"It's turned into such a mess, and even the workload has increased." In the Captain of the 10th Division's office, Shinji stood by the window, looking out, and slowly said.
The number of materialized Zanpakuto was simply too great.
They had caused immense destruction to the Seireitei.
Just repairing the ground, walls, the barracks of each division, and the damaged buildings was a very troublesome matter.
Not to mention the collateral effects of the destruction.
"So where do you get the nerve to say such things, Captain Shinji?"
Behind him, a weak complaint came.
Matsumoto Rangiku looked dejected, her chest resting on a pile of documents, staring at the accumulated division affairs with a look of utter despair.
Why?
Why is it always her, who gets hurt?
I'm really pitiful?
"Well, as you've mentioned, with our relationship, helping me with some administrative tasks isn't a big deal, is it?" Shinji's gaze lowered, looking into the distance.
-Time rewind to a few hours ago.
"The person who helped me?"
After a long silence.
Kuchiki Kōga gave Shinji, who was sitting in front of him, a deep look "The people who helped me, I didn't get a clear look at them."
"They seemed to use some kind of ability, or perhaps some special technique, to completely hide their bodies and spiritual pressure in the air, making them undetectable."
"So, I couldn't see their faces."
"However, when they left, I vaguely heard the two words 'Urahara'."
The voice gradually faded.
The seal had already completely spread over Kuchiki Kōga's entire body.
Kyoraku Shunsui's eyes were deep "Urahara?"
Urahara Kisuke?
It certainly wouldn't be Urahara Kisuke who helped Kuchiki Kōga.
Shinji could confirm with absolute certainty that Aizen was the one who released him.
The reason for leaving the words "Urahara" at the end was most likely to mislead the Soul Society's attention.
To make the Soul Society shift its gaze to the Human World, to Urahara Kisuke, the Former Captain of the 12th Division and head of the Research and Development Bureau, who had defected from the Soul Society over a hundred years ago.
"He truly thinks a hundred steps ahead." Shinji sighed.
"Eh? What do you mean?" Hearing this, Matsumoto Rangiku put down her pen, stretched languidly, and leaned against the window, asking.
"Just a passing thought, nothing." Shinji said casually.
At that moment, a spiritual pressure moved quickly across the sky.
It was through Tenken.
It was Kyōraku Shunsui's voice.
"Ahem, this is Captain Kyōraku Shunsui of the Eighth Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."
"Please, those who hear my voice, do not panic." After a light cough, introducing himself, and calming everyone's emotions, Kyōraku Shunsui continued "Tonight, the Soul Society and the Seireitei experienced significant disturbances."
"According to investigations, the culprit is Kuchiki Kōga, who was sealed centuries ago by Captain Commander Yamamoto and the former head of the Kuchiki Clan, Kuchiki Ginrei."
"Subsequently, Kuchiki Kōga has been sealed again by the combined efforts of the Captains."
"Now, I announce the verdict for Twelfth Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi."
"During Captain Kuchiki Shinji of the 10th Division's Captain assessment, Twelfth Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, without the Soul Society's permission, privately released his Zanpakuto and used his Bankai."
"In this process, Captain Mayuri released a large amount of toxins within the Spiritual Arts Academy."
"Such actions are unworthy of his Captain status and are extremely heinous!"
"However, last night, Captain Mayuri quickly developed a medicine that could restore Zanpakuto, quelled this disturbance, and prevented the Soul Society and Seireitei from suffering greater losses."
"Considering that Captain Mayuri's use of Bankai did not cause significant destruction, and he clearly showed signs of remorse, his merits and demerits cancel each other out."
"Captain Mayuri is hereby given a warning, with some of his authority temporarily restricted, to be restored after one month of observation."
"This is everything that happened last night, please do not panic."
"That is all."
"Repeating once more."
"This is Captain Kyōraku Shunsui of the Eighth Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.."
"..."
The verdict for Mayuri was delivered so quickly?
Has Captain Commander Yamamoto already returned from the Soul King Palace?
Shinji pondered, deep in thought
"So Mayuri has had his status as Captain of the Twelfth Division restored, how annoying." Matsumoto Rangiku complained.
What she didn't know was that Mayuri would never dare to do anything to offend Shinji again, nor would he dare to challenge Shinji.
Because Mayuri's life was now in Shinji's control.
Shinji smiled, not wanting to explain it was better to keep his relationship with Mayuri hidden.
Just then, a black hell butterfly flew in from the window and landed on Shinji's hand.
After receiving the message from the hell butterfly, Shinji said without looking back "Rangiku, I'll leave things here to you, I have something I need to go out for."
With that, with a whoosh, Shinji used Shunpo and vanished from the spot.
"Eh?"
"How can this be?"
"Kuchiki Shinji, you heartless person! If you don't take me to the Human World ten times, I won't forgive you!" After complaining, Matsumoto Rangiku rubbed her shoulders and sat down in the office chair, burying herself in the official documents before her.
Tonight, she would have to work Gaban.
And the kind without pay.
Thinking of this, Matsumoto Rangiku couldn't help but huff, poking the table a few times as if venting her frustration..
Whoosh!
A faint whooshing sound echoed.
Several patrolling Shinigami sharply raised their heads, then scratched their heads in confusion.
"I clearly heard some sound just now."
"Maybe you're too sensitive and just imagined it."
"Possibly, After all, something like this happened tonight, and we still need to maintain a high level of vigilance, Who knows where an materialized Zanpakuto might be hiding."
Their discussion gradually faded into the distance.
By now, Shinji was already far away.
Shunpo, continuous Shunpo.
Even Lieutenant-class Shinigami wouldn't dare to use Shunpo endlessly, as continuous use would place a great burden on their spiritual pressure and body.
They could only use Shunpo in bursts while traveling, which conserved spiritual pressure and stamina, while also maximizing the efficiency of their spiritual pressure.
But Shinji was completely different.
Having entered the 3rd Fusion State, Shinji possessed spiritual pressure that surpassed that of Captain-level Shinigami by big margin.
With his exaggerated physical prowess and inhuman spiritual pressure, Shinji didn't need to worry about the spiritual pressure consumption of Shunpo, and could maintain a movement speed several times faster than Captain-class Shinigami.
This high-speed movement even allowed Shinji to pass right in front of patrolling Shinigami without them being able to react at all.
His Shunpo had already surpassed the extent that most Shinigami's eyes could perceive!
Behind him, Nelliel, with green hair reaching her waist and dressed in shinigami uniform, followed closely behind Shinji at an equally rapid pace.
Following the location information left on the hell butterfly, Shinji entered an underground research facility.
This area was already covered by the Twelfth Division's Research and Development Bureau.
As soon as he entered, a strangely dressed figure, appearing eerie in the darkness and wearing a white captains haori coat, slowly seeped out of the wall.
"You're very fast, Captain Shinji." Mayuri Kurotsuchi chuckled with an odd tone, his specially applied clown-like makeup making him appear even more bizarre.
He glanced at Nelliel, who was with Shinji, with a hint of envy in his eyes.
No, no, Mayuri was not that shallow.
Mayuri was simply envious that Nelliel was an Arrancar of the Vasto Lorde.
Spiritual pressure that surpassed that of Captain-level Shinigami, and a powerful body that could provide research materials at any time.
Even just a little blood, skin flakes, or even hair, were incredibly precious research materials!
At this moment, Shinji subtly took half a step back, pinching his nose "What's that smell?"
"Smell?" Mayuri paused for a moment.
He sniffed himself like a dog, then realized "Hoho, I probably accidentally knocked over a jar full of poison earlier, so it's inevitable that I'd get some of the smell on me."
As he spoke, Mayuri walked towards Shinji.
However, Shinji kept backing away.
Mayuri: "???"
You're not afraid of poison, so why are you standing so far away?
Wait.. are you actually disgusted with me?
Mayuri looked up into Shinji's eyes and indeed saw a hint of disgust, his deeply furrowed brows as if he were avoiding some trash.
What a joke!
I am the great Scientist Mayuri, destined to research inventions that will shock the entire world.
His eyelids twitched, and veins bulged on Mayuri's forehead, He no longer dwelled on Shinji's actions, and after a cold huff, he walked arrogantly deeper into the research facility.
"Follow me."
Following Mayuri's footsteps, Nelliel quickly caught up to Shinji, pulling on Shinji's sleeve, and entered the depths of the research base.
"This is a secret research base of the Research and Development Bureau."
"Currently, only two people have permission to enter here."
"One is me, and the other is my Lieutenant, Nemu Kurotsuchi."
"Tch, the Third Seat, Assistant Lieutenant, and Deputy Director of the Research and Development Bureau, Akin, also counts, I suppose, but he can only enter the outer areas; he doesn't have permission to enter the core areas."
Mayuri pouted, glancing at Shinji with a wary look, and added "It was here that Nemu repaired my body."
Shinji nodded.
Through the glass on the door, he looked at the things in the rooms on both sides.
Most of them were things in culture vessels.
Some were internal organs, organs, and body limbs.
Even more, some were directly the corpses of Hollows, even Menos Grande, and the corpses of Shinigami.
Among them, Shinji also saw the corpse of an Arrancar, but there was only one such corpse.
"Is this your entire collection?"
Shinji asked curiously.
"Are you scared?" Mayuri asked with a slightly smug expression.
"No, I just think it seems a bit too little.. You've only collected this much research material in over a hundred years?" Shinji shook his head and said slowly.
Mayuri: "..."
Damn it, you bastard!
I really want to hit him, but I can't beat him, what do I do!?
"How dare, I the greatest Scientist of the future, be looked down upon?" He took a deep breath.
Calming himself, Mayuri Kurotsuchi grumbled "Do you think research materials are that easy to find?"
"The Soul Society and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads aren't blind how could they let me collect specimens everywhere?"
"And just that Adjuchas Arrancar corpse alone took me a massive amount of resources to acquire."
"Not everyone is like you, with a Vasto Lorde Arrancar, following him around!"
Finally, Mayuri Kurotsuchi added "Most importantly, it's alive!"
Alive is completely different from dead!
When dead, it completely loses its activity although it still has research value, it would be greatly diminished.
This is a Vasto Lorde, a Vasto Lorde Arrancar that surpasses Captain-class Shinigami!
"Come in." After indignantly venting his envy and jealousy, Mayuri Kurotsuchi opened the last research lab in the central area.
The space inside was very large, approximately a hundred square meters.
It was filled with research equipment that Shinji couldn't even name.
In the very center, there was a biological culture vessel, and a mass of granulation tissue was slowly wriggling in the nutrient solution.
"This feeling that mass of granulation tissue is.." Shinji frowned slightly.
"As expected of Captain Shinji, to notice it instantly," Mayuri Kurotsuchi grinned, tapping the glass of the culture vessel "This is the experimental subject cultivated from the DNA sample extracted from Nelliel's blood."
An experimental subject?
Could he actually achieve this level?
Shinji's eyes flickered slightly, but then he thought that since even an Artificial Shinigami like Nemu Kurotsuchi had been created, then merely cultivating an experimental subject with Nelliel's genes shouldn't be a big deal.
"You must be curious why I suddenly contacted you, right?"
"The answer, of course, is because our experiment has already made some progress."
Standing by the glass, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's voice was slightly excited as he slowly said "You truly surprise me, Captain Shinji."
"Do you know what I found in Vice-Captain Nelliel's blood sample?"
"Besides her own genes, I also discovered some special substances."
"No, rather than calling them substances, it's more accurate to say they are entirely new genes, a rearranged gene chain."
At this point, Mayuri Kurotsuchi walked to the table, picked up an experimental data report, and handed it to Shinji "Through a large amount of experimental data, I received very clear experimental feedback."
Looking at Shinji, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's eyes were filled with fanaticism "Captain Shinji, you were right!"
"The Vasto Lorde Arrancar is indeed not the end for a Menos Grande."
"Vice-Captain Nelliel, she is evolving, and although the speed of this evolution is very slow, she is indeed evolving, no mistake!"
By the end, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's voice had begun to tremble and stammer.
This man before him.
This man named Kuchiki Shinji.
Clearly, he must possess the technology to allow Menos Grande to continue evolving!
Although Mayuri Kurotsuchi didn't know what kind of technology it was, Kuchiki Shinji absolutely possessed such technology!
Only this could explain why Nelliel, despite being a Vasto Lorde Arrancar, was willing to follow Kuchiki Shinji.
Because Nelliel must know that Kuchiki Shinji possesses such technology, and in order to continue evolving, she stayed by Kuchiki Shinji's side!
This way, everything made sense.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi deduced this.
But what he didn't know was.
Nelliel stayed by Shinji's side purely because Nelliel wanted to stay by Shinji's side.
This had nothing to do with whether Shinji possessed the technology to make her evolve, nor with whether Shinji had power.
Nelliel simply wanted to follow Shinji.
That's all.
"So, is this change good or bad?" Looking at Mayuri Kurotsuchi, whose emotions were slightly out of control.
If the evolution was dangerous, Shinji would immediately stop it.
In his eyes, Nelliel was absolutely not a tool, but a companion.
How could Shinji harm such a well-behaved Nelliel, a Nelliel who was willing to give everything for him?
Beside him.
Nelliel hugged Shinji's arm, her eyes curved like crescent moons, and rested her head on Shinji's shoulder, smiling sweetly.
"Simply put, this change is, of course, a good thing."
And next.
What Mayuri Kurotsuchi said made Shinji breathe a slight sigh of relief.
Upon hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared in Shinji's eyes, and his palm unconsciously stroked his chest.
It seems the Hōgyoku is indeed responding to his wish, helping Nelliel evolve..