Outside the Hakutoumon, the North Gate of the Seireitei, a long procession of travel-worn figures arrived.
Upon seeing those familiar gates, many in the group breathed a collective sigh of relief.
The tense nerves born from days of continuous travel through the wilderness could finally be put to rest, at least for now.
Hasumi Ren carried Rangiku in his arms, following the procession as they crossed the threshold.
Familiar streets, familiar buildings, and the familiar atmosphere of the Seireitei washed over them.
The shops lining the streets were as bustling as ever, and Shinigami hurried back and forth. Everything was exactly as it had been when they left.
Ren glanced down at the girl in his arms.
Rangiku was still fast asleep. Her breathing was steady, and her complexion looked much better than before.
Her short orange hair gave off a soft sheen in the sunlight, and her youthful face bore a rare trace of tranquility.
During the journey back, Rangiku had woken up once.
After a brief moment of panic, though she seemed somewhat frightened, she eventually calmed down.
She had looked at Ren, who was carrying her on his back, and softly asked for his name.
After receiving his answer and exchanging a few brief words, her expression grew much more peaceful.
It seemed Ichimaru Gin had already given her instructions.
Furthermore, it appeared she understood and accepted her current situation.
"Ren, will Gin... come to the Seireitei too?"
Hearing Rangiku's voice, Ren turned his head slightly.
"What, didn't he tell you?"
"Mhm... He just said he asked a doctor to take good care of me, but he has some things he needs to do and can't stay with me anymore..."
"Don't worry, you two will meet again."
Receiving Ren's affirmative answer, Rangiku finally seemed much more at ease.
Pulling himself from his memories, Ren continued walking deeper into the Seireitei with Rangiku on his back.
After entering the Seireitei, the expedition team dispersed.
The members of the Eleventh Division slung their arms around each other's shoulders and headed toward their barracks, discussing where to go drinking that night.
The Fifth Division members bid farewell to Aizen Sosuke and gradually departed as well.
Aizen walked over to Ren's side.
"Ren, you've worked hard on this journey."
His voice was as gentle as ever.
"Get some good rest once you return."
Ren nodded.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Aizen."
Aizen smiled and turned to leave.
Ren stood in place, watching that figure disappear around the street corner.
Taking a deep breath, Ren turned and headed in the direction of the Fourth Division.
The Fourth Division barracks remained tranquil.
A faint scent of medicinal herbs permeated the air, and occasionally, a few members would hurry past carrying various medical instruments.
Everything was just as it had been when he left.
Carrying Rangiku in his arms, Ren walked straight toward the Captain's office.
"Fourth Seat Ren!"
A squad member spotted him and quickly hurried over to greet him.
"You've returned? This is..."
His gaze fell upon Rangiku, tinged with a bit of curiosity.
"An injured person I found on the road. I need the Captain to take a look at her. Is she in?"
"Yes, it's not too busy today. Captain Unohana should be in her office right now."
Ren nodded and continued forward.
After knocking and opening the door to the Captain's office, Ren saw a figure sitting elegantly inside.
Unohana Retsu was seated at a tea table, holding a teacup with a serene posture.
Ren pushed the door open and walked in.
Unohana looked up, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes when she saw him.
"Welcome back," she said, setting down her teacup. "Did the mission go smoothly?"
Ren nodded.
"Smoothly enough. The Hollow pack was exterminated, the cause of the disappearances was found, and the team's casualties were minimal."
"It's just..."
Unohana's gaze shifted to Rangiku in his arms.
"On the way, I encountered an injured soul."
Ren walked over to the tea table and gently laid Rangiku down on a nearby soft couch.
"Her injuries are highly unusual. My Kaido could only temporarily stabilize her; I need you to treat her."
Unohana stood up and walked over to the couch.
She knelt down and placed a hand on Rangiku's forehead.
The pale green spiritual pressure of Kaido probed into the girl's body.
A moment later, Unohana's brow furrowed slightly.
It was an extremely subtle change, so subtle it was almost imperceptible, but Ren noticed it.
Unohana was surprised.
"These injuries..."
She spoke softly, her tone carrying a rare trace of solemnity.
"A piece of her soul has been stripped away."
Unohana then looked up at Ren.
"Do you know the cause?"
Ren fell silent for a moment before shaking his head.
"I'm not sure."
Unohana looked at him, her gaze profound.
After a moment, she withdrew her gaze and continued examining Rangiku's injuries, occasionally asking a few questions about her condition.
Ren answered each one, detailing the events of the past few days.
After a long while, Unohana pulled her hand back.
"The injuries are severe, but she has a good foundation. Her innate spiritual pressure is far stronger than that of an ordinary person. If not for that, she wouldn't have survived this long."
She stood up, walked over to a nearby bookshelf, and pulled down a thick tome.
"I need to prepare some special medicinal herbs and set up a barrier to nourish her soul."
She lowered her eyes in thought.
"This recovery process will take time. It may take several months, perhaps even longer."
Ren nodded.
"I'll leave her in your care, Captain."
Unohana glanced at him.
"Does this girl have some sort of connection to you?"
Ren remained silent for a moment.
"No special connection. I just encountered her during the mission. With her suffering such severe injuries, I couldn't just ignore her."
"Isn't that the very purpose of the Fourth Division's existence?"
Unohana looked at him, a flash of appreciation passing through her calm eyes.
Then, the corners of her lips curled up slightly.
The smile was faint, yet very genuine.
"Well said. You certainly have a kind heart."
She walked over to Rangiku and gently smoothed out her orange hair.
"Leave her to me. She will recover."
Ren nodded, bowed respectfully to Unohana, and turned to leave.
As he reached the door, Unohana's voice called out, making him pause.
"What is this child's name?"
Ren looked back.
"Matsumoto Rangiku."
Unohana watched his back and nodded gently.
Stepping out of the Captain's office, Ren let out a soft breath.
Unohana's medical skills were currently the best in the Seireitei.
Leaving Rangiku in her hands was the best possible outcome.
Ren walked along the corridor toward his own quarters.
Along the way, he ran into quite a few Fourth Division members who greeted him upon seeing his return.
Ren responded to each of them one by one until he finally returned to his room.
After being promoted to a high-ranking seated officer, he had been assigned a detached cottage, no longer needing to squeeze into the communal barracks with the regular members.
The door closed behind him, shutting out all the noise from outside.
Ren walked over to his bed and lay down.
But he didn't sleep; he just lay there, staring at the ceiling.
In his mind, the events of the past few days replayed on a loop.
His Spiritual Power had risen to the fifth class, successfully promoting him to an elite soldier.
His Hollowfication level had increased, and the total amount of Hollow spiritual pressure within his body had grown significantly.
Although his current strength was still not worth mentioning in the eyes of the top-tier powerhouses.
But at the very least, he now had a certain degree of self-preservation.
Finally, there was the greatest harvest from this expedition.
Ren called up the system and looked at the new ability granted to him in the system panel.
Soul Splitting.