Chapter 149 I treated you as a senior, but you wanted to treat me like... (Please subscribe)
After the Captain-Commander announced the imprisonment of Sōgo Shihoin, the Captains' Meeting came to an end. Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Little White was attending Captains' Meeting of all Thirteenth Division leaders for the first time, stumbled and walked absentmindedly toward the Tenth Division.
It wasn't until his head bumped into something indescribable that made others envious, and then bounced back, that he gradually came to his senses from the scene he had just witnessed.
"Captain, welcome back~"
How was today's Captains' Meeting?
"Judging from your distracted appearance, did the Captain-Commander say something at today's Captains' Meeting that's very bad news for our Tenth Division?"
A woman named Rangiku Matsumoto, the vice-captain of the Tenth Division with long, golden hair, a hot figure, and a beautiful face, smiled slightly at the young Tōshirō Hitsugaya and asked.
"The situation is as we learned beforehand; it's all about Sōgo Shihoin of the Second Division. Although there are many strange and suspicious aspects,... none of this has much to do with us..."
Hitsugaya Toshi kept touching his chin as he carefully observed the expressions of the thirteen squad leaders present, and then he discovered a major problem.
First was Kūkaku Shiba, the captain of the Thirteenth Division. She was one of the captains that Hitsugaya knew quite well. During the meeting, Kūkaku Shiba looked at the survivor of the Central 46 Chambers and Sōsuke Aizen with disdain, as if she knew some inside information.
Then there was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the captain of the Twelfth Division. He was fiddling with a Rubik's Cube the entire time, from the beginning to the end of the meeting. I wonder what this captain of the Twelfth Division was thinking!
As for Kenpachi Zaraki, the captain of the 11th Division standing opposite Hitsugaya, he glared fiercely at Sōgo Shihoin as soon as he entered, as if he had a grudge against Sōgo Shihoin.
Next up is Kaname Tōsen, the Captain of the Ninth Division, a blind man with a mask...
The captain of the Eighth Division, Shunsui Kyōraku, kept his head down and remained silent throughout, acting as if it were none of his business.
The Captain of the Seventh Division, Sajin Komamura, always wears a mask and is quite an oddball. However, when the Second Division Captain, Sōgo Shihoin, confronted the Captain-Commander, he was the first to Batto Sword Drawing.
The captain of the Sixth Division... the source of everything, the head of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Clans, the center of the incident, and the brother of the sinner Rukia Kuchiki, he coldly watched the entire meeting without uttering a single word.
Sōsuke Aizen, the Fifth Division Captain, is Momo's captain. He is also known as the Thirteenth Gentleman and the only survivor of the Central 46 Chambers. He is also one of the key participants in the incident. During a meeting, Sōgo Shihoin, who was also involved in the incident. There is probably some unspeakable secret behind their interaction.
Fourth Division Captain... Retsu Unohana...
During the meeting, Tōshirō Hitsugaya didn't dare look at Retsu Unohana.
The Third Division Captain, Gin Ichimaru, was a man with a sharp tongue. He had a smiling face throughout the meeting, Tōshirō Hitsugaya to suspect that Gin Ichimaru might have mental problems.
Finally, there are the two: Sōgo Shihoin Second Division Captain and Captain Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai the First Division.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya initially thought that Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai would be very angry and would Sōgo Shihoin. However, after Sougo Shihouin and Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto exchanged blows, Sōgo Shihoin and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai would be very angry and would severely punish Sougo Shihouin.
Both men compromised, with Sōgo Shihoin acknowledging his wrongdoing, while Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai merely punished Sōgo by confining him to his home. This seemed like a case of giving Sougo a high-handed reprimand followed by a gentler one, leaving one wondering what Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai was really thinking.
The situation within the Gotei 13 is currently in utter chaos, leaving even Tōshirō Hitsugaya himself unsure of who to trust or not to trust...
"Did the captain of the Second Division really commit such a heinous act?"
Rangiku Matsumoto walked up to Little White and asked curiously.
"This is one of the things that confuses me the most. Although all the evidence points to the captain of the Second Division, but... to be honest, I don't think that kind of man would do such a thing."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya heard Rangiku Matsumoto mention the captain of the Second Division, his expression tightened and his face became serious.
"Oh? What kind of spell did that captain of the Second Division cast on you to make you defend him like this?"
Rangiku Matsumoto looked at Tōshirō Hitsugaya with a puzzled expression. She couldn't understand why the usually rigid Tōshirō Hitsugaya would be so protective of a captain he had just met.
"You don't understand... that elusive Second Division Captain is a Shenron. He's on a completely different level from us captains. The moment he locked eyes with the Captain-Commander, the chilling Spiritual Pressure he exuded even gave me the urge to run away."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya recalled the intense sense of oppression that permeated the conversation between Sōgo Shihoin and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, and felt a wave of fear wash over him.
To be honest, although as the captain of the Gotei 13, he really shouldn't have any thoughts of fearing battle, his instincts were roaring, telling him that once Sōgo and Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, even the aftershocks of their fight would be difficult for him to resist.
"That guy with the eye patch who looks so silly, is he really that strong?"
"No wonder that idiot Isshin Shiba avoids talking about that silly-looking guy with the eyepatch whenever it comes up, as if he's hiding from some natural disaster."
Rangiku Matsumoto met Sōgo once a long, long time ago. At that time, she didn't think Sōgo that strong; she just thought he was an idiot on Isshin Shiba. She wondered why all the members of the Five Great Noble Clans seemed so foolish, wondering if the Five Great Noble Clans were a breeding ground for idiots...
It seems that while the members of the Five Great Noble Clans may not appear particularly intelligent, if we're just talking about pure strength, they are all monstrous. Whether it's their former captain of the Tenth Division, Isshin Shiba, or the current Sōgo Shihoin, who is single-handedly suffocating the entire Soul Society...
While Little White was chatting with Rangiku Matsumoto, the descendants of the former Tenth Division Captain, Shiba Isshin, who was not very bright in Rangiku Matsumoto's Isshin Shiba, were already heading towards the Five Great Noble Clans Shiba Clan's territory under the guidance of Mr. Yoruichi. Kuroneko Yoruichi.
" Mr. Yoruichi, where are we going?"
Ichigo Kurosaki and his group's attire was incredibly avant-garde for the old Soul Society, attracting the attention of countless Rukongai residents. Orihime Inoue, who was relatively shy, blushed slightly and asked the black cat Yoruichi a question.
"Go find an acquaintance of mine. If we want to infiltrate the Seireitei undetected, the fastest way is to get help from that acquaintance."
Yoruichi, the black cat, lay lazily on Ichigo Kurosaki's shoulder as she spoke.
"Does Mr. Yoruichi have any acquaintances in Seireitei?"
"Could it be a cat too?"
" Mr. Yoruichi, could you be the King of Cats in Soul Society?!"
Orihime Inoue has always had a vivid imagination, suddenly had a burst of inspiration and began to fantasize about Yoruichi the Black Cat beating up all sorts of cats in Soul Society and eventually becoming the Cat Queen.
"King of Cats??"
"More or less!"
After hearing Orihime Inoue's words, Yoruichi paused, then thought seriously for a while before nodding slightly in response... Perhaps in Yoruichi's eyes, Orihime Inoue Shihouin, one of the Five Great Noble Clans of Soul Society and the former Queen of the Stealth Force Shihoin, was not much different in status from the Cat King.
"As expected... this makes all the sense now~"
Orihime Inoue smiled smugly. She knew Mr. Yoruichi. As a cat, Mr. Yoruichi not only possessed various skills but was also so familiar with Soul Society. If Mr. Yoruichi was originally a cat from Soul Society, then everything would make sense.
"Really."
Yasutora Sado wholeheartedly agreed with Orihime Inoue's words. He also felt that Mr. Yoruichi, and that Mr. Yoruichi exuded a kingly aura, which perfectly suited the title of Elvis.
"That makes absolutely no sense!"
As the only normal person in the entire room, Uryū Ishida gently pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, his eyes twitching slightly.
"I see. Shall we go see the cat?"
Ichigo Kurosaki muttered to himself, imagining what kind of person Yoruichi's acquaintance, whom he was about to meet, would be like.
Maybe it's a tabby cat, maybe it's a Ragdoll, maybe it's an English Shorthair, maybe it's... that black and white one, the one that looks so adorable, the one that there are only a handful of in the whole world, the one named...
" Yoruichi's acquaintance turned out to be a Panda?"
Ichigo Kurosaki suddenly realized, and with a smile on his lips, he spoke with a happy expression.
"That's so weird!"
"Isn't that really strange?"
What on earth are you fantasizing about?
" Panda isn't a cat, it's a bear! Brother!"
"Why is it that Mr. Yoruichi, who is a black cat, has a Panda as an acquaintance?!"
Uryū Ishida was ranting and raving. He wasn't usually a talkative person, but this huge grudge was weighing on his mind, and he just had to get it off his chest.
"What?! Panda isn't a cat, it's a bear?"
Ichigo Kurosaki was shocked, as if a door to a new world had been opened for him.
"What? Panda are actually bears?"
Orihime Inoue couldn't believe it. Panda so cute, how could they be bears?!
"What? He's a bear?"
Yasutora Sado uttered words that Uryū Ishida couldn't understand at all, expressing his surprise at Uryū Ishida's words in his unique way of speaking.
"So what are you all surprised about? This is common sense, okay?"
Uryū Ishida's forehead was covered in beads of sweat from anxiety. He finally understood that all the people in front of him were a bunch of idiots.
"..."
Uryū Ishida gently stroked his cheek. He was too exhausted to face these three idiots. With their half-baked lineup, was it really possible for them to rescue Rukia-san from Soul Society?
"Arrive."
Just as Uryū Ishida was filled with immense worry for his and others' future, and for Rukia Kuchiki's future, and was deeply doubtful that their combination of a half-baked Soul Reaper and a half- Quincy would not only fail to save Rukia Kuchiki, but might even jeopardize... their own future as well, Yoruichi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.
"This is..."
Ichigo Kurosaki stopped his rapid pace and looked at the incredibly luxurious houses in front of him, a look of shock flashing across his face.
"How magnificent!"
"Could it be that Mr. Yoruichi has an acquaintance who is extremely wealthy?"
Orihime Inoue was utterly shocked. No matter how she guessed, she never imagined that Yoruichi's so-called acquaintance would be so powerful and influential.
"Hey, hey, hey, this can't even be called a house anymore, it's practically a palace!"
Uryū Ishida gently adjusted his glasses perched on his nose. Just from the sight of this incredibly luxurious yet elegant complex, which retained an antique charm while being opulent, giving one the awe-inspiring feeling of viewing an emperor's palace, he could guess that Yoruichi's so-called acquaintance was definitely not simple.
"Oh? Didn't I tell you? My acquaintance is the head of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Clans of Soul Society, just like the Shiba Clan."
Seeing the genuine shock on everyone's faces upon seeing the palace, Yoruichi the Black Cat smiled slightly. "They're already this shocked just from seeing the Shiba Clan's territory. If they saw the Shihōin Clan or Kuchiki Clan's territory, their expressions would be even more astonishing..."
"What?"
Everyone stared at Yoruichi in shock. Although they didn't know exactly how strong the Five Great Noble Clans of Soul Society were, it didn't stop them from being astonished. After all, in their eyes, Mr. Yoruichi was just a talking cat...
"Isn't Yoruichi's acquaintance a cat?"
Orihime Inoue was still bothered by the fact that Yoruichi's acquaintance wasn't a cat.
"Isn't Yoruichi's acquaintance Panda?"
Ichigo Kurosaki touched his chin, his brows furrowing slightly, troubled by his inability to see the Panda.
Never underestimate the obsession that any well-off Japan has with Panda.
Isn't it a bear?
Yasutora Sado was hoping for a friendly match with Kuma, but now it seems that's out of the question, and he feels very disappointed.
"I feel like you're focusing on the wrong thing."
As the only normal person in the room Uryū Ishida said that he was extremely happy to be with a group of crazy people.
"Clatter~"
"Hmm? Hahaha... Sensing your Spiritual Pressure, I initially thought some uninvited guests had arrived, but it turns out it's you..."
Just as the group was chatting, the previously closed door suddenly opened, and a man dressed in a casual kimono and wooden clogs came out. He paused for a moment, then smiled at everyone and greeted them.
" Kurosaki-kun, don't look! It's definitely your doppelganger."
When Orihime Inoue saw that the man's face looked exactly like Ichigo Kurosaki's, she immediately panicked and blocked Ichigo Kurosaki's view.
"Two... doppelgängers?"
Sweat beaded on Ichigo Kurosaki's forehead. To be honest, he had imagined many ways he could die, but he never thought he would die so hastily.
" Kaien, long time no see." Just as Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue stood trembling in place, Yoruichi licked her paws, gently groomed the fur on her head, and then greeted the man who had pushed open the door. At the same time, she introduced him to Ichigo Kurosaki and the others, "This is the acquaintance I mentioned from Soul Society."
Yoruichi, you're here too?
Kaien paused slightly after looking at me, Yoruichi.
"Anyway, please come in first."
Kaien pushed open the door and gestured for everyone to come in.
"Excuse me."
Yoruichi the black cat leaped lightly and was the first to jump into the gate.
"Excuse me."
Yasutora Sado and Uryū Ishida followed closely behind.
Only Ichigo Kurosaki, who thought he had encountered a doppelganger, and Orihime Inoue remained.
" Ichigo, and... this female classmate of Ichigo, you two may also come in."
Kaien looked at Ichigo Kurosaki as if he were her own brother, showing him great affection.
"Forehead..."
Having roughly figured out the specifics and knowing that Kaien was not Ichigo Kurosaki, Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue followed Kaien Shiba into the Shiba Kaien Shiba. At the same time, Ichigo Kurosaki had a slight doubt in his heart. Both Kaien's appearance, which was very similar to his, and Kaien's attitude, which seemed to be very familiar with him, made Ichigo feel puzzled.
"I didn't expect Ichigo to come to Soul Society at such a sensitive time, Ichigo... I was actually planning to personally pick you up in the World of the Living, but there's just been too much going on in Soul Society lately, and I haven't been able to get away..."
"Time flies! You've grown up so much in the blink of an eye... I remember back then..."
Kaien Shiba walked ahead, leading the way for Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue, while constantly nagging like an elder.
"Wait, stop for a second."
Ichigo Kurosaki listened to Kaien Shiba's increasingly outrageous words, his expression changed several times, and he finally couldn't help but interrupt Kaien.
"What's wrong, Ichigo?"
Kaien turned around and asked Ichigo Kurosaki with some confusion.
You know me, right?
Ichigo Kurosaki pointed to his face and asked.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Kaien Shiba said matter-of-factly, "As the eldest brother, how could I not recognize my younger brother?"
"But I don't know you! I have absolutely no memory of you."
Ichigo Kurosaki crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Kaien Shiba with a tense and defensive expression.
"It's normal that you don't recognize me. Come to think of it, it's been fifteen years since we last met. I almost didn't recognize you just now. Human beings change so much in fifteen years."
Kaien Shiba gently patted Ichigo Kurosaki on the shoulder and smiled.
"Don't act like we're old friends."
Ichigo simply couldn't resist Kaien Shiba's intense gaze; he always felt that the other party had ulterior motives.
"Hmm? Ichigo, you came to my place today, didn't your dad say anything?"
Kaien Shiba suddenly noticed something and asked a question.
"Huh? What does this have to do with my dad?"
Ichigo Kurosaki frowned and asked.
"?"
"Of course... it has nothing to do with your father. Actually, this matter has something to do with you, Ichigo Kurosaki. Give me some face, and from today onwards, take the Shiba surname!"
Kaien Shiba's mind raced, and suddenly he realized something... If Ichigo Kurosaki knew nothing, then what he said was law?
Then, Kaien Shiba flashed a bright smile...
"Huh? What nonsense are you spouting? I advise you to think carefully before you speak, otherwise... believe me, I'll hit you?"
After hearing Kaien Shiba's words, Ichigo Kurosaki raised an eyebrow. "I treated you as a kind senior, and what the hell do you mean by asking me to change my surname? Do you want to be my father? Isn't this forcing me to draw my Batto Sword Drawing?"
Today, I'll continue with another 5,000 words.
(End of this chapter)