Chapter 111: Reiterate, We, the Gotei 13, Do Not Eat People

Yamabuki Haruto stared at Shijima Chigiri, bloodied and motionless on the Rukongai ground, fearing he’d killed him. He bent to check, patting Shijima’s face.

Shijima’s eyes snapped open, spitting a flying needle from his mouth. Haruto pinched it mid-air and punched, sending Shijima crashing. This time, his Reiatsu flickered faintly—truly unconscious.

Haruto examined him: broken bones, subcutaneous bleeding, and organ damage. Untreated, he’d ascend to the Soul King’s realm. Haruto applied basic Kaido, then hauled Shijima back to Seireitei.

“Back, everyone!” Haruto tossed Shijima like a sack onto the Gotei 13 courtyard. Shijima grunted, still alive.

“Dismember him?” Saitō Furofushi suggested, gripping her Zanpakutō.

“Hold off,” Haruto said. “We need the mastermind. Save him, then hand him to Captain-Commander Yamamoto.”

Future Squad 4 Captain, dying by my hand? Not today.

Haruto took Shijima to Kirio Hikifune’s quarters, but she was out gathering herbs with Hanako. Fine, I’ll do it.

Shijima’s injuries didn’t require extreme measures like Squad 4’s deepest healing arts. Haruto prepared a wooden tub, filled it with medicinal liquid, and submerged Shijima, simmering him with herbs like a stew. With Kaido, Shijima’s wounds healed in under two hours. He stirred, eyes groggy.

“Am I in hell?” Shijima mumbled, expecting damnation for an assassin.

“Not yet, close enough,” Haruto said, back turned, chopping herbs and tossing them into the tub, like seasoning a broth.

Shijima paled. The Gotei 13 eats people? “If you want meat, I’ll catch some plump ones! I’m all bones, bad taste!” he pleaded, shivering in the warm liquid. Why so many perverts? I just wanted money.

Haruto stirred the tub with a ladle, looking like he might sample it. “Nonsense. I torture with cruel punishments, but I don’t eat people. No one in the Gotei 13 does—probably.”

Probably? Shijima thought. Why so unsure? Why avoid my eyes? Flustered!

“If heaven gave me another chance, I’d rot at home, not assassinate,” Shijima muttered.

“You’ve got a chance,” Haruto said, adding the last herbs and stirring. “Option one: we heal you, drag you out, and behead you. You killed a noble in Seireitei—Hachimayo Chiyo (Chapter 103). No execution, we lose face.”

“I choose two,” Shijima said instantly.

“Impatient kid,” Haruto chided. “Option two: join the Gotei 13. Your strength qualifies for a provisional captaincy. Also, you smashed my Yamabuki Clothing Store. Pay up.” He paused, grinning. “I’d prefer option one—your organs would fetch a nice price. Nobles love collecting weird stuff.”

“Two! I said two!” Shijima shouted. Lunatics everywhere.

Haruto extended a hand, smiling warmly. “Welcome to the Gotei 13. We’re family now. Got problems? I may not fix them, but I can fix the people causing them.”

Insane, Shijima thought.

“Now, who’s the mastermind? No assassin’s code—you’re Gotei now,” Haruto said.

Shijima frowned, thoughtful. “I don’t know. Never saw them. We used letters. They paid me to kill two people: the man first, then the girl days later—Hachimayo Chiyo, then Hachiuma Chiyo.”

“Show me the money,” Haruto said.

Shijima nodded at his clothes. “Wallet’s in the pocket.”

Haruto had felt something heavy earlier, mistaking it for a weapon. He poured the wallet’s contents—gold coins clattered out.

Haruto’s face darkened. He compared a coin from his own pocket to Shijima’s. Identical craftsmanship.

“I’ve been played,” Haruto sighed, his suspicions confirmed.