Author's Note: Master in this regard is if one is within the level range of 80-90. Intermediate is if one's level is somewhere between 50 and 60. If one is between levels 30 to 50, they're considered to be a Novice. Anything below that, they're considered to be a Beginner.
Chapter 5: Progress and Undercurrents
"In prophecy are a myriad truths concealed. The eye of man decreeth which shall be revealed." – Urianger Augurelt
Time passed by as Shugo spent his time learning in the Shin'o Academy. Having been pretty much exempted from the Zanjutsu class unless he chooses to participate himself, he could spend his time focusing on learning the other classes.
Not to say he completely neglected Zanjutsu, it was only a matter of him spending little time in it, unless it was about certain techniques that he was not familiar with, such as Shitonegaeshi, Agitowari, Ryodan, and Senmaioroshi. Only then he would participate in the Zanjutsu classes.
When asked by Yamamoto on Shugo's education in Zanjutsu later after he graduated, Onabara said this: "Head Captain, I can only say that he's a damn Master Swordsman right from the get-go, if not at least an Expert. His bizarre Zanjutsu is not to be underestimated. Had I not used some reiatsu during that demonstration spar, my Bokken would've break, and I would've lost."
Being a master White Mage and Red Mage, he handled Kido classes quite well. While he did not have the advantage of a soul crystal to allow him to learn faster, however, he still had the advantage of being capable of casting spells without chanting the incantations since he could compress and release it in one go.
The remark from one of the Kido instructors was: "Shugo may lack the knowledge of Kido spells, but he certainly knows how to cast them better than anyone else I've ever seen."
He spent overall a year to deal with the two field of studies, with Kido classes taking up most of his time and only spending a little with whatever few Zanjutsu classes he participated in. He made the scheduling with the agreement of Chief Instructor Onabara and the blessings of the Founder, Yamamoto.
It was very refreshing for him to learn new things, since the way he learned things previously was through direct combat and dissemination from the soul crystals he possessed.
Little did he know, however, that he was being observed. Not to say he's completely clueless, only that he doesn't know who's doing it and from where, hence he couldn't be bothered to think about it too much.
'You want to observe me? Do as you like. I shall pretend I am not aware of your actions, whoever you people are.' Shugo thought as he stared at a random direction before he goes back to his meditation.
It was time for him to unlock his Zanpakuto, for he only needs to hear its name now.
"Yo, Ichibe. Whaccha lookin' at?" A man with a massive pompadour hair greeted the monk-like Shinigami.
He scratched the back of his head, yawning after seemingly waking up from a long night.
"Something His Majesty finds interesting." Ichibe said while looking with interest on the monitor in front of him.
He was seeing Shugo's progress within the academy, and that included his first day as well. This also meant he saw his bizarre Zanjutsu that he used during the demonstration spar in the academy's dojo. He was currently rewinding to that part to rewatch it.
"Hmm? What's this kid doin'?" The pompadour man's accented voice accompanied his raised eyebrow.
"He's fighting against the chief instructor in a demo spar. Pretty interesting moves he's using." Ichibe rubbed his bearded chin.
"Lemme see…" The man leaned in to see the rewinded video.
After viewing it for a little, he folded his arms.
"Flashy, but effective. 'mpressive lil' kid, eh?" He noted.
"You see now why His Majesty finds him interesting, Kirinji?" Ichibe asked.
"Nah, no way if it's only that." Kirinji shook his head, his pompadour wiggling because of it.
"Heh, you're right on that one." Ichibe chuckled, before he rewinded the video further to Shugo's day during the entrance exam.
"Look here." He pointed as Kirinji leaned in to see the video.
As soon as he saw the massive reiatsu burst, he raised his brow.
"He's got a massive reiatsu? Big deal, we got more anyways." Kirinji scoffed.
"Remember the thing that crashed into Soul Society recently?" Ichibe turned and asked.
"Ah, that thing. Wait, don't tell me- "Kirinji pondered before connecting the dots.
"Exactly. He was inside the thing. His Majesty noticed his arrival just a little before the thing he was in crashed into the Seireiheki and eventually blasted through the barrier." Ichibe nodded in confirmation.
"Ah… So that's why the damn Seireiheki got that damaged…" Kirinji finally understood.
He was confused as to why the Seireiheki got breached badly. Though eventually it managed to restore itself with Nimaiya's help, it was still not something you'd see every day. Even the rarest occurrence of something similar like that happened a long time ago.
"Oh well, I can understand why the King wants you to keep tabs on the kid." Kirinji shrugged as he walked away.
"Imma go to the hot spring for a bath, be seein' ya later." He said as he left.
"Also, Kirinji. You're wrong about one thing." Ichibe said as he turned back to the monitor.
"'Bout what?" Kirinji turned and asked.
"He is not a kid. Not by a long shot. In fact, he's older than some of the Captains down there, Soul Age wise." Ichibe clarified.
"Huh. Well, spit it out!" Kirinji yelled.
"He's…" Ichibe then said Shugo's soul age, which got an eye twitch from Kirinji after he heard Ichibe's answer, before he subsequently left the monk who continued to watch through the monitor.
Currently, it is nighttime for Shugo, and it had been a year since he joined the Academy. With only two more remaining courses that he must fulfill for qualifying in graduation, he could focus his energy on other things that would've otherwise been split between four courses, thus it would've taken longer for him to graduate if that was the case.
He's currently using the skill Meditate to help in meditation. He's been doing this for the past year on his spare time, each brings more clarity to the voice calling him. And just recently, he was able to hear the voice calling him crystal clear.
"Hear my name, O Bringer of Light. For I long have awaited thee." It called.
As he clears his mind further in meditation, he was plunged into his inner self. It felt like he was being plunged underwater, yet he could still breathe. He could feel something pulling him further, until there was no more of that water. When he opened his eyes, he could see the replica of Amaurot, only without its citizens.
"Is this… Amaurot?" He raised his brow while looking around.
"Hear my name, O Bringer of Light. For I long have awaited thee." The voice called to him once more.
He looked around, and finally saw the source of the voice. It was a "she". She wore a red robe, with floral patterns and black lining on it. On her long, straight hair was a White Orchid kanzashi holding her left hair bang. She wore a pair of geta on her feet. Some of her legs are somewhat exposed, showing her white skin that's almost alluring just from a single glance.
Her upper face was covered with a white mask. It reminded him of how it was like his own opposite's in Elidibus' memory.
"Ah, you've finally come, Bringer of Light. Or would you prefer me to call you Warrior of Light?" She turned her head as she dropped down from the top of a skyscraper to the ground where he was.
Even if he could not see her whole face, her lower face was already enough to alarm him. Anger rose within him at the thought of it.
"You… Why are you…" His eyes were twitching as he asked before she puts her index finger onto his lips.
"Now, now. It would not do for you to be in anger. And to answer the question you are about to ask me: No, I am not her. However, I do owe her for giving meaning to my existence within you." She gave him a smile as she removed her finger from his lips.
"She's right, you know? She's not Yotsuyu." A different, yet familiar voice said as it slowly approached him.
He turned and saw the recognizable, familiar face.
"Ardbert." He greeted the man.
"Josua. Or is it Shugo now?" Ardbert greeted back.
"Either works. Just call me Josua if you feel like you're more familiar with it." Shugo shrugged.
Ardbert was the Warrior of Light on the First. He initially encountered him in the Source, posing as another group of Warriors of Light, before revealing that he and his comrades hailed from the First shard, and subsequently identify themselves as the Warriors of Darkness.
After Shugo and the Scions defeated him and his group, he and his group were brought back to the First after Minfilia, who became the Voice of the Mother Crystal, agreed to do so, though dooming her to remain there for eternity.
By the time they came back to the First, however, the world was being ravaged by the Flood of Light, caused by the imbalance of the overwhelming Light element. Minfilia and Ardbert's group sacrificed themselves to hold the tide back, and successfully in doing so, though it left Ardbert stranded there, unable to be seen or heard by anyone for one hundred years.
It was not until Shugo journeyed to the First to restore the Night that he encountered the stranded Warrior once more. Ardbert would watch over the Source's Warrior of Light, as he slowly brought back the night to the shard, addressing the balance. However, when said Warrior of Light was in threat of being consumed by the Light and on the verge of turning into a Lightwarden during the final encounter with Emet-Selch, Ardbert offered his hand to help the fracturing Shugo.
Thus did the fragment of the Warrior of Light restored the ailing Shugo, restoring his soul and giving it more clarity as to what he was in the far distant past, to the point that even Emet-Selch was shocked before dismissing it as a trick of the light.
In the inevitable battle against Emet-Selch who revealed his true name as Hades, the Warrior of Light and his fellow Warriors of Light unleashed the light within them, bringing light beyond the darkness that Hades brought upon them. In the end, however, they managed to defeat the unsundered Ascian. When the unrelenting Ascian came back, however, it was the aethereal manifestation of Ardbert's Axe that sealed Hades' fate, as it blasted through the Ascian's body. After its duty was done, the Axe dissipated, and with it, Ardbert has rejoined with Shugo without the need of the First's Rejoining.
"Josua it is then." Ardbert nodded.
"What do you mean by she's right?" Shugo asked.
"You saw Yotsuyu before you came to this new world. There's no way she is here, not unless Hydaelyn herself allowed it." Ardbert explained.
Shugo begrudgingly nodded before allowing his fragment to continue.
"If I'm correct about these Zanpakuto, then how they appear in your inner mind are largely based on either your inner side or the most impressionable thing to you." The fragment continued.
The lady clapped her hands, impressed by Ardbert's deduction.
"Your fragment is right, Warrior of Light. For me, I am based on the strongest impression within your mind and heart, in which case it was your first love, Yotsuyu Naeuri." She bowed as she opened her mask for a few moments, showing her all-too-familiar face.
Shugo sighed, as he approached the lady in red. He held his hand onto her face, while his face looked a bit sad. He does not know what to say or feel. Of the fact that his Zanpakuto had his lover's face, he was conflicted. He was happy he would be able to see her face at the very least, but he was also sad that it was not HER.
Ardbert already noticed that it was time for him to leave, so he left without a word, going back into Shugo's stream of consciousness.
"Call out my name, Warrior of Light." She said as she closed her eyes and leaned in.
"Sigh…" He sighed, as he closed his eyes and spoke with a firm tone, "(運命に逆らう, 紅蓮花) Defy fate, Gurenbana." As he kissed her.
His surroundings changed as he was slowly brought back to reality, out of his inner mind.
As he opened his eyes once more, he had returned to reality. He looked upon his Asauchi once more, to find that its guard was no longer pure white. It was intertwined with red and white. He then went outside of his dorm room.
By the time he was done meditating, the day was in its twilight. Orange and red painted the skies with their color. He went to the Academy Training Grounds to finally unleash his Zanpakuto. After an uneventful walk towards the grounds, he arrived in the open field.
He sighed, at the memory of meeting her, his Zanpakuto, within his inner mind. He recalls the basic lessons regarding Zanpakuto from the classes and Unohana, in that normally it requires a longer time to be able to awaken a Zanpakuto, let alone knowing its name.
However, since normal does not necessarily apply to him in the same sense as those who were born and raised here, it was strange to put it mildly.
Standing in the middle of the field, he put his hand onto his Asauchi on his left hip. He closed his eyes and let out his breath.
"Defy fate…" He chanted, with a heartfelt tone.
Recalling the memories of those he lost…
Minfilia… Haurchefant... Ysayle… Papalymo… Yotsuyu… Tesleen… Hades… Elidibus…
'Thank you. All of you. I owe you all everything that I am to you all. Though I failed to save you all before, I swear I will save those I can yet save here.' He thanked them silently.
Even with the knowledge that those people will likely never hear him say those words, he still silently prayed in those words.
"For those who we have lost. For those we can yet save." He muttered.
Whether it was for himself, or for anyone else who would care, he knows not. What matters now is for him to keep moving forward, even if his flesh were to be stricken from his bones, even if his bones were crushed. Such was his path from the very beginning. Even if his fate was not to save this world, then he would certainly maintain the peace the best he can. And this was simply his first step. All for the sake of the small peace he could enjoy to his heart's content.
"…Gurenbana." He finished his chant as a massive reiatsu burst erupted from his body.
The sword's scabbard gained three swirling lines of red, white, and black, overlapping the scabbard's original brown color. The tip of the scabbard had the head of a golden dragon on it. As he drew the sword from the scabbard, the changes to the sword itself were more visible.
The sword's blade was blood red. The sword's hilt in its entirety became completely different: The Orchid guard was no longer streaks of white and red, instead its petals became fully red, with only the outline of the guard having white in color. The grip also changed, with the white being the color of the grip that's wrapped in black leather in a criss-cross pattern. The pommel of the sword had a chain that's only around 20 centimeters in length, with the other end of the chain being his constellation symbol as Azem.
'Ah… How long I have awaited thee to summon me into thy world, Warrior of Light.' Gurenbana said with ecstasy in her voice in his mind.
'I will refrain from saying anything on that. However, I do feel glad that you will keep me from boredom as I savor this new life.' He shook his head while smiling mentally.
He looked at the sword in hand, before sheathing it back into its scabbard. As he did so, his reiatsu had stopped erupting from his body.
'Feel free to witness, all ye who would disturb my peace. Know that the price for committing such an act shall not be repaid with something as simple as a Divine Retribution, for it is but a simple act for me to rain down such upon you, and it would be too merciful of me to turn the other cheek.' He sneered at a random direction in the sky before looking back down and sighed.
Some of the academy's staff managed to witness the scene long enough to judge that this student had already achieved Shikai, or Initial Release. They approached him as soon as he sheathed the sword and his reiatsu stopped bursting.
However, this time, his reiatsu release lasted long enough for the captains to pinpoint the source.
He was then brought upon Chief Instructor Gengoro Onabara and the Headmaster of the Academy in order to discuss his rather bizarre circumstances.
"Hoh hoh hoh… This young man never ceases to surprise me." Yamamoto chuckled in happiness.
In all his years being one of the oldest Shinigami alive, he had seen many a talents and prodigies. His personal students, Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro, were one of those. The current captains of the Eighth and Thirteenth Divisions had their flaws admittedly, but more than made up for it by their capabilities that surpassed the average Shinigami.
"Those two were a handful… Especially Kyoraku…" He shook his head when recalling the memory.
Other talents would sprung up as time passed: Hitsugaya Toshiro, the late Shiba Kaien, and Ichimaru Gin. The first being the child prodigy who upon graduation from the Academy, worked his way up after joining the Tenth Division and subsequently became the Third Seat in a short time. The second being a genius who completed the six-year course in just two years, and became a Lieutenant, though sadly he perished a while ago. The third was also like the second, but the difference being that he graduated in one year instead of two and is currently the captain of the Third Division.
This former ryoka, on the other hand… Yamamoto had heard of his exploits within his first year, on how he was no longer required to bother with Zanjutsu classes, and that he was nothing short of a master in casting Kido despite lacking knowledge of Kido. But this one just now? He just took the cream on top, being perhaps one of the few who managed to call out their Zanpakuto and its Initial Release in such a short time. He couldn't remember the last time this has ever happened.
"It seems that my decision to invite him to join the Gotei 13 is indeed correct." He strokes his beard as he looked to the outside from the balcony of his office, looking forward more and more to his latest recruit.
"Well, well… This might become a problem…" Aizen muttered.
Sitting in his office, he was looking out towards the night sky from the window of his office. He too felt that massive reiatsu release and pinpointed the source of it. Without a doubt, it was that former Ryoka. He has yet to use Kyoka Suigetsu on the young man, hence he felt a tad troubled by it.
'While he might not do much damage by himself, it would be troublesome if he manages to convince the others…' He pondered as he wrote on a scroll.
'But I do not have many options. He is far too known, and he is under watch by the Head Captain himself. It seems I will have to account him as a possible factor within the plans…' He sighed as he went on with his writing.
He felt a slight chill for some unknown reason before he went back to his writing.
Unbeknownst to the Shinigami, within Soul Society belies a shadow. Known to its denizens as the Schatten Bereich, it contained that which they thought to have extinguished: The Quincies. And in the center of it all, lies the one known as The Sealed King. He sat upon his throne inside the castle known as the Silbern, lifeless yet not lifeless, for he is slowly regaining the life he lost after he was sealed 1000 years ago.
Surrounding the man was his few subordinates, his Sternritter. Under the leadership of its grandmaster, Jugram Haschwalth, they presided over the activities of the various realms, including even Seireitei. The arrival of Shugo Kurenai into Soul Society also did not escape their notice.
They kept their vigil, watching over this new variable that might threaten their king's plan. Gathered in the war room are the upper echelons of the Sternrittter:
Jugram Haschwalth, Grandmaster of the Sternritter.
Lille Barro, Leader of the Schutzstaffel (The King's Protective Echelon).
Bambietta Basterbine
Bazz-B
Candice Catnipp
While there are others, these are the few that were present or near enough to come for the moment. Jugram, being the Grandmaster and the Substitute of the Emperor, he holds the highest rank within the entirety of the Sternritter and the Wandenreich until Yhwach's awakening.
"So, why did you call us here, Jugo?" Bazz-B asked, leaning on his chair while his feet was on the table.
"You know why." Jugram succinctly replied.
"Is it about that anomaly?" Bambietta lazily asked.
"Yes." Jugram nodded.
"Then spit it out already, Jugo!" Bazz-B impatiently said.
Jugram only stared at Bazz-B for a moment, before going back and looked around at the others.
"Using His Majesty's power, I've peered into the future. This man…" Jugram said as he tapped his finger on the table, pausing for a moment as he looked at the recreation of Shugo's appearance with reishi, before continuing, "Will stop His Majesty, or at the very least, render most of His plans ineffective."
There was silence in the room as the Sternritters took in the prophecy that their Grandmaster just saw. It was one thing to be a "thorn" for His Majesty's plans, but it is another to be called a threat enough to wreck their king's plans or even stop Him.
"Then we should eliminate him." Barro said as he leaned forward.
"Care to explain how, Mr. Schutzstaffel Leader?" Bazz-B sarcastically asked.
The man was silent. He knows that it was prudent to nip the problem in the bud before it becomes a real problem. But the issue here is that they don't know how, since the anomaly is by no means weak.
"Che, and here I thought you got some sort of plan." Bazz-B sneered.
"Bazz-B, stop trying to provoke a fellow Sternritter." Jugram sighed and reprimanded him.
The mohawk man simply shrugged. It was useless trying to come up with a plan against a guy that the big man himself said that could screw or even stop their glorious leader. How the hell do you stop THAT?
"Then what's the game here? We can't exactly waltz into the Seireitei and kill him willy-nilly. That'll ruin His Majesty's plans. And that's assuming we can even kill the guy!" Candice snapped.
She just posed the million-dollar question: How? Nobody in the room had the answer to that. Jugram possibly have it, but it doesn't seem like it would end well for both parties.
It was later that they decided to simply keep watch. Unless His Majesty Himself was awake and made the plan, any that they come up with at the time will be flawed and ultimately be countered. All of them felt a chill as they left the room, though most simply shrugged it off and blamed the cold weather. Only Jugram knew specifically why, and he shudders at the thought of it.
The machinations of men began to move once more, now in knowledge of an unknown factor that may threaten their schemes. Pity them, for they shall know fear in the name of the Warrior of Light, for he is merciless to those who would seek harm onto his peace and in the far future, he will be known in another name: The Crimson Guardian of Peace.
But all of that will be in due time. For now, let us return to the man in question.
Gengoro Onabara had seen many a genius in his tenure as the Chief Instructor of Class 1. Even said class was supposedly filled with prodigies, geniuses and talents. Toshiro Hitsugaya, Gin Ichimaru, Kaien Shiba… Those were just to name the ones that managed to stand out in a class filled with geniuses.
But now, the student in front of him and the Headmaster… One of the students in HIS class… Had just done the impossible: He had awakened his Zanpakuto and activated its Shikai, or Initial Release, in only 1 YEAR.
That alone was a feat almost impossible to be done by any other people. Perhaps Gin Ichimaru might be the only one comparable, since he managed to do everything in one year as well, though he graduated within that one year. It would certainly shock him if this young man pulled it off as well, but it's no longer possible to pull that one off. Maybe he could do something similar to Kaien Shiba's record of graduating within two years.
He was happy, yes, happy that this student of his, Shugo Kurenai, was that talented to be able to pull off such a thing. But it was a headache since Kurenai had yet to finish his two-remaining curriculum. Although he managed to crunch through six years' worth of Kido lessons in one year, and pretty much done with whatever Zanjutsu classes he had, he still needed to do Hoho and Hakuda classes.
"So, what do you intend to do, Kurenai?" Onabara asked.
The Headmaster remained silent. He was waiting for the student to answer Geng oro.
"I plan to finish my two remaining subjects first, Onabara-sensei. I would like to cover my grounds and not jump the gun, or so they say." Shugo replied calmly.
Seeing his student was being prudent, he was certainly proud. The headmaster in the meantime nodded in approval.
"I understand. I will approve of your scheduling for the next year. May you graduate and achieve your goals as a Shinigami." The Headmaster smiled.
Shugo then bowed before being escorted out of the room. He then returned to his dorm room and sat down for a moment. It was certainly exhausting, mentally. He went to the bathroom and started to run the hot water in the tub. He was already undressing himself by that point.
After some time, just a few minutes before the tub was full, he went to the side and washed himself first. It was proper, and from what he had seen in the 4th Division's complex, the culture of washing yourself before going into a bath was similar to that in Hingashi.
Feeling sufficiently cleaned, he dipped his toes into the tub, before finally sinking into the tub. He had Gurenbana near the tub. He sighed in relief as the warmth of the bathwater was slowly soaking into his body. It was truly a relaxing experience.
"Hmm…" He pondered lazily.
He knew that he still had things that were soul-bounded to him. And in theory, he knew he could use them. The question is…
"Are they?" He relaxed his body while pondering.
Absentmindedly, he closed his eyes and held his hand up, and imagined the Tomestone on his hand that G'raha Tia (or the Crystal Exarch, as he fashioned himself the first time around) gave to him after he was introduced to the marketplace in the Crystarium, the Musica Universalis.
"Our way of life has benefited greatly from the artifacts we recovered from the tower…" The Exarch remarked, before continuing, "…Some of which may be familiar to you." And turning to look at the shop's stall with VERY familiar items on the table.
Shugo looked at it initially for a few moments, then looked away from it before looking back at that particular shop in shock.
'What the…' It took him a moment before processing what he was seeing.
They were selling Allagan Tomestone of Poetics. TOMESTONES! Twelve knows how long it took him to even gather two thousand units before exchanging it for better gear sets at Rowena's. But to find it here being repurposed as some sort of a communication device?
He facepalmed and shook his head in disbelief, which the Exarch somehow ignored, preoccupied with his own thoughts.
"But I fear it would not be practical for us to provide everything to which you are accustomed…" The Exarch trailed on.
'Hey, no explanations for that? Are you…- You know what? Nevermind.' Shugo groaned on the inside.
'Here goes nothing…' He thought after recalling the memory when he was first introduced to it.
Opening his eyes, he "called" the Tomestone to him. Startlingly, it appeared on his hand. Shaped like some sort of a mobile device, with a wide screen and no physical buttons (aside from some on the sides). On the back of it were two small protrusions of sorts that was also covered by some type of… Glass? Regardless, the patterns on the back were certainly nostalgic.
He turned it on by pushing the button on the upper right side. The display lit up, and he saw some sort of an interface. He touched the image of the one that resembles a linkpearl, and it opened some sort of a… Software? However, when he looked at it, it only showed the words [No Linkpearl Calls].
He fiddled around as he pressed the image that looked like some sort of book on the bottom right. It showed only the text [No Saved Linkpearl Contacts]. As he observed again the three images at the bottom, he saw an unfamiliar image on the left. It looked like those keypads, similar to the ones he had seen on many Garlean facilities. He pressed the image and as it opened, it showed only [Unable to communicate. No Linkpearl Connection].
"As expected, it does not work, huh…" He sighed as he navigated to near the bottom part of the screen, below the three initial images.
There is a small… Bar? It has three symbols of sorts on it. He pressed the middle symbol that looked like a rounded square in curiosity, only to find it returned him to the initial interface he saw.
"So… It is some sort of a return button…" He mumbled as he looked onto the display once more and pressed the image that looked like a mail letter.
As the… Software opened, he saw that there was a symbol of sorts on the top left, and a text saying [Inbox] to the right of the symbol. Below the text, it had nothing but the words reading [No messages].
"Is this some form of a… Mailing system?" He tilted his head.
Back in Hydaelyn, the mailing system was provided by the Moogles. Somehow, they are able to deliver messages almost instantaneously to anywhere that has one of their Moogle staff stationed. Most of the time, you can find them in major cities like Kugane, Ul'dah, Ishgard and such.
And the cost to send a message, even with attachments like items or such, does not incur much in pricing that it was practically non-existent. Widely used and trusted by the many city-states and nations of the Star, they are only limited by where the staff are located. Shugo himself had used their services from time to time, so he was more than familiar with their system.
The question becomes if this mailing system in the Tomestone can function similarly enough to what the Moogles offer or not. However, since there is no way for him to test it, he could only reluctantly let the matter rest for the time being.
He stored the Tomestone to whatever space it came from by "unsummoning" it, as he enjoyed his bath for the next half an hour. After that, he stood up and emptied the bath, before drying himself with a towel and redressed. He prepared his Futon, and not long after, he slept like a log.