Chapter 371: BSUS - 374: Strange, Truly Strange

Nel’s smile froze, and Tsukabishi Tessai’s heart seemed to stop beating as well. Onlookers might have mistaken this for some romantic love at first sight, but in reality, it was merely the brief calm before the storm.

"I’m sorry!" Nel said, bowing three times in rapid succession. Tessai’s Reiatsu fluctuated wildly in response. Was this some new kind of torture technique?

The Espada before him was acting far too polite and normal—so normal that it actually felt abnormal.

Nel still looked completely oblivious. She patted the back of her head and continued with a smile, "I was just thinking that you didn’t quite match the Chōzuka-san I had in mind. If it were him, even knowing I’m an Arrancar, he probably wouldn’t have been so hostile right from the start."

So this girl understood everything perfectly. Tessai inexplicably felt a twinge of shame; compared to her, it seemed he, the Shinigami, was the one trying to provoke a conflict.

"Did you come here just to find Chōzuka?"

Nel nodded repeatedly. "That’s right. I was really curious about what kind of person he is, so I came over to see for myself."

"Curious?"

"Exactly. Shinigami and Hollows are natural mortal enemies. It’s not just you who think so; actually, many of our comrades in Hueco Mundo are terrified of you." Nel patted her chest dramatically, as if she were truly frightened, before her tone shifted. "Aizen-sama is an exception. He brought us not only power but also a direction for the future. However, I know Aizen-sama doesn’t view us as comrades. Many of us can see that."

"Therefore, even the Espada harbor different feelings toward Aizen-sama, and we don’t entirely agree with all of his ideas."

"Originally, I thought there was only one Shinigami like Aizen-sama. But not too long ago, I found out that a friend of mine had actually been following another Shinigami for a long time. That Shinigami is Chōzuka Hiroe."

"I know Resen very well—oh, right, Resen is the friend I mentioned. So I was very curious about what kind of man someone like him would willingly lay down his life for." Nel leaned forward slightly with her hands behind her back, her eyes curving into happy crescents. "You know Chōzuka-san, right? What kind of person is he? How is he different compared to Aizen-sama?"

"Someone who is impossible to read," Tessai answered subconsciously.

"Why that kind of answer?" Nel looked deeply disappointed, but then her eyes darted around as if she had a new idea. "Then could you call him over? I really want to meet him, please!"

"What’s the point of meeting him and understanding him? What difference would it make?"

"Of course it makes a difference! If he’s different from Aizen-sama, then..." Nel gestured with her hands, preparing to launch into a long speech, but unfortunately, the arrival of three uninvited guests interrupted her.

With eight Espada scattered across Seireitei, even with a Grand Kidō Chief like Tessai who rarely fought anymore, the Urahara Shop’s personnel were stretched too thin. This was where the Visored needed to step in and fill the gaps.

Sensing an Arrancar rapidly approaching the Urahara Shop, Sarugaki Hiyori, Kuna Mashiro, and Yadomaru Lisa had hurried over.

Although the three of them were only Vice-Captains, by relying on Hollowfication and teaming up with Tsukabishi Tessai, pinning down an Espada shouldn’t be difficult. Even victory was a possibility.

"We’re here to help, Tessai!" Hiyori’s voice arrived before she did, but as she focused her eyes on the scene, her expression gradually turned bizarre. "A-Are you guys chatting?"

Before Tessai could answer, Nel spoke up with a familiar friendliness. "That’s right! I’m the 3rd Espada, Neliel. Who are you?"

"Sarugaki..." Hiyori suddenly paused. *Why should I tell her?* She immediately pointed at Nel and yelled, "Don’t act like we’re close, you damn baldy! And don’t tell me you’re not bald! With that ugly thing on your head, there’s no way you aren’t!"

*Who has the scent of a Hollow?* Hiyori curled her lip, but before she had the chance to retort, Kuna Mashiro smiled and replied from beside her, "That’s right, we can turn into Hollows. We look pretty much like you do right now."

"Kuna!"

"There really is a familiar feeling." Ignoring the increasingly irritable Hiyori beside her, Lisa’s gaze wandered up and down Nel’s body. "I definitely wouldn’t forget such a fantastic figure. Let me think about which book I saw it in..."

"Lisa..."

Hiyori practically spoke through gritted teeth. Who knew Lisa would just hold up a hand, signaling not to disturb her because she was close to remembering which book it was.

These two never knew how to read the room. Hiyori pinched her temples, looking as if she had a massive headache. When Nel’s pleasant, silver-bell-like laughter reached her ears, it made her feel like she was going to faint.

"What are you laughing so happily for, you damn baldy?! Speak! What exactly are you here for?!"

"I..." Nel immediately dropped her smile, but Hiyori didn’t give her a chance to speak at all. "No matter what you want, we won’t let you get away with it!"

"I know. Chōzuka-san isn’t here; Tsukabishi-san already told me."

*Chōzuka-san?* Hiyori looked at Tessai in confusion. *Is she talking about the Chōzuka-san I’m thinking of?*

Tessai nodded calmly. Kuna Mashiro suddenly gasped, her face filled with urgency as she warned Nel, "Don’t go messing with Kocho! You can’t beat him!"

Lisa, on the other hand, looked ready to gossip. "That guy Chōzuka has been to Hueco Mundo before. Did he perhaps leave behind some romantic debts? My..." She glanced at the proud pair on Nel’s chest and quipped, "What monotonous tastes. I appreciate it, though!"

For some reason, Nel actually felt a bit embarrassed under Lisa’s stare. She lowered her head with a slight blush, looking as if she had done something wrong.

Similarly, Hiyori was also made to feel somewhat embarrassed, though her face was livid. "Both of you, shut up!"

"Hey, baldy! Yeah, I’m talking to you. You’re here looking for Chōzuka Hiroe, right?" Hiyori silently pinned the blame for this entire mess on Hiroe. "I know where you can find him~"

"N-No, that’s fine. I won’t be leaving here."

"Why?!" Hiyori was dumbfounded. Had her carefully crafted plan been seen through already?

"Because Aizen-sama needs me to take Sado Yasutora away."

The moment those words were spoken, the playful expressions on the faces of Hiyori’s trio instantly vanished. Their sharp gazes could practically pierce right through Nel.

"Rest assured, I won’t force my way in," Nel explained with a smile. "I can sense that Aizen-sama doesn’t truly want Sado Yasutora. Therefore, I won’t fight to the death with you Shinigami over a mere joke."

"If such a meaningless battle were to actually happen, it would be far too tragic."

Hiyori was getting a bit confused. She asked tentatively, "So you won’t attack us because Aizen wanting Sado Yasutora is a fakeout?"

Nel nodded. Hiyori continued to ask, "You want to go see Chōzuka Hiroe yourself, and you aren’t going to attack here, so what’s the difference if you just go straight to find Chōzuka Hiroe?!"

"Of course there’s a difference. I despise meaningless battles, so I won’t start a war with you over an unimportant target. But Aizen-sama needs me to be here, so I will absolutely be here! This is my repayment for the power he bestowed upon us!" An inexplicable resolve welled up within Nel, and for the first time, she revealed something that could be called fighting spirit.

Hiyori was completely spun around by her logic. She weakly asked one final question: "So, even if none of us were here, you still wouldn’t suddenly barge in and take Chad away, right?"

"I will not engage in meaningless battles."

Well, that was certainly good news. It meant they could go support other areas. But on the other hand, could the words of an Espada really be trusted?

Hiyori sighed softly and cast a pleading look at the others for help. However, everyone, including Tessai, wore a thoughtful expression. Ultimately, they all focused their gazes on Nel, as if hoping to see right through the girl’s mind.

Emotionally speaking, for a split second, they all believed Nel. But returning to rationality, throwing the gates wide open for an Espada seemed incredibly foolish.

This Arrancar named Neliel was truly a strange one. Strange, too strange!