Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

"Yes, Captain Kuchiki may seem cold, but he probably won't mistreat her."

He shook his head, as if trying to shake off the inexplicable irritation, and then patted Liu Chuan hard.

"Let's not talk about that! Come on, let's go grab a drink! I know a place nearby that has really strong liquor! You're a member of the Ghost Path Clan, don't tell me you don't even drink anymore?"

Seeing Renji instantly regain his energy, Yanagawa smiled.

"Okay," he replied.

Renji raised a thick eyebrow, his curiosity piqued once more.

"After leaving the First Division, they said they had some business to attend to... Hey, Yanagawa, are you getting a promotion? The position of Grand Master of the Kidō Clan has been vacant for a long time. Could it be that the Captain-Commander has taken a liking to you?"

He speculated wildly.

Liu Chuan chuckled and shook his head: "No, it's not convenient to say the specifics, but you should know in a few days."

"Still so mysterious..." Renji muttered, but didn't pay much attention.

There are plenty of strange and unusual missions in the Gotei 13, so it's normal for the Kido Clan to have some secrets.

"Alright, alright, you demon cultists are always causing trouble. Whatever, let's go drink! Today I'm going to show you that the Eleventh Division's drinking capacity is something the demon cultists can't match!"

Without saying a word, he put his arm around Liu Chuan's shoulder and started to drag him forward.

Yanagawa reluctantly followed him for a few steps, listening to Renji rambling on about which team member had challenged Captain Zaraki and gotten beaten to a pulp.

The sense of alienation and pressure I felt from the top of the world in the First Division seemed to have been diluted quite a bit.

'Rukia...the Kuchiki family...' Yanagawa took a sip of the shochu that Renji had recommended.

He thought of that girl who always tried to appear strong but was actually soft-hearted, now bound by the elaborate etiquette of the nobility and the cold aura of Kuchiki Byakuya.

"Hey, Yanagawa, what are you daydreaming about! Drink up!" Renji's loud voice interrupted his thoughts, and a glass full of strong liquor was slammed heavily in front of him.

Chapter 4 Rukia Kuchiki

After discussing the daily antics of the Eleventh Division and complaining about Captain Zaraki's incomprehensible "training" methods, the topic subtly circled back to that name after a brief silence.

Liu Chuan held his wine glass, his gaze fixed on the swirling, clear liquid within. He asked a question casually, his voice steady, revealing little inquisitiveness:

"Speaking of which, Renji, you were by Rukia's side when she decided... to accept the Kuchiki family's arrangement, weren't you?"

Renji paused slightly as he raised his glass to drink, then gulped down most of it before wiping his mouth and mumbling a "hmm" as he stared at the wood grain on the table.

"Back then," Liu Chuan asked, his gaze shifting from his wine glass to his friend's profile, continuing in his straightforward tone, "

"Have you ever thought about doing something? Or, looking back now, do you ever feel... that you should have done something to stop her from entering that world?"

"boom."

Renji slammed the wine glass back onto the table with a heavy thud.

He suddenly raised his head, his bright red eyebrows furrowed tightly, and his usual arrogance and straightforwardness disappeared.

Instead, there was a kind of irritability caused by being suddenly touched on a sore spot, and a deeper, almost overflowing, complex emotion.

"Stop? What can I use to stop you?!" His voice unconsciously rose a little, but he didn't care, or rather, he had no time to care at the moment.

"That's the Kuchiki family! The head of the four noble families! Captain Kuchiki personally intervened, and the conditions they offered Rukia were things that someone like me, who rolls around in the mud of Rukongai, wouldn't even dare to dream of!"

"Safety, status, no more worries about going hungry, no more fear of being attacked... Why should I stop it? What right do I have to stop it?!"

His words came out like a machine gun, carrying strong emotions that were unclear whether they were directed at Yanagawa's problem or at his own powerless and frustrated self from back then.

But after the roar, his momentum quickly subsided. He lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously digging into the rough texture of the cup.

The noise in the tavern seemed to be isolated, leaving only a slightly oppressive silence at their table.

"Do you regret it..." Renji's voice lowered, becoming terribly hoarse, repeating the sharper word from Yanagawa's question.

He twitched the corners of his mouth, trying to put on a nonchalant expression, but failed.

"To say I've never thought about it is nonsense." He stared at his wine glass, as if he could see the past reflected in it.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his breath reeking of alcohol: "I regret... I regret why I was so weak back then."

"At the True Central Spiritual Arts Academy, my grades are not as good as yours. I don't have any talent in the Ghost Path, I only have brute strength."

I graduated, desperately trying to become stronger, and joined the Eleventh Division, thinking that as long as I was good at fighting, everything would be fine. But some things can't be solved just by hacking and slashing.

“I even…” His voice trailed off, almost as if he were talking to himself.

"I even regret that I should have always taken her around and caused trouble in Rukongai back then."

If I were more reliable and became stronger sooner, could I give her... a safe place where she wouldn't have to rely on others' charity?

But he spoke these words without any conviction. They knew the cruelty of Rukongai better than anyone else.

The so-called "stability" is such a luxury and an illusion in that land where the strong prey on the weak.

"But..." Renji took another gulp of sake, this time drinking too quickly and choking, coughing twice. His eyes were a little red, whether from choking or something else, it was hard to tell.

"But what can I change? What can I say? Am I supposed to cling to her legs and cry 'Don't go!' That would be truly despicable!"

Liu Chuan listened quietly, without interrupting or making any judgments.

He was merely a listener, watching his friend pour out his emotions, which had been suppressed for many years, fueled by alcohol and this direct question.

He understood Renji's pain, which did not stem from a lack of care or concern, but rather from the immense sense of unease between his profound concern and his own inadequacy to provide a "better option."

And the loneliness of watching someone important walk down a path destined to be filled with estrangement, a path you are powerless to accompany.

Renji finally seemed to have exhausted all his strength; his shoulders slumped slightly, and his voice was weary.

"So what's the use of regretting it? She chose the path herself, and it was the best path for her that I could see at the time."

"What I can do now is to continue to become stronger, strong enough that at least when she needs help, I will have the power to do something, instead of just watching like I did back then."

Yanagawa picked up his almost untouched glass of wine and gently pushed it towards Renji.

"You're not wrong, Renji." Yanagawa finally spoke, his voice calm yet carrying a strange persuasive power.

"Rukia wasn't wrong either. At that moment, you all made the best choices you could, based on your own understanding and abilities."

"Ah...maybe," he said softly, downing the wine in his glass in one gulp, this time swallowing much more smoothly.

"Thanks, Liuchuan. Sometimes talking to you is quite sobering." He tried to force a smile, though it was still somewhat strained.

Liu Chuan smiled slightly and did not continue this heavy topic.

He knew that some knots in one's heart need time to untie and that the person involved needs to resolve them themselves.

All he could do was offer a listening ear and a bit of analysis from an outsider's perspective.

"Boss, another pot!" Renji shouted toward the counter, his voice regaining some of its former energy.

Chapter 5 Showdown

After a few jugs of strong liquor, the gloom in Renji's eyes caused by memories was replaced by a more intense light—the belligerence and excitement of the Eleventh Division warriors.

He suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the stone floor with a screeching sound, drawing the attention of several other guests at nearby tables.

Renji was completely unconcerned, his expression filled with a sense of eager anticipation and challenge.

"Hey, Yanagawa! Drinking alone isn't fun!" He reached out and patted the Jabi-maru at his waist, the scabbard emitting a slight hum.

"Let's have a match! Let me see what you've accomplished in the Ghost Path over the past ten years! Don't tell me you only know how to use your Ghost Path skills to open doors and build barriers!"

Liu Chuan put down his wine glass and looked up at his aggressive friend.

The alcohol made Renji's spiritual pressure more outward than usual, carrying the burning sensation unique to the Eleventh Division.

He could sense the fighting spirit in the other person's words. It was another way for Renji Abarai to express his concern, and also a direct way to test each other's growth over the years.

"Oh?" Liu Chuan was not intimidated by this sudden challenge; instead, a faint hint of interest flashed in his eyes.

He really wanted to see the red-haired boy who used to scratch his head in Kido class, but who stood out in actual combat with his amazing fighting spirit and beast-like intuition.

Just how far have they progressed in their training? "Here?"

"Of course not!" Renji waved his hand. "Let's go to our Eleventh Division's training grounds! It's big and sturdy enough there, you can fight all you want!"

Without saying a word, he grabbed the bill from the table, threw it to the boss, and then dragged Liu Chuan by the arm and walked out.

"Come on, come on! Let me see if this former top student has lost any of his skills!"

Liu Chuan let him pull him along, a faint smile of helplessness on his face, but his steps did not falter.

Good, it'll be good to stretch his muscles, and he also wants to personally experience the level of the core force of the Soul Society's combat troops.

The Eleventh Division's barracks are located in a relatively peripheral area of ​​Seireitei. The architectural style is rough and bold, far less refined than the barracks of other divisions, but it has its own undisguised powerful aura.

Even before getting close, one could vaguely hear shouts, the clash of swords, and unrestrained laughter and roars coming from inside. The spiritual energy permeating the air seemed more active and restless than in other places.

The training ground was an extremely open area, surrounded by many battered wooden stakes.

At this moment, dozens of people are practicing in the arena, and the battle is in full swing, even somewhat chaotic.

There were no elegant moves or strict etiquette; it was more about direct clashes of power and brutal compression of spiritual pressure.

And various highly personal combat techniques aimed at defeating opponents as quickly as possible.

The smell of blood and sweat mingled with the dust, creating a wild and intense atmosphere.

When Renji, sporting striking red hair, dragged Yanagawa, a clearly unfamiliar face, into the training ground, it was like a stone being thrown into a boiling pot of oil.

"Hmm?" "Who is that?" "A member of the Kidoshu?" "Brought back by Renji, the eighth seat of the Kidoshu?"

All eyes instantly turned to them, and the players who were fighting slowed down. The players who were resting on the sidelines, wiping their wounds, or cheering loudly also stopped what they were doing.

Dozens of gazes fell upon Liu Chuan as if they were physical, filled with undisguised scrutiny.

In the Eleventh Division, the rule of the strong is ironclad, while the Kido... in their eyes, are almost synonymous with "weak" and "clerical".

"Hey! Renji!" a bald, burly man asked in a gruff voice.

"Who is this delicate-skinned fellow? Where did you pick him up from? Could it be that the Captain-Commander saw how hard we were training and sent him someone who knows healing techniques to help us? Haha!"

His words elicited a burst of laughter from those around him.

"Shut up, Madarame!" Renji snapped back, but there wasn't much anger in his voice, clearly indicating that this kind of conversation was common in the Eleventh Division.

“This is Yanagawa, my classmate from the Shinigami Academy, now in the Kido Clan.” He specifically emphasized “classmate” and “Kido Clan”.