Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

The air was fresh and the spiritual energy was abundant, a stark contrast to the chaotic and corrosive spiritual energy environment of Hueco Mundo that he was used to.

Further away, those tall, white buildings, neatly planned, exude an aura of order and civilization.

Everything about him formed an extreme and stark contrast to the illusory world he had traversed for countless years.

There is no boundless, pale sea of ​​sand, no eternally unchanging, bleak white sky, no twisted and grotesque quartz forest, and no omnipresent howl of the void.

“This…is the Soul Society,” Stark said in a low voice, not as a question, but as a confirmation.

His voice still carried that inherent languor and indifference, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a special "interest".

Liu Chuan said:

"The Soul Society is the final resting place of the Shinigami's souls, so the spiritual environment here is naturally different from Hueco Mundo. This is a land of order, and you will gradually get used to it, Stark."

Stark nodded, said nothing more, and continued to quietly observe this new world that was entirely new to him.

However, Yanagawa did not return directly to the Kido Clan.

After stepping into the inner area of ​​Seireitei, he paused slightly, turned around, and headed straight for the First Division barracks.

Arsidd and Stark exchanged a glance, asked no further questions, and silently followed.

They all knew that to truly establish themselves in Soul Society, especially for a special being like Stark, they needed approval, or rather... "registration."

At the entrance of the First Division barracks, the First Division members who were patrolling and standing guard along the way all stopped and bowed respectfully when they saw Yanagawa.

But when their gaze swept over the gray-robed man with an eye patch behind Liu Chuan, and another unfamiliar grim reaper with a weathered aura, their eyes revealed undisguised doubt.

Especially towards the Starks, their instinctive aversion to the "Void" almost made them subconsciously more vigilant.

However, under Yanagawa's calm gaze and with Captain-Commander Yamamoto's prior order to proceed, no one dared to stop them.

Vice Captain Chojiro was already waiting there, and he pushed open the hall door.

"Captain, Lord Yanagawa has arrived, accompanied by two other people..."

Chapter 96 Bodyguard?

The council chamber was brightly lit. Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni sat in the main seat, leaning on his old-fashioned wooden cane as if he were dozing.

But as Liuchuan and his two companions stepped into the hall, those eyes, which seemed to contain molten lava, slowly opened.

"Lord Yanagawa, your trip to Hueco Mundo must have been arduous." Captain-Commander Yamamoto's booming voice echoed in the empty council hall, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"It's my duty, Captain-Commander." Liu Chuan nodded slightly, then cut straight to the point, stating the core findings and results of the Hueco Mundo expedition in concise and clear language—

The focus is naturally on the Quincy “Ritzer Barrow”’s attack, his plot to target the “King’s Key”, the course of the battle, and the confirmation that he was ultimately killed.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto listened quietly, his eyes flashing with a sharp light when he heard words like "the Quincy reappears" and "target: King Key".

He only spoke slowly after Liu Chuan finished speaking:

"The Quincy have risen from the ashes and are plotting something sinister. We must be extra careful from now on."

He changed the subject, his gaze finally settling on Asido and Stark behind Liu Chuan, his eyes filled with pressure.

Asido instinctively straightened his back, while Stark remained indifferent and languid, calmly "looking back" at Yamamoto with only his right eye exposed.

"So, who are these two behind Lord Yanagawa...?" Captain-Commander Yamamoto's voice was devoid of emotion.

Liu Chuan turned to the side and pointed to Ashido: "This is Ashido, a member of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force hundreds of years ago, who has been stuck in the Great Hollow Forest for some reason until now."

I have invited him to join the Kido Clan to fill the vacancy and utilize his rich practical experience and understanding of the Void.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's gaze fell on Asido's face, scrutinized him for a moment, and then slowly nodded:

"Acido... It is truly remarkable that you were able to survive the Hueco Mundo Jedi and are willing to return to the Order. Welcome back."

His tone carried the approval of an elder for a long-lost soldier, and also a hint of faint reminiscence for the past.

"Thank you, Captain!" Asido stepped forward, bowed solemnly, and spoke in a steady and powerful voice.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Stark.

This time, he scrutinized the man for a significantly longer period, his gaze becoming much deeper, as if trying to see through the gray-robed man with the single eye patch from the inside out.

The air in the council chamber seemed to grow heavy as his gaze focused.

Liu Chuan spoke at the opportune moment, his voice calm, yet he delivered an introduction that would leave anyone speechless:

"This is Koyatai Stark, the Vasto Lorde-class Hollow I encountered in Hueco Mundo, a self-governing Arrancar."

"..."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

Even with his refined temperament honed over millions of years, the words "Vasttod" and "Great Hollow" couldn't help but stir a ripple in his heart.

But he did not lose his composure; he simply waited quietly for Liu Chuan to continue.

Yanagawa met Captain-Commander Yamamoto's gaze with a calm tone, as if stating something perfectly reasonable:

"After contact and observation, I found that Stark still had his rationality, so I brought him back with me."

He paused, then offered a pre-prepared, seemingly "reasonable" explanation:

"Given his level of power and controllability, I have decided to invite Stark to serve as my bodyguard for the foreseeable future, and to be responsible for my personal safety."

Liu Chuan's tone carried a perfectly measured, as if carefully considered, quality.

"The Captain-General should know that I was previously targeted by a plot to assassinate Tsunayoshiro."

From that moment on, I wanted to find a reliable bodyguard.

Stark is strong enough and has no ties to any faction in Soul Society, maintaining a relatively detached stance, making him an excellent choice for protection. This chance encounter in Hueco Mundo presents a perfect opportunity.

The council chamber was silent. Vice Captain Chojiro stood to one side, his face maintaining the composure of an adjutant, but the slight twitching in his eyes betrayed the turmoil within him.

To have a Vasto Lorde-class Hollow serve as a bodyguard for a member of the Zero Division?!

This reason... is simply too outrageous and audacious!

But coming from Liu Chuan's mouth, it carries a kind of "logic" that is hard to refute immediately.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto remained silent, his gaze shifting between Yanagawa's calm face and Stark's indifferent demeanor.

Having lived for countless years and witnessed countless storms, he could naturally tell that Liu Chuan's explanation about the "bodyguard" was probably just a pretext, or even an excuse.

The Zero Squad members need Hollows to protect them? That's a joke in itself.

Yanagawa's true intentions probably involve other, deeper considerations.

However, Yanagawa is a member of the Zero Division, directly under the Spirit King Palace. Since he dared to do this, he must have already obtained the tacit approval of Hyosube Ichibei, or even the Spirit King Palace.

Moreover, the "Tsunayoshiro and assassination" incident mentioned by Yanagawa is indeed a fact that happened. Although it is far-fetched, it is still a valid excuse.

More importantly, Captain-Commander Yamamoto could sense that the man before him, known as Stark, was a powerful being.

The fact that Yanagawa was able to "invite" him and get him to agree to accompany him as a "guard" speaks volumes about Wastodd's "specialness".

After a long pause, Captain-Commander Yamamoto slowly spoke:

"Vastow-class Hollowfication, autonomous Arrancar... Koyatai Stark. Lord Yanagawa, your actions are unprecedented."

"Are you sure this 'guard'... is completely controllable? And poses no threat to the Seireitei or the order of Soul Society?"

Liu Chuan nodded.

"Since Lord Liuchuan insists on this, I will say no more."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's tone carried a sense of resignation and tacit approval, implying "as long as nothing goes wrong, do as you please," and also a hint of understanding of the Zero Division's modus operandi.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto turned his gaze to Chojiro Sasakibe, who was standing to the side:

"Sparrow Department, the matter of Asik's return to the ranks and joining the Kido Clan, as well as the temporary registration and access rights of Lord Stark as Lord Yanagawa's 'bodyguard,' shall be processed immediately. The procedures shall be simplified, but the records shall be detailed."

"Yes, Captain!" Chojiro Sasaki immediately bowed and replied, his efficiency astonishing.

He had already prepared the relevant documents, indicating that Captain-Commander Yamamoto had given instructions before Yanagawa's arrival.

Liu Chuan nodded slightly to Captain-Commander Yamamoto: "Thank you for your trouble, Captain-Commander."

Inside the First Division council chamber, the matter of Asido and Stark's fate was settled, but the atmosphere did not ease.

Liu Chuan did not leave immediately. He stood there, calmly watching Captain-Commander Yamamoto, who had closed his eyes again, as if he still had something to say.

After a brief silence, Yanagawa spoke again, his voice not loud, but clearly breaking the silence in the hall: "Captain-Commander, there is one more thing I would like to ask you about regarding the trip to Hueco Mundo."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's fingers, which were resting on his cane, twitched almost imperceptibly, signaling Yanagawa to continue.

“It’s about… the Tapir Blade.” Liu Chuan slowly uttered the name.

"!"

The vice-captain, Chojiro, who had been standing motionless to the side like a statue, suddenly looked up, a hint of undisguised shock flashing in his eyes! The Baku-yōtō?!

How could such a taboo name have come out of Lord Yanagawa's mouth?! And in this setting, directly asking the Captain-Commander?!

Chapter 97 The Captain-Commander's Secret

“The Baku Yao Dao…” Captain-Commander Yamamoto repeated the name, his voice low, “Lord Yanagawa, where did you learn of this name? And why… do you suddenly ask about it?”

Liu Chuan remained composed, calmly meeting Captain-Commander Yamamoto's gaze, and said:

"During this trip to Hueco Mundo, Captain Amagai Shusuke of the expeditionary force was forced to use a forbidden item in the battle against the Quincy."

I later noticed something was wrong with his body, and after a careful examination, I learned the name of that thing—"Mo Yao Dao".

Moreover, it is said that Captain Tenbei's father also lost his life because of a secret related to this knife.

Now that I know about this matter, and have discovered that it involves weapons that are explicitly prohibited by the Soul Society, and may even be secretly related to those high-ranking nobles, I can no longer pretend I didn't see it.

I've already spoken with Captain Tianbei; once we get back, we'll begin investigating the whole story and get to the bottom of it.

He paused, then added:

"Whether it's to seek justice for Captain Tenbei or to eliminate any potential threats lurking in the shadows of Soul Society, I must get to the bottom of this matter."

Therefore, I would like to ask the Captain-Commander to verify how much the Gotei 13, or rather, you, the Captain-Commander, actually knew about the 'Bakuya Sword' back then, and what actions you took?"

Captain-Commander Yamamoto listened quietly to Yanagawa's narration, and when he heard that "Captain Amagai's father also died because of the secret of this sword," he was deeply moved.

In the depths of his eyes, which seemed to see through the years, a complex emotion seemed to flash by.