Kūkaku suddenly grabbed him by the collar. "Listen, Arata, that was just an accident. You're still Rangiku's boyfriend, and I'm still the eldest daughter of the Shiba family."
She spoke slowly: "When dawn breaks, we'll be nothing more than mission partners."
Arata looked at her pretending to be calm, then suddenly reached out and wiped the blood from the corner of her lips.
"Alright."
That simple reply made Kūkaku release his shirt with relief.
After cleaning up the traces, the two of them, understanding each other without words, went their separate ways. Kūkaku exited through the front window and leapt over the wall, while Arata left through the main entrance.
[Shiba Kūkaku's fate has been significantly altered by your actions, gained 985 destiny points.]
[Obtained key evidence: Bakkōtō "Demon Flower" *1]
[Task progress: 100%]
[Fate Mission: Secret Investigator (Completed)]
[Type: Side]
[Mission Target: Nobles of the Soul Society]
[Mission Requirements: Infiltrate the Noble Street, investigate the nobles who have recently behaved abnormally, and find evidence related to the Bakkōtō incident]
[Time limit for completion: two months]
[Mission reward: 600 destiny points (complete chain of evidence)]
[Current destiny value of bearer: 10572/16520]
As he walked down the road, Arata's thoughts kept pulling him in different directions until the system notification jolted him out of his daze.
He smacked himself hard on the head with his left hand, took several deep breaths, and his emotions gradually settled.
However, what had happened had already happened, fate had changed, so there was no point in dwelling on whether what he did was right or wrong.
To worry about it now would only mean tormenting himself with useless self-pity, and what he needed now was to calm down and sort the evidence in his hands.
The Kasumiōji family already knew there had been a thief in their home, and from the pursuers' conversation, it was clear they were looking for a "female thief" who stole the Bakkōtō.
That was Shiba Kūkaku.
Moreover, whether from the system's perspective or the real one, the infiltration mission was essentially complete, and there was no need to sneak in again.
That would only bring unnecessary risk.
The best option now was to return home, organize the evidence, and report everything to old man Yamamoto in the morning.
Of course, there was no need for anyone to know about the secret between him and Kūkaku. Until the right moment came, such things could remain buried deep in his mind.
Arata looked down at the black cloth in his arms. The dagger named "Demon Flower" lay inside it quietly, no longer releasing any strange scent.
He used spiritual pressure to scan the surroundings, and once he confirmed no one was following him, he disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye and rushed toward Seireitei.
The night wind howled past him, sweeping away his scattered thoughts.
This wasn't the first time he had faced such complex emotions. As a time traveler who had awakened the fate system, he had long been used to creating butterfly effects in the original story through his actions.
But the person involved this time was Shiba Kūkaku, a woman from one of the five great noble houses, so he had to handle the relationship between them carefully.
He didn't measure others by himself—he simply wanted every woman who had a relationship with him to have a bright future.
When he got home, the lights in the courtyard flickered softly; obviously, Rangiku was still awake.
After Arata once again confirmed that there was no lingering scent or trace on him, he slowly opened the door and saw Rangiku sitting in the living room, going through documents.
Rangiku looked up when she heard the door open, a flicker of surprise flashing in her gray eyes. "Arata, you're back? How did it go? Did the mission succeed?"
Arata smiled, concealing the turmoil inside. "Yeah, it's mostly done."
He didn't talk much about what he experienced tonight, just took off his haori and headed toward the bathroom.
Rangiku nodded and tacitly stopped asking questions. She simply turned on the hot water for him carefully and then went to the kitchen to make some bedtime tea.
In the bathroom, Arata let the hot water fall down his body. The scene in the lounge relentlessly replayed in his mind.
Compared to "ordinary" Bakkōtō used in battle, the hallucinogenic effect of the "Demon Flower" was truly terrifying.
Not only did it amplify desire, but it also devoured the vitality of surrounding Shinigami.
If Arata hadn't raised the barrier in time, he and Kūkaku might have been drained of every drop of spiritual pressure after giving in to their instincts.
He shook his head, and droplets of water scattered from his hair.
He mustn't think about it anymore.
After a quick shower, Arata dried off, put on a clean yukata, and stepped out.
When he returned to the bedroom, Rangiku had already prepared hot tea and placed it beside the bed. "Drink a little, you don't look too well. Did the mission wear you out too much?"
Arata sat on the bed, lifted the cup, and blew on it. The hot tea slid down his throat, spreading warmth throughout his body.
"It's nothing serious, just a few minor problems along the way. Just sleep peacefully." He lifted the blanket, and Rangiku, smiling, snuggled in and rested her head on his chest.
Her golden hair spread across the bed like strands of cold moonlight.
Arata turned off the light, and the two of them cuddled in the darkness, listening to the sound of her breathing gradually steadying.
——
A dreamless night.
The next morning, when Arata woke up, dawn was just beginning.
Noticing that Rangiku was still sleeping like a log, he quietly slipped out of bed, did his morning wash, and left a note on the dining room table.
[I went to the First Division to see the captain. I'll be back by noon to have lunch with you.]
Then he took all the evidence he had collected the night before—the scanned ledgers of the Kurokawa family, the video device from the workshop, and the Bakkōtō "Demon Flower"—and in the blink of an eye, headed toward the First Division barracks.
In the captain's room of the First Division, Yamamoto Genryūsai sat in the main seat, leaning on his cane, eyes slightly shut as if dozing.
Soi Fong stood to the side, her expression as serious as always.
But today, aside from the two of them, there were several rare guests—Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Shiba Isshin, and his niece, Shiba Kūkaku.
When Arata opened the door, the old man's eyes opened and gleamed like torches.
"Arata, how did the mission go?"
"Captain, these are the pieces of evidence I found in the Kurokawa family workshop." Arata placed the scanned ledger and video device on the table.
"They're mass-producing Bakkōtō, using the life force of Rukongai residents as fuel."
Soi Fong immediately stepped up to examine the evidence, and when she saw people pierced and nailed to the wall in the footage, her brows furrowed deeply.
"This is sheer madness!" her tone was harsh, and anyone could hear how much anger was in it.
"And this." Arata carefully took out the short sword "Demon Flower," wrapped in black cloth. "This is a special model of Bakkōtō that Kūkaku brought back from the Kasumiōji household, code-named 'Demon Flower.'"
"Tests have shown that this dagger has a strong hallucinogenic effect."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri's eyes lit up, and he greedily stepped forward to snatch the dagger. "Oho? Really? Let me see this interesting little toy…"
He was already reaching to remove the black cloth when Yamamoto suddenly struck the floor with his cane, stopping him with force. "Captain Kurotsuchi, don't be so hasty with the research…"
"Arata, continue."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri retreated with disappointment, but the look he gave the "Demon Flower" grew increasingly fiery, as if he couldn't wait to take it apart piece by piece.
Arata nodded and continued seriously: "According to the records in the books, the research, development, and production of the Bakkōtō were led by the Tsunayashiro family, the Kasumiōji family was responsible for execution, and the Kurokawa family along with other small and medium nobles were the actual contractors."
"Also, the real purpose of holding the Kendo tournament is to test the combat effectiveness of these weapons."
"Just as I expected." Shiba Isshin suspiciously stroked his chin. "I had a feeling something was off with this tournament from the beginning."
Kūkaku stood to the side, arms crossed over her chest, and not once did she look toward Arata. "When I infiltrated the Kasumiōji household, I found at least thirty different models of Bakkōtō in their underground armory."
Her voice was calm, as if nothing had happened the night before.
Yamamoto was silent for a moment, then glanced at everyone present. "What do you think should be done?"
"Destroy them immediately!" Soi Fong said without hesitation. "This inhumane weapon must be completely destroyed!"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri, however, smiled with that twisted grin of his. "Captain, I believe you should allow me to first study the structure of this weapon."
"After all, it's a weapon that absorbs life force. It might one day be quite useful against another enemy…"
"Captain Kurotsuchi!" Soi Fong shot him a piercing look, cutting him off. "Do you intend to one day test such filth on your own comrades?"
Just when it seemed the two were about to start fighting again, Yamamoto struck his staff once more. "Silence!"
He turned to Arata and slowly asked, "Arata, what do you think?"
Arata was prepared. "I think we should wait until the final of the Kendo tournament."
"According to the original schedule, Kasumiōji Kumoi will personally attend the award ceremony for the official division finals. We can publicly expose their crimes in front of all Seireitei."
"Oh? Why make such a roundabout fuss?" Yamamoto looked at him with a trace of approval in his eyes.
"Because of the Tsunayashiro family!" Arata deepened his voice.
"Although their involvement is recorded in the books, that evidence is still not enough."
"We must make Kasumiōji Kumoi publicly name the mastermind behind it all. Only then will there be no room for one of the Five Great Noble Families to escape responsibility."
Then, the until-then silent Kūkaku suddenly spoke: "I can take on the task of placing the spiritual bomb on the stage, to make sure everything goes flawlessly."
As she said that, her eyes finally met Arata's for a brief moment, then quickly turned away.
"Good plan." Yamamoto nodded slightly. "But I have one question—how can you guarantee that Kasumiōji Kumoi will publicly confess, and even more…"
"And that he'll have the audacity to point his finger at the Tsunayashiro family, the leader of the Five Great Noble Houses?"
Arata raised the corner of his lips into a confident smile. "That's where we'll need a little acting. I'll disguise myself as an envoy of the Tsunayashiro family and intimidate him privately before the award ceremony."
"Knowing the character of that old fox, there's a high chance he'll bite back when cornered, just to save his own skin."
"Even if Kasumiōji Kumoi doesn't have the courage to directly point fingers, we can still wipe out the Kasumiōji family and send a clear message to everyone else."
"Interesting." Kurotsuchi Mayuri sneered. "I'm liking Arata-kun more and more~"
After a lengthy discussion, Yamamoto finally decided that Arata's plan would be put into action.
After the meeting, Arata was about to leave when Kūkaku suddenly stopped him. "Wait, I have something to tell you."
She pulled him into a hallway corner, and only after making sure no one was nearby, she lowered her voice: "About what happened last night…"
"Kūkaku, I told you I would take responsibility." Arata looked her straight in the eyes, his tone firm.
"Who's asking you to take responsibility?" Kūkaku shot him a furious glare. "I came to tell you that the effects of that knife might not have completely disappeared."
She pulled up her sleeve, revealing a red bracelet on her wrist—"Sky Crane," the birthday gift Arata had given her long ago.
At that moment, the gem at the center of the bracelet emitted a faint red glow.
"I noticed this morning that it got terribly hot, and…" Kūkaku lowered her voice, "I can feel your reiatsu in it."
Arata's pupils narrowed, and he immediately checked the flow of spiritual pressure within his own body.
When he carefully and thoroughly pushed it through all his meridians, he did indeed sense an unusual spiritual pressure in one corner of his body that didn't belong to him, and that resonated with Kūkaku's bracelet.
What was this now? Was it a hidden function of the "Sky Crane" bracelet?
But when the system gave it to him, there was no special notification…
"Maybe it's a residual effect of the 'Demon Flower'?"
"I don't know." Kūkaku lowered her sleeve. "In any case, it's best that the two of us keep our distance until this is resolved."
She turned to leave, but Arata grabbed her wrist. "Sister Kūkaku, whether it's because of the 'Demon Flower' or not, my promise will not change."
Kūkaku shook off his hand and left without looking back. "Don't be so dramatic!"
Watching her back disappear at the end of the hallway, Arata just smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Did he not understand Kūkaku's concerns?
Too much stood between the two of them—Rangiku, the reputation of the Shiba family, even the rules of Seireitei.
Compared to that, his relationship with Unohana Retsu was a much simpler matter.
Because that woman was a pure, undiluted devil who didn't care the slightest about the rules of the Soul Society.
The reason he had been able to live peacefully until now was simple—Yamamoto was still alive.
After leaving the First Division, Arata didn't go home right away. Instead, he headed to the Department of Research and Development.
He needed to confirm the exact effects of the Bakkōtō "Demon Flower" and how to remove the remaining spiritual interference within his body.
Although he had learned a lot from Unohana Retsu about Kaidō and spiritual pressure control techniques, he knew almost nothing about things like this.
Since Urahara Kisuke had long defected from the Soul Society, the only one Arata could turn to for help now was, of course, Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
In the underground lab of the Department of Research and Development, Kurotsuchi Mayuri was conducting various tests on the "Demon Flower" dagger.
When he saw Arata, he waved cheerfully. "Oho… Arata-kun, you came at the perfect time! This knife is even more fascinating than you described."
"Captain Kurotsuchi, have you discovered something?" Arata quickly approached, his voice carrying genuine respect toward this mad scientist.
In the Soul Society, you could challenge old man Yamamoto, even Zaraki Kenpachi, or even Sōsuke Aizen—but by all means, never cross Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
Because you'd never know when or how you'd meet your end in the most twisted way.
Kurotsuchi pointed to the Bakkōtō sample under the microscope and sighed with admiration: "These cell structures show that it not only absorbs spiritual pressure but can also establish special spiritual particle links with nearby individuals."
He looked meaningfully at Arata. "Is it possible that you and that little girl from the Shiba house have already experienced such a type of 'connection'?"
Arata's heart skipped a beat, but outwardly he remained calm. "What is Captain Kurotsuchi trying to imply?"
"Oh, don't be nervous…" Kurotsuchi laughed with his creepy laugh. "I have no interest in your private lives."
He changed the subject: "However, if this spiritual particle link isn't severed in time, it could cause some… well, rather interesting side effects."
"Like what?"
"For example, sharing spiritual pressure, emotional resonance, and even…" Kurotsuchi leaned to Arata's ear and lowered his voice.
"In certain circumstances, if one party is injured, the other will feel it in the same way."
Arata's expression shifted slightly. "Captain Kurotsuchi, is there a way to remove that side effect?"
"Of course, don't underestimate the genius mind of a scientist. Such things are trivial." Kurotsuchi turned and pulled a syringe from the cabinet.
"This is a spiritual particle blocker I just developed. Once injected, it can temporarily suppress the link effect. However, to remove it completely, we'll need to thoroughly analyze the origin of the link itself."
He pointed to the "Demon Flower" dagger. "That is the core of this blade. Unfortunately, it appears to be damaged at the moment, so it will take a bit more time."
As Kurotsuchi Mayuri spoke, Arata's gaze darkened briefly. It was precisely the cracking of the "Demon Flower" core that caused everything between him and Kūkaku last night…
"Then I'll have to trouble Captain Kurotsuchi to complete the research as soon as possible." Arata took the syringe and, without a moment's hesitation, injected it into the vein in his forearm.
"I have to be in top shape before the finals."
"Don't worry, Arata-kun, the Department of Research and Development won't let you down. I hope you'll visit us more often. Ohohohoho…"
——
When he left the Department of Research and Development, Arata felt a bit drained.
He looked up at the sky—it was almost noon.
Remembering the note he left for Rangiku, he quickened his pace and hurried home.
However, just about halfway there, an unexpected figure blocked his path—it was Hinamori Momo.
"Senior Arata!" the girl ran up, panting. "Great! I finally found you!"
"Hinamori? What happened?"
Hinamori Momo's face was completely pale. "I-it's about Rangiku-sensei! She suddenly collapsed and is now in the Fourth Division!"
Arata felt as if he had been struck by lightning—countless possibilities flashed through his mind like a storm.
Was it the lingering hallucinogenic gas from last night? Or had the spiritual link of the "Demon Flower" somehow affected Rangiku?
"Let's go!" He grabbed Hinamori Momo and rushed full speed toward the Fourth Division barracks.
In the Fourth Division barracks, Rangiku lay on a hospital bed. Her face, which had been flushed the night before, was now eerily pale. Unohana Retsu stood by the bed, performing an examination.
At that moment, Arata suddenly burst into the room, his voice hoarse from tension.
"Sensei! How is Rangiku?!"