Come to think of it, there's no reason for Rukia-san to come with us.
Just looking at the current formation—
Kaien-san: It's his wife, so of course he'll pursue. He wants to solve it himself.
Captain Ukitake: The role of admonishing the impatient subordinate. Moreover, he's energetic and has no health problems.
Bonus: Heals thoroughly. Heals to the extent of regenerating lost arms.
—So, it's a three-person party with two Vice-Captains and one Captain, right?
In gaming terms, it's a Hero (Male), a Hero (Male), and a Priestess (Female), right?
Moreover, everyone is high level, right? We have the skills to fight a Demon King, right?
...Yeah.
How are we supposed to squeeze Rukia-san in here?
Rukia-san is excellent too, but there's no reason or gap for her to enter...
In the first place, the opponent is an unknown Hollow. Normally, she'd be told, "It's dangerous, so you wait here."
That child is still young.
There is the reason that "Rukia-san adores Miyako-san."
But Miyako-san is quite adored in Squad 13 to begin with. Rukia-san isn't the only one who adores her. Everyone adores her. There's no reason to treat her specially.
So naturally, she'd be told, "Please stay home and watch the house," right...
'First Time Errand!?'
What errand!?
"Yukawa, where is she!?"
"It's already, I can already see her! Over there!!"
So, the three-person party is chasing the mysterious Hollow.
Since we started pursuing less than five minutes after the opponent fled, the distance is practically non-existent.
We caught up in the blink of an eye.
At the point I indicated, there was the Hollow that had hijacked Miyako-san's—body.
"Kuh!! You're here already, Soul Reaper scum!!"
Holding a naked blade and looking flustered, she glares at us resentfully.
"What shall we do? All at once..."
"No, wait, Yukawa. I'll go alone... Is that alright, Captain?"
"...Yeah."
I understand the feeling.
It's his wife, after all. He must have the feeling of wanting to do something about it with his own hands.
I understand the feeling, but...
"Kaien-san... if it gets dangerous, I'll intervene, okay?"
"O-Oh. I'm counting on you then."
I called out to his back as he stepped forward, but he just raised one hand without even looking back.
"Hihi! Hi! Starting with you, huh! Eh!? Brat! Coming alone, are you quite the fool!? Or just stupid!?"
"Don't screw with me!! With Miyako's face! With Miyako's voice! Don't spout nonsense!! I won't let you toy with Miyako any longer!!"
"Ihihihihihi!!"
Well, that's natural.
From the opponent's perspective, she thought it was three against one, but it became one on one.
Then, there's no way she'd miss that chance.
Provoking him, making him angry, and robbing him of calm judgment is a given.
If she captures him successfully, the number of hostages increases, making it even more advantageous.
Moreover, since she currently has the appearance of Kaien-san's wife, unless she's an utter fool, she'd naturally make effective use of it.
"Ooooooh!!"
"Hihi! Hihihihi!!"
Kaien-san slashed while raising an angry voice, but his movements somewhat lacked precision and were easily blocked by Miyako-san.
"What's wrong? Your sword seems dull? You can cut me without hesitation, you know!?"
"Kuh...!!"
A husband can't cut his own wife.
No matter how much he understands, it's natural for hesitation to arise and dull his sword.
"I know! You're thinking of a way to drag only me out of this girl, aren't you!?"
"...Tsk!"
Kaien-san's face distorted bitterly.
"But that is also useless!! Horeeeeh!!"
"Uoooh!?"
Ueeeeh!? H-Her arm transformed and produced a massive amount of tentacles!?
Gross! Since Miyako-san is a beauty, it's a mismatch and quite a grotesque picture!!
The produced tentacles headed straight for Kaien-san's body and crashed into him like a muddy stream. Although swept away by the powerful impact, his fighting spirit didn't seem to wither even in the face of the tentacles.
Kaien-san tried to attack the tentacles with the Zanpakuto in his hand—
"Wh...at!"
"What, did you say...!?"
"The Zanpakuto!?"
—It disappeared!?
"It's an ability usable only once per night! That night, the Zanpakuto of the first person to touch my tentacles vanishes!!"
What a meta ability limited to Soul Reapers!
Me, Captain Ukitake, and Kaien-san can't hide our surprise!!
...Hm?
A normal Hollow wouldn't possess such a sharp ability meta-ed only against specific opponents, right...?
Hollows grow by eating fellow Hollows and opponents with high spiritual pressure, so possessing an ability specialized only against Soul Reapers is normally impossible.
Eh, then don't tell me this guy is...!? Was that it!? Is that related!?
"I wonder if a Soul Reaper who lost his Zanpakuto can defeat me?"
"Shut up!! Just not having to cut Miyako's body makes bare hands much more convenient!!"
He's putting on a really brave front.
"Hihihihi! You fool!! That thinking is wrong in the first place!!"
"Aah!?"
"It's different from entering a human body!! I am a spiritual body, and this girl is a spiritual body. It's a fusion of spiritual bodies, you know!? It will never be undone for eternity!!"
Wh-What did you say...!!
Fusion... and fusion at the spiritual body level...!? That means, in human terms, assimilating at the cellular level...
No way... something like that...
'What an enviable thing that Hollow is doing!! Ah, I want to combine with such a lovely woman too!! I absolutely want to combine with you!! And yet such a lovely woman has such a dirty Hollow stuck to her!! Wasteful, enviable, wasteful, enviable!!'
Whoa, you startled me!!
But well... it's true... I agree with only that opinion.
'My Lord, My Lord!! That, that!! That is super enviable!! That for me too, that for me too!!'
Endure it with me, okay?
'Gununununu... indeed!! My Lord, I absolutely cannot forgive that!!'
There are various complaints I want to make, but the unforgiving feeling is the same.
So... can you take care of that?
'Please wait a moment...!! Hmm hmm... Ah, if I try hard, it seems doable.'
It's doable!? I thought I was asking for something quite unreasonable!?
'Of course!! More than anything, not being able to save a good woman like Miyako-dono would just make me a fool!! If I do not try hard here, when will I try hard!? If I do not do it here, the name of the Rubber Ball will be obsolete!!'
Y-You're right!!
(...Wait, is your self-proclaimed title Rubber Ball okay!?)
'If there is a time for me to try hard for someone other than Miyako-dono, it would be when—Rangiku-dono, or Orihime-dono, or Harribel-dono, or Bambietta-dono, or Yoruichi-dono, or Kukaku-dono, or Soifon-dono, or Isane-dono, or Unohana-dono, or Lisa-dono, or Hikifune-dono, or Nanao-dono, or Hinamori-dono, or Kujo-dono, or Tatsuki-dono, or Neliel-dono, or Cirucci-dono, or Busujima-dono, or Liltotto-dono, or Meninas-dono, or Candice-dono, or Aura-dono is in a pinch—...'
Too many, too many!! There are an awful lot of opportunities, aren't there!? Also, there were some names I didn't know, who are they!?
'Muu, I haven't even gone through half yet...? Or rather, if there are boobs there, it is natural to risk one's life!! Small boobs are fine too!! But big boobs are much, much, much, much better!! Butts are good too!! Thighs are good too!! Navels are good too!! Armpits are good too!! Elbows are good too!! Knees are good too!!'
I got it, I got it!! You can do it, right?
'Indeed! This is all thanks to My Lord massaging the boobs earlier! However, please give me just a little more time.'
Understood. Alright, let's go!!
"Kaien-san, I'm going no—"
"Wait, Yukawa!!"
The moment I tried to go, Captain Ukitake stopped me.
...Why?
"Can't you let Kaien, let him do it...?"
"Hah? What are you saying!? Kaien-san has already lost his Zanpakuto...!"
"Even so! He is fighting for his pride now. For his wife's pride, and above all, for his own pride!! ...You can think of it as stubborn pride, I don't mind..."
...Yeah, well...
"I see, understood... do you think I'd say that?"
...Like hell I understand that!!
"H-Hey!"
I jumped out, ignoring Captain Ukitake's restraint.
Even so, Captain Ukitake moves slowly.
I thought for sure he would stop me forcefully. I slipped past him easily.
Was he careless?
"Hado \#78! Zangerin!!"
"Wh, at this late hour...!? Uooooh!!"
Generating circular blades from the Zanpakuto, I cut off the tentacles.
Immediately following that, I unleash a second strike.
"Bakudo \#79! Kuyo Shibari!"
It's a Kido that creates nine black spheres to seal the opponent's movements.
With this, I'll bind the freedom of Miyako-san's body for a short while!
"Yukawa!? You idiot! Why did you come!!"
"Why, to help, of course?"
I said it properly, right?
That I'd enter if it became dangerous. Kaien-san agreed to that, right?
Besides, above all.
"Can you strike down an opponent with Miyako-san's appearance?"
"Th-That is...! But, it's not something for you to do!! That is, I...! I have to do it! Don't interfere!!"
"You lost your Zanpakuto and can't hurt the opponent. Kaien-san's defeat is highly likely; even so, you don't want to borrow someone else's hand? Even understanding that you will die?"
"Yeah, that's right! I know, it's stupid pride! But still, Miyako, with my own hands... with only my power...!!"
"...You want to save Miyako-san, right?"
"Of course I do! But how do you save someone who's fused...—Tsk!?"
Mid-sentence, Kaien-san's movement stopped.
And looking at me with a face like "No, no, impossible... You're lying, right?", is that the result of the trust I've built up until now?
"Can you... do it...?"
"I'll investigate that now. If I succeed, you can feel indebted to me for life, okay?"
Now then, I can't betray expectations.
Let's go full power, Nubatama!!
"Bankai... Nubatama Mishina!"
Using Bankai, I hold the all-black sword in my hand.
'Well now, it's been a while since I had a Hollow opponent! Lately, I've been fighting exclusively against the fierce warriors of Squad 11!!'
Yes, yes, let's go, Nubatama!
First, the preparation.
"Sakashima Yokoshima, Ungai!"
"What!? Darkness... !?"
The darkness generated from my feet covers the earth and envelops the surroundings in a dome shape. Its grotesque appearance is enough to scare Kaien-san.
Although it has a grandiose name, what I'm doing is just a smokescreen.
Surrounding all four sides with pitch-black walls so that "what I'm about to do" won't be seen by any chance.
In modern terms, maybe it's like preparing a room that blocks radio waves and disables surveillance devices.
Also as a countermeasure against a certain Mr. Aizen, who was probably monitoring.
While doing that, the dome was completed.
The only ones inside now are me, Kaien-san, and Captain Ukitake. And the Hollow fused with Miyako-san.
"Miyako-san, can you hear me? It's Yukawa from Squad 4! I'm going to do something a little rough now!!"
"Sorry... I leave it to you! Please!!"
"Gu... Girl!! I don't know what you plan to do...!! But it is futile...!"
Heeh.
Hmm.
Is that so.
I wonder how long that attitude will last?
Nubatama, how is it? Is the analysis done?
'Leave it to me! It is perfect!!'
I see, I see.
Then let's try it!
Now, here is a question.
If you mix coffee and milk, you get café au lait.
Then, to make the café au lait just coffee, what on earth should you do?
I asked a similar question before, remember?
Though at that time, it was "How do you separate the milk and coffee?"
This time is a slightly simpler problem.
It's fine if the inside of the glass can be made 100% coffee.
Then, how do you think that can be achieved?
I think there are various ways... but the correct answer in this case is...!!
"Ga, gu! Ooooooh!?!? Wh-What!? My, my body...!!"
"Miyako!?"
"Impossible! I can't believe it... Yukawa, what on earth are you doing?"
Just pour the same component, coffee, into the glass aggressively and wash all the milk components out!!
Blow away!! Don't stick around lingeringly forever!!
"Impossible!! The Hollow is, being blown away...!?"
"The Hollow is being peeled off..."
"It's absurd... but with this...!"
Nubatama analyzes only Miyako-san's cells, repeats replication and proliferation.
Then re-fuses the proliferated cells with Miyako-san's originally existing cells.
At the same time, the Hollow cells, which are foreign objects, are recognized as nuisances—foreign bodies—and spat out of the body.
As a result of repeating that, from the outside, it looks as if only the Hollow part is being peeled off.
In this case, there's absolutely no problem even if all the Hollow components are discarded!!
I know I'm using outrageous brute force, but there's no time this time!
If I dawdled, the opponent might completely fuse with and assimilate Miyako-san's cells, making it too late, or kill Miyako-san and possess another person.
So I took the roughest but most immediate measure.
"As you guessed, I'm forcibly peeling you off! Being able to fuse only at the physical level backfired on you!!"
"I-Impossible!! Forcibly peeling off the fusion!? Something like that, being possible is... Gugaaaaaaaah!!"
"U... ku, u... a, aaaaaaaaaah!!"
What was gradually being peeled off, slowly revealing its true form, was a grotesque existence like a lump of dark red muscle.
It looked just like a lump of meat, and above all, there was no mask associated with Hollows—let alone the object itself, nothing resembling it could be found anywhere.
And simultaneously with the Hollow's scream, Miyako-san's scream also rose.
It's late to say this, but there is a problem with this method.
Since I'm forcibly peeling it off, Miyako-san's consciousness is also gradually awakening.
However, regaining consciousness means that the pain of having her body torn apart by force is also attacking her at the same time.
Honestly, I think it's tremendous agony, but please endure it!
...I am also enduring right now!!
'Ohooooooh!! It feels disgusting!! The tentacles of this Hollow are intertwining, intertwining with my non-glossy matte body! This might awaken something in itself!!'
For the parties involved in the peeling, a quite grotesque scene is being visualized.
A pitch-black sea spreads out with a buwaaa.
Countless tentacles are swallowed into that black sea in the blink of an eye.
Just when I thought that, tentacles stretch from the sea surface toward the heavens.
Those tentacles are slimy and shiny as if coated in pitch-black oil.
The swung-down tentacles slam onto the sea surface, but that is also a clash of oil and oil. The soft, flexible tentacles move as if smearing oil all over the body.
But that sea also has a will.
With a movement that seems to make a nyuru sound, it entwines the tentacles and drags them to the bottom of the water just like that.
What is glimpsed is probably the base of these tentacles. It's a main body like an octopus.
The black sea creeps inside that octopus, and every time it does, the octopus writhes.
What should I call it... The Great Monster Battle of the South Seas?
I can watch it because I built up resistance during the time with Szayelaporro, but... a little... I have to do something quickly! My mind might give out first...
...Ah, that's right. I have good words of encouragement!
Nubatama! Right now, you are becoming one with Miyako-san!!
'...Tt!! Th-That is right!! Then the objective is as good as 99% achieved!! Now if I eliminate the remaining hindrance!! This is Paradise!! El Dorado was here!!'
Erodorado...? Ah, El Dorado... not wrong.
'Licking the back of Miyako-dono's knee!!'
You're attacking a super niche part...
Oops, no good, no good.
Thanks to getting motivated, the tide has turned! The Hollow peeled off all at once!!
"Kaien-san! It will peel off soon!! Prepare to finish it!!"
"O-Ou!! Leave it to me!!"
"Gugagagagagaaaaaah!! Damn Soul Reaper!! I-If it comes to this!!"
Wondering what it would do while enduring severe pain.
Believe it or not, the Hollow separated its own flesh as if self-destructing!
Did it think it was better to break out on its own than to be forcibly peeled off like this!?
"What!?"
"Kaien!!"
The Hollow, which separated and became like countless streaks of meat, attacks Kaien-san directly this time!
Bad! I don't know what it is, but this is bad!!
But I'm currently full with the peeling work!! Kaien-san is taken by surprise and his reaction is slow, and why hasn't Captain Ukitake even helped yet!?
"Hado, \#12... Fushibi..."
"Uoh!? Wh-Whaaaat!?"
Fushibi is a Kido that stretches spiritual pressure like a spider web to capture the enemy.
That spell, chanted without a pause, bound the Hollow and sealed its movements.
"That was...?"
No, I didn't chant it.
It wasn't Kaien-san, nor, of course, Captain Ukitake.
The one who chanted was—
"Haa... haa... You were me until just now...! So, I know exactly what you'll do like the back of my hand!!"
"Miyako!!"
—It was Miyako-san.
It seems she regained her consciousness and freedom all at once because the Hollow released its control itself.
And mustering her scant remaining strength, she saved Kaien-san from a pinch.
"I won't let the likes of you! Get Kaien!!"
She should be tattered both physically and mentally, but her figure as she struck a pose was indescribably beautiful and dignified.
Splendid, this is the wife's help! A model wife!
Like Hisana-san, wives are amazing...
"Damn you! Damn yooouuu!! A mere Soul Reaper going this far! For mere leftovers to interfere with meeee!!"
"Hah...? Bastard, what did you just say...?"
Toward the Hollow, which was caught in the spider web and rolling around like a caterpillar while spewing words of resentment, an anger unlike any before was slammed.
"Hijacking Miyako's body, and on top of that calling her leftovers...? You're quite high and mighty, aren't you, bastard...!! You're prepared, aren't you!!"
"Hi, hihihihiii!!"
"...Black... coffin..."
Oh my? Kaien-san is muttering something quietly... ah! This chant is...!!
"Hado \#90! Kurohitsugi!!"
A black coffin was created by the Kido released with anger.
"Ga! Gi, aaa!! Gu, bu, e, eeeeeeeh!! Sa, save me...!!"
The coffin envelops the Hollow and crushes it just like that.
But that was also for a moment.
"...It's over."
Soon the coffin dispersed, the screams could no longer be heard, and the surroundings regained silence.
"Miyako! Miyako! It's true, it's really you, right!?"
"Yes... it is genuinely me, Kaien... I'm home... and, thank you..."
I have already released Sakashima Yokoshima Ungai, and the surroundings have returned to normal space.
Amidst the darkness of the night dominating the area, Kaien-san and Miyako-san. The couple is hugging each other as if confirming each other's safety.
"I removed all elements of that Hollow; there are no problems. You shouldn't be controlled anymore."
"Yukawa... sorry, I've owed you since way back... really, sorry!!"
"Vice-Captain Yukawa, please let me thank you as well. Thank you very much for saving me."
"No, I only did what was natural."
I say that, but in reality, it was quite a big job.
Purifying all the remaining Hollow cells and recovering Miyako-san until she could move.
I did something unreasonable in a short time. I'm worried if there are any strange adverse effects somewhere.
Like with Hisana-san, is follow-up observation necessary? It might be good to request cooperation from Squad 12.
That squad seems very good at investigating cells and such.
"Also, Kaien?"
"O-Ou?"
Oh my, there's a bit of anger mixed in Miyako-san's words.
Kaien-san notices it too, so he's shrinking back.
"I was happy that you thought of me. But you know, it was just as painful. For my sake, I might have lost you too. When I thought that, I was very, very scared... Cherish yourself more!!"
"B-But! I, for you...!"
"Yes, I was happy for that feeling. But please refrain from acts that risk your life! This time might have just gone well by chance. If something similar happens next time, we might fail. In that case... I wanted you to choose the path of living!! If you were alive, you could have stood up or started over! If you die, you can't protect your pride or have new pride, you can't do anything!"
Miyako-san shouts sorrowfully.
"...She says so, Captain Ukitake?"
"U-Umu..."
In short, she's saying, "Pride can be managed later, live first."
The party involved completely denied Captain Ukitake's earlier words.
Even just listening, it's a bed of nails situation. He had an indescribably uncomfortable expression.
Or rather.
Really, what would have happened if I wasn't here?
If Rukia-san was here instead of me.
Probably Kaien-san would go out, but struggle to attack Miyako-san, and even in a pinch, would Captain Ukitake have said, "Don't interfere. Protect his pride"?
Ah, saying that, I somehow recalled the flow of the canon. Memories are recalled in a chain when you remember something.
Right, right, like this Kaien-san gets taken over, Ukitake-san coughs, and finally Rukia-san delivers the finishing blow...
...Captain Ukitake... that's no good.
Humans, as long as they live, can come to terms with things eventually!
If Kaien-san dies, aren't Kukaku and Ganju-kun pitiful!
What happens to the feelings of the family left behind!!
The Shiba family, not knowing the circumstances, lost Miyako-san and Kaien-san at once, right!?
Naturally, Ganju-kun couldn't handle it.
Moreover, if I recall correctly, Rukia-san went to the Shiba house, right!?
If she was made to do such a thing, she'd get sick!
"Now, now, Miyako-san. You may have a mountain of complaints, but save that for later. Let's go home for today. Everyone in Squad 13 must be worried too, so please show them your healthy face."
"That is true. I am sorry for making you worry."
"S-Saved..."
"Kaien and Captain Ukitake, I will have plenty to say on another day."
""Eeeh!?""
Apparently, there is no escape from the lecture.
And well, like that.
While feeling relieved and starting to prepare to return, another incident occurred.
"...My Zanpakuto is gone!!"
Kaien-san's sorrowful scream echoes in the night sky.
"Come to think of it, didn't the Hollow say something about erasing it!"
"You're kidding, hey! Ne, Nejibana!? Will it come back!? Won't it come back!? Miyako, do you know anything!?"
"I am sorry, I don't know clearly either... However, probably it will never..."
"Ha, haha... seriously..."
An ability to erase a Zanpakuto.
Even until the end of the turn is a powerful enough effect, but of all things, is it a permanent effect?
Since it's the words of Miyako-san, who would know best in a sense due to being taken over even temporarily, the credibility is high.
Gone forever, is it...
"Captain, what should I do..."
"A Soul Reaper who lost his Zanpakuto... was there such a precedent? But probably, um... sorry, Kaien..."
"Retiring from being a Soul Reaper... I guess? Hahahaha... well, it's fine... just Miyako being saved is a huge profit..."
He says that, but his shoulders are slumped dejectedly. Having lost his partner, naturally, he's depressed.
Even for me, if I think about Nubatama disappearing...
'I also do not want to be separated from My Lord!!'
Just when I was thinking that, Miyako-san gently made an offer.
"Kaien, um... if you like. Would you use my Zanpakuto?"
"What...!? No, is that okay...!?"
"It would be much better for the squad if you, the Vice-Captain, remained... Besides, look. I was... thinking it might be good to enter the household as a wife and support you..."
Hm? Miyako-san, why did you look at me for a moment just now?
If there's something with me...
...Ah!
Don't tell me that!? Will I end up attending again following the Kuchiki family!?
"Kongo also seems to like you. So surely, I think he will lend you his strength!"
!?
Miyako-san, despite your graceful face, your Zanpakuto has an awfully manly name!!
...No, maybe not manly.
Vickers' tomboy daughter or something crosses my mind...
'I am a returnee!! Heey! Nice to meet you!! Indeed!'
Whenever I hear Kongo, that Kan-musu comes to mind first.
"Is it okay, Miyako...? Or rather, is it okay, Captain!?"
"Well, isn't it fine? Or rather, I'll make it fine. I couldn't do anything for you two this time. Let me do at least this much."
It was a barely Captain-like statement from Captain Ukitake.
Because he didn't have any good moments this time...
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]