Mirai made a long face. In front of this old friend, he didn't need to keep up his cold and distant act.
"Hahaha! 'Goddess of Flash'?" Yoruichi put her hands on her hips. She stood on the high ground and laughed loudly. Her purple ponytail swayed in the sunset.
"That title sounds pretty scary! But I'm still far from earning it right now!"
Even though she said that, her huge smile showed she really liked the name.
After laughing, Yoruichi flashed away. She jumped lightly onto the top of the tallest tree on the hill.
She stood on the branches and looked at the sunset. The sun was slowly sinking, turning the clouds a beautiful orange-red.
After a moment of silence, she looked down. Her eyes landed on Mirai, who had just arrived at the bottom of the tree.
Her playful smile faded a bit. She tossed the manuscript down toward him. "Here, take it back."
Mirai quickly caught it. He checked to make sure it was okay, then stuffed it into his clothes. He finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But then he looked up at Yoruichi with confusion. He didn't understand why she was suddenly being so nice.
Yoruichi saw his confused face. She thought about her words for a moment. It seemed some things were hard to say directly.
"Listen, Mirai." Her tone became more serious. "Next time... don't write your books in the Second Division. It's not 'safe' there."
"What?" Mirai was even more confused. With her and Urahara there, how could the Second Division barracks be unsafe?
Yoruichi frowned. She seemed to be having a hard time explaining.
Even though the Second Division was her team, it was also a place where noble families mixed.
There were members of her own Shihōin family, but also people sent by the Fon and Ōmaeda families.
The moment she touched the manuscript, she felt the spirit particles on it and its unique "feeling." She immediately knew this was related to the secret of Mirai's power.
Mirai's spiritual pressure had surged dramatically over the last two years.. This had already attracted the attention of some people.
There were probably "eyes" from other noble families watching within the Second Division.
This didn't mean the Shihōin family lost control. But since Mirai wasn't a noble, she couldn't stop people from investigating him.
"Anyway," she couldn't explain too much. She could only say it again.
"Find somewhere else to write next time. In a place like the Second Division, a room where spiritual energy completely disappears becomes a 'vacuum.'"
"In such a sensitive place, that stands out a lot. Do you understand?"
Mirai was stunned for a moment. Then he suddenly realized!
Right! That machine completely blocks spirit particles from going in or out!
To a Shinigami's spiritual sense, it's like a 'black hole' suddenly appeared in the Second Division barracks!
He also understood why Yoruichi "stole" the manuscript and made him chase her.
Since the Captain herself "punished" him and chased him all the way here, anyone else watching would give up.
She was using this to give him cover!
"...Thank you." Mirai looked up at the figure on the treetop bathed in the sunset. He spoke from the bottom of his heart.
"Hmph~" Yoruichi snorted softly. She didn't seem to care about his thanks.
In the next second, Mirai's vision blurred. It felt like space twisted for a moment.
When he could see clearly, Yoruichi's face was right in front of his!
Their noses were less than ten centimeters apart. He could see his own reflection in her golden eyes.
"As long as you're thankful~" She smiled brightly. Her voice had a hint of encouragement.
"So, you better improve quickly, Mirai."
Being so close and feeling her warm breath made Mirai freeze in place.
By the time he snapped out of it, she was already gone.
Mirai stood there in silence for a long time. In the end, he didn't say anything.
He just turned around and walked toward the Ninth Division.
On the way back, Mirai kept reflecting. He had been too careless. He didn't think things through.
In the past, he could write in secret because no one cared about a low-ranking officer like him.
He could just run to the Forest of Swords, use his Shikai, and write everything at top speed before sneaking back.
But now? As soon as he left the forest and returned to the streets of Seireitei, he felt eyes watching him from the shadows.
Tsk, fame really is a double-edged sword.
If he wanted to do his secret work now, he would need Aizen's "Kyōka Suigetsu" to trick everyone.
Or he would need Yoruichi's level of Shunpo to leave all these stalkers behind in the Rukongai!
His strength... was still not enough!
With a bit of frustration, he returned to the Ninth Division barracks. He didn't go to his own room.
Instead, he went straight to Third Seat Heizo Kasaki's room.
"Slide—!" He pulled the door open.
Third Seat Heizo Kasaki was still sitting there like a stone statue behind a desk full of papers.
He was holding a stamp. He hit the papers with a strange rhythm: "Thump, thump, thump."
He was like a heartless stamping machine.
Mirai looked at his wide, silent back. He took a deep breath and shut the door with a loud "click."
He walked up behind Heizo Kasaki and spoke seriously. "Heizo! I want to publish a book!"
The steady stamping sound stopped.
After a moment of silence, there was the small sound of a brush being put back on its stand.
Then, a chair moved. Heizo Kasaki's tall body slowly turned around.
His face looked like it was made of iron. He still had no expression.
He looked at Mirai.
"Do you know," he began, his voice flat like he was reading rules, "what the process is to publish a book?"
Mirai immediately sat down on the tatami mat in front of him. He acted like a student ready to learn. "Please, teach me."
Heizo held up his fingers and counted the steps.
"First, you need to submit your manuscript to our Ninth Division Captain, Kensei Muguruma, for review."
"Of course, given the Captain's personality and how much he lets you get away with, this might just be a formality."
"Second, and most importantly, you need to contact the printing factory." Heizo's tone became heavier.
"The factory needs to modify a printing press specifically for your book."
"This means you have to convince them to leave a machine open for you and stop all other orders."
"The largest printing factory in Seireitei belongs to the Ōmaeda family."
He looked at Mirai. "Do you have any connections there?"