In the depths of Muken, which the sinless cannot reach.
Saitō Furōfushi sat on a rock, twisting her hair with her fingers out of sheer boredom.
Her right eye stared ahead. Whenever someone in Muken called her name, a passage would appear before her. By following the passage, she could meet the person who called her.
"He's been gone for so long..." Saitō Furōfushi sighed. "He wouldn't be lying to me, would he?"
After she proposed the condition for exchanging information, Katori Sora had left Muken, saying he would bring back the things she wanted.
But she had waited for a long time without any sign of Katori Sora.
Saitō Furōfushi gently touched the eyepatch on her left eye, as if muttering to herself:
"That's true. He snuck into 'Muken' secretly. It probably takes some time to infiltrate this place."
"If he comes, should I tell him your information?"
"That will depend on whether the things he brings can satisfy me..."
Saitō Furōfushi had been in Muken for so many years that she had long grown accustomed to the solitary environment.
But now that she had something to look forward to, the waiting time felt exceptionally long.
On the first day, she worried whether Katori Sora would keep his promise, then thought he might have been delayed by something, especially since a 'Gate of Hell' had appeared in Soul Society.
On the second day, she believed she had been deceived.
On the third day, she began to worry about Katori Sora, concerned that his infiltration of Muken might have been exposed.
On the fourth day, Saitō Furōfushi finally heard someone calling her name from ahead.
"Saitō Furōfushi."
A gentle voice came from the darkness.
Saitō Furōfushi quickly looked up, her two large purple ponytails swaying gently by her ears.
Her weary spirit was instantly refreshed, and her right eye shone with renewed vigor.
She pushed off with her legs, and a pair of fair, small feet landed on the ground.
After hearing the call, a rocky passage appeared before Saitō Furōfushi.
Even in the lightless darkness of Muken, she could see this passage.
Her slender bare feet stepped onto the rocky path, and soon she arrived in front of Katori Sora.
The next moment, she was pulled into Katori Sora's shadow space.
"I was beginning to think that the esteemed sword instructor of the Katori dōjō was so busy with his affairs that he had forgotten the promise he made," Saitō Furōfushi said sarcastically, her arms crossed over her chest.
"My apologies, the things you wanted were a bit difficult to find, Miss Saitō," Sora said with a smile.
A few days ago, Sora had come to Muken to see Saitō Furōfushi, hoping to get information about Hell from her.
Saitō Furōfushi had proposed exchanging it for snacks and things for entertainment.
Sora had agreed, but the entertainment Saitō Furōfushi wanted was liquor and novels.
For Sora, liquor was nothing rare, but novels were a bit hard to find.
The library of the Spiritual Arts Academy didn't collect novels, and there were no dedicated bookstores in the Rukongai.
The Noble District had bookstores where novels could be bought, but when Sora went to look, he found that the current trend was romance novels from a noble's perspective.
Saitō Furōfushi had specifically requested not to have this type of novel.
Thus, Sora, much like Sōsuke Aizen, had to borrow books from the libraries of noble mansions.
The families with long-standing heritage had a rich variety of books in their collections, and the books Saitō Furōfushi wanted could be found there.
"The things you asked for are all here, Miss Saitō," Sora handed a Reishi space pocket to Saitō Furōfushi.
Saitō Furōfushi eagerly took the Reishi space pocket and took out the items from within.
Saitō Furōfushi picked up a pastry, took a bite, and revealed a satisfied smile. "Mm! Red bean paste... The craftsmanship of this shop hasn't changed after all these years!"
Saitō Furōfushi took out a clay jar of liquor, lifted the lid, and took a large swig. "Hahaha! Not bad, not bad at all! The shochu from 'Seishubō' still tastes the same!"
"Pastries with shochu..." Sora said with a smile. "Miss Saitō's tastes are truly unique."
Saitō Furōfushi ate a glutinous rice ball and said matter-of-factly, "This is the best combination!"
She took a stone out of the pocket and asked quizzically, "What is this?"
"It's a little gadget I made. It glows in dark environments. There's no light in Muken, and I was worried you wouldn't be able to read clearly, Miss Saitō, so I made a little something that lights up."
Sora took the stone and pressed its top, and the stone began to glow.
"The Spiritual Pressure I've infused should be enough to keep it lit for a decade or two. If you don't need the light, you can press it again to turn it off. Please feel free to use it, Miss Saitō."
"You can even make little gadgets like this," Saitō Furōfushi was pleasantly surprised. "You're quite thoughtful. I had completely forgotten it's too dark to read in here!"
Using the light from the stone, Saitō Furōfushi flipped through a novel for a few moments.
"Mm... you have pretty good taste..." Saitō Furōfushi was very satisfied with the books Katori Sora had found.
"I'm glad you're satisfied, Miss Saitō," Sora said with a smile. "So, can you now tell me the information about the 'Voice of Hell' and Hell?"
"The Voice of Hell, huh..." Saitō Furōfushi reluctantly put down the book, picked up the liquor jar, and took a sudden swig. "Hah—it's been so long since I've had a drink, I'm already feeling a bit tipsy after just this much..."
The tips of Saitō Furōfushi's ears and her cheeks were slightly flushed, adding a touch of vitality to her pale skin.
The liquor jar she held was a third of her height, creating a stark contrast when put together.
"The 'Voice of Hell' you're asking about..." Saitō Furōfushi revealed a slightly wicked smile. "Is actually something I brought back from Hell in the past..."
"You've been to Hell, Miss Saitō?" Sora was somewhat surprised. This was something that not even Batsu'unsai had mentioned.
Saitō Furōfushi took another swig, her eyes already looking a bit hazy.
The Spiritual Pressure in Saitō Furōfushi's body was sealed by the restraints, so she couldn't use her Spiritual Pressure to dispel the intoxication.
But even if her Spiritual Pressure weren't sealed, she wouldn't use it to sober up. It had been far too long since she had experienced any feeling other than loneliness.
"That's right... I've been to Hell."
"I was raised by my grandmother when I was little. When she first passed away, I missed her so much..."
"Later, I remembered a rumor I had once stumbled upon in a book, one that was rarely mentioned anymore..."
"When a powerful Shinigami dies, and we perform the 'Soul Funeral Rites' for them, their Reishi doesn't return to the earth of the Soul Society. Instead, they are sent to Hell."
"My grandmother was just such a powerful person."
"Therefore, the thought of going to Hell to find my grandmother took root in my mind."
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