Chapter 164: Shimiya Takeru's Hot Spring Herb Garden
Soul Society, First Division Barracks
Despite it being a rare sunny day, the atmosphere inside the office was not very good.
Takeru stood quietly beneath the porch, looking out at the seemingly eternal cityscape. He did not speak until the people from the Onmitsukidō, the Technical Development Bureau, and the First Division behind him had finished reporting everything in detail.
That silent attitude placed enormous pressure on everyone present. Fine beads of sweat broke out on their foreheads, and they lowered their heads deeply, standing there like stones.
Not only did Soi Fon make no move to speak up for them, she even glared at several Onmitsukidō members with open killing intent.
What a disgrace.
They could not even keep watch over a dog, letting it run around wherever it pleased and even escape to the Human World.
Even if it had happened to catch a wanted criminal by sheer accident, that was still only blind luck.
As if sensing someone was talking about it, the dog shaped doll on the desk reverted to its original form with a puff of smoke.
"Woo...!"
"Shut up!"
The black and white large dog had finally escaped and clearly wanted to sing its victory to the world, but the moment it opened its mouth, it caught a slap from Soi Fon and immediately behaved.
It obediently hopped down from the table. Then, taking advantage of Soi Fon being distracted for a moment, it scurried over and curled up at Takeru's feet.
Takeru glanced down. Seeing the dog's squinty eyed, fawning expression, which looked very much like Komamura's beloved Gorō from the same breed, he let it be and finally broke the silence.
"Alright, I understand. Everyone may leave."
It felt like a grand pardon had been granted. Everyone hurriedly took their leave with utmost respect.
With the outsiders gone, Soi Fon no longer needed to hold back. She strode over and, before anything else, kicked the black and white dog away from Takeru's side.
The dog was furious, but it didn't dare make a sound. It could only tuck its tail and run off to lie beside the office desk, pretending to sleep, though its ears twitched constantly in wary alertness.
"What exactly have you been feeding it? Being thick skinned and durable is one thing, but it even learned Shunpo on its own."
"Some time ago, while I was walking it around with nothing better to do, it accidentally ate some spiritual herbs and then fell into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. It was just an unexpected blessing."
Over the past year, Takeru had carried out large scale construction, revised spiritual laws, and introduced new regulations. One action after another had created a situation in the Seireitei where everything was flourishing and full of vitality.
With achievements like that, how could the machine soul remain silent?
Thus, there was now a hot spring atop Sōkyoku Hill, modeled after a special landscape from another world, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
As for whether it was superior or inferior to Tenjirō Kirinji's Hell of Blood Ponds and Hell of Bones, it was difficult to compare.
After all, the effects were completely different.
The hot spring creation method Takeru had comprehended produced a spring made from extremely cold and extremely hot reishi spring water. Red and blue, they were as clearly distinct as Yin and Yang fish, yet perfectly merged.
Soaking at the spring eye allowed one to break through the upper limits of physical ability by relying on the mutually reinforcing and opposing forces of the spiritual waters. Combined with ordinary cultivation, progress became astonishingly rapid.
Not only that, the spiritual veins formed by the seepage of reishi into the soil greatly promoted the vigorous growth of nearby plants, making it the ideal environment for cultivating medicinal herbs.
Perhaps because of that, he later obtained some seeds.
This was also the second time he had received what could be called a physical gift of destiny from the machine soul.
The "Immortal Grass" seeds, also originating from another world, were planted by Takeru around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. After that, he specifically ordered people to guard them and invited Retsu Unohana to discuss how best to cultivate the herbs.
However, as far as the results were concerned, all that effort had been unnecessary.
Those so called Immortal Grasses had the vitality of wildflowers and weeds. They sprouted within days, bloomed and fruited in less than a few months, and their offshoots transplanted with perfect success.
By now, their numbers had reached eighty or even a hundred thousand, to the point that they had nearly squeezed out all other vegetation atop Sōkyoku Hill.
Once they multiplied to that extent, how were they any different from common weeds?
That said, they were still medicinal herbs after all.
Each one possessed extraordinary medicinal value.
Clearly, they stood on a level above the herbs Unohana would still insist on climbing mountains to gather during her time off. While they were not so miraculous as to deserve the name "Immortal Grass," they were without question "Spiritual Grass" with effects comparable to Kidō and other spell based techniques.
Because of where those herbs ended up, Takeru once again witnessed Unohana's determined expression after a very long time.
Only this time, she could not use the excuse of "contraband medicine" to obtain them through a mixture of soft and hard pressure. Still, the sincerity in her manner, and the way she expressed concern at every turn, carried frightening lethality all its own.
Takeru, who had never been particularly resistant to handing over the herbs to his subordinates and letting them realize their value, surrendered soon enough and admitted defeat.
Of course, part of that was because Soi Fon had once become very anxious at the thought of running into her unexpectedly if she left the house early one morning.
In the end, the herbs were sold to the Fourth Division at a fair price, and the Sōkyoku Herb Garden itself was contracted out to them as well.
Unohana naturally became the director of the herb garden, and she had all but started treating Sōkyoku Hill as her second home.
Although he had turned into a hands off manager, Sōkyoku Hill was still right next door. Takeru also frequently used both the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and the strengthening pills Unohana specially made from the spiritual herbs for his cultivation.
So, one day last August, on Komamura's birthday, when Takeru was preparing a return gift, he naturally thought of the First Division's mascot dog, which he had personally named. He brought it to Sōkyoku Hill for an inspection.
And the result was exactly as Takeru had described.
Perhaps because it didn't have to train, the overexcited black and white dog ran all over the mountain and wolfed down several hundred spiritual herbs in one sitting. While being chased by the Fourth Division gardeners, it panicked and tumbled straight into the Ice and Fire hot spring.
Had the medicinal properties not taken effect in time and provided it with a great surge of spiritual power, and had Takeru not arrived quickly enough to fish it out and treat it, it would already have either frozen solid or boiled alive.
As the saying goes, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
After learning its lesson, the big dog became obedient and docile. Since Takeru had saved its life, it followed his orders completely. At the same time, it gained spiritual power and a body full of raw force.
Techniques like Shunpo and Hakuda, which were not restricted by race or the nature of one's power, were naturally not difficult for it.
One could not say it learned them overnight, but even so, it had already become many times stronger than most ordinary Shinigami.
"It slipped away because it knew the Onmitsukidō couldn't teach it anything anymore. So it figured it had already graduated and completed its apprenticeship, and could now go out and enjoy its freedom with a straight face."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Hearing Takeru say this, Soi Fon shot a sinister glance at the dog pretending to sleep. When it sensed danger and peeked over, she gave it a cold smile.
"Since it's so clever that even the Onmitsukidō can't handle it, then when I have time, I'll personally continue its training as Commander in Chief. That way it won't have the chance to run around again and embarrass the First Division."
"?!"
Ignoring the dog's horrified face and pitiful whimpers, Soi Fon abruptly changed the subject back to the real issue.
"According to the earlier investigation results, the Espada and Ichimaru's group are most likely hiding in some Jigokuchō, but they still haven't been found. Now, after a full year, they've reappeared and even took the chance to kidnap Kuchiki."
"Although we still don't know what they intend to do, this is clearly only the beginning."
"The less predictable their actions are, the more it proves there are massive hidden dangers behind this incident. I think it's necessary to convene a Captains' Meeting and discuss countermeasures... unless you already have other ideas. In that case, pretend I didn't say anything."
"Whether we hold a Captains' Meeting or not doesn't really matter anymore. The enemy won't leave us enough time, or enough room, to discuss any countermeasures."
Takeru lifted his head and looked up at the blue sky. There was something peculiar in his tone, as if his gaze had pierced through the firmament and glimpsed some faraway point in the future.
"With Urahara's ability, or more precisely, with how cautious he is, he must have made full preparations long before acting. Once they succeeded in taking her, he would have moved to carry out the plan immediately."
"What we can do now is most likely only eliminate them after that plan has already succeeded, and then minimize the fallout."
"So there is no need for a major meeting. Issue a special wartime order directly and notify the entire army. From now on, Seireitei enters combat readiness. Relevant intelligence is to be delivered to every division immediately."
"Yes!"
Soi Fon answered with a serious expression.
With a flash, she disappeared from where she stood.
Takeru withdrew his gaze and slowly swept it across the entire courtyard.
As though searching for something.
Once he determined the direction, he too vanished in an instant.
Only the black and white dog was left behind in the office to stand guard.
The barracks of each division were mostly similar, though each had its own distinct character.
When it came to the Thirteenth Division, one inevitably thought of its beautiful scenery.
It was almost like a countryside resort.
Because of that, even places like the senkaimon were fully equipped.
Streetlights, benches, transfer posts, trash cans... everything one might need was there.
When Takeru arrived, he immediately saw Ichigo sitting on one of the benches, head lowered.
It looked as though he had remained there ever since returning, without even cleaning up the traces of battle still on his body.
His face and complexion were hard to make out from that angle, but the overwhelming sense of dejection around him could not be missed.
It was so heavy that the very air felt like water, as if he intended to drown himself in it.
Orihime stood nearby, completely at a loss. It seemed she had already tried to comfort him, but it had done no good. She herself now looked deeply frustrated as well.
"What's with those expressions? You all look like you just held a division funeral for Rukia."
Takeru walked over, and his first words instantly froze the small trace of joy on Orihime's face.
Even Ichigo, who had abruptly stood up as if about to ask something, was left choking on his own words.
"I already sent the information to each division. You should have received it too, so I won't repeat the obvious. I have no clues for the moment. Even Rukia's denreishinki has gone off the grid, which makes it impossible to locate the Jigokuchō where the enemy is."
Takeru sat down on the bench and spoke as if to himself.
"'Jigokuchō'...?"
Orihime tilted her head. She had never heard the term before.
Ichigo, on the other hand, had already long since made up for his earlier weaknesses in theoretical knowledge by digging through every major library he could find. Even obscure subjects like the Jigokuchō were no longer unfamiliar to him.
"They're independent spaces that exist within the vast Garganta, something like asteroids or minor planets floating in outer space. They don't border Hueco Mundo, the Human World, or Soul Society at all."
"I already knew they were hiding in a place like that, but I still haven't been able to find them."
Ichigo clenched his fists. His face looked grim beyond words.
He wanted nothing more than to force his way through the senkaimon and search for her at any cost, but this clue was practically no different from having none at all.
That crushing powerlessness washed over him like a tide, and at last he sat back down on the bench again, head lowered in silence.
Orihime desperately wanted to help, and her desire to save Rukia was no less than Ichigo's, but she too was powerless.
"I'm sorry... If only I'd been able to shut down the enemy's tricks, I could've gone to help in time."
"...No. It has nothing to do with you, Inoue."
Ichigo's low voice was filled with equally deep self reproach.
"It's all my fault. If I'd gone alone, then even if I ran into an Espada ambush, I could've held out until reinforcements arrived. But because I acted on my own and didn't strictly follow Takeru's orders, it turned out like this."
"It's my fault Rukia walked straight into the enemy's trap. If she'd stayed in Soul Society, with Takeru there, and the Old Man, and everyone else, nothing would've happened."
"I was too arrogant. I thought that no matter what happened, I could handle it myself."
"In the end, as Rukia's superior, I didn't make the right decision from the very start... and in the end, I couldn't protect her either...!"
"What the hell am I doing?"
Those questions, full of self hatred, became shackles binding both Ichigo and Orihime. They fell into silence once more, tormented by the memory of watching their companion be taken away.
Takeru looked toward the senkaimon and said quietly, "Maybe you already know, but Grand Fisher has already been captured."
"But there is one thing you might not know. When he was caught, he'd already lost his lower body and couldn't even beat a dog. His mobility was severely limited. He couldn't use the chaos to escape Karakura Town, couldn't properly conceal his spiritual pressure or tracks, and couldn't even open a Garganta."
"That was because someone gave him frostbite just before he managed to flee. You should know who that was without me having to say it."
The moment those words were spoken, Ichigo's body stiffened.
Orihime's eyes went wide.
Takeru continued as if he had noticed nothing.
"...In the end, she still helped you complete part of the mission."
"So it wasn't a wasted trip. And it certainly can't be said that your decision was entirely wrong."
"If someone has to be blamed, or judged guilty, then it should obviously be the ones who caused the harm. The Arrancar, and the one who ordered them."
"Brother Kurosaki, I told you when we first entered the academy that we are honest people."
"Do honest people deserve to be bullied? Should good people have a blade held to their throats, and then have to reflect on their own faults afterward? There is no such logic in this world."
Ichigo slowly raised his head, fury beginning to surge in his eyes.
"You're right... This definitely isn't the time for self reflection."
Orihime looked as though she had also been struck awake, and her expression improved visibly.
At that moment, the sky suddenly darkened.
The strange shift made all three of them instinctively raise their heads.
It was still a bright, clear day. There were no dark clouds above.
And yet, beyond the shakonmaku, a landscape that should not exist in this world appeared reflected across the sky like the surface of a great lake.
"That's... the Human World?!"
Ichigo shot to his feet.
"It looks like Karakura Town! I can even see the bridge in Minami Kawase!"
Orihime gasped and covered her mouth.
"What is going on?!"
Even Ichigo, who had buried himself in Soul Society's theoretical knowledge, had never encountered anything like this in books or from anyone else's account.
So after staring upward for several tense seconds, he and Orihime both turned toward Takeru.
Perhaps it was only habit.
They did not truly expect him to know the answer.
Yet Takeru murmured thoughtfully, "Just as I expected... it really has come to this."
"Is this also Ichimaru and the others' doing?"
Hearing that, Ichigo's heart sank.
"It's obvious."
Takeru observed the phenomenon for a little longer before continuing, "The Jigokuchō exists inside the Garganta. If that space undergoes some violent upheaval, then naturally it will have a distinct effect on what surrounds it, especially on the Three Worlds, which aren't all that stable to begin with."
Ichigo and Orihime both caught on the phrase "aren't all that stable," but neither chose to dwell on it. Right now, all they cared about was whether it related to Rukia.
"I don't want to sound like a doctor deliberately worsening a patient's anxiety, but in my view... the initial condition for launching the expedition to Hueco Mundo may already have been fulfilled."
"Are you saying... the Hōgyoku has evolved into a true life form?"
As Takeru's meaning sank in, Ichigo's pupils contracted.
"Yes. Though the actual outcome may differ somewhat from what we're imagining, Rukia must have played a decisive role in it."
A flicker of unreadable thought passed through Takeru's eyes. He examined the current situation with cold clarity, every detail falling into place within his mind.
"Maybe... Urahara has gone and pulled the same trick again."
"But why Rukia?"
In any case, now that it had happened, unlike the Wandenreich invasion, this development had genuinely begun to threaten the Three Worlds themselves.
And the enemy's main base had also been forced into the open.
So...
"Let's go. It's our turn to strike back."
"It looks like I'll have to personally step in and rescue that girl yet again."
Ichigo took Zangetsu in hand and slung it over his shoulder, determination blazing in his eyes.
"Yeah!"
Orihime also gathered her resolve and nodded heavily.
That cold hearted Arrancar.
This time, she was absolutely going to make him pay.
.....
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