Hasumi Ren glanced at Harada, who had spoken.
When Harada realized Ren's gaze was fixed on him, he lowered his head sharply and stood frozen in place, not even daring to meet Ren's eyes again.
Ren let out a soft snort, not even bothering to waste words on him.
Then, he looked at Tsunayashiro, his voice as calm as ever.
"This is a resolution issued directly by the Captain of the Second Division. If you have any questions, you can take them up with Captain Shihoin."
"If you truly can fish me out of the Second Division, then I might consider your proposal."
Those words were like a pebble tossed into a still lake, causing Tsunayashiro's brow to furrow instantly.
Behind him, Takaya Kenji wore a look of utter disbelief.
"What? The Captain of the Second Division?"
"Haven't you not even graduated yet?"
Tsunayashiro pondered the truth of Ren's claim, something he indeed had no way of verifying.
The Second Division, the Stealth Force.
Shihoin Yoruichi...
He stared intently at Ren, those eyes that were usually half-squinted now fully open, the long-standing smile finally fading from his face.
In that moment, the mask of composure and friendliness on Tsunayashiro Tokiying's face finally cracked.
His gaze turned cold and dark, filled with anger, resentment, and frustration, eventually settling into a frozen silence.
There was one thing Tsunayashiro hadn't mentioned: he had already noticed that the relationship between Ren and Shiba Kaien was anything but ordinary.
'You're just a lowlife from the Rukongai. Relying on a bit of talent, you've rejected my recruitment time and time again.'
'You refuse my proposal, yet you stay so close to the Shiba family, whom we drove out of the Seireitei?'
'And in the end, you've actually managed to climb the high branch of the Shihoin family?'
The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily, and his fingers tightened unconsciously.
His upbringing as a noble prevented him from losing his temper on the spot.
But anyone could see that his current calm was merely a facade. Beneath it, a chill was radiating, as if a venomous snake had finally bared its fangs.
"Shihoin... Heh. Hasumi Ren, I thought you were a smart man, but your choice is truly... short-sighted."
He practically squeezed the words through his teeth, his voice carrying an undeniable chill.
If the Shihoin family was indeed backing Ren, he truly wouldn't dare reach out for him again.
The Tsunayashiro family was different from the Shihoin family, who were full of talent and held a firm grip on the position of Captain of the Second Division.
They also couldn't compare to the Kuchiki family, who had risen to prominence and held a significant place within the Thirteen Court Guard Companies.
Strictly speaking in terms of strength, the Tsunayashiro family had never been highly ranked within the Seireitei.
Consequently, aside from holding some influence in Central 46, the family couldn't even arrange any positions of actual power for their descendants.
Most of them could only be sent into the Great Spirit Book Gallery to perform monitoring and management tasks.
The family had grown tired of this predicament. To increase their raw strength, they had been conducting illicit experiments in the shadows.
They had even specifically sought out a woman whose body contained a fragment of the Soul King. Ignoring her status as a commoner from the Rukongai, they forced a member of a branch family to marry her.
They conducted experiments while simultaneously trying to improve the spiritual power of their descendants.
Unfortunately, that cousin of his from the branch family was a total lunatic—cold-blooded and murderous. He had killed the woman before the experiments were even finished for some unknown reason. It was truly a waste.
Therefore, in his eyes, Ren's rejection of the Tsunayashiro family in favor of the Shihoin family was not only an insult but also a display of contempt.
Looking at Ren's indifferent expression, Tsunayashiro felt even more enraged by his own agitation.
Just then, his gaze shifted past Ren and landed on Nanao behind him.
A sinister smile touched the corners of his mouth.
"Hasumi Ren, I'm afraid you don't know yet. The women of the Ise family are husband-killers. Not a single man who marries them lives past middle age."
"There are even rumors that the females of their family survive by draining their husbands' spiritual power to extend—"
"Enough."
Ren's voice wasn't loud, but the chill within it made the surrounding temperature feel as if it had dropped several degrees.
In the next instant, a powerful Spiritual Pressure erupted from his body.
Although his spiritual level wasn't high, it was enough to make the people in front of him find it difficult to breathe.
Harada Heita turned pale and stumbled back half a step.
Takaya Kenji fared no better. The sense of superiority on his face crumbled instantly, replaced by beads of cold sweat.
Tsunayashiro Tokiying, benefiting from his bloodline, performed the best among the three.
Yet, facing this sudden release of Spiritual Pressure from Ren, his chest tightened, and he nearly failed to maintain his composed expression.
Still, he was a scion of the Tsunayashiro family; he forced himself not to retreat, though his fingers were already trembling slightly.
Ren stared straight into Tsunayashiro's eyes, his voice as cold as a blade.
"Tsunayashiro, out of respect for your status as a descendant of a Great Noble family, I'm allowing you to keep some dignity. Do not bring trouble upon yourself."
"Dignity?"
Tsunayashiro Tokiying's breathing was ragged as he forced a cold sneer.
"You reject my recruitment, yet you associate with trash like the Shiba family who can't even stay in the Seireitei. Is this the dignity you choose?"
He took half a step forward, lowering his voice until it was barely a whisper squeezed from between his teeth.
"I've checked. Your business in the Rukongai is doing quite well. Ichiraku Ramen, right?"
Ren's expression remained unchanged.
"I want to remind you," Tsunayashiro Tokiying's smile turned dangerous, "in the Soul Society, a business without noble protection is like floating duckweed without roots."
"A single storm is all it takes for it to vanish completely."
Ren watched him quietly for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled as well.
Only, there was no warmth in that smile.
"Tsunayashiro," he said softly, his voice audible only to the two of them. "I'll give you a reminder as well. If you dare touch the people around me, or touch my business..."
"I will let you know that when duckweed entangles a propeller, even a massive ship risks sinking."
Tsunayashiro gave Ren a frigid look.
He said nothing more, only casting a final glance at Ren and Nanao, who was protected behind him, before turning to leave with a cold snort.
Seeing Tsunayashiro walk away, Harada Heita felt as if he'd been granted a reprieve and hurried to follow.
Takaya Kenji gave Ren a vicious glare before also turning to leave.
In the distance, some students of the Spiritual Arts Academy had noticed the situation and were whispering among themselves.
Ren ignored his surroundings and simply turned to look at Nanao.
Nanao's face was pale. Though her eyes were filled with anger as she watched Tsunayashiro's retreating back, she also seemed slightly lost.
When she noticed Ren's gaze, her angry expression softened into a hint of grievance, her eyes shimmering with faint tears.
Ren sighed inwardly and reached out to ruffle Nanao's hair.
"I'm sorry for getting you caught up in this. Don't believe a word he said; it's all nonsense."
Nanao raised her hand to push up her glasses, using the gesture to wipe the corners of her eyes.
Then, she composed herself and looked up with a smile.
"Mm, I'm fine. Thank you, Ren."
"Don't mention it."
Ren smiled, a warm and genuine expression.
He gently patted Nanao on the shoulder.
"Let's go. Time to head back."