"Gugu~"
Ginjo Koga's stomach rumbled.
The little boy scratched his head and looked at Makoto Ito with a blushing face.
"I really can't do anything to you!" Makoto Ito stroked his forehead helplessly.
Okamoto Burger Shop.
Okamoto Eihua was in a very good mood today because business was booming. The spatula in her hand flipped constantly, turning beef patties a perfect golden brown. The sizzling sound on the iron plate, combined with the tempting aroma, filled the kitchen.
At lightning speed, Okamoto Eihua placed a beef patty into a burger, skillfully squeezed out the sauce, and added fresh vegetables. In just moments, a delicious beef burger was ready.
"Hey, isn't the order ready yet? I'm starving!"
Customers at the dining table kept urging.
"I'm really sorry, coming right up!"
Just as Okamoto Eihua looked down, she noticed that the burger she had just prepared had disappeared—along with a bottle of soda from the beverage cabinet near the door.
"Hohu~"
"Hey, kid, eat slowly! That burger is hot!"
Ginjo Koga had bitten off a huge piece of the beef burger, only to scald his tongue. The next moment, he was choking.
Makoto Ito sighed and quickly unscrewed the bottle of soda, handing it over. Ginjo Koga grabbed it, taking two big gulps before finally recovering.
Makoto Ito had no doubt—if he hadn't handed over the drink in time, he would've had another soul burial on his hands today.
"Oh, I never thought the dignified Ito Makoto would resort to stealing." He thought to himself.
Since he was currently in a soul state, Makoto Ito had no way to interact with the physical world like normal people. Without a proper vessel, he was invisible to ordinary humans. To feed Ginjo Koga, he had no choice but to steal a burger.
A while later, Ginjo Koga finished the entire burger and drank all the soda.
"Now that you're full, let's go."
Since Ginjo Koga had finished eating, Makoto Ito planned to send him back to the welfare home before handling his own business. He couldn't keep carrying this little troublemaker around.
"The Third Binding Spell—Soul Seal!"
To prevent the aura of the Spirit King's fragments within Ginjo Koga from attracting more Hollows, Makoto Ito cast a spell to temporarily suppress his spiritual pressure. This ensured they wouldn't be detected by low-level Hollows wandering the human world.
Since Ginjo Koga was still a child and walked slowly, it took them nearly an hour to reach their destination.
At the entrance of Yuhua Welfare Home, a slightly plump middle-aged woman paced anxiously. When she saw the disheveled Ginjo Koga approaching, she finally let out a long breath of relief.
She ran over and scooped up Ginjo Koga. Though she wanted to scold him, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
"Brother Ito, will we see each other again?"
Despite being held in someone's arms, Ginjo Koga spoke to thin air and even waved.
Kitayama Tsuko, seeing Ginjo Koga's strange behavior and realizing it was midnight, felt a chill run down her spine. Without hesitation, she hurriedly carried him into the welfare home.
After dealing with Ginjo Koga's matter, Makoto Ito turned his focus back to his own mission.
He spread his spiritual pressure over the entirety of Yuhua Town, confirming that all lingering Hollows had been cleared. Since he had taken on the garrison duty, he had to complete it properly—otherwise, it would eventually draw the Soul Society's attention.
Soon, space in front of Makoto Ito twisted open, revealing an irregular hole—the Garganta. Beyond it lay a chaotic darkness.
Makoto Ito smirked.
"Finally, it's here."
Then, he leaped into the void.
Inside the Garganta, a humanoid Hollow awaited him—black eyes, black hair, and a body wrapped in bone armor.
That humanoid figure was none other than Ren's original body.
Not long after, in Hueco Mundo, the void twisted as two figures emerged—Ren and his clone, Makoto Ito.
As soon as they stepped into the desolate land, Ren vanished in an instant, leaving Makoto Ito alone.
Nearby, next to a low hill, two figures whispered—Barnes, the strange fish Hollow, and Perk, the red goat Hollow.
The moment they saw Ren approach, they quickly knelt in respect.
"What is it?"
"My king, just as you predicted. We found the females you mentioned. We didn't dare get too close, to avoid alerting them."
Barnes spoke reverently, his voice filled with flattery.
Upon learning the precise location, Makoto Ito wasted no time.
Although Aizen had already seized the Palace, he had yet to rebel against Soul Society, meaning he couldn't remain in Hueco Mundo for long.
Makoto Ito seized this window of opportunity to create chaos, using a strategy centered on precise timing.
He took off, vanishing into the sand-filled horizon, ready to enact his next move.
The current aristocratic hunting conference in the Soul Society was fully entrusted to Yamamoto by the council. If Makoto Ito's predictions were correct, Aizen would not appear in Hueco Mundo for the next six months.
This was one of the key reasons why Makoto Ito dared to venture into Hueco Mundo and stir up trouble at this time.
South of Las Noches, in a concealed cave.
A Hollow with brown and black fur, adorned with long white deer antlers, was boasting to a golden lion-like Hollow.
"I could've taken care of that ugly guy myself if you hadn't shown up. He wasn't even my match."
The golden lion Hollow lounged lazily against the stone wall and chuckled.
"Haha, looks like you've grown braver! But don't forget—I've also gotten stronger!"
At that moment, a sleek, slender white snake Hollow slithered toward them, its tone filled with amusement.
"Oh? Who was it that used to tremble at the mere sight of Beligang?"
The golden lion and the deer-like Hollow immediately turned and roared at the white snake Hollow in unison.
"Sun Sun, stop spouting nonsense!"
The three female Adjuchas bickered playfully, much like human girls quarreling in a private chamber.
Suddenly, an overwhelming spiritual pressure descended upon them, followed by a sharp sword strike that blasted open the cave entrance.
A tall, imposing young man strode in through the opening, his stance exuding confidence and defiance.
The moment he laid eyes on the three Adjuchas, he grinned.
"It's you!"
Makoto Ito burst into laughter before lunging directly at the trio.
"A human? No, wait—it's a Soul Reaper!"
"How is a Soul Reaper in Hueco Mundo?!"
"Could that damned expedition squad be back?!"
The three Adjuchas were stunned by Makoto Ito's sudden appearance.
"Such incredible speed!"
Just as Sun Sun was about to be struck down by Makoto Ito's blade, a towering, humanoid Hollow with short golden hair and a massive white bone sword materialized before her. A hardened bone layer formed instantly, blocking the attack.
The newcomer was none other than Halibel!
... patreon Seasay