Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Chapter 157 The Butterfly's Knife

"Third Seat Hitsugaya, I understand how you feel." Kaien looked at him calmly. "I don't want to leave the 13th Division at this time either, or leave Captain Ukitake who is seriously ill."

"But even if I don't take over, the 46th Chamber will send someone else. What will the 10th Division become then?"

"At least before Uncle Isshin is found, all the humane rules he left behind will have been wiped out long ago."

Hitsugaya Toshiro froze, knowing full well that Kaien was telling the truth.

The 10th Division is a patrol and security force, but in order to avoid casualties among its members, Captain Isshin often goes into battle alone.

If a new team leader is appointed, this kind of care for subordinates may not happen again.

Although it's part of their duty, it will still cause some pain for the long-neglected 10th Division for a while.

"Also, I'm not here to steal Uncle Isshin's things." Kaien stood up and patted his butt. "I'm here to protect this house for him, or... until I can hand over a complete 10th Division to the person who is truly qualified to succeed him."

Haiyan's gaze lingered on Hitsugaya Toshiro, her eyes carrying a hidden meaning.

Rangiku looked at Kaien's sincere eyes, then at her own Third Seat's gradually calming expression, and sighed softly.

She picked up the sake bottle and took a swig: "Seriously... if it's Haiyan, at least I won't have to worry about getting my salary docked for drinking at work, right? After all, you're also from the Zhiba family's alcoholic lineage."

Toshiro reluctantly accepted this explanation, saying in a low voice, "Until the official order is issued, I will still act according to the rules for the Third Seat."

"Since Lieutenant Shiba is taking over, he should read through these reports about the abnormal spiritual pressure in Karakura Town in the present world. Don't be lazy..."

Haiyan laughed heartily: "I couldn't be happier!"

Just as the atmosphere inside the room was gradually easing, a gentle and rhythmic knock came from outside the door.

"Excuse me. I heard that Vice Captain Haiyan was here, so I took the liberty of coming to bother you."

As the voice faded, a man with a gentle face and wearing black-rimmed glasses pushed open the door and entered.

He wore the white haori of the Fifth Division Captain, and his movements exuded the refined elegance unique to a scholar.

Captain of the Fifth Division, Aizen Sousuke.

"Captain Aizen?" Kaien asked, somewhat surprised.

"Greetings, Captain Aizen." Toshiro and Rangiku also bowed.

In the Soul Society, Aizen had an excellent reputation; he was a well-known kind and honest man, and everyone treated him with great respect.

"Vice-Captain Matsumoto, Third Seat Hitsugaya, thank you for your hard work." Aizen nodded slightly, then looked at Kaien, his eyes showing genuine concern: "Kaien-kun, I just passed by Amegakure and heard that you are going to take over the 10th Division. It's truly heartening."

"With Captain Isshin Shiba gone missing, the morale of the 10th Division really needs a leader as energetic as you to boost it."

"Captain Aizen, you flatter me. I was just forced into this role." Kaien scratched the back of his head and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

Aizen walked to the table and sat down naturally: "I was also considering that you would be busy with the affairs of two divisions at the same time. If there is anything I can do to help with the Fifth Division, please feel free to ask, Kaien-kun."

""

"Especially after that incident," I heard your Zanpakuto wasn't very stable. Now that you've taken over as captain, you should try to talk to Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division sometime.

When that matter was mentioned, Haiyan's eyes dimmed imperceptibly for a moment, but were immediately melted by Aizen's sincere gaze.

"Thank you for your concern, Captain Aizen. I'm almost fully recovered, all thanks to the Sixth Seat of the Fourth Division, Kocho," Kaien said sincerely.

Aizen pushed up his glasses, and a soft glint of light flashed across the lenses.

His tone became somewhat curious, like a casual chat between old friends: "Speaking of that, I've always had a question. I remember that the Hollow that Haiyan encountered was an extremely rare parasitic individual."

"Logically speaking, once it invades one's spiritual network, there is almost no chance of survival."

"But I later heard that the Sixth Seat of the Butterfly Division removed the Hollow's effects from you in a very short time? The Fourth Division's medical skills have improved to this level without us even realizing it?"

Aizen spoke very naturally, as if he were asking a question from an elder who was curious about academic matters.

Haiyan didn't suspect anything and pondered for a moment: "Actually, that wasn't the effect of the Returning Path. Miss Ren... that is, the Sixth Seat of the Butterfly Clan, her methods are very special..."

"Her Zanpakuto seems to be a variant of some kind of biological type."

"Oh?" Aizen raised an eyebrow. "A biological type? This type of Zanpakuto is quite rare."

"Yes."

Haiyan still feels lingering fear when she recalls the strange sensation inside her body that night. At that time, Haiyan, whose body was controlled by the Hollow, swallowed the [antidote] that Shinobu Kocho had splashed out.

Shinobu Kocho's medical skills were indeed an interesting topic in the Soul Society at that time.

Some say that the drug she developed for returning to the source of death originated from her past life, and that her understanding of pharmacology surpasses that of ordinary death gods.

Some people who have tried it say it is a kind of potent poison. Although it does help with the illness, it causes people to experience excruciating pain.

However, the official story of the Fourth Division has remained consistent: Shinobu Kocho's healing potion is the power of her Zanpakuto.

This knife can secrete a so-called panacea.

Regardless of the illness, once the team members drink these medicines, they only need to wait for the medicines to find the lesions and treat the patient's body.

Considering that Captain Unohana's Zanpakuto also had a similar situation, this explanation was quickly accepted by everyone.

But Haiyan, who had experienced life and death, knew that it was far from that simple.

Let's weave our own destiny...

'

He vaguely heard the butterfly murmuring.

The parasitic void that was rampaging through Haiyan's spiritual network, trying to devour his soul, suddenly felt an unprecedented threat.

A scalding heat surged through Haiyan's body; in the microscopic world, it was the spirit insect swarm commanded by Kocho Shinobu launching a full-scale attack.

It sounds a bit disgusting, but in fact...

Haiyan and the other patients who had received treatment from Shinobu Kocho drank cups filled with spirit insects...

The evil energy that originally parasitized every cell of the seagull turned into its nemesis when it encountered these tiny spirit worms.

These spirit insects possess extremely strong decomposition capabilities, instantly disintegrating the corrosive void.

They attach to the surface of the ethereal matter, secrete specific biological enzymes, and forcibly dismantle the chaotic spiritual particle structure of the ethereal matter into the most primitive and harmless spiritual particle particles.

Meanwhile, another group of spirit insects acted like the most precise sutures, frantically repairing the damaged spiritual network of the sea swallow.

"Ugh... Ughhhhh!"

The petrel let out a painful scream, tearing at its own skin.

Strange bumps kept appearing on the surface of the body; these were the traces of the spirit worms' close combat with the void cells.

When they arrived to provide support, the team members standing to the side were all stunned, especially the then-young and inexperienced Rukia Kuchiki.

She witnessed Haiyan, whose consciousness had been almost completely swallowed by the void, suddenly emanating a dreamlike purple glow from her body.

The glowing lights coalesced into countless phantom images of hell butterflies, which then gushed forth from the seven orifices of the petrel.

Each butterfly held a wisp of black smoke in its mouth.

"This treatment method... it's practically surgery on the very essence of the soul..." Even the weakened Jushiro Ukitake couldn't help but be tempted, considering whether he should ask Shinobu Kocho for help as well...

This was an extremely bold and dangerous operation.

If Shinobu's control falters even slightly, those spirit insects will take over and absorb Kaien's soul as nourishment as well.

But Shinobu Kocho still demonstrated amazing control.

She wielded a slender purple blade with one hand, precisely controlling each tiny child.

As the last wisp of black energy was completely decomposed into nothingness by the spirit insect.

Haiyan collapsed in the mud. His face, which had turned bluish-black and sprouted a bone mask, miraculously returned to its original appearance under the influence of the purple light spots.

Shinobu Kocho finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"So... unless it's truly a last resort... don't easily seek treatment from Butterfly Sixth Seat, it's terrifying..." Haiyan shuddered.

"Such an ability, truly remarkable."

Aizen paused slightly in his teacup and exclaimed in genuine admiration.