"Raizen-san… these are pastries I made myself. When you have time, please try them."
Raizen Kō, Madarame Ikkaku, and Ayasegawa Yumichika were walking along the narrow stone-paved streets of Seireitei, passing between rows of green-tiled roofs and white-walled buildings as they headed straight toward the Eleventh Division Barracks.
Suddenly, at the corner of the street ahead, a tall and beautiful young woman stood waiting.
She wore a standard Shinigami uniform, her hair styled in neat twin pigtails, and in her hands she carefully carried a small wooden food box. As soon as she saw Raizen Kō approaching, she hesitated, fidgeted nervously for a long moment, and then stepped forward to block their path.
"Excuse me… are you Raizen Kō-san, from the Spiritual Arts Academy?"
Raizen Kō paused and looked at her carefully. Her face seemed familiar. After a moment, he realized she was indeed one of the academy students who had taken part in the same graduation assessment as him, though he could not immediately recall her name.
"Yes," he replied politely. "I graduated in the same class as you."
Hearing his confirmation, the young woman immediately brightened.
"My name is Tamura Yae," she said quickly, bowing her head. "Thanks to you, Raizen-san, all thirty-three students from our class were able to pass the assessment safely. I truly wanted to thank you in person."
At last, Raizen Kō remembered her clearly. She had been among the group he had protected during the Menos Grande incident.
Seeing the sincerity in her expression, he generously accepted the food box from her hands.
"Thank you, Tamura-san. I will make sure to savor the pastries you prepared."
After exchanging a few more polite pleasantries, Raizen Kō waved goodbye and continued walking with Ikkaku and Yumichika.
However, even after he had gone quite some distance, Tamura Yae suddenly called out to him from behind.
"Raizen-san! I have already been assigned to the Fifth Division. If you find the pastries to your liking, you can come to the Fifth Division Barracks anytime. I'll be happy to make more for you!"
Her timid but earnest voice echoed faintly down the street.
...
"Heh heh, little Raizen is quite lucky, isn't he? To be admired by such a cute girl,"
Ayasegawa Yumichika teased with a sly grin.
Madarame Ikkaku, walking beside them, also gave a knowing thumbs-up and an exaggerated wink.
Clearly, the two of them had completely forgotten their earlier argument with Sanada Yūsuke.
Faced with their relentless teasing, Raizen Kō could only rub his forehead helplessly.
"What are you two even thinking? She was only thanking me for saving her life!"
As he spoke, Raizen Kō opened the food box and found eight delicately crafted pastries shaped like tiny rabbits.
Leaning closer, he caught a faint, sweet milky fragrance.
Without hesitation, he took out two of them and casually stuffed one each into Ikkaku's and Yumichika's mouths before taking one for himself.
"Delicious!"
All three exclaimed at the same time.
Raizen Kō could not help but be surprised. The taste of these pastries was even better than those he remembered from the finest pastry shops in his previous life.
"Honestly… with skills like this, wouldn't it be better for that girl to become a pastry chef? Why insist on becoming a Shinigami?"
Raizen Kō thought to himself, a strange and amusing idea rising in his mind.
...
The three continued walking.
Just as they were about to reach the entrance to the Eleventh Division Barracks, Raizen Kō suddenly froze.
At the far end of the cobblestone street, a lone figure stood waiting.
The moment Raizen Kō saw this person, cold sweat immediately trickled down his back, and the hand holding the food box tightened almost instinctively.
The man wore a white Captain's haori. He was tall and refined, with medium-length brown hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a gentle, amiable smile that gave off an elegant and scholarly impression.
Yet to Raizen Kō, that calm smile felt more terrifying than the glare of any Hollow.
Although the man perfectly concealed his Reiatsu, allowing not even the slightest fluctuation to leak out, Raizen Kō still felt every instinct in his body screaming danger.
Aizen Sōsuke.
"What does he want with me?" Raizen Kō wondered, feeling his scalp tingle.
Seeing Raizen Kō approach, Aizen spoke calmly, his voice smooth and polite.
"Raizen Kō-kun. I am Aizen Sōsuke, Captain of the Fifth Division. I've heard much about your recent accomplishments. Tell me… would you be interested in transferring to the Fifth Division?"
Raizen Kō was stunned.
He had never expected that Aizen would personally appear just to recruit him.
Before he could even respond, however, Madarame Ikkaku stepped forward.
"Sorry, Captain Aizen, but Raizen has already been part of the Eleventh Division since his academy days. Now he's even a Squad Member personally designated by our Captain Kenpachi. You're a bit too late!"
Ikkaku deliberately emphasized the name "Kenpachi," as though trying to use Zaraki Kenpachi's reputation to counter Aizen's presence.
Hearing this, Raizen Kō nearly broke out in a cold sweat.
"No… Ikkaku-senpai, have you always been this fearless?" he thought silently.
Aizen did not react to Ikkaku's words at all.
He merely adjusted his glasses lightly with one hand and continued to look directly at Raizen Kō.
"Raizen-kun, is this truly your own decision?"
Taking a deep breath, Raizen Kō forced himself to remain calm.
"I apologize, Captain Aizen. I greatly admire the spirit of the Eleventh Division. That is why I chose to join the Gotei 13 through them."
He spoke as politely and carefully as possible. Offending Aizen at this stage was the last thing he wanted.
"I see."
Aizen smiled faintly.
"It is truly unfortunate that I cannot welcome a talent like you into the Fifth Division."
With that simple remark, he turned and left without further insistence.
Only after Aizen's figure disappeared completely did Raizen Kō finally relax.
...
However, before they could even step inside the Eleventh Division Barracks, yet another familiar face appeared.
Leaning casually against the outer wall with folded arms was none other than Yano Masahiko the Shinigami who had presided over the Spiritual Arts Academy entrance exam.
"Another recruiter?" Raizen Kō muttered to himself.
As expected, the moment Yano Masahiko saw him, he grinned.
"Raizen-kun! How about it? Care to join the Sixth Division instead? All the benefits I promised you before are still valid!"
Raizen Kō simply smiled and shook his head politely.
"I appreciate the offer, but I have already made my decision."
Watching Raizen Kō walk away toward the Eleventh Division alongside Ikkaku, Yano Masahiko clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Tch… this kid really doesn't know how to adapt."
With a helpless sigh, he turned and left.
...
The moment Raizen Kō stepped inside the Eleventh Division Barracks, a small figure suddenly leaped through the air toward him.
Recognizing who it was, Raizen Kō did not move to defend himself.
The figure landed neatly on his shoulder.
It was none other than Kusajishi Yachiru, Vice-Captain of the Eleventh Division.
"So you're little Raizen?" she asked in her bright, childish voice.
"Yes, that's me, Vice-Captain Yachiru," Raizen Kō replied with a smile.
Without hesitation, he handed her the remaining pastries Tamura Yae had given him.
Delighted, Yachiru jumped aside and immediately began eating them happily.
Only then did Raizen Kō lift his gaze to the towering man standing before him.
A massive, fierce-looking figure with wild hair, a long jagged scar running down the left side of his face, and a tattered Captain's haori draped over his shoulders.
Zaraki Kenpachi.
"Eleventh Division Squad Member, Raizen Kō, greets Captain Kenpachi!"
At Raizen Kō's declaration, Zaraki Kenpachi grinned widely.
Their eyes met.
Neither looked away.
A fierce and unmistakable battle intent surged between them.
Raizen Kō knew very well that with his current strength, challenging someone like Aizen was impossible.
But Zaraki Kenpachi who still fought using raw instinct and sealed power was different.
Even if he lost, the worst outcome would be severe injuries. Death was unlikely.
He had the courage to challenge this man.
"Clap, clap, clap."
Suddenly, the sound of small hands slapping echoed.
"Ken-chan, if you want to fight, wait a minute!" Yachiru declared while sitting on Kenpachi's shoulder. "Little Raizen hasn't had his initiation ceremony yet!"
She punctuated her words by smacking Kenpachi on the head several times.
Yet Kenpachi showed no anger at all, clearly long accustomed to such treatment.