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

What exactly had happened in the days he'd been gone?

How had Yamamoto managed to discipline that crazy woman into being so obedient?

Tenjirō Kirinji had been kicked for no reason, and his anger instantly flared. Anyone who could live peacefully in the Rukon District was no pushover. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight!

"Calm down! Calm down! Everyone, calm down! Captain, I brought back two more recruits!" Yamabuki Chidori shouted. He then led everyone into the inner courtyard, where Yamamoto was drinking tea. When he saw Yamabuki Chidori, his brows furrowed slightly. They had only been apart for three days, yet Yamabuki Chidori's Reiatsu had risen dramatically, more than doubling from before he left!

What had this kid gone through in the past three days?

Under Yamamoto's questioning, Yamabuki Chidori recounted his battle with the Hollow in great detail, including how the Gillian had suddenly evolved into an Adjuchas, how he had communicated with his Zanpakuto, and how Tenjirō Kirinji had ultimately healed him.

Yamamoto looked at Tenjirō Kirinji. Indeed, this man's Reiatsu was far above that of ordinary people, and he was skilled in medicine as well. The Gotei 13 needed talents like him. Yamabuki had done well. He knew the organization was still too small and kept bringing in capable people.

As for those two children...

"Yamabuki, we are an assassin organization. We cannot let emotions rule us. These two children are useless. Let them have a full meal and leave," Yamamoto said quietly to Yamabuki Chidori.

"Captain, these two kids may not be useful for now. But what is our ultimate goal? To protect the Soul Society! People raised from childhood have a high degree of loyalty. If we want to grow bigger and stronger, we must cultivate a large number of people like this. And I think this kid has decent talent. Let's keep him around and see," Yamabuki Chidori said.

Yamamoto glanced at Sashō Chōjirō. After pondering for a moment, he decided to give Yamabuki Chidori some face.

"Fine, kid! You can stay for now, but you must prove that you are useful. The Gotei 13 does not feed idlers," Yamamoto said.

Sashō Chōjirō was overjoyed. No matter what, joining the Gotei 13 surely meant meals were provided! At least he would never have to worry about going hungry again!

As for Hanako, he could follow Tenjirō Kirinji for now and serve as a little nurse.

Of course, that term did not exist yet in this era.

P.S. There is too little information about Bleach from a thousand years ago. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please leave them in the comments. Thank you for your support.

Basic Kidō

Back in his room, Yamabuki Chidori drew his Zanpakuto and gently wiped it down. During the previous battle, his Zanpakuto's abilities had begun to reveal themselves.

But what exactly was his Zanpakuto's ability?

His Blade Spirit had instantly cut the enemy into more than a dozen pieces. His preliminary guess was that his Shikai ability was related to speed.

Or maybe not. Perhaps his ability was chuunibyou—the higher his chuunibyou level and embarrassment level, the stronger his Zanpakuto's attacks became! If that were really the case...

That actually sounded pretty awesome!

What young man did not harbor a chuunibyou dream in his heart?

"I am the Dark Demon King! You are all my servants! Bare your necks and await death! Hahaha!"

Sure enough, the embarrassment level was off the charts!

Or perhaps his earlier guess was correct? His Zanpakuto's true ability was to summon a whole bunch of cute girls to charm the enemy to death?

For most male Soul Reapers, that would be an instant kill!

Of course, if anyone was going to be instantly killed, let it be me, the owner! Ravage me to your heart's content! Do not hold back!

At that moment, his Zanpakuto flickered with faint spiritual light, as though it was about to explode from anger!

Why did it have such an unreliable master?

Maybe it should just run away from home!

That was what the Blade Spirit thought.

"Um... Brother Yamabuki, can I stay with you for now?" Sashō Chōjirō asked quietly.

"Welcome, welcome!" Yamabuki Chidori was delighted to have an errand-running little brother—no, a new roommate.

Sashō Chōjirō looked about twelve or thirteen years old. His clothes were thin, and he did not even have a pair of shoes. Taking him outside looking like that would be too embarrassing. Clothes made the man, saddle made the horse. This kid needed a well-fitting outfit first, then an education. Not reform-through-labor, of course.

"Chōjirō, do you know what matters most if you want to stay in the Gotei 13?" Yamabuki Chidori asked.

Sashō Chōjirō shook his head. His thoughts were simple. As long as he had a place to eat and no longer had to live that drifting life, that was enough. Though he was still young, he had a younger sister to care for, so his household skills were maxed out. Laundry, cooking, cleaning—he could do it all.

"No, no, no! None of that matters. The servants of the Shihōin Clan can handle those things for us. If you want to stay in the Gotei 13, the most important thing is being able to fight! Starting tomorrow, I'll have the old man teach you swordsmanship. Yamamoto has nothing better to do anyway," Yamabuki Chidori said, directly dumping the most troublesome task on old man Yamamoto.

Come on! How could I possibly take on an apprentice?

Besides...

After the last battle, he had deeply realized his own shortcomings. A true powerhouse had to be a well-rounded fighter.

Tougher than a tank, able to brawl with berserkers, with burst damage greater than a mage and sustained damage beyond an archer.

More healing than Cai Wenji, better protection than Yao Yao Le!

Advance alone against five enemies; retreat and wait for twenty to surrender.

Pah, that just slipped out!

In terms of the Soul Reaper world, a well-rounded fighter needed old man Yamamoto's offense, Retsu Unohana's healing, Flash God Yoruichi's speed, Aizen's Reiatsu, Tekka Gekka's Kidō, and that black-hearted shopkeeper's intelligence!

That was a true Soul Reaper!

Could he achieve that goal?

How would I know? I've never tried!

That damned system had gone into hiding too, leaving him with nothing but a title.

Although Sashō Chōjirō could not understand what his big brother was talking about, it somehow sounded incredibly impressive. He did not understand it, but it sounded amazing!

And so, early the next morning, Yamabuki Chidori carried the still half-asleep Sashō Chōjirō to old man Yamamoto's place for special training.

Yamamoto was very satisfied with his Lieutenant. His growth rate was astonishing. He had merely gone out for a stroll, yet his Reiatsu had doubled. Though he was still inferior to Saitō Fubōfu and Shunshun Shidō, as long as he was given more time to grow, Yamamoto believed Yamabuki Chidori would become his powerful right-hand man.

As for the kid beside him, dozing off while sitting there with a bubble of snot hanging from his nose...

Seeing Yamamoto's displeased expression, Yamabuki Chidori chopped Sashō Chōjirō on the head with his hand.

"Ow!!"

"Pay attention!" Yamabuki Chidori barked.

Sashō Chōjirō hurriedly sat up straight in fright.

Yamamoto shook his head slightly. This child was beyond teaching!

Forget it. He could treat him as an auditor.

"Yamabuki, what do you wish to learn? This old man can teach you anything," Yamamoto said.

"Captain, after battling that Hollow, I deeply realized the shortcomings of my own strength. I want to study more Kidō and make up for my weaknesses," Yamabuki Chidori said.

"Mm!" Yamamoto nodded. Knowing how to find one's weaknesses through battle and improve upon them—he truly was talent this old man had chosen.

"Good! Then we'll begin with the basics. Follow me." Yamamoto glanced at Sashō Chōjirō and found the child wearing a completely bewildered expression. Truly, rotten wood could not be carved!

The three of them arrived at the Shihōin Clan's training grounds.

Shunshun Shidō happened to be there as well.

After hearing their purpose, Shunshun Shidō said with a grin, "Practicing Kidō? Go wild. A barrier has been set up here, so it will not be damaged that easily."

"Since you say so, this old man can rest easy." Yamamoto turned to Yamabuki Chidori. "Yamabuki, this old man will teach you a relatively basic Hadō. Watch carefully."

Yamabuki Chidori focused intently.

Yamamoto raised a hand and pointed toward a distant target. "Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"

A golden-blue pillar of light two meters in diameter erupted from old man Yamamoto's hand. The violent Reiatsu pressured everyone present so heavily that they did not even dare lift their heads. Sashō Chōjirō gasped and nearly suffocated, and Yamabuki Chidori hurriedly stepped in front of Chōjirō, shielding him from part of Yamamoto's Reiatsu.

The pillar exploded in the distance, unleashing an incredibly violent shockwave. It took several minutes before calm finally returned.

"Mm! Yamabuki, have you learned this relatively basic Hadō?" Yamamoto asked.

Old man, do you have some misunderstanding about what counts as basic?

You call Hadō #88 basic?

Please do not judge me by what you consider basic!

What is with that hopeful look on your face?

You cannot possibly expect me to learn such a difficult Hadō after seeing it once, right?

I... I... I think I really did learn it!

Yamabuki Chidori swallowed with difficulty. He knew he was a Child of Destiny and possessed extraordinary talent, but he had never imagined that after seeing Hadō #88 only once, he would completely understand the path of the Reiatsu's flow and the structure of the Hadō!

"Try it yourself!" Yamamoto said.

Yamabuki Chidori raised his hand in imitation of Yamamoto and gathered Reiatsu. "Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"

A golden-blue pillar of light burst from his hand. Of course, its power and presence were far inferior to Yamamoto's, perhaps not even reaching one-fifth of old man Yamamoto's strength. But he had truly learned this Kidō!

I Have a Plan, So Listen Carefully

Shock filled the eyes of both Yamamoto and Shunshun Shidō. They had not expected Yamabuki Chidori's talent to be so high that he could completely learn a Kidō after seeing it cast only once!

This was Hadō #88. He had skipped the incantation and cast it directly. Shunshun Shidō did not believe he possessed that level of skill. Of course, Kidō was not his specialty. His primary training was in Hakuda, and he rarely even used his Zanpakuto.

Sashō Chōjirō was even more stunned by the sight before him. This was the Gotei 13? This was a Soul Reaper? Could he reach such heights in the future too?

"Mm, not bad. Barely passable. Still far inferior to how I was back then. Keep practicing," Yamamoto said in an even tone. He mainly feared that Yamabuki Chidori would become arrogant, so he kept all his praise buried in his heart.

Yamabuki Chidori sighed. He had originally wanted Sashō Chōjirō to learn something alongside him, but this old man had started with something so advanced. What could the kid possibly learn from that?

"Captain Shihōin, please get this kid a Zanpakuto. I want to teach him some basic swordsmanship," Yamabuki Chidori said.

"That is easy." Shunshun Shidō smiled.

In the setting of the Soul Reaper world, nobles were born with far greater Reiatsu than commoners from the Rukon District, with the exception of a few geniuses such as Kenpachi Zaraki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Those were rare talents seen only once in a thousand years.

Most noble children possessed Reiatsu on the level of ordinary Gotei 13 soldiers, while ordinary people had to pass through multiple layers of selection before they could enter the Gotei 13.

Because of this, nearly all Zanpakuto had been controlled by nobles a thousand years ago. It was only after the Gotei 13 was established that this monopoly was broken.

Shunshun Shidō quickly sent someone to fetch a Zanpakuto. It was Sashō Chōjirō's first time holding a real sword, and he was quite excited.

Yamabuki Chidori possessed the Swordsmanship Mastery skill. He did not dare claim that his swordsmanship was among the best in this world, but teaching a child was no problem.

Yamabuki Chidori also taught him some knowledge about Zanpakuto, such as Shikai, Bankai, and Kidō, giving him a general understanding of the system.

There were four main Soul Reaper combat disciplines: swordsmanship, Hakuda, Flash Step, and Kidō.

Most Soul Reapers were already formidable as long as they mastered one or two of them and honed them to the peak.

A genius capable of excelling at everything like Aizen had appeared only once in a thousand years.

"Swinging a sword is the simplest and most direct form of attack. One thousand swings this morning. If you slack off, there will be no lunch. Keep at it, boy!" After teaching Sashō Chōjirō the most basic sword swing, Yamabuki Chidori went to look for books on Kidō.

Yamamoto watched from the side for a while and shook his head slightly.

This child named Sashō Chōjirō lacked talent. Compared to Yamabuki, he was far too inferior. With a sigh, Yamamoto left.

But when Yamamoto passed by this way around lunchtime, he found Sashō Chōjirō still swinging his sword without pause. By then, Sashō Chōjirō was drenched in sweat, and he could barely lift either arm.

"Mm... Though his talent is ordinary, his perseverance is commendable. If carefully polished, he might barely reach the middle tier." Yamamoto Flash Stepped in front of the boy and lightly grabbed Sashō Chōjirō's blade.

"You are swinging your sword wrong." Yamamoto said in a deep voice, "There is no target in your eyes. You are merely waving around a piece of iron. Even if you practiced like this for another thousand years, it would be useless."

"Captain Commander..." Sashō Chōjirō was very afraid of Yamamoto.

"Look ahead," Yamamoto said. "What is there?"

Sashō Chōjirō looked ahead, but the area was empty and bare!

"There is a Hollow there. The Hollow that captured your sister. Back then, you had no power to protect your sister. But now you have a sword in your hand. Do you still want to watch helplessly as your loved ones are hurt again? If not, then swing your blade! Give it everything you have, squeeze out every last drop of your Reiatsu! Slay the enemy! Go!" Yamamoto roared.

Amid Yamamoto's roar, Sashō Chōjirō seemed to truly see the Hollow that had taken his sister appear before him. Nervousness, fear, worry, and anxiety surged through his heart. In the end, he used every last ounce of strength in his body and desperately slashed his sword at that Hollow!

The Hollow vanished into a phantom.

And in that instant, he felt a surge of power emerge from within him, nourishing his entire body.

"Mm, not bad." Yamamoto nodded in satisfaction. In that instant, Sashō Chōjirō's Reiatsu had risen slightly. It seemed this kid was not entirely rotten wood after all.

He still had a little potential.

"Go eat! Practice your thousand swings this way in the afternoon. If you do not finish, you are not allowed dinner," Yamamoto said.

"Yes, Captain Commander!" Sashō Chōjirō said joyfully. Though he was young, he was not stupid. How could he not have seen that the Captain Commander had disliked him before?

But now, the Captain Commander had finally acknowledged his identity as a member of the Gotei 13.