Chapter 375: Nice Old Man

Boom!

After H'el struck Kenpachi Zaraki and sent him flying, the entire Seireitei fell into a pin-drop silence, as if it was in shock. As H'el carried the unconscious Uryū Ishida and followed Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto on their way to the 1st Division Office, a sudden loud noise broke through the stillness.

In the distance, dust spread, and the sounds of collapsing buildings could be heard.

Of course, this noise couldn't compare to the thunderous crash that occurred when H'el sent Kenpachi Zaraki flying, a sound that had brought a deep silence over all of Seireitei. But now, amid the quiet that followed, this sudden sound stood out.

In the distance, flower-like blades resembling cherry blossoms danced in the air, and the spiritual pressure of a Captain-level Shikai was spreading, catching the attention of all the Captains in Seireitei.

H'el, holding the unconscious Uryū Ishida in his right hand, walked alongside Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Out of reflex, he glanced over and saw a pitch-black cat swiftly leaping across the rooftops of Seireitei's buildings. Noticing H'el's gaze, the cat, which had been running, paused briefly and looked back at him, seeing Uryū Ishida in his grip.

"Uryū Ishida?" The black cat, who had been dashing across the buildings, halted for a moment upon seeing that Uryū Ishida had been captured. Not daring to react further, it quickly sped off towards the source of the earlier explosion.

She didn't know who H'el was, but with Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto nearby, she didn't dare to approach.

"This place of yours is quite interesting," H'el said with a smile, watching the cat run off.

"That so? There may be some turmoil in Seireitei over the next few days, but I'm sure it will be resolved soon," Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto replied kindly, speaking like a grandfather as he conversed with H'el. "You are welcome to stay here for a while."

Yamamoto chuckled, not worried about the situation elsewhere, including the recent commotion. As long as H'el didn't cause trouble, nothing else seemed to matter.

Even if the person behind the scenes, who nearly destroyed half the Captains of the Gotei 13 with Hollowfication experiments a hundred years ago, was making some covert moves again, Yamamoto didn't consider it a major problem.

The one hiding in the shadows, carrying out petty schemes, was not worth his attention.

If, however, this person dared to take on the Gotei 13 head-on as H'el had done—defeating everyone, even Yamamoto himself, leaving them all at a loss—Yamamoto might look upon him with a bit more respect.

As things stood, with H'el present, such underhanded tactics seemed like mere child's play. No matter what plots they concocted, could they be more dangerous than H'el, who had already proven capable of threatening the very existence of all three realms?

Certainly not.

So, these minor issues were left to the division captains to handle. Yamamoto believed they could manage.

Every Captain had unique strengths; there was no need for excessive concern.

"That depends on how much there is here for me to learn," H'el said, not averse to staying for a while, but if he felt there was nothing more to learn, he would naturally leave.

"I have an insatiable desire to learn," H'el continued. "Though I don't know where it comes from, I am sure that, in time, I will learn enough to understand my past. Of course, if you could share some of that with me now, it would be greatly appreciated. I am curious but not impatient."

He smiled at Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, speaking with a calm and measured tone.

He followed the path dictated by his inner responses. Whether it was the path left behind or a new path born in his heart, he walked it steadily and calmly.

Sooner or later, he would regain his past by absorbing a vast amount of knowledge.

To H'el, it made no difference whether that day came sooner or later. His curiosity wasn't overwhelming, and he could live without knowing his past.

"Heh heh..." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto stroked his long white beard and chuckled, his eyes narrowing with amusement.

H'el now seemed completely different from the entity he had encountered a hundred years ago.

In H'el, Yamamoto felt a kinship, sensing a history similar to his own.

Both had been ruthless warriors once—nothing could stop their blades, not even friends, comrades, or disciples who stood in their way of defeating the enemy. But as the Gotei 13 was established in Seireitei, Yamamoto's bloodthirsty nature had been tempered by the passage of time, and a deeper sense of compassion for the world had emerged within him.

The only thing that hadn't changed about H'el was his insatiable desire to learn and understand everything about the world.

Back then, when H'el's studies were interrupted by Tokinada Tsunayashiro, he had unleashed a force that struck fear across all three realms, nearly obliterating the Gotei 13.

Yamamoto suddenly understood something.

The Gotei 13, including himself, had been too arrogant and overconfident a hundred years ago.

They had considered themselves the keepers of world order, thinking their power was enough to stop him, and ended up as mere stepping stones before him, all but destroyed, with Seireitei nearly falling.

In truth…

He just wanted to learn everything there was to learn. He had no interest in the trivial matters of the world. Once he finished learning, he would naturally leave.

It was they who had been too self-important.

A sense of realization arose within Yamamoto, who suddenly felt that a thousand years of pride and arrogance attached to the title of Shinigami had led him to always rely on force.

Previously exuding an aura of authority, his presence always carried an oppressive feeling even when he kept his eyes closed. But suddenly, all of that vanished. He truly became just an ordinary old man, and any sense of authority or oppression he had carried was gone.

Yamamoto hadn't expected that after a thousand years, his understanding of life and his state of mind could still advance further.

He laughed heartily. "Hehehe… If you wish to learn anything, please let me know. I will do my best to find it for you."

This time, if Tokinada Tsunayashiro acted out of turn, Yamamoto intended to personally draw his Ryūjin Jakka and cut him down, granting H'el access to all the books in the Great Spirit Library.

He just wants to read. What a simple desire.

With all his power, he didn't seek to dominate the three realms or become a living Soul King doing whatever he pleased—he simply wanted to read.

Why not satisfy that desire?

How foolish the Gotei 13 had been in its destruction a hundred years ago!

"Truly, having an elder is like having a treasure. You're quite a good old man," H'el remarked, feeling fortunate to have met such a kind elder.

Of course.

H'el had already forgotten the past and didn't remember that the reason Yamamoto was so accommodating was that he and the others had been beaten by H'el so severely that they became better people.

The black cat, carrying Ichigo Kurosaki, glanced over at the two, then quickly departed again.

°°°

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