Naraku Sora froze on the spot, staring blankly at the flawless face so close to him. His brain crashed for a moment, becoming completely empty.
After transmigrating for so long, this was the first time he had come into such close contact with a woman who was both a stranger and somewhat familiar.
Especially since she was very beautiful.
Her flawless cheeks seemed to exhaust all the magnificence in the world, charming yet solemn, and her eyes held a confidence.
A confidence that allowed no refusal.
Nishikawa, standing aside, was dumbfounded.
Strictly speaking, Shutara Senjumaru hadn't been in the Central Prison as long as he had.
And from the time she joined until now, this high-and-mighty Lady Warden had always given off the illusion of being an ice queen.
Serious in her work, unsmiling.
But what was he seeing now?
Shutara Senjumaru repeatedly tried to rope in a rookie boy who had just entered the prison, even lowering her status as the Warden.
In a sense, this could be considered seduction.
Is the gap between people really that big?
Nishikawa carefully glanced at the stiff-faced Naraku Sora, then tried hard to recall his own appearance in the past.
Forget it, better not think about it.
Looks didn't prove anything; in Soul Society, one still had to rely on strength.
Wait, it seemed this kid was no longer weaker than him?
Recalling Naraku Sora's performance when escorting the Adjuchas earlier, Nishikawa suddenly woke up with a start.
So, no matter how you looked at it, he was inferior to a newly appointed Shinigami who had just graduated from the Academy?
Could this be the reason why Lady Shutara looked at him differently?
Naraku didn't have time to pay attention to Nishikawa, who was constantly imagining things.
He also couldn't figure out what Shutara Senjumaru was up to.
Could it be that she really craved his body?
Considering that he didn't know Shutara Senjumaru's personality well, Naraku Sora decided to play it safe. Staying by her side was a bit too dangerous.
"Sorry, Lady Warden, I don't think I'm suitable for clerical work."
Shutara Senjumaru raised her slender eyebrows slightly, the smile in her eyes undiminished, and slowly said:
"The reason?"
Refusing Lady Warden's kindness again, Nishikawa felt that he couldn't help this kid anymore.
It was time to prepare a reserved seat in the Muken Hell.
"To be honest with you," Naraku Sora said with a serious face, "I actually joined the Central Prison for another purpose."
"If it were just clerical work, the Gotei, the Kidō Corps, or even the Onmitsukidō would do."
"But those places cannot realize my ideal!"
Looking at the righteous appearance of the young man in front of her, a trace of doubt flashed across Shutara Senjumaru's face.
"Ideal?"
"Yes." Naraku Sora said with a trembling voice, "To prevent the destruction of the Seireitei, to protect the peace of Soul Society, and to fight criminals, it starts with me!"
Shutara Senjumaru fell silent.
It wasn't hard to judge from Naraku Sora's sincere gaze that what he said just now was from the heart.
However.
This was the first time she had seen someone join the Central Prison to protect Soul Society.
Normally speaking, shouldn't he join the Gotei 13 for that?
After all, protecting the court was their duty.
The Central Prison was only responsible for catching people.
Did you get something wrong, kid?
Shutara Senjumaru's gaze became somewhat complicated.
However, she was obviously different from a certain pedantic old man who only knew how to bake sweet potatoes.
As a high-tech researcher deeply involved in various fields, if she couldn't accept new things and keep pace with the times, she would have been eliminated by others hundreds of years ago.
Seeing the corners of her mouth rise, Senjumaru praised:
"Very good, very spirited."
"The Central Prison lacks young people full of drive like you."
"However..."
Naraku Sora pricked up his ears.
Shutara Senjumaru's smile held a bit more playfulness as she asked softly:
"Do you know how Central 46 usually deals with Shinigami infected with Hollow characteristics?"
The moment her voice fell, Naraku Sora froze directly.
He stared in astonishment at those smiling eyes, his expression becoming very stiff for a moment.
For a split second, Naraku Sora felt his brain completely crash and turn blank.
Wait for the opportune moment, survival is paramount, peak of life...
At this moment, none of it mattered.
His most guarded secret was exposed with a single sentence. What would happen next?
Naraku Sora simply dared not imagine.
Imprisoned in the Muken Hell?
Or punched to the ground by her, then severely punished as a Hollow?
"Little brat, you seem very surprised."
Shutara Senjumaru wore an expression as if she had discovered some novel toy, her gentle tone adding a bit of undisguised teasing.
This time, it was the little horse's turn to be played ruthlessly by the big cart.
"You should know."
"Except for the lowest Muken Hell, nothing that happens in the other seven layers escapes my sight."
Shutara Senjumaru spoke words that made one's scalp tingle in the most relaxed tone.
"I liked your performance during the escort."
"But I am somewhat dissatisfied with your appearance full of lies."
Nishikawa looked blank, completely failing to understand the meaning of these words.
Naraku Sora, on the side, gradually calmed down and gave a dry laugh:
"Lady Shutara, I thought about it carefully. Actually, clerical work is also quite good."
"We are all working for the stability of Soul Society. There is no distinction between high and low in work."
He had to admit, when his secret was first exposed, he was a bit panicked.
After all, in Soul Society, Hollowfied Shinigami were heretics not allowed to exist.
Once discovered, a trip to the Sōkyoku Hill was inevitable.
Naraku Sora didn't think the current him could withstand the Kikōō.
But on second thought.
If Shutara Senjumaru were really the kind of person who couldn't tolerate a grain of sand in her eyes, she should have acted directly when he exposed his Hollow characteristics.
But not only did she not do so, she instead used a vague and ambiguous attitude to probe and rope him in.
Although he wasn't quite clear about Shutara Senjumaru's purpose.
But judging from the current situation, he was still safe for now.
Hearing this, the smile on Shutara Senjumaru's face became a bit more satisfied.
Facts proved that no one could behave too calmly when their secret was held by someone else.
Moreover, this kid wasn't completely stupid.
He could hear the other layer of meaning contained in her words.
"I never force others."
"Not forced at all, these are words from the bottom of my heart." Naraku Sora had a face full of righteousness.
The tacit exchange between the two left Nishikawa confused, completely unable to understand what had happened.
But the outcome was good after all.
"In that case, report to the research lab tomorrow."
Shutara Senjumaru said softly, "I still have some things to explain."
Research lab?
Naraku Sora noticed a highlight.
Was he being treated as a lab rat?!