Chapter 270 270 A Mere Hanataro
"Well, in a certain sense, what you said is indeed correct," Ukitake couldn't help but smile slightly, and he stopped pressing Toshiro on why he didn't act. He believed Toshiro must have his own reasons for doing so.
After Yoruichi escaped carrying Ichigo, Byakuya also turned and left without the slightest intention of conversing with Toshiro or Ukitake.
"Hey, Byakuya! Where are you going? What about these two? Shouldn't you be the one to handle the aftermath?" Toshiro glanced at Ganju and Hanataro.
"I've lost interest. You deal with it," Byakuya said without turning his head.
"Yare yare, you're really willful," Toshiro said helplessly.
"Oh, right, Byakuya. Considering how hard you fought earlier, I'll tell you..."
"Actually, if you had continued chasing just now, you could have caught up to Shihoin Yoruichi."
"Although her Shunpo is indeed superior to yours, based on my observation just now, her movements when using Shunpo were somewhat rusty. So, I judge that in the hundred-plus years she's been missing, she probably hasn't used Shunpo much. It's inevitable that she'd be rusty. Plus, carrying someone and continuously using Shunpo at high intensity consumes a lot of stamina. So if you had kept chasing, Shihoin Yoruichi would have eventually exhausted her stamina and been caught by you." Toshiro explained, seemingly helpfully.
Hearing Toshiro's words, Byakuya, who had been walking away, stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
Byakuya's mouth twitched. He turned his head, staring at Toshiro. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"
"Well, that... I thought you could figure it out yourself. Actually, I even suspected you might have let Shihoin Yoruichi go on purpose because of your past friendship. Now it seems I misunderstood you. My apologies, Byakuya," Toshiro said 'apologetically'.
"You... Hmph!" Byakuya let out a somewhat stifled snort, flicked his Captain's Haori, and turned to leave.
…
In a deserted corner.
"Huff... huff..." Yoruichi put down Ichigo, whom she had been carrying on her shoulder, and sat on the ground, breathing heavily.
"Sigh... is it because I haven't been in actual combat for over a hundred years? After just using Shunpo a couple hundred times in succession, I'm out of breath... If Byakuya had kept chasing, it would have been dangerous..."
"Have I really gotten old?" Yoruichi couldn't help but wonder.
"Wake up quickly, Ichigo. You need to become stronger. When you wake up, I'll tell you the secret of Zangetsu's true power..." Yoruichi murmured to herself.
Senzaikyu.
Just after Byakuya left, Rukia suddenly felt dizzy and involuntarily fell toward the ground.
"Rukia!" Toshiro's figure flashed, instantly appearing beside her to catch her.
"What's wrong with Rukia, Toshiro?" Ukitake asked urgently.
Toshiro checked carefully, then replied, "Nothing serious. Rukia has been imprisoned for so many days, so her body was already weak. Earlier, her mind was in a tense state the whole time. When Byakuya left, her mind suddenly relaxed, so she fainted."
"Is that so? That's good," Ukitake sighed in relief.
"But just to be safe, let's contact the 4th Division and request the Advanced Medical Team, Jushiro," Toshiro suggested.
"Right. I'll go to the 4th Division and get someone," Ukitake said, preparing to head to the 4th Division.
"Wait a moment, Jushiro," Toshiro stopped him.
After Byakuya left, the people present besides Toshiro, Ukitake, and the unconscious Rukia were Ganju and Hanataro.
"Yo, Shiba Ganju. Do you remember me?" After stopping Ukitake, Toshiro asked Ganju.
Earlier, when Byakuya was about to use his Shikai to kill Ganju, Toshiro had intervened, so Ganju hadn't been severely injured by Byakuya as in the original work.
"You... you are Hitsugaya Toshiro, right?"
"I remember you went to our house before with Uncle Isshin," Ganju recalled.
"Correct. Back then, I was the 3rd Seat of the 10th Division. I went to the Shiba House with Captain Shiba and met you," Toshiro reminisced.
However, after Shiba left the Soul Society, married Masaki, and changed his name to Kurosaki Isshin, Toshiro's contact with the Shiba Clan diminished, and he hadn't visited the Shiba House again.
"You were lucky to run into me this time. Otherwise, even if you didn't die by Byakuya's hand earlier, you'd at least have been severely injured."
"Alright, I won't talk more with you. You should go to the 4th Division to treat the injury on your shoulder. And that Yamada Hanataro, you're from the 4th Division too, right? Regardless of your reasons, you still helped the intruders. So, you return to the 4th Division as well. How to handle you specifically will be left to Captain Unohana." Toshiro arranged.
"Jushiro, take these two to the 4th Division together." With that, Toshiro prepared to take Rukia back to her cell.
However, Hanataro blocked Toshiro's path, not letting him pass.
"Hey, you're blocking my way, Yamada Hanataro. Could you please move aside?" Toshiro frowned.
"I... I won't! I can't let Rukia-san be sent back to the cell!" Despite trembling all over in fear, Hanataro resolutely stood in Toshiro's way.
"Oh? A mere Hanataro dares to block me?" Toshiro couldn't help but express surprise.
"Do you know who I am?" Toshiro asked.
"I... I know you are the Vice-Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Captain of the 10th Division. You are second only to the Captain-Commander among all Shinigami..." Hanataro stammered.
"What's this? You do know. Since you know my identity, you still dare to stand in my way? Your courage is quite something," Toshiro remarked.
"Hmm, I remember your Zanpakuto is quite impressive. If you had your Zanpakuto with you, you might even hold your own against a Captain-level opponent. But now, empty-handed, you'd better not seek death," Toshiro warned