Chapter 33

Sixth Division barracks.

Accompanied by a fierce spiritual pressure that erupted like boiling water, Araki seemed like a peerless murderous god, shattering the gate of the Sixth Division barracks of the Court Guard Squads...

"You, you're the Eleventh Division's Captain Araki?!"

"The captain of the Eleventh Division, isn't that the newly appointed 'Sword Eight' sir?"

"The newly appointed Eleventh Division captain is called Araki, right? In other words, it's Araki the 'Sword Eight', correct? What brings such a fierce person to our Sixth Division?!"

"Do we even need to say more? Surely our captain has done something shocking again!"

"Shh! You guys keep it down, don't talk more! Be careful not to get dragged into the big affair we small folks shouldn't be involved in!"

The members of the Sixth Division of the Court Guard Squads, seeing the murderous god-like Araki, all fled in fear, worried that their foolish captain's foolish actions would earn them a scolding from Araki.

Because the Sixth Division members knew their exceptionally clever captain all too well, and were quite perceptive, Araki faced no obstruction and went straight to the front gate of the Sixth Division barracks.

"Boom~"

With a dull thud, Araki kicked open the gate before him.

"Huh?!"

Inside the Sixth Division barracks, Sixth Division Captain Saito Bu Laobu Si, was lying on her desk, hugging documents for a 'nap', and with the roar of Araki's kick, Saito slowly opened her eyes.

"Who the hell, blind as a bat, dares to disturb my nap?!"

Saito Bu Laobu Si had just opened her eyes, not caring who woke her, she vented her morning grumpiness at Araki standing at the captain's office door.

"Heh..."

In response, Araki snorted coldly, his figure instantly vanishing from the spot.

"Huh? I woke up feeling fierce, I thought I just saw Araki!"

As for Saito, who had just woken up, her brain was still in a crash.

"You told Captain Shikaku that my body can regenerate like a lizard's tail, right?!"

Before Saito could think further, a bone-chilling cold voice sounded in her ear.

"Er..."

Saito heard that familiar voice in her ear, her body stiffened in place.

"Looks like I didn't mistake it just now..."

Saito's forehead cold sweat flowed down like a stream; she wouldn't mishear, this voice indeed came from Araki's.

"Ah!"

Before Saito could think much, she felt her twin-tails behind her being grabbed tightly; the intense tearing pain dispelled the last trace of her drowsiness, making her fully awake.

"I was wrong! I didn't mean to say that to Shika! I just got drunk that day and joked with Shika..."

Saito the Undying, after Araki grabbed her fate's twin-tails, immediately chose to surrender.

"I let you not be intentional, I let you not be intentional, I let you not..."

"Go find Shika and explain it clearly! Return the innocence I, old man, have lost!"

Upon hearing this, Araki's anger flared; his temper is really huge~

Saito this girl, truly three days without a beating she'll tear off the roof tiles! It seems he must set aside some time each week to have a good talk with Saito, concerning family younger brother position matters...

"I know, I know..."

Saito indicated compliance.

Outside the Sixth Division captain's quarters.

"What do we say now?!"

A squad member leaned against the captain's quarters door, listening to the commotion inside, his face changing repeatedly.

"Wait..."

Upon hearing this, the squad members looked at each other and ultimately concluded: 'wait a moment'.

"Are we, the Sixth Division squad members, supposed to just helplessly listen as our captain is bullied by captains of other divisions?!"

Upon hearing this, a seated official flared with anger; do the Sixth Division squad members have no shame?!

"You want to be a 'hero'? Then quickly go in and save our captain! Maybe if the captain is pleased, he'll even let you be vice-captain~"

To this, the Sixth Division squad members utterly scoffed.

"Uh..."

"I mean, just listening here isn't actually bad."

That seated official, upon hearing this, decisively abandoned his grand ideal of saving their captain...

Nonsense! The man 'riding' their captain, grabbing their captain's twin-tails, asking whether their captain was wrong or not, is the current 'Sword Eight' of the Guardian Thirteen Squads!

In other words, aside from Commander-General Yamamoto, he's the strongest death god in the Seireitei; facing such a monstrous villain, wouldn't sending him alone be suicide? Of course, if the entire Sixth Division's squad members could be mobilized to go up against Araki together, they'd still have a glimmer of hope...

Don't misunderstand, it's not that they have hope of defeating Araki! Rather, the Sixth Division has enough squad members that, even with Araki's strength, before the Commander-General notices the incident and intervenes, Araki might not necessarily be able to defeat all of the Sixth Division's squad members...

However, at present, the other Sixth Division squad members have no intention to act, so he needn't go show off; better to just calmly do their duties~

Not long after, the door of the Sixth Division captain's quarters was shoved open, and Araki walked out looking refreshed, leaving behind the one who looked as if played to ruin, the first-generation Sixth Division captain—Saito the Undying.

"Ugh..."

Upon seeing Araki walk out of the captain's quarters, the Sixth Division squad members all lowered their heads, not daring to look up at this person who had barged into their barracks and then defeated their captain, the monstrous villain.

"Swish!"

Fortunately, Araki had no intention of making things difficult for these Sixth Division squad members; after all, grudges have sources, and Araki doesn't like wanton slaughter of the innocent! With a spatial fluctuation, Araki's form vanished from the spot, replaced by a plain, unremarkable wooden board left behind.

"Sigh..."

As Araki departed, the Sixth Division squad members looked at each other, and amidst a chorus of long sighs, they commenced their daily afternoon work.

If we can't see it, we'll just pretend we didn't! We're outta here, we're outta here...

Time flew by.

Another few months passed in a flash……

During that time, whenever Araki had free time, he would come to the Sixth Division to have a leisurely chat with Saito about life.

As a result, the Sixth Division members gradually grew accustomed to Araki's arrivals.

Besides that, following Araki's words, Saito privately explained things to Eighth Division Captain Shikatsu Bakuun Sai; after Saito racked his brains, he finally made the matter clear to Shikatsu! Upon this, Shikatsu expressed great anger!

In the end, under Saito's reluctant gaze and her inner torment, she chose to pay out of pocket and gave Shikatsu ten copies of the latest, best-selling "Liu Bei" writings, barely appeasing Shikatsu's anger and reaching a reconciliation……

After that, Shikatsu, who had received the ten "Liu Bei" volumes gifted by Saito, sought out Araki and Que Bu Chang Jiro, and expressed his heartfelt apologies to both.

In response, Que Bu Chang Jiro expressed "humble gratitude," feeling somewhat "overwhelmed by unexpected favor."

For a moment, it seemed that aside from Immortal Saito, everyone else had attained a perfect ending! How delightful and congratulatory~ It appeared that only a world where Immortal Saito is wounded had been born……

However, the fact is……

Inside the Sixth Division barracks.

"Now, that guy Araki will be coming to my place every month to spend time~"

Immortal Saito seemed to enjoy it.

Yes, high-end hunters often appear in the guise of their prey……

Just like a certain hair-gel user, before smearing his head with gel, almost none of the Thirteenth Division captains would think he was the true mastermind behind the scenes~

Compared to Immortal Saito's enjoyment, Araki seemed somewhat fatigued……

He himself constantly kept his Observation Haki active, and each week had to set aside time to train and deepen feelings with Uzuki Retsu, which already left him exhausted; now he also had to carve out time each month to go to Immortal Saito's place……

Araki felt his body was about to be drained dry.

Until, another few months flashed by……

That day, Araki, as usual, leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window of the Eleventh Division captain's quarters.

Just as Araki was dozing off, his eyes growing hazy……

A vision from the future, unfolding frame by frame like a PowerPoint, suddenly jolted Araki awake—"all drowsiness gone"—a warning brought by his advanced Observation Haki!

"Finally here?! My months of waiting weren't in vain!"

"... Heaven's Net!"

Araki, faced with the vision reflected in his mind, said nothing more and directly lifted his left hand.

Along with it, streaks of ink stained Araki's left arm, and a transparent wall bearing a black "loop" pattern appeared before him; at that moment, within the Gotei 13, all soldiers enveloped by Araki's spiritual pressure heard a message ring in their minds……

First Division barracks.

"Has he come?!"

In the swordsmanship dojo, after hearing the news, Thirteenth Division General Commander Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni casually set down his training wooden sword and took the Zanpakuto "Ryuujin Jakka" from a nearby soldier's hand.

"An assassination from behind?"

Que Bu Chang Jiro followed closely at Yamamoto's side, gazing at the Zanpakuto tightly gripped in his hand, lost in thought.

Sixth Division barracks.

"Oh! Oh! It's time for the Soul Society to hear my name, Immortal Saito!"

Having received the message, Immortal Saito was excited; she would use a war to inform everyone in the Soul Society who truly is the strongest woman.

At the same time, the Second Division, Third Division, Fourth Division, Fifth Division, Seventh Division, Eighth Division……

All the captains of the Gotei 13 had gripped their Zanpakuto tightly! As the saying goes, "He who bears a weapon finds murderous intent arising!" The great villains of the Gotei 13 had already readied themselves for slaughter.

That day, dark clouds shrouded the Seireitei.

A fine drizzle fell, as the war between the Quincy and the Shinigami—a conflict that could never be resolved by shaking hands, where only one side could survive—opened its curtain.

"Hum~"

The sky seemed to blow the horn symbolizing "Heaven's Mandate."

The gleaming Holy Star Cross, in their glorious Empire of Light, like a true deity, under the guidance of their "omniscient and omnipotent" Majesty, finally set foot upon this world where only the souls of the dead may tread.

The crusading knights firmly believed that their Majesty would not only become the king of the present world, but also unify the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo! Becoming the true ruler of the three realms!

The war has erupted!

Next chapter opens the fight~ Along the way, please vote for waves~

(End of chapter)