The newcomers were the deceased Chigiri Shijima, along with Shuren and the others who had gone searching for them.
They stood there looking exhausted, as though they had just endured a terribly long journey.
No one knew how long Shuren and his group had searched through Hell before they finally found six Shinigami.
As Shiun walked, he muttered, "Who knows if we've found everyone that man wanted us to find?"
His voice was full of dissatisfaction.
Garogai, walking beside him, complained, "We already did our best. Even if we didn't find them all, there's nothing we can do about it. Searching for people in Hell is pure suffering."
As he spoke, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Shuren looked at the two of them and sighed inwardly.
He knew this task had never been easy.
Still, he encouraged the group. "All right, stop complaining. Who told us we couldn't beat that man?"
Kazuma looked at the people before him, and complicated emotions rose in his heart.
A thousand years had already passed.
Who could have imagined that they would reunite in a place like this?
"Yo! Isn't this Kazuma? So even you had a day where you fell into Hell!"
The moment Chigiri Shijima saw Kazuma, that quiet, brooding bastard could not help teasing him.
However, Furuoki Ōtogawa glared at Chigiri Shijima with open disgust.
"If those eyes of yours are useless, hurry up and dig them out. Didn't you notice that brat doesn't have any chains of Hell on him?"
At that moment, Nobutsuna Shigyō displayed his sharp observational ability.
With a single glance, he noticed something unusual.
"Not just that. Look at Chika too! He doesn't have chains on him either, even though he clearly died."
Hearing this, everyone turned their eyes toward Kazuma and Chika.
Feeling their gazes, Kazuma smiled and explained, "I didn't fall into Hell. I only used a special method to come here.
As for Chika, he did indeed die, but I found a way to free him from Hell's restraints. In a certain sense, I suppose you could say he's been revived."
Nobutsuna Shigyō asked in surprise, "What method? Don't tell me you have the power to bring the dead back to life?"
Kazuma shook his head.
"I don't have that kind of ability. But I can sever Hell's chains completely."
Rukia stared at the legendary first-generation captains before her, her mind practically shutting down.
At this point, even if she were an idiot, she could tell that Kazuma had to be one of the powerful figures from a thousand years ago, not a captain who had only taken office three hundred years ago, as the spiritual records claimed.
Seeing Rukia's dazed, adorable expression, Kazuma hurriedly spoke.
"Rukia, let me introduce them to you. This gloomy-looking, secretly dramatic guy is the first-generation captain of the Fourth Division, Chigiri Shijima. He looks a bit introverted, but his inner world is very rich."
Hearing Kazuma describe him like that, Chigiri Shijima curled his lip but did not refute it.
After all, he knew Kazuma's personality.
The man loved joking around and teasing people.
Even so, Chigiri also understood that Kazuma respected his old comrades deeply. This was simply Kazuma's strange way of expressing it.
"This one who doesn't look like a good person at first glance is the first-generation captain of the Seventh Division, Nobutsuna Shigyō," Kazuma continued.
"Hello there, junior. Don't listen to this brat's nonsense! What does he mean, I don't look like a good person?" Nobutsuna Shigyō answered with a smile.
"This one with the gold tooth is the first-generation captain of the Ninth Division, Entetsu Kumoi," Kazuma went on.
"And the one wearing the straw hat is the first-generation captain of the Tenth Division, Furuoki Ōtogawa."
Kazuma pointed toward Furuoki Ōtogawa as he spoke.
"This big-bearded one is the first-generation captain of the Twelfth Division, Uhin Zenjōji."
Kazuma looked at Uhin Zenjōji.
"And this lecherous old man is the first-generation captain of the Thirteenth Division, Saizō Sakahone."
When introducing Saizō Sakahone, Kazuma deliberately emphasized the words "lecherous old man."
"The girl beside me can be considered my disciple, Rukia Kuchiki."
After introducing everyone else, Kazuma finally introduced Rukia.
Rukia smiled and greeted each of the captains, saying that she was honored to meet them.
She could feel the deep friendship between Kazuma and these captains, and that relaxed, cheerful atmosphere slowly drew her in as well.
"But why is it only you?" Kazuma suddenly frowned, doubt entering his voice. "Where are Sunny Boy and Kinroku Izuhara?"
Shuren quickly stepped forward and replied respectfully, "Sir, we only found these six. As for the other two you mentioned, we truly couldn't find them."
His voice carried a trace of tension and unease.
At that moment, Rukia spoke up.
"Sensei, who is Sunny Boy?"
Several people could not help bursting into laughter.
Chika Shihōin explained, "The Sunny Boy your teacher mentioned is Danjirō Obana, the first-generation captain of the Fifth Division. Once you meet him, you'll understand why everyone calls him that."
After saying that, they laughed again, as though remembering something amusing.
Kazuma looked at them, a faint smile appearing on his face. But then his expression turned serious.
"You lot, go search again. If you can find those two, I can consider cutting off part of the chains on your bodies and weakening Hell's control over you!"
When Shuren and the others heard Kazuma's words, they had originally wanted to argue.
But now, they immediately agreed and said they would go search right away.
They turned and left once more, their figures gradually disappearing into the darkness, leaving Kazuma behind with the gathered captains.
Kazuma watched the direction Shuren and the others had gone, sinking into thought.
He knew that finding Kinroku and Danjirō Obana would not be easy, but he believed Shuren and the others would do their best.
"I hope they can find them," Rukia said softly, worry showing in her eyes.
"Don't worry. They'll be fine," Kazuma comforted her. "Obana has an overflowing sense of justice. He's probably off in some corner of Hell killing Togabito."
The other captains all nodded in agreement.
They understood Danjirō Obana's personality as well.
Kazuma then carefully explained to Chigiri Shijima and the others why he had come to Hell to find them.
"Yhwach is about to awaken again. This time, he may become even stronger, that's why I need your power. I need you to fight beside me. Everyone, do you still have the courage to face him once more?"
After hearing this, everyone fell into thought.
Then Nobutsuna Shigyō was the first to step forward and declare loudly, "That's exactly what I want! A thousand years ago, I should have fought the Quincy to the end, but I was ambushed and killed before I had the chance! I've been frustrated about that ever since. This time, I'll make sure they know what I'm capable of!"
Seeing Nobutsuna Shigyō's determined expression, Kazuma smiled and turned toward the others.
"What about the rest of you?"
The others nodded one after another, voicing their agreement.
"Good. Since everyone has decided to face Yhwach again, let's start preparing together. But before that, we still need to wait for Obana and Kinroku Izuhara to arrive."
After saying that, Kazuma turned and sat down to the side, quietly waiting for Danjirō Obana and Kinroku Izuhara.
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