Chapter 154: [Great Weaver] and [War God]
Shimiya Takeru and Ichigo, who could not hear those cries for help at all, soaked in the bath for more than an hour and only came out reluctantly after night had fallen.
After bathing, Shimiya did not leave immediately. Instead, he went with Aizen to the Grand Bathhouse Inn for dinner.
"This is... sukiyaki?"
Wearing a haori-style yukata, Ichigo noticed a strangely shaped bronze pot set on a low table the moment he stepped into the Japanese-style room.
The clear broth inside was boiling, giving off white steam. Jujubes and scallions floated on the surface, creating a scene that was unexpectedly poetic.
Around the pot were neatly arranged plates of thinly sliced meat, vegetables, and other fresh ingredients. Just looking at them was enough to stir the appetite. Beside the table stood a half-man-tall bottle of sake, perfectly completing the spread.
"Sukiyaki does not look like this. This is another kind of hot pot originating from a foreign country."
Aizen stepped in after them, pushed up his glasses, and answered with complete confidence.
"As expected of Teacher, truly knowledgeable."
Shimiya sat down cross-legged and poured three cups of sake.
"When I invited you over, I suddenly had the idea and tried making a pot myself first. After that, I had the ingredients prepared and sent here. I do not know whether it suits your tastes, but it should not be too bad."
"What are you talking about? Having something like this in the dead of winter is already great, and it is even a type I have never tried before. Even if the flavor were average, there would still be nothing to complain about."
Ichigo sat down carelessly, his eyes shining with anticipation as he stared at the full table.
"Indeed, eating something stewed in a hot pot after a bath is absolutely wonderful. People like Ichimaru and the others could never enjoy something so nice."
Aizen also sat down, lifted the wine cup in his hand, and voiced his agreement.
"To be honest, I have always wondered what those people ate in Hueco Mundo. Although the reishi concentration there is higher than in Soul Society, it is nowhere near the point where one can survive simply by absorbing reishi like in your [hyperbolic time chamber]. They could not have actually lived on sand, could they?"
Shimiya adjusted his dipping sauce and casually said, "When you were swept into that unknown space-time, I led people into Las Noches and found a warehouse stocked with food. They even had high-grade black tea imported from Europe."
"Damn it, those guys were living that well?"
Ichigo immediately looked depressed.
Then he converted all the resentment in his heart into appetite and began eating with full force.
"Hiss... Shimiya, even though the pot looks strange and the broth is light, the taste is incredible once it is paired with this special dipping sauce. It feels even better than sukiyaki!"
Aizen also gave it a high evaluation.
"This style of food has never appeared in Soul Society before. Though it is foreign cuisine, the rich seasoning should make many people's eyes light up. It would likely become very popular."
"Speaking of which, when I first arrived in Soul Society, I once considered making money by taking advantage of the cultural and time difference. In the end, after doing it a few times, I lost interest in money."
Shimiya's feelings were somewhat complicated.
Now that he was the Captain Commander and held the supreme authority of Soul Society, forget making money, he could practically print it himself.
If he wanted to build a modern luxury mansion inside the First Division barracks, it would only take a single sentence. After all, even the Technical Development Bureau's funding needed his approval.
If he did not want to trouble others and also did not want to spend money, then relying on [Word Spirit: Heaven and Earth as a Furnace] to forge himself a luxury residence was also possible, as long as he had the blueprints.
He could even build a golden palace if he wished.
In any case, for him now, no matter whether it was gold, silver, copper coins, or products made from precious metals, he could manufacture massive quantities of them at will.
The current him truly did have the right to say, "I am not interested in money."
Compared to making money, he was more worried about accidentally collapsing the entire economic system.
"..."
"..."
For a moment, Ichigo and Aizen did not know what to say about Shimiya's troubles.
They ate for another half hour.
Ichigo finally set down his chopsticks in satisfaction, picked up his wine cup, clinked it lightly against Shimiya's and Aizen's, and then drained it in one gulp.
The alcohol itself was not especially strong, but this peaceful atmosphere was intoxicating in a different way.
"Phew... one year ago today, I was still preparing for my middle school graduation exams. I never thought that now I would already be entering the workforce like some middle-aged guy, and in the middle of all this chaos, even finding time to sit here and drink with others."
"Is it not a little late to be feeling sentimental now?"
Shimiya curled his lip.
"Not long ago, you were marching through the deserts of Hueco Mundo participating in a war. That is not the kind of life a normal high schooler should be living either, though chuunibyou types might genuinely dream of it."
"I am not a chuunibyou anyway. By the way, was this expedition considered a success or a failure?"
Shimiya tossed the question to Aizen.
"What do you think, Teacher?"
Aizen pondered for a moment before answering, "From a strategic perspective, it was a success. After all, the expedition's purpose was based on defeating the opponent."
"Their stronghold was occupied, and Las Noches remains under the control of the Gotei 13. In the long run, even Hueco Mundo can be gradually infiltrated. That is of enormous benefit to Soul Society's ability to oversee the global situation and maintain stability."
"So no matter how one looks at it, it cannot be considered a failure."
"But Urahara and the others escaped."
Shimiya played with his wine cup, his gaze deep and unreadable.
Ichigo's expression also darkened.
"Even though we were on guard the entire time and your strategy worked smoothly, those guys still prepared too thoroughly. I never expected the Blazing Water Mirror to have that kind of ability."
"I suspect now that they had known about Yhwach's existence for a long time. They wanted to use that place to move us aside and escape, and at the same time deliberately create an opportunity for Yhwach."
"Once Yhwach seized Soul Society and the two sides were locked in a brutal battle, we would no longer have the spare energy to deal with them, and they could use the chaos to do whatever they wanted."
"That does not sound very much like your usual style, Brother Kurosaki."
Shimiya looked at him with mild surprise.
"..."
Ichigo nearly choked on the sake in his mouth. He hurriedly took another sip and retorted irritably, "I say, are you looking down on me too much? Just because I am not interested in some things does not mean I do not have a brain!"
"In fact, your way of thinking changed because you encountered something special, did it not?"
Shimiya hit the mark in a single sentence.
Ichigo could only admit it with a helpless expression.
"I guess so. In that world created by the Blazing Water Mirror, I saw my parents and learned some things about the past. That was when I realized that a lot of things are not as simple as they look on the surface."
"And with guys like Yhwach hiding in the shadows and stirring up trouble, I suddenly feel like the whole world reeks of conspiracies and schemes."
"Fortunately, there is you, Shimiya, and Teacher, and everyone else. Just knowing you are around makes me feel at ease. Even if there are things I do not understand, I do not have to worry about being fooled."
"That is growth."
Aizen looked gratified.
"People always live beneath rules established by others. They rely on those rules to survive, yet are also constrained by them, unable to see beyond them. They are no different from lambs penned up in a cage, unable even to decide the course of their own lives. Their life and death are left to the whim of those who created and stand above those rules."
"I do not intend to criticize or despise such people, because the weak never had the right to choose in the first place. But for the strong to remain like that is another matter entirely. Compared to the weak, those who remain ignorant despite having strength are far more worthy of condemnation."
"No... I am really not that great. Besides, the little growth I have had is nothing. Teacher, your Spiritual Pressure suddenly became so much stronger. It feels like you have already surpassed both me and the old man."
Faced with his disciple's honest praise, Aizen remained as modest as ever.
"I was merely fortunate enough to receive guidance from a kind person. Among the three of us, in terms of growth speed, it is actually Takeru, the only one not affected by the Blazing Water Mirror, who stands a full level above the rest."
"That is true. You fought for seven days and seven nights against a full-strength Yhwach and several other Quincy. Back in the Spirit Arts Academy days, I already knew your stamina was absurd, but I did not expect it to be absurd to this degree."
"That was the effect of Bankai."
Shimiya shook his head, not showing any pride at all.
"In fact, if I had not prepared the holy silver in advance and if Teacher had not cooperated at the crucial moment, then even the four of us together would not have been enough to defeat Yhwach's [The Almighty]. That was a power from another level entirely. It was not something that could be overcome through numbers alone."
"...Another level, huh. It really was."
Ichigo sighed.
"Now I am a little worried about what will happen to Soul Society in that other space-time after I leave. Will they really be able to defeat Yhwach?"
"That place is just the product of a large-scale calculation device and a packaged dataset. There is no need to dwell on it too much. You should focus your eyes on reality."
Through the investigations conducted over the past few days, Shimiya already understood the truth behind the world connected to the Blazing Water Mirror.
"If you take a step back, you also exist in that world. You should have at least some confidence in yourself. There is no reason the other you cannot do what the you here can."
"...Mm!"
Ichigo was silent for a while, then finally pulled himself together.
"You are right. With everyone there, no matter what kind of difficulty they run into, there should be a way to overcome it. What I need to do is keep getting stronger."
"Ichimaru and Tōsen were also dragged into it this time. I still do not know what they gained from it. Because we had to rush back to provide support, we could only let them get away."
"With Urahara and the Hōgyoku, they might create some future enemy as terrifying as Yhwach."
"So we have to grow stronger as soon as possible and reach Yhwach's level. That way, even if there really is one final decisive battle waiting in the future, we will not lose!"
"Teacher, Shimiya, let us keep working hard together!"
"..."
Shimiya and Aizen exchanged a glance, and both wore rather subtle expressions.
"What is with that reaction? Did I say something strange?"
Ichigo frowned in confusion.
"Actually... regarding that, I already have a rough plan. Teacher should as well, right?"
Shimiya coughed lightly.
Aizen nodded.
"Yes. The plan to break through the current limits of the soul already exists."
"What did you just say?!"
Ichigo stared blankly.
"Do not blame me for taking the lead. To reach Yhwach's level, one must transcend the limits of a Shinigami. This is not something ordinary training can accomplish, and the method differs from person to person, so I did not notify you in advance..."
"Sorry, Ichigo. Although I would like to continue doing my duty as a teacher and guide you properly, my method is not suitable for you either."
"..."
He had just taken a bath and eaten hot pot.
And yet, at that moment, Ichigo felt as if his heart had been plunged into an icy pit.
That indescribable feeling lasted until after dinner, and only changed when the three of them had changed their clothes and were about to part ways outside the bathhouse.
"It is getting cold. Is it going to snow?"
"Probably. So tomorrow, when you are working, remember to have a heater brought into the office."
"Can you not just equip us with heating directly, Lord Captain Commander?"
"There will be one eventually."
"Then I will look forward to that for now."
Seeing that the conversation between Shimiya and Ichigo was about to end, Aizen also said leisurely, "It is getting late. Go back and get some rest."
"Yeah, let us come back for another bath in a couple of days. I will arrange it then. Teacher, Shimiya, any objections?"
"None."
"I have no objections either... but do you even have the time?"
Unlike Aizen, who agreed readily, Shimiya expressed doubt.
Ichigo smiled smugly.
"Even though my ability to handle division affairs is nowhere near yours, thanks to your reminder, I finally learned one thing. As a superior, you have to know how to let your subordinates share the burden. So I am going to let Rukia help me properly."
"...I feel like she is going to drag you out of the bathhouse and freeze you into an ice sculpture."
Shimiya's expression turned odd.
"Shut up. In any case, I can make time. If Teacher and you cannot, then do not blame me for enjoying it by myself."
"That is impossible, because my Lieutenant is extremely capable and is also very willing to help me with more work."
"Hinamori is also very gentle and easy to talk to."
Faced with Ichigo's deliberate provocation, Shimiya and Aizen answered calmly.
"..."
Ichigo's expression immediately froze.
On the next day, at the First Division barracks, it was quite clear the day before, but today, goose-feather snow had begun to drift from the sky, and the temperature had dropped sharply.
Even so, inside the training hall, Shimiya Takeru was bare chested and drenched in sweat.
His already powerful muscles had become even more refined.
This was the excellent effect of the tenfold physical training bonus granted by the Fairy Tale Dragon's Blood.
Although his progress was no longer as obvious to the naked eye as before, as long as he was willing to train, there would definitely be results. That fact alone was enough to give him endless motivation.
Because if he continued down this path, there would eventually come a day when he could shatter his own limits through physical ability alone, or rather through the density of his soul.
That was why Shimiya did not feel anxious in the slightest.
His current path toward transcendence had two distinct and viable plans.
One of them could even be treated as a guaranteed backup.
If word of that ever spread, even a Child of Destiny like Ichigo would probably turn green with envy.
Just as Shimiya finished his morning training and began preparing to start on official work, a Hell Butterfly brought a special message that instantly overturned his entire schedule for the day.
Outside the walls that enclosed the Seireitei, accompanied by falling snow, a huge cylinder descended from the sky and crashed heavily into the snow-covered wasteland, kicking up a large cloud of dust.
It was like a prop lowered onto a stage, waiting only for some important figure to make a dramatic entrance.
Not far away, Shimiya Takeru stood calmly with both hands in his haori pockets.
Though he had not said a single word, his presence completely overshadowed that descending cylinder and became the most striking splash of color between heaven and earth.
With sharp eyes, he watched as the entrance to the [tenchūren], marked with a blank crest, slowly opened.
A graceful woman stepped out of the shadows.
She had medium-length black hair with side-swept bangs, intricate golden hair ornaments, a white cloak fastened with buckles, a beautiful face, pale skin, and six skeletal arms.
She drifted out of the shadows like a ghost.
The raised geta-like sandals on her feet touched the ground so lightly that they did not make the slightest sound, almost as if they had never truly touched the earth at all.
She gave off a mysterious air of supremacy, far nobler than even the great noble houses of the Seireitei.
If one had to describe it, she resembled a shrine maiden who served a god.
"Oh? You are alone?"
There was not the slightest surprise on Senjumaru Shutara's face when she saw Shimiya waiting. Her eyes swept across the surroundings, and the vermilion corner of her lips lifted faintly.
"Whether as a reception party or as a grand showing worthy of the Captain Commander, this feels rather lonely."
"Are you not here by yourself as well?"
Shimiya's gaze slid casually past her side toward the entrance of the gate where no one else was stepping out.
"That said... no matter how many of you came, I alone would have been enough. Nowhere in the entire Seireitei could anyone offer a higher standard of welcome than this."
"It cannot be denied. Having almost single-handedly crushed Yhwach's ambitions and taken full control of the Seireitei, you are indeed qualified to say that."
Senjumaru unexpectedly voiced her agreement.
However, Shimiya's expression did not soften in the slightest. If anything, he became even more direct.
"I have many things to do and no time to listen to information that is already common knowledge. What exactly brings the Fourth Officer of Squad Zero, the Northern Divine General, the [Great Weaver] Senjumaru Shutara, to the Seireitei? Surely it is not merely to congratulate the new Captain Commander on taking office? If you came alone for that, then you would be looking down on me too much."
"I would not mind offering a few congratulatory words, but unfortunately, that is not why I am here."
Senjumaru seemed to enjoy this direct style of communication and made no attempt to hide her purpose.
"However... for you, this can still be considered a kind of congratulatory gift. Once you hear it, you will surely be pleased."
"The Soul King has sent me to convey an edict to you, the new Captain Commander."
"[Abolish Central 46.]"
"That is all."
"..."
Shimiya's pupils contracted slightly, and his expression shifted.
The curve of Senjumaru's lips deepened a little more.
"In truth, there were a few more words before that, but I believe you should already be able to guess them without my saying them aloud."
"Is this because of the Tsunayashiro Clan?"
Shimiya answered thoughtfully.
"..."
Senjumaru froze for a brief moment, clearly not expecting him to guess the reason so quickly.
"As expected of a genius praised even by the Monk. No wonder the Soul King made such a decision."
"That is correct. The Tsunayashiro Clan of the Five Great Noble Houses committed an unforgivable crime, one that could be called both rebellion against the Soul King and an open provocation against the very reason Squad Zero exists."
"Central 46 has always been passed down through forty-six families generation after generation. Without the Tsunayashiro Clan, other families would naturally take their place. But then who would inherit the evidence of those crimes and the records of those sins left behind by the Tsunayashiro Clan?"
"Perhaps the Soul King did not view it this way, but I personally find it rather fitting. If one wishes to prevent the replacement families and the new Central 46 from developing improper ambitions after taking over the Tsunayashiro Clan's legacy and learning truths they should never know, then the simplest solution is to discard Central 46 entirely and allow the new Captain Commander to become the gatekeeper of the Seireitei and its history."
"...I understand."
Shimiya nodded as if he grasped her meaning completely.
"The edict has been received. Starting today, it shall be enforced."
"Very well. In that case, I should be heading back..."
"Wait."
"...Is there something else? Do you wish to accompany me to the Soul King Palace as a guest?"
"Ordinary Shinigami are not qualified to set foot in that world, are they?"
"You are no ordinary Shinigami. We hold you in very high regard. Should one of us ever be absent, you would undoubtedly be the first candidate to replace them."
"Is that so? Then allow me to apologize in advance. I am not Brother Kurosaki. Compared to protecting, which is a rather passive stance, I prefer to take the initiative. So it would be impossible for me to remain in one place forever, waiting for trouble to come to me. Yhwach can testify to that on my behalf."
Hearing that, Senjumaru actually laughed softly.
"What an interesting man. Such a direct refusal should have been offensive, and yet it stirs not even a trace of annoyance... Then, what is it you wanted by stopping me?"
It was hard to tell whether that phrasing was deliberate teasing.
Shimiya had no interest in investigating the matter.
"Miss Senjumaru, as the creator of the shinigami uniform... would you be interested in remaining in Soul Society for a few more days and exchanging some insights on garment making?"
"..."
Senjumaru narrowed her eyes, and the pressure in her expression shifted instantly, as if one should prostrate themselves before her.
"Are you certain you mean an exchange, and not a request for instruction?"
"Of course."
"Then I suppose I must remain and see for myself... the craftsmanship of the [war god] who is said to be proficient in everything."
.....
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