Chapter 9: Death Omen
In an empty room, an old bald man sat cross-legged. His long white beard was tied up, and his graying eyebrows nearly reached his chin, a testament to his age. Though elderly, he was like a volcano that could erupt at any moment—solemn, steady, and unfathomable.
A wooden staff, thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, rested on the old man's shoulder. Within the staff lay the strongest fire-type soul-slaying sword: Flowing Blade Like Fire.
Yamamoto Genryusai's eyes slightly opened. Su Xiao sat facing him, looking as if he hadn't woken up—or rather, when Su Xiao did "wake up," it would be his time to reap rewards.
"You're not bad."
Old man Yamamoto Genryusai spoke. It was unclear whether he was praising Su Xiao's potion or his ability to disguise himself.
"Thank you for the compliment."
Bang!
As soon as Su Xiao finished speaking, Yamamoto Genryusai pressed the wooden staff against the ground, causing fine cracks to spread across the wooden floor.
Silence. A deathly silence. After a long moment, Yamamoto Genryusai waved his hand.
"From now on, the room next door is yours."
"..."
Su Xiao really hadn't expected Yamamoto Genryusai to pull this move—arranging his laboratory within the First Division's barracks. Perhaps the old man had already noticed something amiss.
Su Xiao didn't care about that. Before the protagonist Kurosaki Ichigo broke into the Soul Society, he wouldn't do anything. For now, he just needed an identity that allowed him to move freely within Seireitei. Clearly, he now had that identity.
[Tip: The Hunter has officially joined the Fourth Division. Position: None.]
[Seireitei Reputation System activated. The Hunter can use Seireitei reputation to exchange items at the Sixth Division.]
The Soul Reapers' efficiency was impressive. Su Xiao's laboratory was quickly moved to the First Division's barracks. Within the wooden building, Su Xiao had a private area of over 200 square meters. Without authorization, even captain-level Soul Reapers were not allowed entry.
Various experimental instruments were placed in the corner. Su Xiao was lying on the bed, snoring loudly. In the room next door was old man Yamamoto Genryusai. Hearing Su Xiao's steady snores, the old man felt puzzled.
Su Xiao didn't wake up until the early hours of the next morning. This was the first time he had been so at ease in a derivative world. Of course, this peace wouldn't last long.
After washing up, Su Xiao began crafting Soul Spirit Potions. After making over forty bottles, he stopped—that was enough. As for the materials delivered, if anyone understood alchemical potions, they would realize that making Soul Spirit Potions required only a dozen or so ingredients. Yet Su Xiao had listed dozens on the requisition form.
The leftover materials were for his research on alchemy bombs. Unohana Retsu had actually noticed this but didn't call him out. Some things were better left unsaid. Su Xiao's actions actually made Unohana Retsu more at ease.
Given Su Xiao's current strength, using high-grade alchemy bombs as standard explosives was already lacking in power. He had been developing a new type of alchemy bomb, but the materials were too expensive, and progress was slow.
Time passed quickly. Before he knew it, it was early morning. In the largest room on the first floor of the First Division's wooden building, several people were seated.
Yamamoto Genryusai, Unohana Retsu, Toshiro Hitsugaya, Byakuya Kuchiki, Sosuke Aizen, and Soi Fon—six captains—were discussing a matter: the sudden emergence of the Soul Spirit Potion. This potion, which could enhance spiritual pressure, was significant. Moreover, with this beginning, no one could be sure whether Su Xiao could develop even stronger potions.
"His origins are unclear. I suggest we keep him under strict control."
Second Division Captain Soi Fon spoke. She was a girl exuding killing intent.
"Agreed."
Toshiro Hitsugaya had met Su Xiao before and always felt something was off about him.
"That might not be appropriate. After all, he voluntarily surrendered to Seireitei. Doing so would inevitably..."
Unohana Retsu said a fair word.
"..."
Byakuya Kuchiki remained silent throughout, while Sosuke Aizen played the role of the good-natured man, offering no constructive suggestions. As for the captains who hadn't come, they were even less reliable.
"So this is your advice..."
Yamamoto Genryusai's words were cut short as he suddenly gripped his wooden staff tightly.
Boom!
An explosion came from a nearby room. Unohana Retsu's mouth twitched, and Soi Fon, who was nearby, rushed out immediately.
When the six captains arrived near the explosion site, they found that while the blast was loud, the damage wasn't severe—only a few wooden sliding doors had been blown away.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Coughing came from within the thick smoke. Su Xiao walked out, his cheeks slightly scorched. If these Soul Reapers knew he was researching a miniature Apollo in the First Division's barracks, he wondered what their expressions would be.
The captains looked at Su Xiao with varied expressions. Unohana Retsu broke the awkward silence.
"Researching potions... it doesn't seem like something that would explode."
"An accident. A physical reaction..."
"Stop, I understand. Please don't say things I can't comprehend."
Su Xiao and Unohana Retsu's unique way of communicating only made the other captains more puzzled. Among them, one person watched Su Xiao with a smile. His name was Sosuke Aizen.
...
Two kilometers from the First Division's barracks, atop a stone building.
Crack!
The distinctive sound of bones being twisted came. A Soul Reaper with a twisted neck fell to the ground.
"Killing them doesn't feel any different. They're quite similar to humans."
A short-haired girl in a leather jacket crouched down. Her sleeves and hems had multiple buttons and leather straps—whether decoration or having a special purpose was unclear.
"One, two, three."
The black-haired girl tapped the Soul Reaper's corpse on the forehead with her finger. The body rapidly carbonized, eventually turning into a pile of black ash.
A few grains of ash stuck to the girl's black gloves. She frowned and flicked her fingers.
"How did that bastard manage that? If I remember correctly, that's the First Division's barracks. Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to kill him now? This is practically cheating. What happened to the 'fair duel' we agreed on?"
The girl scratched her head, messing up her short hair. This girl was Su Xiao's mission target: Violator 10073, codename Death Omen.
Death Omen was a very dangerous violator. Most violators fled everywhere, while Red Jester types ambushed Hunters. As for Death Omen, she actively sought out Hunters, treating them as her targets—even though she had no mission.
In Death Omen's view, this was a trial. Dying in a trial wasn't a pity. Within that frail body beat a heart craving battle.
"A fourth-rank Hunter... this is my first time. Ah~ it's absolutely irresistible."
Death Omen clamped her thighs together, trapping her right hand, and gazed toward the First Division's barracks, her face inexplicably flushed.
"Decided. I must kill you with my own hands—or be killed by you. Let's settle it happily."
Death Omen's body trembled once before she slumped weakly against the wall.
"First, I need to find a way to lure away that old man Yamamoto Genryusai."
Death Omen slowly stood up, stomped the ground, and vanished instantly. The speed she burst out with was no less than Beini's. And she had only recently advanced to the fourth rank.