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Ishikawa Katori followed beside Kotetsu Isane, his expression a little strange.
Go to the Human World?
Although Ishikawa Katori had wanted to visit the Human World for a long time, still...
What about the Floral Arrangement Society!?
I had been preparing for this Floral Arrangement Society meeting a week in advance.
Not only did I stay up late reading a lot of books on floral arrangement, but I also found many flower art masters from West Rukongai to intensely brush up on my knowledge, all so I could leave a good impression on Retsu Unohana today.
That being said, looking at the serious expressions on Kotetsu Isane and the others, today's Floral Arrangement Society meeting was likely canceled.
"Did something happen in the Human World?"
"I'm not very clear on the specifics either."
Kotetsu Isane shook her head: "We just received an urgent notice to immediately go to the Human World to treat the Squad Members of the Third Division."
"Third Division?"
Ishikawa Katori was slightly taken aback. Although he hadn't deliberately investigated, through the 'Seireitei Communication' magazine, Ishikawa Katori had some understanding of the duties of each Squad in the Gotei 13.
Generally speaking, the Shinigami stationed in the Human World were usually members of the purification Squad, which is the Thirteenth Division led by Jūshirō Ukitake.
But now Kotetsu Isane said that the notice they received was to go to the Human World to treat the injured members of the Third Division.
If he remembered correctly, the primary duty of the Third Division was support, somewhat similar to the Fifth Divsion, whose duty was rescue, but with some subtle differences.
Support, generally speaking, means that the requesting Shinigami's power is insufficient, so assistance is needed, but there is no life-threatening danger. The primary goal of the Third Division's deployment is to annihilate the enemy, and the secondary goal is to ensure the safety of the requesting Shinigami.
Rescue, however, is different. The primary goal of rescue is to ensure the safety of the requesting Shinigami, and the secondary goal is to annihilate the enemy. Moreover, there is a prerequisite for the Fifth Divsion's deployment: the people who need rescue...
Are not just one, but multiple individuals in need of rescue.
The deployment of the Third Division indicates that the Shinigami stationed in the Human World encountered an enemy they could not defeat, and thus requested support; and now the Fourth Division is deployed, having received the task of going to the Human World to treat the Squad Members of the Third Division, which means...
"Did something happen to the support Squad?"
Kotetsu Isane nodded: "It should be so."
Ishikawa Katori frowned, he hesitated whether to leave, the reason was simple...
Something happened to the support Squad, so the rescue Squad is very likely to go to the Human World next, which means the Captain of the Fifth Divsion might also appear in this rescue mission.
As for the Fourth Division...
No matter how fierce the battle, the Fourth Division does not need to participate in combat. The duty of the medical relief Squad is to treat the injured behind the battlefield.
Of course, it's also mainly because most members of the Fourth Division are not suitable for combat, and some don't even know how to fight.
Should I leave?
A hint of hesitation flashed in Ishikawa Katori's eyes.
"The specific details should be known once we reach the Senkaimon," Kotetsu Isane said, "This operation is led by Captain Unohana, and the orders I received were also issued by Captain Unohana."
"Captain Unohana is going too?" Ishikawa Katori's eyes lit up.
"Mm."
Not leaving anymore...
The hesitation in Ishikawa Katori's eyes vanished, replaced by an extremely resolute expression: "Lives are at stake, let's speed up!"
Kotetsu Isane looked at Ishikawa Katori's resolute expression and couldn't help but sigh, 'As expected of Mr. Ishikawa. Even though he's not an official Squad Member of the Fourth Division and has no obligation to rescue others, he's so concerned about their safety.'
I must also work harder and strive to recruit Mr. Ishikawa into the Fourth Division as soon as possible!
A group of over ten people left the outer district directly and rushed towards the central district of Seireitei.
As they proceeded, the surrounding streetscape gradually became unfamiliar. In the days since he received his entry permit, Ishikawa Katori had already explored every place he could go.
However, his entry permit only allowed access to the outer district and the Comprehensive Relief Station, which was located in a remote area, and he could not enter the areas under the jurisdiction of other Squads.
And the area they were now heading to was precisely the area under the jurisdiction of the Thirteenth Division.
The Thirteenth Division is the purification Squad, whose main duties are to perform soul burials for souls in the Human World and to purge Hollows that appear in the Human World. Because they frequently need to travel back and forth to the Human World, the Senkaimon from the Soul Society to the Human World is located within the Thirteenth Division's barracks.
After leaving the residential area in the outer district, Kotetsu Isane immediately accelerated her Shunpo. The situation of the support Squad was unclear; arriving in the Human World even one second earlier might save another life, so they had to be fast!
But she also didn't forget the Squad Members behind her, and didn't proceed at full speed, but habitually kept her pace at a level the Squad Members could barely keep up with.
However, after less than two minutes of traveling at this speed, Kotetsu Isane's expression changed, and she hastily turned her head to look behind her.
She suddenly remembered that among the people who came with her this time, there were not only Squad Members of the Fourth Division, but also Mr. Ishikawa, who had temporarily joined.
And Ishikawa Katori's Reiatsu was barely at the level of a Shin'ō Academy student; it was basically impossible for him to keep up at this speed.
However...
"What's wrong?"
Ishikawa Katori met Kotetsu Isane's gaze and asked with some confusion.
"Uh..."
Kotetsu Isane looked at Ishikawa Katori, who was following closely behind her, and a look of surprise appeared on her heroic face.
He actually kept up!?
One must know that even among the Squad Members of the Fourth Division, several were already showing signs of difficulty and were gritting their teeth to keep up at this speed, but Mr. Ishikawa, whose Reiatsu she considered extremely weak...
At this moment, he looked completely at ease, not only not falling behind, but even his distance from her hadn't changed at all.
"...Nothing."
She opened her mouth, but Kotetsu Isane didn't ask, though a strange glint flashed in her eyes.
Most importantly...
Unlike before, when she could clearly detect the faint Reiatsu on Ishikawa Katori's body, at this moment, Ishikawa Katori looked just like an ordinary person, without revealing the slightest Reiatsu fluctuation.
Before she turned her head, she hadn't noticed Mr. Ishikawa's presence at all; even at such close proximity, she hadn't detected his footsteps.
It seems I underestimated Mr. Ishikawa.
This is understandable. Although Kaido is different from Kido, it does not require a high Reiatsu from the caster, and focuses more on the caster's ability to transform the nature of their spiritual power. However, strong Reiatsu can still provide a certain magnification effect.
All this time, she had believed that Mr. Ishikawa compensated for his lack of Reiatsu with his mastery of 'Kaido'.
But now it seems...
That's not the case.
...
After nearly 20 minutes of rapid travel, the group finally arrived outside the Thirteenth Division's barracks.
Unlike the grand and imposing Second Division, and unlike the Fourth Division where the Comprehensive Relief Station and barracks were connected, the Thirteenth Division's barracks looked like an ordinary residential area.
If it weren't for the character 'Thirteen' and the Squad emblem carved outside the courtyard gate, it would be impossible to distinguish the Thirteenth Division from the surrounding residences.
As soon as Ishikawa Katori and the others arrived, they were led by the Thirteenth Division Squad Members who were waiting at the gate to a plaza within the barracks.
Many people were already standing in the plaza, and when they saw Ishikawa Katori and the others arrive, they couldn't help but turn their gazes towards them.
"Ah— Why are you here!?"
As soon as they stood still, a voice full of surprise came over.
Following the sound, they saw a man over two meters tall, with a sturdy build, looking at the Fourth Division and the others with a surprised expression.
Ōmaeda?
Ishikawa Katori was startled. Why was he here?
Looking around, he saw many people standing in the plaza, but they were not the Fifth Divsion members Ishikawa Katori had expected. Instead, there were over ten black-clad, masked Punishment Force members.
Besides the Punishment Force, there was only one Thirteenth Division Squad Member with short black hair, a goatee, and a white thin headband around his head. If Ishikawa Katori remembered correctly, he should be the Third Seat of the Thirteenth Division, Sentarō Kotsubaki.
"Vice-Captain Ōmaeda, why are you here?"
Upon seeing Ōmaeda, Kotetsu Isane was also startled, not understanding why members of the Onmitsukidō would appear here.
"They are responsible for executing traitors."
A gentle voice came from behind Ishikawa Katori and the others. Hearing this voice, Kotetsu Isane and the others quickly dispersed into two lines, their faces showing respect.
"Captain Unohana."
Ishikawa Katori turned his head and saw a woman, clad in a Captain's haori, slowly approaching.
She had a beautiful face, with long black hair parted in the middle, braided and hanging down her front. Her loose shinigami uniform perfectly conformed to the curves of her body, not appearing loose at all, but rather giving a feeling of being extremely form-fitting.
Her gaze was gentle and serene, like the morning sun, making one feel warm at first sight. The faint smile on her face made one feel as if a spring breeze was caressing them.
Even Ishikawa Katori, under that gaze and smile, couldn't help but straighten his back instinctively.
But...
Not because of her beauty, but because...
Danger!!
An unprecedented danger.
That sense of danger made Ishikawa Katori ignore her inherent beauty, and even his Reiatsu instinctively began to circulate at full power, enhancing his own defense.
Although...
This defense would crumble at a single touch in front of her!
"You must be Ishikawa."
The gentle voice seemed to carry a certain magic, very pleasant to hear, but the words seemed to contain a fragrance, a terrifying fragrance.
And the moment the voice reached Ishikawa Katori's ears, that inexplicable sense of crisis vanished instantly, as if it had never appeared.
Sweat trickled down his forehead. The moment the sense of crisis disappeared, Ishikawa Katori finally regained his ability to move and instinctively took half a step backward.
Ishikawa Katori could clearly feel that the shirt under his black work jacket was completely soaked with sweat, his Reiatsu was constantly boiling, and the trembling deep in his soul still hadn't stopped.
Excitement? Elation?
None at all!
There was only...
—Fear!!
Fear he had never felt, a creature he had never encountered, a... death he had never experienced!
Just one look made him, driven by instinct, mobilize all his Reiatsu, and even almost enter the Shunko state.
Exposed...
In an instant, with just one look, everything he had hidden was exposed without reservation in her eyes.
Kido, Zanjutsu, Shunpo, Hakuda...
Even in that instant, he was ready for battle, pouring out everything he had learned, just to survive her single blow.
How much did she see?
Although he hadn't used it, Ishikawa Katori had a feeling that the woman in front of him had already seen the next second of the future in that instant, understanding his full strength.
I shouldn't have come...
How could this woman be someone he, in his current state, could provoke!?
Before meeting her, Ishikawa Katori looked forward to their meeting every day; but the moment he saw her in person, Ishikawa Katori's instincts screamed wildly:
Run! Run as far as you can, never appear in her sight!
The trembling of his soul gradually ceased, and the surging Reiatsu returned to calm.
However...
A sinister aura, at this instant, surged from the depths of his soul.
Like an explosion after being suppressed, it was completely beyond Ishikawa Katori's control, directly rushing towards this 'monster' in front of him. Driven by this aura, Ishikawa Katori took a step forward.
Rather than saying he didn't control it...
It's more accurate to say that this was Ishikawa Katori's true essence, his real essence, which had been suppressed little by little deep within his soul after he intentionally changed it upon arriving in the Soul Society.
In front of the dangerous monster, the string named 'restraint' was artificially snapped, completely unleashing his inherent ferocity.
This scene made a strange glint flash in Retsu Unohana's eyes, and her gaze, which had already turned elsewhere, fell back on Ishikawa Katori.
But it was only this one step...
After retreating half a step, advancing one step was already the limit.
Unable to approach.
His fangs could not reach her.
"Not bad."
A whisper came to his ear, different from the gentle tone before, this voice revealed a strange meaning.
"Since everyone is here, let's depart."
Retsu Unohana walked directly past Ishikawa Katori, her face showing that warm, sun-like faint smile, as if everything that had just happened was merely Ishikawa Katori's illusion.
And in that instant, Ishikawa Katori also sobered up, his face instantly turning pale, cold sweat continuously flowing down his forehead.
What...?
What was I doing just now?
"Yes."
Everyone around him respectfully affirmed and walked towards the Senkaimon.
Even though they were so close, they hadn't noticed the confrontation that had just occurred. But in those few short seconds, Ishikawa Katori felt as if a very long time had passed.
I messed up...
Ishikawa Katori felt a wave of bitterness. It was their first meeting, and he had intended to leave a good impression on Retsu Unohana, but instead... it turned out like this.
If I sit down and arrange some flowers now, can I turn the impression around?
Hmm?
Suddenly, Ishikawa Katori stiffened.
[Retsu Unohana Affection +1, gained 1500 experience points, current Affection: 1]
Ishikawa Katori 'looked' at the information in his mind, dumbfounded.
What's going on?
Ishikawa Katori turned to look at Retsu Unohana's back, his eyes filled with confusion.
Where did this 1 point of affection come from?
Did I do something just now?
It seems I only took one step forward, right?
The more Ishikawa Katori thought about it, the stranger his expression became. If he had known that taking one step forward could increase affection... he would have wriggled forward even if he had to crawl on the ground...
Moreover...
This is too much, isn't it!?
The experience gained from this 1 point of affection was nearly five times that gained from the same affection level with Sister Kukaku and Soi Fon!
"Hey, we're leaving, what are you spacing out for?"
Ōmaeda patted Ishikawa Katori's shoulder and asked with a puzzled expression.
"Nothing... I'm just regretting not wriggling a bit more just now..." Ishikawa Katori mumbled with a rather complex tone.
Ōmaeda was startled.
Wriggle?
Has this kid finally gone crazy?
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