No Cheat in Bleach ? Watch me help Aizen then.-Chapter 103: Dividing Duties

To be perfectly honest, Higashi Shuuichi was far from satisfied with Urahara Kisuke's arrangements.

Sure, his own actions had accelerated the Kasadōri incident, prematurely introducing the concept of Hollowfication to the wider Soul Society—forcing both Central 46 and Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni to treat the situation with unprecedented severity.

This in turn made it far more difficult for Urahara to evacuate the now-Hollowfied and combat-incapacitated captains—like Hirako Shinji and the others—to the Human World.

But dragging Matsumoto Rangiku into the mess? That was going too far.

If not for the fact that Soi Fon would never willingly desert her post, Shuuichi suspected that Urahara might've tried manipulating both Yoruichi and himself into roping her into the escape plan too. freёweɓnovel.com

Still, by the time Shuuichi was informed of any of this, Urahara had already made the decision—just like he'd done with Kisaragi Shūsuke before.

And besides, Rangiku herself hadn't objected. All she'd asked was to see Gin Ichimaru one last time before they left.

Faced with that, Shuuichi had no choice but to give silent approval.

Now, alone—with only his Zanpakutō and Hollow mask—he stood near the Eleventh Division barracks, flooding the area with his Reiatsu.

Weaker Shinigami nearby were forced to retreat, driven back by sheer spiritual pressure. Shuuichi stood there quietly... awaiting the inevitable encirclement.

Yes, he was the core of Urahara Kisuke's plan.

Only by baiting Soul Society's entire leadership into focusing on Higashi Shuuichi—a Hollowfied Shinigami—could the real operation begin.

Because it wasn't just Hollowfication that made Shuuichi dangerous. To Yamamoto Genryūsai, the truly deadly threat was Shuuichi's ability to channel the power of Hell itself.

Only by pulling everyone's attention toward him could Matsumoto Rangiku slip into the now-leaderless Twelfth Division and steal the Senkaimon—the portal to the Human World.

Meanwhile, Urahara and the others had just one job: stall the two Shinigami whom Shuuichi absolutely couldn't face right now.

"So, the two of you think you can handle me?"

Before them stood the Head-Captain himself, Yamamoto Genryūsai. In front of him, Urahara Kisuke—still wearing his captain's haori—and Grand Kidō Chief Hōrinmaru.

"Not defeat you, no," Urahara replied, ever-smiling, utterly unfazed. "But stall you? I think we can manage that much."

"Is that so?"

Yamamoto stepped forward. The ground cracked beneath his feet, his Reiatsu erupting like a sunflare.

"So a few Hollowfied captains have made you cocky, Kisuke."

Everything in front of him crumbled beneath the weight of his power.

Fuzan.

At the same time, over at the Eighth Division...

Captain Kyōraku Shunsui had just begun a leisurely stroll toward his assignment—when he suddenly stopped.

"Lady Yoruichi of the Shihōin Clan. You wouldn't happen to be here for old times' sake, would you?"

On the wall above him, Yoruichi, now clad in her stealth corps uniform, leapt down.

"You caught me, Shunsui. I figured someone like you could see through the mess in all this."

She didn't raise her guard—but neither did she drop it. She kept her distance.

"So what if I do?" Shunsui raised his straw hat with a finger and looked her in the eye.

"You should know better, Yoruichi. If you had done nothing tonight, maybe this could've been salvaged. But you attacked the Maggot's Nest. You freed Urahara and Hōrinmaru. You unsealed Higashi Shuuichi's Zanpakutō—without authorization. You of all people know how dangerous his power is."

"Lady Satoko of the Dōma Clan said she could help stabilize him. And if I'd done nothing, what then? Wait for the man behind all this to make his next move? If I hadn't acted tonight, Kisuke might already be dead by dawn."

Yoruichi shook her head. She didn't accept Shunsui's logic.

"That may be. But do you really believe that by keeping me occupied, you and Kisuke can escape Seireitei in one piece?"

Shunsui's eyes gleamed with understanding.

"Let me guess: the Hollowfied Shinigami are still incapacitated. Higashi Shuuichi is a decoy—drawing all the captains' attention. Meanwhile, your real goal is in the Twelfth Division—the Senkaimon, correct?"

Yoruichi remained silent. But her silence said everything.

"Then you've got a serious problem."

Shunsui's tone turned heavier.

"Your plan may look sound on paper, but how do four of you survive long enough to activate that gate? The captains are reduced in number—not in strength."

Yoruichi clenched her fists.

She couldn't deny it. She and Kisuke had taken a gamble based on Shuuichi's bold promise:

"Just hold off Genryūsai and Kyōraku—I'll handle the rest."

It had sounded ludicrous at the time, but now... there was no going back.

The only alternative was to abandon the Hollowfied captains—Shinji and the others—and escape with only the currently lucid allies.

But if they abandoned Shinji's group now, everything Kisuke had worked toward would be for nothing.

"Whatever the outcome, Shunsui... I hope you'll stay here. Wait it out with me."

Under the cold silence of night, Yoruichi looked at Kyōraku and made her plea.

And surprisingly, he agreed without hesitation.

"After all," he murmured, "I want her to live."

That quiet voice carried a regret he couldn't shake.

If only he'd spoken up earlier—told Lisa Yadōmaru to come with him—maybe she wouldn't be caught in this storm.

Even if Yoruichi hadn't shown up tonight, as long as Kyōraku knew that Kisuke truly didn't mean harm... he had already planned to look the other way.