"Hasumi Ren, did you find anything unusual?"
Beside him, Kukaku patted Ren's shoulder, looking quite frustrated.
Ren finally snapped out of it.
The faint glow on the trunk had faded, leaving nothing out of the ordinary.
'I never expected to find something like this.'
Looking around, Ren suddenly noticed another fragment nearby.
It was a white Kido fragment.
"I didn't see anything either. It might just be a coincidence."
Ren calmed his racing heart and replied to Kukaku without showing any emotion.
'Why is there another Kido fragment here?'
Fragments usually lasted a few days, gradually dissipating and fading in color over time.
This fragment was bright and dense, clearly having just appeared.
A sense of foreboding rose in Ren's heart.
The valley seemed peaceful, and even with his Kido at level 3, Ren couldn't detect any abnormalities.
The fragment wasn't far. Steeling his resolve, Ren took two steps forward and touched it.
[SYSTEM: Obtained Intermediate Kido Insights x1, Kido EXP +200]
Simultaneously, the knowledge and experience required to cast this specific Kido flooded into his mind.
Bakudo #26, Kyokko.
It was a stealth-type Bakudo that manipulated spiritual pressure to bend light and conceal one's form.
Ren's heart sank.
'Hogyoku fragments, and now Kyokko...'
Staring at the seemingly empty scenery before him, Ren felt a mountain of pressure.
He suppressed his surging emotions and let out a soft sigh.
"Since we can't find anything, let's head back. It might just be a natural phenomenon."
"Huh? Leaving already?"
Kukaku looked at Ren, slightly confused.
The interest Ren had shown earlier didn't match his sudden desire to leave.
Ren turned around first and called for the other two to follow.
Though Kukaku found his reaction strange, she didn't overthink it and motioned for the old man to follow.
Just after they left the valley.
The air in the valley distorted slightly as two figures slowly emerged.
Brown hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a gentle smile playing on a mild-mannered face.
Aizen Sosuke released the concealment of Kyokko, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes.
"Kaname, do you think he noticed us?"
"Probably not... Should I kill them?"
"No matter."
Aizen Sosuke stood before the trees and reached out to touch the surface of a trunk.
A faint spiritual light flickered at his fingertips as he sensed the residual Reishi structure within the trunk.
"It truly is the power of the Hogyoku. It altered the Reishi structure of these trees, allowing them to transcend their biological limits and generate spiritual pressure..."
"Unfortunately, this is merely a failed prototype. The spiritual power content is too low to be of any significance."
He whispered to himself, a look of realization flashing behind his glasses.
"Hmph. That Urahara Kisuke, actually using the Hogyoku for such pointless experiments."
Tosen Kaname snorted coldly, his tone filled with dissatisfaction.
Aizen's gaze swept across the ground, observing the traces left by the three people.
Their actions and words replayed in his mind.
'Interesting.'
"Kaname, look into that boy's background. Start with... the Shin'o Academy."
"...Understood."
After gathering all the data, Aizen snapped his fingers lightly.
"Hado #12, Fushibi."
Ribbons of dark red flame manifested out of thin air, instantly engulfing the trees.
The flames burned silently, and the trees quickly carbonized and dissolved in the high heat, turning to ash.
Then, the fire spread, turning into a sea of flames.
Unlike Urahara Kisuke's playful attitude, Aizen was extremely cautious regarding anything involving the Hogyoku.
Having finished, Aizen sensed his surroundings once more.
After confirming all traces were erased, the two figures slowly vanished as if they had never been there.
Much later, Ren and the others emerged from the forest and returned to the relatively prosperous area of West District 2.
Ren hadn't slowed his pace once until now, finally letting out a small sigh of relief.
"Ren, why are you walking so fast? Even the old man can't keep up."
Kukaku caught up in a few strides and glanced back at the panting old man.
When she looked back at Ren, her eyes held a trace of concern.
"Did you find something?"
"Sorry."
Realizing he had been moving too fast, Ren slowed down, a wave of relief washing over him like he had just cheated death.
"I can't explain it, but I had a vague feeling someone else was there. Kukaku, sir, please don't go back to that place."
Ren never expected a simple outing to involve something like the Hogyoku.
Neither Urahara Kisuke nor Aizen were people he could deal with at his current level.
If it were the former, it might be fine, but if it were the latter...
'I just hope my performance earlier didn't have too many flaws.'
Seeing Ren's serious expression, the old man scratched his head. Though he didn't understand, he accepted Ren's advice.
The mountain trip came to an end. The old man bid farewell to Ren and Kukaku, and the group split up.
After seeing him off, Kukaku rubbed her stomach.
"I'm starving after all that walking."
Ren checked the sky. It was indeed near noon, and the gloom weighing on his heart began to dissipate.
Seeing Kukaku's tired look, he clapped his hands.
"Come on, Ichiraku Ramen. My treat, to make up for the disappointment of not getting any yesterday."
"Really?"
Kukaku's eyes lit up.
"Follow me."
Ren skillfully led Kukaku through several streets to a shop front with "Ichiraku Ramen" written on the noren curtain.
It was peak lunch hour, and several tables were already occupied.
"Here?" Kukaku said, surprised. "The shop looks pretty small."
"Try it. You won't be disappointed."
Ren smiled.
The two stepped inside, and a middle-aged man wearing a bandana greeted them warmly. "Welcome! Oh, Master Ren, what brings you here today?"
"Brought a friend. Two bowls of signature tonkotsu, large, with all the toppings."
Ren spoke with familiarity.
"Coming right up!"
The two found a table by the window and sat down.
Kukaku curiously scanned the interior, then looked at the familiarity between Ren and the owner, unable to resist asking.
"Do you come here often?"
"You could say that."
Ren chuckled without offering much of an explanation.
After all, it was his own business.
In the five years since crossing over to the Soul Society, Ren hadn't just been getting into the Shin'o Academy; he had been busy in the Rukongai as well.
Using his attribute-collecting ability, he had built a reputation in the Rukongai and accumulated a bit of wealth.
During his time exploring the Rukongai, he had invested in a shop.
He provided the initial capital and some management advice, while the head chef handled the shop's management and daily operations, with Ren taking the lion's share of the profits.
In just two years, the shop had become well-known in West Rukongai and had even opened branch locations.
Soon, two steaming bowls of ramen were served.
The rich aroma of bone broth wafted through the air. The bowls were piled with char siu, soft-boiled eggs, seaweed, and green onions, looking incredibly appetizing.
Kukaku's eyes widened as she eagerly picked up her chopsticks.
"Thanks for the food!"
She picked up a mouthful of noodles, her eyes instantly going wide.
"This is delicious!"
The broth was rich and savory, the noodles were chewy and smooth, the char siu was salty and fragrant, and the egg melted in her mouth.
Kukaku ate with grease all over her mouth, completely disregarding her image.
Ren smiled as he watched Kukaku feast, but his mind was on the experience in the valley.
His performance had been natural enough—just an ordinary person interested in strange plants.
The fact that they left so smoothly was a huge relief.
The Soul Society really was too dangerous.
"Ren, what are you thinking about? Your noodles are going to get soggy." Kukaku's voice broke his train of thought.
Ren snapped back to reality and saw Kukaku staring at him, with a bit of broth still on the corner of her mouth.
"It's nothing, just thinking about what happened," Ren said naturally as he pulled out a tissue and handed it to her. "You missed a spot."
"Oh... right!"
Kukaku took the tissue and wiped her mouth, her cheeks flushing slightly.
She looked at Ren, her eyes wavering.
This boy was different from the rowdy brats in the Rukongai.
He was clearly a student of the Academy, yet he didn't have that deep-seated arrogance characteristic of the Soul Reapers in the Seireitei.
He was generous but didn't show off.
He was good-looking but didn't act high and mighty.
And... the way he handed her that tissue just now was very gentle.
Looking into Ren's somewhat lazy eyes.
Kukaku felt her heart skip a beat.