As darkness fell, the vibrant cherry blossoms coalesced into blades of light, appearing exceptionally beautiful against the backdrop of darkness.
A powerful Reiatsu erupted between the clashing blades, and the figure appeared and disappeared like a ghost.
"Ah!"
Renji Abarai stared wide-eyed, a dull ache spreading through his body. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a hospital gown, his chest wrapped in bandages.
[A book-reading app recommended to me by a friend I've known for ten years, Wild Fruit Reading! It's damn good! I use it to read aloud and listen to books while driving or before bed to pass the time. You can download it here: yeguoyuedu]
That wasn't a dream, but a memory of his own battle. He lost. Byakuya Kuchiki not only possessed immense Reiatsu, but he also maintained an almost terrifying level of rational restraint throughout the battle.
Unlike people like him, whose emotions run high and whose destructive power is greater.
"Damn it!" Renji Abarai angrily slammed his fist on the bed.
" Renji, don't push yourself too hard."
A soft voice came from beside him. He turned his head and found Rukia sitting on the edge of the bed. He hurriedly sat up and said, " Rukia, what brings you here?"
"You were seriously injured by Nissan, and Mr. Shiraishi notified me immediately."
Rukia answered gently.
Renji Abarai was annoyed and felt a little helpless about Shiraishi's presumptuous decision. He didn't want to see his sweetheart in such a disheveled state.
They boasted beforehand that they could win, but they ended up losing so badly.
" Renji, I've given this matter careful consideration."
" Rukia, don't say that yet. I'm still too inexperienced and not strong enough to protect you. Wait a little longer. I will become stronger until I defeat Byakuya Kuchiki."
Renji Abarai interrupted her, thinking he had become strong enough, but in the end he still lost, making it impossible for him to face Rukia's final outcome; he feared rejection.
Rukia the words she was about to say, looked at his stubborn expression, and sighed, " Renji."
"What's wrong?"
"You're such an idiot," Rukia exclaimed sincerely.
"?" Renji Abarai blinked, not understanding why he was suddenly cursing himself.
Shiraishi, who was eavesdropping outside the door, stood up and shook his head.
Hakuhō, mimicking her father, also shook her head.
What a golden opportunity, and Renji, that idiot, wasted it.
"That's not decisive at all."
Shiraishi muttered a complaint, decided to stop eavesdropping, and went home.
Autumn passes and winter solstice arrives.
The Soul Society experienced its first snowfall of the year.
Snowflakes fluttered outside the window, covering everything with a layer of silver. However, the snowflakes were small, just fine flakes, making it difficult to achieve the desired effect.
Steam rose from the tea in the cup. Shiraishi finished a document, put down his pen, leaned back, and stretched to relax.
"Yay!" Hakuhō played with the ball, her energy growing stronger and stronger. Even her sleep schedule became irregular, often waking up after a short nap, which was even more exhausting than before.
Because people simply don't know when she sleeps or when she wakes up.
Sometimes, around two or three in the morning, I'd be sleeping soundly when I'd suddenly wake up, and all I'd do is want to ride a big horse.
He, the dignified Captain-Commander, actually willingly became a horse beneath him. In the past, he probably would have taken it as a joke.
Bang bang.
There was a knock on the door.
Shiraishi shifted his gaze from his beloved daughter and said, "Please come in."
The office door opened, and a petite woman stepped into the room. She had bangs, delicate small face with smoky makeup, and wore a black uniform top with Captain's Haori over it, and a dark purple patterned short skirt. Her slender legs were encased in thermal stockings.
"Yay!" Hakuhō gave up the ball and stretched out her two chubby little hands to the person who came, asking for a hug.
Okay, here's a hug.
Soi Fon's stern expression melted away. She picked up the baby in her arms and stepped forward, saying, " Captain-Commander, I have something to report to you."
"What is it?"
Hearing her address, Shiraishi knew it wasn't a personal matter, but rather a business trip.
Soi Fon teased Hakuhō, her expression hard to maintain a serious demeanor, and could only speak in a more serious tone, "Recently, the Stealth Force received information that there is an extreme criminal organization in Abarai District called the Restore Aizen Group."
" The Restore Aizen Group? Tsk, Aizen's grave is overgrown with weeds, and they're still agonizing over it."
Shiraishi scoffed, "What are they trying to do?"
Soi Fon rolled her eyes at him and said, "They're definitely going to overthrow us. There's evidence that the Shinigami Reaper is behind the Restore Aizen Group."
Shiraishi frowned slightly. "Could it be another nobleman?"
"I don't know. They've mastered Kidō, Hakuda, and Shunpo. I'm investigating who provided them with those."
Soi Fon answered truthfully that she had received information and was sending people to monitor that base.
"Should we get help from the Research and Development Institute? I remember the Perception Network has been deployed to the Abarai District; they could investigate and monitor it."
"Need not."
Soi Fon flatly refused, believing that the Stealth Force could monitor the results, and also disliked Mayuri Kurotsuchi, not wanting to borrow that person's power and inventions.
"I've already had Ōmaeda there to keep an eye on things; he can handle it."
"Alright." Seeing her firm stance, Shiraishi had no choice but to abandon the idea of having the Research and Development Institute help monitor her, thinking to himself, "Can I Ōmaeda guy?"
Although Soi Fon seemed very confident, he harbored serious doubts. He believed that if that person seized the opportunity to slack off, there was a high chance they would actually do so.
Marechiyo Ōmaeda used Kyokkō to conceal her obese body, lying on the outside of a building, letting the fine snow fall. Her fat body was enough to keep her warm. Holding a steaming scallion pancake, she thanked the Research and Development Institute for the interdimensional ring.
He bought ten at once, wearing one on each finger, and filled them with all kinds of hot food and drinks to ensure he wouldn't get thirsty or hungry while on a mission.
As times become increasingly turbulent, Stealth Force missions become ever more complex.
He's either on his way to surveillance or on his way to surveillance. If you were to write a book from the perspective of Stealth Force, it would be a story of rebels everywhere, with no peace in sight.
He took a bite of his scallion pancake and used Kidō to eavesdrop on messages. Nothing special, just his usual rant about Shinigami, criticizing various policies, and reminiscing about the time when Aizen was in power.
Not everyone is willing to freely choose their job; some people are willing to have their entire life, from birth to death, arranged for them.
Of course, some people also used Aizen's name to seek power for themselves.
Ultimately, they had never actually seen Aizen; the people they were loyal to were merely figments of their imaginations, imagining Aizen in their minds.
Marechiyo Ōmaeda chewed on her scallion pancake, she thought that if she hadn't wanted to find out who the Shinigami who provided the Kidō and Hakuda was, she would have already closed the net.
How about we grab someone beforehand and interrogate them?
As he thought to himself, two people appeared in his surveillance line of sight. His eyes widened in surprise. Could it be them? No, no, but this is Abarai District; they shouldn't be here.
Oh no! He quickly looked away, his heart pounding. He had thought it was a small fish, but it turned out to be an unusually fierce beast. He should notify Captain Soi Fon.
He couldn't monitor someone of that level.