"Five newcomers! Sit over there!"
"Your posture's too high! Way too high!"
"In other words… your attitude is so high!"
"I am the Number One Zanpakutō Forger!"
"Ōetsu Nimaiya."
"Please, Masatsuki-kun, let's get along, let's get along—"
"Zanpakutō—LOVE IT!"
...
Under the neon glow of Hōōden's sign, Ōetsu Nimaiya danced and gestured wildly like a rapper on stage.
Masatsuki Aozaki stared at the spectacle for a few seconds, his mouth twitching involuntarily.
Turning to Kirio Hikifune beside him, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Kirio… You guys really have it rough."
Kirio Hikifune waved a hand dismissively.
"It's not that bad. Once you hear it enough times, it actually gets kind of fun."
"Besides, we usually stay in our own Zero Division Riden, so it's not like we get to watch his performances that often."
At that moment, having just finished greeting Ichibē Hyōsube, Ōetsu Nimaiya sauntered over to Masatsuki Aozaki.
"Hey, Masatsuki-chan, how do you like my Hōōden?"
"Not to brag, but my Hōōden is definitely the coolest palace in all of the Soul King Palace."
"Why not stay for a while? I guarantee you'll have the nicest experience!"
Masatsuki Aozaki glanced at the beautiful attendants surrounding him, hesitating for a moment.
Each of them was a manifested sword spirit, personally forged by Ōetsu Nimaiya.
He had to admit, they were all stunning—enough to make anyone tempted.
But then he turned and caught sight of Kirio Hikifune downing her drink in one go.
Masatsuki waved a hand dismissively.
"Thanks, but I already promised Kirio I'd head over to Gatonden."
A few blade spirits think they can tempt me?
If I look, don't they already belong to me?
Do you even understand the joy of freeloading?
Hearing Masatsuki's response, Ōetsu let out an exaggerated sigh.
It had been a while since someone interesting showed up, and he had been looking forward to messing around a bit.
After all, life in the Soul King Palace could be mind-numbingly boring.
As a member of Zero Division, he was bound to this place, unable to leave unless granted permission by the Soul King himself.
Honestly, his most exciting moment in the last thousand years had probably been the time he got to travel to Seireitei and bring Tenjirō Kirinji up to the Soul King Palace.
"Well, whatever. I heard your Zanpakutō has some unique abilities that might be perfect for forging, so I thought it'd be fun to discuss the craft with you."
"But if you're not interested, then forget it."
The moment he finished speaking, he looked up—
Only to find Masatsuki Aozaki already standing right in front of him.
Before he could react, he felt a firm grip on his hand.
"Brother Ōetsu, to be honest, the old man has always told me that your forging skills are unmatched in the world."
"I've admired you for a long time. Since you're interested, why don't we get started right now?"
Masatsuki Aozaki's expression was serious, his tone completely sincere.
He looked every bit like an eager student, ready for his lesson.
Ōetsu Nimaiya: "..."
This kid…
He flipped the script just like that?!
Yep, no doubt about it—he's definitely Yamamoto Shigekuni's disciple!
Meanwhile, Ichibē Hyōsube grinned widely.
His bright smile remained fixed as he watched the scene unfold with great amusement.
In his deep-set eyes, a flicker of curiosity and anticipation gleamed—
As if he couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
"If you really want to learn, I won't stop you. But you won't be staying here long, so how much you can grasp depends on you."
"Speaking of time…"
Hearing Masatsuki Aozaki's puzzled voice, the members of Zero Division all turned to look at him.
Under their collective gaze, Masatsuki scratched his head and asked,
"When exactly am I supposed to meet the Soul King?"
The rest of Zero Division froze for a moment before simultaneously shifting their eyes to Ichibē Hyōsube.
Clearly, even they didn't know the answer to that question.
Ichibē let out a hearty laugh, waving his hand dismissively.
"Who knows? I'll have to ask His Majesty myself."
"No rush, just take your time and enjoy yourself here in the Soul King Palace. You'll meet him soon enough."
Masatsuki Aozaki nodded thoughtfully, indicating his understanding.
None of the Zero Division members, including Kirio Hikifune, saw this as a big deal.
They had all been present when the Soul King personally ordered Masatsuki's arrival—there was no question that it was the King's will.
And the Soul King never joked.
If he said he would meet someone, that meeting was inevitable. It was only a matter of time.
In fact, they found this situation rather amusing. It wasn't every day a new face showed up in the Soul King Palace—this was a rare chance to liven things up a bit.
...
With business concluded, the gathering shifted into a more relaxed and festive atmosphere.
After the long-overdue merriment finally came to an end, the members of Zero Division dispersed from Hōōden, each returning to their respective Zero Division Riden.
Masatsuki Aozaki, meanwhile, stuck to his original plan—heading to Gatonden.
After all, he had already promised Kirio Hikifune, and he wasn't about to go back on his word.
As for his long-awaited lessons in Zanpakutō forging—
Ōetsu Nimaiya agreed to let him come by Hōōden whenever he had time to learn and enjoy himself.
After reluctantly parting ways with the sword spirits, Masatsuki followed Kirio Hikifune and Senjumaru Shutara to a palace filled with the rich aroma of food.
Though it was called a palace, in reality, it resembled a traditional Japanese-style home.
In terms of size, it didn't even compare to the Aozaki estate.
But that didn't matter to Kirio Hikifune.
The entire floating city beneath them was hers, and as far as she was concerned, all she needed in this place was a kitchen—and a space to live.
...
Standing in the kitchen, Kirio Hikifune tied an apron around her waist.
Even through multiple layers of fabric, her striking figure was impossible to conceal.
"Masatsuki, I built this place just for you, exactly to your style~"
She grinned proudly.
"Not only does it have everything you'd find in Soul Society, but I even stocked it with all the latest kitchen gadgets from the World of the Living!"
"With your skills, I'm sure you'll have no trouble using them!"
By the end of her sentence, her smile was practically glowing.
Masatsuki Aozaki, however, simply curled his lips in mild annoyance.
After decades apart, they had finally reunited—living under the same roof, no less.
And the first thing she wanted was… for him to cook?
This is exploitation. Absolutely outrageous.
...
After turning off the stove, Masatsuki clapped his hands and stepped aside.
Kirio Hikifune, now standing beside him, glanced at his profile with a mischievous smirk.
"You sure about this? Masatsuki, maybe you should check the pot first," she reminded.
"You've noticed it too, right? The environment in the Soul King Palace is different from Soul Society, and this is your first time cooking with Gikon ingredients."
"So… are you really certain nothing will go wrong?"
Masatsuki Aozaki waved off her concerns without hesitation.
"There's no need to worry. I've made this dish tens of thousands of times—there's no way I'd mess it up."
Reflecting on the past century, he realized he hadn't cooked as often as he used to.
But given how he had spoiled certain people's palates over the years, his skills had never dulled.
Anyone who had ever eaten his food had nothing but praise for it.
"Alright then, let me show you what a Master Chef's Chinese Cuisine looks like—Baoshan Flying Dragon Hotpot!"
With absolute confidence, Masatsuki lifted the lid of the pot.
...
Kirio Hikifune stood quietly to the side, letting the steam wash over her.
She casually adjusted her hair, her gaze fixed on Masatsuki's face.
But as the steam gradually settled—
The sight before them made Masatsuki Aozaki blink in disbelief.
"...Huh?"
He rubbed his eyes, as if trying to clear his vision.
Inside the pot was—
A pitch-black mass.
There was no way—no way—this could be called food.
After all these years, Masatsuki Aozaki had finally gotten the chance to show off his superior culinary skills in front of Kirio Hikifune.
And yet—
It all ended in disaster, with nothing but a charred, unrecognizable mess.