Chapter 39 - The Mission I

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In a dim room, a bespectacled man wearing the standard Shinigami shihakushō sat in front of a monitor perusing streams of data. To his side were open files and looking at them made him frown a bit before it faded to a bemused expression.

"A variable at this time? Ain't that a bitch." He heard a hoarse voice to his side and his smile turned into another expression of amusement, but with something vague underneath.

"It can't be helped. The plan, barebones as is, was made in a way that it adapts to any foreseeable change." The bespectacled man said to his unseen partner. "This is all within calculations."

"Well, if you said so." His partner said with a chuckle before going silent as if contemplating something. "Heard about the new guy from the Second? The Cap'n seems to think he is the real deal."

He clicked off the monitor with a snort and picked up the files, his eyes trailing with interests to a section of what was written.

"An illusion-type Shikai. I admit I'm a bit curious." He said.

"Bet ya would." His partner said in a patronizing tone. "After all, it's almost impossible to find two Zanpakutō with the same type of Shikai abilities."

Though his partner didn't say it, he understood what was being implied, except he wasn't worried.

'If the Captains could easily break out of his illusion, and even know that they were in one, that means that his illusions aren't absolute.'

"You don't have to worry about that." He said smoothly. "Just focus on remaining low profile in your squad and keep your ears open for any valuable piece of information. As for the variable, he's on a mission right now."

"Want me to draw out his abilities?"

He shook his head. "The Captains did commend his strength and we wouldn't want to take any chances now, do we?" His question was a rhetorical one, or his partner took it as one, but he smiled regardless and nodded in content. "I have just the sample to draw his capabilities out."

"Well, you do you. You're the boss." With those parting words, the stranger's presence disappeared from the room while the man flipped through the report in his hands, a fulfilled smile almost welcoming his face. "Now this, this is interesting."

…..

[West Rukongai, District 17]

Itachi's paranoia had tipped over a scale ever since Yoruichi approached him for this mission. As he currently was, though still lacking, he had basic information of the three worlds where the Shinigami operate; the Living World, Soul Society and Heuco Mundo.

He was still severely lacking in his knowledge of Kidō, especially the forbidden ones, but he could do without them, even if learning Kaidō would have been a blessing to him.

There were still things he was ignorant of, a lot of things, but the basic knowledge was enough for a foundation for someone like him.

He even learned that there was another release after the Shikai release – a Bankai release – the highest qualitative leap in power for a Shinigami and something that all Captains had.

'Just dealing with them using/not using Shikai is already a stretch.'

He could leave anytime if this turned out to be an ambush, or a jungle execution, like his mind rattled about, but that would mean he had to go through with the mission just to know for sure.

He prided himself in being able to read people, and given how long he stayed around Yoruichi and Soi Fon, he liked to believe his read on them were accurate… except that ninjas like them are known to be very good liars.

'What do you think, Tsukuyomi? Am I being too paranoid?'

'Do you think you're being too paranoid, Itachi? Your cautiousness is warranted, your paranoia understandable.'

'That was not an answer.'

'Why do you need an answer?' Tsukuyomi asked.

Itachi paused at the question, briefly wondering how comfortable he had gotten with Tsukuyomi that he would ask it for its opinion, something he couldn't remember doing for a long time. Truly a lonely soul.

'Why do I need an answer?' He continuously asked himself.

'I see.' He mused in understanding. 'If I can't come to an answer then I'll go with any action I choose and deal with the resulting consequences.'

Itachi fully agreed with the idiom of two heads being better than one; especially when both heads were from the same soil.

….

According to the Yoruichi's brief, Kisuke was able to reprogram what they used to pick up dense Reiatsu signals and tweak it to read up any disturbances in the natural Reishi atmosphere of the Rukongai and coincidentally, the Reishi atmosphere seemed to have bubbled up more in a specific quadrant of the Rukongai.

"Shadow clone jutsu."

Summoning two clones and using a cosmetic Transformation jutsu, Itachi sent them in two separate ways to fan out and see if they could pick up anything.

Yoruichi had given him a device to radio back to the Research Division of the Twelfth to request aid, scan for Reishi upsurge, or share information, but he was yet to use it and in caution of being tracked, he gave it to one of the clones and left it to its discretion.

Using his Sharingan at intervals, he checked to see if there was anything buffering the atmosphere and so far he's been out of luck.

Stopping in the outskirts of a small settlement at the base of a mountain, Itachi thought he could spare some time and see if the locals were talking about anything new, and indeed they were.

Turns out, some people have been 'kidnapped' recently and the local mishmash of security personnels couldn't do anything to find them, saying they 'simply vanished'.

Itachi didn't spend up to an hour there and continued on his mission after getting that little tidbit.

'You're getting more comfortable with being a soldier.'

It was very rare for Tsukuyomi to take the initiative to speak with him, except for a few times where he was mentally troubled, so this was a pleasant surprise, especially his words.

'I… know.' Itachi admitted in a moment of weakness.

He couldn't really blame himself as he found himself drawing closer to former habits as time went on inside the Second. It wasn't something he told himself he'd do, instead he just found himself automatically gravitating towards it.

Even the missions from Yoruichi were the same.

Tsukuyomi didn't speak another word, leaving Itachi to his musings and waiting for him to choose whatever he wanted to do.

"I thi-"

His words were cut short with his eyes going darkly cold as he stared in a specific direction where he just lost connection with one of his clones.

It was even surprising when his clone didn't know how it died and just simply popped out of existence.

Despite it currently being nighttime, Itachi sprang into a run towards the clone, activating his Body Flicker technique to the fullest which caused his body to disappear in a blur that was only seen with his first step.

….

Itachi and his clone arrived at the same time and without exchanging a word, both disappeared after a trail they caught.

For it to be able to sneak up on Itachi, even if it was a clone, then its abilities couldn't be underestimated.

Unfortunately for whatever it was, Itachi's eyes were capable of seeing the faintest of energy signatures if one knew how to look for it.

Unless it was a normal soul, whatever killed the clone couldn't have done so without utilizing their Reiatsu in a way, and that was the trail they got. A very faint thread of Reiatsu that was almost disappearing when they arrived.

'Flank them.'

A quick glance to the other and a message was communicated.

"Hiding is useless." Itachi said and the Hollow's eyes behind its mask widened as he saw Itachi in mid-swing, a few centimeters away from its neck.

CLANG!

Itachi's eyes betrayed the faintest of surprise when the Hollow backtracked two steps back and parried his sword.

However, before it could gloat or press on an attack of its own, the clone appeared behind him with a pointed finger which he slashed down.

"Bakudō #1: Sai!"

'Bakudō #1: Sai' is a restraining supplementary Kidō spell that seals the target's movement in a form of invisible chains to Itachi's eyes.

The reaction from Itachi and his clone was instantaneous as both of them chorused their next attack in tandem.

"Hadō #4: Byakurai."

"Hadō #4: Byakurai."

The restrained Hollow was hit with two streams of white lightning from both of them, engulfing the spot he was restrained in plumes of fire and lightning.

The clone appeared at Itachi's side and they both frowned as they looked at the smoke before it was forcefully blown away with the weapon the Hollow held.

"Hehehehehehehe…"

It laughed sickly as if it was amused by what they just did and further inspection from the shinobi revealed that not only did it escape its bind somehow, it also remained undamaged from their joint attack.