Kyōraku froze and slowly turned around of course, standing behind him with arms crossed was Ise Nanao in a black one-piece swimsuit.
"Ahaha… Nanao-chan, what brings you here?" he laughed dryly, hiding the bottle behind his back.
"I've been here the whole time." Nanao adjusted her glasses. "I've been following you ever since you sneaked out of the room."
"Well…"
Just as Kyōraku Shunsui was racking his brain for an excuse, a commotion suddenly broke out on the other side of the pool.
It turned out that Soi Fong had changed into a navy-blue competitive swimsuit and was holding an oversized yellow water gun, wildly spraying Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru, who had just come down the slide.
The chubby Omaeda stood obediently behind her, with a basket full of colorful water guns slung over his shoulder.
"Hey! You little... " Kenpachi wiped the water off his face and was just about to get mad, but was cut off by Yachiru's excited squeal.
"Wow! This is so much fun! Again, Soi-chan!" Yachiru bounced up and down, clapping her hands, completely unaware that her captain's face had turned pitch-black.
"This is a super-powered water gun made especially for Omaeda," Soi Fong proudly swung the weapon in her hand. "It has a twenty-meter range, a five-liter tank, and a rapid-fire mode... "
Before she could finish, a sudden stream of water hit her squarely in the back of the head.
"Who was that?!" Soi Fong whipped around and saw Rangiku, who had apparently already grabbed a black water gun from Omaeda and was winking mischievously.
"Sorry, Captain Soi Fong~" Rangiku apologized in words, but her hands didn't stop moving at all.
"Lieutenant Matsumoto! You... " Soi Fong tried to dodge in a hurry, but she was already soaked. The navy swimsuit clung tightly to her body, clearly outlining her slender yet toned figure.
"Hahaha!" Rangiku trembled with laughter as her attack landed. The proud white breasts on her chest gently bounced with her laughter, making Arata unconsciously swallow hard.
"Sister Rangiku!" Kotetsu Isane rushed over in a panic, also holding a white water gun in her hand.
"Isane-chan~" Rangiku threw an arm around her shoulders, "You came just in time. Let's team up and defeat Captain Soi Fong!"
"Eh? That… doesn't seem fair…" Isane mumbled shyly, her face flushed, but Rangiku pulled her in to join the battle anyway.
"Lieutenant Ise!" Seeing that the situation was dire, Soi Fong immediately called out to Nanao, who had just confiscated the contraband from Kyōraku, for help. "Come and assist me!"
Nanao pushed up her glasses, a cold gleam flashing off the lenses. "At your service, Captain Soi Fong."
She skillfully pulled a silver, futuristic-looking water gun from her bag, filled it, and aimed in a single smooth motion.
"Wait! Nanao-chan, since when did you—" Kyōraku Shunsui gaped in astonishment at his lieutenant.
"We prepared these long before departure," Nanao replied without turning. "Captain, did you really think everyone else only thinks about drinking like you?"
"Hahahaha!" Shiba Isshin appeared out of nowhere, holding a water gun in each hand. "How could I miss out on all this fun? Ukitake! Catch!"
In the pool, Ukitake Jūshirō caught the water gun Isshin tossed to him with mild hesitation. "Captain Shiba, I'd rather—"
"Don't ruin the fun!" Isshin had already charged into the battlefield, unleashing volleys of water on Soi Fong.
Soi Fong and Nanao stood back-to-back and formed a defensive line, precisely repelling every "enemy" that came into their sights.
Rangiku pulled Isane behind an artificial rock for cover, occasionally peeking out to launch sneak attacks.
As the "battle" heated up, more and more people joined in. The huge water park instantly transformed into a water-gun war zone. Water splashed everywhere, and laughter echoed throughout the space.
Arata stood in the shallows, watching the lively scene, and the corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously.
He was just about to join the fray when a small hand tugged on the waistband of his swim trunks.
"Senpai Arata!" Hinamori Momo had swum over without him noticing, her orange swimsuit especially striking in the water's reflection. "Help us! Renji and the others are bullying us!"
Following the direction of her finger, Arata saw that Renji, Kira, and Toushirou had occupied a higher platform and were "firing" down at Rukia and the others.
"It's really not fair for three guys to bully two girls." Arata smiled and shook his head, then took the water gun from Hinamori's hand. "Let's teach them a little lesson."
Ten minutes later, the trio led by Renji, completely soaked, raised their hands in surrender.
"I give up! I give up!" Renji wiped the water from his face, his red hair wet and clinging to his forehead. "Senpai Arata is too strong!"
"That's right." Kira slumped over the edge of the pool. "His accuracy is just insane…"
Toushirou looked at Arata with clear admiration. "Master Saito, can you teach us how to aim like that?"
Arata smiled and handed the water gun back to Hinamori. "We'll talk about that when we return to Soul Society. For now—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a stream of water suddenly blasted him from the side, hitting him squarely in the back of the head.
"Hahaha! Sneak attack successful!" Rangiku triumphantly swung her water gun not far away, her luscious breasts swaying gently with the motion.
Arata helplessly shook his head and was about to return fire when he suddenly noticed Unohana Retsu reclining leisurely on a lounge chair by the pool, holding a colorful cocktail in her hand.
She was still wearing that maroon bikini, only now covered with a sheer black mesh shawl, fully accentuating her mature charm.
Her long, slender legs were crossed, and her toenails, painted deep red, sparkled seductively in the sunlight.
Arata hesitated for a moment but decided to retreat from the "battlefield" for now and walked over to Unohana Retsu.
"Teacher, why aren't you joining in the fun?" He sat on the lounge chair next to hers and picked up a towel to wipe the water from his face.
Unohana Retsu took a sip of her drink; her red lips left a suggestive mark on the rim of the glass. "I'm too old to participate in such vigorous activities."
She tilted her head slightly, letting her braids fall down her back; a gentle smile flickered in her eyes. "But you, Arata, seem to be enjoying yourself quite a bit."
"It's not bad." Arata unconsciously straightened up, but his gaze lingered on Unohana Retsu a few seconds longer.
It had to be said, Unohana Retsu, the death goddess who had lived for more than a thousand years, had maintained a stunning figure.
The maroon bikini perfectly accentuated her graceful curves. Not a trace of excess fat around her waist, and her skin was smooth and tender like milky jade, showing no signs of aging.
"Teacher… you look very beautiful today." Arata sincerely complimented her.
Unohana Retsu chuckled softly, playing with the straw with her fingertips. "Ah… only today?"
"Of course not." Arata shook his head immediately. "You're always beautiful, but today's look is especially…"
"What's special about it?" Unohana Retsu leaned forward slightly, the sheer fabric revealing the deep cleavage between her breasts.
Arata's Adam's apple unconsciously bobbed. "Very seductive."
"Haha." Unohana Retsu reclined back into her lounge chair with approval, her gaze sliding toward the pool where everyone was playing. "Speaking of which, does Arata have any plans for the coming days?"
"Plans?" Arata paused slightly. "Well, I'll be sightseeing with everyone. I haven't really made a detailed schedule yet."
"I see…" Unohana Retsu gently swirled her glass; the ice cubes clinked crisply. "I heard from Lieutenant Sasakibe that the night view of London is very beautiful."
She turned her head and looked straight into his eyes. "Come watch it with me tomorrow night, just the two of us."
Arata's heart skipped a beat. "J-just the two of us?"
"What's the matter?" Unohana Retsu's smile remained gentle, but a dangerous gleam flashed briefly in her eyes. "Don't you want to accompany your teacher to see the night scenery?"
"Of course not." Arata carefully chose his words, afraid of offending her. "It's just… Rangiku…"
"Ah~" Unohana Retsu chuckled softly. "Is Arata worried that Lieutenant Matsumoto will get upset?"
She suddenly leaned in closer; her red lips were almost brushing against Arata's ear, and her warm breath caressed his earlobe.
"Or do you simply not want to be alone with your teacher?"