"Open your mouth…"
"Lift up your shirt… No, that's not what I meant! I just want to listen to your heartbeat!"
"Turn over, back facing me…"
"Cover your left eye, then look here…"
"Stop staring at me—take this seriously, you idiot…"
"Huh?! What do you mean if I give you a kiss, you'll see more clearly? You… Never mind, just hold on…"
"Keep your hands to yourself!"
A rush of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the room, followed by a knock at the door.
Without looking up from her notes, Isane spoke.
"Come in. The routine check-up is finished."
The door creaked open.
Momo Hinamori peeked her head inside, just in time to see Seiya sitting on the edge of the bed, fastening the buttons on his shihakushō.
After greeting Isane, Momo entered the room with practiced ease and reached out to support Seiya.
"Captain, how are you feeling?"
How else could he feel? It's not like he could suddenly be fully recovered.
Seiya could only offer a sheepish smile.
"Well… better than before, at least."
Isane, standing beside them, nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. Your recovery is progressing even faster than Captain Unohana expected."
That wasn't just empty praise.
With each routine check-up, Seiya's condition was carefully recorded, allowing for a precise assessment of his progress.
Every indicator was steadily improving, and at this point, it felt like he was practically thriving.
Comparing today's results with past records, Isane visibly relaxed.
No matter what, the fact that his condition was no longer deteriorating… that alone was enough to make her happy.
In contrast, the person in question seemed completely unconcerned.
As Momo helped him to his feet, he even had the energy to joke.
"If someone were more cooperative, my heart rate might have increased even more."
Momo blinked, clearly confused.
Meanwhile, Isane silently turned her face away.
Her nose and cheeks were already flushed red.
This guy always pulled nonsense like this when they were alone. And while, while…
She didn't exactly dislike it…
Right now, they were working!
If he messed around and caused an error in her records, misjudging his condition could lead to serious problems!
"This is the last time!"
With a huff, she gathered up her documents and tucked them under her arm.
Isane strode toward the door, looking as if she intended to leave immediately—only to hesitate at the last moment.
She half-turned her head, her face still carrying the warmth of lingering embarrassment, her eyes conflicted as she avoided Seiya's gaze.
"The seasons are changing, so make sure to stay warm. Also, drink more water… Your tongue is coated."
"Oh~ How thoughtful."
"Hmph…"
Clearly, she had no desire to keep talking to him.
But before she left, she turned to Momo, speaking in a quieter voice.
"Lieutenant Hinamori, this idiot probably won't remember any of this, so I'll have to trouble you to keep an eye on him…"
It was a personal request—something she normally wouldn't say out loud.
But there was no choice.
As the Fourth Division's lieutenant, she had her own duties to attend to. Being able to check on him regularly like this was already pushing the limits of her 'personal interest.'
This mixture of helplessness and concern…
Was met with an eager response.
"Yes! Leave it to me, Lieutenant Isane!"
Good—such enthusiasm!
After Isane left the Fifth Division's barracks, Seiya wasted no time in starting some light rehabilitation exercises.
"I'm not so weak that I need help just to walk."
At his insistence, Momo eventually left as well.
Now alone, Seiya finally had the freedom to move around more freely.
There were many things he needed to confirm.
But at this moment, only two were truly urgent.
First—
His forcibly severed and absorbed half-soul.
Seiya had tried countless times to re-establish a connection with his 'other half,' but the results had been disappointing.
Like sugar dissolving in water, the essence of it had become indistinguishable.
'I can still sense my power… inside Masaki Kurosaki.'
If he could personally break it apart and extract it, Seiya was confident he could reclaim it.
But that method was too extreme—so, of course, it wasn't an option.
As he pondered, Seiya suddenly felt it.
The half of his soul inside Masaki was shifting, changing—
An external force was interfering with it.
Based on what he knew from the original timeline, he quickly understood what was happening.
'It must be Isshin Shiba's Shinigami powers.'
This was Urahara's solution—using those powers to neutralize the Hollow's poison.
Going by the timeline…
They should be conceiving a child right about now.
How enviable. If he remembered correctly, they would end up having three kids.
Staring at his palm, Seiya clenched and relaxed his fingers, contemplating his situation.
'I may not be able to watch everything unfold…'
'But once my essence transfers from Masaki to Ichigo…'
'Maybe I'll finally regain control over my missing half?'
It was only a possibility.
But even that was enough to make Seiya look forward to it.
The process might be complicated, but the result was promising.
With his power involved…
Ichigo Kurosaki, what will you be capable of in this timeline?
How interesting.
With a quiet sigh, Seiya set those thoughts aside for now, refocusing on another matter.
Beyond his own power, there was movement within the Reigai faction.
Lately, they had been making frequent visits to the Seireitei.
Their exact purpose was unclear, but it wasn't difficult to guess.
——Hueco Mundo.
The timeline was catching up.
Even if Ichigo wasn't born yet, he should already exist as a fertilized egg…
Given everything that followed, including the invasion arc and the sudden emergence of the 'Reversal Membrane'…
It all pointed to one conclusion:
The Reigai had spent decades studying Hueco Mundo.
Even though the major battles against figures like Barragan were yet to come, by this point, they had likely gathered a wealth of information.
Looking at everything from a broader perspective…
It was hard not to admire it.
What seemed like nothing more than Aizen's personal showboating was, in reality, a masterfully constructed stage, years in the making.
That saying about three minutes on stage requiring ten years of practice?
It applied here perfectly.
And Seiya couldn't help but feel annoyed.
Thanks to his condition, there was no way the Reigai would let him accompany them to Hueco Mundo.
So much missed excitement.
Hueco Mundo, one of the three fundamental realms, might have been desolate, but it had its own allure.
Every lost opportunity was a visible regret.
Still, Seiya wasn't too bothered.
After all, this experience…
Might have been a blessing in disguise.
Reaching for the Zanpakutō at his waist, he coughed lightly, his eyes gleaming with subtle anticipation.
His Bankai—Eight Aspects of the Heavenly Dragon.
So far, he had only unlocked a few of its abilities.
But now… he could feel it.
Something was stirring within.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured:
"Bankai… Garuda?"
In Buddhist lore, Garuda was the golden-winged bird deity.
It fed on dragons, but when its body became saturated with poison, it would soar into the sky seven times before landing atop Mount Vajra, where it would die.
Its corpse would burn away, leaving behind only a single heart, glowing with a pure blue luster.
The philosophy behind it became clear to Seiya in that instant.
An invisible ripple spread around him.
Even though his damaged state prevented him from fully wielding his Bankai…
This ability had its own unique 'personality.'
Even without mastering Bankai, Seiya could still wield it.
Bankai: Garuda.
Its ability—'Save' and 'Load.'
A record of his existence, allowing him to restore himself to a past state.
A way to heal fatal wounds, replenish reiatsu, and regain lost stamina—
A resurrection ability, just like the mythical Garuda itself.
——If only it had awakened earlier.
Wouldn't that have saved him all this trouble?
But Seiya knew.
Without this ordeal, he wouldn't have understood the true meaning of 'rebirth.'
Perhaps this was fate.
With a quiet laugh, he let go of his concerns.
Gains and losses were inevitable.
This was just another step forward.
As the autumn wind blew, Seiya pulled his robe tighter around himself, smiling.
This time's story…
It's going to be interesting.
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Powerstones?
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