"I don't know if I should call this good luck or bad."
"The young lady Soul Society has been searching for for over half a month, and I just happen to run into her."
"But this looks like trouble."
Masatsuki Aozaki moved the unknown object that had been sitting on his face onto his lap.
Rurichiyo Kasumiōji felt the warmth and breath beneath her, a flicker of confusion crossing her face.
Why does this feel so familiar?
She looked down, her face flushing slightly.
At that moment, Enryū's expression changed drastically.
"What... what's going on?"
His eyes widened in shock.
The once lively street, bustling with people, had fallen into complete silence.
One by one, the pedestrians collapsed as if struck by an invisible force.
"It's Reiatsu… huff… huff… this terrifying Reiatsu…"
Kenryū gasped for breath, his face pale as paper.
The overwhelming pressure weighed down on him, making cold sweat trickle down his face.
"Ah!"
Rurichiyo Kasumiōji let out a cry of surprise as Masatsuki Aozaki instantly separated from his Gigai.
In the next instant, a flash of fire ignited.
"Be careful."
Masatsuki Aozaki spoke softly, holding Rurichiyo Kasumiōji as he sat up.
A stunning woman in a red kimono emerged like a vision from a dream, her figure gradually becoming clearer before everyone's eyes.
Suddenly, brilliant flames erupted out of nowhere, burning fiercely with searing heat and intense brightness.
From within the thick mist, agonized screams rang out, sharp and chilling, echoing deep into everyone's hearts.
"In an instant…"
Kenryū, gripping his katana, widened his eyes in disbelief.
In the blink of an eye, he saw only a flash of fire—
And then, the enemies were reduced to ashes.
Nearby, Enryū gulped audibly.
Before they could even process what had happened,
Rurichiyo Kasumiōji suddenly let out a sharp scream.
Then, like an agile young leopard, she lunged at the Shinigami who had spoken.
She clung tightly to his neck, wrapping herself around him like a koala, refusing to let go no matter what.
"It's you, Masatsuki-sama! I've finally found you, Masatsuki-sama!"
Rurichiyo Kasumiōji was so overwhelmed with emotion that her eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling as she shouted.
"Alright, alright, calm down. It's not like we haven't seen each other in ages," Masatsuki Aozaki said, a hint of confusion on his face, though he still gently reassured her.
With one hand supporting her small frame, he easily lifted her into his arms.
Rurichiyo Kasumiōji was no stranger to him. Seeing her once a month was already rare, and their last meeting had only been a little over a month ago.
From the way she spoke, anyone would think they had been separated for half a lifetime.
"Masatsuki-sama, thank you so much."
Kenryū and Enryū finally snapped out of their daze, hurriedly rushing over to bow respectfully before Masatsuki Aozaki.
As hereditary retainers of the Kasumiōji Clan, they were well aware of Masatsuki Aozaki's status as a high-ranking noble. Their etiquette was flawless, showing not the slightest hint of disrespect.
Masatsuki Aozaki glanced at them.
"You guys sure know how to stir up trouble. The entire Gotei 13 is in chaos because of you."
"It's not our fault, Masatsuki! It's all Gyōkaku Kumoi's doing! I knew that guy was bad news from the start!"
Rurichiyo Kasumiōji huffed angrily, her eyes blazing with frustration.
"That bastard even tried to kill me! But now that I've found you, Masatsuki, this is perfect! When we get back, I'm going to make him pay!"
The more she spoke, the more excited she became. Even as Masatsuki Aozaki held her aloft, she kept kicking her little legs in protest.
"Uh… Masatsuki-sama, this isn't the best place to catch up. We should move somewhere else first."
Kenryū, still covered in blood, suggested as he glanced at the unconscious people littering the ground.
Knocking out a crowd with nothing but Reiatsu… terrifying.
Masatsuki Aozaki turned his gaze toward Nemu Kurotsuchi, who had just stepped out of the changing room.
"Did you pick something?" he asked.
Nemu nodded, carefully folding the clothes and placing them into a bag before leaving a thick stack of bills on the counter.
With that, the five of them walked out of the clothing store together.
Outside, aside from the unconscious civilians sprawled across the ground, the street remained unchanged from when they first arrived.
Ryūjin Jakka's devastating flames had been expertly controlled, leaving the surroundings largely untouched.
Masatsuki Aozaki scanned the area when—suddenly—he noticed a lone figure standing amidst the fallen crowd.
A young girl with short, vibrant orange hair. She looked no older than ten, dressed in a school uniform, clutching several shopping bags in her hands.
Around her, several other girls in matching uniforms lay unconscious, sprawled haphazardly.
Clearly, they had been out on a group outing.
Masatsuki Aozaki studied the girl closely before nodding in approval.
"Hmm… not bad, little one."
"My Reiatsu alone is enough to overwhelm most Seated Officers, yet you're standing here unfazed."
"And at such a young age… you've got the potential of a Captain."
The girl's eyes widened as she took in Masatsuki Aozaki's Shinigami attire. A flicker of panic flashed through her gaze.
"You… you're a Shinigami? Did you save me?"
"Ahh, save you? That's a bit much," Masatsuki Aozaki chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "With your level of Reiatsu, escaping shouldn't have been difficult for you."
His golden eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"But for you to know about Shinigami… you're no ordinary child. So, tell me, little one—who are you?"
The girl swallowed hard, recalling the terrifying pressure she had felt earlier.
"Actually… I'm a Quincy."
She cautiously glanced up at Masatsuki Aozaki, as if fearing the kind-looking man who had Rurichiyo practically starry-eyed beside him.
"Oh? A Quincy, huh?"
Masatsuki Aozaki clapped his hands together, a knowing smile creeping onto his lips.
"That reminds me—I've got two Quincy back home. But compared to you, little one, they're not nearly as well-behaved."
"One is a bit too energetic. When she gets excited, she has this bad habit of scratching my back."
"The other only cares about food. Terrible temper too—touch her hair, and she throws a fit."
"If only they were as obedient as you."
Kenryū and Enryū's jaws nearly hit the ground.
They stared at Masatsuki Aozaki, eyes wide as saucers.
Did they just hear that right?
No… there's no way…
This man—he actually had two Quincy living in his house?!
The two exchanged glances before silently agreeing: they had heard nothing.
This was Masatsuki Aozaki, a man with overwhelming influence in Seireitei. The Kasumiōji Clan was in no position to challenge him—especially since they still needed his help.
The girl stood frozen, confusion flickering in her gaze.
She had always believed that Shinigami were ruthless monsters who exterminated Quincy on sight.
Yet here was a Shinigami—gentle, kind, speaking of Quincy in such a casual, even affectionate manner.
Was he the only one?
Or… were other Shinigami like this too?
If only… if only that were true…
Masatsuki Aozaki smiled and gently placed his hand on the girl's head, ruffling her hair lightly. His voice was soft.
"Alright, little one. Head home."
"Someone will handle things here, so when you get back, don't go talking about what you saw, okay?"
He gave her shoulder a reassuring pat, signaling for her to leave.
The girl snapped out of her daze and quickly nodded.
By the time she looked up again, the group had vanished without a trace.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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