Death's Hidden Mobile

. .

At this moment, Natsuhiko and Renji Abarai were both standing in the training room. Renji Abarai was holding a wooden sword and rushed towards Natsuhiko, bringing it down on his head.

Xia Yan took a step forward lightly, but unconsciously used his spiritual power to dodge the attack instantly. He arrived at Abarai Renji's side and gently tapped with his right index finger.

A shockwave shot out and struck Renji Abarai.

Just as he was about to be hit, Renji Abarai suddenly shifted his body to the left, narrowly dodging the attack. At the same time, he leaned to the side, gripped his sword, and thrust it towards Natsuhiko.

Just as he was about to be stabbed, a white light appeared, flashed by, and landed in Abarai Renji's hand.

The next moment, Renji Abarai froze, feeling only a numb sensation.

The fourth type of madashi (destruction), Byakurai (white thunder).

He shot out a bolt of lightning that could pierce through a human body, but after abandoning the incantation, Xia Yan deliberately controlled the power, greatly reducing its strength, only causing Renji Abarai to feel numbness.

Renji Abarai dropped the wooden sword from his hand and looked at Xia Yan, saying, "Your strength is becoming more and more terrifying."

Xia Yan smiled and said, "Renji-nii, once you've mastered Kido, you'll naturally be able to do that too."

Renji Abarai waved his hand and said, "The first blast of the 'Hado' that you taught me that day took me two weeks to master, and it requires chanting, which takes too long and its power is just average. It's completely impossible to cast it instantly."

Renji Abarai's talent for Kido wasn't particularly high to begin with, and using Kido incantations took too long, giving opponents time to react, thus making it less valuable in actual combat.

Unless it's an intermediate-level ghost path, such as a powerful broken path like Azure Fire Falling Yellow Fire Flash.

Furthermore, if one reaches the advanced level of Ghost Path, whether it's Twin Lotus Azure Fire Fall, Flying Dragon Strike Thunder Cannon, or Black Coffin, they all possess the power to change the course of battle.

Even his own teacher, Tsuruno Hidetoshi, could only unleash a few advanced Kido techniques.

As for forbidden techniques, even the current Grand Master of the Ghost Path cannot perform them.

Xia Yan and Renji Abarai left the training room together. It was currently the end of the first academic year and the start of the holiday. Otherwise, even though they usually shared a dormitory, they wouldn't have much time to talk.

The two returned to their dormitory. Kira Izuru had already packed his things and gone home, leaving only the two of them in the room.

It was already evening. After washing up, the two went back to their respective beds to sleep.

But as night fell, a figure appeared at the window, grabbed Xia Yan, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and vanished in an instant.

Xia Yan reacted the moment he was grabbed, but he didn't open his eyes. He kept his body relaxed and let the other person take him to a distant place.

However, on the way, Xia Yan was analyzing the possible situations he might encounter.

The other person was carrying him; he wasn't very tall, his height from the ground was limited, and his shoulders weren't very broad.

From this perspective, the other party is not much better than oneself.

However, Xia Yan dared not underestimate them. The opponent was very fast. Using the Instant Step, he was thirty meters away in an instant. Moreover, he was not limited to moving on flat ground. Even if a building appeared in front of him, he could easily jump onto it.

Furthermore, the opponent's speed was very steady, which proved that the opponent's mastery of the Instant Step was far superior to his own.

And then there's breathing, but the rhythm of breathing is extremely slow, even slower than when I walk, and my body hardly moves at all.

This person is very strong, at least in terms of hand-to-hand combat and instant step, he has a strength far exceeding my own.

However, she was unaware that she had already woken up, and if she were to launch a sneak attack, she might have a chance of winning.

Xia Yan remained asleep, using his dormitory as the center, and determined the other party's location by observing their several changes of position.

First south, then east; this is the direction of the center of Seireitei, and specifically, the easternmost part of the center.

After traveling a while, the other party led him up the mountain. This mountain was the mountain range opposite the Central Sixty-Four Chambers. The cliff was the Hill of Twin Phantoms, which was the location of Twin Phantoms. Then, they stopped halfway up the mountain.

This mountain is actually the location of the Second Division's barracks and the location of the Covert Mobile Force.

In addition, the opponent revealed their instant step and body control skills.

Xia Yan knew that the person who came was probably closely related to the Second Division, but why was he being captured?

Xia Yan couldn't understand. Did they suspect him of being an enemy? But interrogation and forced confessions were the job of the Ninth Division.

The Second Division's duty is execution. The First Squad of the Covert Mobile Force is responsible for executions and assassinations, while the Second Squad is responsible for patrols, similar to the Tenth Division, but also for monitoring the movements of the Shinigami. The Third Squad is the Surveillance Squad, responsible for guarding the Worm's Nest. The Fourth Squad is the Ritual Team, responsible for communications.

I will never become their target; if I were, I would surely be dead.

Therefore, Xia Yan judged that this had nothing to do with the duties of the Second Division and the Covert Mobile Force, but without permission, they would certainly not be able to enter this area without authorization.

He is not tall, only about 1.5 meters, and can freely enter and exit the Second Division and the Onmitsukido. He has superb Instant Step skills and ultimate control over his body.

There was only one person in the entire Gotei 13.

So when the other person put Xia Yan down, and as they bent down to wake him, Xia Yan suddenly opened his eyes, looked at the black pupils above the mask, and gently asked, "Captain Soi Fon, it's so late, what brings you out here?"

Upon hearing Xia Yan's words, the other person froze, then asked blankly, "You, how did you know?"

Chapter Twenty-Three: Choice

The one who kidnapped Xia Yan was none other than Soi Fon, the captain of the Second Division, commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukido Force, and commander of the First Division's Execution Corps.

Xia Yan was surprised that it really was her. Although he had guessed that the possible candidate was Soi Fon, he still found it hard to believe.

There's no reason for her to tie herself up here.

Xia Yan remained calm and straightened up, saying, "This mountain is the headquarters of the Onmitsukido and the Second Division. They can come and go freely, and they are not tall, only 1.5 meters tall, and they are skilled in Shunpo. There is no one else but Captain Soi Fon."

When Soi Fon heard Xia Yan say that she was only 1.5 meters tall, she gritted her teeth.

But then she noticed two problems and asked, "How did you know I brought you to Central Mountain, and how did you know my height?"

Xia Yan said with a smile, "Actually, I haven't fallen asleep at all. I judged that it was the central mountain of Seireitei based on Captain Soi Fon's movement direction, and I judged your height based on my height above the ground."

Soi Fon raised an eyebrow. Being able to sense location was no simple feat. You see, Xia Yan was perched on her shoulder with his head facing backward, meaning he had to reverse all the locations he sensed and then use those reversed directions to determine his forward position.

Such memory and thinking abilities are truly amazing.

Soi Fon had been following Natsuhiko for almost a few months, but she never expected his performance to exceed her expectations.

Soi Fon gave him a deep look and said, "You're very smart."

Xia Yan asked curiously, "Then why did Captain Soi Fon bring me here?"

Soi Fon asked coldly, "You can try to guess."

Xia Yan thought for a moment and said, "Does it mean they want me to join the Second Division, or the Covert Mobile Force?"

"???"

Soi Fon nearly fell to the ground, looking at Natsuhiko and asking, "How...how did you know?"

Xia Yan said with a smile, "It's very simple. The Second Division is responsible for executions, and the Covert Force has the responsibilities of execution, patrol, surveillance, and communications. I did not violate any of them, so I have no connection with the Second Division at all. Moreover, even if I did violate them, it wouldn't be Captain Soi Fon who came personally."

Soi Fon frowned and asked, "Then why do you think I'm insisting on having you join the Second Division?"

Xia Yan said matter-of-factly, "With a talent like me, of course you should let me join."

Soi Fon stared at Natsuhiko for a while, not expecting this kid to be so arrogant, but he was right, she did want him to join the Second Division.

Soi Fon looked at Natsuhiko and asked, "So what's your answer? Do you want to join or not?"

Xia Yan frowned. He didn't join the Ghost Path Clan because most of them were involved in Ghost Path operations and were more inclined to provide assistance and support.

Xia Yan hopes to join the Gotei 13, but he hasn't decided which squad to join yet. This will affect his entire life, and he must choose the squad that best suits him.

He originally thought he would make a choice when he graduated, but now it seems that he needs to think about it carefully now.

Which squad should I choose?

The first team to be ruled out is the First Division. The captain of the First Division is also the captain-commander of the Gotei 13, so it would be difficult for him to get in given his seniority.

Next, the Fourth Division is ruled out. The Fourth Division is the medical team. They haven't learned the Returning Dao yet, so it's impossible to judge whether they have the talent for it. But even if they do, they're unwilling to heal from the back and would rather fight on the front lines.

Next, the 3rd, 5th, and 9th Divisions are ruled out. The captains of these three divisions are Gin Ichimaru, Sousuke Aizen, and Kaname Tōsen, respectively. These three will betray Soul Society. Although Gin Ichimaru joined Aizen's team to avenge Rangiku Matsumoto and kill Sousuke Aizen, his act of betrayal cannot be changed, and he will face Sousuke Aizen directly. Therefore, I must avoid these three people.

Then there's the Sixth Division, which is a noble unit responsible for protecting the rights of the nobility; you can't join it yourself.

The 8th Division is the intelligence squad, led by Kyoraku Shunsui. The 13th Division is the purification squad; all the Shinigami stationed in the human world come from the 13th Division, led by Ukitake Jushiro.

These two ideas do not align with his own thoughts on fighting on the front lines.

Besides these, there are only the Second Division, the Seventh Division, the Tenth Division, and the Eleventh Division.

The Seventh Division is the inner court guard, and its captain is Komamura. They protect the inner court, and Natsuhiko is not opposed to it and can be considered as a candidate.

The 10th Division is a patrol and security force. The current captain is Kurosaki Isshin, and the third seat is Matsumoto Rangiku. In three years, Matsumoto Rangiku will go to Hitsugaya Toshiro and bring him into the Shinigami Academy. Hitsugaya Toshiro will graduate in one year. After graduation, Matsumoto will become the vice-captain, while Hitsugaya will become the third seat. Thirty years later, after Kurosaki Isshin leaves the 10th Division, Hitsugaya will take over as captain.

If he joined the 10th Division, Natsuhiko might become the captain after Kurosaki Isshin left.

The 11th Division is a combat-specific unit. Its captain is Kenpachi Zaraki, who is specially recognized for his combat prowess. He mastered Bankai at the third seat and has the strength of a vice-captain at the fifth seat.

However, Xia Yan vaguely felt that it didn't quite fit him. After all, his body would remain that of an eleven-year-old for decades, and he would have to use the combination of Shunpo and Kido to fight enemies, which didn't quite match the Eleventh Division's relentless fighting style.

Finally, there is the Second Division, whose duty is execution. With Soi Fon becoming the captain of the Second Division, the Onmitsukido gradually became a subordinate unit of the Second Division. The Onmitsukido also has five subordinate legions.

The Second Division's strength is beyond doubt. The duties of the four divisions of the Covert Force—execution, patrol, surveillance, and interrogation—have allowed them to be involved in all aspects of the Seireitei, giving them extremely powerful intelligence capabilities.

Meanwhile, the Second Division mostly hides in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to act, thus maintaining maximum secrecy about their identities.

After Xia Yan's selection process, only the Second Division and the Tenth Division remained. Which one should he choose?

By joining the 10th Division, I have a certain chance of becoming the captain.

Joining the Second Division grants access to powerful intelligence capabilities, allowing one to maintain maximum secrecy.

Xia Yan frowned, suddenly realizing that the enemy he wanted to defeat was Aizen, who had hypnotized all the Gotei 13 and the third and fourth lieutenants, making it very difficult for him to escape.

Although some high-ranking officers of the Secret Service were also hypnotized, if one joined the Secret Service, hid within it, and consciously avoided Aizen, it might be possible to remain unhypnotized.

Moreover, Soi Fon coming to find him personally shows how much she values ​​him; she certainly wouldn't just let him become an ordinary Shinigami.

So Natsuhiko looked at Soi Fon and said, "Captain Soi Fon, I'm willing to join the Second Division after graduation."

Upon hearing this, Soi Fon smiled and said, "Very good. After you join, I will arrange for you to join the Second Division of the Covert Mobile Force as the adjutant of Omaeda Norichiyo. As long as you can achieve Shikai, I can make you the vice-captain of the Second Division."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yan shook his head and said, "I don't want to join the police patrol team."

Soi Fon frowned and asked, "The patrol team is the most suitable unit for you, why don't you want to join?"

Xia Yan looked at Soi Fon and said seriously, "I want to join the First Division, the Execution Army Legion, and serve as your adjutant."

Chapter Twenty-Four: Matsumoto Rangiku

"Join the Criminal Investigation Department?"