At last, someone could hold Yamabuki Chidori accountable.
"I've got it. We can put pressure on Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. Killing a member of Central 46 is an unforgivable crime, and breaking the law while enforcing it makes it even worse! Even Yamamoto won't be able to justify it. We'll use that as grounds to make the Gotei 13 dismiss Yamabuki Chidori. Once he's no longer one of them, we can do whatever we want with him!" The Great Sage had come up with a brilliant plan.
"As expected of the Great Sage! Brilliant! Let's go file a complaint!"
"Yes, let's go file a complaint."
They were like thugs who had been beaten up by a brat and, unable to beat him themselves, had resorted to complaining to his parents.
It was the best plan they could think of.
Yamabuki Chidori and Chōjirō Sasakibe arrived at the First Division Barracks. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto stood there, his face dark. One look told Yamabuki that the Captain Commander was angry. He had better keep his head down.
"Captain Commander, you wanted to see me?" Yamabuki asked quietly.
Thud! Yamamoto slammed his sword sheath against the floor. "The damage is appalling! Yamabuki Chidori, I entrusted the protection of Seireitei to you before I left. Look what's become of it!"
Yamabuki stood obediently before him, though his eyes wandered. Besides the captains, an old man was present: a member of Central 46.
So someone had come to complain!
"And that's not all, Lord Yamamoto. Yamabuki Chidori killed a member of Central 46 in public and made outrageous declarations. His crimes are unforgivable! I recommend expelling him from the Gotei 13 immediately. The Gotei 13 exists to protect Seireitei. A dangerous man like him should not serve in it," the Sage declared sternly. He had seized the moral high ground and could condemn Yamabuki to his heart's content.
Yamamoto gave Yamabuki a cold look. "That happened too?"
Too many people had seen Yamabuki kill the man for him to deny it now. He could only brazen it out. "It was an accident!"
"Nonsense! You brought down that enormous sword and sent his head flying. You call that an accident? It was deliberate murder, and the victim was an important member of Central 46. By rights, you should be executed!" the Sage shouted.
"Yamabuki Chidori, do you admit you killed him?" Yamamoto asked.
Yamabuki could only grit his teeth. "I do."
"In that case, you must be punished..." Yamamoto gently closed his eyes.
"Lord Yamamoto, a madman like him must receive the harshest punishment to satisfy everyone—" Before the Sage could finish, suffocating Reiatsu erupted from Yamamoto.
"Sir, however great Central 46's authority may be, it has no jurisdiction over the Gotei 13's internal affairs. I will deliver a fair judgment. It is not your place to tell me what to do." Yamamoto glanced sideways at the Sage. Beneath that fierce, scorching Reiatsu, the man felt as though his whole body might melt. He did not dare utter another word.
"Yamabuki Chidori. You killed a member of Central 46 in public and made outrageous declarations. Your crime would ordinarily be unforgivable, but in light of your service defending Seireitei, I order you to write a letter of self-criticism and apologize publicly. Furthermore, the buildings around Central 46 suffered extensive damage. Six months of your pay will go toward repairs. Any objections?" Yamamoto asked, narrowing his eyes.
"C-Captain Commander, isn't six months' pay a bit harsh? I haven't received a single day's wages since I started working..." Yamabuki said bitterly.
Thud! Yamamoto struck the floor again with his sheath. "Enough. Accept your punishment."
The Sage stared blankly. That was it? It was over?
The man had killed a member of Soul Society's highest governing body in public, and all he got was a letter and an apology?
Are you kidding me?
Anyone else would have been executed ten times over!
This is favoritism! Blatant favoritism! I won't accept it!
"What? Do you object to my judgment?" Yamamoto asked, narrowing his eyes.
"How could I? It's perfectly fair. The Chief Strategist has done so much to protect Seireitei. I can't thank him enough... Perhaps... perhaps you could even waive the punishment?" the Sage said, looking ready to cry.
The Captain Commander: "That's it?"
Object? What good would that do?
They're clearly in this together!
Yamamoto was obviously protecting his own.
What could the Sage do? What would he dare do?
Yamamoto had done him a favor simply by sitting there and calmly hearing his complaint.
You have every right to complain. Whether I do anything about it is my business, not yours.
Looking at the ferocious captains of the Gotei 13, the Sage feared they might mince him into filling, wrap him in wontons, and send him home.
They had already offered him a way out. They were even making Yamabuki apologize to him. What else could he do but accept it?
"Lord Yamamoto, there is one more matter. The woman responsible for all this, Unohana Yachiru. Please hand her over. She must be executed," the Sage said softly, afraid another wrong word might anger Yamamoto.
This time, Yamamoto said nothing. He looked at Yamabuki instead.
Yamamoto had only just returned and received Central 46's complaint. He knew nothing of what had led to the incident, so he looked to Yamabuki for guidance.
"The Gotei 13 captured her. Naturally, the Gotei 13 will decide what to do with her. There's no need to trouble Central 46 with this," Yamabuki said firmly.
The Sage looked helplessly at Yamamoto.
"The Chief Strategist speaks for me," Yamamoto said.
It's over!
This whole trip was a waste!
The Sage forced a smile uglier than a grimace. "You must be tired, Lord Yamamoto. I won't disturb you any longer. Please get some rest. I'll be going."
He had barely turned to leave when Yamabuki called out, "Wait!"
The Sage jolted. He thought he was about to be minced after all.
"The Captain Commander ordered me to apologize to you. Why are you leaving? Sorry about that! Off you go," Yamabuki said flatly.
"What? That's it?" The Sage was even more bewildered. Shouldn't it have been more formal? What kind of apology was that?
Forget it. He apologized. What can I do? Just put up with it!
Once the Sage left, the captains in the First Division Barracks burst into laughter.
"That felt damn good! I never thought I'd see those bastards get put in their place!" Shunshun Shidō laughed, clutching his stomach.
"Quiet. We're in a meeting. Show some decorum!" Yamamoto tapped the floor with his sheath. "Gen'en Kinra, Saitō Fubōfu, stay. The rest of you may leave."
After the other captains left, Yamamoto asked what had happened from beginning to end.
A madwoman had, for some unknown reason, fought her way from Seireitei's East Gate straight to Central 46.
Two captains had been sent to stop her, but even together they were no match for her. Yamabuki had finally stepped in and barely brought her down.
"Hmm?" Yamamoto shot Yamabuki a puzzled glance.
Yamamoto knew better than anyone how strong the boy was. When they had met a little over a month ago, Yamabuki had been at the level of a newly appointed Lieutenant at best.
Yet he had defeated an enemy who had beaten two captains?
Yamamoto recalled what Chōjirō Sasakibe had told him not long ago. So the boy really had been hiding his strength all along.
"Very well. I understand the situation. Thank you both for your efforts. Go and rest. Yamabuki, come with me," Yamamoto said.
That left only Yamabuki and Yamamoto in the First Division Barracks.
"Captain Commander, I've been fighting all day. I'm pretty tired too. Couldn't you let me go back and rest?" Yamabuki asked cautiously.
"Hmph. You little brat, do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? You killed a member of Central 46 in public. Like it or not, those people govern Soul Society. You ought to show them at least a little respect when the occasion calls for it." Yamamoto gave him a stern look. "Now tell me why you killed him."
Yamabuki smiled sheepishly. "He kept yammering in my ear. I got annoyed and cut him down!"
"Hahaha! You brat, couldn't you at least come up with a better excuse for killing someone?" Yamamoto laughed, clearly unconcerned about the Sage's life. "But don't let it happen again. We should avoid clashing with those people where possible. If someone annoys you next time, don't act. If you do, they'll come and bother me again. Tell me instead, and I'll cut him down for you. Then they won't trouble me."
Captain Commander, you're the best!
"Now that we've dealt with those trivial matters, shall we discuss something important? How long do you intend to keep hiding it?" Yamamoto asked.
Yamabuki blinked. "Um... Captain Commander, I have no idea what you mean. Maybe I should go back and get some sleep..."
"Chōjirō Sasakibe told me."
"I'll kill that brat later! How many times did I tell him..." Yamabuki had not expected a traitor so close to him.
"If you don't want to tell me, I won't force you," Yamamoto said calmly. "You're a clever boy."
Deep down, Yamabuki was still conflicted. He was like a child with a secret: he knew his parents would never hurt him, but he still did not want to share it.
But how long could he keep it hidden?
Not every battle would give him time to prepare.
What if a powerful enemy forced him to use his Quincy abilities again one day, and his teammates saw? He could hardly kill them to keep them quiet.
Forget it. Yamabuki firmly believed the Captain Commander would not hurt him.
"If I tell you, you can't attack me with Ryūjin Jakka!" Yamabuki said cautiously.
"That depends," Yamamoto said, half joking.
"I... accidentally... awakened Quincy abilities." Yamabuki watched the Captain Commander's face closely. At the slightest sign of trouble, he would run.
Not that he was sure he could get away.
"That's it?" Yamamoto asked curiously.
"Not quite... I... I also accidentally awakened Hollow abilities," Yamabuki continued.
Yamamoto's expression turned strange, though curiosity showed through most of all.
It was as jarring as an ordinary person growing wings that let him fly and gills that let him swim.
The boy was a complete freak of nature.
"It would be troublesome if those old fossils found out. But never mind. If any of them dare say a word, I'll roast them with Zanka no Tachi. Still, awakening three conflicting powers at once... I'm curious myself. Come on. Let's have a fight!" Yamamoto eagerly dragged Yamabuki toward Rukongai.
The Captain Commander, Determined to Win
Yamabuki had been in the Gotei 13 for quite some time but had never fought the Captain Commander. Naturally, he was excited at the chance to spar with him.
They found a wide-open spot in Rukongai. Yamamoto drew Ryūjin Jakka and released his Zanpakuto. Even from a distance, Yamabuki felt scorching heat wash over him, making it hard to breathe.
So this is the strongest Soul Reaper in a thousand years? Yamabuki quietly spoke his Zanpakuto's release command. "Reverse, Silver Radiant Angel."
His Zanpakuto became a silver-white saber. At the same time, his clothes changed into a pure-white military uniform.
"Forget testing the waters," Yamamoto said evenly. "Use your strongest power from the start. Show me what you can really do."
Facing Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Yamabuki did not dare hold back. Even with three powers at his command and the skill to use them, an uncrossable gulf remained between them.
"Hollowfication!" Yamabuki swept a hand over his face, and a Hollow mask appeared. His Reiatsu changed as well, growing more violent. Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. The combination of two powers had brought a dramatic increase in Yamabuki's Reiatsu. He was considerably stronger than an ordinary Captain. Could he grow stronger still?
"Perfect Sanctification!"
Yamabuki began devouring the surrounding Reishi at a furious rate and entered Perfect Sanctification. A pair of wings of light appeared behind him, with a five-pointed halo above his head.
Yamamoto looked stunned. Chōjirō Sasakibe had told him about this form, but seeing it with his own eyes was another matter.
Yamabuki could no longer be considered merely a Soul Reaper. He was a unique being formed from three powers. His Reiatsu far surpassed that of an ordinary Captain, and he could rapidly absorb Reishi to restore both his Reiatsu and his injuries. Yamamoto had lived for thousands of years, yet he had never encountered a monster like him.
"Careful, Old Geezer!" Yamabuki appeared before Yamamoto in an instant and brought down his Zanpakuto, charged with three kinds of Reiatsu.
Yamamoto countered with a slash. Their blades collided, and violent Reiatsu shattered the ground. The impact drove them both back.
Excitement surged through Yamabuki. He had not come off worse in that exchange. Against the Captain Commander! Even without Bankai, Yamamoto was the strongest Soul Reaper of the past thousand years—and of the thousand years to come.
"Don't get carried away, brat!" Yamamoto lightly swung Ryūjin Jakka. A pillar of flame over a hundred meters tall soared skyward, then turned into a fire dragon that lit up the night.
At six thousand degrees, the heat could melt most substances in the world, but it was not enough to affect space.
"Space Erasure!" Silver Radiant Angel erupted with tremendous Reiatsu, devouring every flame within a hundred meters.
Shock crossed Yamamoto's face. A Spatial-type Zanpakuto was exceedingly rare.
Across the entire Soul Reaper world, only Kagerōza Inaba, who would appear a thousand years later, had a Zanpakuto capable of manipulating space even slightly. He was an anime-original character, though, and it was unclear whether he even existed in this world.
There was not a single Zanpakuto that could control time.
In the Soul Reaper world, only the "three giants of causality" could affect time: Tsukishima with Inserting into the Past, Orihime Inoue with Rejecting the Present, and Yhwach with Changing the Future.
"An intriguing ability. Yamabuki, you truly haven't disappointed me! To grow this much in less than two months... I'm proud of you." Yamamoto did not attack again. He looked at Yamabuki with open approval. "But I'm a competitive man. I can't bear to concede like this."
A bad feeling rose in Yamabuki's chest. What is this old man planning?
"Bankai! Zanka no Tachi!"
"Wait, wait, wait! I surrender!!!" Yamabuki shouted in terror.
"Your surrender is rejected!!!" Yamamoto swung Zanka no Tachi, slashing down through the air!
Before you continue