At Furin Hall, Tatsuki Arisawa easily took down the student before her, then shouted to the others, "Next!"
The students exchanged glances, but not one of them dared to step forward.
"Tatsuki-chan~" Orihime Inoue called out with a wave. "It's getting late."
Tatsuki Arisawa glanced at the time. "It's already this late? All right, that's enough for today."
After bowing to one another, the students went their separate ways.
"I found a bakery with amazing bread," Orihime Inoue suggested. "Let's go together. They discount the bread around this time."
"Ah... You go ahead." Tatsuki Arisawa clenched her fist. "I want to do some more strength training."
"Tatsuki-chan..." Orihime Inoue hesitated. "Are you pushing yourself too hard?"
"Hm?" Tatsuki Arisawa stopped and lightly patted Orihime Inoue on the head. "Why the worried face?"
"Because this is dangerous," Orihime Inoue said with an aggrieved expression. "I asked Muten, and he said overtraining could end up doing more harm than good."
"I know that." Tatsuki Arisawa smiled. "The truth is... the bigger my goal, the more motivated I become! There were lots of people who trained with me when I was little, but I beat every one of them. After winning the interscholastic championship, I watched the boys' division and realized I still had room to improve. As long as I worked hard..."
Orihime Inoue thought back to the battle in Karakura Town. "Is it because of what happened then?"
"Yeah. I wasn't watching you from far away. I was standing face-to-face with that guy Aizen..." Tatsuki Arisawa tightened her fist. "Before that, I'd always wanted you to stay by my side. I wanted to protect you like I used to. But when I actually entered the world you live in and faced the enemies you face, I couldn't even breathe. So... I have to become stronger. I can't limit myself to what a human can achieve. I have to keep improving until I can stand alongside beings far more powerful than that."
"But... they're Shinigami who have been alive for a very long time." Orihime Inoue placed a hand over Tatsuki Arisawa's. "They may look young, but they've lived for a really, really long time. Even if you make them your goal, you can't expect to reach it overnight."
"I'll tell you a secret." She leaned close to Tatsuki Arisawa's ear and lowered her voice. "You're not the only one. Lots of Shinigami in Soul Society aren't much stronger than you."
"...You're right." Tatsuki Arisawa's clenched fist relaxed. "I've been too hard on myself."
It was good to set ambitious goals, but if those goals were too distant and she could not remain calm, this was what happened.
"I was always telling you not to push yourself too hard, but I couldn't follow my own advice." Tatsuki Arisawa stroked Orihime Inoue's head. "I really am an idiot."
"Hehe~" Orihime Inoue nuzzled against her palm. "Silly Tatsuki-chan is adorable~"
"...I'll take that as a compliment." Tatsuki Arisawa smiled. "I'll make sure to rest properly from now on. That's enough training for today. I'll walk you home."
"Mm!" Orihime Inoue nodded vigorously, then packed up with Tatsuki Arisawa and left.
"I'm slowly getting used to this too..." As they walked, Tatsuki Arisawa glanced at the translucent Soul sitting on a roadside bench. "Come to think of it, shouldn't someone do something about situations like this?"
"Muten said this is part of the balance too... So good~" Orihime Inoue took a large bite of bread, her face lighting up with happiness. "As long as these Pluses don't do anything extreme, there's no need to worry too much about them."
Tatsuki Arisawa considered it and decided that made sense. Compared to Hollows, these Pluses were practically harmless.
If they spent all day dealing with Pluses and exhausted themselves, they would be in danger when a Hollow appeared.
Her gaze lingered briefly on a ghostly couple before she looked at Orihime Inoue beside her. "By the way, how are things going between you and Muten?"
Tatsuki Arisawa had been so preoccupied with training that all she could think about was becoming stronger. It was only with Orihime Inoue's help that she had escaped that nearly obsessive state of mind.
Now that she had come to her senses, the first thing Tatsuki Arisawa thought about was her best friend's love life.
Ririn occasionally shared information with her, but Ririn's wording was so brief that it often caused misunderstandings. If she wanted to know what was really happening, it was better to ask Orihime Inoue directly.
"How are things going between me and Muten? Hmm..." Orihime Inoue finished the bread in her hand. "Actually, we've run into a major problem."
Tatsuki Arisawa had only asked casually. She had not expected there to be an actual problem, so she immediately pressed her anxiously. "What happened? Did you two have a fight?"
"Me and Muten? Of course not~" Orihime Inoue waved dismissively. "The problem is with Rukia."
"What's wrong with Rukia? Wait..." Tatsuki Arisawa's thoughts stopped for a moment. "Why would Rukia's problem affect how things are progressing between you and Muten?"
"Because I can't make any further progress with Muten until Rukia resolves her problem and makes new progress with him," Orihime Inoue answered as though it were obvious. "So her problem is our problem."
What impeccable logic. It almost made sense...
Not at all!
Tatsuki Arisawa had long known about Orihime Inoue's peculiar way of thinking, and she understood that Orihime wanted the three of them to be together. Even so, hearing her say it so naturally still dealt Tatsuki Arisawa a tremendous shock.
She let out a long breath. Compared to her earlier training, the mental exhaustion she felt now was far more draining.
"So what you're saying is that even though everything is going well between you and Muten, you're going to wait for Rukia?"
Had it never occurred to her that she could seize this opportunity, win Muten Natsu over with ease, and have him all to herself?
The words reached Tatsuki Arisawa's lips, but she ultimately swallowed them.
"Right." Orihime Inoue nodded. "If I used this chance to take things further with Muten, Rukia wouldn't be able to join us. Then I'd be keeping Muten all to myself, wouldn't I?"
Tatsuki Arisawa fell silent.
So she did know!
Orihime Inoue's expression grew resolute. "Rukia is a comrade who has fought beside me. I'll never abandon her!"
Tatsuki Arisawa fell silent again.
What exactly did she think romance was?
Forget it. As long as she was happy.
Tatsuki Arisawa changed the subject and asked about Rukia Kuchiki's situation. "What kind of problem does she have?"
"Hmm... How should I explain it?" Orihime Inoue tilted her head as she recalled Rukia Kuchiki's expression. "She seems to want to be with Muten, but at the same time, she resists the idea for reasons even she doesn't understand."
Orihime Inoue took out another piece of bread and bit into it. "It's like wanting to eat bread but being too afraid of gaining weight to eat it."
"But you're eating it quite happily," Tatsuki Arisawa said, glancing away. "And you've gained weight in all the right places."
"Exactly! That's it!" Orihime Inoue thrust out her chest and raised her chin. "I couldn't resist, so I ate the bread anyway. I may have gained weight, but all the nutrients went to the places Muten likes. I used to think he would hate it, but he actually loves it. He often buries his face in there like a little baby..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Tatsuki Arisawa's face turned bright red as she hurriedly cut Orihime Inoue off. "You don't need to describe the details in that much detail..."
Even as she protested, a remarkably vivid image formed in Tatsuki Arisawa's mind.
Stop. Stop thinking about it!
"So I think Rukia is probably in the same situation. Whatever she's worried about right now is probably nothing she needs to worry about." Orihime Inoue continued eating her bread one bite at a time. "But she probably doesn't understand the situation herself. It might really be as simple as bread, or it might be more complicated than bread. Either way, if she keeps working at it little by little, she'll solve it eventually."
Tatsuki Arisawa gazed at Orihime Inoue's profile. The warm evening sun bathed her in a hazy golden light. Even in the chill of winter, Orihime Inoue radiated warmth like the sun.
The sun might set today, but it would rise again tomorrow.
The problems they faced today would eventually be resolved.
She was no longer the little girl who had once seemed close to withering away. The Orihime Inoue reflected in Tatsuki Arisawa's eyes now radiated an uplifting vitality that touched everyone around her.
Everything was good now, and the future would be even better.
That Muten Natsu really was lucky...
Hm?
Tatsuki Arisawa suddenly thought of something important.
While Rukia Kuchiki agonized and Orihime Inoue waited, what was Muten Natsu doing?
...
Muten Natsu leaned against the corner, watching a figure emerge from the spreading black mosaic. "How does it feel?"
"Ginjō said I'm ready for the next stage of training." Ichigo Kurosaki tightened his grip on the Quincy Cross. A pale glow appeared, and a massive silver cross materialized in his hand.
Unlike before, a black, smoke-like substance now appeared around Ichigo Kurosaki, winding around his body to form an outline resembling a Shihakushō.
"But I'll have to wait until my body recovers."
The special form lasted only a short while. Sweat appeared on Ichigo Kurosaki's forehead, but his smile was unusually relaxed.
"I just defeated Jackie."
Jackie's Fullbring was called Dirty Boots. The dirtier her boots became, the stronger she grew.
At first, her strength increased at an arithmetic rate. After reaching a certain point, however, it began growing exponentially. She was the type who became stronger the longer a battle continued.
Ichigo Kurosaki had seized his opportunity and forcibly raised his own power, ending the fight while Jackie was still relatively weak.
He had taken advantage of the circumstances, but recognizing and exploiting an opening was also part of his strength.
After spending so long without power, Ichigo Kurosaki had finally achieved a genuine victory in battle.
In the past, Ichigo Kurosaki had disliked his ability to see spirits. He had wanted nothing more than to live as an ordinary person.
But after gaining power and fighting enemies, Ichigo Kurosaki finally realized that he had never hated being able to see spirits. What he hated was seeing them and being unable to help.
That was why, after losing his power and finally becoming the ordinary person he had once wished to be, Ichigo Kurosaki had actively searched for a way to regain it.
He had already witnessed the dangers lurking in this world. To protect his family, he needed enough power to confront them.
"As more of your Hollow Power was released, the Shinigami Power that serves as a buffer also manifested." Muten Natsu examined the results of the Reishi analysis. "Unless I'm mistaken, you drew out too much Hollow Power and lost control for a while. You only stabilized again after your Shinigami Power appeared."
"I knew I couldn't hide it from you." Ichigo Kurosaki scratched his head. "I didn't expect so much power to erupt all at once either, but the outcome was good, and that's what matters."
"I understand why you're impatient. You desperately want enough strength to protect your family. But while pursuing power, don't forget that your very presence already protects them." Muten Natsu stretched lazily. "Now that this stage of your training has ended safely, I can finally relax."
"Muten." Gratitude filled Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes. "You really don't need to go out of your way to watch over me. I already have enough strength to protect myself. I just need to improve a little more... while putting safety first, of course."
"You lost your power because you helped me. I may not be able to restore it, but I should at least do whatever I can while you're working to regain it." Muten Natsu smiled. "Besides, two people asked me to look after you."
One was naturally Ichigo Kurosaki's younger sister, Karin Kurosaki.
The other was Yasutora Sado.
Ichigo Kurosaki had studied karate, Uryū Ishida had trained as a Quincy since childhood, and Muten Natsu had spent considerable time studying at the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts.
After going through so many battles, Sado had calmly analyzed his own abilities and realized he lacked those fundamental skills.
Yasutora Sado had no proper foundation. In his previous battles, he had relied on his powerful physique and recklessly forced his way through with the strength of his Fullbring.
He therefore wanted to begin from scratch and learn the most basic methods of physical combat at a boxing gym.
That meant Ichigo Kurosaki would have to face Xcution's Fullbringers alone.
For that reason, Yasutora Sado had asked Muten Natsu to watch over Ichigo Kurosaki for a while.
"Two people?" Ichigo Kurosaki did not give it much thought. "Actually, there's something I'd like to ask you to do."
"Hm?"
"My little sister... Karin. You remember her, right?"
"Yeah." Muten Natsu had a vague idea where this was going.
"Lately, she's been acting a little... Well, it seems like she's hiding something." Ichigo Kurosaki chose his words carefully. "I'd like you to help me find out what she's doing."
Just as expected.
Muten Natsu offered him a suggestion.
"Why don't the two of you sit down and talk openly about it?"