Yamabuki Chidori was a fairly well-known figure in Seireitei. Once word got out that he had arrived, the Katori Family immediately sent people to receive them. After he explained his purpose, the Katori Family became even more enthusiastic.
Before long, Yamabuki Chidori met the current head of the Katori Family, Katoru Hatsunoya.
She was a very refined-looking young woman. She wore glasses and had tied her long black hair into a ponytail. Since she was dressed in a loose white Kimono, it was difficult to make out her figure.
Seeing that her sister had come to receive her, Senbu ultimately could not hold back her tears. The thought that she had nearly lost her life filled her with lingering fear.
Katoru Hatsunoya gently comforted her sister. Once Senbu had calmed down, she turned slightly toward Yamabuki Chidori and bowed. "Thank you, Chief Strategist, for taking care of my little sister. I'm deeply grateful. Please stay for a meal! Butler, hurry and make the preparations."
Yamabuki Chidori had already planned to find an excuse to stay. He had not expected her to invite him to eat so readily, but he was not about to refuse.
Just as Katoru Hatsunoya turned around, a powerful gust of wind swept past. Her loose Kimono clung tightly to her delicate body, outlining her breathtaking figure!
Yamabuki Chidori considered himself to have excellent self-control, and he was not some lecherous scoundrel. But when he saw the two towering peaks rising and falling before him, he was still left speechless with admiration. They're enormous!
As the saying went, no matter how hard things got, one must never let the children suffer!
If I married her and brought her home...
I wouldn't dare say anything else, but once we had children, they could eat until they were stuffed! Of course, whatever the children couldn't finish would all belong to me, right? Heh heh heh!
The Katori Family's decorations were relatively understated and elegant. Although they were Great Nobles, they showed not the slightest hint of arrogance.
If he had not known the plot, Yamabuki Chidori would never have believed that this refined, innocent-looking young lady would become so crazed when cutting people down!
What excuse should I use to invite her to join the Gotei 13?
She must have had her reasons for not taking part in the Gotei 13's selection. If he rashly invited her to join, there was a good chance she would refuse.
At that moment, the servants brought out some dried fruits and candied snacks to eat before the meal. Each kind came in a small dish. Some were sour and some were sweet, and they all tasted excellent.
Then came the first course.
"Today's appetizer is a rich soup made with venison. I hope you enjoy it, my lord." The servant brought over a bowl of stewed meat soup and lifted the lid. Fragrant steam immediately filled the air.
Katoru Hatsunoya fed her sister in small bites. Senbu had not seen her family for a long time, and with her serious injuries only recently healed, her appetite had increased considerably.
Yamabuki Chidori took a sip. It really did taste good, but his mind was not on the food. His thoughts raced as he tried to figure out how to get the conversation started.
"This time, I bear responsibility for your sister's injuries. As her instructor, I arranged for them to engage in real combat during their training. That was indeed an inappropriate decision." Yamabuki Chidori decided to apologize first and try to leave the other party with a good impression.
Before Katoru Hatsunoya could speak, Senbu spoke up first. "You can't blame the instructor for this. It was all because I was careless. Sister, you can't be angry with the instructor."
"Mm, I'll listen to you." Katoru Hatsunoya seemed to dote on her sister. She picked up a white handkerchief and gently wiped the corner of Senbu's mouth.
"Instructor, don't let my strength fool you. My sister is really amazing. You might not even be able to beat her." Senbu spoke with a proud look on her face.
She really is my good student. I hadn't even thought of a way to start the conversation, and she's already opened it for me!
"Is she really that strong? I don't believe it!" Yamabuki Chidori deliberately put on a doubtful expression. Judging by her age, she was probably still young and hot-blooded. If he provoked her a little, she would surely stand up and have a duel between man and woman with him. Then he could pretend to lose and use the opportunity to invite her to join the Gotei 13. What a perfect plan!
Instead, Katoru Hatsunoya merely said gently, "Don't listen to the child's nonsense. I'm not that impressive. Butler, bring out the main course."
Yamabuki Chidori asked again, "Senbu, since your sister is so powerful, why didn't she participate when the Gotei 13 recruited people?"
Senbu was also puzzled. She looked at her sister.
Katoru Hatsunoya said unhurriedly, "I'm a girl. Fighting and killing isn't suitable for me. It's enough to do what I'm supposed to do. Everyone who joins the Gotei 13 is an elite. I'm still far from that level."
As she spoke, she lightly pushed up her glasses with one finger. A flash of white light glinted across the lenses, making anyone who saw it shiver.
Senbu looked at her sister curiously. Her sister's Reiatsu was far greater than her own. If she joined the Gotei 13, she might even become a Captain. Why was she refusing?
Yamabuki Chidori faintly guessed that she might have some difficulty she could not speak about and did not wish to mention in front of others.
Everyone had their own privacy. Forcing one's way into another person's heart could easily backfire and only increase their dislike.
Indeed, some people liked sharing their secrets with others, while some preferred solitude and liked burying their secrets deep in their hearts.
If one always tried to force others to follow one's own ideals, then no matter how correct one believed oneself to be, even the best of friends would eventually become estranged.
"Since you're unwilling to join, that really is a pity. It's a major loss for the Gotei 13!" Yamabuki Chidori gave an awkward laugh and focused on eating.
According to the course of history, Katoru Hatsunoya would definitely join the Gotei 13. But what would serve as the catalyst?
Everyone had their own reasons for doing things.
After eating and drinking his fill, Yamabuki Chidori stood up with a hearty laugh. "I still have a lot of official business to handle, so I won't stay any longer. If you change your mind and want to join the Gotei 13, you can contact me at any time. Also, Senbu, once your injuries have healed and you return to the team, you'll have to make up all the training you missed. Don't think you've escaped my clutches."
Senbu's face filled with bitterness.
"Have a safe journey, my lord. I won't see you out." Katoru Hatsunoya bowed slightly. Her appearance and manners were both impeccable.
As Yamabuki Chidori passed by Katoru Hatsunoya, he suddenly said, "Your eyes remind me of a friend in the squad! The two of you have very similar gazes."
"Hm?" Katoru Hatsunoya looked at Yamabuki Chidori in confusion. "What kind of person was he?"
"Before he joined the squad... he was a murderous fiend. The first time I saw him, he was skinning someone alive." Yamabuki Chidori spoke calmly.
Katoru Hatsunoya's delicate body trembled faintly. She lowered her head in silence.
The Young Lady's Wild Inner Heart
After hearing Yamabuki Chidori's words, Katoru Hatsunoya kept her head lowered. There was something strange in her eyes, but she did not say a word.
"Sister, you barely ate anything just now. Have some more!" Senbu said.
Katoru Hatsunoya revealed a standard, gentle smile. "Your sister isn't hungry. You eat."
It was late at night.
Katoru Hatsunoya sat before the candlelight, mending her sister's torn clothes. Halfway through, she once again recalled what Yamabuki Chidori had said to her during the day.
"My eyes... a murderer?" Katoru Hatsunoya murmured to herself.
When was the first time I saw blood spraying through the air?
It had been a very long time ago, before her little sister was born, when she herself was still a child.
She remembered it clearly. That day, her parents had taken her to Rukongai to visit a Great Noble. On their way home, their carriage had been attacked by a group of wandering warriors.
Katoru Hatsunoya gently closed her eyes and recalled what had happened that day.
Her mother had held her while trembling in fear. Her father had drawn his sword and fought the warriors. Although there were many of them, they were never a match for her father. In an instant, several had been cut down by him, their flesh and blood flying everywhere in a scene of utter carnage.
Her mother had been so frightened that she closed her eyes and dared not look.
But Katoru Hatsunoya had been stunned by the beautiful sight before her!
So this is how beautiful blood looks when it sprays from the human body!
No flower in the world could compare to even one ten-thousandth of this beauty!
At that moment, Katoru Hatsunoya found the goal of her life. She wanted to become just like her father.
But reality was cruel.
Because she was a girl.
From a young age, she had to learn all sorts of noble etiquette. She was constantly told that girls should be gentle and dignified, that girls should be obedient, and that when they grew up, their duty was to support their husbands and raise their children. They could not be crude or speak loudly. They had to learn flower arrangement, calligraphy, and painting.
Katoru Hatsunoya silently endured everything. She gradually became the pride of her parents and a model young lady in the eyes of the other nobles.
Later, after she begged and pleaded for a long time, her father finally hired her a swordsmanship instructor. But after studying for half a day, Katoru Hatsunoya decided that swordsmanship was not violent enough and switched to practicing with a naginata.
As she grew older, Katoru Hatsunoya discovered that her Reiatsu increased far faster than that of ordinary people. Yet her parents seemed completely unconcerned with this talent of hers.
"As long as a girl does what girls are supposed to do, that's enough! What kind of conduct is it for a girl to play with swords and spears?" That was what her father had told her.
But little by little, her longing for blood grew stronger. Yet the education she had received from childhood told her that girls should not carry swords onto the battlefield to cut people down.
Because that was neither gentle nor elegant, and it was unbecoming of a proper young lady from a noble family.
And so, the worldview she had built since childhood began to clash violently with the desires she pursued in her heart.
At this thought, Katoru Hatsunoya stopped sewing and stared blankly at the candle flame.
Could I only ever be a "puppet" for my entire life?
Bound by these rotten rules, never able to feel happiness.
A butterfly flapped its wings and landed on the back of Katoru Hatsunoya's hand.
Katoru Hatsunoya looked at the butterfly. Then she suddenly twisted her wrist, clenched her hand tightly around it, and crushed it into powder before slowly opening her fingers!
I'm... almost at my limit.
"Big Brother Yamabuki, look at this!" Sashō Chōjirō happily showed off the Zanpakuto in his hand.
"Hm? You've become an official member too?" Yamabuki Chidori asked in surprise.
"Yeah! My Spiritual Power is at the fourteenth level. I'm qualified to join the Gotei 13." Sashō Chōjirō looked delighted.
From today onward, he was no longer the little errand boy who did odd jobs. He was now an official member of the Gotei 13.
"Congratulations!" Yamabuki Chidori said indifferently. "Don't get arrogant. This is only the beginning. You won't count as a true Soul Reaper until your Zanpakuto is released."
Sashō Chōjirō became even more excited. "Yamabuki Chidori, my Zanpakuto has already achieved Shikai!"
"Huh???" Yamabuki Chidori stared blankly. Right, this kid was apparently a genius too. He had learned Bankai in only a month. Although he could not compare with that cheat, Kurosaki Ichigo, it was still an unreachable level for most people.
Everyone capable of using Bankai would be recorded in the history of Soul Society.
"Big Brother Yamabuki, you're so powerful, so you must know Shikai too, right? What ability does your Zanpakuto have?" Sashō Chōjirō asked innocently.
Yamabuki Chidori's eyes darted around. This little brat really knows how to bring up the one thing I don't want to discuss!
What ability does my Zanpakuto have? How would I know?
However, judging from his previous battle, the ability of his Zanpakuto's Shikai was probably related to speed.
"Stop prying. My Zanpakuto's ability is confidential. How could I tell you so casually?" Yamabuki Chidori said guiltily. If he told his little subordinate, "I haven't awakened my Zanpakuto yet," it would be far too embarrassing!
Sashō Chōjirō looked as though he had learned something. "I see. Big Brother Yamabuki, would you like to see my ability?"
"Sure. Wait for me in the training hall." Yamabuki Chidori nodded.
After Sashō Chōjirō left, Yamabuki Chidori rapped his knuckles against his sword in exasperation.
"Couldn't you at least tell me your name? You're acting like some secret service agency! Are you really happy watching me embarrass myself in front of my subordinate?" Yamabuki Chidori complained bitterly.
He then made his way to the training hall as well.
Sashō Chōjirō cheerfully drew his Zanpakuto. "Big Brother Yamabuki, be careful. Pierce through, Genryūmaru."
The Zanpakuto changed from a katana into a Western-style rapier. Lightning wrapped around the blade. Yamabuki Chidori had no idea how powerful it was, but it certainly looked cool.
Yamabuki Chidori said sourly, "All flash and no substance! A Soul Reaper's battle is a battle of Reiatsu. As long as your Reiatsu is strong enough, even the weakest Zanpakuto can display tremendous power! Conversely, without powerful Reiatsu, even the strongest Zanpakuto is useless in your hands. Come at me. Let me see what this sword can do!"
Sashō Chōjirō stared at his Zanpakuto with excitement. Lightning coiled around the entire blade as he charged forward.
Yamabuki Chidori nodded slightly. It seemed that after its release, Genryūmaru possessed not only the power of lightning but could also slightly increase its wielder's speed.
Faced with the thrusting Zanpakuto, Yamabuki Chidori merely raised two fingers and lightly caught the attack between them.
No matter how hard Sashō Chōjirō tried, the rapier did not move at all, as though it had been forged of steel between Yamabuki Chidori's fingers.
"Get rekt!" Yamabuki Chidori said easily. "You're still too green, kid. Go back and practice for another ten years."
Why hasn't my Zanpakuto awakened yet? I'm so jealous!
The Final Battle with the Blade Spirit
Yamabuki Chidori stared at his Zanpakuto. Why won't this little girl tell me her name? Could there be some hidden reason?
"Chōjirō, how did you communicate with your Zanpakuto? Ahem, let me see if the way you communicated with yours was correct." Yamabuki Chidori added another deliberately evasive explanation.
Sashō Chōjirō did not suspect his big brother in the slightest. He said happily, "I tried communicating with my Zanpakuto last night, and then Genryūmaru told me its name! It was that simple? Could this method be wrong? Didn't you communicate with yours this way, Big Brother Yamabuki?"
"Ahem, of course. There's nothing wrong with your method. Mm, you have good natural talent. Go rest for now." Yamabuki Chidori waved him off.
Could it be that I haven't built a relationship with this little girl normally, so she's sulking at me? Maybe I should try it when I get back today. What if it works?
Or did I use the wrong method to ask for her name? My Zanpakuto is a tsundere with white hair. Maybe she has high attack and low defense. Should I try something romantic tonight?
After returning to his room, Yamabuki Chidori sat cross-legged, placed the sword on his lap, and quietly meditated.
This was also a form of cultivation, one that allowed him to reach the state of Man-Sword Unity.
"Are you there? White hair? Tsundere? Lulululu? Twin tails? White stockings? If you're there, make a sound!" Yamabuki Chidori repeatedly called out in his heart.
The power of a Zanpakuto was actually the Soul Reaper's own power, while a Blade Spirit was originally a part of the Soul Reaper's body. What Yamabuki Chidori did not understand was why his Blade Spirit resisted him so strongly.
"Eek!" The white-haired tsundere's voice appeared in Yamabuki Chidori's heart.
You're really honest. You actually only made one "eek" sound!
Before you continue