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Following a dizzying sensation of teleportation, Ishikawa Katori opened his eyes again, and the pink room of Yachiru was no longer before him.
Instead, he found himself in an underground space, but it wasn't dark and damp like the Maggot's Nest; rather, it was bright and dry, as if bathed in sunlight.
The air was filled with a pleasant scent, and the architectural structure seemed similar to Shiba, with glowing vines planted on the ceiling.
"This way, this way."
Yachiru skipped out of the transfer point and ran towards a set of upward stairs. When she reached the top, she lifted a cover and jumped out.
Seeing this, Ishikawa Katori stopped observing the space and walked towards the stairs.
"I brought Kato-chan!"
"What Kato-chan?"
"Kato-chan is Kato-chan."
"…The Kato-chan you're talking about wouldn't be Sir Ishikawa, would it?"
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm."
A conversation came from outside the cover above, and as it ended, a commotion reached Ishikawa Katori's ears.
"…" Ishikawa Katori.
He had originally thought that Yachiru had discussed it with the people in the Association beforehand, which was why she brought him here.
But judging from the commotion outside the cover, Yachiru hadn't told anyone she was bringing him.
For some reason…
He felt like lifting the cover and looking before the commotion stopped.
However, Ishikawa Katori ultimately gave up on that tempting idea.
Because he always felt that if he lifted the cover and went out now, he would either be cut to death or stabbed to death by kunai.
When the commotion above ceased, before Ishikawa Katori could even go out, the cover above was lifted open, and Matsumoto Rangiku, with her dazzling golden hair, poked her head in and said to Ishikawa Katori, "Sir Ishikawa, long time no see! Do you want to go for a drink after the meeting ends?"
"Vice-Captain Rangiku."
Ise Nanao's eyelid twitched slightly: "Please don't forget, there's a Vice-Captain meeting tomorrow morning. You missed the last Vice-Captain meeting because of a hangover, and the one before that too… Besides, didn't you just say that the Captain arranged a lot of work for you today?"
"Our Captain is super nice. If I don't do the work, he sees it and does it himself."
"…Captain Hitsugaya is truly pitiful to have a subordinate like you."
"Heh heh—"
Ishikawa Katori chuckled, "Next time, perhaps. I just finished the reconstruction work for the Eleventh Division barracks. Tomorrow, both my Everything Store and its branch will reopen."
Are you kidding? Who would want to drink with you?
He had only just recovered from his injuries, and Ishikawa Katori didn't want to be severely wounded by Kenpachi again…
Climbing out of the underground secret room, Ishikawa Katori scanned the room and murmured, "So this is the base of our Shinigami Women's Association?"
The room was very large, and both the materials and decorations were extremely luxurious. It was clear that the cost of this room was by no means cheap.
However, what Ishikawa Katori was mainly looking at was not the room.
Instead, while seemingly observing the room, he observed everyone scattered throughout the spacious room one by one, his eyes growing brighter with each glance.
Matsumoto Rangiku, Kusajishi Yachiru, Kotetsu Isane, Ise Nanao, and Captains Unohana Retsu and Soi Fon—these were all familiar faces to Ishikawa Katori.
The rest were all people Ishikawa Katori was seeing for the first time, but their names, positions, and even their hobbies, which had been published in the 'Seireitei Communication', were already surfacing in his mind.
"Are you Mr. Ishikawa from the Everything Store?"
A young girl with her black hair tied into a bun curiously observed Ishikawa Katori with her brown eyes.
Fifth Division Vice-Captain—Hinamori Momo.
"Hello! I'm Kotetsu Isane's younger sister, Kotetsu Kiyone."
Unlike her tall sister, Kotetsu Isane, Kotetsu Kiyone was petite with short, deep golden hair. She looked more neutral than the spirited Kotetsu Isane, and her personality was much more outgoing, almost like a social butterfly.
"Can we start the meeting?"
Beside Kotetsu Kiyone was a young girl with a cold expression and no emotional fluctuation in her voice. She had deep green bangs and a red Kan ornament around her neck.
Twelfth Division Vice-Captain—Nemu Kurotsuchi.
Ishikawa Katori's gaze shifted to the corner of the room, where a young girl was secretly peeking at him, wanting to say hello but seemingly unsure of what to say.
Kuchiki Rukia.
Unlike the other Captains, Vice-Captains, and Seated Officers, she was the only ordinary Squad Member in the room without a position, though this was due to collusion between her brother and her Captain.
A treasure trove of experience!
Ishikawa Katori put on his signature gentle smile, a smile that was no longer the 'disgusting' fake smile that Sister Kukaku had called it. After years of arduous training, Ishikawa Katori's smile was now as warm as autumn sunshine, warming people's hearts.
"Greetings, seniors. I am Ishikawa Katori, a newcomer to the Association. My work involves running the Everything Store in Rukongai and the Seireitei Commercial Street. If any of you need anything, please feel free to come to me; whether it's household chores like cleaning and house repairs, or outdoor assignments like finding people or temporary medical care, my Everything Store accepts all requests."
"Although my strength is modest, I will do my utmost to make our Shinigami Women's Association even greater!!"
"…" Ise Nanao.
Hearing such words from a man, why did it feel so awkward?
"Instead of saying these pleasantries here, you should go work hard."
Soi Fon took a sip of tea and snorted, "Now that the Eleventh Division's reconstruction work is finished, shouldn't you go take care of the other work?"
"Uh…"
Ishikawa Katori's mouth twitched slightly. If Soi Fon hadn't mentioned it, he would have truly forgotten… For the past half month, he hadn't seemed to have gone to the Maggot's Nest at all.
"Yes, Captain Soi Fon, I'll go right after the meeting!"
"Hmph."
Soi Fon snorted again and said no more. She was actually just making conversation with Ishikawa Katori after not seeing him for half a month.
A place like the Maggot's Nest, let alone half a month, even cleaning it once every few months would be perfectly fine. Moreover, ever since Ishikawa Katori arrived, the environment and order of the Maggot's Nest were already better than any prison of the Onmitsukidō, and the prisoners sometimes even voluntarily performed simple cleanups.
In addition, half a month ago, despite being severely injured, Ishikawa Katori had still followed her orders and stopped the black-cloaked figure, which she was extremely satisfied with, increasingly feeling that her decision to hire Ishikawa Katori was correct.
If rules didn't forbid it, she would even want to entrust the women's prison to Ishikawa Katori's care, as Ishikawa Katori enjoyed making friends with female Shinigami anyway.
Ise Nanao sighed slightly. Ishikawa Katori's joining was approved by most members, so even if she disagreed, she wouldn't show resistance. She stepped forward and said, "Since you have joined the Association, I will introduce you to its members."
"Our Shinigami Women's Association's President is Kusajishi Yachiru, whom you should be very familiar with, and I am the Vice President of the Association. Captain Unohana is the Association's Director."
"And Captain Soi Fon, Vice-Captain Kotetsu, Vice-Captain Matsumoto, you should all be familiar with them."
Ise Nanao first introduced the people Ishikawa Katori already knew, then pointed to Kotetsu Kiyone and said, "This is Vice-Captain Kotetsu's younger sister, the Thirteenth Division's Third Seat, Kotetsu Kiyone."
"Hello, Third Seat Kotetsu."
Ishikawa Katori smiled slightly, "Ms. Isane often mentions you to me, saying that you are a lively, dedicated, and serious Shinigami in your work. I've wanted to meet you for a long time."
"???"
Kotetsu Isane blinked in confusion. Had she said all that to Ishikawa Katori?
However, what Ishikawa Katori said was exactly what she thought, so she must have said it sometime, and Ishikawa Katori remembered it.
"I'm not as good as my sister says."
Kotetsu Kiyone scratched her head, and her gaze towards Ishikawa Katori immediately became much warmer. She said very familiarly, "My sister's friend is my friend, you can just call me Kiyone."
[Kotetsu Kiyone Affection +5, gained 600 experience points. Current Affection: 5]
Ishikawa Katori's eyes lit up. Sure enough, outgoing people were very easy to get acquainted with.
120 experience points per affection point?
Although it didn't reach the initial 160 experience points per point of 'Vice-Captain-level' like Isane and the others, it was still much higher than the 80 points for 'High-ranking Seated Officer'. Her strength was already very close to that of a Vice-Captain.
In the future, he could use his connection with Isane to interact with her more.
With thoughts swirling in his mind, Ishikawa Katori's smile remained unchanged as he softly said, "Then, Miss Kiyone, you can just call me Ishikawa Katori."
"Mm."
"This is Nemu Kurotsuchi, the Vice-Captain of the Twelfth Division," Ise Nanao continued to introduce.
"Hello, Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi," Ishikawa Katori said.
"Mm, hello."
Nemu Kurotsuchi looked up and replied, then immediately looked back at the 'Seireitei Communication' in her hand, clearly having no intention of continuing the conversation with Ishikawa Katori.
As expected.
Ishikawa Katori was not discouraged. He turned to Hinamori Momo, and without waiting for Ise Nanao to introduce her, he spoke, "Hello, Lieutenant Hinamori Momo."
"You know me?"
Hinamori Momo was slightly startled.
"I know Aoga from the Fourth Division and Abarai Renji from the Eleventh Division. When they chatted with me, they often mentioned you; Aoga even told me that if it weren't for you, he might have died during that Soul Burial practice in the Human World."
Abarai Renji?
Hearing that name, not only Hinamori Momo, but even Kuchiki Rukia, who had been silent beside them, couldn't help but look up at Ishikawa Katori, a curious expression in her eyes.
However, Hinamori Momo was somewhat confused by the name Aoga until Ishikawa Katori mentioned 'Soul Burial practice,' and then she remembered the sixth-year senior who had accompanied Hisagi to lead the elite class to the Human World.
Recalling the events of that time, a nostalgic smile involuntarily appeared on Hinamori Momo's face.
That incident, for many, was a terrible experience they didn't wish to recall, but for her, it was a memorable day.
Because that was the first time she met Captain Aizen.
At this thought, Hinamori Momo felt that Ishikawa Katori before her was truly very similar to Captain Aizen back then.
The same gentle voice, the same faint yet heartwarming smile, and clear eyes without a hint of impurity—he was practically identical to Captain Aizen.
During the last vote, everyone who knew Ishikawa Katori said he was a gentle and extremely kind person, even being called 'a great benevolent person rarely seen in a thousand years' in West Rukongai. She had initially thought this title was overly exaggerated, but now it seemed…
Someone so similar to Captain Aizen having such a title did not surprise her at all.
"Hello, I'm Hinamori Momo."
[Hinamori Momo Affection +3, gained 480 experience points. Current Affection: 3]
Ishikawa Katori's smile remained unchanged, but he felt a bit speechless. Whether it was Kazuki You, the daughter of the herbal shop on Commercial Street, or Hinamori Momo before him, their affection levels rose inexplicably. Often, just a gentle smile was enough to gain their favor.
If all women were like them, what would he even need to strive for? He could just practice smiling in the mirror every day.
"Rukia… Kuchiki Rukia, that's my name."
Finally, Rukia, without waiting for Nanao to introduce her, eagerly asked Ishikawa Katori.
"Sir Ishikawa, are you very familiar with Renji?"
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