The setting sun was like blood, stretching the silhouette of the Spiritual Arts Academy ruins long across the ground.
A mist of reishi that had yet to dissipate rose from the rubble, and the air was filled with the pungent scent of scorched earth and broken wood; occasionally, the groan of a structural beam unable to bear its own weight could be heard.
Kyoraku Shunsui lowered his iconic straw hat, the shadow of the brim obscuring half his face, leaving only a customary—though currently somewhat helpless—curl at the corner of his mouth.
Beside him stood the Vice Principal of the Spiritual Arts Academy, a stern old man with graying hair.
In the old man's eyes was a complex mix of sorrow and lingering fear—this was not only the cradle for nurturing Shinigami but also the place where countless young souls placed their hopes; today's sudden "commotion" had nearly resulted in an irreparable tragedy.
"Let's go, Vice Principal," Kyoraku's voice carried a hint of exhaustion, breaking the heavy silence.
"Old Man Yama is still waiting for our report."
He patted the Vice Principal's shoulder with moderate force, serving as both an urge to move and a silent comfort.
The Vice Principal nodded heavily, took one last look at the wreckage, and clutched the wooden box tightly in his arms as if it were the only tangible reality he could grasp at the moment.
The two spoke no more, their figures turning into two swift streams of spiritual pressure that tore through the twilight, heading straight for the most solemn building in the center of the Seireitei—the location of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads' Captain Commander's office.
First Division: The Solemn, Mountain-like Captain Commander's Office
The massive doors to the office were tightly shut, and the large 'One' insignia on the lintel exuded a cold, heavy pressure in the dim light.
Pushing the doors open, they were met with a vast space almost entirely devoid of redundant decoration; the four walls were made of cold, hard stone, and only the faint light from the massive floor-to-ceiling window at the far end outlined the mountain-like silhouette sitting behind the enormous desk.
Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni, Captain Commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, rested his hands on the hilt of his Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka—a symbol of both power and strength—with his eyes slightly closed as if he were napping, or perhaps gathering a rage sufficient to incinerate all defiance.
The air was as stagnant as a solid, and the spiritual pressure was so heavy that the two who had just entered felt their breath hitch.
"Old Man Yama," Kyoraku Shunsui took off his straw hat, uncharacteristically setting aside his usual playful attitude, his voice steady.
"Principal," the Vice Principal followed closely behind, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible trepidation.
Yamamoto Genryūsai slowly opened his eyes, and those weathered yet sharp, hawk-like eyes swept over the two before finally settling on Kyoraku's face.
The invisible pressure caused the air to stagnate even further.
"That's how it happened, Old Man Yama," Kyoraku said succinctly, recounting the earth-shattering "sparring" match between Unohana Retsu and a student named Huang Quan at the Spiritual Arts Academy, emphasizing how the out-of-control collision of power tore through the training field's Barrier and affected a large portion of the campus.
He didn't use excessive embellishment, simply stating the facts, but every word struck heavily in the leaden air.
The Vice Principal added from the side, his voice full of lingering fear and accusation: "Yes, Captain Commander. Captain Unohana... she was far too reckless! That wasn't a normal test at all; it was practically... a battlefield slaughter!
That child Huang Quan's power is also extremely strange and violent; if that golden light hadn't intervened to suppress it... the consequences would be unthinkable! The academy's repair costs..."
As he reached this point, his tone was almost choking up, and the box containing the inventory in his arms felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
Yamamoto Genryūsai listened and remained silent for a full half-minute.
The fading light outside the window reflected on his deeply lined face, creating an interplay of light and shadow that made it impossible to guess the true emotions of this thousand-year-old man.
Finally, a long, heavy sigh broke the dead silence, like the mournful tolling of an ancient bell.
"Sigh..." The sigh contained too many things—an understanding of Unohana Retsu's bone-deep warlike nature, caution toward an unexpected power, and helplessness regarding the trouble of cleaning up the aftermath.
"I am aware of the matter," his voice was low and resonant, each word carrying unquestionable power. "I will handle it."
"Yes!" Kyoraku and the Vice Principal bowed simultaneously, feeling relieved yet still a bit tense.
When the Captain Commander said he would "handle it," it meant Captain Unohana wouldn't escape a scolding, but that first kenpachi born of blood and fire would likely just listen respectfully and then... do exactly as she pleased the next time she encountered an interesting opponent.
The Vice Principal steadied himself, and as if remembering a more urgent problem, he hurriedly took another heavy scroll from the wooden box, carefully bypassed the massive desk, and presented it with both hands:
"By the way, Captain Commander, this is the repair list and budget just estimated by the Technology Development Bureau and the Engineering Team."
Yamamoto Genryūsai reached out a large, calloused hand and took the heavy list.
He didn't open it immediately, but merely glanced at the thickness of the scroll with a gaze that seemed capable of piercing through human hearts, and his brow instantly furrowed.
He slowly unfurled the scroll, his eyes scanning down line after line of dense repair projects and astronomical budget figures:
Heavy damage to the Barrier's core rune array (requires a secret Rune Master for repair), total reconstruction of the Kido practice field (including high-level protective array nodes), complete replacement of the reishi-solidified training walls (requires high-density soul crystals), structural reinforcement of the student dormitory area (involving three buildings)... The numbers were followed by strings of zeros, and the total was enough to make anyone's vision go dark.
When his gaze finally fixed on the shocking total amount at the very bottom, this strongest Shinigami, who had traversed a thousand years and faced countless wars without flinching, felt his body stiffen almost imperceptibly.
Immediately after—
"Hiss!" A sharp intake of breath was clearly audible in the silent office.
Yamamoto Genryūsai's eyes suddenly rolled upward, revealing a large amount of white! This was by no means intentional; it was purely a physiological shock brought on by that budget figure!
And along with this momentary loss of composure, a spiritual pressure so massive it was suffocating—like a dormant volcano suddenly awakening—erupted uncontrollably from his aged body!
BOOM!
The air suddenly distorted, and an invisible heavy pressure descended instantly!
Kyoraku Shunsui instinctively placed his hand on his sword hilt, circulating his spiritual power through his body to steady himself, while his straw hat was blown backward.
The Vice Principal let out a muffled groan, his face turning pale as he stumbled back several steps, nearly dropping the wooden box. Documents rustled loudly on the massive desk, and the curtains in the distance billowed wildly.
The entire First Division barracks seemed to tremble for a moment under this sudden, terrifying spiritual pressure!
The spiritual pressure came quickly and left just as fast; Yamamoto Genryūsai squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, they were as calm as a still well, but the veins bulging on the back of his hand gripping the scroll showed that its owner was absolutely not at peace.
'Damn! Where am I supposed to find the money for repairs! I won't even be able to pay the squad members' salaries and benefits next month!' The Captain Commander roared inwardly, though he appeared calm on the surface.
The budget of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads was already tight, and the funding from the nobles was always delayed and strictly conditional; daily maintenance, equipment wear and tear, personnel salaries... which of these wasn't a money-sink?
This list was simply the last reishi log to break the camel's back! He could almost see the captains of each division coming with cold faces to demand operational funds... his head throbbed.
An extremely "tempting" thought flashed through his mind like lightning: Make the culprit pay! Make Unohana Retsu responsible! This idea was so reasonable.
However, in the next second, reason ruthlessly doused this sliver of "hope."
The Fourth Division controlled all medical resources in the Seireitei... The Captain Commander seemed to already see Captain Unohana Retsu's gentle yet unfathomable smile.
If he made her bear this massive sum, with that woman's "flexible" methods, she would only need to quietly fiddle with the Fourth Division's medical bills—lowering the Soul Burial Allowance by five percent, doubling the cost of the "Thermal Spirit Ribbons" used to treat frostbite,
changing the formula of the "Awakening Agent" used to replenish spiritual power to one ten times more expensive... these extra costs would ultimately have to be borne by the various divisions.
In the end, after all the circling around, this bill would most likely land back on his head as the Captain Commander!
This is what they call the wool coming from the sheep's back; in the end, he, the shepherd, would still have to pay the bill!
Sigh... A grand Captain Commander, actually troubled by money!
An even more "dangerous" thought quietly emerged like a venomous snake.
How about... learning from that kid of the Shihōin Clan? Find a few noble houses that are usually extravagant, contribute nothing to the Soul Society, and are eyesores... and raid them?
With Yamamoto's strength and status, if he truly set his mind to "raiding" a few houses, he could always find an excuse, and it would solve the immediate crisis... but this thought only circled for a moment before Yamamoto forcibly suppressed it.
The consequences would be too severe! It would completely destabilize the noble system (even if there were many parasites within it) and trigger panic and unrest throughout the Seireitei; it wasn't worth the loss.
He, Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni, was ultimately the guardian of order, not its destroyer.
In the end, Yamamoto Genryūsai only slowly rolled up the heavy list, his movements carrying a weight of resignation.
He raised his hand and waved it tiredly: "This matter... we will discuss it later. Kyoraku, Kajiwara, you both may leave. As for the academy, appease the students' emotions; for the reconstruction work... prioritize securing the student safety zones."
"Understood, Captain Commander!" The two didn't dare say more, and after bowing, they quickly exited the office, which had become so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
The moment the door closed, they seemed to hear a faint sigh from within, one saturated with the weight of a fiscal deficit.