Is this… what freedom feels like?
Gikon Rukia slowly closed her eyes.
It was incredible.
She wanted… to feel it for just a little longer.
But this was fine too.
To have a moment this beautiful in her life, even if it lasted only an instant, was enough.
Darkness gradually swallowed her vision, and then—
It lit up again in a burst of dazzling light.
A flowing flash of steel howled in, slicing through insect legs one after another and spraying crimson blood into the air.
Reflected in Gikon Rukia's wide eyes was the figure standing there with a blade in hand.
"Students who don't pay attention in class and wander around outside are bound to run into annoying things like this," Muten Natsu said, tilting his head slightly. "No more skipping class, got it?"
"And what would someone who's either sleeping or cutting class know?" Rukia Kuchiki shot back. After confirming that Orihime Inoue and Gikon Rukia weren't seriously hurt, the tight knot between her brows finally eased.
"A Shinigami? Two of them?" The Caterpillar Hollow let out a muffled laugh, extending even more legs and stabbing toward the pair. "What amazing luck!"
"I couldn't agree more," Muten Natsu said, lifting his gaze. "After all… the sooner you die, the sooner you move on."
Seeing the dense swarm of insect legs shooting toward Muten Natsu, Gikon Rukia couldn't help blurting, "Watch out!"
"Relax. He'll be fine." Rukia Kuchiki watched his back. "Compared to his draw technique, what he's really good at is Zanjutsu."
Or rather, it was because his Zanjutsu was so exceptional that Muten Natsu was able to forge such a terrifying draw technique in the first place.
A draw technique could unleash more than triple the destructive force of one's Reiatsu in an instant. It was only natural that so many people coveted that kind of power.
Muten Natsu never hid the secret behind it, but as far as Rukia Kuchiki knew, he was the only one who had ever truly mastered it.
The technique demanded Reiatsu pushed to its absolute limit, and Zanjutsu refined enough to swing with perfect precision even at that peak.
When your entire focus was devoted to raising Reiatsu, any distraction at all, even thinking about how to swing, would sharply reduce the power of the slash.
To bring out its full destructive force, the act of swinging had to become instinct, something you didn't need to think about.
An instinct tempered by countless swings on the edge between life and death.
Muten Natsu let out a long breath. In his eyes, the ugly insect legs that filled his vision slowed, dull and heavy.
As if time itself had stopped.
And within that frozen picture, a sharp blade began to move, clean and sudden.
In the next instant, Muten Natsu's figure blurred.
Using his body as the axis, his sword arm and his free arm as counterweights, he spun, light as air and soaked in blood.
His free hand adjusted the speed and angle of the rotation. His sword hand carved through every leg that came close with his Zanpakutō.
Muten Natsu looked like a bud caught by a breeze, falling and spinning as it burst open, scattering razor petals that fluttered up and down.
One by one, the densely packed legs snapped apart, blood spraying and painting those blade-like petals in a searing red.
A blossom both brutal and brilliant rose with the wind, gliding past the Caterpillar Hollow's body and ending its life.
Its massive form first shattered into pieces, then collapsed into fine Reishi that was swallowed and absorbed by the scabbard at Muten Natsu's waist.
S-So strong…
Gikon Rukia could only stare as Muten Natsu walked toward her, blade in hand, then swung down at her.
She couldn't do anything.
Clang!
Metal rang against metal.
Muten Natsu raised his Zanpakutō, blocking Kisuke Urahara's cane as it reached toward Gikon Rukia's head.
"What are you trying to do?"
"Oh my, my~" Kisuke Urahara laughed lightly. "The situation's a bit complicated. She isn't a Gikon Pill, you see. She's a Modified Soul that should have been destroyed long ago. As the shop owner, it's my responsibility to retrieve defective merchandise."
"So your product has a problem, you haven't even settled the compensation yet, and now you want to destroy the evidence first," Muten Natsu said, narrowing his eyes. "Isn't that right?"
"Now, now, no need to get worked up, Natsu-san. Calm down. I really don't want to end up as your enemy."
"I am calm." Muten Natsu flicked his Zanpakutō, knocking Kisuke Urahara's cane aside. "Your recovery medicine works very well. My injuries have healed nicely. And precisely because your medicine is so effective, I can stand here and talk to you this calmly."
"Natsu-san…" Kisuke Urahara signaled to the shop assistants behind him, telling them not to act rashly. "You know this already. Central 46 issued a destruction order for Modified Souls. Now that one was overlooked, of course it has to be eliminated."
"What a coincidence." Muten Natsu's gaze deepened. "Central 46 also issued a kill order on me. I'm still alive and well. They're all dead."
"You took my money and now you want to take back what I bought?" Rukia Kuchiki stepped in front of Muten Natsu. "Is that how you do business?"
"Well then," Kisuke Urahara said helplessly, "I can refund your money…"
"No need. I'm very satisfied with this." Rukia Kuchiki shot Muten Natsu a glare. "Besides, this was a transaction outside the scope of the Laws of Soul Society. Pretending nothing happened should be part of your job, shouldn't it?"
Under Rukia Kuchiki's gaze, Muten Natsu slid his Zanpakutō back into its scabbard.
"You should understand…" Kisuke Urahara pressed down on the brim of his fisherman's hat. "If something really happens, we won't be stepping in."
Rukia Kuchiki waved him off. "You don't need to worry about that."
"That's exactly what you were waiting to hear, wasn't it?" Muten Natsu noticed the change in Kisuke Urahara's expression. "As long as you got Rukia to say that, whatever happens from now on has nothing to do with you."
"Oh dear~ You caught me." Kisuke Urahara chuckled. "Well then, everything after this is up to you."
He waved at the shop staff. "Alright, alright, let's head back to the shop."
"Tch, what a waste," Jinta Hanakari muttered. "I thought I'd finally get a chance to show off."
Watching the people from the Urahara shop leave, Muten Natsu turned to Gikon Rukia.
"So, what are you planning to do next?"
"My plans?" Gikon Rukia froze. "You're asking me?"
"If I don't ask you, who should I ask?"
"My plans…" Gikon Rukia looked completely lost. "I… I don't know."
"Then start by studying properly," Muten Natsu said, rubbing Gikon Rukia's head. "No matter when it is, studying hard is never the wrong choice."
"I told you they'd find a way~" Orihime Inoue said happily, congratulating her. "That's great, Watchit."
"Watchit?" Gikon Rukia blinked.
"You just said your name was [Watchit]."
"I was telling you to be careful!" Gikon Rukia snapped, puffing up angrily. "Who would name themselves [Watchit]?!"
"I think it's kind of cute," Orihime Inoue said, pressing on. "So what's your real name, then?"
"My name…" Gikon Rukia pressed her lips together lightly. "My name is Ririn."