamori Momo, but since he didn't understand what she meant, he assumed she was talking to someone else.

Besides, the food in the 5th Division was unbelievably good: two meat dishes, a vegetable dish, and soup. Brother Biao was eating until he was practically greasy with it.

He had planned to eat only one bowl, but after realizing how delicious it was, he'd unconsciously gone back for another huge serving. The food was this good, and completely free. It would be a waste not to take advantage of it. Who knew when he'd get another meal like this?

In the end, one of the members sitting beside him, who had served himself but hadn't taken a single bite and had watched him eat the whole time, quietly nudged Wu Biao under the table. In a low voice, he said, "Hey, buddy, the lieutenant's talking to you. Stop eating for a second!"

Only then did Wu Biao look up at Hinamori Momo, who was standing nearby. "What is it, girl?"

Girl!!!

As soon as he said it, the entire dining hall fell silent. One by one, the members held their breath.

This reckless kid had just called Lieutenant Hinamori Momo "girl"?

Hinamori Momo was also taken aback by the word, but she was gentle and good-natured, and didn't take offense. It was obvious that the young man didn't know who she was. The ignorant couldn't be blamed, but she still needed to explain.

"I'm Hinamori Momo, the 5th Division's lieutenant, not just some girl. By age, I should be several times older than you. And even setting aside my position and age, I graduated from Shino Academy a long time ago, so you should call me senpai."

"Senpai?" Wu Biao looked her up and down with disdain and waved his hand. "Little brat, go play somewhere else. It's not like I've ever attended that damn foreign school. And even if I had, you're barely five feet tall. You think I should call you senpai?"

At the words "little brat," everyone grew angry. But when Wu Biao said he hadn't attended Shino Academy, the mood suddenly turned strange. Several quick-thinking people instinctively reached for the Zanpakuto at their waists.

"You just said you've never attended Shino Academy?" Hinamori Momo's pretty face turned cold. Her spiritual pressure surged around her, and she stared at Wu Biao warily. "Who... are you, exactly?"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

At her words, the Shinigami who had been scattered around the hall all rose and used Shunpo to move behind Hinamori Momo, their hands on the hilts of their Zanpakuto. In the blink of an eye, the dining hall was filled with killing intent.

The bearded man behind Hinamori Momo also caught on. He stared at Wu Biao with a strange look. "Didn't you just tell me you were a student from Shino Academy who came from Rukongai?"

Wu Biao didn't answer. He set down the bowl he had licked clean and muttered regretfully, "What a shame. I was going to get another half bowl."

At his words, the wary members' mouths twitched. What on earth was this kid's stomach made of?

Wu Biao slowly stood up. The movement put everyone on alert, but there wasn't the slightest trace of fear on Brother Biao's face. Instead, he scratched his head in confusion as he looked at the bearded man. "When did I ever say I graduated from that foreign school? Didn't you ask if I came from Rukongai?"

The bearded man froze. After a long moment, he finally realized that he hadn't actually asked about Shino Academy at the time...

"Someone from Rukongai?" Hinamori Momo recalled the announcement that had been sent throughout Seireitei. She stared at Wu Biao in shock. "Are you the Ryoka who broke into Seireitei?"

"What Ryoka?" Wu Biao shook his head, picked up the large backpack in the aisle, and slung it onto his back. Grinning at the wary crowd, he said, "I'm here to steamroll Seireitei!"

The dining hall fell silent. Everyone looked at Wu Biao as if he were a lunatic. After a moment, a wave of laughter broke out.

"Hahaha..."

"What did this kid just say? He's going to steamroll Seireitei?"

"Hahaha, am I hearing things? A powerless peasant is actually claiming he'll steamroll Seireitei."

"..."

Now that they knew who Wu Biao was, they weren't so nervous anymore. They had no idea how this lucky peasant had wandered into their 5th Division without being caught.

But for a lowly Plus to come all the way to their 5th Division and claim he would steamroll Seireitei? That was probably the funniest joke they'd ever heard.

Two middle-aged Shinigami walked straight toward Wu Biao.

"Kid, just surrender quietly. You'll suffer less that way."

"Exactly! A mere Plus comes to our 5th Division and says he'll steamroll Seireitei. Looks like you've taken a pretty bad blow to the head!"

As they spoke, neither of them drew their Zanpakuto. They simply walked toward Wu Biao.

Clang, clang, clang—

Just then, a rapid series of gong strikes suddenly rang throughout Seireitei, followed by an extremely urgent announcement.

"Level One Alert, Level One Alert. The earlier intelligence was incorrect. The intruder in Seireitei is not a powerless Plus, but a human. This person is extremely dangerous. He once killed a Menos Grande-class Gillian alone in the Human World. All divisions, rush to provide support.

"Additionally, all patrol Shinigami between Western Roads 120 and 160 have been defeated. More than fifty people outside the Western White Road Gate, including 3rd Division Third Seat Togakushi, have been seriously injured. The entire Surveillance Department in the west has also been seriously injured. The 4th Division is requested to rush to their aid.

"The intruding Ryoka is currently estimated to be between Roads 100 and 120. The nearest division, the 5th Division, is requested to deploy all members. All other divisions, set out immediately to provide support. Attention... this person is extremely powerful and can kill a Menos Grande-class Gillian alone. Members below lieutenant rank must not act alone! I repeat..."

"What?" Everyone in the 5th Division dining hall looked stunned.

The two men standing in front of Wu Biao had yet to recover from the shock of the information in the announcement when they felt a large hand clamp down on each of their heads. An irresistible force followed.

BAM—

A muffled impact rang out. The two middle-aged Shinigami crumpled to the floor like noodles dropped into boiling water, their eyes rolling back.

"Where are Rukia and that sissy?"