The warm sunlight fell through the paper window onto the tatami, and Arata slowly opened his eyes.
Today was his last day in the Fourth Division hospital, and also the most comfortable sleep he'd had in the past few months.
Although he was merely pretending to be a patient, the various treatments from the Fourth Division had still helped him stabilize the Hollow power within his body, and his spiritual pressure had increased a little more.
"Looks like Arata-kun has recovered well."
The voice of Unohana Retsu came from the door. In her hands, she held a brand-new shihakusho, with the flower of the Fourth Division, the gentian, embroidered on the cuffs.
"It's all thanks to teacher's careful care."
Arata sat up, and as he took the clothing, his fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of the other person's hand, and his heart suddenly beat a little faster.
"By the way, teacher, if I remember correctly, I should still have one set of the Shinō Spiritual Academy uniform, right?"
"That set was stained with blood, so I ordered it to be thrown away. What's wrong, does Arata-kun not like the clothes I personally tailored for him?"
Unohana Retsu slightly narrowed her eyes, and in her warm smile, there was a trace of threat.
"Or perhaps Arata-kun has something against joining the Fourth Division in the future?"
Arata's heart skipped a beat.
It's over, I'm done!
He calmly put on the shihakusho and tightened the sash. "Teacher, you're too kind. I'm just a little sentimental. That uniform was a proof of the time I spent training kendo here."
"If possible, I'd like to wash it and hang it at home as a keepsake."
At that moment, Arata used his secret technique, a story pulled from his sleeve.
"Oh? Really?" Unohana Retsu smiled and suddenly stepped forward. The distance between them shrank so much they could almost smell the medicinal herbs on each other.
"In that case, Arata-kun, there shouldn't be any problem with setting aside at least one day a week to come to the Fourth Division and train with me. That shouldn't be a problem, right?" Her Zanpakutō was already drawn one finger's width from the sheath, and the hilt was pressing against Arata's side.
Arata felt an immense pressure on his side and, of course, didn't dare resist at such a critical moment. "Of course, it's no problem. Not to mention one day a week, seven days a week is fine too."
At that moment, noise erupted outside.
"Hahahaha, I heard our top graduate is officially getting discharged today?" The distinctive loud laughter of Shiba Isshin echoed from afar, followed by a series of footsteps.
The room door suddenly burst open, and the first to rush in was Matsumoto Rangiku.
In her hand, she held a bag of freshly dried dates.
"Arata, congrats on being discharged!"
Behind her entered a group of familiar faces.
Soi Fong and Ōmaeda from the Second Division, a few people from the Fourth Division, Kenpachi Zaraki and his three followers from the Eleventh Division.
The wildest of them all was Isshin from the Tenth Division, he came along with his two younger colleagues, Shiba Kaien and Shiba Kūkaku.
The medical room, which was usually quite spacious, suddenly became packed with people.
Soi Fong: "Hey, hey, you hooligans, stop crowding the hospital room!"
Ikkaku: "Ōmaeda, do we have excess budget in the squad?"
Isshin: "Leave it to the Tenth Division. We'll just deduct it from your salary!"
Rangiku: "Then I'll take all the tea from your room tonight!"
Ōmaeda: "How about our family funds the expansion of the Fourth Division?"
Everyone: "That's right!"
After a bit of joking and teasing, everyone quickly quieted down under Unohana Retsu's warning gaze.
After all, they had come to visit Arata, not to cause chaos.
Ignoring her eccentric uncle, Shiba Kūkaku peeked out from behind Kaien.
Perhaps because she was in the Fourth Division, she didn't have a pipe in her mouth, and her clothing today wasn't as revealing as usual. Instead, she wore a standard shinigami shihakusho.
Kaien smiled and introduced his sister to Arata: "Saito-san, this is my younger sister, Shiba Kūkaku. She's the most famous pyrotechnician in all of Rukongai."
Kūkaku winked at Arata: "Nice to meet you, Saito-kun. When you're free, let's go to Kikuchayu for a drink."
Before Arata could respond to Kūkaku's invitation, Kenpachi Zaraki had already pushed his way to the front, his single eye gleaming with excitement.
"Hey, brat! Once you're fully recovered, come to the Eleventh Division so we can fight. I can't wait!"
"Ken-chan, Arata just got out of the hospital~" Yachiru was lying on Kenpachi's head, cheerfully waving at Arata.
Soi Fong coldly interjected: "Captain Zaraki, please consider the occasion. Saito-san is still a student. At the earliest, only after this afternoon's graduation ceremony can he officially become a shinigami."
"Graduation ceremony?" Arata's attention immediately turned to Soi Fong's words.
These past few days while lying in the Fourth Division, he really hadn't paid attention to what was happening outside.
Unohana Retsu took over from Soi Fong, and the gentian flowers embroidered on her cuffs slightly trembled as she adjusted her collar.
"While you were recovering, Seireitei and the Shinō Spiritual Academy have already finished collecting all the data from the final assessment."
"This afternoon, the Head Captain will preside over the graduation ceremony and division assignment ceremony at the Shinō Spiritual Academy, and present awards to the students who passed the exam."
Shiba Isshin added: "Your achievements from this Hueco Mundo expedition will also be counted in the final evaluation. Your record of killing three Adjuchas alone has already spread throughout all of Seireitei."
He stroked his chin and sighed: "If I hadn't heard it personally from the captain, I'd think I was dreaming…"
Hearing footsteps in the hallway, Soi Fong snorted in disgust: "Some people, I see, ran over the moment they heard the news, just to interfere."
"Ah, Captain Soi Fong, that really hurts my feelings." Kyōraku Shunsui, in his pink haori, appeared at the door. "Our Eighth Division has come to sincerely invite brother Arata."
His signature kasa-like hat sat tilted on his head, and in his hand he held a bottle of sake.
"Captain Kyōraku, drinking is not allowed inside the Fourth Division barracks."
Just as he was about to take a sip, Unohana's killing-intent-filled gaze stopped him. With an awkward expression, he hid the bottle behind his haori.
Ukitake Jūshirō stepped out from behind Kyōraku, lightly coughing, a gentle smile on his face, though slightly pale from chronic illness.
"Saito-san's performance in the final exam was truly astonishing. The Head Captain deliberately scheduled the deployment ceremony for today, considering that all divisions want to recruit this year's top graduates."
Kenpachi Zaraki scratched his hair nervously and shouted: "Why beat around the bush? Kid, come to the Eleventh Division, I'll give you the Third Officer position right away!"
"Captain Zaraki, aren't you being a little too impulsive?" said Shiba Isshin in shock. He also held Arata in high regard, but he was thinking more about promoting him to a high-ranking officer role.
The others suddenly reacted in a stir as well.
Madarame Ikkaku, the current Third Officer of the Eleventh Division, jumped forward and said discontentedly: "Captain Zaraki, I'm the Third Officer!"
"You were, until just now," Kenpachi grinned wickedly. "How about the two of you fight, Ikkaku? Whoever wins gets to be Third Officer."
Just as it seemed the conversation was veering off-topic again, Unohana Retsu gently tapped the wall.
Though she didn't use even a hint of spiritual pressure, the entire room instantly fell silent.
"Arata-kun hasn't even officially graduated yet. If the captains have any plans, please wait for the division assignments after this afternoon's graduation ceremony."
Arata nodded, then suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, regarding Ashida…"
Ukitake Jūshirō took over the explanation:
"Ashido Kanō has officially returned to Gotei 13. The Head Captain gave him special permission to retain his high-ranking officer status and has temporarily assigned him to the First Division, where he'll assist in organizing the data from the Hueco Mundo expedition."
———
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