The radiance of the star king, which radiated its solar rays viciously, illuminated a vast moorland on which herbs and some flowers grew with great pusillanimity that were moved by the gentle breeze that circulated in that place.

That breeze did nothing but mitigate the silence that was flooding the entire place, except for the dictions that were easily audible.

"Hey Nanao-chan, it's really quite hot today, I'm good at fanning myself don't you think Nanao-chan? You should relax in this heat"

A man with brown hair gathered in a ponytail pronounced those words childishly while he smiled seeing a blue-eyed black-haired woman with glasses, who frowned.

The man had a straw hat on his head and wore a shihakushō consisting of a white inner shitagi as well as a kosode and a black hakama, over which was a pink cloak with various flower designs.

Behind his shihakusho was drawn an emblem: a flower called bird of paradise which symbolically meant "everything is obtained".

"Shunsui Kyoraku-taicho, you should behave more seriously at a time like this" Nanao complained adjusting her glasses while her captain smiled at her lieutenant's reaction, without a doubt she enjoyed seeing her like this.

Nanao would have hit him hard if they weren't both walking accompanied by the captain of the fourth division as well as her respective lieutenant, who were walking next to her.

Nanao knew very well that Shunsui was in very bad shape, especially after that death... and he also knew that his captain hid the enormous pain he felt, smiling as usual and drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

Nanao shook her head at his thoughts and calmly turned her head to see the pair of women who were accompanying the two of them.

The first was a very beautiful woman with dark hair and eyes, young in appearance and who wore the distinctive black shihakushō along with a white haori on top with the emblem of the fourth division located on the back: a lily whose meaning was "those who suffer, they are loved."

The second was a girl with short silver hair, she also wore a shihakusho with a band located on her left arm in which there was the emblem of the fourth division.

"Like Shunsui-dono" hink it's a splendid day..." intervened the captain of the fourth division. "Don't you think Isane-san?" she asked.

Isane opened her eyes at those words, the silver-haired girl had been absorbed and her captain's words caught her by surprise.

"Yes... Unohana-taicho" Isane answered quickly, analyzing her captain's calm smile.

Isane knew without a doubt that something was happening to his captain Unohana. Ever since the meeting of the thirteen captains the day before, she had seemed somewhat excited, as if she had been waiting for a present for a long time.

"Maybe her happiness has to do with the person we're going to see..." Isane inquired with her right hand placed calmly on her chin.

Apparently Nanao was thinking the same thing, her mind was trying to decipher the enigma that encompassed the mysterious figure they were looking for.

Nanao didn't know much about it, just a few details that Shunsui had told her, who was his captain and captain of the eighth division.

Apparently he was a retired Shinigami who lived in an intermediate district of the Rukongai, Nanao had never heard anything about him but if the two oldest captains of the Gotei 13 were looking for him, it must be for something.

The members of that group were Shinigami, a name that designated the spirits made of Reishi that travel to the real world to fight the Hollow, who were the spirits corrupted by their sins and turned into soul-devouring monsters and send the Pluses, the good spirits of deceased people, to a place called Soul Society.

The society of souls comprised two important regions: the Seireitei, where the Shinigami resided in addition to the Central 46 and the noble families, and the Rukongai, the area where the rest of the souls lived, which is also divided into districts numbered from 1 to 80. which departed according to the cardinal points: north, south, east and west.

The difference between the two places was abysmal, while in Seireitei people lived wonderfully, the opposite happened in the Rukongai area, especially in the most remote districts.

The organization of the shinigami is separated into thirteen squads, the Goteijusantai or also Gotei 13, each with a specific specialty.

His organization is military, where there is a great variety of ranks, being Captain the highest in addition to being the leader of his respective squad, Lieutenant who is the second highest rank and second in command after the captain, Officers, who are from a lower rank and the rest of Shinigami, who may not have a specific rank but be part of a squad.

Time after.

The group kept walking for several minutes until they stopped in front of what appeared to be an oriental-style house.

Unohana shared a look with Shunsui and they both nodded without saying any words as they were unnecessary at the moment.

The eyes of all those present fell on the person who was in front of that house splitting logs with an axe: a boy with tousled jet-black hair like his eyes and who wore a worn hakama with a hat made of straw as his sandals.

That dark-haired man split a last log in a flashing movement, leaving it next to the pile of logs that were next to him, not for nothing had he been doing this activity for half a day.

"Well done Goku, you've always been the best at splitting logs" said the black-haired man smiling with satisfaction while in his mind he was patting himself on the back.

Isane turned to see her captain. Just as expected Unohana was smiling happier than ever, but with her usual calm face.

"Who is he for you to smile like that, Unohana-taicho?" Isane Kotetsu reasoned, she would soon know the identity of that shinigami with extravagant hair and the relationship he had with Unohana.

Instead Nanao was quite thoughtful. Her lenses shone analyzing every physical detail of the dark-haired man in order to draw a conclusion.

"Is this the Shinigami we were looking for? He seems too... normal, maybe?" Nanao wasn't going to deny that he had a good physique but to be honest, something more spectacular was expected.

Nanao turned back to see her captain and be able to observe his reaction. However, before he knew it, Shunsui had already jumped towards that dark-haired man with his Zampakuto drawn to attack the one called Goku.

Zampakuto were swords used by Shinigami that have the ability to send Pluses to Soul Society and also purify Hollows through a Konshō.

"Kyoraku-taicho what are you doing?!" Nanao yelled seeing her captain's action, Isane was as puzzled as Nanao since she couldn't understand what was happening.

Searching for an answer, Isane turned to her captain and saw that Unohana was calmly watching what she was about to start.

"It seems that both are going to have fun for a while" Unohana inquired with a calm smile on her face, her calm eyes looked with great longing at the dark-haired man who gave her centuries ago the peace that he longed for and longed for in her heart .

Unohana saw the incomprehensible faces of both lieutenants and decided that it was best to reassure them. "Don't worry, Isane-san, Nanao-san... it's just a friendly match"

Both nodded and now with more calm they decided to see what they had in front of their eyes.

flush.

Shunsui tried to make a horizontal cut with his Zampakuto. The only thing he managed to cut is the air, as Goku dodged it with relative ease.

The man smiled lowering the top of his straw hat, guessing Goku's location. Closing his eyes with great calm he quickly lowered his head to avoid being cut by Goku's axe, who showed a smile seeing that his attack was unsuccessful on Shunsui.

Shunsui made use of the Shunpo to appear in front of Goku at a monstrous speed, the jet widened his eyes seeing how Shunsui's fist would inevitably land on his abdomen if he did nothing to defend himself.

"Bakudo 1: Sai (Obstruction)"

That defense spell came out like a soft whisper from Goku's mouth; the boy had resorted to the Kido to immobilize Shunsui's arms and thus prevent him from hitting him.

The Kido was one of the four forms of combat available to a Shinigami, in addition to the Zanjutsu or art of handling a Zampakutō, the Hoho, the ability to move at high speeds and the Hakuda, the art of hand-to-hand combat.

"Unbelievable, he is fighting at Kyoraku-taicho's level" Nanao said to herself in his mind, watching the fight with great surprise.

Nanao knew that her captain hadn't released his Zampakuto yet and neither had a rival, who was supposed to be a Shinigami. She had a feeling that the ax Goku was using was not his real Zampakuto.

Isane was more than surprised, not only because an unknown was fighting at the level of a captain, and not just any captain but a veteran like Shunsui Kyoraku.

Unohana smiled calmly, noting that Goku hadn't lost any strength in the last thousand years, but he had gotten stronger, although she probably didn't know if his power had any limits right now.

Having immobilized his hands Goku flexed his leg to be able to connect a knee to Shunsui's axis, the captain did not sit idly by but raised his knee to stop the blow. The result of the action was a clash of knees by both, who smiled.

"My arms are tied by the Kido you used but my legs are not, do you remember?" Shunsui asked with a friendly smile on his face.

Goku smiled jumping back while the captain did the same, the brown-haired man slightly raising his spiritual energy to counter Goku's spell.

The dark-haired man's smile widened when he saw the reiatsu, spiritual pressure, of one of the first people he met when he arrived at that place. If he had expelled the reiatsu from him the entire area would no doubt be shaking right now.

Calmly Goku put the ax aside, knowing that if he didn't stop now he would most likely grab his Zampakuto to fight his old friend in earnest.

"Isee you haven't lost your strength Goku, you're still just as powerful old man" Mumbled Shunsui sheathing his Zampakuto while he smiled.

"Same here friend, I bet you keep harassing women like in the academy, right Shunsui?" Goku asked, approaching the captain of the eighth division with a smile as well.

"Oh, but if you attracted the attention of all of them with your smile and you didn't even realize it, you were always innocent in that aspect Goku" Shunsui mocked remembering the old times.

"So... that man over there must be the same age as Kyoraku-taicho if they've both been classmates at Shino Academy... but why does he liveyoure instead of in Seireitei?" Nanao wondered while she was looking at Goku.

They both shook hands and hugged each other after a long time without seeing each other, behind them were the two lieutenants, Isane and Nanao, along with Unohana who crossed her arms.

"You haven't aged a single hair" Mumbled Shunsui looking at his friend, who scratched the back of his neck. "without a doubt you're still the same Goku"

"You, on the other hand, seem older" Goku spoke sincerely with his index finger scratching his cheek "Who are those girls over there?"

Goku asked pointing at the two lieutenants as they both approached them. Apparently, Goku had ignored the presence of Captain Unohana, in no case had he given her a look or mentioned her in the conversation.

"The tall girl is Kotetsu-san, she is the lieutenant of the fourth squad and the other girl next to her with her glasses is my adorable lieutenant Nanao-chan Yo, Nanao-chan!" Shunsui replied smiling as he raised his hand towards his lieutenant.

"Sorry for my interference Kyoraku-taicho" Nanao made a respectful bow in front of his captain, before resting his blue eyes on Goku. "Who are you? are you a shinigami?"

"You could say yes really... I still have my old Zampakuto and their respective releases" Goku murmured with his hand resting on his chin. "My name is Son Goku, a pleasure"

The former shinigami shook hands with Nanao while he kept a friendly smile on his face. Isane walked over to introduce herself after Lieutenant Nanao.

"Nanao Ise, fukutaicho (lieutenant) of the eighth squad" said the girl bowing, Goku looked at that with a drop of sweat since Nanao didn't shake his hand.

"Isane Kotetsu, lieutenant of the fourth squadron of the Gotei 13, in charge of medical assistance and supply to the Seireitei" Isane introduced herself.

"Like me, Goku was also a disciple of Yama-jii" added Shunsui putting his hand on the shoulder of his friend, but the aforementioned ignored him because his attention was not focused there.

Goku stared coldly at Captain Unohana, his previously cheerful onyx eyes now cold as steel. Unohana instead kept her head down, with a look of regret and disappointment.

"So you've also come... Unohana " Goku spoke dryly without looking directly at the captain's eyes while Kyoraku and the two lieutenants listened to that conversation.

"Yes...but I see you haven't forgiven me yet" Unohana mumbled in a soft whisper as she kept a faint smile on her face.

"I've forgiven you..." Goku murmured loud enough for Unohana to hear "but the wounds of the past are still present... Yachiru Unohana"

"Goku..." Unohana whispered again. "I'm sorry about that day but you know better than anyone why I made that decision... I needed to redeem myself"

Isane really didn't know what to think before that event, she was used to seeing her captain with a quite serene attitude, but right now she wasn't able to recognize her.

"Then the two of them have known each other for a long time" Isane concluded reasonably. "I wonder what could have happened to make Unohana-taicho is so sad"

"You don't have to worry, I won't judge you for it" Goku spoke outlining a calm smile installed on his face. "We have to leave the past has to be... in the past, it's the best Yachiru..."

Goku couldn't help but mentally smile when he remembered how he met Yachiru a thousand years ago, he never thought that everything would end like this after that battle between both Shinigami.

"Okay! From what I see they have finally solved their problems" Shunsui spoke with his hand on Goku's shoulder, the lieutenants didn't fully hear the conversation but he did hear almost everything.

"Shunsui, what have you really come for?" Goku asked with a serious expression on his face. "I know you haven't come just to visit me. Also, how did you know where I live? The Rukongai is not small enough to find me easily"

"It's better to talk about it in a calmer place..." Shunsui said calmly, it was time to get down to business

Within.

Isane admired the interior of Goku's home, a place devoid of any kind of luxury and with an air of humility and purity, she had certainly never felt so calm even in her own house.

"He is a very humble person" Isane inquired seeing how Goku served them tea in some cups.

"Thank you for the tea Goku... san" Unohana spoke with her usual smile as she took a sip of that tea. "Just as delicious, as usual" she added remembering the times when she used to drink tea with Goku previously.

Nanao instead was looking at something that was on one of the walls of the small main room where they were sitting: a katana with a crimson handle on which there was a black dragon biting his tail.

"Without a doubt it is a zampakuto... how is it that it can emit so much Reiatsu?!" Nanao wondered as she panted, she felt that that sword emanated a powerful spiritual pressure.

Nanao didn't know how, but in front of her the silhouette of an imposing dragon with red eyes appeared, she began to sweat while the silhouette of that dragon grew larger and she wisely looked away from that zampakutō.

"A zampakutō that can create illusions while being sealed... What kind of Shinigami is Goku-sama?" Nanao asked trying to relax.

"Nanao-chan, are you alright? You seem scared and thoughtful" Shunsui expressed looking at his beautiful lieutenant, who quickly denied.

"Then how could you find me?" Goku asked getting to the point as he sat down and looked at everyone present.

"Your name is quite well known throughout the Rukongai, there are talk of feats about you" Unohana answered, in the first place. "Asking a series of people we found this place"

"They say that thanks to you the crime rate has been drastically reduced in most of the districts and that you distribute food so that no one goes hungry" Shunsui added with a smile.

"I don't do all that to be recognized, I simply want the souls who live in Rukongai to be able to dream of a better future, that's why I collaborate by planting crops, with that I obtain food and distribute it daily among several districts, thus I avoid the delinquency that derives of hunger, although I know that my work is still not enough to help all those defenseless souls, I will continue to strive so that everyone can aspire to a better life" Goku spoke with a small smile on his face.

Souls weren't supposed to starve, but that wasn't the case in the Rukongai.

Goku himself had witnessed how many died from not being able to put something in their mouths for days, for that reason he decided not to sit idly by watching how souls died day after day when he could do something to remedy that depressing situation.

Goku had a huge plot for his crops. He planted everything from tomatoes to wheat and distributed the harvest obtained among several districts that made up the vast Rukongai.

He used to patrol the streets daily to avoid criminal incidents, that is why most souls were grateful to him. With his help, the smiles of adults and children had returned to most districts of the Rukongai.

Both Unohana and Isane heard this with a smile, there was no doubt that Goku was a humble person with great values.

Nanao couldn't help but frown, wasn't a Shinigami's duty restricted to bringing the souls of the dead to soul society and purifying the Hollows? Why was he helping the souls of the Rukongai? Wouldn't that alter the natural order of things or the balance itself?

"If the Shinigami only care about bringing more and more souls to a world full of them, who cares that those souls can have a happy and peaceful life? If no Shinigami or noble decided to take care of them, I left my position in the Seireitei to do so" Goku spoke as if he had read Nanao's thoughts. "I left my position as Shinigami because my ideals and those of the Gotei 13 were different"

Goku knew that Yamamoto had created the Gotei 13 under the pretext of "saving innocent souls", but that was nothing more than a falsehood that hid reality, since Yamamoto was more busy fighting Hollows and obeying the laws of Central. 46 than in the poor defenseless souls of the Rukongai.

"Goku... then, would you never be willing to return to your position as Captain?" The dark-haired man flatly denied Shunsui's words.

"If you have come for that then my answer is no, you know very well why I left the Gotei 13" Goku spoke as he looked at Unohana and Shunsui alternately. "Also, I can't abandon those souls, they need my help"

"Wouldn't you come back... even if I told you that... Ukitake passed away a few days ago? Wouldn't you be willing to come back... knowing what you promised him that day?" Shunsui asked while Goku opened his onyx eyes upon hearing those words.