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"Let's go."
Kukaku withdrew her gaze and continued walking towards the low-lying house.
They went all the way down to the main hall, where three small dining tables had already been set up. Shiba Kūkaku sat at the head of the table, tapping her smoking pipe against an ashtray nearby. She looked at Ganju, who was hesitating to speak, and said exasperatedly, "Sit down and eat. If you have any questions, just ask. Don't hold it in."
Upon hearing this, Ganju quickly knelt down at the table below Kukaku, while Ishikawa Katori sat cross-legged at the table next to him, picked up his bowl, and began to eat.
Although he showed no outward signs, he was actually just as confused as Ganju about what had just happened. But Ishikawa Katori was an outsider after all, so to avoid misunderstandings, it was better not to ask directly. Anyway, with Ganju there, if Kukaku was willing to talk, he would get the answers even without asking.
As soon as Ganju sat down, all the questions he had been holding in for so long came tumbling out: "Big Sis, who were those people just now? Why were those four people chasing a Shinigami? Did that Shinigami commit some crime? And they seemed to know you..."
"One question at a time!"
Shiba Kūkaku interrupted Ganju with a roar, making him shiver involuntarily.
"Those four are from the Onmitsukidō's First Squad, which is commonly known as the Punishment Force."
"Punishment Force?"
Ganju was startled, then realized, "Is that the execution unit that Big Brother once mentioned, which specializes in executions and assassinations? No wonder they looked so sneaky. They're definitely not good people."
Kukaku, uncharacteristically, didn't reprimand Ganju. Instead, she nodded and said, "The Onmitsukidō is mainly responsible for some unsavory incidents. It's not wrong to say they're not good people."
"Then why were they trying to catch that Shinigami?" Ganju continued to ask.
Ishikawa Katori, who was eating nearby, also put down his bowl and chopsticks and looked at Kukaku at the head of the table.
"No reason."
"Huh?"
At this, both Ishikawa Katori and Ganju were stunned.
"The Onmitsukidō has five Squads. Among them, the Punishment Force is responsible for assassinations and also for apprehending Shinigami. The apprehended Shinigami are then handed over to the Third Squad, the Supervisory Team. The Supervisory Team then imprisons them in the 'Maggot's Nest.' The Shinigami who was just captured is going to the Supervisory Team; otherwise, he would have already been executed."
"So, there's no reason."
Ganju's face grew even more bewildered upon hearing this.
"So, he didn't commit a crime?" Ishikawa Katori suddenly asked from the side.
"How is that possible?"
Ganju frowned, "Even those despicable Shinigami wouldn't just arrest someone for no reason, would they?"
However...
Kukaku looked at Ishikawa Katori with surprise and nodded, "He's right."
"Huh?"
"Besides guarding prisoners, the Supervisory Team also has a job called 'Special Supervision.' Simply put, it's a secret investigation of Shinigami who have already joined the Gotei 13."
"Once it's determined in their 'thoughts' that a Squad member might pose a threat to other Shinigami and could hinder the Squad's work, they are investigated, arrested, and finally imprisoned in the 'Maggot's Nest' for real-time monitoring, after approval from the Forty-Six Chambers."
"What kind of nonsense is that? It's too absurd!" Ganju said incredulously, "Just because someone 'might' be a potential danger, they're arrested and monitored without having done anything?"
"That's how absurd it is."
Shiba Kūkaku sneered, "The Gotei 13 actually has no 'resignation' system. When a member of the Gotei 13 'resigns,' it means 'special supervision,' and they are forcibly confined to the 'Maggot's Nest.' And the reason..."
"It's merely because the Gotei 13 is a 'noble organization' that doesn't allow 'qualified members to become unsuitable.' This is a rule set by the Forty-Six Chambers that governs the Seireitei, so people with 'dangerous thoughts' are forcibly confined under the guise of 'resignation.'"
Kukaku paused, her tone laced with sarcasm: "It's worth mentioning that the current captain of the Twelfth Division, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, was once judged to have 'dangerous thoughts' and was imprisoned in the Maggot's Nest, but he was brought out by the previous captain of the Twelfth Division."
Ishikawa Katori's face showed the same incredulity as Ganju's, but he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It's no wonder those people from the Forty-Six Chambers died..."
Compared to Ishikawa Katori, Ganju on the side sneered, his dislike for Shinigami growing even stronger. He gave a very direct evaluation: "Shinigami are indeed all bad news!"
"As for your last question."
Although Kukaku was very irritable towards Ganju, she clearly cared for her younger brother and continued to explain to him, "The reason I know so much about the Second Division and the Twelfth Division is because the previous captains of both Squads were old friends of mine."
"Old friends?"
Kukaku nodded but didn't elaborate. Instead, she picked up the chopsticks on the table.
Seeing this, Ganju naturally understood that his Big Sis didn't want to discuss this further, so he didn't press the issue.
"Did you hear what my Big Sis said?"
Ganju patted Ishikawa Katori's shoulder, "Shinigami are all bad people, so don't ever become one. Follow me, your Big Brother, and I guarantee you'll live comfortably in Rukongai!" He said this partly because he truly believed it, and partly because he didn't want Ishikawa Katori to become a Shinigami.
After all, Ishikawa Katori had agreed to be his subordinate, even if it was only during his free time when he had 'no commissions'...
"I don't want to be a Shinigami," Ishikawa Katori said, dodging the hand on his shoulder, half-jokingly, "Besides, after coming to Rukongai, I'm determined to become a good person! My goal is to work for world peace and for the common people!"
"Hahaha~~"
Ganju burst out laughing, "I really like you, guy."
After dinner, Ishikawa Katori didn't stay long and took his leave.
Although Ganju offered to let him stay overnight, after some hesitation, Ishikawa Katori declined, citing 'opening the izakaya' as the reason. Anyway, as long as he maintained a good relationship with Ganju, there would be plenty of opportunities to befriend Kukaku later; there was no rush. Besides, staying would only mean being with Ganju.
"This kid is really something."
Ganju watched Ishikawa Katori's retreating figure and praised, "No wonder his Everything Store became so famous after only three years in Rukongai. He's kind and helpful, and he works so efficiently. He must have been a good person in his previous life."
"A good person?"
Kukaku, standing nearby, watched Ishikawa Katori's retreating figure, a strange look flashing in her eyes: "What kind of person do you think someone who, after dying, vows to be a 'good person' was like in their previous life?"
"Huh?"
Ganju blinked in confusion.
Kukaku shook her head at his reaction and turned to walk back into the house.
In fact, while she was explaining to Ganju earlier, she had been observing Ishikawa Katori's reactions. When he heard about the Supervisory Team, although the boy's outward reaction seemed similar to Ganju's, a sense of detachment could be seen in his eyes.
And whether it was her imagination or not, she always felt that the smile on the boy's face was deliberately put on.
However, judging by his demeanor, he seemed to have heard about the Shiba's past, so it was normal for him to befriend her brother in a somewhat ingratiating way.
As long as it wasn't harmful to Ganju, she wouldn't casually interfere with Ganju's friendships.
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