Leaving behind that bag of candies—which could well be called "passage money"—Suō Tsukasa turned and departed. The oppressive spiritual pressure began to grow more and more distant.
The encounter with Zaraki Kenpachi and his group was merely a brief interlude in his daily commute.
The journey had been delayed for a time. After parting ways with the quartet, Suō Tsukasa had to increase the speed of his Shunpo.
At the gates of the Thirteenth Division barracks.
The familiar wooden gates appeared before him. Suō Tsukasa didn't break his stride; his silhouette flickered past the gates as he headed straight for the administrative office.
Pushing open the sliding door of the office, a hearty voice rang out.
"Tsukasa, morning! You look like you're in a good mood today."
"There's a bit of a mountain of paperwork today, come and give me a hand!"
Shiba Kaien, who was buried behind his desk handling documents, looked up to greet him. With his signature energetic smile, he waved a stack of papers to signal him over.
"Kaien-dono, morning!"
Suō Tsukasa offered his greeting and reached out to take the stack of documents.
This was simply a part of his daily duties. Every month, there were always a few days when various reports would pile up like a mountain, as if by appointment. He had long grown accustomed to it; moreover, assisting the Lieutenant with division affairs was exactly what he, as the Third Seat, was supposed to do.
Suō Tsukasa took the documents back to his own desk and sat down, greeting Shiba Miyako and Kuchiki Rukia, who were nearby.
"Miyako-san, Rukia, morning."
"Morning," the two replied in unison.
"Tsukasa, you seem a bit different today."
The one asking the soft question was Shiba Miyako. She had been holding her brush, patiently teaching Kuchiki Rukia the finer details of administrative paperwork. Now, turning her head, her gentle and sharp gaze fell upon Suō Tsukasa, immediately sensing a subtle, indescribable change.
The Suō Tsukasa before her still wore that same mild expression, his features carrying their usual calm. However, the spiritual pressure surrounding him felt different; it no longer merely sat there in steady restraint as it had before. It was as if his entire being was naturally shrouded in an extremely faint, shimmering soft light.
"Yes, I mastered Shikai last night," Suō Tsukasa replied with a smile.
He himself had long since clearly perceived the change in his spiritual pressure fluctuations. A Shinigami and their Zanpakuto were of one soul, inseparable. Just as Hitsugaya Toshiro's spiritual pressure naturally shifted to carry a hint of icy chill after Hyorinmaru awakened, Suō Tsukasa had fully expected his own spiritual pressure to take on the characteristics of Hikari.
After achieving Shikai, he could still utilize some of Hikari's basic abilities even without releasing the blade, though it wasn't as effortless as when coordinated with the Zanpakuto. Furthermore, he never intended to hide the fact of his successful Shikai from these trustworthy people around him.
"That's wonderful! Tsukasa, congratulations!"
Upon hearing this, Shiba Miyako's face broke into a smile of sincere joy.
"Shikai—! Congratulations, Third Seat Suō!"
Kuchiki Rukia let out a low gasp of surprise from beside her. She immediately stood up from her seat and bowed to him with great solemnity and sincerity, her large eyes filled with admiration.
"Alright, Rukia, don't be so formal. Sit down," Suō Tsukasa replied somewhat helplessly.
In his heart, he already considered Kuchiki Rukia a friend. Ordinary greetings were fine, but whenever the occasion turned even slightly formal, she would instinctively revert to the rigorous etiquette she had cultivated in the Kuchiki house.
"Oh—!?"
Shiba Kaien, who had been buried in the pile of documents, suddenly snapped his head up. His eyes lit up instantly, and his face was full of unmasked surprise. With a thwack, he set down his brush and circled the desk in a few large strides.
He brought his sturdy palm down firmly on Suō Tsukasa's shoulder, and his boisterous laughter filled the entire office.
"Haha! I knew there was a reason you looked so happy when you walked in today!"
"Such a huge event, and you only mention it now! This is massive news; we have to celebrate properly tonight!"
He threw a large arm around Suō Tsukasa's shoulder, his enthusiasm brimming with pride. His voice was so loud that everyone in the office could hear him clearly.
"Not bad, Tsukasa! I said you'd master Shikai soon, and I was right!"
"Quick, tell us, what kind of ability does your Zanpakuto have?" Hikone Mitaka, sitting across from them, leaned in with great interest and curiosity.
"Yeah, I'm curious too."
Kotsubaki Sentaro never missed a chance to join the fun. It was a pity Kotetsu Kiyone was away on a mission in the World of the Living, otherwise the office would be even livelier.
For a moment, all eyes were focused on Suō Tsukasa and the Asauchi at his waist, waiting for the answer.
"The Zanpakuto's name is Hikari. As the name suggests, it belongs to the light element."
"Its basic ability is the manipulation of light. As for the Shikai abilities, I'll have to find an opportunity to demonstrate them later."
Suō Tsukasa smiled and raised his hand. A sphere of Reishi light leaped into his palm. It was no longer the pure pale blue of the past, but was instead suffused with a warm yellow glow, like the morning sun, with soft rainbow hues rippling through it.
The light sphere was like a miniature dawn. It didn't just radiate a reassuring glow; it seemed to carry a tranquility that could soothe the soul.
"How beautiful—!"
Kuchiki Rukia's eyes widened slightly as she stared at the unprecedented, beautiful light. In her heart, a quiet yearning and expectation for her own future Zanpakuto began to rise.
"It's a very warm power, Tsukasa. It suits you well," Shiba Miyako said softly, watching the radiance at Suō Tsukasa's fingertips and feeling the peace contained within.
"Alright, alright! We'll look at the abilities next time we're out training!"
"First, let's think about how to celebrate Tsukasa's Shikai!"
Shiba Kaien clapped his hands together loudly, his hearty laughter drawing everyone's attention back. He looked around at everyone in the office, his face beaming with an unmistakable, excited smile.
"I've decided! Tonight, at 'Yehong' on the commercial street—my treat! No one is allowed to miss it!"
"Yay! Awesome!"
"Kaien-sama, banzai!"
Kotsubaki Sentaro and Hikone Mitaka immediately raised both hands in a cheer, their excitement palpable.
Shiba Miyako looked at her high-spirited husband with a gentle gaze, a slight smile on her lips, clearly in full support of his decision.
However, behind them, a hint of hesitation appeared on Kuchiki Rukia's face.
At the same time, the other protagonist of the scene spoke up.
"Did Kaien-dono forget that my primary profession is still a cook?"
"We can just buy some ingredients and sake at the commercial street later. Let's have the banquet in my courtyard."
Suō Tsukasa reminded the Shiba Kaien beside him, who was even more excited than he was. He had all the basic kitchen equipment; they just needed to supplement a few other things.
"Haha, Kiyone is going to cry when she gets back."
"Not only did she miss a round of drinks, but she also missed a delicious meal made by Tsukasa himself."
Upon hearing this, Kotsubaki Sentaro immediately clapped his hands and laughed, as if he could already see the amusing scene. In his heart, he was incredibly eager for the upcoming evening banquet, wishing he could jump into the sky right now, kick the sun down, and pull the moon up.