After the meeting adjourned, Fujimiya Makoto left the 11th Division conference room with a heavy heart, striding outside.
Originally, he had wanted to practice his reishi control in the Soul Society, but now that he was joining the expeditionary force, he needed to plan carefully.
Having read the original story, Fujimiya Makoto knew more about the "Hueco Mundo" than many captains and researchers.
The area of Hueco Mundo was far larger than the entire Soul Society, and most of its territory was desert, with no gathering places for Hollows.
Additionally, it was divided into upper and lower layers.
The number of Hollows was countless.
If it had to be described, it was truly a "dark forest."
All Hollows were either hunting other Hollows or being hunted themselves.
In such a dangerous place, the two most important things were food and positioning.
Though it had been a while, Fujimiya Makoto still vividly remembered the Shinigami from the expeditionary force, "Asido," who had gotten lost in the Great Hollows Forest and was forced to stay there for centuries.
Therefore, to ensure the expeditionary force's advantage, Fujimiya Makoto thought it best to ask Shutorara Sennenmaru to prepare some technological devices for survival and positioning.
"Hello?"
As he was thinking, he suddenly felt a pair of small feet on his shoulders.
Looking up, he saw Saito Futaba, who had somehow jumped onto him, hanging on him as if weightless.
Fujimiya Makoto narrowed his eyes: "What are you doing?"
Saito Futaba, the little immortal, seemed to have no weight, her right leg hooked around his neck, her upper body dangling to the side, her single eye aligning with his face, smiling cheekily:
"You've been looking troubled since earlier!"
"There must be something fun going on, right?"
"Take me along too!"
It was clear Saito Futaba was quite bored.
"Wait? Aren't you a captain?"
"Whether it's the expeditionary force or division affairs, you should be busy right now."
Fujimiya Makoto paused mid-sentence, as if discovering a great secret, his eyes widening: "You're just slacking off, aren't you!"
Hearing this, Saito Futaba's single eye turned away, looking somewhat guilty.
"Well, the vice-captain's job is to do this kind of thing, right!"
"And I can't understand it anyway!"
She even seemed a bit righteous.
"Fine, can you get off my neck?" Fujimiya Makoto patted her leg, "It's tight."
"No!"
Saito Futaba resumed her cheeky smile: "I'm tired from walking! Run faster for me!"
"Giddy up!"
The little immortal urged him loudly, even slapping his butt as if riding a real horse.
Fujimiya Makoto glanced at her deep purple twin tails, thinking he'd get his hands on that steering wheel someday.
"Run faster, you!"
Saito Futaba complained.
"Yes, yes~"
Fujimiya Makoto's voice was weak.
Under her urging, he finally used Shunpo to cross the long corridor.
Kūra Yashiki Ryūma passed by below, carrying files.
Looking up, he saw Saito Futaba riding Fujimiya Makoto, crossing the palace above.
"Vice-Captain Fujimiya and Captain Saito really get along well."
The short man sighed softly.
Then, he continued toward the vice-captain's office.
The work after establishing the division felt even more tedious than at the Genryūsai Academy.
Troublesome.
...
After the 13th Division was established, the work was complex, and the initial departmental responsibilities were unclear.
In terms of basic structure, there were many departments with the same functions.
Setting aside other matters, just the departments responsible for manufacturing items numbered four or five.
However, the most useful one currently was the Soul Society Technology Development Department established specifically for Shutorara Sennenmaru.
Since the 13th Division had recently confiscated the secret techniques of the noble families, Shutorara Sennenmaru had been holed up here day and night, except when sleeping, barely stepping out of the door.
Fujimiya Makoto naturally came to find her.
"Ah! Brother Makoto!"
As soon as he entered, a pink-haired loli in an ill-fitting lab coat rushed out, waving at him excitedly.
But as her gaze rose, Yofune Hogi's expression froze, her eyes widening:
"Brother Makoto! There's a Hollow behind you!"
"What do you mean Hollow?" Saito Futaba, who had been smiling, suddenly turned sullen, "I'm clearly a Shinigami, right!"
Instead, Fujimiya Makoto earnestly warned: "Hogi, don't talk to idiots too much."
"Otherwise, you'll become an incompetent adult who doesn't want to work."
Yofune Hogi sighed softly: "But I don't want to work either."
"Huh?"
Before Fujimiya Makoto could react, he heard footsteps and several researchers shouting from inside:
"Yofune Thirteen Seats! Please finish the remaining research reports quickly!"
"Tomorrow is the Minister's deadline!"
Yofune Hogi's face tightened, quickly waving at Fujimiya Makoto:
"Brother Makoto! I'll find you to play next time!"
"I have other things to do today, so I'll go first!"
After shouting this in a panic, the tiny figure pulled up a semi-transparent cloak and vanished in an instant.
"Oh—"
Both Fujimiya Makoto and Saito were stunned, their eyes widening in sync.
Hogi's spiritual pressure quickly faded.
Leaving behind a group of bewildered researchers.
"That should be the little girl you brought back, right?" Saito Futaba, still on his neck, looked toward where Yofune Hogi had disappeared, somewhat amazed, "She's so small, and she's already working here?"
Fujimiya Makoto looked at her in confusion:
"Aren't you small too?"
"Huh?"
"How dare you look down on me?!"
Saito immediately grabbed his hair: "The salt I've eaten is more than the rice you've eaten!"
"Ouch!"
"I'll pull you bald today! Bald!" Saito Futaba stepped on his face with her small feet, shouting and messing with his hair.