In the underground laboratory, the instruments continued to tick.
Yoriichi watched the red ripples on the screen, fell silent for a moment, and finally nodded.
"All right, I'll investigate."
There was no helping it.
This concerned the safety of the Dangai, as well as his captain's allowance for the next few hundred years.
The former was important.
The latter was just as important.
A strange grin returned to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's face. He took a black cube from his sleeve and casually tossed it to Yoriichi.
"Take this."
Yoriichi caught it and looked down at it.
It looked somewhat like a mobile phone from the World of the Living, except for the extra reishi circuits on its surface and the single contact icon on its screen.
"This is the latest pager produced by the Research and Development Institute."
Mayuri extended a long fingernail and tapped the screen.
"You can contact yours truly directly, whether you're in the World of the Living or the Dangai. If you discover anything unusual, don't go making judgments with that impoverished brain of yours. Report it immediately."
Yoriichi tucked the pager into his robes.
"What about waiving the compensation?"
"We'll discuss that once you finish the mission."
"..."
He knew it. This fellow would never wipe the slate clean in advance.
Yoriichi wasted no more time and turned to leave the laboratory.
Every day he delayed completing the mission could mean one less day's allowance.
He could hardly afford not to hurry.
Soon afterward.
The Third Division barracks.
Izuru Kira was handling division affairs. When he saw Yoriichi return, he immediately stood.
"Captain."
"Prepare travel papers for me to go to the World of the Living."
Kira paused.
"You're going on another mission?"
"Yes. To investigate an anomaly in the Dangai."
Looking at his captain, Kira