Serafall didn't reply to him but the 'slimy stare' had already disappeared as she had requested. She had guessed that he was using some equipment to probe her and didn't like the feeling it was giving.
Momo soon returned with a hurried expression, "Captain! What happened!?... Captain Kurotsuchi?"
"Your report?" Kurotsuchi immediately asked without taking his eyes off Serafall.
Momo was stunned for a moment before saying, "Y-yes! We've confirmed that the Humans have started leaving the area and within a few minutes, there won't be anyone left!"
"Interesting..." Kurotsuchi muttered with a small smile, "Illusion? Hypnosis? But it's not a Kidou or any known technique. A unique ability? But why are there no traces?"
Serafall grinned at him and said, "Do you want me to answer?"
"No. I have no point of reference to compare whatever you're giving me. I wouldn't know what sort of lie you'll insert into it."
Serafall turned to him and said, "But at least you'll get something, right? You can reference anything remotely connected to it and you'll still glean some data from it."
"True, but there's also nothing more dangerous than incorrect information."
"Then how are you going to figure me out? If you do that invasive probing again, I'm really going to get angry this time."
Kurotsuchi's smile became wider, "My, it's not every day you'd see someone threatening a Captain of Gotei 13. How confident are you?"
Serafall also returned the same smile without hiding her hostility and said, "Confident enough that I could have you kiss the ground~. After all, I know what you're capable of but you don't know me~."
The threatening demeanor between the two only kept escalating and that made Momo panic and hide behind Shinji who could only sigh.
But when it looked like they were about to go at it, something inside Mayuri's clothes started ringing and the Shinigamis stationed on the air started yelling at each other. Three holes like they were made by a Hollow's Descorrer opened, but unlike the former, there was a row of omnivore teeth along its edges. It's way more than the 1 or 2 Beasts that kept appearing this past week.
Shinji and Momo instantly responded to their appearance and commanded their soldiers to intercept the emerging Beasts of Hell numbering at least a hundred.
Seeing that Mayuri is not doing anything, Serafall asked, "You're not going to help them?"
"This is their assignment. If there's nothing outside of the ordinary, I won't." Mayuri also stared at the fast-developing battlefield.
"Even if it means death to some of your soldiers?"
"It's their sworn duty. They know what it means to be a Shinigami and they all accepted it."
"How harsh."
Mayuri turned his eyes to her before replying, "The Seireitei is too soft these days and we almost paid the ultimate price for that. If I could be the whip that could straighten them, I'll gladly be a barbed one."
Serafall went quiet and just silently watched the ongoing battle with interest, 'A clear-cut system of spells that don't really deviate from each other. Just from that, one could see that their society is very strict and systematized. But why was it shaped like that? And there's also a very strict hierarchy in their ranks according to this guy beside me.'
She thought that they'll be a bit lenient due to Kisuke's behavior but it looks like he's an outlier even within their organization.
All of a sudden, Mayuri started moving, causing Serafall to focus back her attention on him.
After a few rustling of clothes, Mayuri pulled out what looks to be a smartphone but thrice as thick as a normal one and placed it on Serafall's side, "Do you mind pouring your power into this?"
Serafall first looked at the strange device and was once again amazed that something like this could be made with pure spiritual particles. She knew that this was out of necessity and culture but it's still incredible to see something that one would normally do with physical particles instead, "With passive and active observation not working, you opted to just ask directly?"
"I'm not the one to shy away from any method to achieve my purpose." Of course, Mayuri wasn't exactly expecting her to just do as he says and this is just trying out one of his options.
But without saying anything else, Serafall grabbed the thick smartphone displaying various numbers.
She first inspected it with her hands before pouring her Demonic Power into it. However, feeling something amiss, Serafall threw the device far away from them.
"What are you doing?" Mayuri asked without a hint of anger in his voice. Nevertheless, Serafall didn't have to give him an excuse as the device mid-flight suddenly exploded with enough to rattle the whole battlefield and temporarily pause it.
"I guess haphazardly mixing Spiritual Power and Demonic Power will cause such a reaction."
Mayuri took note of Serafall's words just now before using Flash Step to catch some debris from the broken scanning device that he handed Serafall. Along with some pieces, Mayuri was able to secure what seems to be Phosphoplasm that came from Hell. Although it answered a few questions in his mind, it only ended up opening more.
Serafall also followed him, curious of what he made out of it, "Still better than asking questions?"
Mayuri kept the debris in his Shihakushou while answering, "Of course. That confirmed a few things in my head."
"Then in exchange for that, allow me a passage when you guys finally secured a path to Hell."
"I can't allow that." Mayuri immediately answered, "While I don't really care what you do to others, I still won't allow unnecessary risks."
"Then what else could I do for you to allow such risks?" Serafall knew that she still may be able to get to Hell through their help thanks to Kisuke's connection, but she still want to get that privilege as naturally as possible to avoid needless suspicion.
"Hmm..." Mayuri seriously considered her offer, 'What can I do to force her to show more? I don't really want to fight someone completely unknown.'
At that moment, an enormous explosion shook the whole area and both Serafall and Mayuri saw Hinamori Momo flying out with grave injuries.
Serafall instantly flew off and caught her midair, 'A big hole in her stomach, but it doesn't look like it's fatal.'
While coughing up blood, Momo struggled to lift her head and muttered, "... Es-Espada..."
Wondering what she meant, Serafall heard Mayuri's voice, "If you deal with one of them, I could consider what you want to happen."
Serafall turned her head to where he was pointing and saw two individuals that seemed to come out of Hell, "At least promise that you'd make it happen."
"Sadly, I don't control the Seireitei so the most I could really do is vouch for you."
'Well, I guess this is enough. At least I don't need a sudden recommendation.' Serafall thought while sealing Momo's wound with her Magic and placing her down beside Mayuri, "Grant me entry to Soul Society too while you're at it."
Mayuri stared at her for a few moments before answering, "If you could give a few hours of your time to my lab."
"I won't allow any deep inspections."
"Deal."