Oetsu Nimaiya: Araki, Join Division 0! Once You're Here, I'll Show You a Good Time Every Day!

"Crack~"

The moment Araki heard Hyosube Ichibei's words, he instinctively prepared to release the Zanpakuto in his hand.

"Hey, hey, hey! Brother Araki, wait a moment and let me finish, will you?! I'm asking you sincerely. We can talk things over properly—don't pull your sword! Look, I didn't even bring my own sword from the Soul King Palace just to meet you! Doesn't that prove how sincere I am?!"

Seeing Araki instinctively assume the posture to release his weapon, Hyosube Ichibei repeatedly backed away while throwing open the haori draped over his Shinigami Robes, bearing the words "Royal Guard"—the emblem of Division 0. He proved that he carried nothing that could be called a weapon, which was enough to demonstrate his sincerity in meeting Araki.

"I got a little nervous."

The instant Araki heard Hyosube Ichibei's words, he immediately stopped what he was doing. He knew that he had been too tense in the face of this Old Monk, who gave him immense pressure, to the point that he had exposed something he should not have—such as the fact that he knew the Soul King's situation inside and out.

Still, that was understandable. The pressure this Old Monk gave Araki was even greater than that of Yhwach, the King of the Quincy whom Araki had fought several days ago, and his teacher, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. Without a doubt, this Old Monk was the strongest person Araki had encountered since coming to Soul Society.

"Don't be nervous! The Soul King's condition was never much of a secret among Soul Society's upper ranks! There are countless records throughout Soul Society concerning the Soul King's current state~"

"Haha, the founders of the Five Great Noble Clans had to let their descendants know what their five families had once done to the Soul King, didn't they?! So rest easy. I won't attack you just because you know something, because that would be both foolish and meaningless!"

"Besides, if I really did something to you, that hot-tempered brat would probably turn the heavens upside down with his Gotei 13! Soul Society had only just suffered Yhwach's invasion. If it went through another internal conflict, then when the next great calamity came, it would likely mean Soul Society's destruction. That isn't something I want to see, and naturally, it isn't something the Soul King wants to see either..."

Hyosube saw through Araki's tension and spoke with exceptional frankness.

"All right. What exactly do you want me to do?"

After hearing that, Araki gave Hyosube Ichibei a deep look, then asked with a smile.

Only after Hyosube spoke frankly did Araki lower the hand that had been ready to activate his Bankai. He had determined that Hyosube truly bore him no ill will—at least, not for now...

If the other man had truly meant him harm, he should have struck by surprise right after Araki's battle with Yhwach, when both his Spiritual Pressure and stamina had been completely drained!

At this moment, the initial probing between Hyosube and Araki came to an end.

"First, the question I asked you earlier wasn't a casual one. I'm genuinely curious about your ability~ I wanted to know whether it could work on the Soul King as well~"

Hyosube raised his first question.

"I don't know. I've never tried."

Araki answered swiftly.

"Haha, fair enough~"

Hyosube froze for a moment, not expecting Araki's answer to be so simple, then burst into laughter again.

"Second, as a member of Division 0, I sincerely invite you to join us! I hope you can become one of the Royal Guard, one of Division 0 who protect the Soul King!"

Hyosube continued, revealing his second reason for seeking Araki out. He intended to invite Araki into Division 0.

"I'm not interested in Division 0."

Araki directly refused.

"Eh?!"

Hyosube apparently had not expected Araki to reject him so quickly.

"Won't you think it over properly?! Won't you consider it a little more? Once you become a member of Division 0, you can enjoy a nearly immortal life! Doesn't that tempt you?"

Hyosube laid out the benefits of joining Division 0 one by one.

"I'm not going."

Araki answered without hesitation. He had no desire to spend all day guarding that tiny patch of land in the Soul King Palace. In Araki's eyes, staying in one place every day was not all that different from being dead.

"Is that so?!"

Hyosube's huge eyes flickered with profound disappointment. Unfortunately, Hyosube was a rough-looking brute. Acting cute like that only made Araki feel sick; it did not make him feel even a trace of guilt or temptation.

"Araki, come to the Soul King Palace! Once you're there, I'll throw parties with you every day!"

Just as Hyosube was about to give up inviting Araki, a rhythmic voice suddenly rang out from behind the two men.

"Hm?"

Araki and Hyosube turned around. A dark-skinned man with an afro had approached them and casually addressed Araki as though they were old friends.

"What did you say you'd take me to do?"

Araki's pupils narrowed slightly as he looked at the newcomer. He leaned closer, his expression grave as he asked.

"Throw parties!"

The man looked just as serious as Araki and repeated himself.

At that moment, it seemed Araki and the man were no longer discussing whether to throw parties or not. It was more like they were discussing a holy war—a holy war understood by all men! Araki was actually more serious and focused now than when he had faced Yhwach.

"How often?"

Araki asked about the schedule.

"Every day!"

The man gave a thumbs-up and answered with a smile.

"Deal!"

Araki immediately raised his palm toward the man's.

In truth, Araki was a proper man. He did not care about parties at all. He merely wanted to do his part for Soul Society and contribute to protecting the Soul King!

"Captain Araki, where are you going?"

Before Araki and the man who wanted to throw parties with him every day could exchange a high-five between real men, an icy, murderous aura drifted out from the 11th Division Captain's Office.

"Sorry, but I'm not driven by such worldly desires!"

Hearing that, Araki stopped his hand just before it collided with the man's.

"Is that so? What a shame!"

The dark-skinned man sighed helplessly, disappointment in his eyes.

By the way, this dark-skinned man was Oetsu Nimaiya, a member of the Royal Guard and Division 0, as well as the creator of every Zanpakuto in Soul Society! (Some exceptionally special and ancient Zanpakuto, such as the Tsunayashiro Family's Enrakyoten and the Ise Family's Shinrakyoken, were exceptions.)

"You know my situation~"

As he spoke, Araki pointed behind him at the beautiful woman radiating that icy aura.

"In any case, there are some things that aren't suitable to discuss here. Come with us to the Soul King Palace first! We'll explain everything clearly to you there..."

Oetsu Nimaiya gave him a look that said, I understand, then patted Araki on the shoulder and spoke seriously.

"Since it is an invitation from the esteemed members of Division 0, then I shall respectfully accept!"

"Retsu, don't wait for me for dinner tonight. I'm going with these two esteemed guests from the Soul King Palace to the Soul King Palace for a discussion before the Soul King!"

With that, Araki slung an arm around Oetsu Nimaiya's shoulders and walked out of the 11th Division Barracks with him.

"Um, well, that's the situation! Please lend Captain Araki to us for a while. We'll return him soon..."

After Araki and Oetsu Nimaiya departed, only Hyosube Ichibei remained, standing face-to-face with Unohana Retsu, who radiated that icy aura.

You two are just running off now? Are you kidding me?

Thinking this, Hyosube gave Unohana Retsu a slight bow, then vanished from the 11th Division Barracks.

"Araki..."

For a time, only Retsu remained standing there, looking in the direction Araki and the others had left with worry on her face.