Chapter 147: This Is Your Reward from the Organization
Karakura Town, Human World.
Although it was only around three or four in the afternoon, winter had already painted the sky with the beauty of an early sunset.
On a secluded, deserted path in the high end residential area of Kitasegawa, a Japanese sliding door invisible to ordinary people suddenly opened out of thin air, and three men and one woman stepped out from within.
"It is great that it is not snowing. Otherwise, carrying all this stuff would be way too inconvenient."
Isshin looked up at the sky and nodded in satisfaction.
"I think it is very inconvenient right now!"
Ichigo, who was carrying a mountain of gift boxes and all sorts of exquisite bags, had a dark expression as he spoke through gritted teeth.
"What is wrong with helping your poor old father, who has already lost his powers, carry a few things? Besides, these are New Year's gifts for Karin and Yuzu. There is a share for you too!"
"I paid the money, and I am the one carrying everything. You just borrowed the Third Division's senkaimon to go shopping everywhere. Forget there being a share for me, these are basically gifts I told you to buy."
"So these are all from my heart!"
"What did you say?! This was my idea in the first place! I was the one who took on the most important task while you, you idiot, got dead drunk and couldn't do a thing! Even if you had time, you would not know what Karin and Yuzu like best now!"
"How would I not know?!"
"Then do you know what they mutter in their sleep at night?"
"How the hell would I know that! No... wait. You sound way too confident. Do not tell me you have been eavesdropping outside Karin and Yuzu's rooms at night, you creep!"
"Wha...! How is that eavesdropping? That is called caring for daughters who are entering their rebellious phase! Only by understanding what they are thinking can I achieve a long lasting and harmonious father-daughter relationship!"
"You clearly just want to win your daughters' favor, which is why you know what they like now. But you had better give up. You do not even have anything in common with them anymore."
"Dammit, Ichigo! Do not you dare drive a wedge into the harmonious parent child relationship of the Kurosaki family!"
To the bickering between father and son, Takeru and Orihime had long since grown used to it. They had no intention of intervening and simply stood off to the side chatting among themselves.
"I did not expect the senkaimon to be useful like this. You can travel all over the country without needing public transportation at all. It is so convenient!"
"If you want to take some time off and go on a trip somewhere, I can sign off on it for you. You can use the Ninth Division's senkaimon whenever you want."
"Would that not be inappropriate...?"
Orihime was clearly tempted, but she was also worried about causing trouble for Takeru.
"If it were inappropriate, those two would not be doing it."
Takeru's words were extremely convincing.
Using the Kurosaki father and son as examples left Orihime speechless, but it also allowed her to accept his kindness with peace of mind.
Just as Orihime's thoughts began to wander toward possible future vacation plans, two small figures came walking over from the intersection.
It was Karin and Yuzu, fresh out of school.
Even though he had lost his spiritual power, Isshin seemed to have some kind of built-in daughter radar. His eyes flashed, and he immediately snapped his head toward them.
Completely ignoring Ichigo, he snatched all the gifts away and rushed over with a howl.
"Karin, Yuzu! Daddy is back! And I brought lots of presents. Uwaaah!"
"Who are you?! Stay back! Yuzu, do not be scared. Uncle Ryuken's house is not far from here. We will go get Uncle Ryuken or Brother Uryu to chase away this creepy middle aged man in a minute!"
"Ka Karin... I know you are mad, but there is no need to kick me in the face with a soccer ball..."
"Waaaah, only Yuzu is..."
"This is very rude. Uncle Ryuken will get angry. Let us just go quickly!"
"..."
"Right!"
"Hey! Do not go! Daddy knows he was wrong! This time it was a total accident, just a tiny mishap. Those blind idiots who came looking for trouble made it impossible to get away in time... Hey, Ichigo! Stupid Ichigo... no, dear Ichigo, my dependable son! Hurry and say something for me! Help prove it!"
Faced with his old man's pathetic wailing, Ichigo, who had been standing together with Takeru and Orihime and watching the whole spectacle with an expression that plainly said just as I thought, finally stepped forward to resolve the situation.
"Ichigo nii, you are back too!"
The moment they saw their big brother, Karin and Yuzu lit up in surprise. Their attitude was completely different from how they had treated Isshin.
The contrast dealt a devastating blow to Isshin.
If Ichigo had not immediately begun explaining things and trying to smooth them over, enough to gradually win Karin and Yuzu's forgiveness, Isshin probably would have turned into stone on the spot and crumbled away in the wind.
"Let me introduce you. This is Shimiya Takeru, a friend of mine from the Soul Society. The one next to him is Inoue Orihime. She lives in Karakura Town too. Ignore Takeru for now, but if you run into trouble and that stupid old man is useless, you can ask Inoue for help or have her contact me."
After clearing up the misunderstanding, Ichigo formally introduced Takeru and Orihime to his younger sisters.
Although his tone was casual, Karin and Yuzu both understood his personality well enough.
If these people were not true friends, he would never have introduced them so naturally.
That was why the way they greeted them in return was especially sincere.
"Thank you for looking after our stupid big brother!"
"...Are you two my elders or something?"
Ichigo was already close to losing it.
"You have to appreciate your sisters' painstaking effort, Brother Kurosaki."
Takeru rested a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and spoke with complete seriousness before turning to the two girls, who were staring at him with wide, curious eyes, and making them a promise.
"Do not worry. With my help, Brother Kurosaki has become much more mature and reliable. Even without someone constantly looking after him, he will be able to live a very fulfilling life."
"Heh... right. After being used as a scapegoat by you so many times, it would be hard not to mature!"
Veins popped on Ichigo's forehead, and he forced out those words through a strained smile, clearly remembering plenty of unpleasant experiences.
"We are best friends who would die on the same day, you know. We went to the Soul Society together, attended the Spirit Arts Academy together, and supported one another all the way to where we are now. Sure, you suffered a lot, but you also benefited a lot."
"You are about to become a major figure in the Soul Society. If the Human World had an army hierarchy for this sort of thing, you would at least be an admiral."
"Why specifically a navy admiral?"
"Do not you think it sounds inexplicably cool?"
"..."
A moment later, they split up for the time being.
Isshin grandly led his two daughters toward the Ishida household.
Now that he was back, Karin and Yuzu naturally did not need to continue staying under someone else's roof.
Their luggage could be moved tomorrow.
After all, the rooms in the Kurosaki house still needed some cleaning up first.
But they definitely had to go over and say hello.
That said, the aura Isshin gave off did not feel like someone going to thank another family for taking care of his daughters. It felt more like someone heading over to pick a fight.
"Is this guy actually jealous just because Karin and Yuzu mentioned someone else's name a few times...?"
Ichigo's lip twitched slightly, his face helpless.
He might not fully understand his sisters, but he absolutely understood his old man.
"I think I saw little Karin and little Yuzu both wearing pentagram pendants around their necks."
Orihime spoke up after a brief hesitation.
"You did not see wrong."
Takeru immediately understood what she was worried about and exposed the truth without any detour.
"The family they were staying with are Quincies too. Haven't you met Ishida Uryu before? But there is no need to worry. Their branch of the family had already severed ties with the Wandenreich."
"In fact, to some extent, they actually have a grudge against Yhwach as well. I think Brother Kurosaki is going over there now partly to tell them that Yhwach is dead."
"And partly to show off while he is at it," Ichigo added irritably, but then his brows furrowed. "Still, with Yhwach dead, the remaining Quincies are finally safe."
"It also avenges the Quincies who were harmed in the past by The Antithesis."
"I just do not know how the Seireitei is going to treat the surviving Quincies afterward."
"Are you worried about your family's future?"
Takeru saw through his thoughts at a glance.
"Yeah."
Ichigo admitted it frankly.
"Because I got trapped in some unknown time-space mess, I learned a lot of secrets from the past. For example, my mom was a Quincy. Karin, Yuzu, and I all have Quincy blood in our veins. And both my mother and Ishida Uryu's mother died years ago because of The Antithesis."
"Even though the past is the past and people should move forward, Karin and Yuzu still have the potential to awaken as Quincies, and the Ishida family are Quincies too. As long as they keep hunting Hollows and affecting the balance of souls, then as a Shinigami, I have the responsibility to stop them."
"But forbidding them from fighting also feels too overbearing. Having power means being able to protect yourself and the people around you. So even if the Ishida family intends to guide Karin and Yuzu into awakening their Quincy powers, I do not want to stop them."
"To be honest, I am really conflicted right now and do not know what to do... Takeru, do you have any ideas?"
"You do not need to overthink it just because you are about to take office."
Takeru answered in a very casual tone.
"For now, the number of Quincies is still limited, and the impact they have on the balance of souls is extremely small. As long as they do not go on a slaughter spree and mainly use their power for self defense, the Seireitei can afford to turn a blind eye."
"When their lifespan ends, we can guide their souls to the Soul Society and train them as Shinigami. They can continue fighting with the power of a Shinigami. That way, excellent Quincy bloodlines can be preserved while avoiding the negative consequences of Quincy combat."
"Personally, I am rather fond of Quincy fighting techniques. I would hate to see high level abilities like Kekko or Hirenkyaku disappear into history."
Ichigo raised a brow when he heard that.
"Speaking of which, your own power composition is a total mess too. How do you even have the nerve to call my internal state a disaster?"
"How could I possibly compare to you?"
Takeru shook his head and turned to leave.
"...?"
Ichigo was left staring after him, utterly baffled by that reaction.
Karakura First High School.
After finishing her club activities, Tatsuki had just stepped out of the school gate when she saw Orihime waving at her from the roadside.
"Tatsuki! Over here!"
"Orihime?!"
Tatsuki rubbed her eyes as if to make sure she was not hallucinating, then immediately ran over and threw her arms around her.
"Where the hell have you been?! You vanished for days without saying a word. I was worried to death! I thought you had been kidnapped or murdered!"
"Ki kidnapped? I am sorry for worrying you. By the way, did you get the message I asked someone to pass along?"
"You mean that letter that suddenly appeared at my front door? Was that not a threatening letter from the kidnappers trying to get me to drop the case? Anyway, how did you escape? Come on, we are going to the police station right now. We need to catch those bastards!"
"Wait, wait, wait! No, Tatsuki... it was not like that!"
"Oh right, and that 'boyfriend' who called and lured you away is suspicious too! Do not even think about protecting him!"
"B Boyfriend?!"
Orihime's face turned bright red all at once, and even her ears burned. She felt lightheaded, like she had soaked in a hot spring for too long, and let Tatsuki pull her along without even thinking to resist.
"Still as vigorous and decisive as ever, I see."
A familiar teasing voice suddenly sounded from the side.
It was a voice she absolutely should not have been able to hear ever again.
"!?"
Tatsuki froze as if she had been struck by lightning and instinctively turned toward the source.
At the corner of the intersection stood two young men.
One had black hair, the other orange.
The black haired one wore a double breasted black wool coat with black trousers and black boots. He was tall and slender, with his hair tied into a wolf tail braid. His pitch black eyes were bright and piercing, almost as if they glowed.
There was nothing flashy or overly extravagant about him, and he was not exactly "mature and dependable" in the most obvious sense either.
He felt more like a stroke of exquisite black ink that could fit into any setting while remaining elevated above it at the same time.
Looking at him, the first thing Tatsuki felt was not he is handsome.
It was this guy is dangerous.
Not just someone she herself could not provoke, but someone it felt as though nobody could provoke.
So even though he was extremely eye-catching, she instinctively avoided looking directly at him and turned her gaze aside.
And naturally, that led her to the orange haired young man beside him.
One glance was enough.
That person should not even have been there.
"I Ichigo...?!"
"Yo. Long time no see, Tatsuki."
They had all come to the Human World today specifically in gigai.
That way, ordinary people could see them.
And the reason for doing so was simple.
They wanted to meet the friends they had grown up with.
After going through so much, Ichigo's way of thinking had changed too.
He was no longer as naive as he once was.
He no longer believed that staying distant from his family and friends in the Human World would somehow keep them safe.
Because even if he kept his distance, they would still be living in invisible danger anyway.
Nothing would actually change.
"Is it really you... Ichigo?"
Tatsuki's voice trembled slightly.
"Yeah."
"I know it sounds scary, but I really did die. That is a fact. I was not resurrected or anything either. Strictly speaking, the current me is... a soul inhabiting a doll. It sounds paranormal, sure, but there is nothing to be afraid of. At least, I do not think it is enough to scare you."
Ichigo grinned, clearly full of confidence in his friend.
But Tatsuki's response made his expression freeze.
"Do not think you can fool me just by showing up looking like him. The Ichigo I know is not this mature. That idiot is way more hot blooded and not this gentle at all. So who the hell are you two really?!"
"Tatsuki... you brat. Are you forcing me to bring up all your embarrassing childhood stories? We have not seen each other in a long time, but if you piss me off, I am not going to go easy on you."
"...Okay, that sounds more like the real Ichigo."
"?!"
Ichigo ended up directly exposing Tatsuki's dark history.
A few minutes later, Tatsuki's face had turned bright red, and she looked like she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it.
"All right, stop! I believe you, okay? I believe you! You jerk, Ichigo! You are already dead and you still came back just to annoy me! One day I am bringing your least favorite food to your grave!"
"Whatever. I cannot eat it from the Soul Society anyway, and I would not hear you badmouthing me."
Ichigo shrugged.
"Tsk. You really have gotten thicker skinned after being dead for almost a year. Looks like you are doing well down there, at least."
Tatsuki pouted before turning her gaze toward Takeru and Orihime.
"So... what is the deal exactly? Where did you take Orihime, and what did you make her do?"
"I will explain. It went like this..."
Takeru gave her a brief rundown of the situation.
Tatsuki listened, then nodded thoughtfully.
"I see. So Orihime was attacked by an evil spirit, got saved by a Shinigami, obtained the power of a Shinigami in order to fight evil spirits herself, and because the person who saved her was in trouble, she had no choice but to go to the Soul Society to help. And this time it was for a rescue too..."
"No wonder she has been acting suspicious for the past few months and was often nowhere to be found."
"Sigh... although I do not want Orihime getting dragged into dangerous situations, I also cannot stop her from helping others when she has the power to do so, especially when it comes to the person who saved her."
"Besides, with Ichigo involved too, that means what Orihime is doing must be justified. After all, Ichigo's sense of justice is even stronger than mine. If someone were trying to use Orihime for selfish reasons, Ichigo would be the first one to stop it."
At that moment, Ichigo could not help but develop a brand new appreciation for Takeru's way of speaking.
He had somehow managed to make Tatsuki, who by all rights should have been furious and cursing out the Soul Society, instead become understanding and even grateful about Orihime repeatedly putting herself in danger.
If that kind of skill was one of the requirements for becoming a captain, then Ichigo felt he would need another hundred years in his current position before he was even remotely qualified.
"Tatsuki."
Orihime looked moved to the point of tears.
"But...!"
In the next second, Tatsuki grabbed her by the head with one hand and spoke in a chilly voice.
"Keeping me in the dark and making me worry for days is a completely separate matter."
"...!"
Orihime immediately turned to Takeru for help.
Takeru gave a light cough.
"Since the misunderstanding has been cleared up, let us move on to the main matter. Actually, I came to the Human World today on behalf of the Gotei 13 to express our gratitude to Inoue."
"This is our sincerity."
As he spoke, he pulled out a set of keys and handed them to Orihime.
"This is...?"
Orihime took them blankly, clearly not understanding.
Not just her.
Even Ichigo had no idea this was coming.
"Being a Shinigami is a legitimate profession with a fixed salary and compensation system. Since Inoue is a Substitute Shinigami, she is naturally entitled to the same treatment. Even if she chose to help of her own free will, the Gotei 13, as the Soul Society's highest law enforcement institution, cannot simply ignore the merit she has earned."
Faced with three equally stunned expressions, Takeru said in a calm voice,
"The currency of the Soul Society has limited practical use for Inoue. Therefore, I submitted a request to the Captain Commander, and the Ninth Division handled the rest. We have gifted Inoue an apartment in Kitasegawa and will cover all of her future educational expenses. All the relevant documents and bank cards are already inside the apartment. It is fully furnished, with all basic appliances installed. If she wants anything else, she can purchase it separately."
At those words, Ichigo and Tatsuki both could not help but turn to look at Orihime.
Orihime herself just stared down at the key in her hand, her face filled with total shock.
"Eh? Eh?!"
.....
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