Living in the Soul Society, Just Wanting to Coast into Retirement

Even if I screwed things up completely, someone would still have my back.

At worst, I could have the Captain Commander use Bankai to wipe the board clean and flip the table!

At this point in time, other than the monk of Zero Division—Ichibē Hyōsube—no one could reliably overpower the Captain Commander.

With someone that strong standing behind me, what the hell was there to fear?

His confidence instantly returned, and Yamabuki Chidori narrowed his eyes as he considered what to do next.

The Quincy were unpredictable, and Hueco Mundo was currently the most unstable factor.

According to the rules of this world, Hollows would never disappear. Hollows had existed a million years ago, before the Soul King divided the world into three realms. When humans died with powerful obsessions, their souls would fall into Hollowhood. Making humans free of obsessions was about as difficult as stopping dogs from eating shit.

The Soul Society was practically guaranteed to win against the Quincy.

What Yamabuki Chidori feared was that after both sides had battered each other senseless, those Hollows would rush out and cause trouble.

Therefore, before the decisive battle with the Quincy, they had to clear out Hueco Mundo first. Killing every Hollow was impossible, not even the Soul King could manage that, but shaving the outskirts of Hueco Mundo clean was no problem. That would keep those Hollows from exploiting an opening.

Right, the one ruling Hueco Mundo now should be... the King of Despair, Baraggan Louisenbarn.

Just a small fry. Back then, Aizen had taken two captains and flattened Hueco Mundo, beating Baraggan like he was his grandson.

Look at my current lineup: Shunshun Shidō, Katoru Hatsunoya, Gen'en Kinra, Saitō Fubōfu, Zendouji Yuuhin, plus Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Saying we could destroy all of Hueco Mundo would be bullshit, but launching a decapitation operation and taking out the current Baraggan would be absurdly easy.

There was no reason I couldn't do what Aizen had done. Confidence.

Yamabuki Chidori stated his opinion outright.

Yamamoto patted Yamabuki Chidori on the shoulder. "Great minds think alike, great minds think alike. You and I were thinking the same thing. When facing Hollows, we can't always remain on the defensive. Counterattacking is more my style. We need to tell the Hollows that the roles of attacker and defender have changed. Where Hollows can go, so can we. Actually, I've long wanted to establish a Hueco Mundo expeditionary force."

Smart people often arrived at the same conclusion.

"This cannot wait. Yamabuki, get a good rest tonight. At first light tomorrow, you'll lead the team out," Yamamoto said.

Yamabuki Chidori left happily.

As he passed by, he caught the aroma of food drifting out from the cafeteria. Hanako was helping out there, piling Chōjirō Sasakibe's bowl high with meat.

Yeah, the kid had grown up. It was time to take him out to see the big world.

"Sasakibe, there's something big happening in the squad tomorrow. Interested?" Yamabuki Chidori asked with a sly grin.

Chōjirō Sasakibe froze for a moment, then immediately grew excited. "Of course! But Brother Yamabuki, give me a hint. What exactly is happening in the squad?"

It was not just Chōjirō Sasakibe. Everyone else eating there also perked up their ears. Yamabuki Chidori was the Chief Strategist; every major matter in the squad passed through his hands.

"Heh heh! Secret. Anyway, it's a good thing. Anyone who wants to join, go sign up with the Captain Commander now. Also..." Yamabuki Chidori paused. There were only a little over six hundred official Gotei 13 members and trainees combined. They were enough to handle scattered Hollows, but what lay ahead was war. Once they returned from Hueco Mundo, they would need to expand recruitment.

Upon hearing there was something good going on, everyone hurriedly finished their meals and went to sign up with the Captain Commander. Naturally, Chōjirō Sasakibe was not about to fall behind.

The day had come to sweep through Hueco Mundo with his underlings! Awesome!

The next day, before the Soul Gate.

Yamabuki Chidori waited smugly. After waiting for ages, only two people showed up!

One was Chōjirō Sasakibe.

The other was Hachisato.

"..." Yamabuki Chidori kept looking behind them. "Where is everyone? Why are there only you two?"

Chōjirō Sasakibe said awkwardly, "When everyone heard we were going to subjugate Hueco Mundo... they all ran off. In the end, only Hachisato and I signed up!"

What a bunch of cowards!

Yamabuki Chidori covered his face. Forget it, he had not been counting on them anyway.

At that moment, the Captain Commander arrived with the squad's higher-ups.

"Shunshun, Hatsunoya, Saito, Uncle Gen'en, and Fatty, you're all here! Let's go flatten Hueco Mundo," Yamabuki Chidori said excitedly.

Yamamoto calmly replied, "Don't get excited yet. We came to see you off."

"Huh?"

"The Quincy are watching us like tigers. Compared to subjugating Hueco Mundo, guarding the Seireitei is more important," the Captain Commander said in an old-fashioned tone.

"So..."

"So this Hueco Mundo expeditionary force consists of just the three of you!" Yamamoto said, pointing at Yamabuki Chidori, Sasakibe, and Hachisato.

"Captain Commander... you... you tricked me! That's Baraggan, the King of Despair! You're sending just the three of us..."

"What are you panicking for? I'll support you spiritually." Yamamoto smiled without quite smiling.

"Captain Commander... I don't want next month's pay anymore. How about we cancel this operation?" Yamabuki Chidori asked bitterly.

"You were the one who proposed this. How can you go back on your word? Look, what's behind you?" Yamamoto said.

Yamabuki Chidori turned around and discovered that the Soul Gate had opened.

Yamamoto viciously kicked Yamabuki Chidori in the ass, sending him straight through the Soul Gate.

"Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto!!! I'll remember this for the rest of my life!!!"

Thoughts on Going Premium

It was time for the novel to go premium again.

I chose the relatively niche subject of Bleach, and started writing from a thousand years ago, mainly because I wanted to fill in the story of the original Gotei 13 that had always lingered in my heart. Otherwise, it would have been far too regrettable.

As it happened, the second season of the Thousand-Year Blood War would air in July. Maybe I could ride that wave of popularity.

Also, Old Cat's greatest trait is that I will never drop a story. As long as I can get signed and go premium, I will definitely keep writing until the end. Even if only one reader remains, I will do my utmost to write the best story in my heart for them. Everyone can subscribe with confidence.

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May all your wishes come true, may you get rich overnight, and then send me a couple more monthly passes. (Dog-head emoji for protection.)

Bounty Event

One chapter for every 100 monthly passes.

One chapter for every 300 recommendations.

One chapter for every 1,000 in donations.

And most importantly, the limit is seven extra chapters per week. I already update quite a lot normally.

Today is Friday, and this runs until next Friday. I'll start making up the extra chapters the following Saturday.

It would be awkward if nobody joined in, so I hope everyone will support me.

This bounty event will remain valid long-term.

Hueco Mundo

Gen'en Kinra asked with some concern, "Captain Commander, will Yamabuki be all right taking just those two to Hueco Mundo?"

Yamamoto calmly replied, "Don't worry about that. That brat Yamabuki has deep potential. Haven't you noticed how much his Reiatsu has improved since returning from the Human World? I estimate that the potential was awakened during his fight with Zendouji Yuuhin. Throwing him into Hueco Mundo this time is meant to temper him further! After all, the Soul Society will likely face a catastrophe before long!"

The captains all fell silent. The Captain Commander had already told them about the Quincy. They had not expected the Soul Reapers to have enemies like that.

"All right, let's head back!" Yamamoto turned and began walking away.

"Captain Commander, where are you going?" Shunshun Shidō asked curiously.

"Back to drink tea, of course. Let me know when that brat Yamabuki returns," Yamamoto said without looking back as he left.

Yamabuki Chidori finally arrived in Hueco Mundo with his two not-very-useful underlings. He had only seen Hueco Mundo in the anime before and knew it was desolate, but he had never expected it to be this desolate. There was nothing but white sand covering the ground. Even the occasional tree had long since withered away, devoid of any moisture.

"The most important question now is, did either of you bring food?" Yamabuki Chidori turned and asked.

He had thought many squad members would come, so he had brought nothing with him. Hachisato took out his pack. It contained dry rations, water, a broad hat for shielding against wind and sand, all kinds of hidden weapons and poisons—everything one could need. As expected of someone from an assassin background, he was indeed more thorough than ordinary people.

As long as they had supplies, it was fine. Yamabuki Chidori looked around. Hueco Mundo had no daytime; a massive moon hung overhead, making his scalp tingle for some reason.

"Chief Strategist, which direction should we go?" Hachisato asked quietly.

How the hell would I know which direction to go? It was my first time in Hueco Mundo too. I couldn't even tell east from west. Fine, whatever. I'd just point somewhere and go!

"We'll go that way." Yamabuki Chidori casually pointed in one direction. Chōjirō Sasakibe gripped his Zanpakuto nervously, terrified that some ferocious Hollow would emerge from a hidden corner. Yet the entire way, let alone a Hollow, they did not even see a grasshopper. Nothing but boundless emptiness!

"Where the hell did that old man kick me to? Why can't we even see a single Hollow?" Yamabuki Chidori began to have doubts as well. Hueco Mundo without Hollows? What kind of joke was that?

Suddenly, Chōjirō Sasakibe cried out, "Brother Yamabuki, look at this!"

Following the sound, Yamabuki Chidori walked over and found a lizard-type Hollow the length of a thumb. It even wore a white mask on its head and bared its fangs at the three of them.

"So cute! I didn't even know Hueco Mundo had Hollows like this. I thought all Hollows were vicious monsters. Brother Yamabuki, can I catch one and take it back for Hanako?" Chōjirō Sasakibe asked.

"What are you thinking? It's still a Hollow no matter how small it is. It can evolve. What if it hurts Hanako?" Yamabuki Chidori said. "Stop playing with it. Either let it go or kill it!"

Chōjirō Sasakibe could not bring himself to kill such a cute little Hollow, so he could only let it burrow into the sand and leave.

"Something's not right! Even if Hueco Mundo is desolate, we shouldn't have walked this far without seeing a single Hollow! What's going on?" Yamabuki Chidori deliberately ignored the little thing that was not even as large as a finger.

Hachisato raised his hand. "Chief Strategist, I have a guess, though I don't know if I'm right."

"Speak!"

"Large beasts often have territories of their own and do not allow others of their kind to enter them. Do you think there might be an incredibly powerful Hollow hiding in this area?" Hachisato asked.

Yamabuki Chidori pondered for a moment. That was indeed possible, but the surroundings stretched as far as the eye could see, and there was no sign of any powerful Hollow!

Still, with my current strength, no one short of a Vastolorde is my match. Nothing to fear!

Chōjirō Sasakibe cried out again. Without even turning around, Yamabuki Chidori asked, "What now? I already told you that you can't bring a Hollow home to raise..."

But in the next instant, Chōjirō Sasakibe's cry turned into a plea for help. "Help! There's something under the sand!"

Yamabuki Chidori hurriedly turned around and saw that the yellow sand beneath their feet had risen into a massive dune more than ten meters across.

Damn it, Hachisato had been right. There really was a powerful Hollow in this region. Before the enemy had even revealed its true form, Yamabuki Chidori could already sense its Reiatsu. It was not particularly strong, at most on the level of a Menos Grande, but for Chōjirō Sasakibe and Hachisato, it was certainly a challenge.

Bang!

A massive lizard burst out from beneath the white sand, opening its bloody maw and biting toward the three of them. All three used Flash Step at the same time to evade the lizard Menos Grande's attack.

The lizard Menos Grande was over ten meters long and more than three meters tall, like a heavily loaded truck. Its eyes were blood-red, its face covered by a white mask, and it advanced on the three of them step by step.

"I thought it would be something impressive. So it's just this thing. I'll leave it to you two." Yamabuki Chidori sheathed his Zanpakuto. The two of them ranked in the upper-middle tier of the Gotei 13. Handling one Menos Grande should not be a problem.

"Pierce through, Genryūmaru!"

"Poison it to death, Hyakko Hachi!"

It was Yamabuki Chidori's first time seeing Hachisato release his Zanpakuto. The blade transformed into a crimson cylindrical syringe roughly two feet long, with its rear end fitted over Hachisato's arm.

The two launched their attack instantly. Though the lizard Menos Grande was huge, size did not mean everything in the world of Soul Reapers. Reiatsu was what mattered most.

For a time, dust churned through the desert as Chōjirō Sasakibe and Hachisato darted up and down, evading the lizard Menos Grande's attacks while searching for an opening.

Electric sparks flickered along Genryūmaru as it pierced through the lizard Menos Grande's leg. Hachisato seized the chance to close in and strike the injured area with his Zanpakuto. In an instant, crimson venom was injected into the Menos Grande's body, while Hyakko Hachi turned white.

Replenishing the venom would require consuming the user's Reiatsu.

"As expected of an assassin!" Yamabuki Chidori watched Hachisato in surprise. This blade's ability was far too suited for assassination. A sudden ambush, a single guaranteed hit—even if it did not kill you immediately, the deadly poison injected afterward could still take the victim's life. Combined with his superb Flash Step, it was a perfect match.

Unlike a certain someone, whose Shikai took two hits to kill someone, while their Bankai involved carrying a nuclear bomb into an assassination. Was that even assassination?

Don't hide. I'm talking about you, Soi Fon.

Sure enough, after the venom was injected, the lizard Menos Grande's body swayed as if drunk. Within minutes, it collapsed to the ground and stopped moving!

The Last Leisurely Days

Seeing the lizard Menos Grande collapse, Chōjirō Sasakibe prepared to go finish it off. Suddenly, Yamabuki Chidori asked, "Is this thing dead?"

Hachisato answered, "No. It has some resistance to poison. The venom only knocked it unconscious. If we don't kill it quickly, it'll be troublesome once it wakes up."

A bold idea came to Yamabuki Chidori's mind. "Don't kill it yet. Don't you think our little team is missing something?"