Ch 359 : Girls

Makoto received the Shinigami from Seireitei, and the group respectfully bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Are you satisfied with Konoha's arrangements? Have there been any instances of neglect?" Makoto asked with a warm smile.

His gaze swept over the gathered individuals.

Based on his knowledge from his past life's manga, he easily recognized all of them.

Unohana Retsu, Matsumoto Rangiku, Kuchiki Rukia, Soi Fon, Ise Nanao, Kotetsu Isane… and others.

Kyoraku responded, "Konoha's hospitality has been overwhelming. We are truly grateful."

Makoto offered a polite response, "Shinigami and ninja are friends. Among friends, there is no need for such formalities. In the future, the living world and the Soul Society shall coexist harmoniously, and the friendship between the Empire and Seireitei shall endure for generations."

"Your Majesty speaks truly. We have come here precisely to strengthen our bonds of friendship. We did not expect the battles between ninja to be so thrilling—it has been an eye-opening experience," Kyoraku remarked.

Makoto chuckled, "If you are interested in the power of ninja, we would be more than willing to share our knowledge with the Shinigami."

This statement surprised many present, though those with keen minds remained unfazed.

Not to mention that the Shinigami had their own means of coming to the living world to acquire a ninja's power—when a ninja dies, their soul naturally enters the Soul Society.

One day, the power of ninjas would inevitably be thoroughly studied by the entire Soul Society, and that day was not far off.

The Emperor's words were merely a gesture of goodwill, a favor that cost him nothing.

Kyoraku could only respond with a sincere expression, "The Soul Society will remember Your Majesty's kindness."

Makoto then mentioned that a banquet had already been prepared to properly welcome the Shinigami.

Faced with such hospitality, Kyoraku did not refuse.

Their trip to Konoha was not only to observe and document the power of ninjas—it might as well be considered a state-sponsored vacation.

The banquet was grand in scale, surpassing even the receptions Makoto had hosted as Hokage when meeting feudal lords and nobles.

Inside the lavish palace hall, two long tables were set, laden with exquisite dishes and fine wine.

Dancers and musicians performed, adding to the festive atmosphere.

"Everyone, please enjoy. Your accommodations have already been arranged, so tonight, you need not hold back," Makoto said with a smile.

Though Kyoraku was tempted by the rare opportunity to taste the fine sake of the living world, as the leader of this delegation, he only took a sip when the Emperor himself raised his cup.

However, the others, especially the vice-captains, had no such reservations once they received their captains' approval.

They began to thoroughly enjoy the banquet.

Makoto sat at the head of the table, casually conversing with the Shinigami.

He had no particular agenda—he was simply intrigued by meeting new characters and wanted to interact with them.

The Emperor's approachable demeanor left a positive impression on the Shinigami.

He carried no airs of superiority, and the banquet was filled with laughter as they exchanged stories about their respective worlds.

Kyoraku even took the opportunity to boast about the great deeds of the Emperor of the living world.

Before coming, they had done their homework—everything publicly known about Hyuga Makoto's life and accomplishments had already been investigated.

"How often does Your Majesty plan to hold such a martial arts tournament?" someone asked.

"Every four years," Makoto replied.

He intended for the tournament to replace the traditional Chunin Exams, but it couldn't be held too frequently.

Flooding Konoha with too many new people every year would be unmanageable, and if it were held too often, the prestige of the event would diminish.

Furthermore, additional restrictions and rules might be implemented in the future, such as setting an upper age limit.

This would prevent people from coming to Konoha simply to retire—after all, how could they enjoy Konoha's resources without contributing to its cause?

Aizen took the opportunity to praise the Emperor's foresight, stating that the existence of the martial arts tournament was undoubtedly a great benefit to the Empire.

Makoto responded with a bright smile, then asked, "Oh? So the Soul Society doesn't have a similar competition?"

Kyoraku explained, "The structures of the Shinigami and the ninja are quite different. Shinigami don't exist as free agents; we are under a unified jurisdiction. Holding such a tournament wouldn't have much significance for us—it would just be a waste of resources."

Makoto then continued, "Kyoraku-san, I suddenly have an interesting idea."

"Please, Your Majesty, do share."

"Tell me… wouldn't it be possible for the ninja and the Shinigami to hold a friendly martial arts exchange event?"

His words elicited surprise from many of the Shinigami present, and Zaraki Kenpachi's eyes immediately lit up with excitement.

Some of them recalled that Aizen had casually brought up a similar suggestion before, though at the time, most had dismissed it as a joke.

Kyoraku glanced at Aizen, his expression thoughtful.

Makoto smiled and said, "The purpose of this exchange event is to promote mutual understanding between ninjas and Shinigami, allowing both sides to progress and grow together. In the future, when dealing with Hollows, cooperation between ninjas and Shinigami will help both parties adapt to each other more effectively."

As he spoke, his smile carried a deeper meaning as he looked toward Aizen.

"What do you think, Aizen-san?"

Aizen's heart stirred slightly at Makoto's expression, but on the surface, this was not something he could decide.

Instead, he glanced at Kyoraku before offering a smile of his own.

"Your Majesty's foresight always surpasses that of ordinary people."

Kyoraku said, "If Your Majesty is truly interested in this, I will relay your proposal in full to the Head Captain."

Several other captains also appeared to be lost in thought.

Third Division Captain Ichimaru Gin sat silently in his seat, maintaining his usual smile while his half-lidded eyes flicked toward Aizen across the table.

Meanwhile, Kenpachi, after hearing Kyoraku's words, simply grabbed a bottle of sake and started chugging it down in large gulps.

Seeing this, Makoto chuckled.

"It seems there's at least one person looking forward to my proposal."

Kenpachi looked at the Emperor of the living world, his gaze sharp like fire and steel, and grinned widely.

Kyoraku chuckled helplessly.

The only reason Kenpachi even bothered to attend such an event was that he had heard there would be fights to watch.

The banquet lasted for a long time before finally coming to an end.

Some of the Shinigami had indulged in quite a bit of drinking—Matsumoto Rangiku, Kira Izuru, Iba Tetsuzaemon, Hisagi Shuuhei, and Abarai Renji, among others.

They were all vice-captains, while the captains, maintaining their dignity, drank only in moderation.

Everyone was escorted to a high-end inn in the new district, with each person assigned their own private room.

As night fell, Kyoraku sat alone in the courtyard, sipping tea in silence, reflecting on everything that had happened that day.

The ninjas who participated in the tournament were all quite strong.

The fact that people in the living world could reach such levels in just a matter of decades was truly astonishing.

And within this world—within Konoha—there were undoubtedly individuals far stronger than those he had seen today.

The most obvious example was the Emperor of the Empire himself.

Despite his many years of experience, Kyoraku still couldn't gauge the depths of this man's power.

What would happen to the world when this Emperor eventually reached the end of his natural lifespan in a hundred years?

What kind of upheaval would follow…?

Kyoraku suddenly felt that if the Emperor of the living world could continue to live indefinitely, it would be the best thing for this world.

"Captain Kyoraku has quite the refined taste, enjoying tea in the courtyard at this hour."

A gentle voice suddenly rang out.

Kyoraku turned toward the sound and saw that it was Unohana Retsu, the captain of the Fourth Division.

Though she appeared to be a dignified and gentle young woman, in reality, she was much older than he was—a venerable figure who had lived for a thousand years.

Kyoraku quickly smiled. "There's no refined taste in it, really. I just couldn't sleep."

Unohana sat down across from him.

Seeing this, Kyoraku reached out and poured her a cup of tea.

"This is truly wonderful," she said.

"Hm?"

"I mean the living world." Unohana held the teacup in her hands, her smile serene and tranquil.

"This living world is completely different from the one we knew before—there is no war."

Kyoraku replied, "But according to our investigation, this world was plagued by frequent wars not too long ago. And… do you really think the existence of ninjas is a good thing?"

In his previous world, war meant large-scale death and destruction.

But here, the wars involving ninjas—though he had yet to witness one firsthand—must be far more brutal than anything he had ever known.

"Oh, you can't say that," Unohana said with a gentle smile.

"Ninjas are a natural part of this world. We, on the other hand, are the outsiders. The fact that they are willing to accept us is already a kindness on their part."

Kyoraku fell silent, rubbing the tea cup in his hand before tilting his head back to take another sip.

Then, he let out a chuckle.

Unohana had a point, but Kyoraku was viewing things from the perspective of a Shinigami.

After laughing, he let out a quiet sigh.

In the past, he never had to think about such matters.

His days were spent leisurely drinking sake, wandering around, and teasing Nanao.

But ever since they arrived here, Ukitake had suddenly vanished, and Yamamoto had spoken to him at length about many things.

An unknown world also meant many dangers and challenges.

Old Man Yama would surely be the one standing at the very front.

Kyoraku couldn't imagine anyone stronger than him, yet the way his teacher had spoken… it was almost as if he was giving his final instructions.

If this world were to lose Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, then it would fall on Kyoraku Shunsui to carry his teacher's burden.

"Captain Kyoraku, if you dwell too much on heavy thoughts, people might start getting suspicious," Unohana suddenly said gently.

Kyoraku was momentarily taken aback by her words.

Unohana continued, "At the banquet today, Captain Kyoraku's demeanor was quite different from usual."

Kyoraku remained silent.

Had she noticed how eager he was?

With the same soft tone, Unohana reassured him, "At least for now, everything is moving in a good direction. There's no need for Captain Kyoraku to carry such heavy pressure."

Kyoraku took another sip of tea before smiling. "You're right."

............

Konoha's New City District – Commercial Street.

"Rangiku-san, are you really okay? You drank so much at the banquet," Hinamori Momo asked worriedly as the group of girls strolled through the streets.

"Don't worry! That little bit of alcohol is nothing to me. But Kira and Renji—those guys are just too weak! Hahaha!" Rangiku laughed, patting her chest confidently.

All of them had changed into casual outfits prepared by Konoha.

The village had been considerate enough to provide several styles to choose from, all designed to blend in with the fashion of this world's civilians.

They even received shopping cards that allowed them to buy whatever they liked within Konoha.

This thoughtful gesture significantly increased their favorable impression of the village.

However, no matter where she went, Rangiku's stunning beauty and impressive figure always attracted attention.

The other girls couldn't help but internally complain—after all, not everyone could hold their liquor like Rangiku.

"But I didn't expect Konoha to be this lively! Rukia, why didn't you mention it sooner?"

Rukia explained, "I didn't really notice it the last time I was here."

The bustling commercial street dazzled them.

In their original world, the human realm was already highly modernized.

However, compared to what they had seen before, Konoha's prosperity was in no way inferior.

In some aspects, it even surpassed the world they once knew.

As they strolled through the streets, the group of girls chatted casually.

But for them, shopping wasn't just a leisurely activity—they entered almost every store they saw, especially since they had shopping cards in hand.

They spent most of their time in clothing stores, accessory shops, and beauty stores.

By the time they finished, their hands were full of bags.

In the evening, Rangiku gathered all the girls—except for Captains Unohana and Soi Fon—into her room.

She said that since they had finally come to Konoha and would be leaving tomorrow, it would be a waste to go to bed early.

She ordered room service, which brought them some late-night snacks, along with a bit of alcohol.

"For those who didn't drink much at the banquet, now's your chance! The alcohol here tastes amazing, and since we're just going to sleep after this, there's no need to hold back."

Rukia, Hinamori, and the others didn't refuse this time.

Even the small and childlike Yachiru Kusajishi held a cup of alcohol in both hands.

After downing a cup of wine, Rangiku suddenly asked with a mischievous grin, "Rukia, how are things with Renji?"

Rukia was momentarily stunned. "Huh?"

Her reaction caught both Rangiku and Hinamori by surprise.

Hinamori asked, "You don't know?"

Rukia looked completely confused. "Know what?"

Rangiku, deep in thought, smirked. "Looks like that idiot Renji still hasn't said anything yet."

Before the great upheaval of the world—before Soul Society was brought to this place—Rukia had been sent to the Human World on a mission, while Renji had just been promoted to vice-captain.

Hinamori, Rukia, and Renji were all from the same generation.

Everyone could see Renji's feelings for Rukia, but because of her noble status, he had to suppress those emotions.

When he finally became a vice-captain, Renji thought he had earned the right to confess his feelings to Rukia.

But before he could, the world changed drastically, plunging Soul Society into chaos.

With so much to deal with, that matter was pushed aside.

Rangiku, smiling mischievously, said, "Since that's the case, we won't talk about it anymore. Let's drink!"

Rukia: "…"

She wasn't an idiot.

Seeing the expressions on Rangiku and Hinamori's faces, she started to feel suspicious.

That idiot Renji… he wouldn't do something stupid, would he?

Rukia tried to imagine such a scenario but immediately felt uncomfortable.

A shiver ran down her spine.

We're just friends, just friends…

She kept repeating that in her mind, then tilted her head back and drank another cup of wine.

The group of girls had drunk quite a bit.

By the time they dispersed, it was already late into the night.

Each of them returned to their rooms, preparing for a good night's rest, as they would be returning to Soul Society the next day.

Rangiku, still feeling tipsy, took a quick shower.

As she was about to draw the curtains and go to sleep, she caught sight of a silver-haired figure standing in front of a door in the hallway across from her window.

She froze for a moment, her mind suddenly becoming much clearer.

The figure also noticed her.

The usual smile on his face seemed to soften, becoming a little less of a mask and a little more real.

They locked eyes for a few seconds before he was the first to turn away, stepping into his room and closing the door behind him.

A wave of emotions—melancholy and a sense of loss—washed over Rangiku as she stared at that closed door on the second floor across the courtyard.

Gin…

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