The fluttering petals grew more and more numerous, to the point of obscuring his vision. Something felt off...
Not only did Chad think so, but Kyōraku Shunsui felt the same. This rain of flowers was a bit too much; it only carried the right atmosphere when done in moderation.
"Nanao, stop scattering flowers!"
Up in the attic, Ise Nanao seemed not to hear Shunsui's words. She continued to calmly toss petals down, her hands moving even faster than before.
"Nanao, are you even listening? My lovely Nanao! Didn't we agree? You're supposed to stop now, did you forget? Hey, are you still there?"
Shunsui was answered by a wave of flowers. Nanao had finally found the fastest way to throw the petals, dumping the remaining contents of the basket all at once onto Shunsui's head, accidentally dropping the basket along with them.
*They're here to be funny.* Watching Shunsui get buried in petals, Chad finally pinpointed exactly what felt so off. Come to think of it, that guy who was just twirling his sword in place before getting taken out in one punch was also a Squad 8 seated officer, and he had the exact same comedic vibe.
So, in reality, this so-called Squad 8 was just a comedy troupe, right? This Captain of Squad 8 must be some sort of celebrity in the Seireitei; his outfit was certainly flashy enough.
But now was not the time to enjoy a performance!
"Sorry, I don't have time to play with you right now," Chad said politely, sticking to his previous approach. "Please let me pass."
*Quite polite, if a bit rigid.* Shunsui stood up and shook the petals off his body. Old Man Yama might appreciate someone like this, but for him, the guy wasn't quite his type.
"Don't say that, what's wrong with keeping me company a little longer! Why so cold..."
Before he could finish, Chad couldn't help but interrupt, "I'm in a hurry, please step aside. You don't look like a bad person, and if possible, I don't want to fight you."
*Doesn't look like a bad person?* Shunsui's lips curled into a smile. *How naive. Where did Yoruichi find a kid like this?* However, he didn't believe you could understand a person just by looking at them, no matter who they were.
"Neither of us likes to fight, what a headache! You want to pass, but I can't let you, so, could you take a step back?"
*If you step back, I won't pursue you. If you push it a bit, you might even get something out of me.* Shunsui was very curious about Chad's choice. *Are you truly naive, or...?*
However, this curiosity lasted less than a second before it was ruthlessly shattered by Chad.
"I'm afraid I can't."
A very decisive refusal, without a hint of hesitation. This kind of answer made Shunsui doubt whether the other party had caught his underlying meaning. Of course, this kid did look like someone who didn't overthink things.
Still, that straightforwardness was quite likable.
"Then it can't be helped."
*Is he going to attack?* Chad subconsciously clenched his fists, only to see Shunsui suddenly pull a sake jug from behind his back. His left hand produced two sake saucers from who knows where, and smiling brightly, he said, "Drink! Let's have a good drink!"
"Huh?"
"Since you can't back down, just stay right where you are, just for a little while."
Shunsui poured himself a drink while analyzing the current situation in the Seireitei for Chad. "By now, the other captains have also mobilized. This battle should be coming to an end."
*It finally changed.* This was the first time he saw a clear emotion on the kid's face. It was panic, right? Impulsiveness is always temporary; danger always manages to calm people down.
"Until then, just stay here a bit longer and enjoy a good drink with me. I'm the kind of person who..."
"The other captains? Have Ichigo and the others encountered captain-level attacks?!"
*Shouldn't you listen to your elders until they finish speaking?* Interrupted once again, Shunsui felt he needed to take back his previous praise about the boy's politeness. No, he absolutely had to take it back!
What a headache! He had been about to state it plainly. Although it was also a sort of test for Chad, the kid had buzzed in before the question was even fully asked, and the answer was completely beyond his expectations.
*What do you mean, have Ichigo and the others encountered captain-level attacks? Isn't there a captain standing right in front of you? Your panic was actually out of worry for your friends, but before worrying about others, shouldn't you really consider yourself for a second?*
"It seems so." Feeling Zaraki Kenpachi's increasingly violent Reiatsu, Shunsui tried to awaken Chad's most primal instinct for self-preservation.
However, Chad didn't even give him a chance to speak this time. "The situation has changed. Mr. Kyōraku, please leave immediately."
A threat? No, to Shunsui's ears, it sounded more like persuasion: *You can't stop me. If you keep insisting, I won't hold back. Even if I don't want to fight, I am prepared to.*
"And if I say no?"
This was fine too. Only the most direct danger could awaken the instinct for self-preservation, and only through that instinct was it easier to see a person's true colors.
Shunsui held the sake saucer in front of him. The drink Yoruichi hadn't finished pouring—could the kid in front of him make him drink it?
However, the guy on the other side wasn't someone who could be satisfied with just a cup or two of sake. If things went wrong, people were really going to die...
"Mr. Ganju, if we don't go save him, Mr. Ichigo is going to die! That's Zaraki Kenpachi, Mr. Ganju!!"
"Bastard!" Ganju grabbed Hanatarō by the collar and shouted, "Even if we go, what can we do?!"
"Just from that guy Zaraki releasing his Reiatsu, you and I couldn't even move! How are we supposed to save Ichigo like that?! Let alone Ichigo, we couldn't even save Inoue from that little girl!"
"Out of all of us, Ichigo is the only one who might be able to beat that guy Zaraki," Ganju said, his tone darkening. "As much as I hate to admit it, staying there would only get in his way."
"But are we just going to abandon Mr. Ichigo and run... run away?"
"We're not running away, we're moving forward!" Ganju looked toward the Senzaikyū in the distance, where Rukia was imprisoned. "Don't forget his last words. Ichigo wants to prioritize saving Rukia. Do you understand, Hanatarō? He entrusted us with the most important mission!"
*'You guys keep going, leave Inoue to me!'* That was indeed the instruction Mr. Ichigo had given them, but Hanatarō still had his doubts. "Can just the two of us really save Rukia?"
"Don't worry about whether we can or not, we have to give it our all! We must give it our all! Otherwise, we'll be betraying Ichigo's trust!" Ganju gritted his teeth, enunciating every word. "First, we can't waste any more time here, understand? If you understand, then hurry up and move out with me!"
*In truth, even if I give it my all, I probably won't be able to save Kuchiki Rukia.* As he resumed moving with Hanatarō, Ganju knew very well that there was likely a massive crowd of people rushing toward the Senzaikyū right now.
But he still had to go to the Senzaikyū. That was the only way to save Ichigo. After all, out of that massive crowd, not everyone was necessarily an enemy.
*Big Sis Yoruichi, and...*
"Lord Chōzuka, you still need to rest!"
"I'm completely fine, don't worry so much, Isane." Kōe comforted Kotetsu Isane while strapping his Zanpakutō to his waist. "To think those Ryoka's target is still the Senzaikyū. Even though Zaraki is there, I don't think he's the type to properly protect it."
"But you were clearly..." In her panic, Isane almost misspoke. The current Kōe was carrying his Zanpakutō—the true Chōzuka Kenpachi. How could something like yesterday happen again!
But, was it really impossible?
"Never mind, I'm going to ask Captain Unohana for instructions. Without her orders, you absolutely cannot leave Squad 4!"
"Where's the Captain? Has she not returned yet?!"
Over at Squad 2, Lieutenant Omaeda was also looking frantic. Upon receiving the answer that his captain hadn't returned yet, he anxiously paced around the captain's office in circles.
*How could something like that happen, how could it?! Could those Ryoka's target be Squad 2? Captain, please hurry back!*
*Come back and protect me!*