First Meeting with Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni × A Debate on the Sword Path

The world is still the same world, and the Seireitei.

But not far ahead, a light seemed to appear faintly, and a door, with a corner peeking out, seemed to beckon to him.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni sat cross-legged on the veranda of the small courtyard, basking in the sun. Beside him lay an antique walking stick wrapped in Ryujin Jakka). The old man quietly watched the sudden appearance of the door and the light, then his old eyes narrowed abruptly, shooting out two beams of divine light, startling the orange and tanuki (raccoon dogs) that were playing in the courtyard, causing them to bristle.

"What's wrong, Etsusai?"

Dressed in Shihakusho with a high-necked shirt underneath, white-haired and with golden eyes, Sasakibe Chojiro often dressed in a Western style, was tending to the two potted plants in front of him as usual when he keenly sensed something amiss and turned around...

The old man remained silent, only extending a withered hand to his chest, feeling the heart that, despite over two thousand years of erosion, still beat steadily. Suddenly, it skipped a beat... Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni in thought, stared intently at the radiant gate before him and slowly said, "Chōjirō, can't you see it?"

"What do you see?"

"The door is right behind you."

"?"

Sasakibe Chojiro frowned. Knowing Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's character well, he knew very well that his captain would not lie, and would never stoop to lying.

Since he said there was a door behind him, then there must be a door!

Without making a sound, the man put down the showerhead, then suddenly raised his hand and hurled it in the direction Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni had indicated!

"Bang~"

The showerhead flew straight through the doorway that was watching the light, and landed in front of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni. The old man casually raised his hand and caught it firmly in his hand.

"It seems it wasn't waiting for you."

The gate was right in front of him, yet Chojiro couldn't see it or touch it... For countless Sun-Earring Boy, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni hadn't encountered Sun-Earring Boy that could pique his interest, and... something he couldn't see through at a glance!

"Thump~" For no reason at all, his heart, weathered by two thousand years of battles, skipped a beat again.

The old man touched his chest, then tossed the showerhead back to Sasakibe Chojiro.

The man then slowly rose, dragging his long beard. Halfway up, he raised his hand and grasped the cane, Ryujin Jakka, firmly in his palm. Then... Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's figure flashed, bathed in the overflowing light, and disappeared into the doorway.

"Let me go and take a look," he told Sasakibe Chojiro.

Sasakibe Chojiro bowed slightly, watching his captain depart without the slightest worry... Firstly, he had absolute confidence in Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni; secondly, if danger were to arise, then... it wouldn't just be Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni Seireitei, and even the entire Soul Society, would likely fall... After all, for two thousand years, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni had been the strongest Soul Reaper, the strongest person in the Human World, Hueco Mundo, Soul Society, without exception.

However, what Sasakibe Chojiro hadn't expected was that... although the captain's soul was gone, his physical body was still sitting cross-legged in the corridor, which startled him!

It should be understood that Soul Reaper is a single life form composed of a pure collection of high-concentration spiritual particles, unlike "humans," who at least have a physical body as a vessel for their "soul"... In other words...

All living beings that can move around in the Seireitei, whether they are Soul Reaper, Wandering Soul, or even cats and dogs, are essentially souls. Logically speaking, it is impossible for the phenomenon of "soul leaving the body" to exist.

But now, something unexpected has happened... Sasakibe Chojiro frowned as he looked at Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni remained silent with his eyes closed. The old man was basking in the sun as usual. So... what was "that" who had just left with a knife?

Unable to understand... Sasakibe Chojiro instantly lost his mood for watering the flowers, secretly becoming more vigilant, and sat down next to Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, remaining alert... In a daze, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni also noticed his own abnormality, and with a hint of inquiry, he entered the door, and when he looked up, what he saw... was a "dazzling" long sword!

The sword was straight and not a samurai sword; its blade was covered with black flame patterns. However, in terms of style... it was somewhat similar to the ancient cane he was holding.

If you leave it on the ground, it's a walking stick; if you pull it out... it's a knife!

Moreover... as the old man slowly approached along the path where the light converged... he keenly sensed a wave of heat!

The heatwave scorched the air like boiling water, surging outwards layer by layer, and upon first taste... it was already approaching... 10,000 degrees!

A blade wreathed in flames, radiating light...

Is he summoning me?

Closer... Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni finally saw it clearly... Directly in front of him was a lush green garden... In the garden, a Sun-Earring Boy with black hair flying in the wind stood with his back to him, drawing his sword towards the sky and absorbing the sunlight.

The Sun-Earring Boy was young, and equally perceptive... He seemed to have heard his footsteps, and turned to look, just across the overflowing light... An old man and a young man, one leaning on a cane, the other wielding a knife as a staff, silently stared at each other... Silence was the desolate chill of the moment. "What is he looking at?" At eight o'clock in the morning, as spring transitioned into summer, the weather grew hotter, and... [Eclipse] absorbed the sun's rays, pushing aside the heatwave... When Silva brought back the doctor in charge of the delivery, the man crossed his arms and stood side by side with Maha.

Seeing the Sun-Earring Boy staring intently in a certain direction, she frowned slightly.

"I don't know," Maha said, picking his ear.

"Grandpa doesn't know either?"

"Don't you also not know what your son's ' Nen Ability ' is?"

Silva:

Silence fell.

Maha glanced at Roy, ignoring him, and said only, "Existence is its own justification. If the child doesn't want to talk about it, you don't need to ask."

He is a man of his own opinion.

At least... you have more opinions than I do.

Silva: "... Yes."

Grandfather and grandson... one tall, one short; one burly, one withered; both shut up at the same time.

Not far from the window, Tsubone helped Kikyo down to rest. In the vast garden, only Roy remained, holding his knife absentmindedly, lost in thought. He saw the old man in the distance with his long, meticulously groomed beard, which hung to the ground. He nodded to him in greeting, showing proper courtesy.

"Roy Zoldyck," he said.

"Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni." he replied.

"Are you practicing your swordsmanship?" Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni squinted at the [Eclipse]: "What's its name?"

Roy felt the "light" and "heat," and at this moment he no longer saw the knife as an extension of his arm, but rather as his "life," and, relying on his own [training], as an extension of the [Visualization object] in his heart, he said softly, "Eclipse."

Eclipse?

Wow... what a carefree name!

Heeding Asauchi's call, and learning Asauchi's true name... it seems that this Sun-Earring Boy before me has completely mastered [Shikai], and even... [Bankai]!

A glint suddenly flashed in the depths of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's old eyes. His wooden clogs shifted, and in a flash, he appeared beside Roy, facing the 10,000-degree heat as if it were nothing, carefully savoring the moment. "Just as the name suggests, it's just... a bit too hot."

"[Slash][Fist][Walk][Ghost]... Was that [Shunpo]?" Roy noticed Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni Shigekuni's ethereal and fleeting footwork, as if he were teleporting, truly deserving of the name [Shunpo].

The Sun-Earring Boy's eyes flickered, and he smiled slightly, "Compared to you, I am naturally insignificant."

Ryujin Jakka, One-Blade Cremation Heaven and Earth Ash, reaching the extreme... temperatures approaching 100 million degrees Celsius, close to the surface of the sun... it is no empty boast.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's eyes flickered, and he turned his head to look at him. "You know me?"

The old man drew closer and could clearly sense the vibrant life force emanating from the depths of Roy's soul, instantly deducing...

He's actually not very old, in fact... very young.

Perhaps it's because he's old, or perhaps it's the nature of Soul Reaper), but in the Soul Society, being a hundred or two hundred years old is only considered... young.

The Sun-Earring Boy beside him was no more than 13 years old, so young... so young that, lacking experience and knowledge, he wouldn't have had the chance to even come into contact with him, let alone... know that Seireitei...

"I guess you could say we know each other." We hadn't met before, but now that we have, we can say we know each other.

Before the old man could speak, Roy let [Eclipse] drink in the sunlight and said frankly, "I didn't expect you to come. Before, I was just thinking about how to express my gratitude to the Sword Path."

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni. His withered hand, which was rubbing his cane, trembled slightly as he looked at the Sun-Earring Boy: "So, this is your enlightenment?"

Roy was also taken aback. "Is there a problem?"

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni remained silent, but he drew his sword, his Ryujin Jakka... Boom! A surge of flames shot straight into the sky!

An overwhelming Reiatsu poured down!

In just a moment, Roy and Eclipse were outshone!

It was like a firefly encountering the Great Sun, Chimera Ant encountering an elephant... Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni didn't even use his Ryujin Jakka, and said softly, "My sword may not have the same name as yours, but in one thing, it is superior."

"Ah--" A desperate scream and roar suddenly erupted from Ryujin Jakka... Roy was momentarily dazed, as if he saw hundreds of millions of souls struggling to crawl out of Ryujin Jakka. The shocking force that struck his eyes made his heart pound and he began to gasp for breath...

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni stood next to the Sun-Earring Boy, sword in hand. With a swift motion, he forcefully erased the soul, then turned to Roy and said calmly, "It killed more than you could!"

"Kill!" A thunderous roar erupted from the ground. Roy's nostrils twitched. Although he was standing in the garden, his consciousness seemed to be floating in a sea of corpses. All around him were bodies burned by flames, some so badly charred that their noses and eyes were indistinguishable.

Fortunately... Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni didn't seem to intend to make things difficult for him. He sheathed his sword, which transformed back into that unremarkable, ancient-looking staff. As the gate in Roy's Sea of Cognition, branded with "Towering Corpse Demon," closed... his figure dissipated into specks...

In the end, only a final, profound glance remained, along with a Youyou sentence that echoed in Roy's ears, resonating for days on end...

"I know no gratitude, only slaughter... Sun-Earring Boy Roy, if we ever meet again, let me see your true colors..."

"Squeak~"

The portal vanished.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's consciousness returned, and when he opened his eyes again, he was back in the Seireitei, in that familiar little courtyard...

"Meow~" Under the corridor, an orange cat and a raccoon sat side by side, curiously observing him, with Sasakibe Chojiro, who was on guard, standing nearby...

The old man, recalling Roy's appearance, his white beard trailing on the corridor floor, seemed lost in thought. Then, regaining his composure, he said softly to Sasakibe Chojiro, "You're right, this old man... should take on an apprentice."

Chojiro:

After a moment of stunned silence, remembering how he had mentioned it last time... he had only been joking, he asked curiously, "What did you see inside?"

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni looked up at the sky. The Great Sun shone brightly and warmly. A glint of light flashed in his sharp eyes. "Light... such a bright beam of light..."

Then Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni closed his old eyes and fell silent.

Sasakibe Chojiro, bewildered, saw this and... didn't ask any more questions. He picked up the watering can again and began watering the flowers, just like the Zoldyck's butler. After Roy sheathed his sword and came to his senses, he gradually entered the garden and began to repair the lawn and tend to the flowers.

[Hint: You triggered Sword Path enlightenment through "gratitude," attracting the attention of "Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni," and had the privilege of discussing the Dao with him and witnessing Ryujin Jakka. "Swordsmanship" +1000]

[Current Swordsmanship: LV4 (41570/100,000)]

A panel popped up... and the notification sound faded. Roy, bathed in sunlight, used [Anti-Conjuration] to dissolve [Eclipse] into a Nen Qi, returning it to himself. He carefully pondered the words Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni had spoken. After a moment, he looked up, took a deep breath, and a mudflat appeared beneath his feet. He reappeared in the corridor. Maha looked over at the opportune moment. "Got an answer?"

Roy glanced past the old man, nodded slightly to Silva, pondered for a moment, and replied, "I originally imagined 'gratitude' to be something Visualization, but later..."

"I realized I seemed to have overlooked a very serious problem."

Silva: "What's the problem?"

"Slaughter!" Roy's expression turned solemn. "The Sword Path is not just about gratitude, but also about slaughter... or rather... slaughter is the true nature of the way of the Sword Path!"

Ryujin Jakka is just a sword, yet it can bury a billion souls... Roy felt that since he was born and gained consciousness, the number of people he had killed was... far too few... far too few. So few that even though Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni didn't say it, he could easily defeat him with just a single sword strike. Roy felt that if they met again, at least... he couldn't lose so badly again; at least... he needed to have some strength left!

"Hmm... as an assassin, you're definitely not qualified," Maha, not without agreement.

"Then kill more." Silva brushed past Roy's shoulder and went upstairs to see Kikyo: "Once Qi is born, you can go wherever you want, kill whomever you want, it's up to you."

"Okay." Roy watched Silva leave, then picked up his feet and walked back towards the training room.

"Thump... thump..." The Sun-Earring Boy had visibly grown much taller; his shadow, cast on the ground, was even longer Maha's.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, watching him leave. For a moment, he seemed to be in a daze, as if he saw... the former Jager, stubborn as a mule, barging into the Dark Continent without looking back, calling out softly to the Sun-Earring Boy, "Now that you're back, go see Jager."

Roy paused, then nodded solemnly.

Needless to say, he's going too!

Incidentally... kill people... until... kill... gods!