The Forest of Menos was filled with a heavy atmosphere.
"Let's go, Leah."
Kiruge stood in place, gazing at the Black Cavity before him.
He turned to glance at the empty space behind him, saw that the deed was done, then looked sideways at Leah beside him, adjusted his glasses, and said:
"That Youngster, Gigi, is probably in grave danger."
"I warned him not to run around, and now that he's come to this, it's his own fault."
"Don't you dare be like him."
"There's no need to wait any longer; he's most likely not coming back."
Kiruge's pessimistic words were not without basis.
Although the Sternritter of [The Zombie] was powerful enough to control even Sternritter members, this control was entirely based on an information imbalance.
The opponent was Gigi's old friend, and would surely be wary of blood.
If he couldn't hit, Gigi was just an ordinary Quincy.
An ordinary Quincy fighting four Sternritter...
Winning would be a pipe dream.
Leah seemed to have realized this as well, and she slightly lowered the brim of her hat:
"I harmed him; those guys were coming for me. If only Gigi hadn't been so impulsive."
"There are no 'ifs,'" Kiruge shook his head. As an elder, he knew Gigi's personality well.
He didn't wish to say more at this moment. After giving his instructions, he stepped directly into the Black Cavity, his figure instantly swallowed by the darkness.
Leah hesitated for a moment, then followed closely behind him.
She had thought that returning to the Wandenreich would ensure her safety.
However, as she, still somewhat dizzy from the spatial transfer, opened her eyes, she saw an unexpected person.
Her pupils contracted slightly.
...
On the other side.
"Bang...Bambi, please spare me..."
Gigi's voice trembled and stuttered uncontrollably.
His legs were weak, and he slumped to the ground, desperately trying to move his body backward with his hands.
But no matter how hard he tried, the danger before him remained like a shadow.
Bambietta approached him step by step, her expression cold.
Gigi's heart pounded, filled with indignation.
The blood couldn't hit...
Although he knew he couldn't escape, his survival instinct made him want to fight for a sliver of a chance to live.
He spoke earnestly, with a hint of pleading in his voice:
"We...we're friends, aren't we?"
"Liltotto, Meninas, say something! I can betray them too!"
"As long as you let me go, I'll do anything!"
"Besides, Haschwalth and Gremmy can't monitor this place..."
Before he could finish, Bambietta coldly interrupted:
"What if they can't monitor us, Gigi? We don't want to lay a hand on you, but we have no choice."
"That guy is truly hateful."
Bambietta gritted her teeth, while simultaneously reaching up to adjust her military cap, then re-focused her gaze on Gigi and continued,
"If something doesn't happen to you, then something will happen to us."
"So, for our safety, you'd better surrender obediently!"
"Don't worry, it won't hurt much, it'll be over in a flash!"
"I don't believe a word you say!" Gigi watched Bambietta preparing to attack, and his mouth twitched involuntarily a few times.
He knew all too well that [The Explode] was his nemesis.
Though his immortal body was strong and even decapitation wouldn't harm him, if he were blown to smithereens, he would struggle to recover even with Vollständig.
This was also one of the reasons why he had targeted Bambietta earlier.
He had intended to strike first to eliminate this potential threat.
But to his surprise, he hadn't even had a chance to act before being driven to such a desperate situation.
At that moment, Liltotto walked forward, licking a lollipop:
"Let's do it. Stop talking nonsense with him."
"Although Tokito Iwákatsu has left, Yoriichi Tsugikuni and the Vasto Lorde are still watching us. We don't have time to waste here."
"Gigi, I admit you're our friend."
"But isn't the definition of a friend someone who should take a blow for you at a crucial moment?"
"It's time for you to sacrifice yourself."
At these words, Gigi completely lost it. "Friends should sacrifice themselves? What kind of ridiculous theory is that?"
"I'm in danger right now too, so why aren't you guys sacrificing yourselves?"
"Is it because there are more of you? More people... Well, alright, it really is impressive."
Gigi saw Bambietta activate her Sternritter, and several red orbs of light appeared in the air. His heart tightened, and he decisively conceded:
"Wait! Don't do it yet, I surrender, I give up! Bambi, calm down, please don't use your Sternritter!"
"If you blow me up, you won't get any further information!"
"You're here, presumably, on the orders of the Shinigami, aren't you? Is it for those Menos Grande within the Seireitei?"
"Indeed, I knew your actions wouldn't be without purpose."
"I can tell you everything, but you must guarantee my safety!"
Liltotto stopped licking her lollipop.
She glanced at Yoriichi Tsugikuni behind her, then decisively cast aside the jumbled thoughts in her mind and stated directly:
"Sorry, the order we received is to severely injure you and bring you back."
"Among the three of us, only Bambietta's ability can cause direct harm to you."
"You'll just have to endure it."
Endure? Endure what?! Gigi wanted to curse.
With his body, being blasted would send him to heaven, leaving no parts behind.
This was clearly aimed at taking his life.
Damn it.
His heart was filled with anger and despair. He wanted to escape, to make one last stand.
However, as soon as he took a small step backward, a dazzling red light, like a surging tide, rushed forward and instantly enveloped him completely.
Boom!
Accompanied by a deafening explosion, Gigi felt an intense pain throughout his body, as if countless sharp blades had pierced him simultaneously.
His vision went black, and then he lost all consciousness, knowing nothing more.
...
"I surrender, can you let me go?"
In the gap between the Wandenreich and the Seireitei, Leah looked at the man before her, her heart pounding.
She had never expected Tokito Iwákatsu to appear here.
Not far away was Kiruge.
As soon as he appeared, he was teleported away by the artificial life form, incredibly fast.
Kiruge had thought it was Gremmy's doing and hadn't even seen Leah.
Tokito Iwákatsu looked at her, waved his hand to disperse the surrounding germs, and said coldly:
"No need to play these petty tricks anymore; your illness is useless against me."
"If you truly wanted to surrender, you wouldn't be putting up a last-ditch struggle."
"This isn't a last-ditch struggle; it's just self-preservation."
Leah saw that the viruses and bacteria she spread couldn't even get close to Tokito Iwákatsu, and she couldn't get close to him or escape. She finally deflated.
She sighed, "No matter what, I'm a delicate girl. It's normal to use self-preservation methods when facing danger, isn't it?"
"What happened to Gigi?"
"You're here because you used his passage?"
Evidently, this was the only possibility.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be such a coincidence.
Gigi was too incompetent; it was bad enough that he got caught, but he also left the passage open for others, putting her in danger...
If she ever met him again, she would surely not let him off.
With this thought, Leah saw Tokito Iwákatsu nod.
"That's right, it seems you're not too stupid."
"Delicate? I don't think so."
"I'll give you two choices: one, come with me; two, be captured by me and then come with me."
"What's the difference between those two?"
Tokito Iwákatsu glanced at her: "Active and passive. I don't need to explain the difference in treatment, do I?"
Leah fell silent.
The ability of disease was truly too passive in battles where information was transparent.
She felt a wave of powerlessness. In this world where strength reigned supreme, she was so insignificant.
She sighed, helplessly saying, "I'll go with you, please don't hurt me. I truly am very delicate."
"Without my Sternritter, I'm not even as good as an ordinary Quincy."
The reason for this was that she wasn't a combatant at all.
Heaven knew why she was chosen back then, perhaps because of her personality?
No one knew; she could only take things one step at a time.
The two left the gap.
...
"Shirosaki..."
On the other side, Hinamori Momo suddenly awoke from an endless chaos, as if breaking free from a terrible nightmare.
Her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, trickling down her cheeks.
After coming to her senses, she suddenly remembered what had happened earlier, and her face instantly turned pale.
—No! Everyone! The prison!
Those terrifying scenes flashed repeatedly in her mind. She desperately wanted to get up, not even caring where she was.
Of course, it was also related to the dim environment; her vision wasn't adapting immediately.
But when Hinamori Momo found her limbs weak, unable to lift her head, and her surroundings eerily quiet, she suddenly froze.
—Where is this?
What met her eyes were boxes, one after another. The space was large, like a warehouse.
Behind the boxes, there seemed to be a pile of things. Looking closely, they were... people?
Her heart suddenly quickened, and an ominous premonition surged within her.
Why would there be people here?
No... It couldn't be corpses, could it?
Hinamori Momo broke out in a cold sweat. The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed; the scene was too much like a morgue.
Just then, a murmur came from beside her, catching her attention.
She turned her head to see Abarai Renji.
Abarai Renji was also slowly waking up, and like Hinamori Momo, he was full of questions about his surroundings.
He was just about to start thinking.
"Who... who's over there?"
Hinamori Momo's timid voice suddenly sounded in his ear.
Renji turned his head and then saw a pair of large, sparkling eyes.
In this dim, lightless environment, these eyes were particularly eerie, and he was startled.
Fortunately, he was a male, and he quickly composed himself. The two began to communicate in low voices.
During this time, the others also gradually woke up.
Five minutes later, the numbness disappeared, and Hinamori Momo, bracing herself, sat upright.
With trembling legs, she walked step by step to the end of the darkness.
She pushed open the door.
Creak—
What met her eyes was the Seireitei in the rain.
The sky was gray, and raindrops fell like threads, hitting the ground and splashing tiny water flowers.
From the environment, it could be judged that this was the outskirts of the Seireitei.
There were no sounds of battle in the air, so they were probably far from the battlefield...
How did they get here?
...
Twelfth Division.
"Are you sure there's no parsing error? Is this about the antidote for the virus?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni listened to the technical staff's report, his mind filled with questions.
He never imagined that such an important item would fall out of Mayuri's pocket.
Did Mayuri research it?
It seemed like the only possibility, but why would he do that?
If he sided with the Seireitei, why would he attack Mayuri Kurotsuchi?
This series of questions entangled Yoriichi's mind like a tangled mess, making it difficult for him to sort things out for a while.
But Yoriichi understood one thing: Mayuri's crimes would not disappear because of his actions.
No matter what his difficulties were, disrespecting life was disrespecting life; there was no doubt about that.
At this moment, the researcher said:
"From a pharmacological analysis, this is indeed an antidote, but its effectiveness cannot be confirmed until it is produced and undergoes clinical trials."
"I have already sent the components of this medicine to Captain Urahara. I hope it's not too late."
Yoriichi nodded slightly; knowing that Kisuke Urahara was researching it put his mind at ease.
Regardless of whether the medicine had side effects, or what Mayuri Kurotsuchi's intentions were behind it.
Yoriichi believed that everything would eventually come to light with the passage of time.
After delegating the relevant matters to the Twelfth Division, he immediately left the research institute.
At this time, the sounds of battle from various parts of Seireitei had gradually subsided.
Looking down from a high vantage point, he could see that many Menos Grande were gone.
Through his earpiece, he learned that the pursuit in the Forest of Menos had been successful.
Giselle and Leah had both been captured.
"Not bad. Although there's already an antidote, its effectiveness is unknown. To be safe, let's prepare for both possibilities."
"Given Mayuri Kurotsuchi's style, even if that medicine can truly cure the illness, its side effects are definitely not to be underestimated."
Yoriichi pondered for a few seconds, then instantly appeared on a battlefield.
He defeated the Menos Grande in a few swift moves, then disappeared from the location, continuing to rescue Seireitei from distress.
After dealing with the Menos Grande in three different areas, he received news that Leah had already been sent to the Fourth Division.
Yoriichi immediately set off.
At the same time, within a Kido barrier that manipulated time, Kisuke Urahara had also completed the analysis of the medicine's ingredients.
…
Fourth Division.
"Hey! Where's Yachiru! Get her out here now!"
Zaraki Kenpachi's voice was exceptionally loud, making Yamada Hanatarō's ears ring, and he dared not approach.
He wanted to say that Yachiru was in Hirako Shinji's room and hadn't left,
and he also wanted to muster the courage to warn Zaraki Kenpachi that this was a medical facility and he needed to lower his voice to avoid disturbing other injured patients.
But Zaraki Kenpachi's aura was too intimidating.
—Bathed in blood, his haori showed no trace of white, as if he were an Asura who had emerged from hell.
Hanatarō hesitated for a long time, and finally, Retsu Unohana stepped forward and led Zaraki Kenpachi away.
Retsu Unohana, with a gentle smile, instructed Yamada Hanatarō:
"Hanatarō, please look after Seat Officer Kira."
"His vital signs are currently stable. Remember to inform me as soon as he wakes up."
"Yes!" Yamada Hanatarō hastily straightened his posture, responding in a hurried and loud voice.
But after Retsu Unohana left, he once again revealed a worried expression.
Sitting down by the bedside, he sighed.
Although the Menos Grande's attack had ceased, the pain it caused had not yet dissipated.
According to a simple count, the Fourth Division had three hundred and seven injured, one hundred and three dead, and fifty missing.
The injured, for now, need not be mentioned; there would always be a day they would heal. The main concern was the dead and missing…
Except for Kira Iziru, the vast majority of these people were confirmed to be beyond recovery.
Whenever Hanatarō thought of this, he felt somewhat dejected.
Of course, he understood in his heart that no one else was to blame; it was normal for the Fourth Division, as a hospital, to be attacked during wartime.
Even if it didn't happen today, it would certainly happen in the future.
To gain this lesson at the cost of over a hundred casualties, and to repel hundreds of Menos Grande, was extremely rare in the past history of Soul Society.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a great victory.
What else was there to be dissatisfied with? If there was anything, it was probably the casualties of the other Divisions.
Hanatarō raised his eyes, a hint of worry in his gaze, as he stared at the heavily sealed isolation area not far away…
Even without getting close, he could hear the constant wailing from within.
Compared to the outside, inside was the true living hell.
Hanatarō didn't even dare to recall the scene when the last Shinigami was sent in.
The virulent infectious diseases in the Human World were probably no worse than this.
He sighed again.
A moment later, he was about to focus on watching Kira Iziru, fulfilling the task Retsu Unohana had given him.
Suddenly, the curtain of the infirmary door was violently pushed open with a "swish," and two strangers walked in from outside.
These two immediately caught Hanatarō's attention.
A man and a woman, neither wearing the Shihakushō that symbolized Shinigami status, nor the haori that displayed captain rank, but rather clad in pristine white military uniforms.
Cloaks, long boots, completely out of place with the ancient and somewhat oppressive atmosphere inside the infirmary.
True to his duty as a Seat Officer, Hanatarō mustered his courage, intending to go forward and ask who they were.
Just then, the man walking behind the woman suddenly turned his head and glanced at him.
That single glance, like a cold electric current, struck Hanatarō, and his butt, which had just lifted, returned to the chair.
Hanatarō swallowed dryly, no longer daring to make a sound.
So… so terrifying!
He could only watch helplessly as they walked into the isolation area.
…
Inside the isolation area, Leah smelled the disinfectant and couldn't help but frown.
She instinctively held her breath and asked Tokito Iwákatsu, who was putting an isolation bracelet on her:
"What is this? Is it a tool to restrict my abilities? There's no need to be so wary of me."
"I've already agreed to surrender and cooperate, and you brought me here."
"Even if I used my abilities, I would only kill a group of Shinigami who were already going to die."
"It's completely not worth it."
Tokito Iwákatsu did not respond. After confirming the bracelet was properly worn, he pulled out a remote control and pressed a button.
Immediately after, Leah was quietly enveloped by an invisible membrane of light.
Leah was completely unaware, still chattering on.
Only then did Tokito Iwákatsu slowly open his mouth, interrupting her:
"One must not harbor ill intentions, but one must be wary of others. Go in."
"Once you make any untoward moves, the bracelet on your hand will immediately block your absorption and utilization of reishi."
"At that point, let alone your Sternritter, you will lose even your Quincy abilities."
Leah pouted, secretly annoyed, feeling that Tokito Iwákatsu was truly unsympathetic.
Untoward moves… that phrasing was too vague.
Couldn't he just say she had to obey orders?
To suddenly become a prisoner, this feeling was truly strange, but who could she blame when she had such a foolish teammate?
Fortunately, she wasn't being tortured, which was a blessing in disguise.
Leah shook the bracelet, and after confirming she couldn't remove it, she walked into the true isolation area.
Behind her, Tokito Iwákatsu continued to remind her:
"Remember, you only have five hours of life left."
"Once six o'clock arrives and night falls, you will surely die. Only by cooperating obediently with us will you have a chance to live."
"I know, I know, I've heard you say it at least three times on the way here."
"Even if I escaped now and returned to the Wandenreich, Haschwalth wouldn't believe me."
Leah sighed, "I have no choice either way. I don't want to die, so I'll definitely cooperate with you."
"Tell me, what do you want me to do? Cure the sick?"
"A disclaimer first."
To prevent being difficult for the Shinigami, Leah preemptively "shielded" herself,
"The disease Sternritter I possess can only retract the diseases I have sent out."
"Those caused by cross-infection are not within the scope of my ability's influence."
"I'm not very clear about the situation on your Shinigami side, but I imagine it must be very serious."
"To be precise, I've probably created over twenty types of diseases, with as many as fifteen of them being fatal."
Tokito Iwákatsu's gaze flickered slightly as he watched her: "You seem very proud?"
Leah adjusted her hat: "Of course. To master this Sternritter, I taught myself medicine for fifty years."
"In the field of viruses and bacteria, no one in the entire Wandenreich can compare to me."
Tokito Iwákatsu continued to watch her:
"Since you're so formidable, you should also be able to resolve the viruses caused by cross-infection without using your Sternritter, right?"
"Don't tell me you can't do it."
His voice was bone-chillingly cold, making Leah's steps abruptly halt, as if she were nailed to the ground.
Damn it, I dug a pit and jumped in myself. Now Tokito Iwákatsu is blocking the way outside, what can I do…
If she refused, she probably wouldn't live past today.
No choice…
Leah hesitated before speaking:
"I… I'll do my best. Don't blame me if I don't succeed. I only taught myself for fifty years, not five hundred."
In reality, more than half of those fifty years were spent sleeping, but of course, she didn't say that out loud.
Leah swallowed, her throat feeling dry, and under Tokito Iwákatsu's gaze, she walked to a patient.
She looked at the person's festering skin and immediately recognized it as being caused by a super fungus she had created.
Good luck, it hadn't become terminal yet; it had only taken root in the heart and spleen, and in a short while, under the influence of her Sternritter, it smoothly recovered.
She walked to the second patient, but then, she thought of a situation.
Leah turned around.
"Tokito, in five hours, I'm afraid I won't be able to save all the patients here."
"And once tomorrow comes, regardless of whether I'm dead or not, everyone here will die without exception."
"Although I really want to cooperate with you, if they die, won't I be worthless?"
"That's right." Tokito Iwákatsu nodded.
Upon hearing this, Leah's face darkened. He wasn't even willing to pretend? This was too…
No, although she loved to sleep, she didn't want to sleep forever.
Even if there was only a glimmer of hope, she had to seize it.
Leah took a deep breath.
While encouraging herself, she turned to complain about Tokito Iwákatsu's cold-bloodedness, all while accelerating her work of retracting the diseases.
And at this moment, Kisuke Urahara appeared outside the Fourth Division with some antidotes.
…
Human World.
Gremmy's clone, who was currently scouting for potential candidates, was unaware of what was happening in the Wandenreich.
He stood outside a park, watching a small boy being bullied by a group of people inside the park, and slightly narrowed his eyes.
The little boy had ink-black hair and was shielding a book with his body. Some people were punching and kicking him, muttering words like "monster."
After listening for a while, Gremmy roughly understood the cause and effect.
Everyone who became friends with the boy would, without exception, suffer severe injuries one day, and over time, the boy became associated with misfortune.
Some people wanted to retaliate against him, but for some reason, they couldn't get close, or rather, every time they tried to approach, they would be thrown away by an unseen force.
This matter was too bizarre, so people spread rumors that a ghost-like entity was protecting the boy.
But today, the situation changed.
The ghost was gone.
And so.
The boy's nightmare began; the long-suppressed malice surged like a flood, engulfing the boy.
Gremmy stood with his hands in his pockets, watching quietly, showing no intention of intervening.
Gradually, from the snippets of conversation, he suddenly found the boy's name somewhat familiar.
—Tsukishima Shūkurō?
He seemed to have heard it somewhere.
Where was it?