Barbecue Party

As night fell, Tsuna's house remained a bustling scene.

After learning that the Bleach from Seireitei had come to Tsuna's Tsuna, Ichigo and the others decided to hold a party there, since tomorrow was their day off anyway. Even Hachi, who had gone to visit the Kurosaki Residence, was dragged back by Isshin along with his family.

Through friendly negotiations between Yachiru, Rangiku, and Tatsuki, the Tsuna family has become the temporary base of the Women's Bleach Association in the World of the Living.

Tsuna was perfectly fine with this outcome; after all, it was just him and Tatsuki at home, and it was good that Yachiru and the others wanted to come and play.

And so, Nozomi Kujō, Tatsuki's new friend, naturally became Yachiru and the others' new friend, even though it was Yachiru who unilaterally announced it.

To celebrate this good news, the Sawada held their first-ever barbecue party. After replacing the Gigai sent by Urahara Kisuke, the Bleach could finally enjoy proper World of the Living pleasures.

With the arrival of Ichigo and the others, the Tsuna family's house became completely chaotic. Even the usually stern-looking Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto just sat calmly in a corner drinking tea, not bothering the young people's commotion.

Kyōraku, Rangiku, and Isshin, these heavy drinkers, naturally gathered together, while Ichigo and Yoruichi, these two social terrorists, wandered around, igniting the party atmosphere everywhere they went.

In the midst of this hustle and bustle, there are always those who don't fit in. Nozomi Kujō politely got to know everyone, silently filled her stomach, and then climbed onto the roof of Tsuna's house alone.

She still couldn't adapt to this atmosphere. Just the day before, they were facing life and death, but now it was warm and beautiful. She didn't think she deserved to enjoy this moment of tenderness like the people downstairs.

Most people wouldn't care about the disappearance of the party's main character; Nozomi Kujō was just a source of their amusement.

Just as Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and his Inaba and his group might cause to Soul Society, the Bleach treated Nozomi Kujō, one of the protagonists of this incident, with normalcy and didn't resort to their usual methods of suppression and protection.

It was precisely this attitude of the Bleach that left Nozomi Kujō bewildered; she didn't know what she should do.

Originally, Nozomi Kujō planned to find a Dangai that no one could control to exile herself, but she didn't expect that the Bleach of Soul Society didn't care at all whether she would be captured by Inaba.

Or rather, even if Nozomi Kujō is captured by Inaba, the Bleach are confident in dealing with the combined power of the two, having witnessed the world-shaking power of Tsuna and Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

No matter how strong the enemy is, as long as they cannot shake the foundation of Soul Society, there is nothing to fear. There will always be someone to cover for them.

Therefore, the Bleach hold the attitude that they don't care about Nozomi Kujō at all. They are just casual acquaintances, and no one will care if you want to stay alone.

Having just finished grilling a batch of meat, Tsuna glanced discreetly at the rooftop, then squinted at his girlfriend, Tatsuki, who was already quite tipsy from Rangiku's overdose.

There was no way around it; it was his girlfriend's decision, and Tsuna had to support her to the end.

Quietly giving up his spot at the barbecue to the shrewd Uryū, Tsuna took two cans of juice from the refrigerator and headed towards the roof.

Unbeknownst to Tsuna, Rangiku, who was pretending to be oblivious, happened to notice the glance he gave Tatsuki.

Rangiku watched Tsuna's retreating figure disappear into the room, amusement creeping onto her face.

"Tatsuki, do you want to know what Tsuna went to do?" Rangiku whispered in Tatsuki's ear.

"Hmm? Tsuna..." Tatsuki was already a little dazed. She was no match for Rangiku, a seasoned drinker. She mumbled, "Yes!"

"Let's sneak over and see, maybe he's having a secret rendezvous with that new pretty girl?"

Hearing this, Tatsuki immediately sobered up a bit, and holding Rangiku's arm, he whispered, "Let's go!"

On the rooftop, Nozomi Kujō's face was suddenly jolted by the cold. She instinctively shrank back before realizing that what had been used was a can of juice. Looking up again, she saw that it was Tsuna.

After Nozomi Kujō taking the juice, Kujou Nozomi heard Tsuna ask, "Are you full already?"

"I'm full." Nozomi Kujō's voice was barely audible; it would have been difficult to hear what she was saying in the noisy environment downstairs.

Tsuna didn't ask any more questions. He just sat down next to Nozomi Kujō, opened a juice bottle and drank it. He desperately needed to replenish his fluids after the long burning sensation.

Nozomi Kujō was embarrassed. She didn't know why Tsuna wanted to see her. It seemed like there was nothing left on her that Tsuna could take a liking to.

After some playful Tatsuki and Tatsuki's confident exchange, Nozomi Kujō realized that Tsuna was very strong, so strong that everyone below respected him, and so strong that they didn't care about Inaba's tricks at all.

After hesitating for a long time, Nozomi Kujō asked, "Why, why did you save me?"

Tsuna understood what Nozomi Kujō meant. With his strength, saving her would be pointless. Whether it was yesterday or now, this girl always seemed out of place with everyone else, as if she had been abandoned by the world.

"There's no reason why. I just wanted to save him. Any normal person wouldn't leave you unconscious in the rainy night, would they?" Tsuna explained.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble," said Nozomi Kujō. It was because of her that Inaba had come to Tsuna's house looking for someone.

"Don't blame everything on yourself, and don't care about that Inaba. Choose a happier way to live; a wonderful life awaits you."

"Life..."

The future was a foreign concept to Nozomi Kujō. She had never imagined she would have a future, and was a happy life even something she could have?

Mentioning this Nozomi Kujō even more confused. She couldn't find any meaning in her life. No matter how hard she tried, the Bleach always managed to handle Inaba Kagerōza's situation.

Seeing Nozomi Kujō like this, Tsuna sighed helplessly. Rather than comforting people, he preferred to be a bystander enjoying the show.

"Life isn't always meaningful. Find reasons to keep living, things you're interested in, things you want to do but haven't done yet, dreams, and so on..."

One reason to live after another popped out of Tsuna's mouth. In any case, the most important thing was to help this girl get out of her despondent state of giving up on herself.

"No... nothing I want to do... and I have no dreams..."

Nozomi Kujō at the playful scene below, hugging her knees, lost in thought. She reflected on the people she had met that day; they were happy and wonderful, but that happiness did not belong to her.

Tsuna knew he really couldn't comfort Nozomi Kujō without a heartfelt pep talk today. "I don't have anything I want to do, and I don't have any dreams either."

"When I first came into this world, I was just as lost as you are now. I thought I could live a comfortable life as a rich young master, but it turned out to be just wishful thinking."

"However, what makes me better off than you is that I have loving parents who accompanied me through those confusing years. Later, I met friends like Tatsuki and Ichigo, and gradually I figured out what I wanted to do."

"I'm willing to give anything to protect what I have and safeguard my daily life. Even now, I don't have any grand dreams; preserving their smiles is what I want to do most."

Nozomi Kujō stared wide-eyed at Tsuna. She never expected these words to come from the mouth of a powerful person. There was no such thing as conquering the world or becoming the strongest. Protecting everyday life was Tsuna's motivation all along.

After finishing his juice, Tsuna smacked his lips, his body still craving more water. He stood up, stretched, and said...

"Let me give you a piece of advice, something a man I greatly respect once said, and it's also the principle I've followed all my life."

"I have no dreams, but I can protect other people's dreams."

After saying that, Tsuna turned and left. It was still too difficult for him to comfort others; he would leave it to Tatsuki once Tatsuki had calmed down.

"No dreams, but protecting dreams..."

Nozomi Kujō murmured something, gazing absently at the beautiful scenery below. Tsuna's words automatically translated into her mind: she didn't possess this beauty, but she could protect the beauty of others...

It seems I've found a reason to survive...

Nozomi Kujō's gaze gradually hardened. She felt that sacrificing her life and future for this world was, in a way, a form of protection.

"Tsuna ~"

As soon as Tsuna stepped off the roof, he ran into Tatsuki and Rangiku, who had been spying on him, at the corner. Compared to Rangiku's somewhat embarrassed smile, Tatsuki, fueled by alcohol, was teary-eyed and unable to control himself.

Tatsuki had never heard of Tsuna's motivation for moving forward, but now, all she wanted to do was hold Tsuna tightly and give him the warmest embrace.

"Alright, it's okay. How about we go back to our room and rest?" Tsuna asked softly, trying to Tatsuki.

Just as Tatsuki was about to agree, an unfamiliar spiritual pressure suddenly came from the direction of Nozomi Kujō.

Nozomi Kujō made her decision, and in response, a power hidden within her emerged—a Asauchi, radiant Reishi —appearing before Nozomi Kujō.

Holding her Zanpakuto in both hands, Nozomi Kujō's outfit also changed, now featuring white knee-high stockings and a short skirt Shinigami Uniform, exuding youthful energy.

Nozomi Kujō and Inaba Kagerōza from the Yushima Ōshū split in two.

Nozomi Kujō already possessed Zanpakuto, and after making her decision, she retrieved her Zanpakuto, as evidenced by her Shinigami Uniform.

Although it may seem a bit revealing compared to the traditional Soul Society style, it is undoubtedly Shinigami Uniform.

Her Zanpakuto and Shinigami Uniform all prove that Nozomi Kujō has become a Bleach at this moment, and her Zanpakuto ability is the Kurenai Shigure, which was split in two from Yushima Ōshū's Zanpakuto, Bokgetsuin- Retreating Crimson Rain.