Chapter 46: The Three Giants of the Bathhouse
The large bathhouse near the First Division barracks truly lived up to Aizen's praise. It was extremely popular. Even in the scorching heat of midsummer, it was still crowded and lively.
Takeru could even spot some of the female Shinigami who had left earlier.
Soi Fon was among them.
This did not surprise him.
Despite her cold exterior, unsentimental nature, and ruthless methods, she actually got along quite well with the other female Shinigami, especially the Vice Captains, and was a member of the Female Shinigami Association.
This time was probably one of their group activities.
As for why the large bathhouse was so beloved…
"It is surprisingly cool in here."
Takeru stepped barefoot onto the smooth rock bed of the bathing area and let out a sigh as he looked around.
Yes, looked.
He did not know what it was like on the women's side, but the men's section alone was vast and spectacular.
The entire bathhouse interior was terraced.
From the entrance, pools rose step by step, tier after tier, with hundreds of stone steps running alongside them. Walking all the way to the top felt no different from climbing a small hill.
And the pool at the very top of that "hill" was almost like a high altitude swimming pool, offering an extremely open view that overlooked the central First District outside the bathhouse.
Sokyoku Hill, majestic and towering, and the adjacent, imposing First Division buildings were all clearly visible from there.
Looked at from this angle, the women's bathhouse was most likely situated on the opposite side.
Besides the expansive scenic view, the temperature in here was also very pleasant.
Cherry trees already in full bloom surrounded the terraces. The summer heat seemed to be absorbed by both the blossoms and the underground spring water. As the sun gradually set and the outside temperature dropped, the high ground breeze blowing across the bathhouse would only grow cooler. Standing at the edge of the pool, a gust of wind could even make a person's skin feel slightly chilled.
"Now I understand why this place is so popular," Ichigo said, having finished changing and walking over.
"So, which pool are we picking?"
"I suggest the highest one."
Aizen's calm voice drifted over.
"Sensei, you look like a completely different person without your glasses," Takeru remarked, turning toward the sound.
The man walking toward them was not dressed in anything unusual. In a place like this, everyone naturally looked similar.
But without his usual black rimmed glasses, and with his hair slicked back so that his bangs would not get wet or block his vision, his entire face, even with its familiar gentle smile, gave off a completely different impression.
It felt aggressive, yet not to the point of intimidation. If one had to pick an adjective, there was really only one.
Charisma.
"Do I?" Aizen chuckled. "From my point of view, Takeru kun has changed quite a lot as well. This tempered physique is nothing like how you were when you first enrolled."
His assessment was precise.
Thanks to the plus one thousand percent growth bonus to physical training from Fairy Tale Dragon Blood, and because Takeru had deliberately focused on exploiting this advantage, his eighteen year old body had undergone another transformation.
In just a few months, it was as if he had gone through several dozen months of training. Even an ordinary person could build a muscular body or shed a large amount of fat in that timeframe, completely changing their appearance, let alone Takeru.
He had grown from one meter seventy eight to one meter eighty three.
His weight had increased accordingly, now sitting at exactly eighty kilograms.
With the physical specialization inherent in the Fairy Tale Dragon and Aizen's guidance, his regimen was not only thorough and comprehensive, strengthening every part of him, but also left his musculature and overall proportions with a kind of impeccable aesthetic, like a finely forged weapon.
When he wore the looser academy uniform, it was hard to tell. People only assumed he had a well balanced build, not particularly bulky, but certainly not slim.
It was the textbook definition of "healthy."
Once he took his clothes off, however, it was clear he was not merely healthy or simply strong. His entire body radiated a kind of unyielding toughness that made anyone lose the urge to try wrestling him, and instinctively think things like, can a sword really cut into this? or will even his skin refuse to be pierced?
By comparison, Ichigo looked much more ordinary.
So he avoided commenting on Takeru's body altogether and bit back any thoughts about Aizen's change in appearance.
It was not until the three of them reached the highest pool together and sank into the hot spring water up to their shoulders that he could not stop a long breath from escaping.
"Ah…"
"Heh."
"What? Is that funny?" Ichigo glared.
"No," Takeru said. "I genuinely want to laugh. I just cannot hold it back at all."
He spread his arms along the edge of the pool, narrowed his eyes, and completely relaxed his facial muscles. The refreshed, loose smile that appeared on his face rippled across his features like the surface of the hot spring.
Ichigo, hearing that, instinctively touched the corner of his own mouth and, sure enough, felt the shape of a smile there too.
As for Aizen, he always seemed to be smiling, but now that smile clearly carried a more relaxed, almost joyful warmth.
The reason was simple.
The moment the hot water wrapped around them, their bodies instinctively felt safe, as if they had returned to their mother's womb. That sense of security, combined with the physical comfort, made it impossible for their minds and bodies not to soften. Their lips curled up on their own, and it was hard not to chuckle.
"Heh… Hahaha… You were right, Takeru. I really cannot help it…"
Ichigo's shoulders shook, as if he were laughing at his own instincts.
There were many pools, and they were all quite spacious.
Most Shinigami seemed uninterested in going all the way to the top. They preferred the pools closer to the entrance or somewhere in the middle tiers instead. The highest pool was clearly a last resort for most people.
Now, the only ones up here were the three of them.
Laughing loudly would not bother anyone.
They did not each take a side and form a triangle. Instead, they sat in a loose semicircle facing the entrance, leaving a bit of distance between them while keeping the best view.
Aizen sat in the middle, with Takeru and Ichigo on either side.
The three of them fully savored this rare pocket of tranquility.
The sunset glow painted the sky red, and candles were gradually being lit around the bathhouse. If there were a few stalls set up and fireworks in the distance, it would have been the perfect picture of a summer festival.
"Thank you, Sensei," Takeru said softly.
"What brings that up, Takeru kun?" Aizen asked.
"Although the Captain Commander said it was his decision, I doubt he would have suddenly thought of doing all this without you giving him a little reminder first, Sensei.
"And bringing us to the bathhouse is even more obvious. All of this is to help me get rid of the fatigue from my training, isn't it?"
Takeru kept his eyes closed, his voice so quiet it almost sounded like sleep talking.
"Looking after a student's physical condition is also part of a teacher's responsibilities," Aizen replied lightly. "Besides, I only made a simple suggestion. It took no effort. There is no need to dwell on it."
"It sounds like we owe this whole trip to you, Takeru," Ichigo muttered. "But I really do not feel like thanking you. I still have not settled things with you for secretly training Bankai behind my back."
"Ah, ah, say whatever you like."
Seeing Takeru's blissed out expression, utterly unconcerned, Ichigo could only turn and appeal to Aizen instead.
"Now that I know about this, I cannot enjoy my vacation in peace anymore. Sensei, if you do not mind… please let me join the Bankai training too."
"That is only natural."
Aizen showed no sign of surprise, as if he had expected this from the start.
Or perhaps, this was the outcome he had been guiding them toward all along.
To have two prodigies, not restricted by anyone, influencing one another instead, climbing upward together in a spiral until they reached the very summit…
"Speaking of which."
Aizen lifted his gaze to the sky streaked with evening red and asked in a low, resonant voice that seemed to sink straight into the soul,
"Takeru kun, Kurosaki kun.
"Watching you both work so hard makes me curious. What do you intend to do in the future?
"Or to put it another way… do you have a dream?"
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