After leaving Ukitake's office, it was already evening. Asano Kiyoshi glanced at the dining hall in the distance, now with its lights off, and a trace of quiet resentment crossed his face.
Sigh... If you're going to make someone stay late, at least make sure they get dinner too~ Ah~ I'm going to be hungry again.
Making a small internal joke at Ukitake's expense, Asano Kiyoshi helplessly rubbed his stomach and then headed in the direction of the dormitory.
At a corner, he saw a shiny lightbulb—well, actually it was Ikkaku's bald head. Along with that gleam came Ikkaku's unmistakable voice:
"Hey, catch."
Startled, Kiyoshi fumbled to catch what Ikkaku had thrown at him. It was warm to the touch, and upon closer inspection, he saw they were two neatly wrapped rice balls. Ikkaku's voice followed, carrying a mix of embarrassment and tsundere awkwardness:
"Yumichika insisted I bring these to you. Said if Captain Ukitake kept you, you probably didn't get dinner. Tch~ such a hassle!"
Seeing Ikkaku's awkwardly proud expression, Kiyoshi smiled faintly, then sincerely said:
"Thank you, Ikkaku."
Hearing Kiyoshi's heartfelt response, Ikkaku froze for a moment, face flushing red. He turned his head away in flustered annoyance, leaving Kiyoshi with a glimpse of his now-reddened scalp as he snapped:
"Just get going already! Baka! Saying stuff like that so suddenly, seriously! Argh—just go! Go!"
Catching up quickly to Ikkaku who was now stomping ahead, Kiyoshi took a bite of the rice ball—soft, fragrant, and delicious.
The night breeze brushed past the two young men, lifting strands of one of their hair gently into the air.
Friday remained the usual day for theoretical classes. After finishing his lessons, Kiyoshi spent some time with Yumichika helping Ikkaku with his kidō studies. Then, he went to the place that Isshin Shiba had arranged for Granny Hana to stay, bought her many things, and stayed there overnight.
The next day, he rested for the morning, had lunch, and after bidding farewell to Granny Hana, set off toward the White Way Gate. Today was the day he had agreed with the Head-Captain to visit Squad One for training.
Granny Hana's residence was not far from the White Way Gate—just two or three li (about 1 kilometer). At his current pace, Kiyoshi reached it quickly.
The Seireitei was massive in scale. In addition to the White Way Gate, there were three other major gates: the Blue Stream Gate, the Vermilion Hill Gate, and the Black Ridge Gate. Each gate was guarded by an elite warrior, handpicked from the Soul Society's finest: Jidanbō Ikkanzaka, Gwaiwan, Danzōmaru, and Hyōju Nyūdō.
The distance between each gate was vast. For an average adult walking, it would take ten days to travel from one gate to another.
Additionally, the entire perimeter of the Seireitei was fortified with Kekkaiishi—spiritual stones that formed a protective barrier from sky to ground. The only way in or out was through one of the four gates.
Now standing before the towering White Way Gate, Kiyoshi looked up in awe at the giant figure of Jidanbō. Noticing Kiyoshi's Shino Academy uniform, Jidanbō bent down and asked in a deep voice:
"If you're a student, you can't enter the Seireitei without special permission. Do you have some sort of pass?"
Hearing this, Kiyoshi reached into his robes and pulled out the wooden token engraved with the character "一" ("one"), handing it to Jidanbō.
Jidanbō took the token, his lantern-sized eyes scrutinizing it. A minute passed, then two… Suddenly, something seemed to click in his memory. He shuddered—this same kind of token had appeared decades ago!
Back then, a man with a tattered Asauchi and a demonic face had held such a token. That man had also demanded entry to the Seireitei. And now? That man was the current Captain of Squad Eleven—known as the contemporary Kenpachi!
Seeing the same kind of token in Kiyoshi's hand, Jidanbō didn't hesitate a second longer. He opened the White Way Gate and, with a fawning tone, said:
"Sir, Squad One is straight ahead. When you see the Squad Six insignia, turn left. It's a very noticeable building!"
Thanking Jidanbō with a smile, Kiyoshi entered the Seireitei.
Watching Kiyoshi walk away, Jidanbō couldn't help but sigh. People really do have different destinies. He shook his head and resumed his post, guarding the vast, silent gate.
"I'm just a Seireitei security guard. I work so I can clock out. I like Squad Four's little An. She calls me Dummy..."
The moment he stepped inside, Kiyoshi noticed the spiritual particle density inside the Seireitei was nearly triple that of the outside. With his current third-class spiritual pressure, he could survive here indefinitely just by absorbing spirit particles from the air—no food or water required.
Still, from the moment he entered, he began sensing an uncomfortable gaze watching him. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't locate the source of the stare. But he didn't pay it much attention. It was likely someone from Squad Twelve—or maybe even someone from the hidden Wandenreich lurking in the Seireitei's shadows.
But none of that mattered right now. His top priority was to reach Squad One's barracks.
Thanks to Jidanbō's directions, it wasn't difficult to find the Squad Six insignia. Just as he was about to turn left, a graceful and intelligent-looking woman came into view. She wore a white captain's haori with the number "Four" on it.
Anyone seeing this gentle-looking woman would naturally feel a sense of warmth. But Kiyoshi knew better. Beneath that kind exterior hid a terrifying presence. Still, to avoid suspicion, he pretended not to see her and quietly walked close to the wall to pass.
But Captain Unohana had no intention of letting him off so easily. Seeing the academy uniform on the boy and sensing the unique spiritual pressure tied to the Head-Captain, she approached with a serene smile and said warmly:
"You're a student from the Spiritual Arts Academy, right? Are you looking for someone? If you don't mind, I could give you directions."
Hearing her soft, water-like voice, Kiyoshi could only force himself to respond politely:
"Thank you, I really appreciate it. Could you tell me how to get to Squad One?"