Chapter #29 - Hot Springs (1)

As they walked along, Kizuna and Lilynette were chatting. Lilynette thought Kizuna might be reluctant to explain his ability. This was a natural assumption, especially considering that he had kept his power hidden until now. However, contrary to her expectations, Kizuna explained his ability quite comfortably. When he talked about his power, he was neither shy nor arrogant—he spoke as if he were merely stating a simple fact.

When Lilynette heard Kizuna's explanation, she felt a chill run down her spine. This friendly, wolf-like, and peculiar Arrancar was incredibly powerful—and he claimed this was only a fraction of his strength!

Lilynette had always expected someone powerful to be egotistical, arrogant, and ruthless, but Kizuna was far from it. His natural demeanor had earned both Lilynette's and Starrk's respect.

Yes, even Starrk's. Although Starrk appeared indifferent on the outside, when he evaluated someone, even if reluctantly, there were moments when he could appreciate them. Kizuna's attitude sparked a rare sense of respect deep within Starrk.

***

A few days passed after this incident. Well... This time, everyone was silent in the presence of the new guests. Even Neliel. She had managed to convince one of the most powerful beings to stay at her mansion. The tension this created was undeniable. But as soon as Starrk lazily settled into a corner to rest, that tension seemed to evaporate. And when Kizuna assured everyone that the guests were harmless, the atmosphere completely relaxed.

Today, as usual, Kizuna was sitting outside the mansion. The cool breeze of the expansive courtyard caressed his face as he drifted into deep thought. He liked being outside, but today, his mind was preoccupied.

Tier Harribel noticed Kizuna's contemplative state. She quietly approached and sat down beside him. Kizuna felt her gaze as he brushed the silver strands mixed with his golden hair away from his eyes. Noticing her presence, he shook off his thoughts and smiled.

"Hello, Tier. Is something bothering you?" Kizuna asked with his usual warmth.

Tier gently shook her head. "There's nothing wrong, but you seem troubled," she said. Tier Harribel was probably the person Kizuna trusted most regarding his leadership. He knew he couldn't hide anything from her keen observation, so he sighed.

"Yes, I've introduced the newcomers to you all, but... I can sense the tension between everyone. Everyone's aware of it. I'm not sure what I can do to break it," Kizuna confessed.

Tier softly took Kizuna's hand and responded with a reassuring smile, "Kizuna, I, Tres Bestias, and everyone else trust you. Even if some of us are closer and some are more distant, we all trust you."

She then sighed lightly. "This tension was inevitable. Some of us have known each other since before this whole Arrancar situation, while others are new and completely unrelated. Maybe... a group activity could help ease it."

Kizuna fell into deep thought at Tier's suggestion. Finally, with an enlightened expression, he gently kissed Tier on the cheek. "I think I know what to do. Thank you," he said.

Tier smiled, though she was also curious about what Kizuna was planning.

***

Kizuna designated one of the empty spaces as a construction site. He split himself into a werewolf army and began a busy construction. What was he building? A huge hot spring bathhouse, of course!

Setting it up hadn't been too difficult. It was something he had already had in mind, but he needed to expand the plan and create separate sections for men and women. Deep down, he preferred to be with the girls, but he didn't want to leave his male companions out, even though he was reluctant.

The construction site was buzzing with activity, and everything was progressing as planned. Hot water channels were being dug, and stones were being carefully placed.

The resulting hot spring bathhouse was a peaceful place in harmony with nature. The stone pools emitted rising steam, surrounded by exotic plants from unknown origins, with a small waterfall in one corner.

Kizuna, with a satisfied expression, surveyed his work at the end. He sent a few of his werewolves to gather everyone together. But to convince Starrk, Kizuna had to guarantee that the hot spring was extremely relaxing.

When everyone gathered, Kizuna merged together in a dazzling light show. He bowed slightly before them and announced, "Proudly presenting Plata Construction's group hot spring! It's open to everyone, so we can all relax together!"

His half-joking announcement was met with surprise by the group. Tier Harribel quietly waited, expecting him to continue speaking, but there was a pleased expression on her face. Neliel reacted with astonishment, "A hot spring? That's not something I would have thought of."

Loly, with no hesitation, said, "Sounds great." Her eyes sparkled with the excitement of spending more time with Kizuna. Menoly also nodded with a similar sense of anticipation.

Tres Bestias grinned at each other. The trio seemed to have come to an agreement.

"This seems worth trying," said Apache, nodding in approval.

Mila Rose added, "Of course. Especially in the water... it'll be interesting," with a suggestive tone.

"Heehee~! I'm in," Sung-sun said, smiling.

However, something bothered Lilynette and Cirucci. Cirucci frowned, while Lilynette asked directly, "This hot spring isn't mixed, right? Because there's no way I'm getting in there with those two and a pervert like you."

Cirucci nodded in agreement with Lilynette's concern. Pesche struck an exaggerated pose, looking victimized, "We're being discriminated against! Do you see this, Dondochakka?"

Dondochakka suddenly started crying. "What! This is so unfair! We'd never do such things!"

Rudbornn Chelute shrugged. Whatever Kizuna said was fine by him. It didn't make any difference anyway.

Starrk, watching the scene, let out a deep sigh. He was as bored as ever. But before things could turn into a full-blown argument, Kizuna stepped in. "Calm down, there are naturally separate areas for men and women," he said.

While some women looked disappointed, others wore satisfied expressions. Tier Harribel nodded as if this was how it should be, and everyone followed Kizuna's lead to the hot springs.

***

Meanwhile, in one of the rooms of the Las Noches Palace, three individuals who clearly didn't belong here drew attention. One of them had narrowed eyes like a sneaky snake, paired with a smile that was hard to read. The other stood out with his distinct skin tone and perpetually closed eyes, setting him apart from the rest.

However, the man in the middle was not particularly eye-catching. His brown hair, with an academic flair, was neatly combed, and the square glasses perched on his nose gave him an intellectual air.

His soft brown eyes held a gentle yet mysterious expression. Like the other two, he wore the standard Shinigami uniform, consisting of a black kimono and hakama. Draped over his shoulders was the elegant captain's haori, with a distinct number on the back.

These three men were engaged in a discussion, led by the man in the center.

"What are we going to do about that Arrancar who caused the commotion, Aizen-sama?"

Yes, the subject of their discussion had been Kizuna Plata for some time now. He was an Arrancar whose presence was nothing short of a headache. He had greatly assisted in locating Vasto Lordes and even discovered a Hollow that would significantly boost their army's strength.

In short, his accomplishments were endless, yet he hadn't received any rewards. Aizen was known for rewarding success and punishing failure. But he had been uncertain for a while about what to do regarding these ungranted rewards.

Of course, keeping such a powerful presence within Kizuna's Fracción could be seen as a reward, but considering Kizuna's utility, it was far from sufficient.

However, the main issue wasn't just that. The real problem was that Kizuna had violated the rule regarding Zanpakuto releases. Such an action demanded a penalty.

"In this case, a stern warning would be most appropriate, considering what he has done. However, of course, it's up to Aizen-sama. What are your orders, Aizen-sama?"

Hearing his followers' words, Aizen adjusted his glasses and smiled mysteriously. His thoughts remained enigmatic, but he had already made his decision. Instead of speaking directly, he listened to both of them. Then, in his gentle tone, he asked, "How about we first take a look at Kizuna-kun's hot spring?"

His tone left little room for debate.

Though surprised, both men simply nodded in agreement.