XX-level Hokage

Everything is arranged. Kisuke Urahara, seemingly oblivious to the pressure, closed his fan, his expression turning serious. "Aizen hasn't appeared yet, and the real Karakura Town hasn't been relocated. Before the final battle begins, everyone needs to remain hidden to avoid alerting him."

Led by him, the group walked through several quiet alleys and arrived at an abandoned industrial park on the edge of the city.

This place had long been transformed by Kisuke Urahara into a huge temporary base, completely shrouded by high-level binding spells and barriers, enough to isolate all spiritual pressure detection.

The base has a huge interior space, complete with all the living facilities, and even a small training ground.

"Please remain here until you receive my signal." Kisuke Urahara took out several faintly glowing containers, each containing a custom-made artificial body for the captains. "To avoid your powerful spiritual pressure causing unnecessary impact on the human world, and to better conceal your whereabouts, please use these for now."

Upon seeing Yi before them, the team leaders reacted differently once again.

Kenpachi Zaraki let out a disdainful snort, clearly having no interest in burrowing into such a fragile "shell." Byakuya Kuchiki, on the other hand, remained expressionless, as if this were merely a trivial matter.

Kyoraku Shunsui, on the other hand, looked at Gikai with great interest, seemingly finding it a pleasant experience.

"No one is allowed to act without authorization until Aizen appears." Captain-Commander Yamamoto's authoritative voice set the tone for this infiltration mission. He found a secluded corner, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes, like an old monk in meditation, yet also like a lion ready to devour its prey at any moment.

As the captains began to adapt to their temporary "mortal" lives, Mashiro's face always wore a playful yet curious smile. Without hesitation, she entered the artificial body that Kisuke Urahara had prepared for her.

The moment her soul completely merged with that human body, a strange sense of "dullness" enveloped her.

The perception of spiritual pressure was weakened; hearing, sight, smell... everything seemed to be veiled by a thin layer, no longer as acute as the body of a Shinigami.

But at the same time, a novel, "human" tactile sensation also emerged.

The rough texture of the ordinary cotton T-shirt on the body, the complex smell of flowers and dust in the air, the hard and cold feedback of the cement ground underfoot—all of this felt like an interesting game to her.

She looked around the huge, industrial-looking temporary base, her gaze sweeping over her colleagues who were either sitting upright or looking restless.

For them, these past few days of waiting may have been a torment.

But for Mashiro, this is a wonderful, brand-new "playground".

She saw Soi Fon meticulously inspecting every corner of the base, her tense profile seemingly telling of her inner struggle and contradictions. She also saw Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro, who had somehow produced a flask of sake and were drinking together.

A deeper smile crept onto Shiro's lips. This war was far more than just killing.

What interesting things will these "comrades," temporarily stripped of their captaincy and responsibilities, show in this unfamiliar land? She'll have to observe them carefully...

Mashiro didn't linger in the base; her restless heart had already flown to the brightly lit mortal world outside. She silently evaded Soi Fon's watchful eye, and like the most agile cat, she darted to the base's exit in a few quick movements.

Just as she was about to slip away, a voice tinged with languor and helplessness sounded behind her. "Captain Mashiro, where are you going?"

Mashiro turned around and saw Matsumoto Rangiku leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, her charming eyes filled with curiosity and inquiry.

"Oh? It's Vice-Captain Matsumoto." Mashiro smiled, showing no embarrassment at being caught. "I think it's too stuffy in there, so I'm going out for some fresh air." "Fresh air?" Rangiku raised an eyebrow. "The Captain-Commander gave orders that we're not allowed to act on our own."

"Oh dear, rules are rules, but people are flexible." Mashiro walked up to Rangiku. Her Gikai at that moment was a tall, long-legged, black-haired beauty, dressed in simple jeans and a white T-shirt, yet still exuding a unique charm. She leaned down slightly and whispered in Rangiku's ear, "Don't you find it boring to stay in that tin can all the time?"

Rangiku's body stiffened slightly. She could smell a faint, pleasant fragrance emanating from Mashiro. Looking into Mashiro's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, her resolve began to waver.

To be honest, she did find it very boring.

“Let’s go, Vice-Captain Matsumoto.” Mashiro straightened up and gave Rangiku a bright smile. “Consider it a pre-battle relaxation. Let me show you this world that’s just as interesting as it is in battle.”

Mashiro's invitation carried an irresistible magic.

Rangiku hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she was overcome by the emotion called "curiosity". She sighed and a helpless yet expectant smile appeared on her face.

"Honestly, I can't do anything with you, but we can't let Captain Hitsugaya find out." "Of course not."

And so, on the first night before the final battle, the two female Shinigami, who were inside the artificial bodies, slipped out of the heavily guarded temporary base like two runaway girls and disappeared into the bustling yet unfamiliar night of Karakura Town.

Walking down the bustling street, Mashiro took a deep breath of the air, a mixture of various scents that belonged to the real world, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face, like a hunter entering his hunting ground.

Chapter 229: Leisurely Time (Part Two)

When Mashiro and Matsumoto Rangiku, like drops of water merging into a stream, joined the bustling crowds of Karakura Town at night, a completely different feeling arose.

The battlefield slowly unfolded before them.

Huge electronic billboards blared colorful advertisements, their sounds deafening; shop windows lining the streets shone brightly, illuminating the dazzling array of novel products; the air was thick with the aromas of takoyaki sauce, the sweet scent of crepes, and the smoky fragrance of grilled meat, mingling with the perfumes and shampoos of countless passersby, creating a unique, complex, and vibrant scent characteristic of the modern world.

"Wow!" Matsumoto Rangiku's alluring eyes sparkled with a girlish excitement. Although she had also come to the human world to carry out missions before,

Never before have I strolled leisurely through the streets at night as an "ordinary person."

"It feels...unrealistically peaceful." She couldn't help but sigh as she looked at the ordinary people around her, laughing and chatting. Peace itself is the most luxurious illusion. "Mashiro's voice rang out beside her. Her gaze calmly swept over everything around her. Her deep eyes, unlike Rangiku's, were full of curiosity, more like those of a calm observer.

"It is precisely because it is illusory that it is all the more worthwhile to experience."

Without saying another word, she grabbed Rangiku's hand and headed straight for the brightly lit and bustling department store on the street corner.

"Let's go, Vice-Captain Matsumoto, let's experience the most interesting training in the world." The scene inside the mall dazzled Rangiku.

The dazzling array of clothing, sparkling jewelry, and uniquely styled shoes and bags... all of this made this naturally beautiful woman completely forget her identity as the Grim Reaper.

Mashiro, like a patient hunter, accompanied Rangiku as she wandered between various department store counters. She wasn't interested in the products themselves, but she was interested in Rangiku's choices.

I was very interested in the pure, feminine joy that shone in her eyes when she was selecting products.

"How about this one, Captain Mashiro!" Rangiku picked up a bold red dress and held it up in front of herself, her eyes full of anticipation. Mashiro looked her up and down, a playful smile playing on her lips: "Very beautiful, but..." She walked to another rack and took down a dress...

A black backless dress with a simpler design that accentuates the figure better. "I think this one suits you better."

She handed the long dress to Rangiku, her fingertips intentionally or unintentionally tracing the back of Rangiku's hand, and said in a slightly seductive tone, "Such a beautiful figure, if it is hidden too well, it will attract the wrath of heaven, Rangiku."

Rangiku's cheeks flushed red instantly. Although she had always been bold, this was the first time someone had spoken to her like that.

Mashiro's bold words and intimate actions made her heart race; she felt a mix of shyness and a secret joy at being recognized. She looked at...

Holding the long black brocade in my hand, I could almost picture myself wearing it.

Ultimately, under Mashiro's "fear-of-discount" persuasion, Rangiku blushed and bought the dress she would never normally dare to try. Throughout the entire process, Mashiro simply smiled and used Urahara Kisuke's "friendly sponsorship" credit card to pay the hefty bill. When they left the mall, the two of them were carrying shopping bags of all sizes.

Rangiku's face was filled with a satisfied smile. The distance and wariness between her and Mashiro had been largely melted away by this "carnival" that belonged to women.

The two then went to a roadside food street, bought steaming hot takoyaki and sweet crepes, and sat on a park bench like two ordinary high school girls, eating and chatting.

"Speaking of which, Captain Hitsugaya is still a child. You, as the vice-captain, must have a very hard time, right?" Mashiro asked casually, putting a takoyaki into her mouth.

When Rangiku mentioned her little captain, a helpless yet doting smile appeared on her face: "Yes, the captain is good in every way, but he is too serious and always shoulders everything by himself."

“Serious men can be reliable, but sometimes they can be quite boring.” Mashiro chuckled, then casually brought up another name, “Unlike Gin Ichimaru… he’s an interesting man who’s always unpredictable.”

Rangiku's smile froze the moment she heard the name Gin Ichimaru. The crepe in her hand seemed to lose its sweetness.

"You...know Gin?" Rangiku's voice trembled slightly.

“Yes, we’ve known each other for a long time.” Mashiro’s gaze calmly fell on Rangiku’s face, which had suddenly become complicated. “I’ve known him since he was a child. He was a child with eyes like a snake, always smiling, but you couldn’t feel any warmth from him.”

Mashiro's description precisely pierced Rangiku's softest spot.

"Why...why did he betray us?" Rangiku asked in a low voice. This question had been tormenting her for far too long. She couldn't understand why the man who had promised to change the world with her would choose to stand on Aizen's side.

“Perhaps, he didn’t betray us.” Mashiro’s voice was soft, yet it resounded like thunder in Rangiku’s heart. “It’s just that from the very beginning, he never truly belonged to Seireitei.”

Looking into Rangiku's wide, shocked, and bewildered eyes, Mashiro knew she had obtained the information she needed. Rangiku still harbored deep and unbreakable feelings for Gin Ichimaru.

"Don't think about it so much." Mashiro didn't delve into the topic further. She stood up, pulled Rangiku, who was still somewhat lost in thought, and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to a place where you can shout out all your troubles."

The "place where you can shout out all your troubles" that she mentioned was a brightly decorated KTV.

In the private room, Rangiku was initially a little reserved, but under Mashiro's encouragement and after a few beers, she gradually opened up. She first ordered a sad love song, filled with memories and reluctance about the past, as if she wanted to pour out all the grievances and longing in her heart.

After she finished singing, her eyes were slightly red.

Mashiro didn't comfort her; she simply poured her another glass of wine. Then, she picked up the microphone.

Rangiku had assumed that someone as ancient and mysterious as Mashiro would sing songs that were equally ancient and incomprehensible to them. However, when the energetic rock intro began, Rangiku was completely stunned.

To make matters worse, it was the hit song of one of the most popular rock bands right now! She held the microphone, swaying gently to the rhythm, as the song began...

When it started, the cool yet explosive noise instantly ignited the entire scene!

Her singing was flawless, with perfect diction and impeccable control over both rhythm and emotion. It was as if she weren't a grim reaper from another world, but rather...

A rock 'n' roll girl who frequents this place

Seeing Mashiro, who was completely different from her usual self, freely expressing herself under the stage lights, Rangiku's sadness was somewhat diluted by the enthusiastic atmosphere. She picked up another microphone and joined the chorus.

Two hours later, when the two came out of the KTV, Rangiku had a smile back on her face. Although she still had a slight flush from drinking, the heavy feeling that had been suppressed for so long had mostly dissipated.

Night had fallen, and the number of pedestrians on the streets was gradually decreasing. "Let's go to one last place," Mashiro suggested.

They eventually arrived at a stylish bar hidden deep in an alley.

Behind the bar, the bartender elegantly swirled his cocktail shaker. Soft jazz music drifted through the air, creating a tranquil yet warm atmosphere. The two sat at the bar and ordered their favorite cocktails.

“Rangiku,” Mashiro said, swirling the amber liquid in her glass, her gaze deep, “you are a smart woman and a powerful warrior.” Rangiku paused slightly upon hearing this.

“In the battle that follows,” Mashiro’s voice became slightly more serious, “don’t just think of yourself as Captain Hitsugaya’s adjutant. Sometimes…”

Your own judgment is perhaps more important than any order.

Her words were remarkably similar to what she had said to Soi Fon.

Rangiku looked into Mashiro's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, and a thought struck her. She could sense that Mashiro wasn't trying to sow discord, but rather giving her some kind of "guidance" in a way that she didn't understand.

"And then there's Mashiro reaching out and gently placing her hand on Rangiku's hand, which was resting on the bar. Her hand was slightly cool, yet it carried a reassuring power. If... you meet Gin Ichimaru again."

Rangiku's body stiffened again.

Follow your own heart. "Whether it's wielding a sword, or... embracing," Mashiro said, gazing at her intently.

As the two silently crept back to the temporary base in the pre-dawn light, Rangiku's mind was still filled with Mashiro's last words.

As she gazed at Mashiro's composed yet mysterious figure, a surge of unprecedented, complex, and intense emotion welled up within her. She felt...

It seemed like they had only scratched the surface of the first captain's life, but in doing so, they were plunged into an even deeper fog of mystery.

Meanwhile, in the darkness, Mashiro watched Rangiku's retreating figure, a knowing smile playing on her lips. Next...

Chapter 230: Leisurely Time (Part 3) ★

As Mashiro and Matsumoto Rangiku stealthily crept back to the entrance of the temporary base in the pre-dawn light, Rangiku's steps were already somewhat unsteady. The alcohol and the exhaustion from a night of revelry had veiled her alluring eyes with a misty haze, and the blush on her cheeks was unclear whether it was from the alcohol or...

Because of Mashiro's last words, which were straightforward and bold.

"Follow your own heart, whether it's wielding a knife or... embracing."

These words, like a curse, kept echoing in her mind, disrupting her already sluggish thoughts caused by alcohol.

"If you go back like this and that little captain sees you like this, you'll get a lecture all day long." Mashiro looked at Rangiku's charmingly drunken state, and the smile on her lips became more and more amused.

"Hmm... no way..." Rangiku mumbled in rebuttal, but her body unconsciously leaned closer to Mashiro, seeking support.

“Let’s go,” Mashiro said, gently supporting her soft waist. The warmth and amazing elasticity of the fabric made her use a little more force. “I know a place where you can get a good night’s sleep and wake up with all your worries gone.”