“This should be the place.”
Rukia looked at the ’13’ on the gate, confirmed the address Byakuya had given her once more, and stepped through the doors of the division barracks.
There wasn’t even anyone around to ask for directions.
The massive barracks were like a maze, and she couldn’t find the reporting office at all.
Just as Rukia was wandering around aimlessly, two Shinigami suddenly appeared around the corner ahead.
One of them was tall with brown skin and short white hair that stood straight up, with a single lock of white fringe hanging over his forehead.
The other was short with flaxen-colored hair.
The flaxen-haired youth said, “It feels so quiet.
There’s no one around; it’s completely different from the Academy.”
The man with short white hair replied, “That’s because the Thirteenth Division is specifically responsible for purifying souls in the Human World.
Most of the Shinigami should be stationed there right now.”
“Oh, so it looks like we’ll be going to the Human World soon too?” the flaxen-haired youth said happily.
“Look at how happy you are.
Is it really that big of a deal?”
“Of course it is!
Everyone has become a Shinigami, and even Takagi has joined the Kido Corps.
I have to work hard too!”
“Yeah, our efforts up until now haven’t been in vain.
As long as we don’t stop, the path will keep extending!”
“Hey, stop, stop, stop!” Rukia quickly spoke up to interrupt their dialogue.
What was with this intense sense of déjà vu?
She felt like if she let them continue their chanting, a black luxury car would suddenly rush out from the side, and after a burst of gunfire, it would drive away.
“Hey, are you two also new Shinigami?
I’m Rukia Kuchiki.
What are your names?” Rukia asked, trying to push the ‘Flower of Hope’ out of her mind.
“I’m Olga, and this is Reid.
We’re Shinigami who just graduated from the Academy this year.
We were quite lucky to be assigned to the same Squad,” the white-haired man named Olga said.
“Is Miss Kuchiki also a recent graduate?
But we didn’t see you at the Academy,” Reid added, nodding along from the side.
This…
Damn, did these two walk onto the wrong set?
Why would two walking memes appear in the Soul Society!
Rukia ranted wildly in her mind, but she had to maintain her outward composure.
Suppressing her urge to complain, she asked, “I wasn’t a student at the Spiritual Arts Academy.
I was…
well…
specially recruited.”
“By the way, I also have something to ask you two.
Do you know where the Thirteenth Division’s New Recruit Reporting Office is?”
“Ah.”
At the mention of the reporting office, Olga let out a slight sigh.
“To be honest, we’re also wandering around because we can’t find it.
We thought there would definitely be seniors here we could ask for directions, so we didn’t look at the barracks layout in advance.
But when we got here, we found there wasn’t a soul in sight, so we’re completely lost.”
“Emmm, my situation is about the same.
I didn’t look closely at the layout either; I just remembered the address of the Thirteenth Division and came over.
I didn’t pay attention to anything else,” Rukia said with a bitter smile.
Just as the three of them were at their wits’ end, a voice suddenly came from nearby: “Hey, what are you three doing here?
Don’t you know there are new recruits reporting today?
Why aren’t you at the Welcome Party instead of loitering here?”
The three of them turned around and saw a young man with short black hair.
On his left arm, he wore the Thirteenth Division Vice-Captain’s armband, and on his left wrist was a tattoo of the Shiba Family crest, the ‘Cracked Fallen Heaven Uzushio’.
His identity was obvious: it was the current head of the Shiba Family, Kaien Shiba.
“Hmm?
You three look very unfamiliar.
I don’t think I’ve seen you before, have I?
Wait, you three wouldn’t happen to be the new Shinigami joining this time, would you?
Man, you really kept us waiting!”
“I specifically gathered all the members currently in the Soul Society to hold a Welcome Party, but here you are wandering the streets?
And I had to come out alone to find you!” Kaien Shiba rushed up to the three of them in a single stride, speaking in a “friendly” tone.
Seeing things were going south, Rukia quickly explained, “No, no, no, we weren’t wandering the streets.
It’s just that none of us looked at the barracks map and couldn’t find the reporting office, so we could only wander around nearby to see if we could get lucky and find it.”
“Yeah, yeah, we weren’t just loitering,” Olga and Reid chimed in.
Hearing their words, Kaien Shiba seemed a bit exasperated.
“Ah—you three!
You didn’t even bother to learn about the Squad you’re about to join?
Is that any way to behave?
Fine, I’ll settle the score with you later.
Follow me to the Welcome Party first; we’ve been waiting for a long time, and you three are the only ones left.”
Kaien Shiba sighed slightly.
He couldn’t really say much to them; after all, they hadn’t really done anything wrong, and in such a large Squad, there should have been people to ask for directions.
This time it was just a coincidence—he had gathered every teammate currently in the barracks for the Welcome Party, so there was no one left to give directions, causing the three of them to get lost.
As the four of them walked, Kaien Shiba said, “By the way, let’s introduce ourselves first.
I’m Kaien Shiba, the Vice-Captain of the Thirteenth Division.
Nice to meet you!”
“I’m Rukia Kuchiki.”
“I’m Olga.”
“I’m Reid.”
“Nice to meet you!” the three said in unison.
After a series of turns, the four of them finally reached their destination.
Kaien Shiba led the three into the room.
There were about fifty people inside, all talking in small groups.
“Quiet down, everyone,” Kaien Shiba said as he walked to the front of the room.
“I’ve found the three newcomers.
Now, let’s have them introduce themselves.”
He then turned to the three and whispered, “Just say your names and your hobbies or something like that.”
“I’m Olga.
I like fighting alongside my friends, and there’s nothing I particularly dislike.”
“I’m Reid.
I hope to become even stronger and fight alongside Olga!”
After hearing their introductions, the people below gave them a warm welcome and expressed high hopes for their future performance.
Next, it was Rukia’s turn.
“My name is Rukia Kuchiki.
I like spicy food and I hate people who don’t keep their word.
That’s all.”
As soon as Rukia finished speaking, the room immediately erupted into a commotion.
“From the Kuchiki Family?
The head of the noble families in the Soul Society?”
“Looking at how small she is, she didn’t get in through the back door just because she’s a noble, did she?”
“I’ve heard that nobles are quite difficult to get along with.”
All sorts of comments came from the Shinigami in the room, with the most vocal ones suggesting Rukia had used her connections to get in.
Listening to the words coming from below, Rukia’s originally good mood vanished.
Although she still maintained a smile on her face, the twitching at the corner of her mouth showed that she was currently in a very foul mood.
“Hey, you, the one talking the loudest!” Rukia pointed her finger at that person.
“Yes, don’t look around, I mean you.” The Shinigami she pointed at looked somewhat bewildered.
Without another word, Rukia walked down and dragged him up.
The petite Rukia and the massive Shinigami formed a stark contrast.
“Didn’t you say I came in through the back door?
Let’s go a few rounds and see who’s really the fraud!”
At this moment, the tall Shinigami was extremely shocked.
He was the 6th Seat of the Thirteenth Division, and his strength was by no means weak.
Yet he was being hoisted up with one hand by this petite girl, and he felt as if her small palm was pressing down on him like a mountain, leaving him unable to muster even a hint of resistance.
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