Hasumi Ren and Aizen walked side by side at the very front of the group. Behind them were dozens of Fourth Division medical staff—nearly more than half the division had been mobilized—along with a small number of accompanying Fifth Division members.
The group advanced along the small path outside the camp toward the distant mountain forest.
Ren's pace was steady, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding terrain as if planning for the upcoming herb gathering.
His expression was calm, betraying no hint of anything unusual.
But his heart was nowhere near as tranquil as his exterior suggested.
Aizen was right beside him.
The man who had just held a blade to his neck was now following beside him in a relaxed manner, as if he were merely out for a stroll.
Ren simply continued forward using Shunpo, occasionally exchanging a few casual words with Aizen.
The mountain path grew steeper, and the woods became denser.
Soon, the group arrived at the foot of the mountain.
The moonlight was obscured by the thick branches and leaves, significantly dimming the surroundings.
On the hillside ahead, various medicinal herbs could be faintly seen swaying in the night breeze.
Ren stopped and turned to instruct the squad members behind him.
"This is the place."
He raised a hand, pointing to different areas of the hillside.
"Soul-Healing Grass grows in damp, shaded areas. Go check that depression to the north."
"Blood-Stanching Weed prefers sunlight. Even though it's night, it's easier to find in places that get plenty of sun during the day. Head to those open areas to the east."
"The rest of you, spread out and search. Don't wander too far. We'll regroup here in two hours."
"Yes, sir!"
The Fourth Division members immediately sprang into action, shouldering their sacks and scattering into the mountain.
Afterward, Ren looked at Aizen and the Fifth Division members beside him.
"Lieutenant Aizen, there is no need for the Fifth Division members to follow us into the mountain. Please wait here for a while."
"If anything happens, the distance isn't far, so you can provide backup at any time."
Under the moonlight, Aizen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze falling on the distant mountain forest.
Noticing Ren's gaze, he turned his head, a gentle smile on his face.
The dozen or so Fifth Division members were also hesitating over whether to follow. After all, a portion of their squad was still guarding the camp, so their numbers were far fewer than the Fourth Division's.
Hearing Ren's words, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"In that case, we will stand guard at the foot of the mountain," Aizen said. "The terrain in the mountain is complex, and the Fifth Division doesn't know how to identify medicinal herbs. Following you in would be pointless. We'll keep watch here and provide support if there's any commotion."
The Fifth Division members exchanged glances and agreed in unison.
Ren looked at him and nodded.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Lieutenant Aizen."
He turned and walked up the hillside.
After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and glanced back.
Aizen was still standing in the same spot with his hands behind his back, his posture composed.
The moonlight spilled over him, coating his entire figure in a silvery-white halo.
He just stood there quietly, his gaze fixed on the distant forest. He seemed to be in quite a pleasant mood, though it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Ren withdrew his gaze and continued his ascent.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his stray thoughts and began to focus entirely on searching for herbs.
On the hillside, the woods grew denser.
Ren wove through the trees, expertly identifying various medicinal plants.
He carefully plucked each herb and stored them in the cloth sack on his back.
His movements were swift and highly efficient.
But then, Ren stopped his work and focused his senses on his surroundings.
For a while now, he had vaguely sensed an extremely faint fluctuation of spiritual pressure coming from a certain direction in the forest.
The fluctuation was chaotic and incredibly weak, drifting in and out of perception.
If his senses hadn't been sharp enough, he would have barely noticed it.
*Was it an injured soul, or something else?*
Ren didn't make a sound.
He simply and quietly pinpointed the direction from which the faint spiritual pressure was emanating.
Then, using his herb gathering as cover, he inched closer to that direction bit by bit.
His sack gradually bulged, and he drew closer and closer to the source of the spiritual pressure.
Finally, as he pushed aside a dense patch of shrubs, the fluctuation became clear.
It was just a short distance ahead.
Ren halted his steps and focused his perception.
The fluctuation was faint, but he could distinguish that it belonged to a soul.
A severely injured soul.
Ren's brow furrowed slightly.
Without hesitation, he continued forward.
Passing through a grove of trees and crossing a dried-up stream, a relatively open clearing appeared ahead.
At the edge of the clearing stood a dilapidated little hut.
Its walls were mottled, and the roof had several large holes through which moonlight spilled. It looked as though it hadn't been inhabited for years.
And that faint fluctuation of spiritual pressure was coming from inside this very hut.
Just as Ren was about to step forward, a voice called out from behind him.
"Hey, are you a Shinigami? What are you doing here?"
The voice carried a faint trace of wariness, along with a perfectly measured hint of bewilderment and curiosity.
Ren's footsteps paused slightly before he turned around.
Under the moonlight, a young boy stood a short distance behind him, his arms crossed over his chest.
Short silver hair, a slender frame, and eyes narrowed into two thin slits.
He just stood there, wearing tattered clothes and barefoot, looking like nothing more than a resident of the Rukongai who happened to be passing by.
A child who appeared to be barely over ten years old.
But in the Soul Society, age could not be judged by appearances. Furthermore, the higher a person's Spiritual Power class, the slower they aged.
The little guy in front of him was very likely a cunning little fox with decades of life experience; he could not be underestimated.
However, when Ren's gaze fell upon him, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
This face... looked somewhat familiar.
He felt like he recognized this face.
*A young Ichimaru Gin?*
If it really was him, then Ren could roughly guess what Aizen's true purpose for coming out here was.
The fingertip of the Soul King.
That also answered the question of whose faint soul fluctuation was coming from inside the hut.
Thinking of this, Ren suppressed the surprise in his heart, his expression remaining unchanged.
"I am indeed a Shinigami."
He pointed to his Zanpakuto and Shihakusho.
"However, I am a member of the Fourth Division, the medical squad. My main duty is treating the sick and saving lives."
Ichimaru Gin tilted his head, his expression still bewildered.
"A Shinigami?" His tone carried a hint of curiosity. "What are you doing here?"
Ren looked at him, then glanced back at the hut behind him.
"I sensed a faint fluctuation of spiritual pressure over here. It felt like someone was injured, so I came over to check."
Ichimaru Gin paused for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle.
"Injured? In this area, souls getting injured or dying is a very common occurrence."
He paused, his narrowed eyes betraying no emotion whatsoever.
"Since when did Shinigami take an interest in such things?"
Ren didn't answer immediately.
He simply looked at the young Ichimaru Gin standing before him, observing his harmless expression.
Then, Ren slowly spoke.
"You're doing this to draw my attention, thereby protecting the person inside, aren't you?"
The boy's smile faltered slightly, his eyes opening just a fraction of an inch as he stared quietly at Ren.
Afterward, Ren continued.
"You can rest assured. Like I said, I'm from the Fourth Division. The sworn duty of the medical squad is to heal the sick and save lives."
His tone was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable certainty.
"That spiritual pressure is extremely weak right now. If they aren't treated in time, I'm afraid they won't last much longer."
"Perhaps..."
Saying this, Ren paused.
"I can help her."