"Over here! Please keep up and don't fall behind!"
"Thank you, Momo!"
Led by Momo Hinamori, Orihime Inoue and the others were moving desperately toward the execution grounds.
They were wearing the Shihakuso provided by the Fourth Division for their disguise. Unlike the ones they had previously obtained through what was essentially highway robbery, the division insignia sewn into the collars was the proof of the Fourth Division.
With this, they had enough evidence to push through even if they were questioned.
--Then again, since the Fourth Division's Third Seat, Momo Hinamori, was leading them, there likely wasn't a Soul Reaper eccentric enough to harbor suspicions.
"Are you and the others alright, Ishida?"
"Yeah, no problems. But Orihime, you shouldn't raise your voice so much... I think we should avoid standing out..."
"O-Oh, right! Sorry."
As Yasutora Sado replied with few words, Orihime Inoue looked forward again, reflecting briefly on her actions.
"I'm sorry, Sado..."
"Don't worry about it."
Uryu Ishida couldn't help but mumble over Yasutora Sado's back, but Sado showed no sign of minding at all.
After all, Uryu Ishida was currently in a state where he couldn't manipulate spiritual power at all, making his physical abilities no different from an ordinary person's.
But right now was a time when they wanted to hurry as much as possible. Therefore, in order to move even a little faster, Yasutora Sado was running while carrying Uryu Ishida on his back.
Sado's physical ability, which allowed him to run without slowing down or losing his breath while carrying a high school boy, could only be described as astounding.
'Ugh... but...'
In that situation, Momo Hinamori, who was in the lead, was worrying slightly.
Both Yasutora Sado and Orihime Inoue were running fast enough.
Compared to the soldiers of the Gotei 13, they were on par with high-ranking seated officers. With the exception of a few divisions, they could even serve as Third Seats.
However, by Momo Hinamori's standards, she had to say they were "slow."
'I want to hurry more! But they definitely won't be able to keep up at a faster pace than this...!'
With her own captain in danger, she had suppressed her desire to rush to the scene as quickly as possible to take on the role of guide.
If that was the case, Momo Hinamori's duty was to "deliver Orihime and the others safely and without delay."
'If I push them too hard, they'll be too exhausted to move by the time we arrive... Should I heal them then? No, that might cause a strain somewhere... more importantly, they might collapse mid-transit... that would actually slow us down...?'
She continued to sprint down the main street while desperately calculating Orihime and the others' abilities, remaining strength, distance, and travel time in her head.
While Orihime and the others followed her trustingly, the woman in the lead suddenly came to a halt.
"Stop!"
"Eh, what!?"
"Mm..."
Though bewildered by the sudden instruction to stop, Orihime and the others managed to stop without crashing into each other.
However, just as they began to wonder what was going on, two men loomed out from a side path.
"I apologize, but this road is closed."
"Seventh Division... Captain Komamura... and Lieutenant Iba as well..."
"Yo, little Hinamori. It's been a while."
The ones who appeared were both opponents who boasted physiques so massive that Momo Hinamori had to look up at them.
Moreover, the fact that they appeared here and blocked their path--she had heard that Airi Yukawa had at least consulted Sajin Komamura, but she realized that conflict was likely unavoidable.
"So--are those people behind you new recruits for the Fourth Division?"
"...!!"
The moment Tetsuzaemon Iba asked that, Momo Hinamori's hand was on the hilt of her Zanpakuto.
Instantly preparing her mind and body for battle, she braced herself to react to anything that might happen, then raised her voice from the bottom of her lungs to urge Orihime and the others to flee.
"Everyone! Please run! I'll do something to hold them back here!! So, everyone, hurry...!!"
"Hah... For you to take that kind of attitude, I guess it really is like that..."
In preparation for a situation like this, everyone had already been briefly informed of the location and route to the execution grounds.
A captain and a lieutenant.
She calculated that if she fought desperately to hold them back, she could buy enough time for the three of them to escape.
Tetsuzaemon Iba couldn't help but sigh at Momo Hinamori's actions.
"But do you understand? By taking that stance, little miss, we won't be able to back down either... right, Captain?"
"..."
"Ugh... ku...!"
Prompted for a response, Sajin Komamura silently directed his bloodlust toward Momo Hinamori. It could be called intimidation.
Feeling that invisible pressure, she let out a small groan. She desperately endured the weight that felt like it would crush her if she let her guard down, yet she did not break her combat stance.
"No."
"...Eh...? S-Sado!?"
As if to shield Momo Hinamori, Yasutora Sado stepped forward.
By interposing his massive frame, which was no smaller than Sajin Komamura's, he blocked her from the giant's gaze and showed his fighting spirit by clenching his fists.
When Momo Hinamori glanced behind her for an instant, she confirmed that Uryu Ishida had been set down and was being supported by Orihime Inoue.
"I'll take over here. So, the rest of you go on ahead..."
"That's crazy, I'll be the one! Besides, you all have a goal...!!"
"We need a guide. Besides, I'm slow. It will definitely be faster if you're the one leading them while going all out..."
"...!!"
Momo Hinamori gasped in spite of herself.
She had indeed been thinking that, but she thought she had been careful not to let it show in her attitude, expression, or even her aura.
She never expected him to point it out so accurately.
And those words from Yasutora Sado seemed to pique the opponent's interest as well, as Sajin Komamura shifted the target of the intimidation he had been directing at Momo Hinamori.
"I see... You would sacrifice yourself..."
"...t...ku..."
The pressure, similar to what he felt when facing Shunsui Kyoraku a few days ago, made Yasutora Sado feel like his breath was being cut off.
However, for him, this was the second time. If it was something he had felt once before, his body remembered how to deal with it.
Without flinching from the unleashed pressure, Yasutora Sado stood his ground with a resilient will.
"But do you realize what you're doing? Third Seat Hinamori over there said she would buy time. From your perspective, isn't that exactly what you would want?"
"Maybe... so..."
"Then why!?"
To that question, Yasutora Sado answered with confidence.
"For Ichigo's sake."
"Is that person your friend...?"
"Yeah, that's right."
Once again, he nodded without a shred of hesitation.
Before they knew it, the pressure radiating from Sajin Komamura had vanished.
"Hmph... Wahahaha!! I see, for a friend!!"
"Hm...?"
"C-Captain...!? What's gotten into you...?"
Every time Sajin Komamura's laughter echoed, the surrounding air, which had been like a taut string, slowly turned into something relaxed.
The hostile atmosphere had completely disappeared, to the point where Yasutora Sado and the others were taken aback.
"Tetsuzaemon!"
"Yes, sir!"
"We're withdrawing!"
"Huh...? What on earth...?"
"I am going once more to confirm this order with Lord Genryusai and Central 46. I am not entirely unacquainted with Captain Yukawa. These intruders were being sheltered by Captain Yukawa. There must be some reason. If I do not confirm that, a serious mistake might occur!"
"Um, Captain... is that really okay!?"
"Do you have a complaint?"
"No... Captain! I'll follow you for the rest of my life!!"
"I see. Do as you wish."
After saying that much, Sajin Komamura turned on his heel as if he had no more business here.
It goes without saying, but normally there would be no need to go back for re-confirmation.
To a Soul Reaper, orders from above are practically absolute. Even Head Captain Yamamoto has no choice but to obey if ordered by Central 46.
There was no way a captain like Sajin Komamura didn't know that.
Therefore, this was equivalent to saying in a roundabout way that he was letting them go.
But Sajin Komamura's words didn't end there.
"Oh, that's right. Third Seat Hinamori. And you intruders. Are you all coming too?"
"Eh, um... Captain Komamura, does that mean..."
"Don't misunderstand. I am merely going to confirm. After the confirmation is made, I may become your enemy once again."
As if he had forgotten to mention it, he turned back once more and asked Momo Hinamori.
That offer was implicitly stating that he would escort them to the execution grounds. If that wasn't the case, there would be no need to go out of his way to say "I may become your enemy again."
"Please... Captain Komamura."
"Understood, Third Seat Hinamori."
After a brief hesitation, Momo Hinamori nodded.
But without paying any mind to her actions, Sajin Komamura moved his gaze to Yasutora Sado.
"I am the Captain of the Seventh Division, Sajin Komamura. You, what is your name?"
"Yasutora Sado."
"Yasutora... Tiger. You were given a good name."
"Yeah..."
They had simply exchanged names.
But the two of them felt a strange sense of fulfillment.
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