Chapter 257
"Captain Hitsugaya? That Ryoka was truly unlucky to encounter Captain Hitsugaya," Kira sighed.
"By the way, our division's 4th Seat has also lost contact just now. He's likely in grave danger. Please dispatch someone to search near West District Twenty," Tetsuzaemon, Lieutenant of the 7th Division, suddenly spoke up to the messenger Shinigami.
"4th Seat? Isn't that Ikkanzaka Jirobo? I recall he's Jidanbo's younger brother, right? Even he was defeated?" Hisagi Shuhei, Lieutenant of the 9th Division, exclaimed in surprise.
"What exactly is going on?! Who are these people invading the Seireitei?"
The Lieutenants from various divisions all showed grave expressions.
"Things are getting serious... Renji, huh? Where's Renji?"
Kira wanted to discuss the Ryoka matter with Renji, only to find that Renji, who had been beside him moments ago, had vanished.
…
Outside the Second Waiting Room.
Toshiro and Rangiku happened to be passing by when they saw Renji emerging from the Second Waiting Room.
"Yo, Renji," Toshiro greeted.
"Ah... Hello, Captain Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Matsumoto," Renji hurriedly responded.
"Captain Hitsugaya, I have something to attend to, so I'll be leaving first!" Renji said with a flustered expression, walking away hurriedly.
"Huh? The order from above was for Captains and Lieutenants to remain on standby in the waiting rooms. Why is Renji leaving? Could he be carrying out some special mission?"
"However... he doesn't seem to be wearing his Lieutenant's insignia, does he?" Rangiku watched the departing Renji with confusion.
"Well, maybe he's rushing off to deliver some 'experience points' to someone," Toshiro said thoughtfully.
Leaving at a time like this without even wearing his insignia… nine times out of ten, he was going to fight Ichigo.
"Deliver experience points?" Rangiku showed a completely puzzled expression.
"Alright, no need to worry about him. Let's part ways here," Toshiro waved to Rangiku and headed alone towards the First Waiting Room.
"Good grief, what's going on? This Captain, always saying half and leaving half unsaid," Rangiku grumbled, watching Toshiro's departing back.
After muttering to herself, Rangiku entered the Second Waiting Room.
Upon entering, Rangiku greeted everyone, found a corner, leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes to rest.
However, as soon as she closed her eyes, a voice suddenly spoke.
"Um... Matsumoto-senpai..."
Rangiku opened her eyes to see Kira, avoiding others' gazes, sneakily approaching her.
"Kira, you don't need to call me 'senpai'. We're both Lieutenants. Just call me Matsumoto," Rangiku waved her hand.
Rangiku was relatively senior among Lieutenants. For those like Kira who hadn't been Lieutenants for too long, calling her 'senpai' was normal. But Rangiku didn't like such titles because they made her feel old.
"Matsumoto-senpai, Renji has disappeared!" Kira whispered, lowering his voice. As he spoke, he glanced around surreptitiously, afraid of being noticed.
"And not only that, he left his Lieutenant's insignia behind," Kira took out a cloth-wrapped Lieutenant's insignia from his attire.
"Renji? I saw him when I came in. He seemed to be heading outside. I thought he was carrying out some mission. Isn't that the case?" Rangiku said, somewhat surprised.
"There's no mission for Lieutenants. The order from above is for us to remain on standby here. That guy Renji... what is he doing? Leaving without authorization at a time like this violates orders. He'll be punished!" Kira said, both angry and anxious.
Toshiro, Momo, Renji, and Kira had entered the Shin'o Academy together as classmates decades ago… they were old friends.
So now that Renji was violating orders and leaving without authorization, Kira was extremely worried because if discovered, Renji would face punishment.
"Matsumoto-senpai, do you know where Renji is going? I need to bring him back!" Kira said.
Rangiku shook her head. "I don't know. And he left very quickly just now, so I don't know his destination. Even if we tried to chase him now, we probably couldn't catch up."
"Damn it, what should we do now?" Kira frowned deeply.
"Does Captain Kuchiki know about this?" Rangiku asked.
"No. I originally wanted to report to Captain Kuchiki, but then Renji would also be punished," Kira said with a troubled expression.
Precisely because he feared Renji being punished, Kira hadn't told anyone else and came to discuss it with Rangiku.
Although Kira and Rangiku weren't familiar, Rangiku was Toshiro's Lieutenant. So in Kira's view, Rangiku probably wouldn't reveal this because Toshiro was also Renji's friend and surely wouldn't want Renji punished either.
"Forget it, Matsumoto-senpai. I'll go out to look for him and try not to be discovered by the Captains," Kira said after some thought.
"Then go. I'll cover for you here and buy some time. But you better hurry. If you're gone too long, you'll definitely be discovered. Then not only Renji, but you'll also be punished," Rangiku advised.
"Hmm, I understand," Kira nodded.
With that, Kira avoided the Lieutenants from other divisions and slipped out of the Second Waiting Room.
…
Directly Beneath the Senzaikyu.
Led by their 'hostage', Yamada Hanataro, Ichigo and Shiba Ganju reached directly beneath the Senzaikyu via the underground waterways crisscrossing the Seireitei.
"So this is the Senzaikyu?" Ichigo looked up at the tall, white tower-like structure not far away with emotion.
"So majestic..."
"However... we're probably in for a tough battle," Ganju said with a serious expression.
"Huh?" Ichigo suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
"What is it, Ichigo?" Ganju asked, puzzled.
"There seems to be someone on the stairs..." Ichigo's eyes glinted sharply.
Ganju and Hanataro looked closely. Indeed, a figure stood on the stairs leading up to the Senzaikyu.
Tap, tap, tap...
The person on the stairs descended step by step, arriving before Ichigo and the others.
"Yo! Long time no see. Do you remember me?" The newcomer said with an icy expression.
"Abarai Renji!!" Ichigo said coldly.