Chapter 162: Together

"What on earth is the purpose of bringing me to the Soul King's Palace?"

Looking at Shutara Senjumaru, who had never lost her temper in front of him until now, Chojiro grew increasingly confused about the intentions of the Royal Guard in coming here.

He logically should have had no reason to be taken to the Soul King's Palace. If he had to name one, it would be his identity as a transmigrator, but even the Soul King shouldn't know about that. Moreover, neither his injuries nor his Bankai had any issues; there was simply no reason for him to follow the Royal Guard to the Soul King's Palace.

Besides, the Seireitei had been destroyed to this extent, and the reconstruction work was not yet finished. With Shigekuni Yamamoto gone from the Soul Society, someone had to step up and take charge of the overarching situation.

"You certainly have a lot of questions."

"!"

Having never spoken a word—and having remained unseen ever since she emerged from the Pillar Heaven Carriage—Shutara suddenly stood right behind him and spoke up.

However, compared to before, she was holding a few translucent, giant spherical objects in her hands.

"Since when did you become so long-winded, Chojiro?"

Grabbing four unknown spherical objects in her skeleton-like hands, combined with what he knew of Shutara's personality, Chojiro couldn't shake a strange feeling—

*What on earth are those eggs in your hands? You didn't just cut them off from somewhere, did you...*

"I certainly don't want to be dragged off to the Soul King's Palace in the dark. That won't do."

"No one said it wouldn't do. It's just that a mere century has passed, and the man I've set my sights on has changed beyond imagination."

Placing her hand beside her cheek and striking a rapturous pose, Shutara left everyone present on the verge of popping their eyes out in shock.

"Simply utterly fascinating~~~~"

Hey, hey, Big Sis, did you read the wrong script? That seductive expression and alluring tone are definitely not things you should possess?!

"...That won't do."

And the one who resolutely stepped forward while Chojiro was being teased was, naturally, our leading lady—Retsu Unohana!

Oh, oh! Are two women going to claw at each other over a man? What a breathtaking scene!

Kyoraku thought maliciously to himself with a tiny surge of excitement on the side.

"Those inside are Byakuya Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, and Rukia Kuchiki, aren't they? Any one of them is a patient who will instantly die if they leave the Soul Society. I cannot let you take them away."

Huh? He had originally thought she was stepping forward to defend her husband, but it turned out she was only speaking up about them being patients? By the way, aren't you concerned about your fiancé being taken away by someone else?

"That's precisely why we have to take them, oh?"

Kirinji, having regained his vigor, removed the wooden stick from his mouth and suddenly put on a serious face.

"You can't cure them, but I can. You should understand this logic, Retsu."

Staring intently at Unohana's silent back, Kirinji put the wooden stick back into his mouth.

"What you need to do right now is not treatment."

***

"...Are those inside the Tensa Zangetsu?"

Utterly uninterested in the developments on the other side, Mayuri suddenly discovered that one of the spheres in Shutara's hands contained Ichigo's broken Bankai, which should have been kept in the Department of Research and Development.

"My, my, isn't this Mayuri? I didn't recognize you at all just now."

"You're still the same as ever, dabbling in shady, unseen business."

"I don't understand what you mean."

Shutara placed a hand near her mouth, striking a uniquely feminine and mocking pose. She spoke with not a shred of warmth toward the man with whom she had once shared professional ties.

"This self simply placed her hand on the door, and the door opened, that's all. Though the lock was much looser than before I ever visited."

"..."

Speechless.

To be able to speak of uninvitedly entering someone else's room and taking things with such an air of righteous justification—Shutara was definitely the first person in Mayuri's experience. Precisely because of that, he utterly despised this woman.

He despised her even more than that man whose very voice annoyed him.

"Answer my question."

Completely ignoring the commotion over there, Chojiro continued to press his own inquiry.

"Why bring me to the Soul King's Palace as well?"

"If Kurosaki Ichigo is being taken to repair his Bankai, I shouldn't have any issues of that sort. I cannot understand. If you won't give me a reason..."

Slowly resting his hand upon the hilt of the Zanpakuto at his waist, the atmosphere at the scene instantly tightened.

"Pardon me, but I cannot accompany you."

"Even if this is an order from the Soul King, it's the same."

"..."

"..."

All five members of the Royal Guard instantly put away their unconcerned facades, fixing their gazes entirely on Chojiro. Moreover, the peculiar way the five of them positioned themselves vaguely surrounded Chojiro in the center. Should any sudden movement occur, they could launch a coordinated pincer attack from five different directions. Facing such formidable combat power, surely no one could withstand attacks from all five simultaneously on the first try.

"My, my, long time no see, everyone~~~~~"

Just as the atmosphere grew so tense that palms were sweating, a deeply discordant voice suddenly chimed in, drawing everyone's attention.

Kisuke Urahara.

The man who ought to have been in Hueco Mundo was utilizing a special device installed in a Soul Candy body to project his image across two separate regions, meeting everyone present.

"Eh? The atmosphere seems a bit bad..."

"Stop chattering. If you've shown up, it must be to give us peace of mind regarding Kurosaki Ichigo, right?"

Instantly seeing through Urahara's intentions, Chojiro sighed, letting his hand drop from the sword hilt. It seemed he intended to give up on resisting the Royal Guard through sheer force.

"As expected of Sasakibe-san, right on the mark!"

After the boorish and frivolous man rattled off a lengthy speech to Ichigo, Ichigo offered no further resistance and obediently followed the Royal Guard, preparing to take a look at that Soul King's Palace.

Now that Kurosaki Ichigo was dealt with, the only remaining problem was Chojiro.

"Alright, let's go."

"Eh?"

Seeing Ichibe casually prepare to leave, everyone involuntarily let out expressions of doubt.

"Hey! What about Chojiro?!"

Kirinji, completely out of the loop, had no idea why the leading monk was suddenly leaving just like that. Was he going to ignore the Soul King's command?

"Didn't he already agree?"

"When on earth did he agree?!"

"Mn, I agreed. Just now, while Urahara was talking, Ichibe persuaded me."

"So fast! No... how on earth did he persuade you?!"

"You talk too much, Kirinji."

"Do you think dropping such a cool line is enough to brush everything aside?"

"Please wait a moment."

"!"

Just as the Royal Guard prepared to leave with both Chojiro and Kurosaki Ichigo, Unohana suddenly stepped forward once again.

"Retsu...?"

"I don't know why you are taking Chojiro along with you, but..."

Unohana looked at Ichibe, her eyes flashing with an intensely resolute brilliance.

"Might you also take me along?"

"What???"