Returning to the courtyard, Shigure walked straight toward the captain's quarters.
The instant he entered, he saw a scene that made him laugh.
Beside the tea table, Candle Dragon and Aning sat facing each other. Staring intently.
This cross-legged posture, with these two unusual girls, showed a strange kind of cuteness.
Their color schemes perfectly opposite—one black, one white.
Even when Shigure entered, they made no movement. Just kept staring at each other.
Shigure stood watching for quite a while before chuckling. Walked over. "You two... are you bonding?"
He'd just left them inside to meet the captains and lieutenants outside.
Hadn't expected them to spark like this.
Hearing Shigure's words, Candle Dragon and Aning finally turned their heads simultaneously.
Aning showed a confused expression. Nodded as if half-understanding.
Clearly didn't grasp the vocabulary Shigure used.
Just vaguely felt "nodding should work."
Candle Dragon stood with a light laugh. Gently shook her head. "Just bored, Shigure."
"I never intended to have any connection with anyone besides you."
"Besides, it's too stuffy here. I won't stay any longer."
The wings on her back suddenly spread wide. Then immediately wrapped around her slender body.
Pale white spiritual particles enveloped her entire form.
Next moment, the particles rapidly contracted. Transformed into a silver-white blade floating before Shigure.
Shigure smiled. Reached out. Grasped the hilt.
The instant he gripped it, an invisible sword seal formed. Shikai ended.
Seeing this, Shigure felt quite relieved.
Seems after his persuasion, Candle Dragon no longer objected to accompanying him as a blade.
Now she'd voluntarily re-entered the asauchi. Returned to sealed state.
This way, things were basically the same as before.
...
Next morning.
When the first rays of sunlight appeared, Shigure rose early.
Not for any mission or training, but for another matter.
The scabbard.
Last night, due to Candle Dragon's self-initiated materialization, the original scabbard had been completely shattered by spiritual pressure and lightning.
Shigure naturally couldn't walk around all day with an unsheathed blade. A new scabbard was necessary.
Though Candle Dragon had said things like "inferior scabbard" before.
But Shigure could tell those were just words spoken in momentary anger.
Since their conversation had cleared things up completely, such scabbard explosions wouldn't happen again.
So Shigure didn't plan to specially forge a better scabbard.
Both troublesome and unnecessary.
Moreover, if Candle Dragon insisted on self-releasing, no scabbard could stop her anyway.
So for convenience, Shigure decided to just go to Shinō Academy's scabbard room and pick a new one.
When the Soul Reaper guarding the scabbard room saw Shigure arrive, he was completely dumbfounded.
A captain wearing haori, carrying a Zanpakutō, coming here at this morning hour... looked strange no matter how you viewed it.
Though Shigure explained he came to pick a scabbard, it still left the Soul Reaper looking odd.
He naturally knew Shigure's identity.
Even without seeing the "5" on the haori, he remembered this face.
After all, counting the initial scabbard selection when obtaining his asauchi, Shigure had now come for scabbards three times.
In less than a year, three visits.
This Soul Reaper couldn't understand why this genius captain famous throughout the Seireitei went through scabbards so quickly...
Facing his puzzled gaze, Shigure found it amusing but naturally couldn't explain.
Fortunately, as captain, exercising such basic authority at Shinō Academy posed no problem.
After selecting a scabbard, Shigure sheathed his blade. Hung it at his left waist as usual.
Candle Dragon offered no opinion.
Afterward, Shigure returned directly to the 5th Division barracks.
However, just arriving above the courtyard, he saw Rukia waiting quietly inside.
Right now, she stood quietly under the corridor. Seemingly contemplating something alone.
Shigure didn't waste time. Flash-stepped into the courtyard.
Rukia immediately reacted. Called loudly: "Good morning, Captain!!"
Shigure walked over with a light smile. "Morning, Rukia. Something up?"
"Ah, yes!"
After responding, Rukia immediately walked down from the corridor. Speaking as she moved. "This morning while leading squad members on routine patrol, I received a message from Isane."
"She said to notify you to head to the 4th Division barracks as soon as possible for an emergency Seireitei strategy meeting!"
Hearing this, Shigure's expression didn't change. He nodded.
"Let's go then."
"Yes!"
Without hesitation, Shigure leaped into the air. Leading Rukia toward the 4th Division.
When they'd come down from Sōkyoku Hill, he'd known this meeting would be called very early.
So he'd expected Retsu's arrangement.
He could even predict the meeting's content.
That's why he'd told Rukia today would be busier.
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