Retsu Unohana smiled faintly: "Of course I know you're trying to provoke me with those words, but it's a normal business tactic, so there's no need for you to apologize to me. I truly didn't take it to heart, otherwise, I wouldn't have let you call Kurosaki-kun over for me to vent on."
"???"
Ichigo's eyes widened.
Even though his injuries were healed, he still vaguely felt pain in his knees.
"It's best if you don't mind."
Ignoring Ichigo's death glare, Shimiya Takeru looked relieved.
"It's not entirely true to say I don't mind," Retsu Unohana suddenly said.
"I can still remember what you said, but I didn't feel angry. On the contrary, I was happy, happy for the Eleventh Division, that someone could understand their feelings."
"Ms. Unohana is truly understanding. Now look at a certain someone…" Ichigo couldn't help but exclaim.
Shimiya Takeru's expression remained unchanged, completely unaffected.
As the two parted ways, Isane couldn't help but turn back to look at the two bickering individuals. She chuckled, "They're really interesting, and exceedingly outstanding. They're quite similar to Captain Kyōraku and Captain Ukitake back in their Spirit Arts Academy days."
"That's just on the surface."
"Eh?"
"Captain Kyōraku and Captain Ukitake, as the Captain Commander's disciples and the most brilliant duo among the first graduating class, despite having similar circumstances to Si Gong student, are fundamentally different."
Retsu Unohana calmly explained in response to Isane's words.
"That's right… If I had to say, Kurosaki-kun is more like the two of them combined, while Si Gong student… is more like the Captain Commander in his youth."
Isane was stunned.
She could somewhat understand the former, but the latter…
What was the Captain Commander like in his youth?
She secretly glanced at her Captain's youthful, picturesque profile, silently swallowing her questions.
Late June, Spirit Arts Academy main building rooftop.
All first-year students from Class 1 were present, chatting in groups of three to five. Among them were many from noble backgrounds, with outstanding appearances, but in terms of presence, they were far surpassed by the four young people in the corner.
Even with their spiritual pressure perfectly suppressed, their intense legendary aura made them the center of attention just by standing there.
Many small groups appeared to be conversing but were actually secretly observing their movements, and their topics of discussion often revolved around them.
However, the individuals involved had no star-like airs.
Ichigo squinted, squatting idly. With his blond hair and seemingly perpetually angry expression, he looked exactly like a delinquent.
Rindo Yu was expressionless, gazing at a bird perched on his fingertip, exuding an extremely aloof aura. To others, he seemed like a strange, unapproachable person.
Hachihara was even more so; her makeup was trendy enough even in the Human World.
These past few days, she had even made slight adjustments to her academy uniform, making it less rigid and more stylish, befitting a high school girl.
The most normal one, however, had to be Shimiya Takeru.
...Provided you ignored his dark humor.
"So many people going to the Human World together for some Soul Burial practice, and at night, no less. Are those special festival traditions just rumors? If so, if we encounter someone burning joss paper, we'll have to respond. It also gives the living a bit of spiritual comfort. In fact, that's the essence of 'Soul Burial,' and its meaning is instantly elevated."
"Oh, come on. That would only scare people half to death. Choosing to go at night is to minimize the impact on the Human World."
"Oh? You remember that so clearly. It seems you don't plan to take this opportunity to say hello to your family."
Shimiya Takeru crossed his arms and teased.
"...I never intended to. I'm already dead, so I shouldn't disturb the living. At most, a quick glance from afar would satisfy me."
Ichigo's eyes dimmed, but he retorted with a feigned nonchalance.
"Is that so," Shimiya Takeru said noncommittally.
"What about you, though?" Ichigo, his mood affected, wouldn't be outdone.
"Unlike you, I have no one I care about in this world."
"…"
Shimiya Takeru's frank words left Ichigo speechless.
Just as he was about to apologize, a small commotion occurred.
Three unfamiliar faces, also wearing academy uniforms, appeared on the rooftop.
"Everyone, are you ready?!"
A clear, youthful voice rang out. He had slightly darker, wheat-colored skin, delicate features, a neutral beauty, and a slender, seemingly unmuscular build, appearing not much different from a middle school student in the Human World.
"He is…?"
Ichigo stood up, somewhat surprised, not simply because he looked like a girl, but because he keenly sensed an extraordinary spiritual pressure.
"A sixth-year student, the next heir of the Shihōin Clan family, one of the Four Great Noble Families, the 'Heavenly-Gifted Armaments Bureau,' Shihōin Clan Yūshirō Sōkyō."
Hachihara, well-informed, recognized the person's identity at a glance.
"The two beside him are also high-ranking nobles, but in terms of status, position, or strength, they can't compare to him."
"I don't understand status and position, but I can already feel that he's very strong… I didn't expect the Spirit Arts Academy to have such formidable characters besides us."
"The heirs of the Four Great Noble Families are completely different from the nobles you've seen before."
Shimiya Takeru gazed at Yūshirō, who was explaining the precautions for the Soul Burial practice to everyone.
"I heard he rarely attends classes. The fact that he's leading the Soul Burial practice this time must be because of us."
He immediately guessed the Spirit Arts Academy's intention.
There was no other choice; this year's elite class was simply too outstanding.
But besides Yūshirō, no one else in the entire Spirit Arts Academy could compare to Hachihara and Rindo Yu, let alone the exceptional existences of Shimiya Takeru and Ichigo.
To protect these geniuses and ensure their smooth growth, a better leader was needed.
It was with this in mind that the Headmaster painstakingly called back Yūshirō, who had been absent from classes for several years, to help.
However, Yūshirō himself probably had other reasons for agreeing to help.
"Are they afraid we'll cause trouble? The Headmaster underestimates us too much. Are we the kind of people who love to cause trouble?"
"That's hard to say. The person next to you has 'wants to cause trouble' written all over their face."
Hearing Shimiya Takeru say this, Ichigo subconsciously looked at Hachihara next to him.
This infuriated Hachihara.
"Who wants to cause trouble?!"
Her anger came and went quickly.
The look of fury on her face instantly turned into a mysterious smile.
"Never mind that… Haven't you noticed anything different about me today?"
Shimiya Takeru, Ichigo, and Rindo Yu all looked at her simultaneously.
They observed carefully for a while.
Ichigo was the first to frown and say, "Not like usual?"
[No sword]
Rindo Yu noticed the difference.
"Rindo has some insight, but only 'some'~" Hachihara shook a finger, a smug expression on her face, as if to say, 'that's all there is to it.'
"How can you not bring a sword to Soul Burial practice?" Shimiya Takeru rolled his eyes.
"She didn't not bring a sword, nor did she hide it. She mastered Shikai, and it transformed into something we'd hardly notice, like… nail art."
"That's my soulmate, Shimiya!"
"Nail art?!" Ichigo was stunned.
"How can there be a Shikai in that form?!"
"Hmph, do you have a problem with my Zanpakuto? Even if you do, I refuse to accept it~ Anyway, I'm very satisfied. Now I can finally use my full power!"
Hachihara looked at the nail art on her ten fingers, looking utterly delighted.
"Are you planning to maintain Shikai all the time?"
"Needless to say!"
"...You really are something." Ichigo was completely convinced.
"Now you know how amazing I am, right~ All in all, the weakest among us now definitely can't be me, after all, Rindo hasn't even Shikai…"
Hachihara hadn't even finished speaking when she saw Rindo Yu write a line in the air.
— [I've also mastered Shikai].
Hachihara's triumphant smile instantly froze.
Her words also faltered.
"Hmm." Shimiya Takeru's gaze shifted between the two, and he said thoughtfully, "It seems it's still debatable who is stronger between you two."
"I bet a thousand rings on Rindo." Ichigo held back a laugh.
"Then let's have a match…!" Hachihara's cheeks flushed, and killing intent erupted in her eyes.
The flashing nail art gleamed with a cold light.
Fortunately, the Senkaimon opened at that moment, timely preventing her from lashing out in anger.
...
Human World, Karakura Town.
Under a streetlamp in Karakura Love-Love Park, a Hollow was lunging at a blood-covered spirit of a little girl when a figure suddenly descended from the sky. Wielding what could be described as a giant blade of a samurai sword, he unceremoniously cleaved it in two.
"Phew! Good thing I made it!"
— "Inoue, what's the situation?"
"Huh?"
"No need to ask, it seems."
Rukia, in casual clothes, jogged over. She paused slightly at the sight of the gradually dissipating Hollow, then showed a relieved smile.
"Little sister, are you alright?"
The orange-haired Shinigami girl looked at the spirit under the streetlamp with gentle, sorrowful eyes.
From her appearance, she seemed to be a little girl who died in a car accident.
This made her think of another car accident she had accidentally heard about a few months prior.
Tragedies constantly occurred in the world, in places she didn't know about.