nownovels Chapter 123: Well Then, Another One Sweet-Talked into Line~
Chapter 123: Well Then, Another One Sweet-Talked into Line~
Chapter 123 - Well Then, Another One Sweet-Talked into Line~"Lord Shuuichi... are you sure this is okay?"
Inside the 12th Division barracks of the Gotei 13, Yushima Ōshu looked anxiously at what was left of the former captain's quarters—now Kurotsuchi Mayuri's lab—essentially reduced to rubble.
He had thought that when Higashi Shuuichi said he'd "have a talk" with Mayuri, it would be just that—a conversation.
He hadn't expected "talk" to involve this much property damage.
"If your captain says it's fine, what the hell are you stressing over?" Shuuichi replied nonchalantly, glancing toward the 12th Division members scrambling to salvage the remains of their lab.
He couldn't leave Seireitei just yet—leaving immediately would be too suspicious. He had to at least wait until Ōshu's normal "end of shift" window.
In truth, Shuuichi could wander around freely, thanks to the Gigai he wore—a perfect physical disguise. It functioned nearly the same as the one Urahara Kisuke had made for him in the World of the Living.
Except it was uncomfortable as hell.
Still, he decided not to push his luck. If he ran into someone eccentric or unorthodox, things could spiral.
"Then... Lord Shuuichi, do you think Captain Mayuri will really let me work on the project?"
Ōshu scratched his head sheepishly, both desperate for validation and afraid of overstepping.
"When have I ever lied to you?"
Shuuichi gave a sidelong glance. "But I'll be honest—Mayuri told me if you don't meet his standards, he'll kick you out without hesitation. Even if it means ignoring my recommendation."
Then Shuuichi froze.
Because he spotted someone he least wanted to see.
"Captain Unohana? Why are you here in person? Where's Yamada Kiyonosuke?"
Mayuri stood at the ruined lab's entrance, surprised. Unohana Retsu rarely handled these incidents herself. Usually it was left to her Lieutenant—once Shuuichi himself, now Yamada.
"Just happened to be nearby picking up supplies," Unohana smiled sweetly. "Heard there was a little accident at your place, so I figured I'd drop by."
She had seen a stranger among the crowd—a man whose face she had never laid eyes on, but who somehow felt disturbingly familiar.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, Captain Unohana," Mayuri said with his usual flat tone. "This was just a failed experiment. No casualties."
Unohana didn't respond. She stepped closer to the rubble, reaching out to brush her fingers over a fractured stone edge—one that had been sliced by the lingering wave of Shuuichi's Fuzan.
She retracted her hand and gazed into the hollow depths below.
"Captain Mayuri," she said softly, "Are you particularly skilled with zanjutsu?"
"I specialize in re
She raised her sword. The pressure of her Reiatsu began to rise.
"Wait! WAIT—!"
Shuuichi's head throbbed.
Suddenly, Zaraki didn't seem so bad anymore.
"At least let's change venues?!"
In desperation, he Hollowfied and tore open a Garganta.
Anywhere but here. The Reiatsu suppression field from Urahara couldn't take a brawl between him and Unohana.
If a single Captain—maybe even Yamamoto—showed up, it'd be over.
Muken was a nice option, but Unohana clearly wasn't in the mood to request clearance.
And since Urahara's only Senkaimon was wrecked... there was only one real option left.
Hueco Mundo.
Seeing the dark rift open, Unohana simply smiled.
"As expected."
And without hesitation, she followed him into the Garganta.