บท 310: Chapter 310: Why Don't You Know Anything?
"There's a child over there, Kensei!"
Mashiro Kuna, unlike Kensei Muguruma who was scanning the entire area, spotted the movements of small creatures amidst the devastation—a few children. With a nimble leap, she jumped onto Kensei's back, her feet sticking to his ribs like a frog. She pressed her hands against his temples and twisted his head forcefully towards the direction of Gin Ichimaru and Rangiku Matsumoto.
Rangiku, carrying H'el on her back and supported by Gin, was struggling to walk out of the scorched forest.
The surrounding heat from the blackened terrain was dehydrating them rapidly, making them extremely fatigued. Rangiku, already malnourished, had only eaten a few days' worth of meat since following H'el. Despite her weakness, she was the healthiest among the three. Gin, with severe internal injuries, could barely move but still managed to help Rangiku carry H'el.
The sulfurous smell of molten lava and the scorching ground beneath their feet was overwhelming for them as children. They were drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, and their eyelids were drooping.
Rangiku's face was covered in sweat as she trudged on with Gin's help, each step a struggle to leave the burning forest.
Kensei felt a sharp crack in his neck from Mashiro's sudden twist. He roared, "Mashiro!!!"
Mashiro quickly leaped away, pouting and whistling innocently with her hands behind her head as if she had nothing to do with it.
Kensei, his face contorted with anger, cracked his neck to relieve the muscle and bone tension, glaring at Mashiro. Then, he turned his attention back to the environment, spotting Rangiku and Gin struggling ahead.
Seeing children surviving such a destructive attack that could have easily wiped out even Hollows was astonishing. How did they manage to walk out from the center of the energy blast?
Kensei and Mashiro landed before Gin and Rangiku. Considering they were children, Kensei tried to put on a kind smile, which ended up looking menacing and terrifying to them. He asked gruffly yet with a forced friendliness, "Kids, what are you doing here?"
*Clap clap clap...*
"Kensei, your smile is so ugly! It's hilarious, hahaha!"
Mashiro Kuna, standing next to Kensei, couldn't help but clutch her stomach in laughter, tears streaming from her eyes. She continuously slapped Kensei's exposed arm, making his blood pressure rise and veins pop on his forehead, causing his already menacing smile to appear even more terrifying.
Gin Ichimaru and Rangiku Matsumoto froze, their hearts filled with dread.
To them, Shinigami were no longer trustworthy figures. Unahara Ichiro, Masaki Seino, and Aizen—each one they had encountered had shown a righteous facade while committing evil deeds. Unahara Ichiro had ordered his brother to kidnap children for Hollow experiments. Masaki Seino had tried to harm Rangiku. Aizen had fought H'el for several rounds before H'el managed to drive him away.
Now, two new Shinigami appeared while H'el was exhausted and asleep. This did not bode well for them.
"You're scaring them!" Mashiro, still laughing uncontrollably, continued slapping Kensei's arm.
"Go back to sleep!" Kensei roared at Mashiro, veins bulging on his face as he breathed heavily in anger.
Turning back to the children, Kensei abandoned any pretense of friendliness. His stern, fearsome expression bore down on them. "Kids, what happened here?"
Mashiro, meanwhile, was rolling on the ground in laughter, nearly choking on her mirth, making Kensei's expression darken further.
Rangiku paused, sweat streaming down her face, and slightly bent her body to let H'el's feet touch the ground while she supported him, taking a moment to rest. H'el continued to snore softly, still asleep.
Gin, his eyes narrowed, watched the interaction between Kensei and Mashiro, feeling a slight sense of relief.
---
Kensei's relaxed demeanor and joking interactions with Mashiro, despite his irritable nature, made Gin realize something important. Though Kensei seemed hot-tempered, he hadn't actually acted out aggressively. Instead, when he descended from the sky, he had tried to give a reassuring smile to the children, despite it looking more sinister than comforting.
This interaction showed Gin that Kensei was just a naturally impatient person who struggled to express his kindness effectively. His attempt at a smile, although it looked terrifying, was his way of trying to calm and reassure the children.
Gin's observation brought him some relief. Kensei, despite his rough exterior and clumsy attempts at reassurance, had achieved his goal to an extent.
"There were people fighting in the sky, and then the forest ended up like this," Gin explained.
Kensei's face hardened. "Who was fighting?"
"I don't know."
"How many people were there?"
"I don't know."
"What were they wearing?"
"I don't know."
"Kid, why don't you know anything?"
"They were moving too fast. How could I see anything with these small eyes of mine?"
Kensei was speechless.
Your eyes are indeed small, almost squinting shut. Why don't you open them wider?
"Then how did you survive?"
"I don't know. After a flash of fire, we were still alive, and everyone else was gone. We were just trying to walk out."
Mashiro burst into uncontrollable laughter, clutching her stomach and slapping the ground. Tears of mirth streamed from her eyes as she laughed so hard she could barely breathe, practically choking on her own laughter.
Kensei's face darkened as his gaze drifted to the Zanpakutō clutched in H'el's hand, which lay across Rangiku's chest.
°°°
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บท 311: Chapter 311: Shinigami Investigation
Urahana Village Headquarters
The weather was cool and pleasant. It was neither too hot nor too cold, just right to feel a refreshing chill on the skin. A gentle breeze rustled the red maple trees in the yard, making them sound like a blaze of red flames standing tall in the garden.
Kensei Muguruma stood on the moon-viewing platform, raising his right hand to eye level. On his index finger, a black butterfly, out of place in the serene environment, slowly flapped its wings. Kensei's face was solemn as he listened intently. After a while, the black butterfly, incongruous with the beautiful surroundings, flapped its wings and flew past the vivid red maple leaves, disappearing into the sky.
Mashiro Kuna held a large white porcelain plate in her left hand, with a big yellow pudding wobbling as she walked. Her right hand held a spoon, scooping up the pudding, her cheeks bulging as she asked, "Kensei, did the Central 46 give any orders? Are we supposed to deal with those three kids?"
Mashiro's lack of tact led her to ask about things a vice-captain shouldn't know. The Central 46 wasn't a charitable organization. To maintain the stability of the three worlds, necessary measures, such as killing a few children or locking them in the Nest of Maggots for research, were ordinary actions.
The appearance of the Gates of Hell in the Soul Society had indeed shocked the Central 46, who were desperate to uncover the truth. And in that area, only three children had survived. Kensei understood the Central 46 might take drastic actions regarding the three kids, but he was a compassionate person. If the kids were innocent, he wouldn't let the Central 46 have their way.
Ignoring Mashiro's inappropriate curiosity, Kensei diverted the topic by asking, "Did you find any information there?"
Mashiro, her cheeks still puffed from the pudding, answered, "The first squad of the Second Division's Punishment Force seemed to have brought someone there for a search. Lieutenant Lisa from the Eighth Division is leading the investigation, but her captain apparently went off to drink. I heard the Third Division's captain is also coming to support. I hope their lieutenant doesn't show up..."
Mashiro's mood soured as she spoke. The Third Division's lieutenant, Chikane Iba, had the demeanor of an old-fashioned yakuza wife. She often used violence to pressure the timid new Third Division captain, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi. During vice-captain meetings, Mashiro had also been lectured by Iba, whom she found very annoying and didn't like at all.
"Is he awake?" Kensei Muguruma asked thoughtfully.
A few days ago, seeing the sword in H'el's hand had struck him as odd. It was unmistakably a Zanpakutō, a sword born from the spirit and conviction of a Shinigami. While many Asauchi, the blank slates of Zanpakutōs, scattered across the land due to the deaths of Shinigami, very few could achieve Shikai just by holding one.
After all, possessing an Asauchi didn't guarantee Shikai; otherwise, Unahara Ichirō wouldn't have been so fixated on achieving it. Shikai required proper methods taught and guided by the Shin'ō Academy, along with a deep self-understanding, to unlock it among the rare few.
Therefore, for this kid to attain Shikai after picking up an Asauchi was nothing short of extraordinary genius.
Kensei speculated that the appearance of the Gates of Hell and the ensuing battle in the area had resulted in the forest's destruction. During this time, H'el found an Asauchi and, driven by a strong will to protect his friends, somehow infused it with his spirit, achieving Shikai. Using his newfound power, he shielded his companions amidst the battle's aftermath, ultimately collapsing from the effort.
His companions didn't abandon him. After the fight, the girl carried him, attempting to leave the battlefield. Such loyalty and camaraderie were truly admirable. Kensei felt moved by his own conjecture, even though it was just a guess.
"His snoring isn't as loud, so he should be waking up soon," Mashiro Kuna said, tilting her head and taking another spoonful of pudding, lost in thought.
Kensei nodded, saying nothing more.
---
He had already reported the survival of the children with the Zanpakutō on the battlefield to the Head Captain. The order was to bring them back to the Seireitei.
If it turned out that the children were not involved, they might be enrolled in the Central Spiritual Arts Academy and later graduate as Shinigami. On one hand, they were talented individuals who could serve the Seireitei; on the other, their presence would help in uncovering the mystery behind the appearance of the Gates of Hell.
After all, the appearance of the Gates of Hell in the Soul Society was exceedingly strange. Kensei and all the investigators couldn't fathom that a child's Shikai might have caused their appearance. Thus, the reason for the Gates of Hell remained elusive.
"Report! Captain, Lieutenant!"
As Kensei rubbed his chin in thought and Mashiro was finishing her pudding, a member of the Ninth Division entered the courtyard, kneeling to report to them.
"We found the death certificate of our Thirteenth Seat, Masaki Seino, on the battlefield. The confirmation was made by the Eighth Division's lieutenant. It is certain that Masaki Seino died on the battlefield, leaving behind his death certificate and a damaged Asauchi." Kensei's subordinate quickly reported.
Kensei's hand stopped, and his gaze darkened.
Mashiro paused with her mouth full of pudding, trying to recall who Masaki Seino was. Before Kensei could ask, another subordinate arrived with a report:
"Captain, Lieutenant, the Second Division's First Squad Penal Force found a charred Shinigami corpse at the edge of the battlefield. The death certificate confirmed it to be Unahara Ichirō from the Eleventh Division."
Kensei frowned. Both his Thirteenth Seat, Masaki Seino, and a member of the Eleventh Division died on the same battlefield. Even someone as dense as Mashiro wouldn't believe it was a coincidence.
"What a bad luck for them to die here," Mashiro said, wide-eyed, scooping another spoonful of pudding.
Kensei, with a serious and somber expression, headed towards the room where H'el was resting.
°°°
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