Chapter 80: The Strongest Poster Girl, Saitō Furofushi

Soul Society’s nobles, bored with strolling birds and idle daydreams, flocked to Yamabuki Haruto’s clothing store for amusement. They discovered a spectacle: Saitō Furofushi, Sixth Division captain, stood at the entrance in a maid outfit and white stockings, her smile rigid as she greeted guests.

“Captain Saitō? Working here?” a bold 13th Division member asked.

“Wrong person! Not me!” Saitō’s shame nearly broke her. Recognized by her own squad? He’s dead.

“No violence to customers, Captain!” Haruto called, smirking.

Saitō’s composure cracked. “You!” She glared, but the damage was done.

“So cute! Not your usual fierce self!” The member tugged her skirt, oblivious. Saitō’s smile turned ghastly. “One more word, and you won’t see tomorrow.”

The nobles weren’t just spectating—their wealth cleared the stock in an hour. Girls bought maid outfits; men grabbed them for their wives. Saitō’s charm fueled the frenzy.

Kano Chiharu’s eyes curved into crescents. The shop’s success meant profit for her family. Haruto, counting his first real earnings, grinned wide enough to laugh in his dreams. But his Gotei 13 staff officer role took precedence—money was a means, not the goal. He entrusted daily operations to Shutara Senjumaru, balancing work and home.

Home was the Shihōin estate. Time for his own place. The next day, Haruto used his earnings to buy a modest courtyard house on the noble district’s edge. Spring brought green grass and a blooming cherry tree. My own home. I’m rooted in Soul Society.

That night, Haruto began a secret project: an underground training ground. His hybrid abilities—Silver Angel’s space-cutting, Vollständig, Hollow Cero—required secrecy. Using reishi manipulation, he carved a vast subterranean space in days, perfect for private training.

Under a moonless sky, Haruto, in a nightgown, crept to Kirinji Tenjirō’s clinic. Tenjirō was asleep, no patients around. First time stealing. Thrilling! His target: samples of the White Bone Hell and Blood Pool Hell springs. Replicating their composition was easier than inventing them. I swear, Tenjirō, I’ll keep the recipe secret. On my biceps.

Crash! Haruto kicked a medicine jar, shattering it.

“Who’s there?” a voice called—Hanako, Tenjirō’s assistant. Haruto, a rookie thief, scrambled to a ceiling beam. Hanako entered with an oil lamp, muttering, “No one? The window’s open. I closed it before bed.” She shut it, checked twice, and left.

Haruto exhaled, dropping down. He recalled Tenjirō pressing a button to reveal the springs’ tunnel. Groping in the dark, he pressed random spots until a creaking floor opened the passage. Below, the White Bone Hell and Blood Pool Hell glowed. He filled two vials with their waters and turned to leave—only to meet Tenjirō’s cold stare.

“Stealing from me? Bold!” Tenjirō, Thunderous Tenjirō, attacked with captain-level reiatsu, forcing Haruto into a panic. Caught as Gotei 13’s Chief of Staff? My career’s over. To stay anonymous, he avoided Silver Angel and his reiatsu, dodging wildly.

“You want the springs?” Tenjirō said. “Top tech. You’ll never crack them. Surrender, and I’ll let it slide.”

Haruto spotted an opening and bolted. Deny everything! Tenjirō blocked the exit, fist raised. Haruto took the hit, crashing through to escape.