Those Beasts!

Because she suddenly accepted the proposal to enter the Kuchiki Clan, Rukia gained noble-level privileges in every aspect, which instantly widened the gap between her and her old friends.

This caused Rukia to suddenly become very lonely.

The vast majority of noble Shinigami join the 6th Division because it is the noble division, specifically responsible for the protection of the nobility.

However, someone with Rukia's background would face discrimination among the nobles.

Therefore, Byakuya Kuchiki sent Rukia to the 13th Division.

But a special situation arose: in an ordinary division like the 13th, those with noble status are alienated by the common squad members.

This resulted in Rukia being unable to please either side.

The person who broke this situation was Shiba Kaien.

As a member of the Five Great Noble Families, equal in status to the Kuchiki Clan, Shiba Kaien did not have so many reservations.

Seeing Rukia looking so depressed, he dared to reach out and rap her on the head.

Otherwise, why would Byakuya Kuchiki have sent his sister to him?

Rukia, who had been despondent since joining the Kuchiki Clan, was thus awakened by this series of raps from Shiba Kaien.

She became a little follower trailing behind Shiba Kaien.

Even when Shiba Kaien and Aoto were drinking, Aoto would use Rukia to tease him.

"What is this, Kaien? Are you trying to marry into the Kuchiki Clan? Poor Miss Miyako, about to be abandoned by her heartless fiancé!"

"Nonsense!" Shiba Kaien did not give Aoto a chance to continue his gibberish. "I'm just doing Byakuya a favor; there is no romance involved here. My relationship with Miyako is perfectly fine!"

"Yes, yes, it was my nonsense!" Aoto laughed and poured him a drink. "Then you shouldn't be so good to Rukia. A little girl who has no one to care for her will truly have her heart stirred when she suddenly meets a big brother who treats her so well! You are too kind to others, Kaien; it's very easy to be misunderstood."

"Is that so?" Shiba Kaien rubbed his chin. "Then I should be a bit more careful."

The two were eating a massive roasted wolf leg, feeling that it was delicious.

Shiba Kaien felt that Aoto's culinary skills had improved significantly again.

"This has nothing to do with my cooking. It's the leg of an Adjuchas; having taken on an animal form, the texture of the meat seems to have changed as well."

"However, Adjuchas usually stay in Hueco Mundo. Unless they invade on their own, I can't go over there to catch them!"

Shiba Kaien had only eaten a quarter before he felt full and stopped. "That is true; the nutrition within is certainly not something an ordinary Gillian can compare to."

"Alright, I've finished the wolf leg I roasted! Let's talk intelligence!" Aoto leaned back in his chair. "Do you have the answers to those questions of mine?"

"Regarding that female member of the Punishment Force, I have absolutely no news. I cannot obtain information from within the Stealth Force. However, the noble who bribed her has been identified and punished by the Golden Seal Noble Council!"

"Wealth moves the heart... but to bribe a Punishment Force member of that level and send her to Hueco Mundo, what were they trying to do?"

Aoto was truly curious.

"That, I don't know!" Shiba Kaien shook his head. "The punishment meted out by the Golden Seal Noble Council against that family wasn't very severe, so it shouldn't have reached the point of affecting the Soul Society."

As long as there is no situation threatening to subvert the Soul Society, punishments for nobles are always raised high but lowered gently.

Only that female member of the Punishment Force seems to have been executed internally!

In any case, Aoto could no longer sense the spiritual pressure he had left on her.

"Then what about the 4th Division?" Aoto had quite a few questions. "Why is their consumption of special ingredients so fast?"

Speaking of this, the look in Shiba Kaien's eyes became very strange!

"Actually, you should ask your own 11th Division about this!" The smile on the corner of Shiba Kaien's mouth wouldn't stop.

Ask the 11th Division themselves? What's the situation? Tell me more?

Aoto really didn't understand.

Actually, the matter was simple.

Every day after the squad members finished their sparring, they would rush to the cafeteria for food. The amount of food each member could take was fixed; no one was allowed to eat less, but eating more was forbidden.

This was mainly done by Aoto on purpose so that the squad members would envy the unlimited refills at the officers' cafeteria.

But as the 4th Division's aid station began serving the same food and even allowed extra helpings, a group of animals shifted their target.

Every day, they would intentionally get themselves slashed and then go to the 4th Division to mooch a meal.

They didn't dare do this when Aoto was around, but when Aoto went to the human world for several days in a row, the emergency ward beds were packed every day...

However, when the 4th Division's food reserves were eaten up early by their constant refills, leading Vice-Captain Yamada Seinosuke to come to the 11th Division to demand supplies, those animals finally behaved!

They were so well-behaved that Aoto didn't even notice the situation when he returned.

Subordinates often hide many things from their superiors. Shiro was already an officer at that time and didn't know what those squad members had done.

After Shiba Kaien finished speaking, he looked at Aoto's face, which had already turned black.

Black as could be!

Aoto felt incredibly embarrassed right now.

That bunch of animals had caused him to lose face to the ends of the earth!

And here Aoto thought there was some situation in the 4th Division, or perhaps some special private operation.

So it was those animals who caused the ruckus themselves!

Although he knew Shiba Kaien was currently gloating, Aoto still thanked him, "Thanks, Kaien! Eat as much of the wolf leg as you want, pack some up if you like! Just leave a quarter for me!"

Having said that, Aoto stood up.

He had to go handle this matter right now.

Otherwise, his mind would not be at ease.

Watching Aoto's irritated back, Shiba Kaien burst into laughter.

It was rare to see Aoto so flustered; those guys under his command had better be careful not to get beaten to death by him!

However, this roasted wolf leg—could it really be packed up?

If he left a quarter for Aoto... would leaving just the bone suffice?

In terms of both weight and volume, such a large bone would definitely exceed a quarter!

Food with Level 4 spiritual pressure would be very helpful for Ganju's growth.

Although Aoto was annoyed, he did not return to the 11th Division immediately; instead, he went to the 4th Division.

Even though the moon had long since risen, the 4th Division was still brightly lit.

After all, no hospital anywhere ever closes its doors... private clinics excluded.

Aoto had come here to tell Lieutenant Yamada Seinosuke that if his subordinates came here for treatment for daily injuries in the future, they shouldn't be allowed to get a second serving of food, otherwise those animals would intentionally injure themselves.

However, the person Aoto saw when he walked into the emergency room was not Lieutenant Yamada Seinosuke.

It was the 4th Division Captain—Unohana Retsu!

Although she wore her hair in two thick braids and had a habitual smile on her face, Aoto became extremely serious the moment he saw her.

"Captain Unohana!" Aoto greeted her very respectfully.

Unohana seemed to be deep in thought, but upon hearing the greeting, she looked up and saw Aoto.

"Oh my, it's Aoto!"

Her voice was pleasant to the ear!

But it made Aoto's entire body go numb.