Chapter 26: Marechiyo Ōmaeda

In the dormitory, Yamahiko sat cross-legged on the bed, with his Zanpakuto laid flat on his lap. His hands were placed on the hilt and blade respectively.

There were no signs, no changes. After a while, Yamahiko opened his eyes.

He had possessed the Zanpakuto for a month now. Every day, he poured his soul into it, trying to communicate with the Zanpakuto, but he had not received any results or even a clue.

However, among the sixth-year students, there were already those who had mastered the Shikai abilities and been recruited by other divisions.

This was the first time Yamahiko was not the first.

But Yamahiko was not in a hurry. He stood up, sheathed the sword, got dressed, and then left his room.

Beside his bed, Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Konda were already dressed. Renji looked at Yamahiko and said, "We'll see you off."

Yamahiko nodded. Today was the beginning of his internship, and he had to report to the Second Division.

This meant that from today onwards, Yamahiko would no longer stay on campus, and he would be completely separated from his friends.

With the company of the three, Yamahiko walked out of the room and out of the boys' dormitory. Two girls were waiting outside, Rukia and Momo Hinamori.

Rukia saw Yamahiko, came over, and gave him a hug. "Make sure to listen to your seniors."

Momo also smiled and said, "Yamahiko, we'll see each other again."

Yamahiko was escorted to the door by them. Outside the gates of the Spiritual Arts Academy, the five of them stood in front of Yamahiko side by side.

"I'm leaving then," Yamahiko said, bowing to the five of them.

"Goodbye."

"Take care."

Listening to their farewells, Yamahiko turned and walked away. He felt a bit sentimental, and in the past, he might have cried.

But now, he had a goal he was working towards, and he had become stronger.

Even though he wouldn't see them for a while, he was sure they would meet again.

Yamahiko slowly walked down the street, and then quickened his pace as he made his way to the Second Division's base.

The Second Division's barracks were on a hill, hidden among the forests. Yamahiko climbed the stone steps upward. After just a few steps, a figure leaped high into the air and landed with a thud in front of Yamahiko.

The owner of this figure was exceptionally tall, standing at two meters tall, with a burly physique, and extremely obese.

He was dressed in a black Shinigami uniform with a purple collar and a Zanpakuto hung at his waist.

He stood there like a thick wall, blocking the sunlight from his body.

Yamahiko naturally recognized this person. He was said to have the power to change the world. He was known for disguising his true abilities and quietly resolving crises in the Soul Society.

He was the Vice-Captain of the Second Squad, Captain of the Onmitsukidō's Second Division, Patrol Corps, Marechiyo Ōmaeda.

Yamahiko looked at the obese face that was now glaring at him and said with patience, "Vice-Captain Ōmaeda, you're blocking the road."

"Haha, sorry about that, I'll step aside," Marechiyo Ōmaeda instinctively apologized and moved out of the way.

However, after Yamahiko walked past him, Marechiyo Ōmaeda suddenly realized something was wrong. Regardless of whether he was here to intimidate Yamahiko or not, he couldn't just move aside for him. After all, he was the Vice-Captain, and Yamahiko was his subordinate.

Marechiyo Ōmaeda immediately shouted, "Stop right there."

Yamahiko stopped in his tracks and looked at Marechiyo Ōmaeda, asking, "Vice-Captain Ōmaeda,  is there something you need?"

Marechiyo Ōmaeda walked up to Yamahiko with a stern expression and said, "Kid, do you know that even though Captain Suì-Fēng has allowed you to join the Second Division and become my subordinate, I haven't agreed yet."

Yamahiko, with a curious tone, asked, "So Vice-Captain Ōmaeda, are you suggesting that Captain Suì-Fēng's decision is wrong?"

"No, no, not at all. Captain Suì-Fēng's decision can't possibly be wrong," Marechiyo Ōmaeda said hastily, shivering at the thought of Captain Suì-Fēng.

Marechiyo Ōmaeda cleared his throat and said, "However, I still need to assess you to prove to my other teammates that Captain Suì-Fēng's decision was the right one."

It seemed Yamahiko wouldn't be able to avoid this today. He asked, somewhat intrested, "So, Vice-Captain, how do you plan to assess me?"

"Come out."

As Marechiyo Ōmaeda's words fell, several men in combat attire leaped out beside him. Their bodies were wrapped in black suits, face masks concealing their identities, and they held short knives, surrounding Yamahiko.

Yamahiko counted the number of people; there were a total of six. Judging by their speed when they appeared earlier, their proficiency in Shunpo (Flash Step) was no less than his own.

Moreover, they had experienced real battles. Without releasing his Zanpakuto, Yamahiko wasn't confident that he could defeat them in close combat.

Marechiyo Ōmaeda, grinning, said, "If you can defeat them, I'll let you become my adjutant."

Yamahiko frowned and replied, "But I'm afraid of hurting them."

Hearing this, Marechiyo Ōmaeda laughed heartily and said, "Kid, you sure talk big. If you have the ability to hurt them, go ahead."

Suddenly, Yamahiko raised his right hand, and a ball of red light appeared in his palm.

"Kido? Hadō #31. Shakkahō You've abandoned the incantation; it's indeed impressive. But what can you do?" Ōmaeda, upon seeing the red light in Yamahiko's hand, immediately identified the Hado he was using. However, he remained unperturbed, waving his hand.

The six members of the Onmitsukidō leaped towards Yamahiko, and he could attack at most one of them, with no way to avoid the attacks of the other five.

But just as the six were about to get close, there was a resounding explosion around Yamahiko. A massive explosion enveloped him, and flames erupted.

Smoke obscured the vision, and when the smoke cleared, six people lay around Yamahiko. Marechiyo Ōmaeda's clothes were torn, and his face was darkened.

Yamahiko walked out from a distance. At the moment of the explosion, he had used Shunpo to hide behind a boulder, while the others rushed into the blast and were severely injured.

"Cough, what's this?" Marechiyo Ōmaeda looked at Yamahiko with an unsightly expression.

Yamahiko smiled and explained, "Vice-Captain, you only saw me use Shakkaho. However, you didn't see that I secretly set up Bakudo traps and Hado spells, which, when triggered by Shakkaho, can cause a massive explosion and intense flames."

This was a mixed use of Kido methods, something that in the original story was employed by Momo Hinamori.

Bakudo traps involved converting spiritual pressure into threads to capture enemies, while Hado spells were used to obscure objects.

Yamahiko had used Hado to obscure the Bakudo traps he'd set up around, and when he triggered Shakkaho, it ignited the Bakudo traps, resulting in a massive explosion. Even though the power was reduced due to abandoning the incantation, if it weren't for that, the explosion alone would have killed those six Onmitsukidō members. However, they had rushed into the blast area and were still severely injured.

"Quick, someone, take them to Squad Four for treatment."

Marechiyo Ōmaeda had no choice but to have his injured subordinates taken away for treatment. Their injuries were such that only Squad Four could treat them.

At this moment, Suì-Fēng, who had been attracted by the commotion, appeared in the center of the scene, her expression puzzled. She asked, "What happened?"

Marechiyo Ōmaeda explained what had just transpired in a low voice. Suì-Fēng's face turned cold. "Who gave you the authority to test him? Are you suggesting that my decision was wrong?"

"No... Ah!"

Marechiyo Ōmaeda was about to deny it, but before he could finish speaking, Suì-Fēng punched him in the face.

Bang!

Marechiyo Ōmaeda was sent flying, crashing into the mountainside, and then sliding down to the ground.

But he was extremely resilient. He got up with a backflip, showing no signs of injury. This resilience made Yamahiko admire him. It was no wonder the explosions couldn't harm him.

"Ōmaeda, we'll deal with your matter later. You two, follow me for now."

Marechiyo Ōmaeda and Yamahiko followed Suì-Fēng as they entered the Second Division's headquarters.