"Captain Shunsui, who are you looking for?" Makiya called out loudly.
"Oh, Sixth Seat Makiya, what a coincidence." Shunsui Kyoraku walked into the squad quarters with a smile and sat across from Makiya on the corridor.
Water gurgled in the small courtyard, and the shishiodoshi made a crisp sound every now and then. A light breeze blew by, carrying the scent of flowers.
Shunsui Kyoraku took a gulp of wine and looked at Makiya's courtyard with praise. "My, my, Sixth Seat Makiya, the scenery here is quite nice. You must maintain it often."
Makiya nodded. "When I have no one to spar with, I train in the courtyard or practice Jinzen. I just tidy it up along the way."
Shunsui Kyoraku's mouth twitched. He had come specifically for the matter of sparring, and he hadn't expected Makiya to bring it up himself.
That day, when Makiya and Kenpachi Zaraki entered Mugen together, he had been one of the witnesses. Kenpachi's miserable state was still vivid in his mind. Shunsui Kyoraku was a man who feared trouble; whether it was himself or Makiya getting injured, he found it very bothersome.
"You don't need to take the old man's words so seriously. You're still young and haven't experienced enough." Shunsui Kyoraku poured a cup of wine for Makiya. "As long as the Seireitei doesn't blow up, nothing is a big deal. The old man won't mind either."
"I understand what you mean, Captain Shunsui. It's just a spar; we can stop when we hit the mark. However, the duration shouldn't be too short. We have to fight in Mugen for a while, otherwise, it will be hard for you to report back to the Head Captain." Makiya appeared quite considerate. He wasn't a battle maniac; he was just greedy for the other party's spiritual pressure. Regardless of the method, as long as he achieved his goal, it was fine.
He had heard that every rules-based Zanpakuto was very special. Zanpakuto originated from the souls of Soul Reapers, and Makiya was very curious about what kind of improvement eating Shunsui Kyoraku's spiritual pressure would bring him.
Furthermore, Hacker Makiya was about to enter the main plot. His current strength wasn't enough to overthrow the Machine Emperor. The Makiyas each had their own bosses to face. Many hands make light work; while waiting for new Makiyas to join the ranks, they each had to figure out how to become stronger.
"Thank you, Sixth Seat Makiya. Don't worry, I'm an expert at acting." Shunsui Kyoraku was overjoyed and began to teach Makiya slacking techniques on the spot. "We not only have to fight for a long time, but we also have to get some wounds on our bodies—preferably ones that look very serious. We also need to arrange a reasonable time for recovery. I have acquaintances in the 4th Division, let me tell you..."
The old slacker instilled his experience in slacking off to the workplace newcomer. Although Makiya had been a Soul Reaper for many years, he was still a fresh newcomer in front of Shunsui Kyoraku.
Makiya had thought his previous slacking techniques were quite proficient, but he didn't expect that there was always someone better. Shunsui Kyoraku was usually just too lazy to act; once this man started taking slacking seriously, even the Head Captain couldn't find any faults.
After saying a lot in one breath, Shunsui Kyoraku took a gulp of wine. The alcohol content of the sake was very low, but the aftereffects were quite strong.
"Captain Muguruma is much more stiff." Wine could liven up the atmosphere. After half a bottle of sake, Shunsui Kyoraku's speech gradually became more open. "The soul hollowification incident is definitely not simple. This matter cannot be rushed. When Captain Muguruma received the old man's order, he immediately set out with all the members of the 9th Division. I always have a feeling that something is going to happen to them."
"Oh?" Makiya put down his wine cup, deep in thought. "Captain Kensei Muguruma set out with all the members of the 9th Division?"
"Yes, they went toward the East District with great fanfare."
"Captain Kensei's strength is... great. Nothing should happen." Makiya could only offer comfort.
"Sigh, I hope so..."
Shunsui Kyoraku did not stay long. After drinking two bottles of sake, his cheeks were slightly flushed. He bid farewell to Makiya with a swaying gait and staggered toward the 13th Division's quarters, likely to chat with his good friend, Jushiro Ukitake.
"The 9th Division is out in full force, and with such fanfare... Could they be baiting?" Makiya hesitated for a moment and decided to go see the situation.
Just as he stepped out of the 5th Division's main gate, he looked back in a certain direction, cursed the old fox in his heart, turned around, and swiftly left using Shunpo along the East District road.
Having broken through his limits multiple times, Makiya was also extremely confident. Except for those two BUG-level combat powers, he could now walk tall among the captains.
"What a sharp perception. It seems I've been discovered." Shunsui Kyoraku stepped out from a corner while holding his straw hat. He no longer looked drunk at all.
Speeding along the way, Makiya soon arrived at the East 24th District.
After the hollow monsters were cleared, this area gradually regained its population. Except for the core area that had suffered the most damage, other places were already filled with souls.
Makiya appeared on the ruins of the core area via Shunpo. It was dead silent here. The souls who were supposed to be responsible for clearing the ruins were nowhere to be found.
"Come out, stop hiding." Makiya stood on a tilted utility pole and spoke slowly toward the ruins, his voice echoing among the broken walls and debris.
"Oh, what a coincidence. To think I'd meet you here." Kenpachi Zaraki carried his jagged long sword and smashed a broken wall in front of him with one hand, looking at Makiya with a face full of surprise.
Makiya: "?"
"Little Fire, why did you come here too?" The pink-haired girl, Yachiru Kusajishi, rubbed her sleepy eyes and waved her small hand to greet Makiya.
"Kenpachi Zaraki, Yachiru Kusajishi..." Makiya narrowed his eyes. "I'm passing through on business. What about you?"
Yachiru Kusajishi jumped onto Kenpachi Zaraki's shoulder, pointing a finger at her lip as she tried to remember. "I'm not sure either. We wanted to go to the cafeteria to find food, but we couldn't find it no matter what. We just ended up here while walking."
Makiya: "..."
This was no longer something that could be explained by being lost. No one could get lost and end up that far away. Clearly, someone was deliberately guiding them in secret.
"Cut the crap. This is a good place. Let's have a fight." Kenpachi Zaraki grinned and pointed his long sword straight at Makiya.
After fighting Makiya a few times, Kenpachi Zaraki was completely addicted.
"Not now." Makiya shook his head, ignoring Kenpachi's request for a fight, and shouted toward another direction, "Although there was a slight mishap... come out. I've already discovered you, so stop hiding."
No one answered.
"Hey, don't go looking for trouble with random cats and dogs. Weren't you quite happy when you were slashing with me before?" Kenpachi Zaraki had clearly discovered the person hiding as well, but his eyes were only on Makiya.
Makiya ignored Kenpachi, drew his Zanpakuto, and slashed forward. The blade light shattered the ruins and was blocked by a sudden explosion of spiritual pressure.
The spiritual pressure overturned the debris, revealing the figure behind it.
"Sixth Seat of the 5th Division, Makiya." In the collapsed ruins, Kaname Tosen slowly drew his sword and walked out, the tip of his blade pointed directly at Makiya. "Your path ends here. I shall terminate you, the variable, for the sake of the Master."
"Kaname Tosen of the 9th Division." Makiya held his sword and stood ready, his tone playful. "Instead of doing work with your captain, you've come here to say such nonsensical things. You better think this through. He who lives by the sword shall die by it."
Makiya didn't quite understand Tosen's motive. His spiritual pressure had already surpassed the captain level by far, and Aizen couldn't possibly not know. There was only one outcome if Tosen tried to assassinate him.
'Could it be that Kaname Tosen has been abandoned? What on earth is Aizen up to? He probably tricked Kenpachi Zaraki into coming here too.'
Tosen did not respond. He held his Zanpakuto high, and a powerful spiritual pressure erupted from his body. "Bankai: Enma Korogi!"
The blade split into nine silver rings that rotated and moved at high speed in the air, quickly flying to different positions around Makiya.
"A direct Bankai? It's the first time I've seen such a straightforward battle." Makiya did not stop him, watching as the nine rings settled into place in the air, gradually unfolding a pitch-black curtain. The nine curtains closed toward the center, forming a massive ellipsoidal barrier space that enveloped Makiya.
As everyone knows, a battle between Soul Reapers isn't a battle of spiritual pressure, but a battle of style. Those who use Bankai first basically lose; one can only win by acting cool until the very end.
"Tch, boring." Seeing this, Kenpachi Zaraki retracted his Zanpakuto with a cold face and walked to the side, picking a relatively clean stone block to sit on.
"Isn't Ken-chan going to help Little Fire?" Yachiru Kusajishi lunged onto Kenpachi's thigh and asked with wide, watery eyes.
"No need." Kenpachi Zaraki's tone was listless. "Although I don't know what happened, that man will soon be cut down by Makiya. Let's wait."