After winning Yoruichi Shihouin over, Gilgamesh checked his status panel.
[Name: Gilgamesh Character Template: Gilgamesh (Child) Class: Archer ... Spiritual Pressure: 50,000 Spiritual Power: 500 King's Way Points: 55,900.]
Gilgamesh's King's Way Points had originally been 45,827. Now they had risen to 55,900.
That included the 10,000 King's Way Points Yoruichi Shihouin had brought him, along with the points from his new subjects in Tobiume and Inuzuri.
However, the total population of Inuzuri and Tobiume was only a little over a hundred thousand.
That meant Gilgamesh could no longer gain many more King's Way Points from those two places.
After Yoruichi Shihouin had pledged her allegiance, she began earnestly offering Gilgamesh advice.
As for the problem of finding capable people that had been troubling him, Yoruichi Shihouin thought for a moment before speaking. "Most of the talent in Rukongai has already been drawn into the various noble families."
"At this stage, it's practically impossible to poach those people from the noble families."
Gilgamesh agreed.
Even though he had Charisma of the Beautiful Boy (C) and Charisma (A+), which made people more likely to like and trust him, poaching talent from the noble families was still practically impossible for him right now.
The foundation of his royal city lay in the most remote and backward part of Rukongai. Anyone else from Rukongai would know all too well just how poor, backward, and chaotic those areas were.
Why would they give up their comfortable lives to come here and suffer?
Just because Gilgamesh had promised them a bright future?
Perhaps some people would be inspired by his charisma and be willing to come.
But finding those people in the vast expanse of Rukongai would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Gilgamesh wouldn't waste his time on it.
Now wasn't the time.
Once Gilgamesh had built up his royal city and made a name for himself, then it would be a good time to poach people from the noble families.
Yoruichi Shihouin continued, "There may be a few hidden gems in Rukongai, but finding them is hardly realistic."
As she spoke, Yoruichi Shihouin looked at Gilgamesh and said seriously, "So we shouldn't focus on Rukongai."
"I know of a place with many talented people born in Rukongai, and none of them have joined a faction yet."
Yoruichi Shihouin's words stirred something in Gilgamesh.
The light of the Star of Omniscience had already shown him which place she meant.
It was...
"Shino Academy!" Yoruichi Shihouin said.
Worried Gilgamesh might not know much about Shino Academy, Yoruichi Shihouin began explaining what it was.
"Shino Academy can be thought of as the Seireitei's training institution for Soul Reapers."
"It was established a thousand years ago by Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the current Captain-Commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."
"Shino Academy's doors are open to everyone. Even people born in Rukongai can enroll as long as they pass the entrance exam."
"As far as I know, most commoners in Rukongai believe that getting into Shino Academy is their only chance to change their fate."
"So many ambitious and talented commoners from Rukongai want to enter Shino Academy."
"Even now, there are many Soul Reapers in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads who were born in Rukongai and have become Seated Officers, vice-captains, and even captains."
Gilgamesh naturally knew about Shino Academy.
In his plans and vision for the future, entering Shino Academy was an essential step.
Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never lose a battle.
If Gilgamesh wanted to establish a kingdom in Rukongai, he would inevitably end up at odds with the Soul Reapers and nobles of the Seireitei.
And everything Gilgamesh knew about the Soul Reapers, nobles, and Seireitei came from the Bleach anime.
There was bound to be a gap between the anime and reality.
The anime showed the broad strokes and main storyline, while countless details of the real world never appeared onscreen.
So Gilgamesh had to learn about it firsthand before he could truly understand it.
Besides, Gilgamesh was determined to learn the Soul Reapers' four core disciplines taught at Shino Academy: Zanjutsu, Hohō, Hakuda, and Kidō.
He didn't need them for himself. He wanted to promote them in his kingdom, strengthening his people and even training Soul Reapers of his own.
Future conflicts were inevitable, so strengthening his forces was essential.
Although Gilgamesh could obtain Zanjutsu, Hohō, Hakuda, and Kidō through the King's Path System's exchange shop, it would cost him King's Way Points.
If Shino Academy taught them for free, why waste his points?
On top of that, Shino Academy held Soul Burial field exercises in the Human World from time to time.
Gilgamesh wanted to visit the Human World as well.
As for Zanpakuto...
Although anyone who entered Shino Academy could receive an Asauchi and develop a Zanpakuto of their own, Gilgamesh wasn't that eager to get one.
First, Gate of Babylon contained too many Noble Phantasms that could serve as substitutes for a Zanpakuto.
Second, Gilgamesh had his own personal Noble Phantasm, Ea.
Third, there was Ichibe Hyosube.
Ichibe Hyosube had been born a million years ago, in a chaotic world. He was one of the few special lifeforms of that era, from the same period as the Soul King and the ancestors of the Five Great Noble Clans.
Now, he was the leader of the Royal Guard, the Royal Guard's Zero Division. The Soul King had bestowed on him the name "Manako Osho," meaning "the one who calls out true names." He was therefore also known as "Shin'uchi Osho."
He had given the initial names to everything in Soul Society.
The terms Zanpakuto, Shikai, and Bankai had all been named by him.
The instant an Asauchi was handed to a Soul Reaper, Ichibe Hyosube already knew its name.
And Ichibe Hyosube's own Zanpakuto had the power to strip Zanpakuto of their names.
Once a Zanpakuto's name was stripped away, it lost all its power.
All these factors together meant Gilgamesh wasn't especially eager to get a Zanpakuto.
Still, he was curious about what kind of abilities his own Zanpakuto might develop.
So although Gilgamesh wasn't eager to get a Zanpakuto, he wasn't opposed to one either.
Watching Gilgamesh ponder, Yoruichi Shihouin continued, "But getting them to pledge their allegiance won't be easy."
"After all, the Seireitei is at the center of Soul Society, and its image and prestige are deeply rooted in people's minds. We have no advantage over it right now."
Yoruichi Shihouin paused. Then a smile appeared on her catlike face, and she said with utter confidence, "Still, I believe that won't be a problem for you."
Gilgamesh smiled back, his Charisma of the Beautiful Boy fully on display. Yoruichi Shihouin couldn't help but stare, momentarily entranced.
Gilgamesh also showed the modesty and courtesy of Young Gil as he replied, "Mr. Black Cat, thank you for believing in me."
"In that case, I'll go take a look at Shino Academy."
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