Technology Development Bureau

When Liu Chuan and Isshin Shiba entered the Technology Development Bureau, the broad passageways were no longer lined with traditional squad barracks. Instead, they were lined with independent laboratories separated by high-strength transparent materials or special force fields.

The personnel inside wore uniform white research coats with anti-contamination Spirit Particle coatings, along with bizarre auxiliary devices such as strange glasses and masks.

Some performed complex calculations on floating Spirit Particle models at their workstations;

Others recorded data from grotesquely shaped biological samples in cultivation tanks;

Some were even conducting entity collision experiments that looked extremely dangerous.

Noisy, busy, and chaotic, yet filled with a sickly efficiency and fanaticism.

There was none of the discipline commonly found in the other divisions of the Gotei 13. In its place was an ultimate pursuit of knowledge and exploration of the unknown.

Occasionally, researchers rushed past carrying boards covered in mad equations, completely ignoring Liu Chuan and Isshin Shiba as they arrived, wholly immersed in their own worlds.

"Tch, every time I come here, it feels like I've entered another world."

Isshin Shiba covered his nose and avoided a plume of purple smoke spraying from a nearby vent.

After confirming their identities, they were led deeper into the Technology Development Bureau by a researcher with dull eyes but exceptionally precise, swift movements.

The laboratories here were larger, and their protective measures more rigorous. The concentration of Spirit Particles in the air was so high that it made their skin tingle faintly.

At last, they arrived before a massive metal door engraved with intricate sealing runes, its style extravagantly bizarre.

The door opened, revealing a vast space within.

It was piled with countless instruments, test tubes, cultivation jars, mechanical wreckage, biological specimens, and screens filled with insane data.

In the center of the room stood a particularly conspicuous cylindrical transparent container filled with an unknown green liquid. Something unusual seemed to be sealed within it.

The sound of bubbling liquid echoed through the air.

And the master of this place, Squad 12 Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, stood with his back to them before a massive operating console.

His hands moved too quickly for the eye to follow as they worked countless buttons, levers, and floating light screens, while an excited, shrill chuckle escaped his lips.

"...Yes, just like that! Let me see where your limits lie, my Experiment No. 247!"

He suddenly pulled down a lever. The green container in the center of the room immediately warped and expanded violently, spiderweb cracks spreading across its walls!

"Captain! Spiritual Pressure overload! It's going to explode!" his vice-captain beside him warned urgently in a shrill voice, wearing an explosion-proof mask.

"Explode? No! This is evolution!" Mayuri Kurotsuchi laughed madly. Not only did he make no move to stop it, he slammed another red button.

Boom!

The container finally gave way and exploded! Thick green liquid and violent Spirit Particle currents splattered everywhere, only to be completely blocked by a Spirit Particle barrier that instantly rose before the operating console.

When the smoke and dust cleared, only a small pile of dim, seemingly scorched ash remained.

"Tch, another failure. The tolerance still isn't enough. Next time, I'll try adding some Gillian-level Spirit Particles..."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was not discouraged in the slightest. Instead, he stroked his chin, the eyes beneath his mask gleaming with even greater fanaticism.

Only then did he seem to notice that two more people had appeared at the door.

He slowly turned around, his gaze locking onto Liu Chuan like a scanner in an instant. He let out an amazed, "Oh?"

"Rare guests, rare guests indeed." Mayuri Kurotsuchi's voice was shrill and slimy. He spread his arms in an exaggerated gesture of welcome, though it looked more like he was displaying his nest.

"Lord Liu Chuan of Zero Division, and... Captain Shiba of the Tenth Division. What wind has blown the two of you into my tiny laboratory?"

"Don't tell me you're interested in that failed experiment just now? It may have failed, but the data is quite valuable! Would you like to take a look?"

He spoke extremely quickly, his words leaping from one subject to another.

"Captain Kurotsuchi." Liu Chuan ignored both the chaotic, dangerous surroundings and the other's strange mannerisms, getting straight to the point.

"Forgive the intrusion. I've come in hopes that the Technology Development Bureau can assist in creating a special tool for investigating the Twin Hyorinmaru incident."

"Oh? A special tool?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi's interest was clearly piqued as he paced closer.

"Let's hear it. Could it be... you want me to replicate a Hyōrinmaru? Though highly challenging, it isn't impossible!"

"As long as I have sufficient Spirit Particle samples and the foundational forging data from that Sword God..."

"I'm not asking for a replica Zanpakuto." Liu Chuan cut off his dangerous train of thought. "I need a Tenshintai."

The moment the words "Tenshintai" were spoken, the air in the room seemed to freeze for an instant.

Even Vice-Captain Nemu Kurotsuchi, who had been standing silently nearby, imperceptibly raised her head.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi froze. The gaze behind his mask suddenly became incomparably sharp, carrying even a trace of cold scrutiny.

He slowly straightened, letting out a drawn-out, inscrutable, "Hmm?"

"A Tenshintai. One of those little toys that Kisuke Urahara left behind."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi's voice remained shrill, but it now held an indescribably complicated emotion.

"A thing used to forcibly drag the boring true form of a Zanpakuto into reality, so people can play house. What, Lord Liu, are you interested in those antiques Kisuke Urahara left behind?"

He neither agreed nor refused immediately. Instead, he slowly circled Liu Chuan as though assessing a rare specimen.

"Making a Tenshintai is indeed no difficult task for me.

"The research materials Kisuke Urahara left behind may be disorganized, filled with his personal brand of malicious encryption and recording methods utterly devoid of aesthetic sense.

"But I cracked and optimized the core principles and technical details long ago. In certain aspects... I've completely surpassed them."

His tone held no attempt to conceal his contempt for Kisuke Urahara's research style, yet it also carried a nearly obsessive confidence and pride.

"However," Mayuri Kurotsuchi abruptly changed course, stopping before Liu Chuan and staring at him through his mask.

"Why should I make one for you? Your status as a member of Zero Division isn't enough to make me, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, captain of Squad 12 and director of the Technology Development Bureau, lower myself to reproduce an old toy left behind by a predecessor I've already 'surpassed,' especially one with such limited use. Unless..."

He extended a slender finger. "...You can provide something that interests me in exchange. For example, cooperating with me on certain special research projects? Or perhaps... the 'true reason' you gained Zero Division's favor?"

His demands were direct, greedy, and full of probing. Clearly, he held immense research interest in Liu Chuan himself, as well as Zero Division.

Liu Chuan suddenly turned to look at Isshin Shiba, who was feeling somewhat uneasy under the laboratory's bizarre atmosphere and looking around restlessly.

Liu Chuan suddenly thought of a good idea.

"Captain Isshin," Liu Chuan said in a grave tone.

"Huh? What's wrong, Liu Chuan?" Isshin Shiba responded instinctively, a bad feeling rising in his heart.

Liu Chuan sighed, as though he had made a difficult decision.

"At this point, in order to obtain the Tenshintai as soon as possible, uncover the truth, and save your future subordinate, Toshiro Hitsugaya... I'm afraid you'll have to suffer a little."

"Me suffer? What do you mean?" Isshin Shiba froze, failing to react.

Liu Chuan pointed at Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who was watching them with great interest, his tone heavy with "grief."

"Captain Kurotsuchi needs to expend manpower and resources to assist in making the Tenshintai. In exchange, he needs a 'volunteer.'"

"Someone to cooperate with the Technology Development Bureau on some... well, special research."

"Captain Isshin, as captain of the Tenth Division, your Spiritual Pressure is powerful, your experience is abundant, and you're Hitsugaya's future superior. In terms of both sentiment and reason, no one is more suited than you for this important duty of cooperating with the research."

Cooperate with research? At the Technology Development Bureau? Become Mayuri Kurotsuchi's "volunteer"?!

Isshin Shiba's eyes widened instantly, as if he had heard the most terrifying joke in the world.

An image involuntarily surfaced in his mind: himself tied to an operating table, surrounded by surgical instruments gleaming coldly and unknown bubbling liquids.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi, wearing gloves smeared with unknown slime, letting out a sinister cackle as he approached with an enormous syringe...

Gasp—! Isshin Shiba sucked in a sharp breath. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back, sending a chill through him.

He leaped back, distancing himself from Liu Chuan, and pointed at his nose, his voice cracking.

"Hey! Liu Chuan! You brat! You can't screw over your teammate like this! Selling me to Mayuri Kurotsuchi for research? No! Absolutely not! I'd rather die than do it!"

His reaction was intense, his arms flailing as his face twisted with terror, fury, and the disbelief of betrayal.

He launched into a furious tirade at Liu Chuan, completely disregarding the setting and the increasingly bright look in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's eyes.

Liu Chuan remained expressionless, merely looking at Isshin Shiba with the gaze of someone acting for the greater good, as though saying, This is a necessary sacrifice.

Isshin Shiba cursed for a long while. Seeing that Liu Chuan remained unmoved while Mayuri Kurotsuchi beside them seemed very interested in the "proposal," his heart sank.

He looked at Liu Chuan's "righteous" face, then thought of Toshiro Hitsugaya, still imprisoned by Central 46 with an uncertain future—the talented young man he thought highly of, who had already quietly prepared his application to join the division...

A surge of hot blood mixed with helplessness and tragic resolve rose within him.

Isshin Shiba gritted his teeth, the struggle clear on his face. He clawed at his hair and let out a pained groan.

"Damn it, Liu Chuan, you bastard... you win!"

As if exhausting all his strength, he forced the words through clenched teeth, his expression as tragic as that of a man about to walk to the execution ground.

"For Shiro-chan... I'll do it! It's just cooperating with research, isn't it?! Bring it on, Captain Kurotsuchi! Use whatever methods you've got! If I so much as frown, I won't be called Isshin Shiba!"

He puffed out his chest and closed his eyes, looking like a martyr ready to accept any torture. Only his trembling eyelids and clenched fists betrayed the terror in his heart.

Yet Mayuri Kurotsuchi's anticipated excited cackle and icy touch never came.

Instead, there came an undisguised snort filled with contempt.

"Tch—"

Isshin Shiba opened one eye in confusion.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was waving his gloved hand dismissively, his tone overflowing with scorn. "Isshin Shiba? Cooperate with research? You?"

He looked Isshin Shiba up and down as if examining an ordinary rock.

"An utterly unremarkable captain-class Spiritual Pressure, Zanpakuto abilities with no distinctive qualities, not even the slightest abnormal mutation or special talent worth noting."

"If I sliced you up for research, the data I'd get would probably be less than what I'd obtain from a random Gillian-class Hollow subspecies I cultivated. A waste of my time and a stain on my instruments."

"..." Isshin Shiba froze. The tragic expression on his face instantly stiffened, then slowly cracked apart.

An indescribable feeling welled up inside him—relief? Or perhaps... the humiliation of being looked down on, along with an inexplicable annoyance?

I'm the captain of the Tenth Division, the head of a branch family of one of the Five Great Noble Houses, and he thinks I'm not even qualified to be experimental material?

The corner of Liu Chuan's mouth twitched imperceptibly. He clearly hadn't expected this reaction from Mayuri Kurotsuchi either. Still, this was good. At least he wouldn't really have to sell Isshin Shiba off.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi stopped looking at the severely shaken Isshin Shiba and returned his attention to Liu Chuan. After the little interlude, he seemed to have a new idea.

He tilted his head, his bone mask giving off a faint scraping sound.

"However, Lord Liu," Mayuri Kurotsuchi said, his tone once again becoming interested, with a subtle hint of nostalgia.

"Since you're about to head to the Soul King Palace and become a member of Zero Division... there is something I might ask you to do for me."

"Go ahead," Liu Chuan said.

"I have an old superior in Zero Division," Mayuri Kurotsuchi said slowly. "Kirio Hikifune, former captain of Squad 12 and founder of Gigai and Mod Soul theory."

"If you see her at the Soul King Palace, give her my regards."

Liu Chuan recalled the records he had read in the Great Spirit Library. Kirio Hikifune had indeed been Mayuri Kurotsuchi's superior before being promoted to Zero Division.

Looking at this twisted, crazed scientist, who was now revealing such a human side, Liu Chuan understood. He nodded in agreement.

"All right. When I meet Lady Kirio Hikifune, I'll be sure to convey Captain Kurotsuchi's greetings and recent circumstances."

Only after leaving the Technology Development Bureau did Isshin Shiba finally breathe a complete sigh of relief. He wiped nonexistent cold sweat from his brow and spoke to Liu Chuan in a low voice, still shaken.

"You scared the hell out of me. I thought I'd really be stuck there getting researched... Liu Chuan, could you at least give me a heads-up before making that kind of joke next time?"

Add Bookmark

Return to Contents

Report Chapter Error

Share with Friends: