Shiraishi doesn't have many friends.
He had been in the Soul Society for over four years, but he had only been able to speak for a little over a year.
For the first three years, I remained silent, listening to others' words, pondering their meaning, and secretly practicing alone.
After learning Japanese and ensuring he could communicate normally, he started flirting with beautiful women and bragging to others.
During that time, he didn't make any very close friends in the West District Three; they were all just casual acquaintances.
He remembered that it was one or two in the morning one night, but he couldn't remember the exact time.
In short, it was very late.
He woke up alone from his sleep, while the laborers who worked for the same noble family were all asleep, and one of them was even snoring.
The dormitory was pitch black, housing more than a dozen people, yet there was not a trace of liveliness in it.
An indescribable loneliness, mixed with the darkness, surged over him like a tidal wave, nearly suffocating him. He struggled desperately, his hands trying to grab onto something, but he couldn't find even a straw.
He doesn't have any friends he's close enough to bother in the middle of the night.
It didn't happen in my past life, and it won't happen in this one either.
Why?
The reason wasn't with anyone else, it was with himself. His long-standing, indifferent urban lifestyle was like an inescapable leech, always sticking to him.
It makes it difficult for Shiraishi to truly open up to others.
Kūkaku Shiba is an exception.
Given her upright character as described in the original work, coupled with her magnanimous personality, she is destined not to betray or harm her friends.
Based on this understanding, he was willing to trust Kūkaku Shiba. Although there was a slight misunderstanding at first, they made up later, and their relationship became increasingly harmonious.
In Shiraishi's heart, she was already a friend, and perhaps also harbored some budding feelings for the opposite sex.
That's only human nature.
Who could dislike a magnanimous and assertive older woman?
Of course, that bit of goodwill is a plus, but it's not the key factor that truly drives his actions.
It is our friendship that matters.
If he pretends not to know and is afraid of difficulties to avoid helping, this friendship will be completely ruined.
For a nobleman like Kawakami Saburō, whose mind is filled with nothing but money and wine, he naturally wouldn't care about friends.
He is different.
So, he didn't bother to reason with the other party and went straight back to the secret cave where he was hiding in the West District Ten.
There was no one inside, and he hadn't closed the cliff face. A cool breeze blew in from outside, and he sat on the pile of money, quietly contemplating.
How can we save them?
A direct confrontation is not a viable option. The best course of action is to sneak in or lure Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto away, trying to do so without causing a major disturbance, and then rescue him.
Shiraishi thought and thought, but couldn't come up with a good solution. The main reason was that he knew too little about the Shin'ō Underground Great: The Jail. He only knew that the lowest level, Muken, was very large and well-hidden, and that it held great criminals who were capable of overturning the safety of Soul Society.
As for the Shin'ō Underground Great: The Jail, aside from the Muken, he couldn't really remember how many levels it had. Perhaps the original work didn't specify, or perhaps he had simply forgotten.
He had no idea what was going on in the Shin'ō Underground Great: The Jail, so figuring out a rescue strategy wouldn't be easy.
As he fell into deep thought, the cave gradually grew darker.
The torches stuck in the rock face were about to go out.
Shiraishi got up to change the torch, and as he circled around to the doorway, a strong fishy smell wafted in from the wind.
He quickly covered his nose and took two steps back, looking towards the door. " Nemu?! Why did you buy so many fish?"
Nemu Kurotsuchi wore a "necklace" around her neck, made of six live sturgeon. She carried a large bag of vegetables in her left hand and a bag of meat in her right hand, with a bundle of meat, vegetables, oil, seasonings and other mixed items behind her.
The six sturgeon were full of energy, their plump tails slapping against her thighs beneath her short skirt with a slapping sound.
Nemu Kurotsuchi, possessing the qualities of an excellent chef, didn't mind the fishy smell and held up two large bags, saying, "Everyone was so enthusiastic, surrounding me and making me realize I've spent all my money, and this is what I look like now. It's different from before; buying groceries is truly an incredible thing."
Shiraishi Shi slapped her forehead, realizing the reason. Before, she was short of money, so naturally not many people were willing to pay attention to her. If someone was rich and easy to talk to, they would be a sure-fire fat sheep. If she didn't fleece them, how could she live up to the name of a merchant?
"You've been killed."
"My hands and feet are still intact?" Nemu Kurotsuchi tilted her head, her emerald-green eyes full of confusion.
Shiraishi wanted to explain that this "Zai" was not the same as that "Zai," but then felt it wasn't necessary to explain so much. He wasn't short of money now, so he said generously, "It's nothing, as long as you're happy."
"I'm happy," Nemu Kurotsuchi thought for a moment, then nodded emphatically, "Yes, I'm very happy right now. The Big Mom have taught me a lot of new cooking methods. I'll make sturgeon tempura first."
Did you know that any dish coated in batter and fried can be called tempura?
This is the first time I've heard of this.
Shiraishi answered casually.
Nemu Kurotsuchi noticed that Shiraishi was absent-minded, but unlike his usual absent-mindedness, this time it seemed as if he had something on his mind.
What are the differences?
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she could simply sense it. "Is something on your mind?"
"Uh," Shiraishi hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I have a friend who might be imprisoned on the fourth level of the Shin'ō Underground Great: The Jail, and I'm thinking about how to save her."
I don't recommend you even think about something with a near-zero success rate.
As Nemu Kurotsuchi spoke to him, she put down the dishes she was holding, tossed the sturgeon onto the stone table, and with a swift stroke, severed the heads of six sturgeon, staining the stone table crimson with blood. "If you really want to go, your fate won't be much better than these sturgeon's."
She remained expressionless as she continued scaling the fish, her tone gentle as she said, "Even Mayuri- sama fears Captain-Commander Yamamoto. The Shin'ō Underground Great: The Jail, guarded by him, is the most important place in Seireitei; no one can break in."
Shiraishi naturally understood the difficulty of this trip; if he were discovered, it would truly be a matter of life and death. However, he was not afraid and laughed, "Challenging what no one has ever done before is one of life's great pleasures."
Unable to understand his thoughts, Nemu Kurotsuchi asked, "What's that person's name?"
"Her Kūkaku Shiba, and she's my friend."
A smile appeared on Shiraishi's face, and he added, "You too."
Nemu Kurotsuchi paused, her blood-stained hand touching her chest, and murmured, "A strange feeling. My temperature hasn't risen, but my heart feels warm. Does this mean I consider you a friend too?"
Shiraishi laughed and said, "Of course."
Nemu Kurotsuchi lowered her head, looking at the knife in her hand, then glanced at him. "Do you need my help?"
Shiraishi shook his head and said, "No need. You're the Shinigami. If you did something like this, it can't be explained away with just a threat."
Nemu Kurotsuchi blinked and asked, "Is this your order?"
"..." Shiraishi was silent for a moment, then sighed, "No, I won't order you around. I'm just giving you the best advice you can have. Think it through. If you do this and are discovered to be standing against Shinigami, you might never be able to return to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's side."