CHAPTER 128: A Strange Invasion

Kazuya arrived on the scene, wearing a stylish fedora that shaded his features. The hat was more than a fashion choice; it was a discrete measure against any prying Shinigami who might recognize him. As an added measure, he had Yoruichi stealthily hopping from roof to roof instead of walking by his side. Yoruichi was a valuable companion, but her presence could give away his identity.

A stirring surprise greeted him — Tier Harribel was already present, her arms tenderly encircling a young girl. The trembling girl was a Plus, the spirit of a deceased person. The Hollows present around the streets would've eaten the Plus without the duo of Quincy toying with the Hollows.

Izumi and a middle-aged man — whom Kazuya recognized as Sōken — were systematically maiming them with Reishi arrows. When any Hollow dared to advance, Sōken's limbs became blurs, executing punches and kicks with unequivocal accuracy. He was utterly decisive, holding off the almost thirty Hollows without killing a single.

The combat disparity between Izumi and Sōken wasn't just about their Reiatsu. Soken was far more experienced and versed with Quincy techniques.

{He is at his peak right now. By the way, Partner, your mommy is looking mighty fine in that outfit.}

His eyes swiveled toward Harribel, who had traded her regal attire for a more casual one: a white cropped jacket layered stylishly over a midnight black top, her white trousers completing the monochromatic theme. She was confidently showing off her well-sculpted abs.

'Lisa and Sung-Sun are here.'

The odd pair of friends arrived, taking on an observant role in the battle. Kisuke, too, observed from a secure distance, his fan veiling whatever thoughts occupied his mind. The only missing piece was the reason for these Hollows' gathering — he couldn't sense any one from Aizen's faction lurking around.

'They could be observing through some device.'

He refused to believe the group of Hollows invaded the Karakura Town on a whim. Low level Hollows only formed organized groups under an Adjuchas' order but there were no Adjuchas here.

{This might be done to provoke a response from Visored or Kisuke. We don't need to act rashly.}

His eyes widened. Nami's cautious response had the same energy as a wolf feeding a sheep instead of devouring it — an impossible feat.

{I'm merely prioritizing your survival. We aren't evolved enough to crush Aizen… until we do, we'll hide and play coward.}

Something was wrong with Nami, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Izumi, meanwhile, had fully recovered from her leg injury, allowing her to use Blut techniques for both offense and defense. Despite so much firepower, they held back and merely stopped the Hollows from killing others.

Within ten minutes, a small squad of Shinigami showed up in response to Hollows' invasion.

Choosing his moment, Kazuya swiftly led Harribel and the girl into a narrow alley adjacent to the chaos.

The girl punched his leg. "Bad guy!"

"Shhhh." Harribel's fingers pressed gently yet firmly against the young girl's lips, hushing her cries before they could reverberate in a place brimming with Spiritual Beings. She then turned to Kazuya, her eyes softening into a warm smile. "You're back…"

"Like an hour ago. This kid is?"

"I have a name, you know. It's Aikawa Hino," the girl retorted, her eyes wide and flickering with youthful defiance. "Who are you?"

"They call me Hikaru Genji."

Harribel's fingers rested gently on Aikawa's slender shoulders. "I found her haunting children at my school. She fled to this area when I confronted her… I stuck around in case Izumi needed help."

She had seen many souls like Aikawa throughout Naruki City and Karakura Town. They either became food for Hollows or evolve into Hollow themselves after a long time. She didn't wish for either to happen to the young girl.

Kazuya rubbed his chin. "I can purify her and send her to the Soul Society."

The concept of Rukongai grated against him — it was nothing more than a bleak and aimless afterlife — but it was undoubtedly a better alternative to a young soul becoming a Hollow. Babysitting was never on his list of preferred activities, after all.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Aikawa's voice cracked with childish defiance. "I'll stay at the school. Papa will—he will come to pick me up!"

Harribel glanced down, a soft melancholy fogging her eyes. "Kazuya, can we take her home?" The question was tinged with maternal concern. Harribel was prepared to bear the emotional labor of helping Aikawa come to terms with her current state. It was a difficult conversation to have, especially with someone so young.

He knelt and held Aikawa's shoulders. "Do you remember your home address?"

She averted her eyes, her cheeks blossoming into a shade of red. "I-I-I forgot… But Papa knows… he always picks me up after school."

Kazuya crafted his next words carefully. "What if I leave a letter at your school, asking your Papa to pick you up from our place?"

"You..." She stepped back and pointed at him. "You want to kidnap me?!"

A pause stretched through the air, only to be broken by stifled laughter. "Ufufu, Husband came back and decided to indulge in an unripe fruit. He knows how to make things interesting."

"He is a trouble magnet. A group of Hollows invade our town the day he returns. Coincidence? I think not!"

Sung-Sun and Lisa tried to tease him in their own ways but they hardly made a dent on his composure. Lisa's former identity gave him a better idea to deal with Aikawa without risking Harribel getting attached to Aikawa in any sense.

"Tier, can you leave Aikawa to me?"

She hesitated for a split second before nodding. "You've just returned, and I—"

"Don't worry. Think of it as my first trial as a Shinigami. Aikawa, you're coming to our home. It's a mansion this big." He spread his hands wide, smiling sweetly to persuade the young girl. "It also has a pool."

Aikawa's eyes sparkled, her previous hesitations all but forgotten. "Woah. Yeah!"

"Nice. Lisa, I might need your help."

Lisa's brows knitted together, caught off guard by his request. She had long distanced herself from any Shinigami duty, and suddenly being asked to assist in purification felt like stepping back into the world she left behind. Still, she nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Lisa-senpai will help her Kouhai."

He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Well, considering our respective ages, you wouldn't be my senpai but my great granny."

Lisa let out a broken laugh. "I'll fucking kill you."

Sung-Sun cupped her. "Oh no. My friend wants to kill my husband and make me a widow. What should I do?"

{Simple. You kill your friend.}

…

"You, Quincy, are you behind summoning the Hollows?"

Izumi's eyes were clouded with the exhaustions of relentless battle. Her muscles ached; her spirit felt like it had been wrung out. So when the leader of the Shinigami squad accused her without a shred of evidence, something inside her snapped.

"Why yes. I was feeling lonely. So, I invited these Hollows to dine with me. You can detain me for colluding with the residents of Hueco Mundo." She raised her hand, gesturing to the Shinigami to handcuff her. "Go ahead and arrest me."

Every Shinigami stifled a laugh except for their frowning squad leader. "You're crazy."

Sōken, who stood beside Izumi, shook his head. "Please forgive her words. We're as baffled by the sudden Hollow activity as you are."

The Shinigami leader glared at Izumi. "Fine. I'll overlook this—just this once—given your efforts. Alright, men. We are retreating."

As the Shinigami stepped into the Senkaimon and Izumi left in a huff, Sōken let out a sigh. "The Hollow bait wasn't this effective. What caused this?"

...

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