In the afternoon, the once-clear sky suddenly darkened as a mass of clouds drifted in from the north, blotting out the glaring sunlight and plunging the entire Soul Society into gloom.
"Whooo—"
A cool breeze rose from the open plains, slipping through the streets and alleys of Seireitei before passing over the heads of several Shinigami standing before the Eastern Blue Current Gate, then vanishing into the air.
"Let's head back, Lord Fūjin, Miss Kuchiki,"
Nanami Heizō said as he turned to Fūjin Taichi and Kuchiki Rukia, a black pack slung over his back.
Because he had lost his right arm in the battle a few days earlier, Seireitei had ruled that he had "lost his qualifications as a Shinigami." His Zanpakutō was confiscated and destroyed, and he was permitted to "voluntarily leave the Gotei 13."
"Heizō… then… what will you do from now on?"
Rukia asked worriedly as she looked at the empty sleeve on the right side of his robe.
"Don't worry about me, Miss Kuchiki!"
Nanami Heizō replied with a cheerful grin.
"The one-time severance pay from Seireitei is enough for me to buy some land back home!
If you ever have the chance, come visit me at Koinoko Mountain. I'll treat you to fresh vegetables and game!"
Though he smiled, a sorrow that could not be soothed lingered deep within his eyes…
"We'll pass on the game…"
Fūjin Taichi said.
"With epidemics going around these days, let's not cause trouble for Soul Society."
He suddenly let out a sigh, pulled out a thick envelope from his robe, and stuffed it into Nanami Heizō's hands.
"This is most of my savings from the past half year… not much, just ten thousand kan.
I was originally saving it to marry Rukia—uh… not sure if Byakuya still wants a bride price… ahem—but you need the money more than I do right now."
"Idiot! Why are you saying such nonsense at a time like this?!"
Rukia scolded him, her cheeks flushing red.
"Lord Fūjin, I can't accept this—I really can't!"
Nanami Heizō hurriedly tried to refuse.
"Take it, Heizō. This is my heartfelt gift,"
Taichi insisted, lowering his voice.
"Worst case, I'll just marry into a family. Then Byakuya will have to give me money instead! So don't worry—just accept it."
"…Then thank you."
Nanami Heizō finally stopped refusing. He bowed to Taichi and Rukia, tightened the straps on his pack, and turned to leave through the Blue Stream Gate.
"Rukia, Seireitei is so big—doesn't it have room for even a single wounded man?"
Taichi asked softly as he watched Heizō's back recede.
"I don't know…"
Rukia shook her head, silently watching until Heizō disappeared from sight.
"Looks like I'll have to take on a side job…"
Taichi sighed.
"With this measly Shinigami salary, how am I supposed to buy a house in Seireitei?"
"Why would you need to buy a house?"
Rukia asked, puzzled.
"If I don't, are you going to live in the barracks with me?"
Taichi shot back.
"Idiot! Who'd ever live with you?!"
Rukia shoved him away and ran off angrily.
"Then I'll marry into a family! Living in the Kuchiki manor doesn't sound bad at all!"
Taichi shouted as he chased after her.
"You bastard, don't shout things like that!"
Rukia, embarrassed and furious, lowered her head and hurried into Seireitei—only to crash straight into someone's chest.
"S-sorry!"
Rukia rubbed her head and bowed repeatedly.
"That idiot kept saying ridiculous things and distracted me, so—huh? Renji?!"
"Ugh!"
Abarai Renji looked far more muscular than he had at the Shin'ō Academy—his arms were packed with thick muscles, cracked and ridged like a dried riverbed.
"Yo, Renji—this little lady is that Rukia you can't stop thinking about?"
A bald Shinigami asked with a grin, slinging an arm around Renji's shoulder.
"H-hey… Ikkaku!"
Renji's face flushed briefly before he regained his arrogant composure and spoke coolly,
"Yo, Kuchiki Rukia. Long time no see."
"Long time no see, Renji! A-are you doing well?"
Rukia asked hesitantly, clearly sensing his forced indifference.
"Of course!"
Renji grinned proudly and pointed behind him with his thumb.
"Our 11th Division is heading to the Human World to slaughter some Hollows!"
"The Human World? Did you submit an application to the Headquarters?"
Rukia asked in shock.
"Nope!"
Renji replied casually.
"No? Then how are you—"
"Quit nagging!"
Madaramé Ikkaku laughed loudly, rubbing his shiny bald head.
"Our 11th Division has always done things the 'straightforward way.' Whether there's an application or not doesn't matter!"
"Don't listen to his nonsense. The real reason is that our vice-captain doesn't bother with things like this at all…"
a Shinigami with two red feather ornaments at the corner of his right eye muttered quietly.
"Ah? Uh… y-yeah…"
Rukia had no idea how to respond. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she answered awkwardly.
"Alright then, Kuchiki Rukia! No more chatting—we're heading out!"
As Renji spoke, he called to the two Shinigami beside him,
"Brother Ikkaku, Brother Yumichika, let's move! If the vice-captain finds out, we'll be in serious trouble!"
"Y-yeah! Let's go, quick!"
Madaramé Ikkaku was clearly allergic to the words 'vice-captain'. His face turned pale as he shouted nervously.
"Tch, having to face ugly things again… how annoying."
Ayasegawa Yumichika muttered as he stroked the feather ornament near his eye.
"…"
Renji and Ikkaku exchanged a glance, both feeling something unknown surge up from deep in their stomachs, threatening to burst out of their mouths.
But with outsiders present, they had no choice but to suppress the urge to vomit. After bidding Rukia farewell, they continued walking toward the Blue Stream Gate.
"Renji?"
At that moment, Fūjin Taichi ran into them. Startled and pleasantly surprised, he raised his hand and called out.
"Oh? Taichi?!"
Although Renji was currently in a "cold war" with Rukia, he was as enthusiastic as ever toward Taichi.
He lifted his large hand and slapped it hard on Taichi's shoulder, then said to Ikkaku and Yumichika,
"Brother Ikkaku, Brother Yumichika—this is my junior from the academy, Taichi. Fūjin Taichi!"
"Oh."
Aside from his own captain and a handful of close friends, Ikkaku didn't care much for anyone, so he merely let out a perfunctory "oh" through his nostrils.
Yumichika, however, studied Taichi with curiosity and asked,
"You were also a survivor of that 'Soul Burial Incident,' like Abarai?"
"Yeah, Yumichika."
Taichi had already recognized the two "eccentric" Shinigami beside Renji—Madaramé Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika.
They were both infamous battle maniacs of the 11th Division and close retainers of Kenpachi Zaraki.
In Bleach, they were also Shinigami whose true strength was deeply hidden. Although Ikkaku and Yumichika were currently only the 3rd Seat and 5th Seat of the 11th Division—
Their actual combat power already surpassed that of ordinary vice-captains, and Ikkaku had even mastered Bankai.
However, out of respect for Kenpachi's philosophy of "Who cares about Bankai or Shikai—just cut them down,"
Ikkaku refused to release his Zanpakutō in front of outsiders and had no intention of leaving the 11th Division.
"Huh? Yumichika? You ugly—uh… beautiful… handsome… fine, I'll accept it!
You're the only Shinigami in all of Soul Society whose looks threaten mine!
So… your name is Fūjin Taichi, right? I'll graciously forgive your shameless 'instant familiarity'!"
After struggling internally for quite some time, Yumichika finally managed to accept being called "Yumichika" by Taichi.
"Why him?! Brother Yumichika?!
I remember calling you by name when I joined the division too—so why did you beat me up?!"
Renji exclaimed in shock.
"Shut up, you two ugly creatures!"
Yumichika kicked Renji square in the face without any mercy.
"Hey, hey… Yumichika! What do you mean 'two ugly creatures'?
And what's with that blatant stare you're giving me?!"
Ikkaku demanded with a darkened expression.
"Hmph. Exactly what it sounds like.
And with your level of intelligence, I doubt you'd understand anyway."
Yumichika clapped his hands and strode elegantly toward the Blue Stream Gate.
"You BASTARD—!!"
Renji and Ikkaku exchanged another glance. The blazing fury in each other's eyes was unmistakable.
With a simultaneous roar, they charged after Yumichika and began beating him mercilessly—