112 CHAPTER 119-120: The Aftermath

When Shunsui Kyoraku first received the summons to the Shin'ō Academy, he was skeptical. What could the academy possibly conjure that required the presence of a Captain? But the moment he tilted the brim of his straw hat to survey the scene, his skepticism was blown into dust. Arrayed before him, members of the elite Kidō Corps had woven their Reiatsu into a force field that enveloped what was once a student dormitory — now a ruinous husk of its former self.

Peering through narrowed eyes, Shunsui discerned the cause of the mayhem — a silver-haired student tightly gripping his Zanpakutō, encased within the shimmering force field. The boy was unleashing a storm of raw, uncontrollable Reiatsu that couldn't be contained by the Kidō barrier.

"What was his name again?"

Nanao adjusted her glasses, a calculated move that concealed her own disbelief. "Kazuya Ishihara. First-year student. He has been releasing extremely strong Reiatsu for almost two hours with no signs of slowing down."

Nanao had been on-site since the calamity unfolded, having been invited by the Headmaster for a guest lecture — a perfect reason for observing the resident playboy. Fortunately, casualty counts stopped at a couple injured since the student body had been largely absent, attending the lecturers. She didn't even consider the massive property damage as it was a normal occurrence in her line of work.

"This boy could be another Zaraki in the making," Shunsui said with a chuckle. "I believe he is having a hard time in his inner world. Perhaps his Zanpakutō Spirit didn't agree to reveal their name without a battle. That being said, Nanao-chan, you handled the situation nicely. I'm proud of you."

Nanao almost rolled her eyes. She had sent him a message through the Hell Butterfly as soon as she could but he only showed up now. The officers of Kidō Corps, on the other hand, showed up at a moment's notice; they were hardly in a position to deny a Vice Captain's order.

"What do I do next, Captain Kyoraku? Will he ever stop…?"

Shunsui patted her shoulder. "He will eventually run out. Have the relief team secure him when that happens. They are better equipped to examine his condition. In the meantime, I'll persuade the Headmaster to hold off on disciplinary measures against him."

Nanao didn't argue against him. Going by Kazuya's posture, it seemed like he had no idea about his Zanpakutō Spirit's intentions. It wouldn't be right to pin the blame on him.

"Understood, Captain Kyoraku."

While waiting for Kazuya's Reiryoku to drain, Nanao glanced behind her. She caught sight of a silver-haired boy peeking over the wall. He wasn't that tall, and she could imagine him standing on his friend's shoulders for the extra height. Their antics unwittingly coaxed a smile from her.

'These kids are so stubborn.'

She had read about them in her intel — Momo Hinamori and Toshiro Hitsugaya — two talented rookies with great potential. The two had stubbornly tried to disrupt the Kidō Corps' officers in their work until she pulled them aside and patiently explained about Kazuya's condition. Even now they harbored doubts and kept an eye on her from a distance.

'When is it going to end?'

…

Kazuya's eyes fluttered open, each blink like a drumbeat reverberating through his skull. It was the most severe headache of his life, worsened by the gnawing emptiness in his gut that sapped his remaining shards of mental fortitude.

"Kazuya-kun!" Momo's voice broke through his disorientation the instant he stirred on the bed. Her hand enveloped his own, tears glistening in her black eyes. "You're back with us."

"Take it down a notch, Momo," Toshiro scolded Momo for being overexcited, yet he couldn't suppress his own rising emotions. He swiveled his head towards the door, as if the gesture would hide his vulnerable expression. "I'm going to update Vice Captain Kotetsu."

"Fetch me something to eat while you're at it," Kazuya said, getting a nod from Toshiro as he ran out of the room. "It's the 4th Squad?"

"Y-Yes," Momo stuttered, using her sleeves as makeshift tissues. "Hic."

{We're at the healer squad. Let's fucking go and seduce Unohana right now.}

'She'll fucking gut me… I'm so tired.'

{You did spend an excruciating amount of time in your inner world.}

Pushing himself into a sitting position, he shifted his attention back to Momo. "Mind giving me a recap of everything?"

Rather than humoring his request, Momo turned her head away with a pout. "You scared me twice in a day… Why are you like this, Kazuya-kun?"

At least she was assured about his safety the first time around. This time, she had gnawing doubts that he'd burn himself out alongside his Reiatsu.

He cleared his throat. "Well, my Zanpakutō Spirit was acting like a pain in the ass. Had to chastise her for her actions."

"Chastise?" Momo stopped pouting and burst into a fit of laughter. "Who even uses that word anymore?"

"Did you just call me old? Let me remind you that I'm twenty one years old. And you're a hundred."

"You're lying…" Momo stared at him with a blank gaze. "How is it possible for you to be so strong?"

He shrugged. "Proper diet and training with Yoruichi."

"..."

{Tell me, Partner. When did you get so close with this chick?}

'Stuff happened.'

{Such an elaborate explanation. I'm moved to tears, Partner. It cured my depression. I was sick, depr—}

'Don't use that shit on me, bitch.'

{Heh.}

After a few more minutes, Toshiro returned, alongside another woman dressed in a pink nurse outfit — the standard dress issued to the 4th Squad's members stationed at the relief center. The high-level Shinigami of the 4th's Squad weren't mandated to wear the nurse outfit. Truly a disappointing decision. The meals served to him were a bigger letdown in comparison.

Nevertheless, Kazuya tore into the meal like a ravenous beast, unhesitatingly asking for—and annihilating—seconds.

As he wolfed down the food, Momo recounted the events: his own Reiatsu-induced demolition and collateral damage. The presence of Nanao at the scene might have something to do with the absence of shackles on his hands.

{Call Isshin if anything happens.}

'I will.'

{And for hell's sake, tell me everything that happened in the past three months. I wanna know about everything.}

'A lot actually. Let's talk later.'

With a swift motion, Kazuya picked up the katana perched at his bedside, turning it over in his hands. The blade had adopted a more aggressive curve, as if evolving to mirror his adaptability. The katana had another gem added to its hilt, bringing the number to two.

The gems held significance.

'Is the last one saved for Bankai?'

{Yup. Tsubasa deceived you on many fronts, even the Shikai's abilities. The muskets are loaded with Restoration Bullets, which can heal anyone from the brink of death. Tsubasa's flames are all about healing while mine can do destruction and limited creation.}

'Basically, I'm unkillable with my Shikai.'

{As long as you don't run out of juice, yes.}

'Can I access your flames?'

{Technically, I can lend them to you through our Zanpakutō bond. It will destroy your Zanpakutō. Use them with your Shikai.}

'Got it. One more question: can you still be my Resurrección?'

Nami's existence as both his Zanpakutō and his Resurrección still baffled him. In theory, he could access both Resurrección and Shikai at the same time, which seemed overpowered just from the Reiatsu boost of both skills. However, things might not be as simple.

{I think… I'm tied to you still, as your Resurrección. I'm also your Shinigami's Zanpakutō. The Demon Empress will do it all for her partner!}

'We'll test it in the Living World.'

Before he could muse further, the door swung open, and Vice Captain Isane strode in, her face illuminated by a polite smile. Both Toshiro and Momo looked up, their expressions freezing into blank stares that bore into Isane, enough to make her squirm. Toshiro showed no happiness at the arrival of another busty woman, while Momo's eyes fired icy daggers at the woman who came to visit Kazuya.

"Ah, Vice Captain Isane. A pleasure to see you here," Kazuya greeted, before playfully slapping Toshiro and Momo on their backs and gesturing toward the door. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Call me if you need anything, Kazuya-san," Momo responded, her smile towards him as tender as she could be. Then she turned her gaze towards Isane, her smile growing increasingly hollow. "Pleasure meeting you, Vice Captain-sama."

Isane felt a chill crawl up her spine, sensing resemblance between Momo and her own Captain's unnerving smile. "Erm, yes, likewise."

Kazuya found the scene hilarious. The tall Isane cowering before a relatively short Momo. Only when they exited did Isane shake off her meek facade. She lowered herself onto the bed beside him, her eyes fastened on the Zanpakutō cradled in his lap.

"It seems different. Did something happen?"

She could feel spiritual energy around the katana, which was absent in their last meeting. Even the physical shape was different from her memories.

"I'm surprised you noticed the difference," he said, holding up his katana. "She told me her name. I can finally use her Shikai form."

Isane's face lit up with a genuine, warm smile, wiping away the hesitancy that had clouded her features earlier. "I'm glad you succeeded. Congratulations for earning the qualifications to be a Vice Captain."

"Don't congratulate me. I'm gonna replace you or Rangiku."

Isane lightly shrugged. "I'm not relinquishing my position in this life."

She admired her captain too much to change her division.

"Ah, well, Rangiku is the one who'll get the boot. Then she'll be jobless and burn through her savings drinking out of depression. I'll find her sipping sake in some alley, save her like a knight in shining armor, help her back on her feet, and win her heart. Flawless plan if I must say so myself."

"Keep those vile plans to yourself!"

"Jeez, I haven't even joined the Gotei 13. Besides, I won't settle for the Vice-Captain position. I'm aiming for the Captain seat or the General Commander seat."

His audacious confidence gave her pause, locking her words in her throat. He had every quality to be a future captain apart from his lack of Bankai, which would be solved in time. The same could be said for her but she was content living in Retsu Unohana's shadows rather than vying for her position.

Isane crossed her arms. "You can leave now. I'd caution you to not use your Reiatsu and put pressure on your Reiatsu vents."

"Got it."

"Also, don't worry about the academy property damage. Captain Unohana said she'll take care of this."

"Wow. Your captain seems like a nice person."

"The gentlest soul you'll ever meet," Isane mumbled, her voice tinged with a reverent undertone as memories of her Captain rescuing her from cutthroat criminals flickered through her mind. The haunting yet beautiful memories had changed her life for the better. "I'm sorry for drifting off."

"Don't worry. It was cute."

She cleared her throat, her cheeks blushing in spite of herself. His flirtatious ambiguity always kept her guessing, whether he was flirting with her or mocking her. But instead of wading further into that confusing territory, she chose to steer the conversation. "About our previous talk, I also relayed your suggestion to Captain Unohana."

"Oh, what did she say?"

"She said she's willing to consider it once she has met you face to face."

Intrigue washed over him. So, he didn't even have to go seek out Unohana; she had opened the door for him. The question now was — if she would show her crazy nature in their first meeting.

{How about attacking her out of nowhere? Make her submit like you did to Tsubasa.}

'I didn't like Tsubasa, but I adore Unohana. There is a big difference.'

Plus, he didn't like his odds of beating Unohana in a straight fight without his Hollow form. His Shikai specialized more in support than in offense — unless he invoked Nami's destructive flames.

{Call me Izanami, for I wield the flames that govern life and death.}

'Shush.'

***

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