NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Amidst the company of beautiful women, Shiroha Uehara completed his daily tasks.
[Ding! Congratulations on completing the daily task: Make a new friend. Reward: Spiritual Pressure +1, Kidō +1!]
A radiant smile spread across his face, growing even sunnier, making the three nurses beside him even more infatuated.
Meanwhile, Aramaki Makizō, lying next to them, writhed in pain. Yet, he gritted his teeth and dared not make a sound, afraid to disturb Uehara Shiroha's graceful moment.
At that moment, the captain of the Fourth Division, Unohana Retsu, returned to the barracks carrying a basket of medical supplies.
As she approached the medical room, she paused, her sharp senses catching the soft murmurs of her third-seat officer, Kotetsu Isane. The usually calm and collected woman was nervously rehearsing in the corridor:
"Hello, Uehara-kun... Um, Uehara Shiroha, I am Kotetsu Isane, the Third Seat of the Fourth Division. Please guide me in the future! I... I enjoy flower arranging and sewing... If you don't mind, I can... sew something for you…"
Her voice trailed off, growing quieter and more incoherent until it was barely a whisper.
Unohana Retsu, her face gentle but her gaze sharp, raised an eyebrow. In a calm yet firm voice, she called out:
"Isane, what are you doing? Has the patient recovered?"
"Ah! C-Captain!"
Isane jumped in surprise, her composure shattering as she shrank back like a startled deer. Flustered, she stammered:
"I... I don't know... I haven't checked. I wanted to... but I couldn't bring myself to enter."
Her gaze flickered nervously toward the medical room, her fingers fidgeting anxiously.
Unohana's curiosity deepened. She rarely saw her third seat act this way. With a soft yet knowing smile, she asked,
"This is our Fourth Division's barracks. What exactly are you afraid of? Is there a tiger inside?"
Without waiting for a reply, Unohana, her steps measured and graceful, proceeded towards the medical room.
Inside, Uehara Shiroha was having an animated conversation with the three nurses. The room buzzed with laughter and lighthearted chatter.
A seasoned veteran in matters of the heart, Uehara Shiroha handled the conversation with ease. To him, flirting with three inexperienced rookies was hardly a challenge. After all, after indulging in life's grand feasts, sometimes a simple bowl of porridge was refreshing.
Suddenly, a chill crept up his spine—a cold, piercing sensation, like a blade's edge tracing his skin.
A voice, calm but laced with unmistakable authority, sliced through the cheerful air:
"My, what a lively conversation. Mind if I join you?"
The voice belonged to Unohana Retsu. Her soft, melodic tone carried an undercurrent of steel as she pronounced his name with deliberate clarity:
"First Division, Seventh Seat—Uehara Shiroha-kun."
The room froze.
The three nurses, their faces draining of color, instantly huddled together like frightened quails. The playful atmosphere evaporated, replaced by a thick, stifling tension.
But Uehara Shiroha reacted swiftly, his expression shifting to one of earnest sincerity. With a polite bow and a charming smile, he responded:
"Captain Unohana! You misunderstand. I was merely consulting your subordinates about their experiences in curing ailments and saving lives. I deeply admire the healing expertise of the Fourth Division."
Unohana's eyes, serene yet penetrating, glinted with subtle amusement as she replied with her signature elegance:
"If you are so interested in the art of healing, you should come directly to me next time. I would be happy to instruct you... personally."
Though her words were warm, the challenge behind them was clear—If you dare, come and learn from me.
Uehara Shiroha, not missing the subtext, quickly clasped his hands together and said with a disarming grin:
"Of course! Next time, I'll come straight to you. For today, however... I shall take my leave! Farewell, Captain Unohana!"
Without waiting for a response, he executed a perfect retreat, vanishing from the room in an instant.
Unohana watched him go, her lips curving into the faintest of smiles.
"Clever and quick to escape," she murmured. "He has some nerve."
Then, regaining her usual poise, she turned and left the room.
The three nurses, now freed from the oppressive tension, exchanged wide-eyed glances and, without a second thought, scattered like startled birds.
Behind them, Aramaki Makizō groaned in despair from his sickbed:
"Wait! Don't go! I actually need treatment this time—!"
Meanwhile, in the hallway, Kotetsu Isane stood frozen, watching Uehara Shiroha's figure disappear down the corridor. Her face flushed, her lips pursed in regret.
Meanwhile, in the Human World
Within a concealed barrier, Shihōin Yoruichi stood before Urahara Kisuke and Tessai Tsukabishi. Her golden eyes, sharp as ever, carried a rare gravity as she spoke:
"The Soul Society is too preoccupied right now to hunt us down. But we can't let our guard down. Aizen is still a threat."
She paused, then added with a frown:
"And there's someone else we need to watch—an outsider. A man claiming to be from the Ōtsutsuki Clan. His Zanpakutō ability is... strange."
Urahara Kisuke's eyes narrowed beneath his ever-present hat. "Ōtsutsuki…? That's not a Soul Society name," he mused. "You're certain it's a Zanpakutō ability?"
Yoruichi nodded. "The abilities are unlike anything I've seen."
Urahara's expression darkened as he shared the information he had gathered:
"The one calling himself 'Ōtsutsuki Naruto' has abilities that defy the usual laws of spiritual combat. But... I'm not convinced it's Zanpakutō-based."
Yoruichi's lips curled into a sly smile. "Sounds troublesome… and intriguing. But it reminds me—what about Soya Azahiro? That one from the ninth Kenpachi line. His Bankai was… something else."
Urahara's face turned serious.
"Soya Azahiro… Now, that is a monster in his own right. His Bankai lets him merge with the very fabric of the Soul Society itself. He becomes one with the land—every structure, every tree, every spirit becomes his eyes and ears. His clones are like ghosts, untouchable, unstoppable. He sees everything. Knows everything."
A chill ran through the room as Urahara continued:
"But, thankfully, his Zanpakutō was sealed when he was imprisoned in [Muken]. Without his blade, he can't manifest those abilities. Besides, his power only works within Soul Society's domain. Even if he could spy on us, it wouldn't be from here."
Yoruichi folded her arms, her gaze thoughtful. "Still... We should tread carefully. Abilities like his are too dangerous to ignore."
Urahara tugged his hat lower, his voice grave.
"Agreed. But for now, we have more pressing matters. I need certain equipment from my old lab to stabilize the situation. And… there's another project I must complete in private."
Yoruichi's grin returned, sharp and confident.
"Leave it to me. I'll bring you your toys. You know me—I come and go from the Soul Society whenever I please."
Back in the Soul Society
Within his room, Uehara Shiroha moved with precise care, sweeping every surface with the power of the Horse Talisman, a charm that left nothing untouched—no dust, no spiritual residue, nothing.
The room, furnished with simple items brought from Rukongai, felt like home. But the real reason for his vigilance wasn't comfort. It was protection—against a certain peeping tom confined in [Muken].
As he swept the final corner with the talisman's power, a faint, almost imperceptible spiritual fluctuation flickered... then vanished without a trace.
Uehara Shiroha's lips curled into a smirk. He muttered softly, his voice barely above a whisper:
"I know you're watching. I know you're listening. But I don't care. You're sealed in [Mugen], and your sword is useless. So, what can you do to me?"
His tone carried neither hostility nor fear. Just... amusement.
He paused, his expression softening. "Soya Azahiro… I get it. You're not a villain. Just another casualty of this twisted world."
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