The Owari Group had operated underground for years. Centered on the hot spring where Oda Nobunaga stayed, its underground passages had long since been dug in all directions, forming something like a vast spiderweb.
Of course, none of the other places had as much space as Oda Nobunaga's.
Shiraishi was led to a small private room off one of the passages. Its walls were a cold blue-gray, and a straw mat lay in one corner, with a folded quilt and pillow, as well as a low table and a cushion.
"If you need the toilet, go straight from here and turn left at the intersection. Someone will bring dinner over shortly."
Kichō gave him a brief introduction to the surroundings.
Shiraishi wasn't very demanding about such things. He had slept out in the wilderness before. He cared about only one thing. "If I want to leave, where can I get to the surface?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Kichō's face. "Why do you want to leave?"
"How could a man like me, as free as the wind, spend all day underground without seeing the sun?"
Shiraishi made up an excuse on the spot. The main reason was that he wouldn't have a chance to encounter Hollows underground.
If he didn't kill Hollows, he wouldn't get experience. Without experience, he couldn't level up. And how could he get stronger without leveling up?
After all, strength was the foundation for making one's way in the world.
Once he became strong enough to look down on even Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the Central 46 Chambers would naturally rescind the warrant for him.
Kichō's expression darkened, as if she had thought of something unpleasant. She sighed. "Get some rest first. I'll ask Lord Nobunaga whether he wants me to tell you."
"There's no need to ask. He'll definitely agree to my request," Shiraishi answered confidently. He hadn't spent much time with Oda Nobunaga, but he had a rough idea of what the man was like.
"I still have to ask."
With that answer, Kichō turned and left down the passage, returning to where Oda Nobunaga was.
Glug, glug. Oda Nobunaga was still tilting his head back and drinking the hot spring water. Bits of food spilled from the corners of his mouth, as if he were washing out his stomach.
Yet the heat hadn't diminished in the slightest.
The sight pained Kichō. She quietly clenched her hand and said softly, "Lord Nobunaga."
"Mm."
Oda Nobunaga lowered his head and spat out a mouthful of murky hot spring water. "Has he been settled in?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
Kichō answered respectfully, "He had no complaints about the room. He only asked how he could leave. He doesn't want to stay underground the whole time before we make our move."
"Then tell him where the exit is."
Oda Nobunaga wasn't worried that Shiraishi would reveal their secret. If he had truly meant them harm, he would have struck when they first met.
Years of torment from the flames had made him extremely fast-so fast that a fight would end as soon as he drew his sword. That was why he always kept it out of its sheath, embedded in the cliff wall beside him, where he could grip it with a single reach.
Kichō didn't try to dissuade him. She never questioned Lord Nobunaga's decisions. She continued, "Lord Nobunaga, it seems you didn't ask why I brought him here."
"You must have your reasons. I trust you."
Oda Nobunaga's words carried a great weight of trust.
Kichō looked touched and began to explain. "This is what happened...
"I'm sorry. Saito House is at risk of being exposed, so I can no longer act as your eyes and ears out in the open."
As she said this, Kichō's face was full of self-reproach. She felt that even her one remaining use was gone.
"You don't need to apologize. You've done more than enough for me over the years. Besides, the snow lotus will soon be ours, and I won't need to stay hidden any longer."
Oda Nobunaga didn't blame her and took it all in stride. "If anyone should apologize, it's me. I've made you keep those Shinigami company all these years. You've really had to put up with a lot."
"No, it's my honor to serve you, Lord Nobunaga. I haven't suffered at all. If not for you, I'd still be in that noble's hands, living a life worse than death."
Kichō would never forget that snowy night, when the man swung his sword and severed the head of that living nightmare, then asked her in a flippant tone, "What's your name?"
"Lowly slave. Chamber pot." Her eyes were vacant, her expression lifeless, and a pure white, filthy liquid slowly ran down her body.
"Tch, what an unpleasant expression. From now on, your name is Kichō. It's the name of my favorite woman."
In that instant, she had been given a reason to live and had seen the light. She could give everything for Lord Nobunaga.
"Tch, you still remember those little things?"
Oda Nobunaga's thoughts also returned to that day. There hadn't really been any special reason. He had simply found it too dull to see a woman wearing an expression like that, so he had given her a name.
Who could have imagined that the young girl would latch onto him and then do so much for him?
"Once I conquer the world... Oh, never mind."
Oda Nobunaga didn't say it. If he did, it wouldn't be a surprise. "Go back and tell Shiraishi where the exit is. Don't keep him waiting too long."
"Yes." Kichō lowered her head, unable to stop herself from growing curious. What did Lord Nobunaga want to do after conquering the world?
She thought of many possibilities, but never arrived at an answer, so she gave up.
Whatever it was, she would be content as long as she could remain at Lord Nobunaga's side as a servant.
Her filthy body wasn't worthy of even dreaming of anything more.
Kichō returned to Shiraishi's room. Someone had already delivered dinner: two Pacific saury, a bowl of rice, and miso soup.
"It's not enough."
Shiraishi complained as soon as she arrived. There wasn't enough food for two, and even he alone wouldn't be full.
Kichō slapped her forehead. "Sorry, I forgot to tell them you have a big appetite."
Shiraishi pointed to Nemu Kurotsuchi, who was lying behind him. "She needs food too, as well as a straw mat, quilt, and pillow."
Kichō folded her arms. "Wasn't I giving you an opportunity? A man and a woman alone together, sharing a quilt."
"I usually look at beautiful women with appreciation."
Shiraishi offered an explanation.
There was nothing wrong with liking beautiful women. How many men would dare boast that they disliked beautiful women with large breasts?
But using his power to take a woman by force, especially someone like Nemu Kurotsuchi, who knew absolutely nothing about relations between men and women and was completely obedient...
That kind of behavior was no different from what a beast would do.
He couldn't bring himself to do it.
"All right, I'll arrange it." Kichō agreed to his request, then couldn't help asking, "Have you fallen in love with her?"
"What are you imagining?" Shiraishi rolled his eyes. The most important reason he kept Nemu Kurotsuchi by his side was to get under Mayuri Kurotsuchi's skin.
When he had watched Bleach before, he had liked Mayuri Kurotsuchi's character to some extent. Early on, he had been scum to the extreme, but in the Hueco Mundo and Blood War arcs, he had become reliable.
The problem was that someone like him was fine to watch from across a dimensional divide, but if you actually met him, it would be hard to feel any fondness for him.
Shiraishi just wanted to beat him up badly, or even kill him. The trouble was that killing him would be too difficult.
Shiraishi couldn't kill him, so he could only keep Nemu Kurotsuchi with him and make Mayuri Kurotsuchi constantly remember the humiliation of his defeat.