Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Doubts and Perilous Undertakings
Chapter 36: Doubts and Perilous Undertakings
My, my? It seems the Kirio Hikifune of this era is the beautiful version...
This was Yato Uchiha’s first thought upon opening the door. He then planted the scabbard of Akame against the floor and knelt on one knee in salute:
"Captain Hikifune."
"Little Yato." Kirio Hikifune smiled broadly and waved at him.
"I’ve heard your name for quite some time now. You really are handsome. You must be very popular with the girls at the Shin’o Academy, right?"
"You joke, Captain Hikifune."
"Don’t be so stiff, little Yato."
"As a Seated Officer, this is only proper."
Seeing the boy act this way, Hiyori Sarugaki, standing beside him, secretly curled her lip and rolled her eyes inwardly.
—So in your mind, the Captain is the only one in our Division worthy of respect, huh?
But in front of Kirio Hikifune, Hiyori Sarugaki shelved her foul temper. She walked obediently to the Captain’s side, her voice carrying a natural intimacy and trust:
"Captain, what kind of work are you going to assign to him?"
"Hmm..." The purple-haired woman recalled the Captain-Commander’s instructions from yesterday and thought for a moment.
"Little Yato, what are you good at?"
"Fighting and killing." The boy pointed to his eyes.
"Furthermore, my Zanpakuto’s ability is perfectly suited for extracting information."
"Amazing!" Kirio Hikifune gave an exaggerated thumbs-up.
"Unfortunately, our Division specializes in research and leans more towards administrative work... How about this: starting today, you will be responsible for my personal security whenever I go out."
"Captain!" Hiyori pouted in dissatisfaction.
"Aren’t I usually the one in charge of that?"
"Jealous little Hiyori is so cute~" Kirio Hikifune beamed mischievously, grabbing the Lieutenant and pulling her face right into her ample, bouncy chest.
"Give little Yato a chance, won’t you?"
Hiyori Sarugaki’s face turned beet red, and she mumbled incoherently, unable to form a complete sentence.
Yato Uchiha maintained his perfect composure, keeping his eyes forward and his mouth shut, acting completely oblivious.
After having her fun teasing her Lieutenant, Kirio Hikifune returned her attention to Yato. Her gaze lingered on the blade of Akame.
"Let me touch the tsuba, little Yato."
The boy paused slightly. This wasn’t an incredibly rude request, so he held the scabbard and offered the hilt to Kirio Hikifune.
The purple-haired woman’s fingertips lightly brushed across the cold tsuba, her touch as gentle as a breeze.
"This feeling... it really is the ’Multi-Stage Release’ type." She narrowed her eyes, seemingly lost in some old memory.
"It’s been many years since I’ve encountered one."
"Oh, right, little Yato." Kirio Hikifune retracted her hand, adjusting her posture to settle more comfortably into her recliner.
"Since you excel at combat, it’s inevitable that you’ll spar with others, and injuries are unavoidable. You know where to go to get treated after you’re injured, right?"
"Understood, Captain Hikifune." Top student Yato Uchiha had the regulations memorized perfectly.
"High-ranking Seated Officers of the 7th Seat or above in the Gotei 13 are entitled to receive the best medical care at the 4th Division’s special treatment facility. In the event of life-threatening injuries, the Lieutenant or even the Captain of the 4th Division will personally..."
"Don’t go to the 4th Division."
"Huh?"
"Our 12th Division’s underground laboratory is equipped with the most scientifically advanced medical instruments in the entire Soul Society, and our medicine supply is fully stocked; we can even harvest ingredients and synthesize remedies on the spot." Kirio Hikifune subtly emphasized her words.
"So, try your best not to go to the 4th Division."
"As you command, Captain Hikifune."
Yato Uchiha naturally complied. As he lowered his eyes, a doubt formed in his mind:
Is there a rift between the 12th Division and the 4th Division?
Or... does Kirio Hikifune have a personal conflict with Retsu Unohana?
...
And so, Yato Uchiha’s life as a Soul Reaper officially began.
The duties of a 3rd Seat were busier than he had imagined.
Given Hiyori’s personality, she was an excellent brawler but could hardly be called an outstanding Lieutenant. She might be able to mingle and joke around with her subordinates, but that didn’t help her manage the Division.
Therefore, during his first month, when Yato Uchiha flawlessly executed his escort missions and firmly brought the lower Seated Officers into line, Kirio Hikifune’s eyes practically lit up.
She transferred some of the authority that originally belonged to Hiyori Sarugaki over to Yato. This included managing the internal shift schedules, compiling the reports required for the Captains’ meetings, and coordinating the capture of biological test subjects for the underground laboratory...
After the initial overwhelming rush, by his third month, Yato Uchiha was able to handle all his duties with ease and efficiency.
Hiyori had no objections to this whatsoever. She wasn’t enthusiastic about authority to begin with. On the contrary, because of Yato’s arrival, she had more free time to do her own things, like going to the 5th Division to chat and goof off with Shinji Hirako.
Of course, Yato didn’t neglect his training either. He didn’t miss a single day of his mandatory practice in Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido.
During this period, he would also find people to spar with. This was quite simple; the 11th Division was entirely composed of battle-crazed maniacs who never refused a challenge.
Even if Yato hacked an 11th Division member until they were covered in blood, they would still give him a thumbs-up and shout, "What a fast blade, 3rd Seat Uchiha! I’m gonna pass out for a bit, but let’s fight again when I wake up!"
They would then spew a mouthful of blood and be carted off to the 4th Division.
In his spare time, Yato would also invite Byakuya Kuchiki out for meals. Occasionally, Yoruichi Shihoin would tag along, bringing Kisuke Urahara. She would dramatically lament how Kirio Hikifune had stolen the genius 4th Seat from her 2nd Division, using it as an excuse to mooch drinks, which always made the veins on Byakuya’s forehead throb.
Furthermore, characters who had appeared in the original story—such as Kensei Muguruma, Mashiro Kuna, and Rojuro Otoribashi—Yato had met at least once or twice.
Time slowly passed by in these daily routines. In the blink of an eye, over half a year had passed since Yato became the 3rd Seat.
Late one night.
Yato opened his eyes, snapping out of his Jinzen meditative state.
He checked the pendulum clock on the wall, put on his clothes, and walked out of his quarters.
A thick fog blanketed the night, so dense he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face. The only things vaguely visible were the blurry lights of signal flares fired by the 10th Division patrols, who were responsible for the Seireitei’s security.
Yato headed north with the ease of familiar routine. In less than ten minutes, he arrived at the northern gate of the Seireitei—the "Hakudomon."
Even in the dead of night, a towering giant stood guard here.
He was roughly ten meters tall, his muscles knotted, and his lips incredibly thick. He was unbelievably strong.
This was a hero meticulously selected from the Rukongai, the guardian of the Hakudomon: Danzomaru!
In the dense fog, Danzomaru’s ears twitched for a split second, picking up a sound.
"Who’s there?"
His eyes widened as he searched carefully, but he only saw a tumbleweed being blown away by the night wind.
"Honestly... those guys in the 4th Division haven’t been doing a very good job cleaning up lately." Danzomaru tugged at the thick coat draped over his shoulders and paid it no more mind.
Right beside him, Yato Uchiha passed straight through the gate, the crimson glow in his eyes remaining unextinguished for a long time.
He quietly moved away from Danzomaru and slipped right past a patrol squad. The hem of his Shihakusho fluttered in the wind, but in the eyes of everyone present, they only saw a blade of grass dancing in the breeze.
Yato’s speed increased. Once he cleared the 1st District of the North Rukongai, he moved like lightning, soon arriving in a forest.
Beside a sapling roughly the thickness of a bowl, a dark-skinned, blind Seated Officer from the 9th Division was already waiting.
"Tosen," Yato chuckled lightly.
"Shall we begin?"
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