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Chapter 82: Is Something Wrong, Mr. Clown?
"This is… the Hōgyoku?"
Hinamori Momo was under immense pressure, her small face taut. She slowly extended her wrist, which had been altered by the ritual and covered in strange substances, into Rukia's dark chest cavity. From within, she retrieved the crystal encased in a transparent barrier.
As soon as the Hōgyoku was removed,
the large hole in Rukia's chest also vanished.
"Cough, cough, cough…!"
The Spirit Array stopped operating, and the eerie phenomena disappeared with it.
"Kucihki, is your body alright?"
Hachihara kindly stepped forward to ask.
"I'm fine, everything's normal. It's a pity I can't remove the collar sealing my spiritual pressure from my neck… By the way, is this the dangerous substance that Urahara guy developed, which is said to be capable of turning Shinigami into Hollows?"
Rukia touched her chest, and finding it as flat as ever, she no longer paid it any mind. Instead, she directed her gaze to the peculiar crystal in Hinamori Momo's hand.
"So it really was hidden inside my body."
"It is indeed a very dangerous thing."
Hinamori Momo's expression was solemn.
"Although the spiritual pressure reaction is very faint, it is filled with an unusual aura, and I feel a subtle tremor in my heart… If I keep it by my side for too long, I truly don't know if I'll be able to resist doing something with it."
Recalling Captain Aizen's tireless teachings, her heart immediately steadied. She calmly placed it into a pre-prepared box, then put the box into a Fourth Division-style but different-colored satchel and slung it over her shoulder.
"Done. Let's go!"
"Go where?"
Hachihara and Rukia looked bewildered.
"To take the Hōgyoku to Captain Aizen, of course. Giving it to Shimiya-kun or Ichigo-kun would also work, but the key is still to give it to Captain Aizen."
"If the Captain personally hands it over to the Captain Commander, and then petitions jointly with Captain Ukitake and others, the original verdict should be overturned."
"After all, the Hōgyoku is the source of the crisis. Once this hot potato is thrown out, Miss Kuchiki will be safe… Captain Aizen said so."
"However, just in case, we should first send Miss Kuchiki to a safe place and wait for Central 46's verdict… Although the possibility is small, Miss Kuchiki, you must be mentally prepared to bid farewell to Soul Society."
Hinamori Momo explained earnestly.
Upon hearing this, Rukia nodded with a heavy heart.
"I understand. Thank you for everything you've done for me. Even if I go to the Human World, I will remember it for the rest of my life."
"Don't worry, even if this worst-case scenario happens, you'll still have a chance to return once Shimiya becomes the Captain Commander."
While Hachihara's comfort was undoubtedly sincere, Rukia and Hinamori Momo gave two dry laughs, clearly not optimistic about this possibility.
Even though Shimiya Takeru and Ichigo had successively broken conventions and performed various astonishing feats, earning them the title of the strongest geniuses of all time,
they still couldn't imagine, or even accept, someone other than Yamamoto Genryūsai sitting in that position.
The three quickly packed up and left the research facility.
To be fair,
the research facility was extremely secretive.
It was built underground beneath a lake less than a kilometer from the Fifth Division training grounds.
The entrance was hidden inside a tree trunk.
Concealed by Kido, it was very difficult to discover.
However, once people came out, they could no longer hide.
Numerous defensive measures were also useless.
As a result, as soon as they emerged, they ran into Shūhei, who was standing above, waiting for them.
"The spiritual pressure disappeared without a trace here. It was obvious there was a problem, so I didn't hesitate to expend spiritual power to observe from a high vantage point with good visibility. It seems my wait wasn't in vain."
Seeing the three, Shūhei couldn't help but inwardly applaud his own steady strategy.
"Wait!"
He suddenly felt like he was seeing ghosts.
How could there be three people?
And one of them was an acquaintance.
"Hinamori!? Weren't you dead?!"
"There's been a slight misunderstanding."
Hinamori Momo chuckled awkwardly.
Such a terrible lie being exposed, though there were reasons, the kind-hearted her still felt too ashamed to face her former friendly seniors and colleagues.
Shūhei's face was a kaleidoscope of expressions, like a dye shop.
"A trap? So Captain Aizen also… No, perhaps Captain Hitsugaya, and other Captains, are also involved. Have I accidentally stumbled into some terrifying conspiracy?"
Shūhei wasn't the only one who felt a sense of dread.
A burly man in sunglasses emerged from the woods.
He also stared at Hinamori Momo, saying in a deep voice, "Hinamori… I never thought even someone as gentle as you would betray us. It's truly chilling. I feel like I don't recognize the Gotei 13 anymore."
"Mr. Iba…"
Facing the accusation of yet another senior, Hinamori Momo no longer felt fear or guilt. She said with a resolute expression, "We have never betrayed anyone. We just don't want to see the Gotei 13, at the unreasonable behest of Central 46, commit wrongs that go against human conscience."
"Hinamori…"
Shūhei's expression was complex.
Iba pushed up his glasses.
"Hinamori, this is what you call… betrayal."
"If you insist on thinking that, then I have nothing more to say."
Hinamori Momo drew her Zanpakuto, her attitude clear.
At this moment, Hachihara asked with some uncertainty, "Hey, Seventh Division Lieutenant, is that Rindo you're carrying on your shoulder?"
"This kid is named Rindo? Don't worry, he's just been knocked out… I never thought that a mere Freshman could achieve Bankai, and even caused me and Hisagi some trouble with his fearless determination and cleverness."
Iba put down the unconscious boy on his shoulder and grinned.
"Frankly, I quite like this kid. He seems dull, but he's efficient, loyal, and not a hot-headed fool… Plus you and those two oddballs, this Spirit Arts Academy has really given everyone a big surprise. This kind of talent explosion often indicates that something big is about to happen."
"So after this incident, if you can graduate safely, I will definitely recommend to the Captain to recruit this kid to be my subordinate."
"However, before that… he is merely an accomplice who assisted the ryoka and a fugitive. I can only treat him as an accomplice."
"Let's make a hostage exchange. Hand over Kuchiki Rukia, and I'll return this kid to you. Otherwise, don't blame me for making him suffer a little."
Hinamori Momo, Hachihara, and Rukia were stunned.
They didn't attack directly but chose to negotiate?
Soon, they understood the key.
This was because Hinamori Momo, also a Lieutenant, was present.
The power gap was not as great.
Additionally, they knew nothing about the research facility's situation.
If they turned back into the passage, the other party would hesitate to pursue, fearing a trap.
They also worried that they might have brought something out from inside.
Coupled with their apprehension about other possible schemes hidden behind Hinamori Momo's resurrection,
it was not surprising that the usually cautious Iba would resort to this tactic.
Although Shūhei was a little surprised, he did not object, clearly indicating that the two had exchanged opinions on the way and were somewhat prepared for the current situation.
This, however, put the three in a difficult position.
How to choose?
Should they hand over Rukia, who no longer had the Hōgyoku inside her, or gamble that the other party valued Rindo Yu and wouldn't harm him, and resolutely ignore them and flee?
In any case, a direct confrontation was definitely not an option.
Just as Rukia was about to use a delaying tactic to exchange Rindo Yu for herself,
suddenly, two figures appeared by the lake.
"Oh my, we finally found it."
"?!"
"!"
"…!"
"Captain Ichimaru!?"
Regardless of who saw the newcomers' faces and felt their spiritual pressure, cold sweat immediately broke out, and they were filled with unimaginable terror.
It wasn't because Ichimaru Gin was particularly frightening.
Rather, the immense Hollow-like spiritual pressure emanating from Arturo beside him, and the unusual characteristic of his broken mask, gave everyone a crushing sense of oppression and impact that pierced through body and mind.
"The Hōgyoku is hidden inside whom?"
Arturo's attitude was extremely cold.
Everyone he glanced at felt a chill run down their spine, feeling like they were being regarded as mere objects.
"Without a doubt, it was in little Rukia, the girl in the white prison uniform, but now it's hard to say… If I'm not mistaken, it's in the satchel on her."
No sooner had Ichimaru Gin finished speaking
than Arturo's figure flickered before anyone could comprehend the meaning of his words. He moved as if space-hopping, abruptly and with a strange sound like breaking space.
His reappearance was a matter of the next second.
He stood on the grass.
In his hand was a satchel.
"That's…!"
Hinamori Momo's pupils contracted. She instinctively reached behind her.
But then felt a pain in her chest.
Blood splattered.
Pfft!
It seemed like only one sound, but in reality, several sounds merged together.
"Ugh…!"
"Damn it!"
Hinamori Momo, Hachihara, Rukia, as well as Iba and Shūhei, all suffered sudden blows, as if struck by an invisible blade.
The terrifying spiritual pressure accompanying the blows penetrated their bodies, robbing them of their power to resist, causing them to fall to the ground almost simultaneously, unable to move, only able to squeeze out unwilling wails or groans from their throats.
"I thought Mr. Arturo would just kill them directly. Could it be that after two thousand years, Mr. Arturo's hatred for Soul Society and for Shinigami has faded?"
Ichimaru Gin floated down to the ground, smiling as he watched the Arrancar, the Extreme Prisoner, who had found the Hōgyoku from the satchel and was observing it in his hand.
"That is the most foolish thing you have ever said to me."
Arturo turned his head to look back, then swept his contemptuous gaze over the fallen individuals.
"I will not spare Soul Society. I will not spare a single Shinigami."
"But killing them now would be a shame."
"It's not too late to kill them once I regain my past power and retrieve my Zanpakuto… Because the spiritual power of enemies killed by me will all become mine."