After offering a few more instructions to the guards, Mirai followed the path outside the detention center and entered the inner courtyard of the 9th Division barracks.
However, the moment he stepped into the yard, his feet froze.
In the moonlight stood a man—towering and brawny, with cropped silver hair and a face carved from stone. He was standing in the center of the courtyard with his back turned. His broad shoulders and upright posture made him look like a silent, immovable mountain, radiating an invisible aura of pressure.
It was the Captain of the 9th Division, Kensei Muguruma.
Mirai's heart did a somersault. He quickly steadied his nerves, stepped forward, and gave a respectful greeting.
"Captain! It's late... why are you out here? Is there something you need?"
Kensei Muguruma turned around slowly. His sharp eyes seemed exceptionally bright under the moon's glow.
"Yeah," he grunted, his voice deep and resonant. "Waiting for you. Let's talk. Don't worry, I won't take up much of your time."
_________
The corner of Mirai's mouth twitched ever so slightly.
He didn't know why, but every time he heard his Captain—with that stoic, righteous face—say the words "I won't take up much of your time," his mind uncontrollably flashed to a bizarre image of Kensei foaming at the mouth and collapsing on the floor in the next second.
Forgive me, forgive me... He shook his head vigorously, exorcising that disrespectful "stereotypical image" from his brain. (Note: A reference to Kensei's frequent defeats in the original series).
To be fair, over the years, Mirai truly respected Kensei. The Captain had the air of an "old-school chivalrous big brother," looking out for every member of the division. Even toward a "slick oil-merchant" like Mirai, who slacked off and dodged work daily, Kensei would at most give him a stern lecture. He never truly punished him.
Mirai plastered a sweet, obedient smile on his face and stepped up to Kensei.
"Captain, what's this about? If Vice-Captain Kuna sent you to pressure me for more chapters..." He spread his hands with a 'my-hands-are-tied' expression. "You know how it is, I have to eat. That Hell Girl book really isn't selling; the stats have hit rock bottom. If I keep writing it, I won't even be able to afford the cheap Hakutaku sake."
At the mention of the "Vice-Captain," a flicker of helplessness crossed Kensei's rugged face. He shook his head slightly and sighed. "It's not entirely about that, but... it is related to her."
He looked up, his gaze returning to its usual sternness. "As you know, tomorrow is the day the Shin'ō Academy graduates choose their divisions. By tradition, I should be the one going..." He paused, hesitating for a moment before coming clean. "But Vice-Captain Kuna has decided she's going on a picnic in West Rukongai tomorrow, and she demanded that I accompany her."
"Oh—!" Mirai understood instantly.
He intentionally dragged out the sound, narrowing his eyes into two thin slits, staring at his Captain with a look that said everything.
Wow. So, in your heart, a picnic with the Vice-Captain is more important than bringing fresh blood into the division?!
While Mashiro Kuna was indeed a genius who had reached her rank shortly after graduation, how much of Kensei's "personal feelings" were involved in this decision was anyone's guess. Besides, even if the Vice-Captain was going on a picnic, didn't the division have a 3rd and 4th Seat? Why was it falling to a lowly 5th Seat like him to represent the 9th Division?
Furthermore... the 5th Division's Captain Hirako had just "warned" him not to show up at the Academy. If they bumped into each other tomorrow, how awkward would that be?
Of course, Mirai didn't let a single one of these treasonous complaints escape his lips. He concentrated all his protest and disdain into his narrowed eyes and subtle facial tics.
Kensei Muguruma remained calm, seemingly used to Mirai's silent accusations. He shifted the topic, throwing out an alternative.
"If you don't want to go to the Academy, fine. There's a mountain of administrative work piled up in the barracks..." He pointed toward a corner of the estate where the records room still glowed with a faint, late-night light. "Go there now and finish the handover with the 3rd Seat. Starting tomorrow, you'll be in full charge of the paperwork."
Mirai's face transformed instantly. He broke into his most radiant smile and hammered his fist against his chest.
"Don't do that, Captain! Our 3rd Seat is a total mute—he couldn't recruit a fly if he tried! A mission of this importance, one that concerns the very future of our division, must be handled by me! I promise I'll find a way to kidna—I mean, recruit several geniuses for us!"
Paperwork? That was a three-story mountain of documents! Even if he didn't read them, the sheer act of stamping them would break his wrist! Compared to that, facing Captain Hirako's death stare was a walk in the park!
"I don't need 'geniuses'," Kensei remarked, giving him a look of blatant disdain. "If we get a few more 'geniuses' like Mashiro and you, the 9th Division will be on the verge of disbanding."
Mirai, used to the insults, turned and began scurrying toward his room while laughing it off. "Then it's a deal, Captain! Leave tomorrow's recruitment to me!"
He moved like the wind, wanting to get to sleep before any more "accidents" happened.
SLAM!
Mirai shut his door and finally exhaled. He muttered, "Finally bullshitted my way through," and reached out to untie his shihakusho belt.
As his eyes swept the room, his movements froze.
In an instant, he straightened up. His left hand brushed his clothes as if cleaning off dust, while his right hand slid silently toward the hilt of his Zanpakuto. He turned his body inch by inch toward the darkest, most shadowed corner of the room, while his feet shifted cautiously backward toward the door.
SHING—!
The next second, he drew his blade! The snowy edge cut a cold arc through the dim room, pointing straight at the shadows.
"Who's there?! You've got a lot of nerve, breaking into the 9th Division barracks!" Mirai's voice was icy. "Captain Muguruma is right out in the courtyard. Do you have a death wish?"
He paused, feeling his back press against the door. Feeling a bit more secure, he used his heel to quietly nudge the door open.
"Come out now and I might talk to you. If you wake up Captain Muguruma, your only destination is a cold cell and a few days of prison food!"
Creak.
The door opened slightly, and a sliver of silver moonlight spilled in, perfectly illuminating the corner. There sat a furry, pitch-black silhouette.
"Meow~?"
A small, solid-black cat sat there, tilting its head. It looked back at him with golden, jewel-like eyes that were full of "innocence." It even raised a front paw and began slowly, meticulously licking it with a tiny pink tongue. It was the picture of cuteness.
Seeing this, Mirai seemed to relax. He slowly sheathed his blade, a relieved smile appearing on his face.
"Oh, what? Just a lost little stray cat..."
However, he didn't close the door. Instead, he flung it wide open! Then, he whipped his head around and screamed toward the courtyard:
"VICE-CAPTAIN KUNA! QUICK, COME LOOK! THERE'S A SUPER CUTE LITTLE BLACK CAT IN MY ROOM!!!"
Holy hell! That's no cat! That's a massive disaster! Why the hell is the 'Great Lady Yoruichi' of the Shihoin Clan in my room?!
But as the saying goes: where there is a venomous snake, the antidote is within seven steps!
The cat licking its paw froze instantly. Its golden pupils flashed with confusion, which was immediately replaced by sheer terror!
"MEOOOOW!!!"
It let out a shrill shriek, its paws digging into the floor as it transformed into a black bolt of lightning, charging out of the corner. Its sleek, powerful form looked beautiful—like a phantom bathed in moonlight.
However, just as it leaped into the air, aiming for the outer wall—
A petite figure appeared out of thin air with even greater speed. In mid-air, she snatched the cat and pulled it into a crushing hug.
"Eeeeek! It really is so cute! Where did you come from, you little treasure? Are you lost? Let big sister give you a hug~"
Vice-Captain Mashiro Kuna had arrived. Her shihakusho was messy and loose, but her arms were locked around the struggling black cat. she rubbed her cheek vigorously against the cat's head, completely ignoring the desperate, muffled "Meow-meows."
The black cat was in a state of pure panic, its legs kicking wildly as it twisted to escape. It threw a look of absolute betrayal and a plea for help toward Mirai, letting out a tragic howl: "MEOOOOW!"
Yandera Mirai! You bastard!!
"Oh my, is the kitty hungry? Don't be scared, big sister has lots of yummy snacks in her room~"
Mashiro didn't care about the cat's life-or-death struggle. She skipped away joyfully, heading for her own quarters. After a few steps, she remembered something and looked back with a brilliant smile.
"Little Mirai! When I get back from my picnic tomorrow, remember to update two chapters of Hell Girl, okay? Otherwise... hehe!"
"Yes! Mission understood! Have a safe trip, Vice-Captain!" Mirai snapped to attention, back straight as a board, giving a perfect salute. He watched as Mashiro "kidnapped" the screaming cat back to her room.
Only when her door clicked shut did Mirai truly relax, letting out a massive sigh. He pressed his hands together in prayer toward Mashiro's room, muttering:
"May the Heavens protect your soul... and may the gods have mercy."
As far as he knew, no small animal "loved" by Vice-Captain Kuna ever emerged from her room "intact." Even if the opponent was the legendary "Goddess of Flash," Yoruichi Shihoin, she likely wouldn't escape this ordeal unscathed.
Mirai scurried back into his room, slammed the door, and—not feeling safe enough—heaved his heavy wooden wardrobe across the floor to barricade the door. Only then did he feel secure enough to collapse onto his bed.
As he drifted into the hazy edge of sleep, he thought he could hear the faint, humiliated, and desperate shrieks of a cat from a distant room. It was a beautiful sound—so soothing, so peaceful. Mirai rolled over, a serene smile on his face, and fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.
Chapter 4: The Drinking Trio Arrives
The morning light was dim. Yandera Mirai yawned as he pushed open his door, but his foot made a sharp crackle on the floor.
He looked down and saw a pile of shredded paper scattered at his doorstep. Looking at the violent tear marks, it looked as if a certain feline had spent the night venting its rage on his manuscripts.
"My, my... looks like a certain 'big black cat' was quite upset last night. She left quite the crime scene."
Mirai's lips curled into a knowing smirk. He casually kicked the paper scraps into a corner and set off for the Shin'ō Academy in high spirits.
The journey from the 9th Division barracks to the Academy wasn't short. He had to bypass the bustling commercial district of Junrinan, pass the empty Soul Burial practice grounds, and catch a distant glimpse of the solemn Repentance Cell and the Sokyoku Hill—the site of ultimate execution.
Fortunately, since he'd drunk the high-quality Reisui last night instead of that cheap Hakutaku rotgut, and because the weather was clear, Mirai felt refreshed. His steps were light.
However, just as he reached the grand gates of the Shin'ō Academy, his spiritual senses felt a sharp prick, like a needle.
He turned his head stiffly.
Not far away, the blonde-haired Captain of the 5th Division, Shinji Hirako, was standing with his arms crossed. He was grinning, staring at Mirai with a pair of exceptionally annoyed "dead-fish eyes."
"Well," Mirai whispered to himself. "You can't dodge fate forever."
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