Bleach: Getting Stronger Starting from Teaching at the Spiritual Arts Academy

Komamura Sajin looked at the fish he was grilling in his hand, feeling a little reluctant. The people outside weren't his clansmen, so he didn't leave immediately, intending to finish grilling the fish first.

Komamura Sajin's ears twitched under his bamboo helmet; he sensed someone approaching the cemetery.

"It smells so good! Is someone grilling something in the back?" Kyoraku Shunsui walked past the shrine hall toward the backyard.

"Tsk tsk, grilling fish on a grave?" Kyoraku Shunsui exclaimed in amazement when he saw the grilled fish on the bonfire in front of the grave and the figure wearing a bamboo helmet.

In July, following behind Kyoraku Shunsui, they also saw Komamura Sajin grilling fish.

He was somewhat surprised, not expecting to encounter Komamura Sajin again so soon.

In July's memory, Komamura Sajin seemed to have received a favor from Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, and from then on, Komamura Sajin was loyal to Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

It now seems highly likely that this incident occurred during this 'study tour'.

"What a big fish! This fish is pretty good, can we have half?" Kyoraku Shunsui, being shameless, directly approached Komamura Sajin, "I can buy it with money."

Komamura Sajin remained aloof, uttering only two words: "Go ahead."

He had been hungry for most of the day and didn't really want to share the fish, but to avoid conflict, he agreed to Kyoraku Shunsui's request.

As a member of the werewolf clan who is not well-liked, Komamura Sajin lives a somewhat restrained life.

Chapter 170 Chance Encounter

"How much would it cost if we shared half of the fish?" Kyoraku Shunsui asked.

"No need, it's just fish I caught in the river." Komamura Sajin felt that these were fish he had gotten for free and didn't intend to charge him.

July understood why Komamura Sajin was so poor; even though he had fallen on hard times, he was still willing to share food with them.

"No money needed? Thank you!" Kyoraku Shunsui took back the money pouch.

"If you're not going to charge us, then use my homemade sauce." July took a bottle of prepared barbecue sauce from her cloth backpack and tossed it to Komamura Sajin.

Komamura Sajin caught the sauce bottle, unscrewed the cap, and took a sniff. He was immediately invigorated, and even the ears under the bamboo tube twitched a few times.

"This sauce smells amazing!" Komamura Sajin felt his mouth watering uncontrollably.

Komamura Sajin couldn't wait to sprinkle the sauce on the grilled fish.

The skin of the grilled fish gradually turns golden brown and crispy, with juices and sauces intertwining, creating an irresistible aroma that makes your mouth water.

The frequency with which they swallowed their saliva increased significantly.

Even the crows gathering on the dead trees are increasing in number, as nearby crows are drawn over by the aroma.

After the fish was grilled, Komamura Sajin took half of it.

"This fish looks big, but the flesh is quite tender." July tried it, and the skin of the grilled fish was crispy, while the flesh inside remained tender, allowing you to experience a rich variety of flavors with every bite.

"It smells delicious!" Kyoraku Shunsui took out some wine and cups from his package, poured a cup for each of them, and then began to sip.

"And the taste is great too, Shikatori-kun's sauce is excellent," Ukitake Jushiro praised.

“It’s a blessing to be able to eat such delicious food in the wild,” said Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni with a relaxed expression.

When Komamura Sajin ate, he didn't take off his bamboo helmet; he simply opened a small gap in the middle of the helmet and put the food in.

"Your sauce is indeed delicious." Komamura Sajin couldn't help but praise it after tasting the grilled fish.

"It's homemade, and it's okay for use in the wild. If you could marinate the fish beforehand, the grilled fish would taste even better," July said with a smile.

"I'm afraid there's no one in the entire Soul Society who can match Shikatori-kun's culinary skills," Ukitake Jushiro praised.

"You flatter me. Actually, Ms. Kiryu's cooking skills are no less than mine." July waved her hand and chuckled.

"Ms. Kiryu's cooking skills... I've tasted them too, they're truly amazing." Jushiro Ukitake recalled the delicious food he had once enjoyed and smiled gently.

Komamura Sajin remained silent, quietly finishing the grilled fish in his hands.

He didn't drink a drop of the drink that Kyoraku Shunsui offered him.

The sauce was fine; since everyone ate together, he wasn't worried about any problems with it.

But drinks are different; he won't drink drinks offered by strangers.

Komamura Sajin's solo adventures were not without their rewards; after being tricked a few times, he learned some life lessons.

After finishing their grilled fish, the group returned to the shrine in front to rest.

Just then, Komamura Sajin heard a sound coming from outside the shrine.

Komamura Sajin listened carefully and heard the sounds of horses' hooves and wheels, as well as people talking.

“If I remember correctly, there is indeed an abandoned shrine here. Sir, why don’t we rest here tonight?”

"It's so dilapidated, is it really okay? It might collapse in the middle of the night."

"It should be fine. I've rested here a few times. Please wait here, my lord and madam. I'll go in and check first."

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure walked into the shrine's main hall, and he quickly saw that there were people inside.

When they saw that July and the others, as well as Komamura Sajin, were all dressed as commoners, they felt slightly relieved and were not too surprised.

This place is a desolate wilderness, and people familiar with this road usually come to this shrine to rest.

The person who came in didn't speak to July and the others, but observed the situation inside the shrine and then left.

"My lord, the ancestral hall is in alright; we should be fine for one night's rest. However, there are already a few people inside..."

"It's okay, let's go in."

Eight people entered, three of whom were dressed as guards, just like the person who had entered earlier.

The last four people to enter included a man and a woman dressed in exquisite attire, clearly of noble birth, and a maidservant.

The woman, dressed in gorgeous clothes, was being supported by a maid. Judging from the outline of her abdomen, she was pregnant.

Another maid laid out a soft cushion on the floor for the pregnant woman to lie down on.

"Excuse me, we also need to stay here for the night," the nobleman said politely.

“It’s alright,” Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni said calmly.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni did not recognize the nobleman, but the nobleman had actually seen him before.

However, the ancestral hall was dark and the view was dim, so even though Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni and the others were not wearing straw hats, no one could see their faces clearly.

No one would have imagined that Captain-Commander Yamamoto would be resting in this small, dilapidated shrine.

The three groups of people stayed in their own places in the ancestral hall without disturbing each other, and the night passed peacefully.

Early the next morning, Komamura Sajin left the shrine.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni didn't want to be recognized, so he led July and the others away from the shrine early on.

"Hey, big guy, where are you headed?" Kyoraku Shunsui struck up a conversation with Komamura Sajin, who was walking ahead of him.

“Let’s go to the saber-dye area,” Komamura Sajin said casually.

In reality, he didn't know where he should go, or even where the 'Gunpowder District' was. He had only heard about the place from others before and wanted to go and see it.

“If you’re going to the ramen area, it’s on our way, so why don’t we go together? It’ll be good to have someone to look after you,” July suggested with a smile.

Kyoraku Shunsui's lips curled up slightly. Shikari Nanatsuki was indeed his good brother, understanding his meaning so quickly.

They hadn't encountered anything unusual along the way, and were getting a little bored, so they wanted to find something to do.

He had long suspected that the werewolf was in trouble, but old man Yamamoto certainly wouldn't interfere in such matters, so he thought of inviting the werewolf to go with him.

“Yes, yes, let’s go together!” Kyoraku Shunsui said enthusiastically.

"No need..." Komamura Sajin didn't really want to be with the others. He hadn't sorted out the trouble he caused last time, and he didn't want to involve others.

“What’s wrong with traveling together? Just consider it as us hiring you as our bodyguard. You’re such a big guy, you must be pretty good at fighting, right?” July said with a smile.

He also didn't want to miss the opportunity to subdue Komamura Sajin.

Komamura Sajin is a loyal and brave man; if we could win him over, he would be a great asset.

Chapter 171 Familiar Name

After being persuaded by July and Kyoraku Shunsui, Komamura Sajin finally agreed to go with them.

Because the condition proposed in July was that meals be provided!

Komamura Sajin is currently in a period of spiritual pressure growth, and he already needs to eat a lot. Now, he is suffering from hunger because he is not eating regularly.

July and Kyoraku Shunsui thought that the trouble caused by Komamura Sajin would come knocking on their door soon, but they didn't see the werewolves chasing after them until they left Suzuka Ward.

After leaving Suzuka Ward, the five headed east and soon entered the Flower Withering Ward.

"This place is really desolate, and the concentration of spiritual particles has dropped a lot." July looked around the environment of the withered flower area.

“Yes, it’s all barren mountains, there’s hardly any grass.” Kyoraku Shunsui nodded.

"A rebellion occurred in the Flower Withering District twenty years ago, and the residents here underwent a large-scale migration, which greatly reduced the number of souls, and the area became deserted." Ukitake Jushiro recalled the records he had read.

"The number of souls will affect the concentration of spiritual particles in the environment. Several batches of souls need to be migrated here before this land can regain its vitality." Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni made up his mind. After returning, he would arrange this matter and migrate some souls from other areas.

The soul and the environment influence each other, much like the relationship between plants and the land.

After a soul dies and its physical body dissipates, it becomes part of the atmosphere. Over time, this increases the concentration of spiritual particles in the land, which in turn affects the souls born and living in that place.

The conversation among the group piqued Komamura Sajin's curiosity. These fellow travelers seemed to have far more knowledge than ordinary residents of Rukongai, suggesting they were likely not ordinary people.

However, Komamura Sajin had no intention of actively investigating; he simply listened quietly.

"The place is quite desolate, but there are quite a few shrines and temples."

They discovered another shrine, but it was still early, so they didn't plan to go in and rest.

Just then, everyone heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from behind them.

In July, he turned his head and saw a horse-drawn carriage speeding along the road.

He had seen the carriage before, right in front of the abandoned shrine he had left this morning.

The guards we saw earlier were not around the carriage; the carriage was being driven by a maid.

Even from a distance, July could see the panic on the maid's face.

She seemed to have little control over the carriage.

"Get out of the way!" The maid's voice was trembling with tears.

The maid pulled hard on the reins, and the irritable horse, startled by the pull, suddenly reared up.

But the carriage was still moving at high speed, and the horses' movements caused the speeding carriage to lose its balance instantly.

The carriage was suddenly thrown off course.

bang——

The carriage rolled several times on the ground before crashing into the roadside and coming to a stop.

“I remember there was a pregnant woman in this family, this is not good…” Kyoraku Shunsui scratched his face.

"Let's go take a look; maybe we can help," said Jushiro Ukitake, who was quite enthusiastic.

Komamura Sajin's nose twitched; he smelled blood.

When the group arrived at the wrecked carriage, the maid who had been driving it had just gotten up from the ground.

"Madam!" The maidservant frantically scrambled to salvage the wrecked carriage.

Komamura Sajin stepped forward and pulled away the wooden plank, revealing a pregnant woman covered in blood.

Jushiro Ukitake placed his fingers on the pregnant woman's wrist and quickly shook his head:

"No pulse."

“She’s long dead.” July looked over and noticed a penetrating wound from a sharp object in the pregnant woman’s chest.

The pregnant woman had already died before the carriage overturned.

"What a pity! We were perfectly fine when we left this morning, but now we've lost both our lives and the unborn child!" Kyoraku Shunsui sighed.

“There are still faint spiritual pressure fluctuations in her stomach,” Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni suddenly said.

The group was slightly taken aback. Perhaps the spiritual pressure fluctuations were too weak, and only Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni could sense them.

"Is Miss still alive?" the maid pleaded. "Please, gentlemen, save Miss!"