In Soul Society, All I Want Is to Coast into Retirement — Chapter 3

Yamabuki Chidori did not have much energy to spare for learning. He could only watch from the corner of his eye while staying on guard against Saito's attacks.

But just then, he realized that after merely watching Sekienton being used once, he somehow already understood its underlying principles.

At first, he did not understand why this was happening, but he quickly remembered the title the system had given him: Child of Destiny.

What was a Child of Destiny?

Infinite talent, infinite growth, infinite potential!

Wasn't that exactly what a Child of Destiny was?

So the greatest cheat, the system, had given him everything from the very beginning.

"Bakudō #21, Sekienton!"

Yamabuki Chidori pressed one hand against the ground, and a great mass of crimson smoke abruptly rose up, blocking Saito's vision.

Yamamoto and Shunshun Shidō, who were watching from afar, were both stunned.

"Has this kid encountered Kidō before?" Shunshun Shidō asked.

"Probably not. Otherwise, he would have used it long ago," Yamamoto said.

Someone who had never come into contact with Kidō had merely watched someone cast it once, yet he could replicate it!

It was only a low-level Kidō, but wasn't that talent a little terrifying?

"Sekienton, Sekienton, Sekienton!!!"

With Lieutenant-level Reiatsu, repeatedly casting such low-level Kidō put no strain on him at all. In an instant, the entire area was filled with crimson smoke, and everyone lost their sight.

What Saito hated most were bastards who refused to face her head-on!

"You're just going to keep hiding? How long can you hide? Coward!"

"Hide? I think you've misunderstood something. I'm merely waiting for an opportunity!"

Yamabuki Chidori's voice appeared behind Saito like a ghost. Startled, Saito hurriedly turned around, only to see a flash of sword light stabbing toward her face at incredible speed!

P.S. If you enjoy this book, please give it a recommendation and add it to your collection. Those are very important for a new book! This old cat thanks you in advance.

Chapter 5: Wait, Am I a Quincy?

The sword light flashed past! Saito's pupils shrank as she hurriedly tilted her head aside, but the blade still left a scar across her face. Blood streamed down her cheek!

Saito's expression instantly became even more ferocious. She grabbed Yamabuki Chidori by the wrist and raised her blade to chop down!

Yamabuki Chidori had not expected her to evade his point-blank ambush. Caught off guard, his hand was seized, and he could no longer dodge!

Just as Saito's blade was about to fall, a large hand tightly gripped her wrist.

Saito's hand was instantly locked as though caught in an iron clamp. No matter how she struggled, it would not move in the slightest. In shock, she turned around and saw that the person holding her wrist was Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

"What do you mean by this?" Saito roared.

Without changing expression, Yamamoto said, "You lost. That incense stick has already burned out."

Saito looked at the fully burned incense stick in Yamamoto's hand and shouted sharply, "So what? I'm going to kill this brat!"

Yamamoto said coldly, "A bet is a bet. Are you trying to go back on your word?"

The next second, volcano-like Reiatsu erupted from Yamamoto's body, and an explosive, violent pressure swept across the entire area!

The madness in Saito's eyes instantly turned to fear. Yamamoto released her hand, but she remained frozen in place from sheer terror. Even the hand gripping her blade trembled slightly!

It was not only Saito. Even Shunshun Shidō, who had been watching from afar, was terrified by that violent Reiatsu. He knew Yamamoto was strong, but he had never imagined he was strong to this extent!

"Hey! Old man! Who the hell are you?" Saito's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

"My name is Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. I am known as the Sword Demon," Yamamoto said calmly. "Now, it is time for you to honor the bet. Yamabuki, well done. As expected of my second-in-command!"

You flatter me, old man! But could you discuss something like this with me beforehand next time?

Yamabuki Chidori stared at his captain with an extremely kind and friendly look. He had come within a hair's breadth of being captured as that crazy woman's slave!

The four of them returned to the hall, and Shunshun Shidō had someone prepare another table full of food.

"What exactly does the Gotei 13 do?" Saito asked.

"An assassin organization," Yamamoto replied. "Our targets include Hollows and Soul Reapers who cause unrest. In short, we will use extremely violent means to suppress this chaotic era and ultimately stand at the summit!"

After hearing Yamamoto's explanation, Saito became interested in the Gotei 13. "That sounds pretty interesting! As long as I get to cut things, right?"

That was not exactly wrong.

And just like that, in less than half a day, the Gotei 13 had doubled in size, growing from two people to four.

"The Gotei 13 does not have its own territory yet. How about using the Shihōin Clan as a temporary base?" Shunshun Shidō said generously.

As one of the Five Noble Clans, the Shihōin Clan lacked everything except money!

Yamamoto had been worrying about finding a place to settle down. Since Shunshun Shidō had offered, he gladly accepted.

"Come on! Prepare a place for us to rest!" Yamamoto said as he dragged Yamabuki Chidori outside.

"Wait... I haven't eaten yet..." After all that activity, Yamabuki Chidori had finally digested most of the food in his stomach. Just as he was about to feast, Yamamoto dragged him away. Looking at the table full of fresh seafood, Yamabuki Chidori could not help shedding tears of regret!

He should not have eaten that sweet potato!

After they reached their resting quarters, Yamamoto spoke in an old-fashioned tone. "Yamabuki, do you regret eating that sweet potato? This is the lesson I want to teach you: never give up the future for a small immediate gain. I hope you remember today's lesson forever."

Yamabuki Chidori had not expected Yamamoto to have an ulterior motive in pulling this stunt. No wonder he was the man who founded the Central Spirit Arts Academy. In some ways, he truly was a good teacher.

"Also, I watched your battle. Your talent is very high, even higher than mine. Perhaps one day, you will surpass me. You are an uncut jade. If left alone, you will never become something worthwhile. Starting tomorrow, I will train you properly and strive to make you a qualified Soul Reaper in a short time," Yamamoto said solemnly.

Naturally, Yamabuki Chidori would not refuse. In this world, the stronger he became, the greater his hope of surviving. Besides, he knew the plot and understood that before long, a great war concerning the survival of the entire Soul Society would erupt: the Quincy invasion.

This was also the beginning of the enmity between Soul Reapers and Quincy.

Whether in the manga or the anime, this war was only described in scattered fragments.

But there was no doubt about how brutal it had been.

If he wanted to keep coasting until retirement, the most important thing was surviving that war.

"Alright, go rest. Training starts tomorrow," Yamamoto said.

At the mention of Soul Reaper training, Yamabuki Chidori instinctively thought of Kurosaki Ichigo. Was Yamamoto going to train his Zanpakuto's Shikai and Bankai?

What ability did his Zanpakuto possess?

Yamabuki Chidori carefully examined his Zanpakuto. No matter how he looked at it, it was just an ordinary Asauchi.

Whatever. Tonight, he could finally get a good night's sleep. Ever since arriving in the Soul Society, he had not slept peacefully once. Especially in the lawless Rukon District, he had always feared someone would cut off his head while he slept!

The Shihōin Clan had arranged a private room for him. This was wonderful!

As Yamabuki Chidori lay on the bed and pondered what he should do in the future, the Reishi in the surrounding air slowly began to be absorbed into his body. Startled, he thought something was wrong with him.

Logically, Soul Reapers should not possess the ability to control Reishi. That was the Quincy specialty.

The first half of Bleach revolved around Reiatsu.

A Soul Reaper's battle was a battle of Reiatsu.

A Soul Reaper's strength depended entirely on their Reiatsu.

But after the Thousand-Year Blood War began, the Quincy shattered the theory of Reiatsu supremacy. The Quincy relied on the Reishi in their surroundings to fight and did not need particularly powerful Reiatsu themselves. Combined with all sorts of rule-based abilities, they caused the Soul Reapers to suffer greatly.

Now, Yamabuki Chidori's body was indeed constantly absorbing the Reishi around him. A terrifying thought appeared in his mind.

"Could it be that I'm not a Soul Reaper at all? Is my true identity a Quincy?"

The moment he thought of that, Yamabuki Chidori panicked.

Though the Soul Society's rule was corrupt, at least the Gotei 13 still treated lower-ranking Soul Reapers like people. Just look at the Quincy boss—he slaughtered his subordinates at the slightest disagreement.

When it came time to settle the score after the war, the MVP with the highest Quincy output was Yhwach! Who would dare work for someone like that?

Chapter 6: First Mission

That night, Yamabuki Chidori kept agonizing over whether he was a Soul Reaper or a Quincy. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Finally, just as he was about to drift off, the door to his room was violently kicked open. Yamabuki Chidori instinctively turned and drew his blade, only to discover that Yamamoto was the one who had kicked the door in.

"Mm! Your vigilance is not bad. You did not relax just because you were in a comfortable environment." Yamamoto nodded approvingly. Then his gaze toward Yamabuki Chidori became somewhat strange. How had this kid's Reiatsu increased overnight?

After all, raising a Soul Reaper's Reiatsu was no simple matter. Otherwise, captains would be everywhere in the Soul Society.

There were many ways to increase Reiatsu: rest more, eat more, fight more, communicate more with one's Zanpakuto. Over time, Reiatsu would naturally rise little by little.

But Soul Reapers had limits. No matter how talented a Soul Reaper was, once they reached that limit, they could not improve any further. To break through it, they had to surpass the limitations of Soul Reapers themselves. The most representative example was Aizen.

Yet Yamamoto had never seen anyone whose Reiatsu could increase simply by sleeping for a night. When Yamabuki Chidori noticed the old man staring at him so intently, he grew nervous. Had the old man discovered that he was a Quincy?

"What time is it? You're still sleeping in? Get up and train with me!" Though Yamamoto was shocked inside, he did not reveal it on his face. There were many geniuses in this world, and many of them were defeated by their own arrogance.

Yamabuki Chidori's guess about his identity was nothing more than speculation. If he truly was a Quincy, why had the system given him a Zanpakuto?

What he did not know was that the Reishi density in the Soul Society far exceeded that of the Human World. As long as ordinary Soul Reapers remained in the Soul Society, even if they did nothing, their Reiatsu would gradually increase over time until it reached their personal limit.

But Yamabuki Chidori's growth potential was "infinite," so his Reiatsu increased far faster than that of ordinary Soul Reapers. That was why he was constantly absorbing Reishi.

Yamabuki Chidori yawned as he carried his blade and followed Yamamoto to the training ground in the back courtyard. It was still early, and only the two of them were there.

What would old man Yamamoto teach him? Swordsmanship? Flash Step? Kidō? Hakuda? Methods to increase Reiatsu?

Yamabuki Chidori was still imagining things when he saw Yamamoto approach with a vicious grin. "Looks like you did not sleep very well last night! That's fine. If you can't endure the training in a moment, you'll sleep very soundly—and you'll never wake up!"

Hearing Yamamoto's words, Yamabuki Chidori instantly woke up. What was this old man planning? Why was he saying something so dangerous?

Yamamoto drew his Zanpakuto, and terrifying Reiatsu instantly crashed down on him.

"Today, I will teach you your first lesson: how to survive beneath a stronger person's blade! All things in the universe, turn to ash, Ryūjin Jakka!"

Only then did Yamabuki Chidori realize what this terrible old man intended to do. "Wait, wait, Captain! Give me some time to prepare—"

"Take this!!!"

"Nooooo!!!!"

"BOOM!!!!!"

At breakfast, Shunshun Shidō could not help snorting with laughter when he saw Yamabuki Chidori, blackened all over and walking like a zombie.

"You're... you're still laughing... I almost died!" Yamabuki Chidori opened his mouth, and a puff of black smoke came out.

I'm still a kid! That enormous Ryūjin Jakka came chopping down at my head—do you know how much psychological trauma that can cause a child barely in his teens?

Still, Yamamoto had not truly gone for the kill. Otherwise, one slash would have left nothing of Yamabuki Chidori but ashes.

Yamamoto sat nearby, eating with a calm expression. "Eat quickly. We have work after breakfast. Someone reported that a Hollow has appeared in the Rukon District. Go investigate."

"By myself?" Yamabuki Chidori asked.

"Of course by yourself. We don't have enough manpower yet," Yamamoto said.

Yamabuki Chidori sighed helplessly. Had joining the Gotei 13 really been the right choice?

After breakfast, Yamabuki Chidori took his blade and headed for the Rukon District.

The Rukon District had four major regions—east, south, west, and north—and each region was divided into eighty districts. The main story of Bleach took place in the eastern Rukon District.

This time, the Hollow had appeared at Kofuku Mountain, in the northern part of West District Three, not far from the Seireitei. Of course, the Gotei 13 only had four members at present, so they had no ability to deal with places that were too far away.

Yamabuki Chidori was not overly nervous. With his Lieutenant-level strength, dealing with an ordinary Hollow would be easy. After breakfast, he rushed without stopping and arrived at Kofuku Mountain.

The higher a Rukon District's number, the more chaotic its security. The lower the number, the more stable life was and the more abundant supplies were. As West District Three, Kofuku Mountain offered fairly decent lives to ordinary people. Yet when Yamabuki Chidori arrived, he found that every household had shut itself inside, and no one dared step outside.

The streets were bleak and desolate. Yamabuki Chidori gently knocked on a house's door. After a long while, an elderly woman cautiously opened it a crack and looked at him with frightened eyes.

"May I ask what you need?" The elderly woman saw Yamabuki Chidori's relatively decent clothes and the Zanpakuto at his side, making her extremely nervous. She might have mistaken him for some noble.

Yamabuki Chidori said, "I'm from the Gotei 13. I came to Kofuku Mountain specifically to kill the Hollow."

The elderly woman looked at him doubtfully. "Gotei 13? Never heard of it! I don't know anything. Stop coming to me."

With that, the elderly woman hurriedly shut the door. Yamabuki Chidori did not give up after being turned away. Instead, he went to the next house.

Yet several houses in a row gave him the same response. These people seemed to have been frightened by the Hollow, or perhaps they had been cowed by the Seireitei nobles for too long. Most did not dare speak to Yamabuki Chidori. Some did not even dare open their doors, only peeking through the cracks as he left.

Yamabuki Chidori fell into thought. This would not do! Having grown up under the red flag, he understood all too well how powerful the masses could be.