Orihime and Uryu were hidden on the rooftop of one of the buildings in Seireitei. Both of them had noticed a shinigami with strangely spiky hair running back and forth, carrying a girl with pink hair on his shoulders.
Judging by the shinigami's attire, he was undoubtedly a captain. However, for some reason, he hadn't detected the presence of the two teenagers and was now rapidly moving away from their location.
Orihime: "They're gone." - she whispered to Uryu, even though both of them were far from the captain.
Uryu: "Yeah..."
Orihime: "They seemed strong, but they didn't notice us."
Uryu: "He must be like Ichigo... strong but with poor detection abilities," - the Quincy mused, his hand coming up to his chin in thought. - "Well, we're here, but which way should we go now?"
Orihime: "How about that way? I see something that looks like a tower right there." - She turned her face towards Uryu, pointing in the direction where she had spotted the tower.
Uryu: "A tower? Where?" - He asked, turning his attention to Orihime, but his expression quickly changed as he saw a towering shinigami about to attack Orihime, who was still distracted, pointing towards the supposed tower.
Gripping his zanpakutō, the shinigami unleashed a powerful strike, shattering the tiles beneath where they had been standing, only to realize that Orihime wasn't there.
The shinigami's voice was laced with a sense of resignation as he acknowledged his mistake. He looked back and realized that Uryu had managed to keep a safe distance from him while Orihime remained unharmed in his arms.
Shinigami: "You dodged at such close range. Not bad at all. My compliments to you."
The shinigami's voice dripped with arrogance as he acknowledged Uryū's quick evasion to protect Orihime. He then turned, pointing his zanpakutō toward the teenagers.
Shinigami: "Now I bid you farewell. Feel regret. Perhaps if you hadn't encountered me... you might have lived a little longer."
**
The echoes of a massive explosion resonated in the air, accompanied by the cries of hundreds of fallen shinigami as Tatsuki and Chad effortlessly plowed through their ranks.
Tatsuki wore a frustrated expression as they navigated through alleys and pathways, encountering numerous members of the supposed 11th Division at every turn. She didn't seem impressed with the opposition.
Tatsuki: "This is getting old. Except for that lieutenant earlier, none of these idiots seem to be worth anything." - She grumbled after easily incapacitating a few more shinigami, apparently without exerting much effort.
Unlike Tatsuki, who took her time to bring down the shinigami one by one with a single blow each, Chad was more focused on swiftly eliminating the threat. Whenever a group of shinigami appeared, he would knock them all down at once with a single punch, unleashing a powerful blast of spiritual energy that left no room for resistance.
The tomboy let out a frustrated sigh as she looked around at the incapacitated shinigami scattered on the ground.
Tatsuki: "Seriously... and these guys claimed to be from the combat division," - she grumbled, lightly kicking one of the many unconscious shinigami. - "If this is the combat division, I pity this place." - Her disappointment in the shinigami's performance was evident in her voice and expression.
Chad: "Hm... Arisawa." - he suddenly called her attention while staring upwards in the opposite direction.
Tatsuki: "What is it?"
Chad: "A bird..."
Tatsuki: "Huh?" - Tatsuki looked puzzled by Chad's sudden observation.
The girl looked in the same direction Chad was staring and noticed a kind of blue bird flying towards them.
Tatsuki: "That bird... it's on fire...?"
Chad: "Hm..."
The small flaming bird landed on a nearby wall, gazing at the teenagers who didn't know what to make of the situation until the bird started speaking.
{Yato}: "Hello there~" - Yato's voice came through the bird.
Tatsuki: "What the...?" - She exclaimed, clearly taken aback by the talking, flaming bird in front of her.
{Yato}: "I'll give you a quick rundown. This is a skill of my zanpakutō that helps me communicate with others."
Tatsuki: "A camera bird?" - She joked.
Chad and the flaming bird both exchanged bemused glances before Yato replied.
{Yato}: "Something like that..."
Tatsuki was intrigued by Yato's peculiar ability, but her face soon took on a serious expression.
Tatsuki: "Why are you here? Did something happen?"
{Yato}: "Yep. I came to warn you. I defeated a lieutenant, and Ichigo defeated a shinigami almost on the level of a lieutenant. Now there's a chance we might encounter captains soon, and that could complicate things."
Chad nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Upon hearing from Yato that he had defeated a lieutenant, Tatsuki broke into a wide smile.
Tatsuki: "Nice, Yato! The guy I defeated earlier was a lieutenant too. I guess we're one up on Ichigo in that." - She joked with a sense of pride, feeling even more confident after hearing about Yato's achievement.
Chad: "Hm. How are Ichigo and the others doing?"
Before Yato could respond, fireworks exploded in the skies of Seireitei, and as they watched this spectacle, Yato resumed speaking.
{Yato}: "Well...now Ganju has won his fight against his opponent, who was also quite strong. Ichigo is running around knocking down more shinigamis from that 11th Division."
Tatsuki: "These guys are really getting on my nerves." - She grumbled. - "And how's Orihime and Ishida?"
{Yato}: "They're both fine. From what one of my phoenixes is seeing, they encountered a single shinigami, but he doesn't stand a chance against Ishida-san."
Tatsuki: "I hope Ishida keeps Orihime safe. Otherwise, I'll kick his butt when we get back home." - She grumbled. - "And what about you, Yato?"
{Yato}: "What about me?"
Tatsuki: "I want to know if you're okay, you idiot," - She said loudly. "You said you fought a lieutenant. Here, the two of us are managing just fine, but you're on your own." - Despite her irritated tone, there was a hint of concern in her voice.
{Yato}: "Ah, I'm good. The fight against the lieutenant wasn't too difficult, and now I'm disguised as a shinigami, trying to blend in among them. Unlike Ichigo, I don't have flashy hair and a giant zanpakutō to give me away." - He said in a comical tone. - "I met up with Yoruichi a few minutes ago, and he's fine too. Have you guys found out anything?"
Chad: "We didn't have much time for that..." - He commented while looking at the various fallen Shinigami.
Tatsuki: "The only thing we found out is that when someone at the level of a lieutenant or stronger goes to the world of the living, their power is sealed."
{Yato}: "I also found out where Rukia is being held captive. If you spot a white tower, that's where she is, but for now, avoid getting too close."
Tatsuki: "Why?"
{Yato}: "The guy Ichigo defeated gave us that information, but if he tells any captain what our objective is, many of them might gather in the same place, making the rescue impossible."
Chad: "Hm. Let's proceed with caution."
After exchanging information, the small fire phoenix vanished like a flickering flame, and Tatsuki and Chad resumed their run through the Seireitei.
**
Orihime looked at Uryū, who held her protectively while the shinigami in front of them began a countdown.
Orihime: "Oh... Thanks, Ishida-kun! I'm fine."
Uryū: "Hmm... all right." - He released Orihime slowly, not paying much attention to her, keeping his gaze fixed on the appearing shinigami.
Orihime: 'His expression... it's different from before...' She thought as she looked at Uryū. - 'For a moment... he vanished from my senses... He caught me before I knew he was there... He changed so drastically just from facing a shinigami. It's as Mr. Yoruichi said... Ishida-kun is a Quincy... and shinigami are still his enemies...'
Shinigami: "10!" - he shouted, grabbing the attention of the two teenagers as he finished his countdown. - "The time you had to repent is over!"
Uryū: "Here he comes..." - he said seriously, preparing for a possible attack from the shinigami.
Orihime: "Okay..."
The shinigami advanced, attacking once more with his zanpakutō, but Uryū and Orihime quickly leaped in opposite directions, evading the shinigami's strike.
Keeping a certain distance, Orihime recalled Tessai's words during her training.
Orihime: 'Find my own way to fight...' - Thinking this, Inoue decided not to attempt an immediate attack on the shinigami, choosing instead to wait and observe what he would do.
Without hesitation, the shinigami rapidly advanced toward Orihime, and she made a hand gesture without saying anything, and a triangular shield formed in front of her.
Shinigami: "Ha! This is a battlefield!! You won't accomplish anything here just defending!" - He readied himself to strike Inoue's shield with his zanpakutō. - "On a battlefield, you must attack with murderous intent!!"
As the shinigami's zanpakutō came crashing down, just as it was about to make contact with the shield, a blinding beam of light surged from Uryū's bow. The arrow it struck the shinigami's hand with such force that a small hole appeared in his right hand. The shinigami winced in pain, surprise evident in his eyes as he pulled back his hand.
Uryū: "You want murderous intent? Then fight with me." - He said seriously while holding his bow, materialized through the glove on his right hand. - "I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for in my bow."
Shinigami: "Eh?! That's unexpected... You wouldn't happen to be a Quincy, would you?"
Uryū: "I am."
Suddenly, the shinigami burst into laughter.
Shinigami: "A girl with strange powers and a Quincy... and both of you use long-range weapons! What a coincidence to cross paths with me! What a twist of fate!! Allow me to reveal the true form of my zanpakutō!!" - He boasted. - "Spread your wings!! Tsunzakigarasu!!"
The shinigami placed his hand on the hilt of his zanpakutō and pressed, but instead of his hand being pierced, the blade of the zanpakutō transformed into numerous small propellers.
Jirōbō: "What do you think?! Now, feel regret!! I am Jirōbō Ikkanzaka, 4th Seat of the 7th Division!! Also known as Kamaitachi Jirōbō!!"
???: "What a ridiculous name..." - A voice that didn't belong to any of the three present on the scene remarked.
The voice grabbed the attention of the two teenagers and the shinigami.
Uryū: "Who said that...?" - He asked, keeping his eyes on the shinigami but remaining alert.
Orihime: "It was this little blue bird on my shoulder with Yasakani-kun's voice." - She paused for a few seconds until it finally clicked. - "Yasakani-kun?! You've turned into a bird?!" - She asked, genuinely surprised.
{Yato}: "No... actually, I–"
Jirōbō: "Ridiculous name?" - The shinigami said, turning his attention to Inoue and interrupting the blue bird. - "The title of Kamaitachi is the mark of the ultimate long-range weapon master! No one but me has witnessed these blades soaring through the skies and lived to tell the tale!!"
{Yato}: 'Ultimate long-range weapon master...? Matsumoto's Haineko and Byakuya's Senbonzakura are a million times stronger than this... they're just not foolish enough to want that ridiculous title...' - He thought.
As the shinigami boasted, within a matter of seconds, numerous arrows were fired, each one destroying one of the flying blades from his zanpakutō.
Jirōbō: "Huh?"
Jirōbō's expression shifted from pride to surprise as his flying blades were effortlessly destroyed by the incoming arrows. His eyes widened, and for a brief moment, he was taken aback by this unexpected turn of events.
Uryū: "How intriguing... it seems that, unlike those in the world of the living, It seems that the ultimate long-range weapon master here... likes to make long and tedious speeches..."
Jirōbō: "Th-that was just luck! Don't get smug..." - He said, still somewhat flustered, attempting to recreate more of his tiny flying blades.
Uryū: "I think you've misunderstood."
The Quincy released a single arrow, hitting the shinigami's left hand long before he could draw his zanpakutō, creating a hole in Jirōbō's hand.
Jirōbō's face contorted with a mix of pain and frustration. His hand, now wounded, trembled slightly, and his confidence wavered. He realized the gap in their abilities and felt a pang of anxiety about the situation he was in.
Uryū: "I'm sorry, but... after today, you can't really call yourself 'ultimate' anymore." - He spoke seriously to the shinigami, who began to scream in pain after having another one of his hands injured. - "When it comes to long-range weapons... I'm far superior to you... I just think Kamaitachi Uryū is a lousy name..."
Orihime: "Wow... Ishida-kun seems like a completely different person... from the Ishida-kun who fought alongside Kurosaki-kun..." - She observed.
{Yato}: "Don't get distracted, Inoue-san. I'm sure this guy will try to attack you since he can't do anything to Ishida-san." - The little firebird whispered to the girl.
The shinigami continued to scream in pain as the Quincy approached him slowly.
Uryū: "Feeling regret now? For a long-range weapon master like you... it really was a tragedy to have crossed paths with me."
In a desperate move, the shinigami turned towards Inoue, but to his misfortune, Ishida had already moved in front of her at a great speed, pointing his bow and arrow at Jirōbō.
Uryū: "So, since you couldn't kill me, did you really think you could do anything to Inoue-san? Actually, you've been after her from the start. Even you couldn't be so clumsy... that you'd keep endangering the girl by accident... No one with an ounce of honor fights like that... Now, goodbye. Allowing you time to regret would be a waste."
Without a shred of mercy, Uryū loosed two arrows simultaneously at the shinigami. One arrow pierced his chest while the other plunged into his abdomen. The impact of the attack sent the shinigami flying, and he crashed to the ground, unconscious.
Orihime: "Thank you, Ishida-kun." - She thanked cheerfully as she watched her friend put away his bow.
Uryū: "Um... No need to thank me..." - He adjusted his glasses.
Orihime: "It was nothing, right?" - She smiled, fully expecting these to be Uryū's next words, leaving him slightly embarrassed.
{Yato}: "Geez... I still think that bow has an aim bot..." - He playfully remarked to Uryū.
The fiery bird's comment drew laughter from Inoue, while Uryū looked at the bird with a somewhat sulky expression.
Uryū: "But what does this form of yours, Yasakani, mean?"
{Yato}: "It's one of my zanpakutō's abilities. I create these little blue fire phoenixes and can communicate and see through them." - He explained concisely.
Orihime: "That's so cool!! I thought your power was about making things explode, Yasakani-kun!"
Uryū: "I didn't realize a zanpakutō could have such distinct abilities..." - He commented analytically.
{Yato}: "Since we separated, I've been trying to keep everyone informed about what's happening."
Uryū: "I see. What have you found out?"
Orihime: "And how are the others?"
{Yato}: "Everyone's doing well, except maybe Ganju, who probably got quite beaten up during his fight, but he's about to meet Ichigo, so he's not in danger."
Uryū: "But if you're trying to communicate now, it means something has happened, doesn't it?"
{Yato}: "Well... Ichigo defeated the 3rd Seat of the combat division, Tatsuki defeated the lieutenant of the 3rd and I defeated the lieutenant of the 9th Division."
Orihime: "You two beat someone that strong?!"
In contrast to Orihime's impressed reaction, Uryū remained much more serious and concerned, digesting Yato's words.
Uryū: "In other words, if a lieutenant was defeated, it's possible that captains may start coming from now on..." - He deduced.
{Yato}: "Yes. There's a great chance of us encountering captains now, so be very cautious."
Orihime: "Ah! That reminds me, I had an idea for us to blend in and go unnoticed by the others!"
Uryū: "You did...?"
Orihime: "I thought we could steal Shinigami uniforms! If you think about it, we look somewhat similar to them!"
{Yato}: "Great idea, Inoue-san. In fact, I've been trying to do the same. When you disguise yourselves, take a look inside the kimono. All uniforms have a squad number."
Orihime: "So you had the same idea?! It looks like great minds think alike, Yasakani-kun!"
{Yato}: "Another thing I've discovered is where Rukia is being held captive. If you spot a large white tower, that's where she is."
Orihime: "See, Ishida-kun!? It's the very tower I mentioned before!"
The Quincy offered a slightly sheepish smile to the girl.
{Yato}: "Well, Ishida-san... I thought you were the brains of the team, but it seems like you're leaving all the work to Inoue-san!! Just wait until Ichigo and Tatsuki find out about this." - He teased his colleague, laughing as he noted Ishida's embarrassed expression.
Uryū: "Regardless... I imagine Kurosaki is heading straight for that tower. If the captains are indeed starting to move, it's best for us to continue operating separately and gather more information."
{Yato}: "If I find out anything else, I'll try to inform you."
**
In another part of Seireitei, Yato held his zanpakutō with both hands as blue flames engulfed the entire blade. The adolescent's eyes also radiated with the same blue flames, casting an eerie glow. As the intense energy surged, Yato's expression was a mixture of concentration and determination.
But then, as suddenly as it had begun, the blue flames vanished, leaving Yato to catch his breath.
Ōkagetsu: "So, you chose not to tell them that Ichigo has become the target of a captain?" - She asked, her arms wrapped around Yato's neck.
Yato: "Yes. If I had told them that a captain would be going after Ichigo, I have no doubt that everyone would rush to where Ichigo is, and that could potentially affect his future battle..." - He sighed. - "Anyway, thank you for watching over me while I tried to talk to the others."
Yato turned and embraced the woman as if she were a close family member.
Ōkagetsu: "You're welcome... Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be going back. This place lacks any music, and it's everything is the same." - Her comment hinted at her desire for a livelier atmosphere and perhaps a return to a more normal and vibrant world. - "When you're less busy... come to your inner world... it's about that thread you saw attached to my pinky finger... maybe now you can see how far it goes." - She spoke with a smile.
With that, the woman gradually began to fade away, and shortly after, Yato sheathed his zanpakutō.
Yato's expression revealed a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. He had witnessed this mysterious thread before and had never fully understood its significance. Her words now sparked his interest and left him pondering the enigma that was part of his inner world.
The young man began to run, this time ensuring to use his fullbring to only remodel the relief bag of the 4th Division, so as to avoid any unexpected encounters, similar to when he encountered the lieutenant.
After a few minutes of running, Yato started to hear the distant voices of numerous people shouting. He quickly realized that not far ahead, a group of shinigami was rushing toward a nearby location. However, one of the shinigami seemed to have lagged behind, appearing to adjust the straps of their sandals.
Yato: "Excuse me... what are you doing here all alone?" He asked politely as he recognized the shinigami.
Shinigami: "Ah... I'm sorry... I just stopped for a few minutes to adjust my sandals, and I ended up getting separated from the group..." He spoke somewhat embarrassed.
Yato: "And what was your name again?" Yato decided to ask, even though he already knew the shinigami's name.
Hanataro: "Hanataro Yamada..."