After leaving Koneko's room, Tatsuma went all the way down to the training space on the third underground floor.
Unlike usual, the temperature inside the training ground was extremely low at the moment, and white ice mist filled the air.
Tatsuma ignored the interference of the ice mist and went all the way to the center of the training ground.
"It seems your progress is good, Rukia."
"Yes, I finally succeeded."
Rukia put away her zanpakuto, and a smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you, Tatsuma. If it weren't for your help, I might have needed another ten or a hundred years to master Bankai."
"I just provided you with a training environment, your success depends on yourself."
"You are too humble."
Rukia did not agree with this.
Although she had been in a state of training, she was not completely unaware of the situation outside. In the past week, Tatsuma would come to the training ground two or three times every day to check on her condition and apply different Senjutsu to adjust her state.
It was precisely by maintaining her state with these Senjutsu that Rukia was able to fight continuously for over a week and finally defeat Sode no Shirayuki in the final moments to achieve Bankai.
Rukia said, "Anyway, you've been a great help this time, Tatsuma. If you encounter any trouble in the future, just see me, and I will definitely come to help."
"You're quite big-hearted, still in the mood to care about me at this time."
Tatsuma raised an eyebrow, pulled open his collar, and revealed the hōgyoku inside his chest.
"Regarding Aizen and the hōgyoku, have you thought about how you're going to handle it?"
Rukia said, "I plan to go back and discuss it with Captain Ukitake."
Tatsuma said, "If you mean telling the truth, I already handed over the information about Aizen to him through Sirzechs."
Rukia asked, "What did Captain Ukitake say?"
"He didn't say anything, just added more money for us to take good care of you."
Tatsuma inserted his palm into the air and pulled out a piece of parchment covered in writing.
"What do you say? If you want to keep staying, I don't mind paying for an extra portion of food expenses here."
Rukia hesitated for a moment and shook her head, refusing, "I appreciate your kindness, but I cannot comfortably stand by and do nothing."
Aizen's strength was very great. Before today, she didn't even have the qualifications to confront him.
But it's different now, she has acquired Bankai with Tatsuma's help. Perhaps she can't compare to Aizen, but at least she has the power to join the battlefield.
Jushiro had been quietly working hard to save her. As someone who knows how to repay kindness, Rukia didn't want to do nothing when she had the ability to help.
"Tatsuma, I'm going back to Soul Society now to see Captain Ukitake."
"Then go."
Tatsuma was not surprised by this answer. Taking out a nameplate engraved with the words [Rukia Kuchiki], he handed it over.
"This is a protective charm. If you encounter any danger, it can save your life."
"Thanks. After I've dealt with the matters in Soul Society, I'll come back to see you."
Rukia accepted the protective charm, drew her zanpakuto, inserted it into the air beside her, and opened a Senkaimon.
After watching Rukia leave, Tatsuma turned around and returned to the third floor to check on Koneko and Kuroka's situation.
After a brief conversation, the relationship between Koneko and Kuroka had clearly become much more harmonious, and they were already chatting about daily trivial matters.
"Tatsuma, I've heard everything, nya."
Seeing Tatsuma walk in, Kuroka immediately looked at him, a playful smile on her face. "You're clearly not interested in me, yet you actively made a move on Shirone. Could you be a lolicon?"
Tatsuma calmly said, "Provocation doesn't work on me."
"I don't believe you."
Kuroka reached out and pulled down the corner of her kimono. The black kimono slipped down slightly, revealing her fair shoulder and a pair of faintly visible full breasts.
After that, Kuroka walked up to Tatsuma and reached her hand downwards.
"If you're really not a lolicon, then prove it with your actions."
—
Soul Society, Seireitei.
At the same time that Kuroka was constantly testing the boundaries, Rukia walked out of the Senkaimon.
"This is... Central 46?"
Looking at the somewhat familiar surroundings, a hint of confusion appeared in Rukia's eyes.
This isn't right.
The passage she opened should have connected to the Senkaimon at the edge of the Seireitei.
Why did the exit inexplicably appear in Central 46?
Rukia looked around, stepped off the platform, and walked towards the outside. During this process, she didn't encounter a single living person, nor did she hear any sound. It was as if everyone had evaporated.
Seeing this, even if Rukia was slow, she realized there was a problem and activated Shunpo to speed up her movement.
However, just then, the surrounding scenery flickered.
Rukia found that she had not only not left Central 46 but had instead arrived at the entrance of the Judgment Hall.
At the same time, a footstep sounded not far behind her.
"Who!"
Rukia drew her Zanpakuto and turned to face the back.
"Calm down, I am not your enemy."
A man wearing white clothing, with long golden hair and blue eyes, walked towards her.
"A pleasure to meet you, Rukia."
"My name is Jugram Haschwalth, and I am a Quincy."
Rukia frowned. "A Quincy?"
As an honor student, she had naturally studied knowledge about Quincies.
However, according to the textbooks, weren't the Quincies already cleaned up by the Shinigami? Where did this guy in front of her come from?
Staring at Haschwalth for a moment, Rukia did not relax her guard and continued to ask, "Why would a Quincy appear in Central 46? Where did everyone in Central 46 go? Did you cause me to appear here too?"
"I am here because I was persecuted by Aizen and others."
"As for the members of Central 46, you can see them by just pushing open the large door behind you."
"Your presence here has nothing to do with me. If there are no unexpected developments, you, like me, were manipulated by Aizen."
Haschwalth patiently answered Rukia's questions one by one.
However, after hearing his answers, Rukia's doubts only grew.
"What do you mean by being persecuted by Aizen and others?"
Haschwalth said, "I am a Quincy who was living in seclusion in the Human World, but I was discovered by Aizen not long ago."
"Out of curiosity towards the Quincy, they captured me and brought me to Soul Society for human experimentation."
Haschwalth lifted the upper part of his clothes, revealing bloody bandages on his abdomen. Perhaps because the wound had not yet healed, the bloodstains on the bandage were still spreading at this moment.
"...It doesn't look fake."
Rukia temporarily believed Haschwalth's words, and her hostility greatly subsided.
"Last two questions, how did you escape from Aizen? Why do you know me?"
"I hid my strength and abilities, which led Aizen and the others to misjudge."
As Haschwalth spoke, he drew a throwing knife and casually tossed it.
With a whoosh, the throwing knife flew past Rukia and embedded itself in the Judgment Hall door behind her.
"I can cut through anything regardless of defense."
"Relying on this ability, I broke free from the shackles and escaped the laboratory. After that, I inexplicably arrived here and have been circling in place."
"As for why I know you, it's because Aizen and the others discussed you in the laboratory."
"They said there is something called the hōgyoku on you, and the next phase of their goal is to capture you and obtain the hōgyoku from you."
"At that time, in Aizen's eyes, I was no different from a dead person, so they didn't avoid mentioning it."
"I see, that makes sense." Rukia suddenly understood.
Putting away her Zanpakuto, she lowered her guard.
"As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Although this is our first meeting today, with Aizen as a common enemy, let's form an alliance."
"That's what I was thinking too." Haschwalth nodded slightly in response.
"Speaking of which, what do you mean by saying the people of Central 46 are behind the door?" Rukia looked towards the Judgment Hall door behind her.
Haschwalth said, "It's exactly what it means. You'll understand if you push the door open."
"Alright, then I'll open the door."
Rukia raised her hand and placed it on the door.
Things had come to this point, and there was no time to worry about whether doing so would offend Central 46.
Applying slight force with her palm, a click sounded, and the Central 46 door slowly opened to both sides.
At the same time, a strong smell of blood rushed out.
***
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