Gift

For a moment, Akira Morisawa was truly stunned.

Urozakuro had clearly seized a measure of initiative, yet she had actually laid out her ability in full, without holding back even the weaknesses that could be considered fatal.

What was this supposed to mean?

Had something in Soya Azashiro's heart gone wrong, or had his Zanpakuto decided to go behind his back?

For a strange instant, Akira felt as if he had been pushed into the role of a shameless conspirator, openly discussing how to harm the wronged party while that very person watched from the side.

The situation was getting wildly improper. The plot had begun drifting in directions that deserved several hard cuts.

Akira truly could not understand why a pure-hearted young man like him had become part of this conversation.

"Wait..."

He pushed up his glasses, straightened his slightly disordered shihakusho, and did not forget to slide the door open as proof of his upright character.

Of course, in reality, whether it was Urozakuro or Shinra Bansho, who had appeared a moment earlier, only Akira could directly distinguish their phantoms within the reishi. To anyone else, that spot in the air would probably only feel a little denser than usual.

"So what is your real objective? Do you want me to eliminate Soya Azashiro?" Akira asked, puzzled.

Urozakuro only smiled without answering directly.

"I am simply a Zanpakuto who enjoys causing trouble for her master. So, Akira, please do not disappoint me."

Akira analyzed the matter calmly. "Your master is imprisoned in Muken. The chance of a conflict between us is absurdly low."

"Sooner or later, my master will certainly emerge from Muken," Urozakuro said with complete certainty, the black leather strap still covering her eyes. "For now, he is only watching, waiting, and thinking."

That gave Akira a very strong sense of an unseen final boss quietly gathering itself in the dark. He could not help pressing a hand to his forehead.

"Are you not worried that I will report this to the First Division and Central 46, so they can place Soya Azashiro under stricter seals?"

Urozakuro did not seem concerned at all.

"Akira is not the first Shinigami to learn of it. More than ten years ago, I used a Tenshintai to communicate with Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin, who were not yet captains at the time. They reported the matter to Central 46 as well..."

She paused slightly.

"Akira, our conversation will end here for today. Your friends have come to visit. If you wish to speak with me again, I will be waiting at any time..."

As Urozakuro's voice faded, the phantom of the graceful noblewoman gradually dissolved. Akira understood very clearly, however, that in a certain sense, she existed everywhere within Seireitei.

"What a troublesome piece of news..."

He sighed. Then he heard the floorboards outside the room thumping.

The next moment, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa appeared in front of him, both carrying gifts.

But when Ikkaku opened his mouth in his usual blunt way, the faintly touched expression on Akira's face stiffened.

"Yo, Morisawa. Heard you almost died."

Yumichika reached out and poked Akira's bandages. "Morisawa, this sorry state really does not suit your beautiful style."

"Did you two come here to visit me, or to laugh at me?" Akira asked, nearly losing control of his expression.

"Come on, Morisawa. A Shinigami is bound to run into sudden trouble sooner or later. The Fourth Division cannot protect you forever," Yumichika said, extending the same invitation again. "Why not come join Captain Kenpachi? The Eleventh Division is full of combat specialists."

Akira pursed his lips and simply ignored the question.

Unless there was a hole in his head, why would he abandon soft, warm Teacher Unohana and throw himself into Kenpachi Zaraki's hard embrace instead?

The second failed invitation did not discourage Yumichika. He and Ikkaku simply handed over their gifts.

Yumichika's was a selection of tonics. Ikkaku's was an enormous box of special Eleventh Division combat medicine.

"..."

Akira stared at the box of salve, which was nearly the size of his head, and could not stop the corner of his mouth from twitching.

"Ikkaku, am I supposed to use this as a face mask?"

Ikkaku answered as if it were only natural.

"Morisawa, this stuff works. If the injury is not too serious, you smear some on and tough it out. No need to run all the way to the Fourth Division. I brought extra. You might need it later."

There were problems everywhere in that statement, yet Akira found himself unable to refute it. He accepted Ikkaku and Yumichika's gifts as a token of their friendship.

Whatever else could be said, he had only just returned to Seireitei. The fact that Ikkaku and Yumichika had hurried over to visit him was enough to show their sincerity.

After that, while brewing tea for the two of them, Akira deliberately steered the conversation toward their new life in the Eleventh Division.

With Ikkaku talking at length and Yumichika adding comments from time to time, the atmosphere gradually grew lively.

"Knock, knock. Um... Akira, how are your injuries?"

Suddenly, with the sound of a knock, a crisp and faintly cool voice came from the doorway. Akira looked over and saw Shao Ling Fon standing there in her black Onmitsukido uniform, small and neat, holding a bouquet of carnations.

"Shao Ling?"

Her appearance genuinely surprised him. He quickly stood and went to greet her.

In Akira's view, Shao Ling had originally approached him only to probe for information. Although he had intentionally tried to build a good relationship with her at the time, Teacher Unohana's interference had made him think the fragile connection they had just established was already finished.

As he led the somewhat unnatural-looking Shao Ling into the room, Yumichika quietly gave Ikkaku a look.

Ikkaku did not notice at all. He slapped his thigh and continued excitedly.

"Morisawa, you have no idea. To make those guys under me submit, I fought them for a full day and night. Did not blink once..."

"Cough, cough!"

Yumichika coughed heavily and kept winking at him.

"What are you doing?" Ikkaku asked, confused. "Your eyes dry or something?"

"Tsk."

Yumichika simply stood, grabbed Ikkaku by the collar, and dragged him toward the door.

"Morisawa, I suddenly remembered something. Ikkaku and I will come visit you another time."

Once Ikkaku and Yumichika left, only Akira and Shao Ling remained seated across from each other. For a moment, the room fell quiet.

At the same time, in the pavilion not far from the courtyard gate, Retsu Unohana took a sip of tea and pointed toward Akira's room.

Risa Aoki, also holding a bouquet of carnations, quickly thanked her. With a faint blush on her face, she walked toward Akira's room in small, hurried steps.

Watching Risa's back, Unohana took another elegant sip of tea. The smile on her face carried a faintly wicked edge.

"Quite popular, aren't you, Akira..."

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