Chapter 178: The Guilt


    <span style="font-weight:400">Izumi jolted awake, her heart pounding in her chest as she stared at the ceiling. “Otouto’s spiritual energy…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Even though the Quincy were not known for their acute spiritual sensespared to Shinigami, Izumi had a deep, almost instinctual recognition of Kazuya’s Reiatsu. She would never mistake his Reiatsu for someone else.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘He is fighting something. A Hollow or a Shinigami?’</i><span style="font-weight:400"> She pondered, her brow furrowing. Ultimately, the opponent mattered little. The dream of reviving the Quincy race might have slipped through her fingers, but she wouldn’t hesitate in wielding her Quincy bow to protect him.


    <span style="font-weight:400">She tossed aside her nket and donned a cardigan over her simple nightdress.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘Hang on, Otouto-kun. I’ming.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Upon reaching the doorstep, Izumi halted, noticing Lisa, the titr maid, hurriedly slipping on her shoes. Much like her, Lisa had hurried out of her room in a casual shirt and skirt.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Feeling Izumi''s presence, Lisa turned, a hint of surprise shing in her eyes. She had hoped, rather optimistically, that the heightened Reiatsu signatures crowding the Karakura Town wouldn’t rouse Izumi. The sight of Kazuya in his Shinigami outfit would destroy all of his hard work.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Izumi-sama, you… no, you can’t go to him.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Izumi’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why not?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Because…” Lisa faltered for a moment, her eyes flicking down to her shoes. “He is fighting a strong opponent. You’ll make things worse for him in your current condition.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Izumi’s frown deepened. “I have fought Hollows for years. Don’t underestimate me just because I experienced a few rocky weeks.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not underestimating you.” Lisa tidied her shoces and got back to her feet before clicking her shoes together. “You’re underestimating your man. He is the strongest Quincy in my knowledge. Simply being near his Reiatsu will kill us. You’ll not be able to show your affection if you die.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She made up excuses that sounded convincing from her perspective.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“B-But… I want to see him, hug him… I want to feel his warmth.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lisa’s gaze softened upon seeing Izumi’s needy side. “I’ll bring him back as soon as he knocks over his enemy. Please, you can sleep without worry.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Okay… thanks, Lisa. I appreciate your concern for me.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lisa nodded and rushed out of the door. Her steps came to a halt as she saw Shinji leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and eyes closed.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Doing your drug dealer impersonation today?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Shinji gave a wry chuckle. “Lisa, they’ve already kicked us out of their world. Whatever happens to them isn’t our problem.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lisa rolled her eyes. She barely convinced Izumi to stay at home, and now Shinji wanted to convince her to stay back. “I just want to see which Arrancar is wreaking havoc in <i><span style="font-weight:400">my </i><span style="font-weight:400">town.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She kept her deeper suspicions to herself, suspecting that amidst the Shinigami’s Reiatsu, there lurked a familiar presence. She had to check up if she was hallucinating under Aizen’s Zanpakutō or the tiny girl she read stories to was present in the town.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Shinji, however, blocked her path, his expression serious. “They’re Aizen''s underlings. Do you understand the implications of that?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ah. Kazuya was right, then?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Exactly. I won’t stand by and watch you risk your life foolishly.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not dying before I meet my charming prince and corrupt him into a DEMON.” Lisa walked and looked over her shoulder, shing a cheeky grin. “I appreciate the heads-up, though.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Fool,” Shinji groaned, rubbing the back of his head. He grabbed the covered katana standing by the wall and threw it at Lisa. “Take this then.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Lisa caught the sword without turning around and tore apart theyers covering the sword. “Thanks, Shinji.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">…


    <span style="font-weight:400">At the same time, Kazuya’s Mansion.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Api felt a surge in her veins — a reaction to the spike in Kazuya’s Reiatsu. She was seated at the dining table with Harribel and Ciri, who seemed unfazed by the disturbance. Ciri was tenderly bottle-feeding milk to kittens, her maternal instincts on full disy, while Harribel watched her with a gentle, almost wistful smile, reflecting her own innate nurturing nature.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Tier, he is fighting an Arrancar. Can you stop ignoring it?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Though everyone was aware of Kazuya’s excursion, the sudden appearance of numerous Arrancar was unexpected. Api would have dly taken his ce in battle if it weren’t for his current guise as a Shinigami, whichplicated their ability to intervene.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harribel turned to Api, her smile still in ce but her eyes serious. “Doesn’t that Reiatsu remind you of Kazuya''s when he first became an Arrancar?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Now that you mention it… yeah, it does have some resemnce. Is he fighting his brother?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harribel shook her head. “It can’t be his brother… you both stay here. I’ll go over to see if he needs any help.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I want to go too,” Api grumbled. “BUT he said I can’t be involved.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Ciri grinned, holding the kittens wrapped in a soft towel. “Lady Api, there is a good reason behind his wariness.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I know, fuck. I might do something irrational to expose him. Tier, you too. Don’t do anything that might ruin everything.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Acknowledging Api’s words with a nod, Harribel rose from her seat. She slipped on a ck sweatshirt over her shirt, zipping it up to her chest and pulling the hood over her head. The cover of night outside provided a perfect chance to conceal her distinct features as she prepared to venture into the uncertain darkness.


    <b>***</b>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Soul Society.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The bustling high-tech 12th Squad headquarters, the Shinigami Research and Development Institute was awash with a sudden, frantic energy. The Operators scurried about in a state of near-panic. The reason for their distress — their gadgets had just detected multiple high-level Arrancars converging in the same location as a group of their students.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Their precise devices messed up somewhere and overlooked the spatial distortions of Garganta. In a division where small mistakes could spell disaster, such an oversight could have dire, even life-altering consequences.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Akon, however, didn’t seem at all worried about the consequences. “Send a transmission to the Captain Commander. He must know this as soon as possible.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He understood the stakes — the presence of powerful Arrancars in close proximity to their students was a threat of the highest order, one that demanded immediate action and the involvement of the Soul Society''s highest echelons.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The Gotei 13 had to mobilize reinforcements to provide support as soon as humanly possible.