"There are Fifth Seat?!"
Rukia Kuchiki stared at the huge trench in the ground, carved out by a single slash, and felt a chill run down her spine.
"Truly worthy of being Tier Harribel's Fifth Seat! Amazing!"
" Tier Harribel, you are our idol!"
The Second Division members around her seemed unfazed by the huge chasm in the ground and loudly praised Tier Harribel.
"You call this the Fifth Seat?!"
Rukia Kuchiki stood there helplessly. This Second Division was just too abnormal no matter how you looked at it.
"Could an ordinary squad leader really pull off that strike!?"
Is the difference really that big?
Rukia Kuchiki stood in the wind, completely bewildered.
"Shall we continue!? Rukia!"
Tier Harribel, twirling the blade in his hand, sheathed the gleaming hilt behind him, walked up to Rukia, and asked.
"No, no need. The gap between me and you is too great now. If we continue fighting, I don't think I'll be able to feel anything other than despair."
Rukia Kuchiki transformed the snow-white and beautiful Zanpakuto back into an ordinary katana, sheathed it at her waist, and gently shook her head at Tier Harribel.
"Really? But I clearly feel that this isn't your full strength, Rukia!"
"There must be even greater power hidden within your small body."
Tier Harribel stretched out his wheat-colored, wildly beautiful arm and pressed it close to Rukia Kuchiki's chest, feeling the gradually increasing Spiritual Pressure within her body, and smiled slightly.
"No, no need. Rather than forcing things to grow too fast, I'd rather take it slow."
Rukia Kuchiki distanced herself from Tier Harribel, watching Tier Harribel warily as if Tier Harribel were some kind of monstrous beast.
"You're still too shy. But since you say you don't need us for now, let's leave it at that! The battle ends here for now. If you need us later, just come find us, and we'll train you into a qualified warrior."
Tier Harribel smiled slightly as he looked at Rukia Kuchiki, who seemed terrified like a frightened cub.
"Yes, I will."
Rukia Kuchiki nodded repeatedly at Tier Harribel, indicating that she would consider it.
" Tier! I'm hungry! I want to go eat!"
Just as Tier Harribel was about to say something more, Lilynette suddenly started yelling, acting like a spoiled child.
"Phew, is it time for breakfast? Want to come along?"
As Tier Harribel extended his hand toward Lilynette, he turned to Rukia Kuchiki and asked her a question.
"No need, I already ate this morning."
Rukia shook her head at Tier Harribel. She had already eaten breakfast with her brother that morning, and it was her brother who had sent her to the Second Division today.
"Really? Then I won't force you. Goodbye~"
After hearing Rukia Kuchiki's words, Tier Harribel nodded slightly. Since she knew Rukia had already eaten breakfast, she didn't press the matter further and turned to leave with Lilynette.
After Tier Harribel and Lilynette left, the crowd surrounding the training ground dispersed, leaving only Rukia Kuchiki standing alone in the training ground, constantly recalling the details of her previous battle with Tier Harribel.
"Next time, I will be more careful."
Rukia Kuchiki closed her eyes briefly before slowly opening them; she now possessed a completely new method of combat.
"Let's continue our search for Sōgo!"
Rukia Kuchiki stretched. After her battle with Tier Harribel, Rukia decided to go find Sōgo for today's training so she could spar with Tier Harribel again tomorrow.
"What time is it?! Go play somewhere else, our training starts this afternoon."
When Rukia Kuchiki arrived at the Second Division Captain's office, she was greeted by Rukia Kuchiki's haggard appearance, as if he Sōgo stayed up all night reading manga.
And just like that Rukia inexplicably found herself free to roam.
"Free time?"
"How about we continue training with Tier Harribel?!"
Rukia Kuchiki stood in front of the door to the Second Division Captain's room, feeling a bit lost.
After much deliberation, Rukia decided to continue searching for Tier Harribel and Lilynette, but just as Rukia was about to take a step, she suddenly remembered Tier Harribel's earth-shattering slash and shuddered again.
"Let's forget about it."
"Maybe I should just wander around the Second Division by myself?!"
Rukia muttered to herself, although Tier Harribel's strength far surpassed hers, he was clearly unsuitable as a teacher to train her. He seemed to have no idea how to hold back, and if she wasn't careful, she might end up in the hospital for a week or two, which would waste her precious training time and be a huge loss.
" The Second Division shouldn't only have strong members like Tier Harribel and Lilynette; there should be many more powerful individuals among them."
Rukia Kuchiki thought to herself that she planned to take a good look around the Second Division and see if she could encounter any experienced fighters who could train her properly.
Rukia Kuchiki wandered aimlessly through the massive barracks of the Second Division, occasionally encountering members of the Stealth Force dressed in black. Rukia would bow and greet them, though those people never paid her any attention.
"Hey~ isn't this the little girl who challenged Tier Harribel's Fifth Seat this morning?"
Just as Rukia was wondering where her future lay, several members who had witnessed Rukia strength that morning called out to Rukia and struck up a conversation.
"Hello, my name is Rukia, and I'm a transfer member from the Thirteenth Division."
Rukia noticed someone was speaking to her, she immediately bowed slightly to show respect.
"No need to be so polite!"
"We saw you wandering around here all by yourself. Are you lost? If there's anything we can do to help you, please let us know."
Several members who had witnessed Rukia Shikai of Rukia formidable strength, and they smiled slightly at Rukia.
"Um... actually, I'm looking for a hidden master within the Second Division. Hmm, preferably someone who can train me, like a hidden master."
After listening to what the others said, Rukia hesitated for a moment before asking them about the problem that was bothering her.
"So Rukia wants to increase her strength?"
After listening to Rukia's words, the group thought for a moment and then asked.
That's it.
Rukia nodded repeatedly; simply put, she was indeed aiming to improve her strength.
"Since the goal is to increase strength, then that's the only option, right?!"
"Indeed, if it's about increasing strength, then that's the only way."
"But is that really suitable for girls?"
"That kind of training intensity isn't really suitable for girls!"
After hearing Rukia's words, the members of the Stealth Force remained silent to each other.
"No, I don't mind how hard or tiring it is! As long as it makes me stronger, that's enough."
Rukia listened to their cryptic remarks, her brow furrowed slightly. Although she didn't quite understand what they were saying, she roughly grasped one thing: the training they were talking about was extremely arduous. If it were just about being arduous, she wouldn't care at all; what she feared was suffering serious injuries that would prevent her from continuing her training.
"Since Ms. Rukia has said so, there's nothing more we can say. Anyway, let's do our best, Ms. Rukia..."
After hearing Rukia's words, the team members said nothing more. They left Rukia a note with her address on it, then left with hesitant expressions, looking somewhat awkward.
"A note with the address of a hidden powerful figure?"
Rukia looked at the note in her hand, gripped it tightly, as if it were a precious treasure.
After Rukia followed the note and traveled through several squad camps, she finally arrived at the address written on the note.
"Is this the place where these hidden experts reside?"
Rukia looked at the unremarkable, even rudimentary, thatched hut in front of her, which was simply built with some straw. She was puzzled because it clashed with the overall architectural style of the Second Division and gave people a sense of incongruity.
"No, perhaps it's precisely because of its shabby appearance that it gives the impression of a hidden master residing here. Aren't all the recent Soul Society novels written like this? Seemingly ordinary buildings actually house former squad captains, and the protagonist, looked down upon by others, becomes an apprentice to the person in that unassuming, shabby house, ultimately defying fate and becoming a squad captain—the kind of wish-fulfillment novels..."
"It doesn't seem to be working?!"
Rukia helplessly covered her cheeks. Novels are just products of imagination; comparing the content of novels to reality is a bit too much.
"Oh no! It's already this late! I'm going to be late!"
Just as Rukia was amused herself with a wry smile, a man over two meters tall, with long, flowing hair and eyes like a wild beast, walked out of the thatched hut while muttering to himself.
"A true strongman, a real strongman."
Rukia stared at the beast-like man, her body trembling slightly... This man before her was unlike anyone she had ever met before. He was the kind of man you could tell was a monster just by looking at him, and a monster among monsters at that.
"Oh? I didn't see wrong, did I?"
"I ran into this petite beauty first thing this morning? Are you a fan of mine?"
Just as Rukia was marveling at the terrifying strength of the person before her, this beast-like man was scrutinizing Rukia from head to toe with an aggressive gaze, while gently rubbing his chin.
"Uh, no, I'm not your fan."
After hearing what the person in front of her said, Rukia shook her head repeatedly, indicating that she was not a fan of that person.
"What? So you're not my little fangirl after all? To be honest, I'm feeling really disappointed."
The beast-like man was visibly disappointed when he heard that Rukia wasn't his fangirl.
Hehehehe...
Rukia gave the beast-like man an awkward yet polite smile.
"Then what do you want from me?"
The beast-like man continued to ask.
"Actually, I came here to ask you to train me."
I want to become stronger! Even stronger!
Rukia bowed slightly to the beast-like man before her and pleaded.
"What? You're here to become an apprentice?!"
"You've already asked me to be your apprentice, and you still say you're not my fan?"
Upon learning that the person before him had come to seek him as a disciple, the beast-like man's lips curled into a slight smile, and he spoke with a hint of delight.
"No, I think there's still some difference between an apprentice and a fan."
Rukia slightly raised her head, intending to explain the difference between a disciple and a fan to the person in front of her.
"The rest is self-evident. Anyone who is my disciple is my fan; that's an ironclad rule!"
However, the beast-like man was convinced that there was a close connection between the fan and the apprentice, and didn't give Rukia a chance to speak at all.
"..."
"I... am your fan." (This is a lie)
Rukia silent. After a moment of silence, she spoke against her will.
"Very good, my good disciple."
After hearing Rukia's words, the beast-like man nodded slightly, acknowledging Rukia's identity.
"So hasty?"
Rukia was taken aback that the person before her had so readily admitted his identity. Didn't novels always say that hidden masters would make things difficult for the protagonist?
"Fans are apprentices, and apprentices are fans. Since you are my fan, then of course you are my apprentice."
The beast-like man crossed his arms over his chest, spouting heretical and demonic nonsense.
"Overall, it's a good thing."
Rukia knew that what the person in front of her was saying was absolutely the most twisted of fallacies, but in any case, it was a fallacy that was advantageous to her, so if it was an advantageous fallacy, then it could be considered a fallacy.
"Now that I am your disciple, you should at least tell me your name, right?"
Rukia closed the distance between herself and the person in front of her.
"Really? A name? Names are a troublesome thing. Just call me Little Kuruyashiki."
The beast-like man before her—or rather, the man named Kuruyashiki Kenpachi —crossed his arms and, after a moment's thought, gave his answer to Rukia's question.
" Little Kuruyashiki?"
Rukia murmured to herself, "This name is clearly an alias! Could it really be like in the novels, where a hidden squad captain, framed and concealed within a squad, chooses to live in the world under an alias to avoid being discovered by enemies within the Seireitei?!"
"In short, you'll be my apprentice from now on. But listen to me, I'm quite busy right now, so I can't teach you combat techniques. If you really want to learn combat from me, then come later!"
Kuruyashiki gently patted Rukia's shoulder, a hint of helplessness mixed in his wild eyes.
"I understand, then I'll come find you in the middle of the night."
Rukia looked at Kuruyashiki with a knowing look. Of course, she understood Kuruyashiki's predicament: framed and unable to return to her squad, she was like a dead man, hovering on the fringes of other squads, unable to reveal her true strength... She could only teach her late at night, just like in novels...
"No, actually, it's not necessary... um, well, never mind, I'm fine now, so let's get ready for tonight's training!"
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi originally wanted to say that he didn't need to come to him so late, that he could have just come after he finished his part-time job, but he couldn't bring himself to say it when he saw Rukia's serious look.
I failed to get out of quarantine, but I won't give up. I'll keep trying and give it my best.
(End of this chapter)