As a meticulous teacher, Haruki aimed for perfe in mastering what he taught. With the Stern Master-Apprentice Bond buff enhang his sensitivity to spiritual energy, he could keenly detect even subtle shifts around him.

  On his way back, he sensed a faint Hollow presen the distance.

  Sing his surroundings, Haruki realized it was already dusk. By the time he returo Seireitei, his shift would be over. Yet, to enter a Hollow at this hour felt like pure bad luck.

  Feigning ignorance, Haruki tinued walking, all the while strategizing how to hahe situation. If it was a regur Hollow, he could manage, but if it turned out to be a Menos-css...

  He would have to rely on his retly acquired soul abilities.

  Among the abilities at his disposal were Ultimate Defense aructive Death Beam. He hoped the Hollow was bird-shaped so he could use Kira's Avian Syer.

  The Hollow was likely intelligent and him cautiously. Haruki warned himself to stay vigint, and suddenly, his sense of danger spiked.

  A shadow loomed over him. Anticipating the attack, Haruki used Shunpo to leap forward, narrowly evading.

  Turning back, he saw the Holloider-like creature. Its limbs crawled along the ground, and red, fleshy tendrils sprouted from its back like grotesque tentacles.

  The sight made Haruki's heart skip. It looked eerily simir to Metastacia, a Hollow infamous for its ability to make Zanpakutō disappear and fuse with souls—a deadly foe.

  Metastacia was the Hollow that, iure, would fuse with Kaien Shiba, the lieutenant of Squad 13, ultimately leading to his death by Rukia's hand. Moreover, this Hollow was one of Aizen's experimental creations.

  Aizen?!

  A chill ran down Haruki's spine. Was he being targeted by Aizen already?

  If this Hollow was sent by Aizen, it could only mean that Aizen had taken notice of him. That wasn't a good sign.

  Though Haruki hoped the Hollow was ag indepely, he couldn't shake the suspi that Aizen might have guided it. Could his ret iions with Renji, Kira, and Hinamori have drawn Aizen's attention?

  Too perceptive, this guy.

  Despite his iurmoil, Haruki maintained a calm exterior. With a deadpan expression, he addressed the Hollow.

  "This is such a hassle. I'm about to clock out. Couldn't you have waited until tomorrow m?"

  Metastacia tilted its head, puzzled by Haruki's nonce. From its perspective, Haruki shouldn't have been able to dodge the earlier attack.

  "A strange Shinigami," the Hollow mused. "But no matter. Surrender your soul!"

  With a roar, Metastacia lu Haruki. He didn't move, knowing full well the Hollow's capabilities. A single misstep could allow it to unleash its soul-fusion ability, which would spell disaster.

  Instead, Haruki pyed the part of a frightened Shinigami, standing frozen in pce.

  Metastacia sneered. "What's the matter? Too scared to move, Shinigami?"

  It opes jaws wide, preparing to devour Haruki.

  Snap!

  The bite ected—but nothing happened.

  Metastacia froze in disbelief. Its attack had been nullified. That's when it noticed Haruki's finger resting against its jaw.

  "Goodbye," Haruki said softly.

  "Destructive Death Beam."

  A bck light emerged from Haruki's fiip, pressed into a pinprick before shooting out as a beam the width of a thumb.

  Shhhhk!

  The beam pierced Metastacia's brain, traveling upward and disappearing into the sky.

  "You..." Metastacia's mouth opened in a silent scream. Though Hollows had regeive abilities, they couldn't recover from destru of the brain or heart. Haruki had exploited this weakness with precision.

  Uhe effects of Stern Master-Apprentice Bond, Haruki's analytical abilities were heightened. He had identified the Hollow's brain as its oint and struck with pinpoint accuracy, leaving no ce for a terattack.

  "Finally..." Haruki sighed, watg Metastacia colpse. "I didn't want to fight."

  Turning away, he tioward Seireitei, maintaining his usual pace despite the battle's iy.

  The enter had cost him two abilities—Destructive Death Beam and Ultimate Defense. Frustrated, Haruki vowed to avoid unnecessary risks iure. But with Aizen potentially him, he couldn't afford to show panic or weakness.

  Maintain posure. Maintain mystery.

  Aizen wouldn't respeeone who groveled or tried to curry favor. To gain his attention, Haruki o appear intriguing.

  Aizen, with his calg nature, wouldn't directly front Haruki. Instead, he'd py a game of discovery, enjoying the process of unc Haruki's secrets.

  Haruki decided to let him. The longer Aizen dug, the better the ces of building rapport. Wheime came, and Haruki had enough strength to stand as an equal, he'd reveal his iions.

  He imagined saying, "Oh, what a ce! You dislike the Soul King too? Let's take him down together!"

  That would surely work better than groveling for Aizen's approval.

  With that pn in mind, Haruki walked into Junrin'an and passed through the White Way Gate, returning to Seireitei as if nothing had happened.