"Why did Tatsuki-chan leave?" Muten Natsu opened the door with a shopping bag in hand. On his way home, he had seen Tatsuki Arisawa hurrying away. "Isn't she eating dinner with us?"
Ririn smiled mysteriously. "She went home to have all the good stuff to herself."
Muten Natsu: "?"
"Muten~" Orihime Inoue complained to him weakly. "I ordered a bunch of books from Lisa earlier, but Tatsuki-chan took them all away. She even told Ririn to keep an eye on me so I couldn't order any more."
Muten Natsu remembered the e-book reader he had received before and gave Ririn a meaningful look. "Those kinds of books?"
Ririn nodded firmly. "Those kinds."
Muten Natsu's expression turned serious. "I'll help supervise her too."
Orihime Inoue: "Huh? Why?"
"Because..." Muten Natsu thought for a moment, unsure how to explain. "I want hamburger steak."
"Just a moment~" Orihime Inoue picked up the shopping bag and headed into the kitchen.
Ririn: "..."
Orihime Inoue was absolutely the type who could turn a man into a useless bum.
Muten Natsu collapsed onto the sofa in relief.
Ah... Ririn looked at his nearly paralyzed posture.
This man already looked like a useless bum.
After enjoying dinner and taking a bath, Muten Natsu, feeling completely relaxed, sat cross-legged on the bed. His hands were folded over his lower abdomen, ink swirling across them as the black mist drifting out intertwined.
For the Ink Ring he had given Rukia Kuchiki before, most of the time had been spent on design and adjustment.
Reishi density, Reiryoku concentration, Reiatsu strength, the specific structure, and so on... all of it had to be kept in a delicate balance for the Ink Ring to achieve its intended function.
Even with the help of the Shihōin Clan's experienced craftsmen, that long and meticulous process could not be skipped.
It took time to confirm the theory, time to make the actual item, time to test its functions, and more time to fine-tune the details. Compromises and trade-offs were unavoidable along the way.
Generally speaking, Spirit Weapons made with Hell Flames would continually wear down during use until they vanished completely.
So far, there had only been two exceptions.
The first was the Soul Sleep Bracelet Hisana Kuchiki used to maintain her life.
That was only able to keep existing because the Kuchiki Clan contacted the Shihōin Clan and commissioned them to perform regular maintenance.
The second was the Hell Arm Armor Muten Natsu had obtained by burning the arm that reached out from the Gates of Hell.
The pale white arm armor had the ability to store Muten Natsu's power, and part of that power offset the wear from battle, allowing it to continue existing.
It was by taking inspiration from those two special Spirit Weapons that the Ink Ring was finally completed.
After that, Myōki would be used to create a model according to the designed blueprints. Spirit Ink would then be infused into it, and Hell Flames would slowly burn and forge it piece by piece.
At this stage, the Shihōin Clan could basically no longer help.
Muten Natsu had to complete it himself.
Within the tangled black mist, the outline of the Ink Ring gradually became clear.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking came from the door. Muten Natsu opened his eyes, put away the Spirit Ink, and got up to open the door.
Orihime Inoue stood at the doorway, looking a little uneasy. She was wearing loose, comfortable pink-striped pajamas and holding a cute ruffled pillow in her arms. "Muten..."
"What's wrong?"
"I..." Orihime Inoue lightly pressed her lips together. "I feel like my strength has been improving really slowly lately."
"Don't worry. You've been too exhausted recently, so it's normal for your improvement to slow down. Once some time passes and your body recovers, your power will grow along with it..." As Muten Natsu spoke, he suddenly realized that this did not seem to be what Orihime Inoue had meant.
"O-oh... I see..." Orihime Inoue stuck out her tongue. "I was just being too impatient. Then... I'll go sleep first..."
Orihime Inoue lowered her head, her toes wriggling inside her white thigh-high socks. "G-good night..."
Muten Natsu rubbed his ear. Just by seeing those restless little feet, he could guess how much courage it had taken for her to stand there. "Do you want to..."
"Okay!" Before he could finish, Orihime Inoue agreed first. Then she realized she had answered too quickly and lifted the pillow to hide her face. "I mean..."
"I mean... I can't sleep alone." Muten Natsu held out his hand. "It'd be a big help if you're willing."
Orihime Inoue placed her hand in his palm and walked into Muten Natsu's room.
Ririn's little doll hands tapped at her phone as she sent Tatsuki Arisawa a message.
"She went in!"
Tatsuki Arisawa: "???"
She... she was in.
Orihime Inoue hugged her pillow as she sat on the bed.
Originally, she had planned to sleep in her own room, but after spending a while in Soul Society, it had been so long since she last slept there that it felt unfamiliar. She had tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and that was why she came to Muten Natsu's room.
Sniffing lightly like a kitten, Orihime Inoue caught a familiar, comforting scent.
Muten Natsu casually closed the door. "Aren't you taking off your socks?"
"Ah... ah!" Orihime Inoue waved her hands. "N-no... I don't need to..."
"But..." Muten Natsu's gaze lingered on Orihime Inoue's full thighs, which her pajamas could not completely cover. "Won't they leave marks?"
The pure white thigh-high socks pressed a faint indentation just above her knees. The pressure was just right, perfectly showing the softness and spring of her rounded thighs, forming a captivating boundary between her smooth, snow-white skin and the hazy sheen beneath the white fabric.
"Oh, this..." Orihime Inoue set down the pillow, slipped her fair fingertips into the top of the socks, and tugged them down below her knees with a little force. With a slightly proud expression, she said, "There, that's better."
Muten Natsu looked away from Orihime Inoue's [look how smart I am] smile and reached for the light switch. "I'm turning off the light."
"Wait!" Orihime Inoue set her pillow in place, patted it twice, and slipped under the covers. "All set~"
Muten Natsu turned off the bedroom light. He had only just lain down on the bed when Orihime Inoue pulled the blanket over him.
Earlier, he had been sitting cross-legged on the bed, with the blanket set aside. Now that it was covering him, it carried a slight chill, making Orihime Inoue's body heat under the covers easier to feel.
She was warm like a little heater, carrying a faint fragrance. Along with her slightly quickened breathing, it slowly seeped into Muten Natsu's body.
"Good night~" Orihime Inoue's soft, sweet voice sounded by his ear, carrying her warm breath.
Muten Natsu closed his eyes. "Good night."
...
Warm sunlight fell across her face, tickling slightly. Orihime Inoue could not bear to let go of what she was holding, so with her misty eyes half-open, she nuzzled lightly against Muten Natsu's shoulder twice.
Wait.
Her sleepy eyes opened. Looking at Muten Natsu's profile, Orihime Inoue suddenly remembered that Muten Natsu could not go to school right now, so he did not need to get up early.
Then she would be careful...
Orihime Inoue released the arms she had wrapped around Muten Natsu and tried to get up, only to discover that Muten Natsu's arm was also resting on her.
She gently moved Muten Natsu's hand away, then slowly sat up. After taking a moment to steady herself, she turned sideways and got out of bed.
The instant her feet touched the floor, two different sensations made Orihime Inoue wake up a little more.
The sock on her left foot was nowhere to be found, and the long sock on her right foot was full of wrinkles, hanging loosely around her ankle like a slouch sock.
Muten, last night...
Orihime Inoue lightly bit her lower lip and glanced at Muten Natsu, who was still fast asleep. Her movement paused slightly.
Bracing one hand against the edge of the bed, Orihime Inoue lifted her other hand and gathered her sun-warm long hair behind her ear. Then she bent down and gently kissed Muten Natsu on the cheek.
After standing up, she hesitated for a moment, then took off the sock on her right foot and tucked it into the blanket before opening the door and leaving the bedroom.
Orihime Inoue skillfully made breakfast for four. One portion for Ririn, one portion left for Muten Natsu, and two portions for herself.
After changing into her school uniform, Orihime Inoue took Ririn with her and headed to Karakura First High School for the first time in a long while.
"Ah! Long time no see, Orihime!" Mahana Natsui noticed Orihime Inoue entering the classroom and waved in greeting. "Are you feeling better now?"
Orihime Inoue thought for a moment before remembering that she had taken sick leave back then, so she raised her hand and made a flexing gesture. "I'm completely fine now!"
"That's good. Things were really rough before. So many people got sick, and even I felt unwell a while ago. My head was all fuzzy, like I'd forgotten something." Mahana Natsui looked outside the door. "Huh, where's Natsu? Kuchiki-san isn't here either."
"He... they have some things to deal with at home... They'll, um, come back later." Orihime Inoue's eyes wandered as she answered.
"Hm?" Mahana Natsui leaned closer suspiciously. "That expression..."
"Looks like you're lying." Ryō Kunieda moved her gaze from the book in her hands to Orihime Inoue's face. "If it's something inconvenient to talk about, you don't need to force yourself."
"It's not that I can't say..." Orihime Inoue scratched her head. "I just don't know how to explain it..."
"Are you still not fully recovered?" Michiru Ogawa asked worriedly. "The other students who took leave have been coming back one after another. I thought you all would come back together."
"Rukia has already recovered, but she has some things to take care of," Orihime Inoue answered honestly. "Muten is still recovering. He'll probably... be back next month."
"By then, it should already be the closing ceremony. His final exams..." Ryō Kunieda paused. "His grades have always been stable, so I suppose there's no need to worry."
"Orihime!!!" Chizuru Honshō cheered as she approached, then jumped without hesitation from the proper distance and lunged toward her.
"You!" Tatsuki Arisawa intercepted her with precision and pinned Chizuru Honshō to the floor. "You really never learn!"
"Aaaaaah!!!" Chizuru Honshō crawled across the floor with difficulty. "I can't hold back anymore. I urgently need to replenish my Orihime energy!"
"Not happening!" Tatsuki Arisawa increased the pressure, though in her heart, she actually admired Chizuru Honshō a little.
Leaving aside the courage she had shown when facing terrifying enemies in Soul Society, the fact that Chizuru Honshō could still act the same as before after learning about Orihime Inoue's abilities was, in a way, quite rare.
Amid the noise and commotion, class began.
"Oh, isn't that Inoue-san? I was wondering when you'd come back to class." Their homeroom teacher, Misato Ochi, looked left and right. "Where are Natsu and Kuchiki-san? Why didn't they come back with you?"
Orihime Inoue repeated her earlier answer.
"A month, huh... He'll barely make it in time for the final exams." Misato Ochi nodded. "As for Kuchiki-san... health comes first. Don't worry too much about the exams."
"Mm-hmm," Orihime Inoue replied. "I'll tell her."
"Then let's continue class." Misato Ochi put down the attendance sheet and began teaching.
But less than ten minutes later, Uryū Ishida suddenly stood up and rushed out of the classroom.
Misato Ochi shouted after him, "Hey! Ishida, where are you going?"
Uryū Ishida answered as he ran, "I'm going to the infirmary for a bit!"
"Looks like he hasn't fully recovered..." Misato Ochi sighed, then saw another tall figure run out. "Sado, you..."
Yasutora Sado answered simply, "Infirmary."
"Why are those two always feeling sick together?" Misato Ochi muttered. "The infirmary... two people..."
Her expression froze as a terrifying possibility occurred to her.
Were those two really going to the infirmary because they felt unwell, or were they going to the infirmary to feel good?
Hiss...
A clear blue glow cut through the air and easily destroyed a Hollow.
Uryū Ishida dispersed the simple spiritual bow in his hand. For an enemy of this level, there was no need to use Ginrei Kojaku. "Sado, you didn't need to come with me."
"Better... to be safe." Yasutora Sado's gaze paused for a moment on the Quincy Cross at Uryū Ishida's wrist. "Ichigo..."
"I... asked Ryūken." Uryū Ishida's expression looked somewhat grim. Asking that man for advice was pure torture to him. "He said the method he used before to restore my Quincy powers won't work on someone who has Hollow power inside them."
"Ichigo has met Muten, and Muten didn't have a suitable method either." Yasutora Sado seemed thoughtful. "If there's really no other way, then we can only..."
"You have a way?" Uryū Ishida thought of Yasutora Sado's strangely rapid growth in strength. Although he knew Yasutora Sado must have someone guiding him, if Yasutora Sado did not say it himself, Uryū Ishida had no intention of digging for answers.
"...Yeah." Yasutora Sado seemed to be hesitating over something. "But..."
"Wait." Uryū Ishida took out his Denreishinki. "Another Hollow appeared."
He turned and ran toward the location shown by the command center, but before he reached the destination, the signal detected by his Denreishinki vanished.