"Target spotted!"
From the distant woods, shouts rang out as a group of black-robed Shinigami from the original Gotei rushed toward the Negación.
At their head was a tall, elegant woman with sharp, fox-like eyes—a classical beauty.
Fujimori Makoto, noticing the commotion, stood at the edge of the Negación and waved.
After hours of waiting, reinforcements had finally arrived.
"Hey! Over here!"
He wasn't sure if sound could penetrate the Negación, but he called out regardless.
To his surprise, the group ignored him entirely, instead rushing toward the fading remnants of the golden light with visible excitement.
The leading woman gestured urgently to her team.
"Activate the instruments! Collect the Negación's spiritual particles now—before they dissipate completely!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Her subordinates were clearly researchers, their enthusiasm for spiritual phenomena surpassing even their interest in the woman herself. They immediately set to work.
Fujimori stood mere feet away, watching as they muttered over the Negación's remnants.
"Hey! You there!"
The woman noticed him inside the barrier and barked orders as if he were one of her own.
"Measure the spiritual fluctuations from the Garganta! Now!"
"Why are you staring? Don't tell me you don't know the 19th Detection Kidō? Display it as a spiritual particle readout—I need it for my report!"
Fujimori felt like an idiot.
He'd never even heard of this "Detection Kidō," let alone knew how to use it.
"Damn it!"
The woman—Shutara Senjumaru—clicked her tongue in frustration.
"Useless battle junkies like you are always so unreliable..."
Fujimori's eye twitched.
"Hey! That was a personal attack just now!"
In all his time in this world, this was the first woman he'd met who'd openly insulted him with such Soul Society-grade profanity.
[Who's a useless battle junkie?! Huh?!]
[I'll scare you to death if I take my pants off!]
[I'm way fiercer than any red-hot iron rod!]
[Single-edged and proud!]
Even his Zanpakutō protested, its voice shrill and indignant.
For once, Fujimori agreed with it.
Unexpectedly, the outburst caught Shutara's attention.
"Oh?"
Her sharp eyes flicked to his sword, eyebrows rising.
"A Zanpakutō that can speak independently of its wielder?"
"Interesting."
Fujimori froze.
"W-Wait… you heard that?"
Shutara gave him a strange look.
"Obviously. The spiritual voice didn't pass through you—it came straight from the Asauchi to me. Anyone with half a brain could tell."
"Guh—"
For the first time since arriving in this world, Fujimori felt a surge of genuine gratitude.
This was the first person who'd realized the sword's words weren't his own.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
In that moment, his heart overflowed with appreciation.
"...Are you an idiot?"
Shutara frowned, voicing her thoughts aloud—what kind of person thanked someone after being called a useless battle junkie?
She took a step back in her wooden sandals.
Idiots were even more dangerous than battle junkies.
---
Before long, Shutara's research team finished collecting their samples.
A small, fist-sized gap had been carved into the Negación's barrier.
Thirty minutes of concentrated effort had yielded this result.
The moment the breach appeared, the rest of the golden light collapsed like dominoes, vanishing within seconds.
The Garganta in the sky disappeared as well.
"Phew..."
Shutara let out a relieved sigh.
The Shinigami trapped inside the Negación for hours were finally free.
Unohana tossed the warning device back to Shutara without ceremony.
"The alert system failed."
"The Kidō sensors were hijacked by the Seireitei nobles."
"Fix it."
Shutara groaned, rubbing her temples.
"Damn it!"
"Another redesign?"
"It was working fine!"
Despite her protests, under Unohana's icy stare, Shutara had no choice but to accept the feedback. She pocketed the device grudgingly.
"Fine, fine! I'll do it!"
Watching this exchange, Fujimori gained a newfound appreciation for Unohana's authority in this era.
Even excluding other factors, within the original Gotei, her standing was unquestionably second only to Yamamoto himself.
---
While Shutara grumbled under her breath, the other Shinigami spread out across the village, gathering the corpses of the fallen villagers. Even in death, the spiritual traces left on their bodies held valuable clues.
Others took samples from the river and water barrels.
As the crowd dispersed, Fujimori felt a small hand tug at his sleeve.
He turned to see the brave little girl from earlier, now clinging to him timidly.
Her eyes were red, but she forced a shaky smile.
"U-Um, sir..."
No more "big brother" now.
She glanced at the Shinigami combing through the village, then back at him, her voice small.
"My home… Grandpa… they're gone."
"Can… can I go with you?"
Fujimori's heart softened.
Who could say no to a homeless little girl?
Especially after witnessing the old man's sudden, fiery death—how much worse must it be for her, who'd lived here her whole life?
Plus, she had spiritual potential, right?
He patted her head reassuringly.
"It should be fine. Kids like you are valued in the academy."
"Though you might be a bit young..."
He vaguely recalled the youngest students at the academy being in their early teens.
"I'll ask for you."
"By the way," he added, "what's your name?"
The girl clutched his sleeve tighter, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Eishima."
"My name is Eishima Kirio."
"Huh?"
---
Original Gotei, Training Hall
"The results are clear."
After receiving the research team's report, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni sat in the hall, his voice calm.
"This was another ambush orchestrated by the Seireitei nobles. Seven of our Shinigami died eliminating the Menos, and sixty-nine innocent souls perished in the process."
"Time and again, they prove themselves."
"These nobles are parasites who understand only force."
Yamamoto turned to the assembled crowd, his tone unwavering.
The hall, filled with dozens of Shinigami, was utterly silent.
"Therefore, I have decided..."
"To eradicate all noble influence beyond the 30th District."
"Any objections?"