No one knew what Watanabe Yuji and Kuruyashiki Kenpachi had talked about.
After finishing his conversation with Watanabe Yuji, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi came straight over to Natsuki.
He was a tall, unkempt man. His hair was as unruly as wild grass, falling loosely behind his head, and his eyes were sharp as a beast's. If he didn't speak, he gave off a cold, unapproachable air.
But the moment he opened his mouth, all that pressure vanished.
"You're Natsuki, right? Yuji told me about you. Since he brought you back, you're one of us in the 11th Division from now on. Don't be too nervous. Think of this place as your home, and of us as your family."
"Our 11th Division has the best atmosphere of all the Gotei 13."
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi spoke gently and casually. After talking with Natsuki for a while, he asked, "By the way, can you hold your liquor?"
"???"
Natsuki was taken aback, unsure what he meant.
It didn't take long for him to find out.
To celebrate Watanabe Yuji's return from Hueco Mundo, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi had thrown him a welcome party. It seemed he valued this old subordinate, who had spent years on an expedition to Hueco Mundo. But once Natsuki learned the real reason, he realized that wasn't quite it.
The 11th Division's members all yearned for battle.
They weren't afraid of death. Whenever Hollows appeared, they were always the first to charge into battle.
Influenced by Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, they also loved holding drinking parties. They had one every few days, with the expenses coming out of the Division's operating funds.
Whenever they drove off Hollows or had something worth celebrating, such as a member's birthday, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi would hold a party.
They'd held one just before this gathering.
But that didn't stop Kuruyashiki Kenpachi from throwing another one, this time under the pretext of welcoming Watanabe Yuji back from Hueco Mundo.
One thing worth mentioning was that before the party, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi found a form and had Natsuki fill it out. Then he put it away, and just like that, Natsuki had become an officially registered Shinigami of the 11th Division.
It gave Natsuki an unreal feeling.
Was the 11th Division really this careless?
Since he'd filled out the form, Natsuki was attending the party as an official member of the 11th Division.
At the party, he got a good look at the Division.
There weren't that many members, only about three hundred.
He'd assumed that a combat division would be full of unruly, intimidating-looking tough guys, but that wasn't the case.
There were certainly some fierce-looking men, but Natsuki also spotted plenty of women.
That surprised him.
He wasn't completely unfamiliar with this world.
As he remembered it, there were female Shinigami in the original story, but apart from the lieutenant, Kusajishi Yachiru, he hadn't seen any in the 11th Division. Now, not only were there female Shinigami, there were a lot of them.
They all looked different. Some were ugly, some plain, and others pretty and alluring. But they all had one thing in common: they were as hearty and forthright as men.
Once the party began, they took the initiative to approach the men beside them, clinking cups and drinking together. Some started playing drinking games, while others simply drew their Zanpakuto and began sparring nearby.
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, the captain, didn't stop them. Sitting at the head of the table with a jug of wine in hand, he watched the scene and laughed heartily, seeming to enjoy it.
Natsuki wasn't much of a drinker. In his previous life, before he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he'd had a little now and then. But after he found out something was wrong with his health, he hadn't touched a drop.
Still, in a setting like this, it felt a little inappropriate not to drink at all.
He didn't go looking for anyone to drink with. Instead, he found a corner by himself and sat there with a small bowl, watching the 11th Division's lively gathering with interest, especially the women who were actively seeking out men to drink with.
"Surprised?"
A familiar voice sounded beside Natsuki's ear. He turned and saw a broad, flat face.
"Why aren't you drinking with them? You must have plenty of old friends here."
Natsuki asked Watanabe Yuji.
After joining the 11th Division, he'd learned that Watanabe Yuji was a Seated Officer, and a high-ranking one at that: the Fifth Seat. He hadn't gone to Hueco Mundo because he'd committed a crime. He'd volunteered, just like Ashido, whom Natsuki had seen earlier.
"I can catch up with my old friends anytime. What about you? You're sitting here alone. Why not get to know these people?"
"Don't let their wild looks fool you. They're actually all easy to get along with."
Watanabe Yuji spoke with a faint smile.
"Just like you said, I can get to know them anytime," Natsuki replied. "Today doesn't feel like the right time." He paused, then explained, "I'm not much of a drinker."
"I see!"
Watanabe Yuji nodded.
Following Natsuki's gaze, he looked ahead at the women mingling among the men. A strange smile tugged at his mouth. "Surprised?"
Natsuki glanced at Watanabe Yuji, confused.
"I know you're curious about why there are so many female members here. That brings us to the 11th Division's other name."
"The Flower Warrior Group!"
"They may be women, but Kuruyashiki Kenpachi has never looked down on them for it. On the contrary, he believes their strength is no less than men's. Because of that, many female Shinigami admire Kuruyashiki Kenpachi and have chosen to join the 11th Division."
"It's one of the 11th Division's unique sights."
As he spoke, Watanabe Yuji gave another mischievous smile. "By the way, Natsuki, you look old enough. Have you really never considered finding a woman and getting married? Once you're married, you'll have a real home, somewhere to settle down."
"There are plenty of female members in the 11th Division, and you're not bad-looking. If you wanted to, you could find someone you liked."
Natsuki listened, then paused. He didn't answer Watanabe Yuji's question. Instead, he turned to him and asked, "What about you? Are you married?"
"Of course not," Watanabe Yuji answered.
"Then why don't you find a woman and get married? You may not look like much, but you're strong, and you're a Seated Officer. If you wanted to, surely there'd be a woman who'd take an interest in you." Natsuki fired back.
He looked at Watanabe Yuji, waiting for his answer.
The Flower Warrior Group and the 11th Division's many female members came from the official novel BLEACH: Spirits Are Forever With You.
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