"Spirit Pearl Core?" The four stared blankly at the sphere that Kūkaku had given them. This was the one that had given them entry into the Seireitei in the original story.
The next day, early in the morning, Kūkaku tossed them a Spirit Pearl Core. Ganju was also home. After introducing Ganju, and the group getting acquainted, Kūkaku, while smoking, explained some things to the four of them.
"In my family and that idiot's family, the surname Shiba didn't actually decline until my father's generation," Kūkaku said with a grin. "There's no need to go into details about what happened back then. Our branch of the family had some disagreements with Isshin Yixin's branch after that time, which is probably why Uncle Isshin didn't tell you about our family."
Kūkaku's words carried a hint of sadness, but Ichigo just shook his head blankly, "That's not it. The reason I don't know my cousins is simply because my dad never told me anything."
"Ha!?"
Yes! That's it.
Kūkaku was completely bewildered. "So you don't even know you're some kind of Child of Destiny?!"
"I know that, but my dad didn't tell me," Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "My dad doesn't seem to want me to get involved in these things. He's tried, but I'm still like this."
Kūkaku looked helpless. "What is Uncle Isshin doing?! Resisting? Does he even know how many people are plotting against your family? It's a pointless struggle. Since that's the case, I won't say anything more; it's meaningless."
"What I'm going to tell you is this: the Spirit Pearl Core you hold in your hands—basically nobody in Soul Society remembers what it's for anymore, Yoruichi, do you know?" Kūkaku whistled, teasing Nyanko.
Yoruichi glanced at her, "I don't know~, but can it be as mysterious as my family's Heavenly Gifted Armament?"
"Haha, no, no, our Shiba Clan is just a gatekeeper after all," Kūkaku laughed. "Just like you heard, even Ichigo, that idiot, and Uncle Isshin don't know that a long time ago, our Shiba Clan was the gatekeeper for the Soul King. Ordinary people can't enter the Soul King Palace; only with the permission of our Shiba Clan can one enter, and that's what you're using."
None of them understood what Soul King was, but it sounded incredibly powerful. Kūkaku continued, "I heard from Yoruichi that your Spiritual Power control isn't very good. Use this ball to practice for a while, and then Ganju will teach you its true purpose. I also have a... wait, who's there?"
Everyone looked in the direction of Kūkaku's gaze, where a cute little girl with green hair slowly appeared. The girl smiled adorably, "I am Shinren, the Master's Zanpakuto. I've come here to explain the new situation to you."
"Oh~ Master's knife, tell me, what happened?"
"Hmm~, firstly, Rukia Kuchiki's execution date is tentatively set for twenty days from now, but the Lord said it might be brought forward. Secondly, the captains' meeting has concluded, and the current opinion for you is zero tolerance; please be careful with your lives. Thirdly, wait, wait one or two days; Seireitei first."
Ichigo suddenly sat up and asked, "What's going to happen!?"
Shinren tilted her head, "I don't know. I'm just a knife, not a person. Why are you asking me when you're clearly a person? Don't you have a brain?"
Ichigo was so thoroughly humiliated he couldn't utter a single word, his face turning bright red. Meanwhile, Shinren, right before everyone's eyes, suddenly vanished, disappeared without a trace.
"Disappeared?"
"Of course not. Shinren's ability is to reduce her presence. She might be nearby, but she doesn't want to come out, so none of us can see her. Alright, then you can practice using the Spirit Pearl Core here for the next two days."
The difference between Ichigo and the original is quite significant. At least regarding the Spirit Pearl Core, his control over Spiritual Power has greatly improved, allowing him to deploy the shield in just half an hour.
Then this guy tried to open the shield to its maximum, but was knocked down by Kūkaku's pipe. Kūkaku took the Spirit Pearl Core, squeezed it, and a one-sided shield appeared. Then, like a center-weighted toy, the shield could rotate freely around the Spirit Pearl Core, turning arbitrarily with the movement of Kūkaku's hand.
The group found it fun and tried it out, but they were stumped. The small, one-sided shield alone proved too difficult for all four; they simply couldn't conjure it. Kūkaku tossed the Spirit Pearl Core to Ichigo and left with a smile.
This thing is really great for training Spiritual Power control. The Shiba Clan's talent lies in releasing Spiritual Power, regardless of the lineage. But why is the main family's Kidō technique so much stronger than the branch family's? It's because of the Spirit Pearl Core.
The main family has played with this since childhood, while the branch family, left with no other choice, could only develop the ultimate form of Spiritual Power release, namely Getsuga Tenshō. As for the three siblings, Kaien, Kūkaku, and Ganju, their Kidō techniques are all excellent. Even Ganju, that carefree Kidō, can release over 70% Kido without chanting.
In the original work, Kūkaku even directly Incantation Abandonment Flying Dragon Strike and Thunderclap, a feat rarely seen in Soul Society, and even in the current timeline, it remains rare. However, under Jun's tutelage, Kūkaku can now break the Incantation Abandonment, and has also learned the Sōdō, making her Jun's first disciple to Sōdō.
The four practiced for a whole day, and by noon, Uryū had mastered the technique for using Kūkaku. After all, he was Quincy had trained since childhood, so his control was impressive. Moreover, after systematic learning, his control was even better than Orihime's.
Less than an hour after Uryū finished, Orihime also finished, Sado didn't finish until evening, but Ichigo still hadn't finished. When Kūkaku came to check on him that night, she saw Ichigo still "working hard," while Ganju next to him was practically bald.
Because Ganju taught Ichigo for Ichigo day—unlike the original story, Kaien was still alive, and Ganju had no grudge against the Soul Reaper —the two didn't have that conversation about Rukia, Ichigo didn't have that epiphany. Even if Ganju taught him diligently, he wouldn't have learned it; Ichigo's mind is sometimes sharp and sometimes dull.
"Ugh~, are you really brainless? Forget it, you don't need to practice this anymore," Kūkaku snatched the Spirit Pearl Core away. Ichigo tried to grab it back, but found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even brush against Kūkaku's body, let alone touch the Spirit Pearl Core.
"You"
"What? Can't I be that strong?"
"Aren't you the Soul Reaper?"
"Yes, but no one said that someone who isn't the Soul Reaper can't have the Soul Reaper's abilities. For example, are you the Soul Reaper?"
"Uh, really?"
"That's bullshit! Soul Reaper is just an identity. Your real body is a living person. How could you possibly be Soul Reaper? Even if Soul Society acknowledges your existence, you're at most a Substitute Soul Reaper. You can forget about ever Soul Reaper in this lifetime; death is a different story."
Kūkaku held the identity of Soul Reaper) in utter disdain, saying, "What's so great about being Soul Reaper?"
"Uh," Ichigo, but found himself unable to say it, finally managing to stammer, "It's a superpower."
"Pfft, haha~", Kūkaku was genuinely amused. "You're such a funny kid. Alright, Ichigo, have you mastered the release yet?"
"Not yet"
"As expected, you've met my master. He said you're a special talent, incredibly strong as long as you don't overthink things. So, knowing I'm teaching you things that require brains, he told me it's not suitable for you."
"What!?" Ichigo roared in fury.
But Kūkaku He laughed, "That's what I said too. You're my cousin, after all, so I said I didn't believe it. Then my master told me to wait until tonight and see if there was any progress at all. If it were you, there definitely wouldn't be any progress."
Ichigo's face turned purple, Sado, Orihime, and Uryū were all red-faced from trying not to laugh, and Kūkaku was the same, but she couldn't hold it in any longer, "Pfft, sorry, I didn't think we should do this, but I just took a look and you really haven't improved at all, I give up, you're truly one in a million stupid."
"Do you know? My master is famous in Soul Society for his accurate judgment; he can spot anyone with a single glance. I didn't believe him because of you, cousin, and now I've embarrassed myself. Tell me, how could you be so stupid?"
What could Ichigo say? Kūkaku drew a sword. "So, I'll just have to give you the method my master said is best for you."
"What?" Ichigo stared at Kūkaku in astonishment, then a sword pierced his body, and he sat down on the ground.
Orihime was startled and tried to rush over, but Uryū stopped her. Uryū pushed up his glasses and asked, "Is this some kind of special Zanpakuto?"
"Wow~, bespectacled guy, how come you're so smart? I wish my little brother had your intelligence~!" Kūkaku sighed, rubbing his forehead. "This is a sword my master specially forged for him; it's the most suitable for him. You guys can actually try it too, especially you."
Kūkaku pointed at Sado, Sado immediately shook his head, "I'm not that stupid."
"Pfft, haha~", Kūkaku He couldn't stop laughing, "Alright, alright, you guys continue cultivating with the Spirit Pearl Cores. Actually, you can play around like this."
Kūkaku picked up Ichigo's Spirit Pearl Core, channeled her Spiritual Power, and created a lightsaber for him, which then transformed into a shield and various other things. "Hey~ that's it. Which type do you think you are? If you're a Enhancement type, charge it in as much as you can. If you don't release it outwards, you can charge in a lot of Spiritual Power. Of course, remember this: if you break into my house, you'll have to fix it."
After saying that, Kūkaku tossed the Spirit Pearl Core to Ganju. Ganju looked at the three of them, then went to Sado and said, "You're a power-type, right? Come on, bombard me!"
The researcher then created a massive protective shield using the Spirit Pearl Core, pushing Spirit Pearl Core with both hands. "Don't worry," he said, "It's generally unbreakable. You can use your own power; you don't need the Spirit Pearl Core anymore."
"Are you sure everything's okay?"
"Don't worry, this is an ancient technology from Soul Society, a family heirloom of a great noble family. You're underestimating it?"
"I wouldn't dare," Sado the Giant's Right Arm and beginning to gather power. "Then I won't hold back."
"Come on!" Ganju crouched in a horse stance, got into position, and roared, "Bring it on!!"
On the other side, Uryū and Orihime stood in a corner, each with their own Spirit Pearl Core undergoing its own transformation. Uryū's Spirit Pearl Core was filled with twinkling starlight, constantly appearing and disappearing; Orihime's Spirit Pearl Core's Spiritual Power shifted and changed shape from the inside out, as Orihime manipulated these changes.
Kūkaku watched the situation inside from outside the door, and pinched her earring. "Master? Is this alright?"
"I don't know either, but if he can't do it, then his sister will have to go. How can she be so weak? Let's throw them in first thing tomorrow morning," Chun thought, looking at the situation inside through the earring, utterly speechless.
"Clear!"
Don't worry, I'm here.
"I know, I'm not worried. I'll send the Ganju over to you too."
"Okay, it'll be good for him to get some experience."
And so it was settled. He simply closed the window, lay down on the sofa, and muttered to himself.
"No pressure, no growth? I'll just throw you in front of Kenpachi tomorrow."
"What? You finished your phone call with Kūkaku?"
The sound of Isuzu came from the kitchen, and Jun instantly became happy, running out to hug her.
"Hey~, shall I take you to the movies tomorrow?"