Chapter 61: Return
Having dealt with the serpent-tailed Hollow, Suoh Tsukasa stood still, his blade tip angled toward the ground.
He had no intention of intervening—his companions' battles didn't need his interference.
Even so, his silent figure remained the most terrifying deterrent in the eyes of the two remaining small Hollows.
They instinctively felt fear, their remaining fighting spirit crumbling under this silent threat, wanting only to flee this place quickly.
The battlefield situation soon became clear.
Takahashi Kenta, using the earlier Byakurai support, successfully shattered the single-eyed Hollow's mask during the moment it turned awkwardly from injury, completely defeating it.
Kawada Taichi also restrained the spike-masked Hollow with skilled Bakudō, cleaving it in two with a single strike.
The previously chaotic battlefield suddenly fell silent, leaving only the night wind howling through the empty streets.
Takahashi Kenta and Kawada Taichi staggered over to Suoh, leaning on their Asauchi for support.
They panted heavily, sweat sliding down their temples, both bearing various wounds and having consumed considerable spiritual pressure.
"Suoh, you're incredible!"
The two looked at Suoh's figure simultaneously, their eyes filled with irrepressible admiration and awe.
Just glimpsing fragments of Suoh's battle with the serpent-tailed Hollow from their peripheral vision had completely exceeded their understanding.
Takahashi Kenta's face showed the relief of survival, his voice trembling as he bowed in gratitude.
"Suoh, if not for your support earlier, I would have—"
"No need for thanks. Let's treat your injuries first."
Suoh calmly interrupted him. After helping him stand, he placed a hand on his shoulder, which began glowing with spiritual light.
The healing light of Kidō flickered, and the wounds healed at a visible rate under the spiritual power's comfort.
"Thank you..."
As his physical injuries healed, Takahashi Kenta's tense nerves relaxed. He exhaled deeply and spoke softly.
"Mm."
Suoh nodded and turned to Kawada Taichi, similarly treating him with Kaidō. His injuries were relatively lighter.
Soon, Suoh withdrew his hand and patted his shoulder approvingly.
"Kawada, your performance was excellent."
For Suoh, this was just ordinary combat practice.
But for Kawada Taichi and the others, it was completely different. The competence he'd shown in battle deserved Suoh's acknowledgment.
"I'll continue working hard."
Hearing this, Kawada Taichi froze slightly, then nodded seriously.
"Rest briefly, then let's return quickly."
Suoh's gaze swept over them both as he reminded them.
The three briefly collected themselves, then rushed back toward the hospital.
The night remained deep, so quiet they could only hear the wind from their own movements.
On the return journey.
Takahashi Kenta and Kawada Taichi walked ahead, not far apart, almost shoulder to shoulder.
After fighting through life and death together, a mutual respect had quietly grown between them.
As they drew closer to the meeting point, their spirits relaxed. They occasionally exchanged quiet comments about the battle details, their tones carrying both lingering fear and excitement from their first victory.
Suoh still brought up the rear, maintaining his expanded spiritual perception while mentally reviewing the encounter.
'The instant the small Garganta opened, I immediately detected the unusual spiritual pressure fluctuation from the Hollow.'
'When the first student attack incident occurred, Aizen's experimental Hollows could hide their spiritual pressure. There's no reason I'd encounter a defective one this time.'
Along the way, no new Hollow spiritual pressure appeared within his perception range.
Gradually, spiritual pressure from other student groups began appearing at the edge of his perception—no casualties, conditions relatively stable.
'Should be safe now.'
'The others don't seem to have encountered any large Hollows either.'
What his spiritual perception detected eased Suoh's mind somewhat.
Suoh's greatest advantage was those memory fragments in his mind that transcended the timeline, letting him clearly understand his own strength and situation.
From the start of training, he'd thoroughly prepared for possibly encountering large Hollows.
Even in the moments before the small Hollows dissolved and while performing healing Kaidō, he maintained maximum alertness, guarding against attacks that might come from the shadows.
"Wanting to guard against others depends on whether they even consider you worth their attention."
Suoh sighed inwardly. He clearly understood his current strength—he hadn't even mastered Shikai yet and was still some distance from lieutenant level.
This level of power wasn't worth special treatment from someone like Aizen.
Understanding this, Suoh didn't investigate whether this ambush was coincidence or arranged. At least for now, he was safe.
As the completely disadvantaged party in terms of power, all he could do at this stage was passively accept—anything else was meaningless.
Yet thinking this way, the wariness in his heart still couldn't completely dissipate.
Knowing the future's direction made him more aware than anyone of the crises lurking behind Soul Society.
It also kept his spirit constantly tense during training, making it difficult to truly relax for even a moment.
Perhaps this was the price of his information advantage.
'Sometimes seeing too far ahead isn't entirely good.'
Looking at the increasingly close red cross symbol ahead, Suoh shook his head slightly, pushing aside his chaotic thoughts. He wasn't accustomed to dwelling on negative emotions.
In terms of final results, he was quite satisfied with tonight's battle. At least the simulated techniques had achieved their expected effects in actual combat.
Reaching the rooftop, after reporting his group's results to Guide Toyama, Suoh found a place to be alone.
On the hospital rooftop, students participating in the training gradually returned, gathering in small groups to chat, sharing their experiences from tonight.
Accompanied by conversation, the overall atmosphere felt relaxed and free.
In a corner, Suoh leaned against the railing feeling the night breeze, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the hilt of the Asauchi at his waist.
"Tsukasa, I heard your group encountered a large Hollow. Are you alright?"
Toshiro walked over after reporting his results and asked.
People's thoughts and emotions reveal themselves through small gestures.
The experienced could perfectly hide these tells, but Suoh clearly hadn't reached that flawless level yet.
Toshiro noticed his friend's mood was off—that seemingly casual stance subtly concealed hard-to-detect wariness.
He also noticed Suoh's peripheral vision occasionally sweeping the rooftop's blind spots, as if confirming something.
Though curious about the reason for this vigilance, Toshiro ultimately asked nothing.
Some things didn't need to be asked too clearly. He silently stood beside him.
"I'm fine. How about your side?"
Seeing this, Suoh stopped his hand movements, speaking casually.
"Nothing much, just encountered a few small Hollows."
"Good, that's good."
The simple conversation dispersed in the night wind. Other students' laughter drifted faintly on the breeze, making this corner seem especially quiet.
This peace didn't last long. Guide Toyama clapped his hands, calling for everyone's attention.
"Very good, gather up! This training exercise ends here!"
The students quickly formed ranks. Suoh took one last look at the deep night sky and exhaled softly.
"Unlock!"
The Senkaimon opened again, black Hell Butterflies circling in the air, guiding everyone inside.