In Soul Society, Starting Out with the Eight Extraordinary Skills! / I Have No Interest in the Position of Clan Head
Bleach: Eight Extraordinary Skills, the Kuchiki Clan's Good-for-Nothing Eldest Young Master. Author: Little Orchid
He transmigrated into the world of Bleach and became Byakuya Kuchiki's younger brother, Kyōsuke Kuchiki, a genius the Kuchiki Clan had not seen in a thousand years!
He unlocked the Bleach version of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, but was a good-for-nothing by nature!
[Six Treasury Immortal Thief]: Instantly break down absorbed matter and convert its nutrients into Reiatsu through circulation!
[Grand Luo Insight]: See through illusions! Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu? See through it at a glance and stroll through at leisure!
[Spirit Restraint and General Censure]: Overwhelming suppression! Dominate Menos Grande and devour souls, striking fear into the hearts of all Soul Reapers!
Chapter 1: In Soul Society, Starting Out with the Eight Extraordinary Skills!
Soul Society, the Kuchiki Clan.
In a courtyard filled with drifting cherry blossoms, a youth sat cross-legged with his eyes closed on the veranda outside a building. His short hair was neatly cut, with a Kenseikan binding its ends.
Whether it was an illusion or not, the air in the courtyard seemed to form a subtle cycle with the rise and fall of his breathing.
Countless cherry blossoms drifted up and down through the vast courtyard with it, yet not a single one fell to the ground.
It was as though they had been caught in a vortex of time that would never stop, a sight of dazzling beauty.
A few seconds later, the youth abruptly opened his eyes, a glimmer slowly passing through his clear black pupils.
Without the slightest hesitation, his long, slender fingers suddenly moved, tracing line after line of mysterious ancient characters in the air!
"Tenfold Lightning Talisman!"
The moment he softly spoke its name, the clear sky above the courtyard was completely blanketed by surging dark clouds!
Flashing lightning swept across and pierced every inch of the area before the youth like a howling gale and driving rain!
For a time, heaven and earth shook as ten thousand bolts of lightning thundered, refusing to cease.
Only when the youth smiled faintly and gave a gentle wave of his hand did it stop.
He dispersed the vast spiritual power, returning it to particles of Reishi in the air.
The breeze flowing through the air fell still as well.
On the ground, fragments of cherry blossoms pierced by lightning had long since carpeted the entire courtyard. On closer inspection, not a single petal remained intact; all had been reduced to powder, as though a great snowfall the color of cherry blossoms had descended.
Shattering cherry blossoms without scorching them required extraordinarily delicate control.
It reminded him of a famous saying by Soul Society's renowned "barber," Sōsuke Aizen: "It's very difficult to control your strength when you walk on ants without crushing them."
That would happen 110 years later, and the red-haired victim would be utterly baffled.
The reason Kyōsuke Kuchiki knew the future like the back of his hand was, of course, that he was a transmigrator.
Several decades ago, when he, a youth from Blue Star, had first transmigrated, he had seen the antique buildings and tatami mats and thought he had arrived in ancient Japan.
Only afterward did he learn that he had transmigrated into Soul Society in the world of Bleach, and had even become Byakuya Kuchiki's younger brother, a member of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Clans.
From that day on, he had lived as Kyōsuke Kuchiki.
Later, Kyōsuke Kuchiki had also awakened a golden finger of his own.
"Ding! Congratulations, host. Your proficiency in the Heaven Communicating Talisman Art has reached 70%, attaining major mastery!"
The system notification interrupted Kyōsuke Kuchiki's reminiscence.
I've finally reached major mastery!
A flicker of excitement passed through the youth's eyes.
This was his golden finger, the Eight Extraordinary Skills System!
Each of these eight divine skills from The Outcast had the potential to place him above all others once mastered to perfection.
However, aside from the Six Treasury Immortal Thief, which the system had given him at the start, the other seven extraordinary skills had to be unlocked gradually.
Only when proficiency in one extraordinary skill reached 100%, perfection, could he unlock the next.
The Heaven Communicating Talisman Art Kyōsuke Kuchiki now possessed had only been unlocked after his proficiency in the Six Treasury Immortal Thief reached perfection.
A proficiency below 30% was the beginner stage.
Proficiency from 30% to 70% was minor mastery, above 70% was major mastery, and 100% was perfection!
Increasing proficiency required constant practice.
At the same time, because this was a different world, the abilities of the Eight Extraordinary Skills had changed as well.
For example, the Six Treasury Immortal Thief could now instantly break down any matter taken into the body and convert its nutrients into Reiatsu through circulation. It could also make the user's presence vanish completely!
Simply put, he could grow stronger just by eating and drinking!
How could that be hard to grind?
With a man of the Celestial Empire's love of fine food, Kyōsuke Kuchiki had tasted nearly every delicacy in Soul Society over the years. Before he knew it, he had maxed out his proficiency in the Six Treasury Immortal Thief!
Afterward, he had unlocked the second of the Eight Extraordinary Skills.
The Heaven Communicating Talisman Art!
Ignore all restrictions... and draw talismans with his bare hands!
When he obtained the ability, Kyōsuke Kuchiki had only one thought.
Isn't this way more useful than Kidō?!
The talismans were powerful and came in all kinds: he could seal someone's meridians at the drop of a hat, or raise a hand and strike them with a Five Thunder Spell.
And so, while slacking off in his peaceful, leisurely life, he practiced.
He had finally ground his proficiency in the Heaven Communicating Talisman Art up to major mastery!
The next step was to grind his proficiency in the Heaven Communicating Talisman Art to perfection, then unlock the next of the Eight Extraordinary Skills.
"But..."
"After reaching major mastery, ordinary practice is raising my proficiency more and more slowly."
"Big Byakuya is away from home all day. He's not a suitable tool, so I'll have to find some people to take his place."
Kyōsuke Kuchiki murmured to himself.
Big Byakuya was naturally Byakuya Kuchiki, as fans in his previous life had called him, and also his older brother in this life.
As for Little White, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, he had yet to be born.
The Six Treasury Immortal Thief at perfection, combined with the Heaven Communicating Talisman Art at major mastery, made Kyōsuke Kuchiki feel much more at ease.
The seemingly peaceful Seireitei was in fact full of hidden undercurrents, teeming with schemers and ambitious men of every sort.
Facing that pack of thousand-year-old foxes, Kyōsuke Kuchiki would have a hard time competing with them and testing his mettle without a few special tricks up his sleeve.
"Kyōsuke, are you finished practicing Kidō?"
The next second, a gentle voice sounded beside him.
Hearing it, Kyōsuke Kuchiki smiled faintly and rose to look.
An old man with white hair and a white beard was looking at him kindly.
The old man's eyes held undisguised admiration and affection, along with a trace of shock.
The old man was Kyōsuke Kuchiki's grandfather in this life, the current head of the Kuchiki Clan and captain of the Sixth Division, Kuchiki Ginrei.
Behind him, his eldest brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, whose looks were second only to his own, wore his usual icy expression as he looked over impassively.
"Good morning, Brother, Grandfather."
Kyōsuke Kuchiki greeted them happily.
"You did very well, Kyōsuke."
Kuchiki Ginrei's gaze grew even gentler.
Byakuya Kuchiki, standing beside him, also gave an indifferent nod in response.
But his gaze could not help drifting toward the petals in the courtyard that were dissolving into Reishi.
When he noticed the sea of powdered cherry blossoms on the ground, his expression froze for a moment, and a trace of astonishment flashed through his eyes.
He knew his younger brother's talent for Kidō was terrifying, but wasn't this a bit too outrageous?
Even he, who disciplined himself strictly every day and had always practiced diligently, could not achieve this level of precision and power with Kidō after completing the incantation.
The power of many Soul Reapers' Zanpakuto after Shikai was no greater than this!
Kuchiki Ginrei, his face wreathed in smiles, was naturally aware of that too.
Chapter 2: I Have No Interest in the Position of Clan Head
Even Kuchiki Ginrei, captain of the Sixth Division, was shocked by the talent Kyōsuke had displayed.
"Kyōsuke, your talent for Kidō is beyond imagination. Even the current Grand Kidō Chief of the Kidō Corps cannot compare to you."
"Given time, if you can comprehend Bankai, perhaps you would be even better suited than Byakuya to become the next head of the Kuchiki Clan!"
The old man spoke with a serious expression.
"Forget it, Grandfather. I'm not interested in being clan head."
Kyōsuke Kuchiki waved his hands repeatedly.
Being the one in charge isn't easy!
Even that carefree youth who chased the wind had been worked like a dog after becoming the Seventh Hokage.
He wondered if Naruto Uzumaki, who had once been obsessed with pranks, had ever imagined that his dream would turn out to be entering a factory to enjoy the blessing of a 996 work schedule.
What was more, as one of Soul Society's Five Great Noble Clans, the Kuchiki Clan was a model for all Soul Reapers, duty-bound to uphold and enforce Soul Society's rules at every turn.
As clan head, there were even more matters to handle every day, too many to count.
The job was no easier than being Hokage.
He could not stand being tied down, so the "blessing" of being clan head was destined to be enjoyed by his elder brother, Byakuya Kuchiki!
"Kyōsuke, it may not be a bad thing for you to think that way."
Kuchiki Ginrei admired Kyōsuke Kuchiki all the more.
Having lost his son and several other relatives in succession, the old man placed increasing importance on family bonds.
Nothing was more important than family harmony.
At that moment, Kyōsuke Kuchiki quickly changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, is there anything special happening today?"
Without any hesitation, Byakuya Kuchiki replied as impassively as ever.
"Today is the day Shin'ō Academy accepts new students."
"Kyōsuke, Grandfather asked me to take you there to enroll."
"..."
Shin'ō Academy!
Also known as the Soul Reaper Academy, it was a long-established educational institution in Soul Society that trained future members of the Kidō Corps, the Stealth Force, and the Gotei 13.
Its lessons ranged from training in "swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, movement, and Kidō" to practical soul burials in the World of the Living.
Its founder was Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, captain of the Gotei 13's First Division and Captain-Commander.
As a noble, Kyōsuke Kuchiki should not have needed to go to a place like that.
But after a moment's thought, he understood.
Although his Reiatsu was astonishing and his Kidō outstanding, he did not yet have a Zanpakuto of his own, much less Shikai or Bankai.
To a Soul Reaper, a Zanpakuto was a second life, a companion that could stay with them for a lifetime, so naturally, the sooner he mastered it, the better.
That was why Grandfather wanted him to join Shin'ō Academy and obtain a Zanpakuto of his own.
At the same time, he could meet more people at the academy and form bonds with them.
That would be more beneficial to his growth.