Point after point of caution was relayed through Ginjō's lips, most of which pertained only to Tsukishima and Yukio.
However, the rest of the group showed no signs of impatience. If Tsukishima and Yukio failed to make progress for an extended period, or if the Shinigami had already established a strict garrison over Karakura Town, it would be time for the rest of them to take action.
Naturally, no one present wanted things to reach that point. If Tsukishima and Yukio—especially with Tsukishima's abilities—couldn't gather any useful intelligence, then their so-called opportunity for revenge would likely be delayed indefinitely.
That was a scenario no one wanted to see, especially now that their interest had been completely piqued.
"Haa~"
The sudden yawn wasn't loud, but it was enough to draw attention. Ginjō unconsciously furrowed his brows. Although it was late and feeling tired was understandable, such behavior was highly inappropriate right now. It wasn't like he was spouting nonsense!
But after scanning the room, seeing everyone looking completely innocent as if nothing had happened made him doubt himself. *Was I the one spacing out?*
As if to tell him it wasn't an illusion, an even more exaggerated yawn echoed out. "I'm so sleepy I'm tearing up. Why do you guys have to overcomplicate things?"
It was a completely unfamiliar voice. Tsukishima abruptly stood up from the desk. "Who's there!"
"The living room!"
Ginjō turned toward the door with a tense expression, but someone else was even faster, darting out in a flash.
"Follow him!"
The unfamiliar voice rang out again, its owner seemingly monitoring their every move. "Just like that. If there's anything you want to know, just ask me directly. It's not like I absolutely won't tell you."
*A Shinigami? Could the anomaly in Karakura Town just be a facade, a play specifically put on by those guys to lure me out?* Ginjō's thoughts raced. Though he didn't stop running, he unknowingly fell to the very back of the group.
The woman running at the front and Riruka were the first to reach the living room. Unlike the imagined scenario of an army standing with drawn blades, there were only three people in the room.
Aside from Shishigawara, who was collapsed on the floor without a single wound on his body, there was a young man lounging on the sofa facing them sideways, and a little blue-haired girl standing beside it. Neither of these two possessed even a hint of the vicious aura expected of an enemy.
"Your conversation was honestly too complicated. I had no choice but to brew myself a cup of coffee to stay awake." The man deliberately raised the mug in his hand, looking quite satisfied. "Thanks for the hospitality."
"You rude jerk!" Riruka scolded fiercely, but almost as soon as she uttered the first word, she was stopped by Ginjō from behind.
Although the other party clearly hadn't revealed his true form, the Gigai worn by Shinigami generally resembled their actual appearance, so that face could be equated to his real look.
However, this face was completely unfamiliar to Ginjō. *Is he a lieutenant of some division? Or a captain?*
*Even if he is a captain, as long as he isn't one of those particularly troublesome ones, we might just have a chance to keep him here!*
A sharp, cold glint flashed through Ginjō's eyes as he discreetly made a hand signal to Tsukishima behind him. Tsukishima understood perfectly, strolling leisurely into the living room.
"It's just a cup of coffee. It hardly counts as hospitality," Tsukishima said as he walked over to stand opposite the man. "Besides, as the host, I don't even know the name of the person I'm supposedly entertaining. I really don't know if you're mocking me or yourself."
"Why can't it just be an excuse for taking without asking? I care a lot about my pride, you know."
Tsukishima smiled faintly. "People who can say things like that generally don't care much about their pride. However..." As if thinking of something amusing, Tsukishima held back a laugh and continued asking, "However, why didn't someone like you choose to ambush us just now?"
Despite the obvious sarcasm, the man didn't seem to mind at all, returning the smile as he replied, "Objectively speaking, there was no need. Subjectively, well, I don't consider you enemies. How could I use underhanded tactics like an ambush on friends?"
It was an unexpected answer—for Ginjō, for Tsukishima, and for everyone else present.
*Shinigami will not allow our existence.*
That was what Ginjō had told them, yet now this person was saying they were friends? Was it true?
*It has to be a lie.* Ginjō's expression grew even uglier. Even Ukitake Jūshirō, the man known as the most peace-loving person in the Seireitei, had been using him all along, let alone this guy who couldn't even be bothered to show a shred of sincerity.
*But is it definitely a lie?* Tsukishima analyzed the young man across from him. Did a guy with such extreme confidence in his own strength really need to tell such a half-hearted lie?
"'Is this guy telling the truth or lying?'" The man looked at Riruka, then turned to a gloomy-faced Ginjō. "'It has to be a lie.'" His gaze finally landed on Tsukishima. "'But what purpose could such a lie serve?'"
Having their inner thoughts exposed one by one made the group even more wary of this unknown man. And as he suddenly stood up, everyone's hearts violently clenched.
"You have too many questions. What exactly is in Karakura Town? What happened between the Shinigami and the Hollows? Is an all-out war going to break out in Karakura Town? And now there are a few more, like, who am I? And what exactly am I going to do to you?"
"Yet you refuse to ask me directly, insisting on beating around the bush and testing my personality while you're at it?" The man shook his head helplessly. "Too troublesome. I might as well just tell you myself, starting with the earliest question."
"What exactly is in Karakura Town? Just as you thought, there are companions of yours there, as well as Shinigami exiled by the Seireitei. Moreover, there is a young Substitute Shinigami with boundless potential. You should be quite interested in him, Ginjō Kūgo."
Ginjō coldly snorted. The man didn't mind his reaction and continued, "However, none of those are the reason for the Hollows' abnormal behavior. What the Hollows want is Karakura Town itself, and because of that, we are indeed going to wage an all-out war against them there."
"Actually, that's not entirely accurate. The one who wants Karakura Town is the current master of Hueco Mundo—a Shinigami, the former Captain of the Fifth Division, Aizen Sōsuke. A despicable guy, right?"
There was no need to answer; the expressions on everyone's faces said it all. Just because they harbored hatred for Shinigami didn't mean they looked favorably upon Hollows. The enemy of my enemy is my friend did not apply here.
The man, looking entirely satisfied, walked up to Ginjō as if he were one of them. "Which brings us to my identity. I am the current Captain of the Gotei 13's Fifth Division, Chōzuka Hiroe. Do I need to explain what a Captain is?"
"A boss!"
What a familiar and delightful title. Hiroe felt somewhat moved and couldn't help but praise Yukio, who had spoken up. "You're quite young, kid, but you've got a pretty good eye!"
Unfortunately, before he could finish, Yukio added, "And you're just a player who unlocked an exclusive title, but it gives no combat stat bonuses, so you're probably still a total noob, right?"
*Heh, heheh,* Hiroe sneered internally. The rest of his sentence immediately shifted to, "You're quite young, kid, yet you're already blind!"
"That's just a dungeon bug making the boss unchallengeable. Who knows if you just got lucky and picked up the title."
Despite his words, Yukio's desperate attempt to hold back a laugh made it obvious he was intentionally messing with Hiroe.
But Ginjō had no patience for such banter. He asked in a deep voice, "And the last question?"
"What am I going to do to you? You should have already guessed it, Ginjō Kūgo."
His eyes brimming with a smile, Hiroe stated it as a matter of fact: "This time, representing the Seireitei, I sincerely invite everyone present..."
"To fight alongside us!"
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