Human World, Tōkyōdō.
As everyone knows, Tōkyōdō has absolutely nothing to do with Tokyo.
At least, in this world, the port city called Tōkyōdō that Higashino Shuuichi and the others had arrived in truly had not the slightest connection to Tokyo, hundreds of miles away.
"According to the plan, weren't we supposed to go to the West Administration and cause a huge scene?
So why has Higashino-sama kept us here for almost half a month already?"
Standing by the beach, Yushima Ōko finally couldn't hold it in anymore and lowered his voice to ask Kisaragi Shūsuke beside him.
It would've been better to ask Higashino Shuuichi directly, but Ōko didn't dare. Kisaragi Shūsuke and Matsumoto Rangiku hadn't asked—if he asked, wouldn't that make him look especially stupid?
Kisaragi Shūsuke sized up Yushima Ōko and chuckled inwardly.
So you finally couldn't take it anymore, huh?
"You can tell you rarely come to the Human World, Ōko. Normally, for all sorts of reasons, when we Shinigami come from Soul Society to the Human World, we use this tiny island nation under our feet as a foothold—but in the Human World, this 'speck of land' is only a minuscule part of the whole.
And it's not convenient for us to openly use Shunpo (Flash Step) or other Shinigami techniques to travel here, otherwise the Soul Society monitoring points all over the Human World can easily pick up our movements.
So if we want to go to the West Administration's territory on the other end of this world, riding these transportation tools humans created is obviously our best choice!"
Kisaragi Shūsuke explained with unmistakable pride.
Back then, when their group returned from that so-called "London" region in the West Administration to the East Administration, it had taken them nearly half a year!
That stretch of sailing almost gave Kisaragi Shūsuke a psychological shadow.
But now, remembering it—especially in front of Yushima Ōko—made him feel unbelievably fortunate.
Because to Ōko, that experience was basically a medal of merit!
Even if there was no merit, there was hardship—and what could Ōko possibly use to compare to that?!
Yet Yushima Ōko didn't catch the subtle bragging at all. Instead, he picked up on a different issue.
"That makes a lot of sense… but what does that have to do with us staying here for almost half a month?"
"…"
Kisaragi Shūsuke's expression froze.
Put that way… it really didn't seem to have anything to do with it.
Alright. The question that had originally only troubled Yushima Ōko instantly became a problem for two people.
And judging by where the two of them were heading—Matsumoto Rangiku's room—there was a very good chance it would soon become a problem for three.
"Still not planning to come back today?"
On the balcony of a seaside villa built in a Western style, Kabuma Sayako lounged in a wicker chair, languidly draping only an orange-and-white gauze shawl over her shoulders. She accompanied Higashino Shuuichi, who leaned on the railing and stared out at the distant sea, and asked while breathing in the salty, damp wind.
"No. That guy—if he truly wanted to come here with all his heart, he would've returned a decade ago, when you all first came back from the West Administration.
But he's always just wandered along the edge of the East Administration's controlled regions.
He rarely came this way, until recently, when it seemed like he sensed something—only then did he begin slowly drawing closer to this island nation.
And since we don't have the contact method Tsunayashiro Kamihara provided, the best approach is to wait here. After all, there are only two international ports on this whole island that we can use—and the closest one to Miyazaki Sakai Masato is this Tōkyōdō~"
Higashino Shuuichi kept his eyes on the far horizon and the waves that rolled in layer after layer, answering in a flat, calm tone.
"But couldn't we just go find him directly? You know his location. And at his side, you still have that little mole of yours…"
Kabuma Sayako knew Kabuno Takuya was with Miyazaki Sakai Masato.
And compared to Kisaragi Shūsuke and Yushima Ōko—who only knew Kabuno Takuya as a human Quincy on good terms with Higashino Shuuichi, someone who could invite Higashino Shuuichi's 'great deity' to possess him at any time—Kabuma Sayako had learned from Higashino Shuuichi himself that Kabuno Takuya was actually something like a clone he had personally molded.
If one asked when she'd learned that, it was probably on a passionate night—when Higashino Shuuichi, pressed over her, had mentioned it.
It was also that night that Kabuma Sayako finally understood the meaning behind the surname "Kabuno."
And so, that night, Kabuma Sayako—rarely—agreed to quite a few "excessive" requests from Higashino Shuuichi.
"I thought the same at first. But once we were forced to slow down in the Human World because of transportation, it gave me enough time to organize information here… and that's when a concern formed.
Miyazaki Sakai Masato looks careless, like an unreliable guy who doesn't have it together. But someone who could become the captain of the 12th Division, and personally oversee the development of such terrifying weapons… is he really as 'simple' as he appears?"
Higashino Shuuichi shook his head.
"Shuuichi-kun, you're worried he has an ambush? One that even Kabuno Takuya didn't detect?"
As the person sharing his pillow for so long, Kabuma Sayako understood immediately.
But she still hadn't said everything. Higashino Shuuichi continued, adding:
"I do have that concern.
According to our original plan, it should've been a surprise inside-out assault. But if Miyazaki Sakai Masato is actually on guard, then what we'll be facing… might become the worst-case scenario I told you about before."
"A former 12th Division captain… plus a lineup of ten first-generation 13th Division captains."
Kabuma Sayako's expression turned serious as she spoke.
"If it comes to that, even if we win, it would be a miserable victory. And without the advantage of a surprise attack, with just the people we have… our odds against that kind of lineup aren't actually high."
Higashino Shuuichi didn't grow arrogant just because of his current strength.
On the contrary, the lesson he'd learned years ago from Baraggan had made him stop underestimating this Shinigami world—one he'd already stirred so badly it barely resembled the original storyline anymore.
Higashino Shuuichi didn't think he was particularly smart. Forget comparing himself to people like Aizen or Mayuri—he didn't even dare claim an IQ advantage over the next tier down, people like Kyōraku Shunsui.
Up to now, the reason he could maintain enough of an edge against them was purely because of the massive information gap between him and them.
And once that information advantage was erased, Higashino Shuuichi felt that with his current level of strength, he was still nowhere near surpassing a fully evolved Hōgyoku Aizen.
That guy could still end up sinking himself—so what about Higashino Shuuichi?
So, after Higashino Shuuichi brought Kabuma Sayako, Kisaragi Shūsuke, and the others to Tōkyōdō, he decisively chose to stop.
"On the other hand, if we choose the battlefield here, then at the critical moment I can seek help from Aizen… and if it truly becomes a life-or-death crisis, I can even choose to die together with Miyazaki Sakai Masato and drag all of Soul Society down with me.
Anyway, with my current strength—and what those people in Soul Society believe I've done—my worst outcome is nothing more than being thrown into Muken. Same result either way~"
Higashino Shuuichi turned around and smiled at Kabuma Sayako.
"But if it comes to that, it would be such a waste. Shuuichi-kun, you've spent so much effort and gone in such a huge circle—wasn't it all to seize control of those Reigai with the first-generation captains' power from Miyazaki Sakai Masato?
Then as long as Ōko-kun works a little harder, he should be able to research a way to let those first-generation captains directly borrow Jigoku no chikara (power of Hell)~
That's far safer than sending you into Jigoku again to carve shinmon (divine markings)."
Kabuma Sayako rose from her chair and walked over with graceful steps, familiar and practiced as she pressed herself into Higashino Shuuichi's arms.
Truthfully, from a very, very long time ago, Kabuma Sayako had already forgotten her "duty."
As the head of the Kabuma clan, she had laughed because of Higashino Shuuichi, cried because of Higashino Shuuichi, and even sulked for an entire night because Higashino Shuuichi sometimes stayed up drinking with Matsumoto Rangiku.
In her heart, Higashino Shuuichi had long since stopped being that nameless nobody she could once send into Jigoku to gamble on fate.
Even now, Kabuma Sayako still remembered the first time she met him—how weak she was, how she looked like she'd turn into a pile of bones like the other clan members within a few months.
"Without Shuuichi-kun, I might've died long ago… so what I'm doing now isn't betraying our ancestral precepts~"
That was how Sayako usually encouraged herself.
But she never expected that even after the person who should care most about the power of Hell had already let go… Higashino Shuuichi still never forgot the promise he had made to her back then.
"I'll fulfill the Kabuma clan's dream!"
A simple twelve words—yet within them was a promise Higashino Shuuichi was willing to spend his whole life paying.
Alright. That night, the adult games between Sayako and Shuuichi unlocked a new level again.
"So… let's hope it doesn't become the worst result."
Higashino Shuuichi placed his right hand on Sayako's smooth back and spoke gently.
In truth, there was an even worse outcome that Higashino Shuuichi didn't have the heart to say aloud—
That all of his earlier suspicions were correct, and Miyazaki Sakai Masato had no intention of coming here to carry out his revenge against Soul Society.
After all, Miyazaki Sakai Masato didn't actually know what had been happening recently in Soul Society. And judging by Tsunayashiro Kamihara's methods, it didn't seem like Miyazaki Sakai Masato had any direct channel to contact Tsunayashiro Kamihara.
And if that was the case, then Higashino Shuuichi would have no choice but to bring Kisaragi Shūsuke, Yushima Ōko, Sayako, and the others to face what might be the strongest enemy camp he had ever confronted.
Without a doubt, it would be a brutal fight.
But in order to seize those enhanced first-generation captain Reigai in Miyazaki Sakai Masato's hands—powerful enough to be terrifying, and almost unrestricted in terms of conditions of use—to enrich his "trump card" arsenal… this was a hurdle Higashino Shuuichi couldn't avoid.
Otherwise, once that batch of Reigai entered Soul Society—especially once they entered Aizen's view—then if Higashino Shuuichi wanted to quietly take them later, the difficulty would only increase.
And even if he did manage to take them in the end, the effect those special Reigai could produce in the future would be heavily discounted.
Because a trump card known in advance by the enemy… can no longer be called a trump card.
"Shuuichi-sama, we have something we'd like to ask…"
At that moment, Kisaragi Shūsuke's voice suddenly drifted up from below Higashino Shuuichi's room. But it grew smaller and smaller, and by the time Higashino Shuuichi turned his head to look down, he could only see three figures running off with their tails between their legs—
No. To be precise, two.
Because strictly speaking, one of them didn't seem like she wanted to leave just like that—she simply couldn't overpower the two sturdy young men on either side of her, and was basically being carried away by force~
"We're done—now they saw us again!"
Kabuma Sayako, who had just been in Higashino Shuuichi's arms, saw it too. Her cheeks immediately burned red, and she shoved herself away from him.
"Haha! What are you scared of? You even said 'again.' It's not the first time those little brats have caught us!"
"Ah?! Shuuichi-kun, what are you doing?!
Put me down—now!"
Sayako realized she'd suddenly been swept up into a rough bridal carry. She instinctively started pounding lightly at Higashino Shuuichi's chest with both hands.
"Sure. Right away~"
Higashino Shuuichi carried Sayako from the balcony into the bedroom, then—symbolically—pulled the curtains halfway shut, leaving only a narrow slit so the last rays of sunset could spill into the room.
Then, snowflakes fluttered through the orange-gold afterglow, dancing in the air.
At first, you could still occasionally hear Sayako's hurried, broken pleas for mercy.
But very quickly, only soft, sweet wheezing remained—buried beneath Higashino Shuuichi's heavy breathing.
As the sun set, the scenery was endless~
And beneath that same sunlight, within the harbor of Tōkyōdō, a handsome couple stepped slowly down from the newly arrived passenger liner Elizabeth, dressed in typical Western-style clothing, bringing along their child who had just turned ten.
"So this is your hometown, Mom, Dad?"
The boy looked around with bright curiosity.
"Yes. From today on, we'll be living here," his mother said gently. "Sōgen~"
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