After leaving the First Division barracks,
Fujimiya Makoto looked at the notification before him.
Bond Event: Hollow Reality
Your bond with Liltotto has increased!
Reward: Spiritual Power +1, Talent Points +2
Acquired Bond Trait: Hollow Reality
Spiritual Power: Third Class Lower → Third Class Middle
Bond Trait: Hollow Reality: At a certain cost, erase an already existing reality (Due to its nature, it has been integrated into Zanpakutō abilities)
Note: Erase it! — Liltotto-sama
At Fujimiya Makoto's current level, every step forward required centuries of accumulation, and the gap between each stage was staggeringly vast.
Thus, it wasn't easy for him to acquire Bond Traits like he used to.
He thought, then turned his gaze to the panel he hadn't opened in a while.
—PI—
Name: Fujimiya Makoto
Spiritual Power: Third Class Middle (Captain+)
Four Arts:
Sword: 14th Stage (28/100) — [Secret Technique (III)]+
Fist: 12th Stage (19/100) — [Bone-Striking Technique]+
Demon: 11th Stage (12/100)+
Movement: 14th Stage (33/100)+
Zanpakutō: Purification Play (Shikai)+
Talent Points: 7
Bond Traits: Sword Prodigy, Footwork Enthusiast, Wall of Sighs, Always a Teacher, No-Damage Zone, Final Dawn, Inch-Stop, Burning Soul, Perfect Being, Hollow Reality
Romance Traits: None
—END—
Finally, his gaze settled on the 'Talent Points' and the '+' option beside it.
Since joining the Genryūsai Style and gaining a steady channel for learning techniques, Fujimiya Makoto had barely used his Talent Points after acquiring Bond Traits.
He had been saving them for moments like this, when he had no choice but to act.
To face someone like Yhwach, a 'Transcendent,' and inflict enough damage,
First Class Spiritual Power was an absolute necessity.
Even Fujimiya Makoto, having never directly raised his Spiritual Power level, wasn't sure if the Talent Points he'd saved were enough.
Nor did he know what the consequences would be.
"Huff..."
Fujimiya Makoto sighed, exhaling a long breath.
Just as he stepped out of the First Division barracks, a fierce wind suddenly swept past him.
He turned to see a purple figure leap onto his back, a foot kicking him, causing him to stumble.
Then, a petite figure climbed onto his shoulders,
hanging on him like a rider on a horse.
Her small legs tightly clamped around his head, sticky like glue, impossible to shake off.
"Hey! Saito!"
Fujimiya Makoto called out in annoyance.
But when he looked up, he saw Saito's face wearing an inexplicable smile, her hands vigorously ruffling his hair.
"Makoto, I was thinking—"
The girl drew out her words, her tone playful: "You wouldn't have stepped forward because you were worried about me, would you?"
Fujimiya Makoto's expression stiffened. He grabbed her legs, trying to pull her off his shoulders.
However, Saito was as agile as a monkey, her straw sandals crossing to lock her long, slender legs around his neck, refusing to let go.
Hanging on him, she provocatively shouted:
"Speak up! Tell me!"
"..."
Fujimiya Makoto fell silent for a moment, then said seriously:
"Yes."
"If Saito dies in front of me, I'd be devastated."
"So, no matter what,"
"I want you to survive."
At his words, Saito Shikizō seemed to freeze, her entire body stiffening.
The next moment, her hands stopped ruffling his hair, and her legs around his neck went still.
"Saito?"
Fujimiya Makoto tried to turn his head to look at her.
But Saito's hands held his head firmly, preventing him from looking up.
She lifted her face, somewhat guiltily glancing around, as if checking if anyone had heard their conversation.
If anyone could see Saito at that moment, they would notice her fair, lovely face suddenly flushing an unnatural red, her expression panicked like a startled cat, alert and tense, as if fearing their words might be overheard.
After a moment, realizing no one was around, the girl raised her voice, acting childishly, her reaction unusually intense:
"Who, who cares about you!"
"What do you mean 'I want you to survive'? It sounds like you think I'll definitely lose!"
"Idiot—!"
Damn it! He must have done that on purpose!
Saito Shikizō rubbed her inexplicably heated face, gritting her teeth.
Her heart, unshakable even in the face of death, was now somewhat flustered by his casual words.
How could she deliver the lines she'd prepared to mock this idiot now?!
"Anyw-anyway!"
"Go apologize to Genryūsai right now, and cancel that second line of defense!"
Saito Shikizō, too embarrassed to continue riding on Fujimiya Makoto's neck, jumped off him in a flash, jogging two steps ahead, her back facing him.
From Fujimiya Makoto's angle, he could only see the two red earlobes peeking out from beneath her twin tails.
Burning hot.
However, even if Saito were dipped in lava and pulled out, her mouth would still be sharp.
Despite her earlobes and cheeks flushing uncontrollably, she raised her voice, feigning nonchalance:
"I don't need your protection!"
"You're the one more likely to die on the battlefield!"
But just as Saito complained loudly, a slightly rough finger suddenly scraped the back of her ear.
The warm finger, compared to her current body temperature, felt slightly cool.
Instantly, the girl's skin prickled, her nerves jolting as if electrified, her twin tails stiffening like frozen wires.
Fujimiya Makoto, somehow behind her, whispered:
"I'm serious."
"Why are you blushing?"
Saito Shikizō immediately covered her red earlobes, turning her head angrily to glare at the troublemaker, her red tongue sticking out:
"Idiot! Idiot—!"
"Big idiot!!"
"Grrr—!"
After her outburst, she turned and ran, leaping onto the rooftop and disappearing.
Fujimiya Makoto smiled, raising a hand to shade his eyes, watching Saito's figure vanish into the distance.
Until her silhouette disappeared at the end of the street, he finally exhaled a long breath.
Though his arrival had changed many realities, the fall of the Soul Society and Yhwach's appearance proved that the grand tide of history in the Soul Society was still rolling forward.
So, would the original Thirteen Court Guard Squad Captains also fall one by one in the coming millennium due to various realities?
Could these 'histories' truly be changed?
Despite being deeply involved in this world, Fujimiya Makoto couldn't help but harbor such cowardly doubts.
"It's not 'can it be changed.'"
"But... it must be changed."
As Saito's figure disappeared from sight, Fujimiya Makoto unconsciously pressed his lips together, firmly stating to himself.
Screw the original story.
"What change?"
As he spoke to himself, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind, making him instinctively take a half-step forward.
Turning, he saw Kumoi Kutsuzawa looking at him with a natural expression, curiosity in her eyes.
"Captain Kumoi..."
Fujimiya Makoto's expression was subtle: "If you could make some noise while walking, I'd be very happy."
"That's not possible."
Kumoi Kutsuzawa tilted her head, laughing softly. Behind her thick glasses, her eyes inadvertently revealed a hint of cunning: "If I make noise while using 'Light-Bending,' wouldn't Saito-senpai notice?"
"Saito-senpai would definitely be super angry!"
"Then how would I hear such interesting conversations in the future... right, Makoto-kun?"
Fujimiya Makoto's expression grew even more subtle: "You even heard what we said just now?"
"Of course!"
Kumoi Kutsuzawa covered her lips with one hand, her eyebrows and eyes narrowing into a smile: "After all, Makoto-kun stepped forward for Saito-senpai, right?"
"It's so touching!"
"But..."
After the joke, Captain Kumoi's expression turned serious, her curiosity evident: "Compared to that, I'm more curious about something else."
"Makoto-kun, how can you raise your Spiritual Power level so much in just three days?"
"You know, if you go against the military order... even you must know the consequences, right?"
Captain Kumoi's glasses glinted.
She was very curious.
Fujimiya Makoto turned to her and smiled:
"Want to see?"
Kumoi Kutsuzawa was taken aback, then her lips parted.
"Yes!"