After the Battle

The dust of battle settled, and silence returned to the forest clearing.

After the initial shock and relief of avenging himself, Kaien Shiba finally had the presence of mind to take a closer look at the mysterious young man who had stepped in at the crucial moment and lent him that terrifyingly powerful Zanpakuto.

He first returned Heavenquake to Liu Chuan with both hands.

"And this is...?" Kaien Shiba looked at Rukia Kuchiki questioningly.

Rukia hurriedly stepped forward and formally introduced them.

"Big Brother Kaien, this is Liu Chuan. He was my classmate at Shin'ō Academy, and he's now a member of the Zero Division."

When she mentioned the Zero Division, Rukia's tone still carried a trace of incredulous awe.

"The Zero Division?!" Kaien's pupils narrowed slightly, and a look of realization appeared on his face as he looked again at Liu Chuan's haori and his excessively young face.

"Ah, I see... So you're that newly appointed member of the Zero Division! My younger sister Kūkaku was talking about you at home just the other day."

He gave a bitter smile, his gaze sweeping over the silvery-white Zanpakuto at Liu Chuan's waist that had just displayed such terrifying power.

"No wonder you're so strong... unfathomably so. That Severing Void just now, and the power of this sword..."

He solemnly bowed to Liu Chuan. If Liu Chuan hadn't acted in time, he likely would have met a grim fate, much less avenged himself personally.

Liu Chuan said calmly, "Vice-Captain Kaien, there's no need for such courtesy."

"Even so..." Kaien straightened up, but the gratitude and curiosity in his eyes did not diminish. After a pause, he voiced the question in his heart.

"However, as far as I know, shouldn't members of the Zero Division be permanently stationed at the Soul King Palace, rarely setting foot in the Soul Society unless they have a special mission?

"Could it be that your arrival this time is... official business?"

He glanced at the huge crater in the distance, where the Heavenly Pillar Carriage had crashed.

Hearing this, Liu Chuan shook his head and explained evenly.

"It's not official business. When I joined the Zero Division, we made an agreement that I didn't need to remain permanently at the Soul King Palace and could return to live in the Soul Society. So this is... going home."

"You don't need to stay at the Soul King Palace? You can return to live here?"

Kaien was stunned again. This was completely contrary to the ironclad rules of the Zero Division as he knew them.

He nodded without probing further. After all, this involved the internal affairs of the Soul King Palace, and it wasn't appropriate to ask too much.

At that moment, Rukia, who had been listening curiously, couldn't help but interject. She looked at Liu Chuan with curiosity.

"Liu Chuan, what is the Soul King Palace... actually like? Is it like the legends say, with splendid palaces everywhere, floating among the clouds, and Spirit Particles so dense they become tangible? Is there anything especially amazing there?"

Faced with Rukia's eager questions, Liu Chuan fell silent for two seconds. He seemed to be recalling the vast, lonely halls of the Soul King Palace and the several "landlords" with wildly different personalities before giving an answer that surprised everyone.

"A... very boring place. Aside from the higher concentration of Spirit Particles and clearer rules, it's suitable for old folks to retire, conduct research, or fiddle with strange things. Other than that, there's nothing special. Stay there too long, and it gets stifling."

"Boring? Retirement?" Rukia blinked, clearly not expecting such an assessment.

In her imagination, and that of most Soul Reapers, the Soul King Palace should have been a sacred, majestic supreme sanctuary filled with mysteries.

Yet in the words of someone who had actually lived there, it had become "a boring place suitable for retirement."

The contrast made her want to laugh, while Liu Chuan's indifferent tone, which was practically one of disdain, struck her as novel.

Kaien Shiba and Jushiro Ukitake exchanged smiles at this, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Liu Chuan's unique "evaluation."

Perhaps only someone as unconventional as him, someone who even found the Soul King Palace "boring," would choose to refuse permanent residence there and return to the Soul Society.

The conversation soon returned to the thrilling battle from earlier.

Recalling his helplessness and embarrassment after losing his Zanpakuto, Kaien's smile gradually faded, and his gaze became solemn and introspective.

"That was... truly embarrassing."

He shook his head self-mockingly, his tone carrying lingering fear and a profound lesson.

"If Liu Chuan hadn't acted in time and lent me his sword, the consequences would have been unthinkable. That Hollow's ability was far too strange, but in the end, my own fatal weakness was relying too heavily on my Zanpakuto."

He looked at his empty hands, then at the seemingly unremarkable Heavenquake at Liu Chuan's waist.

"Once my Zanpakuto is taken away, or I encounter special circumstances where I can't use it, more than half my combat strength disappears. Kido, Hakuda, Flash Step—none of them can stand on their own.

"That Red Fire, Crash Down just now wasn't even enough to scratch it... Thinking back on it now, it's truly shameful."

He took a deep breath, his gaze passing over Captain Ukitake's gentle yet concerned eyes before turning to Rukia's worried face. With a bitter smile, he said,

"In the past, people always called me a 'genius,' and I got a little full of myself too. I thought that with my Zanpakuto and decent talent with the sword, I could handle most situations.

"Today's battle completely woke me up.

"My so-called talent is practically child's play. Blinded by the halo of 'genius,' I neglected the most fundamental, comprehensive training and accumulation."

His words were full of sincere self-reflection and frustration.

As the genius of the Shiba Clan and vice-captain of the Thirteenth Division, this was the first time he had so clearly seen the gap between himself and truly top-tier experts.

It wasn't merely a difference in power, but in the completeness of one's own power system and the ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances.

Liu Chuan's effortless Kido and his sense of steadiness had taught him a vivid lesson.

Jushiro Ukitake coughed softly twice and spoke gently.

"Kaien, being able to recognize this is already your greatest gain. The road of growth has always been filled with lessons and reflection. If you can make up for your shortcomings after this battle, your future achievements will be limitless."

Rukia nodded vigorously. "Big Brother Kaien, you can definitely do it! You've always been the best!"

Watching Kaien's earnest self-reflection, Liu Chuan found himself somewhat impressed.

To recognize his own weaknesses so quickly, without wallowing in failure or the hollow reputation of a "genius"—such character was indeed rare.

The atmosphere became much more relaxed amid the candid exchange and reflection.

Only then did Liu Chuan remember the important matter. He pointed toward the vaguely visible enormous crater deep in the forest.

"Alright, we can chat later. Vice-Captain Kaien, there's a 'small matter' I really need to trouble you with—or rather, trouble the Shiba Clan with."

Liu Chuan said, "The Heavenly Pillar Carriage I arrived in landed a little off course and crashed into the woods over there.

"That thing is too large, and it involves the Soul King Palace, so it can't be left in the wilderness for long. I'll have to trouble the Shiba Clan to send people to retrieve and transport it."

"The Heavenly Pillar Carriage?!" Kaien naturally knew what it was. It was a special means of transportation connecting the Soul King Palace and the Soul Society, powered by the secret techniques of the Shiba Clan.

He hadn't expected Liu Chuan to have come down in one—and to have crashed it off course.

Understanding dawned on Kaien, and he immediately said seriously, "Rest assured, Lord Liu Chuan. Leave this to me. I'll send a message home at once and have Kūkaku arrange people to retrieve it. The Shiba Clan is very familiar with the recovery procedures for the Heavenly Pillar Carriage."

"Thank you." Liu Chuan nodded.

"Oh, right." Remembering something, Kaien warmly invited him.

"Since Lord Liu Chuan has returned to the Soul Society, if you don't mind, why not come to the Thirteenth Division barracks with us for a rest?

"Let me do my part as a host and thank you for your help today. Besides, the specific arrangements for recovering the Heavenly Pillar Carriage will take some time."

Jushiro Ukitake also smiled. "Yes, Lord Liu Chuan, please do us the honor. The Thirteenth Division may be humble, but we do have tea and snacks."

Rukia also looked at Liu Chuan expectantly.

After thinking briefly, Liu Chuan nodded in agreement. He truly had nothing urgent to do.

"Then I'll accept your hospitality."

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