Rikka, her heart knot untied, bloomed with a radiant smile unlike any before.
Under the moonlight, their figures drew closer and closer.
Everything was unspoken.
"Good morning, Tenya-kun and Rikka. Your room was very quiet last night."
Megumi's empty gaze was somewhat unsettling.
Rukia stared at them with suspicious eyes and said, "You even set up a barrier..."
"What exactly did you do?"
Rikka said, "Th-this is..."
"An important ritual for forming a contract!"
Rikka's flushed face looked very unnatural.
"Rikka..."
"You've grown up."
Rikka's father wanted to cry but had no tears, his emotions incredibly complex.
As someone who had been through it, he could, of course, see the change in his daughter overnight. She had lost some of her girlish innocence and gained a captivating charm of a mature woman.
"Tenya~ Tenya~"
"I heard you've been to Seireitei!"
"Can you take us there to play?"
The three Takanashi sisters clung to him, their faces full of anticipation.
Their father sternly refused, "No!"
"Absolutely not!"
"Seireitei is where the Shinigami live. Without a pass, we from Rukongai are forbidden from entering."
Of course, that wasn't the main point.
He was afraid that his remaining three daughters would also be 'captured' by Tenya.
"Yes, you can."
"If you want to go."
Tenya looked at Rikka and Megumi, awaiting their opinions.
"Mm-hmm~ I'm very interested in where Rukia lives!"
Rikka, her wish fulfilled, had completely opened her heart.
"Me too." Megumi followed suit.
Rukia frowned and said in a deep voice, "Hey! Are you serious?"
"The entire Gotei 13 is currently hunting us down."
"Going back to Seireitei now would be walking right into a trap, wouldn't it?"
Tenya confidently said, "As the old saying goes, the most dangerous place in the world is often the safest."
"Besides, aren't they coming to Rukongai to find us?"
"We'll go to their home instead, and catch them off guard."
"Kamui!"
Tenya used Kamui for spatial transfer.
In the blink of an eye, he brought Rikka, Megumi, Rukia, and the three Takanashi sisters into Seireitei.
"The barrier of Seireitei..."
"We infiltrated it so easily?"
Rukia looked up at the sky, the Gotei barrier hadn't triggered any alarms, and she couldn't help but gape.
Rikka curiously examined the surrounding buildings.
"Mm-hmm."
"Is this where the Shinigami live?"
"It really gives off an unusual magical energy."
"Wow!"
"What a beautiful palace!"
"Rukongai can't even compare!"
The three Takanashi sisters also turned into curious babies, looking around everywhere.
Megumi asked with a slight hint of worry, "Uh... there are Shinigami everywhere here, and we're just walking around so brazenly on the street."
"Is it really okay?"
Tenya said, "No need to worry, I will conceal your aura."
Tenya used the Aura Concealment skill, covering everyone.
Rikka said, her face full of excitement, "Rukia, what sights are there in Seireitei? Lead the way!"
"You're really impossible..."
Rukia had no choice but to act as their guide.
The group arrived at a magnificent complex of buildings.
"Is this... the Shinigami's magic school?!"
Rikka's ahoge stood up, sensing a chuunibyou vibe.
Rukia explained simply, "This is called the Academy of Spiritual Arts."
"It's where Shinigami are trained."
"A Shinigami school..."
"Can we attend too?"
Takanashi Miu and Takanashi Sora both showed expressions of longing.
They also had schools in Rukongai, but they only taught literacy and basic life skills.
The three-year-old Takanashi Hina asked in a childish voice, "If we go to school, can we become as strong as Tenya?"
Tenya explained earnestly, "No, that's impossible."
"However, graduating from the Academy of Spiritual Arts might allow you to reach one ten-millionth of my level."
"Hey!"
Rukia retorted, "One ten-millionth... Aren't you exaggerating a bit too much?"
She thought to herself that he really didn't take Shinigami seriously.
"So amazing!"
The three Takanashi sisters were impressed without fully understanding.
"Let's go, let's go inside and take a look."
The Academy of Spiritual Arts had a triple barrier, but to Tenya, it was as good as nonexistent.
The group thus walked brazenly within the academy without arousing any suspicion.
Occasionally, someone would cast a curious glance.
However, they would only assume Tenya and his group were some nobles visiting for a tour.
After all, who has ever seen an intruder bring a bunch of young lolis to a school?
It's simply impossible!
"Distinguished guests, you are..."
Retsu Unohana served as a specially appointed teacher at the academy. Since her Fourth Division was a medical unit, she did not participate in the pursuit operation to Rukongai.
However, what she never expected was that the intruder, whom the Gotei 13 had dispatched their entire force to pursue, would brazenly appear before her eyes.
"Yo!"
"My beautiful Shinigami lady."
Tenya greeted her with a normal expression.
"Idiot!"
"This is Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division!!" Rukia stomped on his foot fiercely.
"I see."
"Hello, Captain Unohana."
Tenya greeted her amiably.
"Be a little more serious with me!" Rukia was furious.
Unohana said, "Thirteenth Division Vice-Captain, Rukia."
"Have you already joined forces with the intruder?"
"This..."
"It's a bit complicated to explain."
"In short, we have no ill intentions."
Rukia stammered, unsure how to explain.
"No ill intentions?"
"Then how do you explain Captain Aizen's death?"
Retsu Unohana narrowed her eyes, and a sharp aura locked onto Tenya.