After drinking a large amount of sake, the women had all succumbed to its effects. The dinner had ended in laughter and an attempt to drown their sorrows, the atmosphere warm until exhaustion overtook them.
"Come!"
"One drink solves a thousand worries!"
That had been the tone of the evening until one by one, they collapsed on the straw mats. Rukia Kuchiki maintained an elegant posture even in sleep, her noble upbringing persistent even in unconsciousness. Rangiku Matsumoto sprawled in comfort without a care. Hinamori Momo had curled up as if seeking warmth and safety. The room was quiet except for their steady breathing.
Yuta entered the room, carrying a worn notebook filled with yellowed paper. He sat down and pressed his pen lightly against the page, pausing as his gaze drifted from the sleeping women to the view of Seireitei outside the window. The night air was still, and with a measured breath, he wrote:
"June 15, 2001, sunny."
Though his hand moved, his mind wandered deeply. His eyes lingered on the dark skyline, but thoughts ran further back as if bridging two lives. He began to record directly:
"Since arriving in this world, my path has extended far through the flow of time."
"If I sort the four combat arts-Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō-my progress is as follows."
"In Zanjutsu, I have mastered the Falling Leaf Sword Technique, split into three forms: Autumn Wind Rises, Great Sound Emerges, and Floating Life's Dream."
"In Reiatsu cultivation, I developed 'Swallowing the Sky, Devouring the Earth' and from it derived 'Limitless.'"
"Spiritually, I have created souls refined enough for revival, though their potential requires further research."
"By combining Kaidō and the skill of Celesrial Phenomena Intergration, I formulated a healing technique I call the 'Rain of Kaidō.'"
"In Hohō, I merged Shunpo with Hirenkyaku to create a new form of Shunpo."
"In Kidō, I created 'Aoihi' and acquired techniques such as 'Black Tone.' I have also studied all pathways of Hadō and Bakudō."
"In Hakuda, I developed ocular techniques: 'Sight of Flame', 'All Things in the World', and 'Spiritual Eyes.' These serve unique purposes: the Sight of Flame makes me immune to all forms of hypnosis; All Things in the World allows limited hypnotic influence on others; with the Spiritual Eyes, I perceive the flow of reishi and analyze any technique with precision."
"In addition to this, I have studied Quincy techniques-these surpass reishi control alone, instead allowing alteration, decomposition, and recombination of reishi itself. This ability feels as if it serves a greater design still beyond me."
"In barriers and kidō-based enchantments I have made steady progress as well, even constructing domains capable of drawing external energies into an inner world-what I have called the 'Infinite World.'"
"Yet despite all this, I know my Hakuda lacks refinement. More practice is needed-perhaps even a spar against Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, if the chance arises."
The pen hesitated, pressing against the paper without continuing. Yuta leaned back, recalling the afternoon that had passed earlier. Golden light had blanketed Seireitei, and the shadows of tall pillars reached across the courtyard where Captain Kyōraku Shunsui had appeared with his signature bamboo hat shading his eyes. He carried two wooden cups of tea.
"You must have been waiting for a while," Shunsui said as he handed him one.
Yuta accepted it quietly without answer. The older man drank first, then glanced back at the massive wooden beams supporting the structure, the afternoon sun cutting across them in slanted diamonds. Ise Nanao stood close by, her hand moving to adjust her glasses until Shunsui's voice grew uncharacteristically serious.
"Nanao. Leave us."
Her expression tightened into surprise at his tone, but after a moment's pause, she answered with stillness in her voice. "Yes." Then she stepped away in measured strides, leaving them alone.
Yuta sipped the tea silently as Shunsui walked to the balcony rail, gazing down across Seireitei. From their elevation within the First Division, all of Seireitei and beyond spread beneath them. The white walls gleamed, the districts of Rukongai stretched into the distance, and even the faint line of the Seirei Gate shimmered in the sunlight above the horizon.
"Look at it," Shunsui said at last. "Seireitei, Rukongai… all of them. How does it feel to watch them rise with the sun and return with the night?" His voice held weight. "When you see this world-does your heart feel peace and the desire to protect it? Or do you remain unmoved?"
Yuta stood beside him without immediate reply, his eyes fixed on the sprawl below. The silence between them stretched as Shunsui continued.
"I'll admit," he said with a faint smile, "when I first joined the Gotei 13, the name seemed meaningless. I never had ideals. I graduated from the Shin'ō Academy thinking only of passing time, flirting with girls, and drinking." His tone darkened slightly. "But day after day, I saw the souls here-and at some unknown point, my heart had already changed." He exhaled slowly. "By the time I realized it, it was too late. I already cared."
Shunsui gave a small, bitter laugh. "Strange, isn't it? Someone like me, who never cared for responsibility, actually grew to love this world and the souls who live in it." His gaze stayed fixed on the horizon. "Little by little, I wanted to protect it."
He paused and turned slightly toward Yuta. "I won't pretend to understand all of this world's hidden truths. The rules and secrets stretch wider than any of us. For people like me, thinking too much about it is a waste of time." He let his words fall quietly, as if weighed by the sky itself. "If I can keep living like this, I'm satisfied." His lips curved faintly under the hat brim. "Maybe a man like me was just never meant for ideals."
Shunsui's eyes slid back toward the city once more. "But you've been here long enough now. Tell me…" He gestured lightly to the endless view before them. "When you look at this world today-what do you see?"
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