"You—stand up."
Uryū pointed his spirit bow at the Shinigami cowering in the corner, his voice cold.
The man slowly raised his head. His expression was three parts confusion, seven parts fear. The moment he saw the bow, he immediately hugged his head again and crouched down defensively, not daring to look at Uryū.
"S-sorry! I was just passing by—I didn't see anything!"
Hearing that trembling voice, along with the man's utterly unlucky-looking face, Uryū quickly concluded—
This guy was a natural pushover.
No matter how he looked at it, he didn't seem like someone who belonged in a combat division like Squad 11.
Uryū lowered his weapon.
"I won't hurt you. Stand up and speak. What's your name?"
Sensing no killing intent, the man cautiously stood up.
"I'm… Yamada Hanatarō, from Squad 4. I just got dragged into this while walking…"
Hanatarō didn't even know how to explain it himself.
He had been minding his own business when a group from Squad 11 suddenly appeared. With his weak constitution, there was no way he could push through that crowd.
Naturally, he had been swept into their pursuit of Uryū.
Uryū glanced at the injured Squad 11 members groaning on the ground, then said,
"This isn't a good place to talk. Come with me."
Hanatarō hesitated, looking back at the wounded Shinigami.
Even though they had treated him poorly, as a member of Squad 4, he still felt he should treat their injuries.
"Don't worry. They're all superficial wounds. Once the arrows disappear, they'll be able to handle themselves," Uryū said, seeing through his thoughts.
If Hanatarō stopped to heal them now, all of Uryū's effort would have been for nothing.
As a Squad 4 member, Hanatarō could already tell the injuries weren't serious. After some urging, he finally followed.
After turning a couple of corners and leaving the noise behind, Uryū spoke.
"My name is Ishida Uryū. I'm what you Shinigami call a Ryoka."
Hanatarō trembled.
He hadn't expected Uryū to reveal his identity so directly.
"I-I know…"
"You're from Squad 4—you should know the way. How do I get to Squad 12? Take me there."
"May I ask what you're going to Squad 12 for? Ah—never mind, you don't have to say!" Hanatarō quickly corrected himself.
"To settle a personal matter. Just take me near Squad 12—you can leave after that."
"…Can I refuse?" Hanatarō asked timidly.
He didn't want anyone to get hurt because of him.
"That's fine. I'll just find someone else," Uryū said, casually pointing his short bow toward him. "But you'll have to endure a bit of pain."
Uryū couldn't let someone who knew his objective go free.
If Hanatarō refused, he'd have no choice but to pin him down just like the others.
"S-sorry! I'll do it! Just… to near Squad 12, right?"
Used to being pushed around, Hanatarō quickly gave in under the threat.
"Don't worry. I won't harm anyone uninvolved," Uryū said. "If possible, take secluded routes. I don't want to hurt more people."
Hearing that, Hanatarō relaxed slightly.
Maybe… this Ishida Uryū wasn't a bad person after all?
"I understand. But it's quite far from here—we'll need some time."
"That's fine. Lead the way."
Uryū had his own considerations.
Before reaching Squad 12, he wanted to conserve as much energy as possible. Not everyone had Kurosaki Ichigo's absurd stamina.
If he could avoid unnecessary fights, all the better.
Under Hanatarō's guidance, the two entered the Seireitei's sewer system.
Hardly anyone came here, though navigating it was far less straightforward than traveling above ground.
After an entire night of travel, Uryū finally arrived near Squad 12.
He decided to wait.
The captain of Squad 12 would inevitably appear somewhere nearby.
As for Hanatarō, Uryū kept his promise and let him go.
After learning that Uryū was part of the group trying to rescue Kuchiki Rukia—and recalling his own positive impression of her from the Tower of Repentance—Hanatarō promised not to reveal Uryū's whereabouts.
On a rooftop near Squad 12, Uryū waited patiently.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi's appearance was distinctive enough—there was no way he would mistake him.
Finally, as the sun climbed high into the sky, his target appeared.
Mayuri was walking toward Squad 12, accompanied by a girl with braided hair—his lieutenant, Kurotsuchi Nemu.
Earlier, Mayuri had gone to interrogate Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika, hoping to extract information about the Ryoka.
But those muscle-brained Squad 11 members had told him nothing.
With no results, he returned in irritation.
Watching from a distance, Uryū recalled Urahara's warning.
A large part of Mayuri's strength came from his research.
In other words—
Inside Squad 12, his combat ability would be on an entirely different level than outside.
Which meant—
Uryū had to act now.
He could not allow Mayuri to return to the Research and Development Institute.
Stepping with Hirenkyaku, Uryū shot forward like a skater gliding across ice.
"What's this?" Mayuri immediately noticed his approach.
Spotting Uryū blocking his path, Mayuri looked disappointed.
"Oh? So the intruder in the Seireitei is a Quincy. How boring."
His face was filled with disinterest.
He had originally been quite excited about these intruders, thinking he might gain new experimental subjects.
But after learning the Ryoka was a Quincy—
His interest vanished instantly.
Quincy were no longer of value to him.
"Since you know I'm a Quincy… then you must know why I'm here."
As he spoke, Uryū raised his arm.
His Quincy Cross slid into his hand, forming a spirit bow suited to his height—
Ginrei Kojaku.
"Your purpose? I'm not interested. Move aside—I have other research to begin. Don't get in my way," Mayuri said dismissively.
That indifference ignited Uryū's anger.
"Ishida Sōken… have you forgotten?!"
Uryū crushed a small vial.
A surge of Reishi gathered at his fingertips.
Drawing back Ginrei Kojaku, he formed a massive Heilig Pfeil.
He released.
A millstone-sized beam of Reishi shot forward—
Silver Tornado Arrow!
The overwhelming Reiatsu finally caused a slight change in Mayuri's expression.
He took out a ring shaped like a human face and detonated it in front of him.
The explosion formed a temporary barrier.
The Silver Tornado Arrow slammed into it.
It didn't break the shield—
Instead, it generated immense force, pushing Mayuri and Nemu back several streets.
Uryū had planned this carefully.
If he couldn't let Mayuri reach Squad 12—
Then he would forcefully drag him away.
The Silver Tornado Arrow was a technique Uryū developed by imitating Tsuna's Scarlet Dragon Tornado Arrow.
However, lacking the disintegration property of Storm Flames, it was incomplete—
It had propulsion, but little destructive power.
And right now—
That was exactly what Uryū needed.
Seeing Uryū appear again before him, Mayuri let out a sinister chuckle.
The name "Ishida Sōken" had piqued his interest.
"So, you're the leftover of that material. Unfortunately, my research on Quincy is already complete. Coming to me now is meaningless."
"'Material'… so it really was you!"
Uryū's eyes burned with fury.
"Correct. I was the one who prevented the Shinigami from assisting Ishida Sōken. Acquiring such experimental material through proper means isn't easy. Thanks to him, I was able to complete my Quincy research."
Mayuri spoke as if it were nothing.
To him, people were either experimental subjects—
Or things not worth experimenting on.
"You… shut up!!"
A familiar technique erupted from Ginrei Kojaku—
A rain of light.
Countless Reishi arrows poured down like a storm.
But to Uryū's shock—
Mayuri simply said, "Nemu."
Without hesitation, Nemu stepped in front of him.
She spread her arms wide—
Using her own body as a shield.
Arrow after arrow pierced into her.
In moments, her body was filled with Reishi arrows like a pincushion.
Despite clearly feeling pain—
She did not move.
She did not resist.
Uryū had known Mayuri was cruel.
But even so—
He hadn't expected this.
The way Mayuri treated the life of someone right beside him—
And the pained expression on Nemu's face—
Forced Uryū to stop his barrage.
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