What terrifying spiritual pressure!"
"Who...?!"
His face, which had been flushed from the heated argument, turned deathly pale.
His face, which showed disdain for his companion's ideas, was covered in cold sweat.
Loyal men, resentful of their captain's betrayal, prostrated themselves on the ground.
The silent ones who did nothing trembled slightly.
Compared to before, it's definitely much quieter now.
Kira, standing behind Shinomiya-san, watched this scene with a complicated expression, but made no attempt to stop it.
The one who released spiritual pressure—the Four Palace Master—walked to the very center of the training ground and coldly swept his disdainful gaze across everyone's faces.
"Come on, draw your swords, let's have a fight."
The feeling of an invisible mountain pressing down on my head disappeared.
But the soldiers still stared at Shinomiya Takeru in astonishment, completely bewildered.
Why the sudden need for a battle?
Moreover, it was with someone who possessed such terrifying spiritual pressure.
So, who exactly is he?
"My name is Shinomiya-no-Tsurugi. Compared to you nobodies, my popularity is extremely high. I plan to take advantage of this opportunity to do something big again."
The four palaces were merciless in their mockery.
"As a student of the Imperial Academy, I single-handedly defeated a squad."
"Although it will forever tarnish your reputation, it doesn't matter. You can always transfer to another team later."
"What did you say!?"
An official was shocked and angry, and questioned him.
"Didn't you hear me? I'm here to cause trouble. The Third and Ninth Divisions are currently leaderless, making them the perfect targets to establish authority. My classmate Ichigo Kurosaki should be in the Ninth Division by now."
Shigu-zun drew the sword, scabbard and all, from his waist and placed it on his shoulder, tapping it gently.
This was a fighting stance of complete ease—that's what the killing intent emanating from him told everyone.
"Stop joking! No one will allow you to insult the Third Division like that...!"
No sooner had someone shouted this than they were met with a fierce counterattack from the Four Palace Master.
Even with the sword sheathed, it can still knock a person to their knees with a single blow.
He kicked him in the chest again, sending him flying backward and knocking over a group of people like a bowling ball.
"Who's joking with you? Don't forget I helped the Ryogoku sabotage the execution, survived a battle with a group of captains, and even killed a high-ranking Hollow. I even beat Kenpachi Zaraki into the hospital... Is there anything I wouldn't dare to do? You bunch of people, what consequences could there be from just beating you up?"
While mocking them, Shinomiya-sama mercilessly beat up the soldiers around him.
"I can even use the excuse of 'I'm here to help you restore your morale' to shirk responsibility. Even if the commander-in-chief finds out, he will only give me a minor punishment."
"hateful!"
Many people were so angry they were trembling, but they couldn't refute it.
Because they also knew that given the other party's strength and importance to Soul Society, it was absolutely impossible for them to be severely punished for "this trivial matter".
"Run! Run!"
Those with clear minds and quick reflexes all tried to escape.
However, the Four Palace Master's unpredictable Instant Step ruined their plans.
He was struck on the head with a sheathed sword and bled profusely, but he didn't faint; the force he used was perfectly controlled.
The intense physical pain and mental anguish, coupled with the increasingly restless and depressed atmosphere within the team, gradually made the soldiers forget their fear, and even the events of the past few days. They angrily drew their swords and roared as they charged forward.
"ah!"
"Follow me!"
"Damn it, get out of my way!"
"You're the one who shouldn't be in my way!"
Faced with a common enemy, even those who had previously argued with each other subconsciously chose to fight side by side.
Kira suppressed his spiritual pressure, kept a low profile, and avoided letting others discover his weakness.
He stared blankly at the scene before him, his clenched fists trembling uncontrollably.
I never expected that my report would lead to this result... Although I wanted to give the Third Division a "major overhaul", it's not the way to let the blood drain out before creating new blood!
Hundreds of soldiers, their eyes bloodshot, charged forward like madmen, but the Four Palace Master wielded his sheathed sword, causing cries of agony to fill the air.
His technique was extremely skillful, more like the way he used a whip.
Slapping it will only tear the skin and flesh, but will not damage the bones or internal organs.
At first glance, it seems like they were showing mercy.
But nobody thinks so.
Because it hurt so much.
It's even more agonizing than being slashed with a knife.
The intact bones and muscles seem to be an advantage for getting back up and continuing to fight, but this was also something that Shinomiya had calculated.
If anyone lies on the ground and refuses to get up, just kick them, causing them to vomit repeatedly, their face covered in tears and snot.
This one-sided abuse continued until the Fourth Division's medical team arrived at the scene.
Seeing this, the Four Palaces Lord loosened the hair of one of the officials.
He fell helplessly to the ground.
"No...don't go!"
Just as Shinomiya was about to turn and leave, the man reached out and grabbed the hem of his shihaka.
"It's not over yet! Are you trying to escape?!"
"That's right."
Faced with the other party's astonished expression, Shinomiya no Takayuki simply admitted it and looked up at the team members who were lying on the ground, still both fearful and angry.
"I am defeated by your shamelessness."
"You're so weak, yet you don't obediently retire. I don't understand what you're trying to do?"
This question caused the official to subconsciously loosen his grip.
This caused everyone's expressions to freeze.
Only after the Four Palace Masters disappeared did they seem to wake up and fall into a complicated silence. After being bandaged by the medical team, they helped each other up and left.
"Was it really necessary to go this far?"
Shinomiya-no-Mikoto encountered Kira at the entrance of the Third Division barracks.
When questioned, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing his arm covered in scars.
"This is...?"
"It was the captain who hit him."
Shinomiya-no-Tsuru stared directly into Kira's eyes.
"I don't expect to restore the Third Division's cohesion by creating a common enemy."
"I was really looking for trouble, trying to provoke them and beat them up."
"Because the captain told me that when you lose your fighting spirit and feel lost, don't think about anything, grip the hilt of the knife firmly with both hands, take a deep breath, hold your breath, and swing it down."
"The sword you swing may not kill the enemy, but the air you inhale will give you the courage to swing it a second time."
"With courage, the continuous swing of the knife will eventually solve the enemy or problem before you."
"But I feel it's not enough..."
"Many of you, including yourself, don't actually resent Gin Ichimaru, because he didn't really hurt you. It's just that you're angry because you were deceived, confused because you realized you didn't understand your captain at all, and because of the prejudiced views of other squads, that you've become conflicted and your morale has dropped."
"In that case, I will inflict pain on their behalf in place of Gin Ichimaru. By feeling the pain, they will come to their senses and know what they should do... whether it is revenge, a firm stance, or something else."
"It's impossible for me to lose control of my emotions so easily and have frequent conflicts with my companions."
"After being beaten so badly, he had no energy left to fight back."
"This is where you, as the vice-captain, step in. Let me tell you, when you visit them, you should say this..."
Listening to the series of plans from the Fourth Prince to win over people and boost morale, Kira was secretly alarmed and looked at him with awe.
Just as the Four Palace Masters finished speaking and were about to retire, Kira couldn't help but call out to stop them:
"Wait, Lord Shinomiya... no, Your Excellency Shinomiya!"
"What?"
"Thank you so much for your help to me and the Third Division! I am truly grateful! If the Captain-Commander is considering appointing you as captain, please be sure to consider our Third Division!"
"...That depends on the captain's arrangements; I personally don't care."
Looking at Kira, who was bowing deeply.
The Four Palaces Lord paused for a moment, then waved his hand and turned to leave.
Until his footsteps could no longer be heard.
Kira straightened up and took a deep breath: "I need to step up my game too. No matter who the new captain is, we can't let them see the Third Division again... or me looking so useless."
On the other side.
Shinomiya-sensei returned to the First Division, ready to tell the Captain-Commander that his mission had been successfully completed.
But as soon as they reached the door, they heard the old man cursing loudly.
"...What's going on with the latest issue of the 9th Division's 'Seireitei Newsletter'?! I asked you to help Hisagi with the division's affairs, but instead you've been posting all sorts of nonsense with him. The Golden Seal Society's complaint letter has even been handed over to me!"
The Four Palace Masters were no longer in a hurry to go in.
Stand outside the door and wait patiently.
Shortly after, Ichigo emerged with a dark expression.
"Oh, you got a severe scolding again?"
"Shinomiya...? Stop talking nonsense. I only realized how troublesome squad affairs are after leaving the First Division! Without your ideas, I can only do manual labor. Today, I was assigned to help out in the Ninth Division, and I asked Hisagi-nii to refer to the experience of the news media in the modern world to increase the popularity of the Seireitei News. As a result, someone from the nobles complained about me as well!"
Upon seeing the Four Palace Master, Ichigo couldn't help but start complaining.
As mentioned before.
Mornings are for meditation, afternoons are for commuting to and from work.
At first, they were tasked with handling miscellaneous tasks for the First Division, but as their responsibilities increased, they were eventually assigned to other divisions.
Ostensibly, they provide manpower support, but in reality, they are responsible for resolving the troubles encountered by each squad.
Just like the situation that Shinomiya-sama encountered today.
"So what exactly did you do to get the complaint?"
The Four Palace Master crossed his arms and asked curiously.
Ichigo scratched his face:
"Brother Hisagi believes that the origins of the four noble families and the history of Soul Society are very valuable to explore. He wants to make a special issue to let everyone better understand the greatness of Soul Society, thereby increasing its popularity and awakening everyone's love for Soul Society, and creating a greater sense of belonging."
"As a result, his interview request to the Golden Seal Association was rejected. Not only was it rejected, but three complaint letters were also sent to the First Division."
"I really don't understand them. If they disagree, they just disagree. Why are they reacting so strongly?"
"..."
The Fourth Prince's lips twitched slightly, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.
"Never mind, I don't think even you could figure out what they're thinking... More importantly, how Ichigo shook his head and changed the subject.
"all the best."
"As expected of you."
Ichigo watched with a hint of envy as Shinomiya-sensei walked into the steward's office.
Then...
"Shinomiya! You brat! The Hell Butterfly from the Fourth Division flew over to tell me that you beat up the entire Third Division and sent them to the general sanatorium. Now the Fourth Division strongly condemns your violent behavior...!"
"I'm innocent, Captain! You know me. I've never failed in my work. Believe me, they'll definitely pull themselves together!"
"...Take the documents and get out of here!"
Soon, the Fourth Prince emerged from the office with a new mission.
He wasn't surprised to see Ichigo still there; instead, he raised his chin slightly.
It's as if it's saying, "See, isn't everything going smoothly?"
Ichigo, speechless yet admiring, gave him a thumbs up.
Under the awe-inspiring gaze of the guards at the gate, the two left together, feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Chapter 89 The Always-Know-It-All Lord Shinomiya (Part 2)
Over the next week, Shinomiya-sensei's footprints covered almost every division's territory.
Although he was only a temporary worker in the First Division at best, without a formal position, it was a time of upheaval in the Seireitei, and there was a shortage of manpower everywhere. He couldn't manage everything, so being able to help was more important than anything else.
Not to mention the "firefighters" who are extremely efficient, can offer advice, and help people solve problems.
The Four Palace Master's tangible achievements have made all the divisions and even the Seireitei's administrative departments eagerly anticipate his return.
He arrived at the Fifth Division on Sunday, the last day of the week.
A long line even formed at the entrance of the team's dormitory, with everyone bowing and greeting each other in unison.
"Lord Shinomiya! You've worked hard!"
"What's going on here?"
The Four Palaces Venerable looked at the familiar old official in the crowd.
"Please don't mind, everyone is just impressed by your achievements and wants to express their respect."
The other person stood up straight with a serious expression.
Other squads might be a bit too eager and embarrassed to do this.
But the Fifth Division is different.
After all, regardless of the circumstances, the two most popular figures right now, Shinomiya and Ichigo, are both disciples of their own captain and are considered one of their own. They are equally proud, so naturally, they will show Shinomiya the utmost enthusiasm in receiving him.
Speaking of which, when they first enrolled, some people privately complained that Captain Aizen favored his two disciples, allowing them to use the "Demon Power Recovery Room," which ordinary members could only access once a week.
Now nobody's gossiping anymore.
All of them were praises.
Where is the teacher?
Shinomiya-no-Tsuru walked into the barracks as if he were returning home.
"The captain and vice-captain went to the First Division for a meeting."
The old official responded quickly.
The Four Palaces Lord nodded, showing no surprise.
The reason he was so popular as a temporary worker was because all the squads were too busy. If his own squad was in such a state, how could the captain and vice-captain stay out of it?
A moment later, they arrived at the mission location.
The Four Palaces Lord stood on a slope, gazing at the scorched earth, his feelings indescribable, a mixture of emotions.
The old official standing to the side also had a subtle expression.
"Due to that great war, this area suffered severe damage. Although the team's funds have always been relatively abundant under Captain Aizen's leadership, the cost of the repair work is too high."
"If we rely entirely on the team's internal funds, we'll be struggling financially for the next few months. So, Vice-Captain Hinamori is hoping you can help us find a solution, even if it's just to leave a little more money behind."
"...I think she hopes I can use the name of the First Division to pressure the Seireitei Administration and get some subsidies, right?"
Shinomiya-sama instantly saw through Hinamori Momo's little scheme.
Despite her delicate and sweet appearance, she is actually a shrewd and capable master of the demonic arts. She is neither introverted nor naive, and she is incredibly bold.
Knowing that the First Division has now become the power center of the Seireitei, he wanted to use his connections and influence to negotiate with the Seireitei Administration and obtain some subsidies for the repair of buildings to reduce the financial pressure on his division.
Honestly, it's not a very bad thing.
It is perfectly legitimate to ask for money under such a pretext.
It would be unreasonable for the Seireitei Administration not to grant it.
Shinomiya-sensei also didn't object to providing a little help to the Fifth Division, and to the girl who, for a period of time, didn't mind the trouble of coming to call him for meals every day.
But the problem is...
"Unfortunately, the Seireitei Administration is also short of money."
"What!?"
The old official's eyes widened.
That was a behemoth that oversaw more than a dozen bureaus, including the Household Registration Bureau, the High-Ranking Spirit Tablets Bureau, and the Guardian Detachment. It used to be a department directly under the Forty-Six Offices, and strictly speaking, even the Council of Nobles was affiliated with it.
How could we possibly be short of money?
"Because they had a falling out with the Second Division."
"The Palace of Penitence was destroyed, and the Central District 1 also suffered considerable damage. These are places that they are responsible for managing."
"Initially, we approached the Second Division, hoping that Captain Soi Fon would take responsibility for destroying the Penitentiary, but the staff we sent out were simply thrown out."
"The Council of Nobles does donate funds regularly, but the Captain-Commander took the money to deal with the ruins of the old street that he destroyed. It's good that a new commercial district can be rebuilt, which is also beneficial to the industrial development of Seireitei."
"The Second Division refused to pay compensation, external funds were diverted, and the Captain-Commander demanded that repairs be completed as soon as possible."
"Because many of the buildings in the Palace of Repentance are made of murderous stone."
"The building materials alone are enough to give them a headache."
"Nowadays, even if they have money, they will hold onto it tightly, for fear of encountering some trouble again. They will not allocate funds unless absolutely necessary."
The Four Palaces Master shook his head, and this explanation made the Old Master sigh.
"Then it seems we'll have to figure it out ourselves."
"Don't worry, that's exactly why I came here."
Do you have any other ways to raise funds?
"If it were any other squad, I might just raise funds as you said, but the Fifth Squad is facing a problem, and it's also related to me, so naturally I have to help you solve the problem completely."
As he spoke, the Four Palace Master took out his communication device and sent out several electronic messages.
The old official waited quietly to the side, his eyes filled with anticipation.
A short while later.
The messenger machine kept beeping.
The Four Palaces Lord opened the reply and immediately felt reassured.
"Alright, problem solved."
"ah?"
The old official's eyes widened. That's it?!
"I divided the entire project into two parts. The first part is the neighborhood and the natural environment, which is less difficult to rebuild, but involves a lot of work."
The Four Palaces Master patiently explained.
"The second part consists of the training grounds and important disaster-stricken facilities. Reconstruction is more difficult and requires expensive materials, but the workload is undoubtedly smaller compared to the first part."
"I asked the second division vice-captain for a donation. After that, you should tell the teacher to have all the members write a letter of thanks and have Hinamori personally deliver it to his house."
"This donation will be used to repair the first part of the project."
"Leave the second part alone, I've already found someone to fix it."
The old official nodded repeatedly, remembering every word.
The operation of securing a donation based solely on these few e-letters...
In addition, the Fourth Prince also expressed his willingness to help the Fifth Division completely solve the problem.
Regardless of who is in charge of the second part of the project, he will respectfully invite them in and treat them to good food and drink.
However, Orihime arrived in haste.
Activating the "Double Heaven Return Shield" ability, the blade swept across, leveling the scorched earth, and the training ground reverted at a visible speed.
The old official was stunned.
Treat them with utmost respect? Provide them with delicious food and drinks?
Is this how you treat someone?
This is insulting!
"Huff...huff...Shinomiya-kun, is this enough?"
Orihime had repaired the site and was about to confirm it with Shinomiya-no-Mikoto.
In an instant, two figures appeared and knelt in front of her.
One person held the tea tray above their head.
A person is holding a basin of water, with a clean white towel draped over the edge of the basin.
"Lord Inoue! Please have some tea!"
"Lord Inoue! Please wipe your sweat!"
"Huh?!"
Orihime was startled and looked at Shinomiya-no-Takako with some confusion.
"Just consider this my way of thanking you. You can't expect me to give you money, can you?"
With just a few simple words, Shinomiya-sama put Orihime at ease.
She was indeed thirsty and sweating a lot.
Although the workload is relatively small.
But that's still a bit too much for one person.
"To be honest, I never thought I could repair damaged items. I should be the one thanking you. I've received a lot of care from Ms. Kuchiki, Ms. Rangiku, and many other people these past few days, which has made my new arrival feel completely comfortable."
"So I'm really happy to be able to help. Please don't thank me, or I'll feel embarrassed."
I guessed so.
The Four Palaces Lord shook the messenger device in his hand.
"Therefore, I didn't hesitate to call you over as a volunteer with an e-letter."
Hearing him say that, Orihime felt relieved and even made a joke, which was unusual for her.
"Speaking of volunteers, aren't Shinomiya-kun and Kurosaki-kun volunteers too? I've been visiting the 10th Division these past few days, and Rangiku-nee has told me that you've been working very hard and have earned the trust and respect of many people."
"Now I can get the same treatment as you by doing this little thing. Even if Shinomiya regrets it now, I won't go back!"
"Really? Then I have some more good news for you."
The Four Palaces Lord looked up at the sky.
"If you can finish before mealtime, you will not only receive the same treatment as us, but you will also enjoy a sumptuous and delicious dinner."
"?!"
Orihime's breath hitched, her eyes shining with an eerie light.