"Pass!"
Looking at Rukia Kuchiki, dressed in pure white like a snow woman straight out of a story, Sōgo Shihoin Rukia immediately passed her test. Whether she was strong or not was another matter; just Rukia's attire, he, the number one Sōgo Shihoin, had to pass her. Everyone knows that everyone in this country has white hair...
"Thank you, Captain Shihoin!"
Upon hearing this, Rukia Kuchiki's long, white eyelashes fluttered gently, her eyes unable to conceal her inner joy.
"Pass!"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya nodded repeatedly. It has to be said that Rukia Kuchiki's strength is fully worthy of the title of captain of the Gotei 13!
Given time, the Gotei 13 will produce another outstanding captain!
"Thank you, Captain Hitsugaya!"
Rukia Kuchiki hadn't expected Tōshirō Hitsugaya to be so quick to agree. Normally, the team leader's assessment, besides checking if she had mastered Bankai, would also test the participants' control over their Zanpakuto Bankai, whether they could release it at will. This was because some Soul Reaper, while having indeed learned Bankai, hadn't fully mastered it, and it was unreliable at times. If this happened on the battlefield, it would basically be a certain death.
"Brother..."
Rukia Kuchiki looked at the last examiner. If her older brother Byakuya Kuchiki, agreed, Rukia Kuchiki could pass the test smoothly.
"Remember to call me 'Examiner'!"
Upon hearing Byakuya Kuchiki address him, Rukia Kuchiki's expression turned cold, and he corrected her in a deep voice.
"Understood, elder brother. I will address you as 'Examiner'!"
Rukia Kuchiki nodded slightly; she was so excited that she had forgotten about it.
"Yes! Rukia, I feel incredibly proud to be your older brother today!"
After receiving Rukia's response, Byakuya Kuchiki smiled with satisfaction.
"So..."
Rukia Kuchiki blinked her big eyes, looking intently at Byakuya Kuchiki.
"Congratulations, Rukia Kuchiki, you've passed the test!"
Byakuya Kuchiki smiled slightly and congratulated Rukia Kuchiki.
"Good!"
Rukia Kuchiki was somewhat excited. She had successfully gained the approval of the three captains, and from today onwards, she officially became a member of the Gotei 13.
"Isn't this easy!?"
Upon hearing this, Kūkaku Shiba, who had been standing outside the door, leaning against it and listening intently to what was happening inside, smiled slightly, got up, and left. She was going to prepare for Rukia's inauguration ceremony and banquet.
Inside the assessment room...
"Clap clap clap clap..."
"By the way, Little White, how far have you progressed in your Bankai training? And Dabai, how far have you progressed in your Bankai?"
After applauding Rukia Kuchiki for passing the judgment, Sōgo Shihoin looked at Dabai and Little White beside him.
"Us!?"
Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya exchanged a glance, wondering why Sōgo Shihoin had suddenly brought up the matter of training with them.
"Very well! Since I have nothing to do right now, I'll help you two cultivate properly!"
Sōgo Shihoin looked at the bewildered Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya and gave them a bright smile.
"Um... actually, I have other things to do!"
Upon hearing this, Byakuya Kuchiki chickened out and suddenly wanted to go back.
"I have things to do too!?"
Although Tōshirō Hitsugaya had never trained under Sōgo Shihoin, he had heard rumors about Sōgo Shihoin and knew that Sōgo Shihoin was a ruthless and monstrous figure.
"What a coincidence, you two both have things to do!"
Sōgo Shihoin smiled slightly as he looked at the two people in front of him.
"Ah, right, right..."
Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya nodded in unison, indicating that this was indeed the case.
"Wait, that's not right!"
Then, the two suddenly realized that this was not the case, and they immediately shook their heads repeatedly.
Okay~
"You two can come play with me then~"
Sōgo Shihoin grabbed Little White Tōshirō Hitsugaya by the back of the neck with one hand and Byakuya Kuchiki by the back of the neck with the other, pulling the two of them into the small dark room.
"Forehead..."
"I... I didn't see anything."
Rukia Kuchiki watched as Sougo Shihouin dragged Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya into the dark Sōgo Shihoin, and shook her head repeatedly.
"Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya, your Bankai are actually quite similar!"
"Your Bankai are all simply method -Shikai Bankai."
"Byakuya Kuchiki's Bankai releases more blades than his Shikai!"
"Tōshirō Hitsugaya, you can Shikai more ice blocks with your Bankai than with your Shikai."
In the dark room—cough cough, no, it was the secret training ground created by Yoruichi Shihōin and Kisuke Urahara— Sōgo Shihoin stood with his arms crossed in front of him, explaining the Bankai of Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya to the two people in front of him. Yes, Sōgo Shihoin seemed to know their Bankai better than Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya themselves.
"..."
Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing shock, for Sōgo Shihoin was absolutely right.
"So, have you ever thought about this: if you train your Shikai to a level comparable to your current Bankai, what a shocking sight your Bankai would be!"
Sōgo Shihoin opened up new avenues for the two to become stronger.
"I see..."
In an instant, Byakuya Kuchiki and Tōshirō Hitsugaya felt as if the obstacles that had been preventing them from moving forward had been removed, and for a moment they felt that the road ahead was clear!
"Since that's the case, let's play a game!"
As he spoke, Sōgo Shihoin pulled out two objects that resembled the Quincy Medallion of the Sternritter.
"That is..."
"The thing the Quincy use to seal the Soul Reaper's Bankai."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya stared in surprise at the Quincy Medallion in Sōgo Shihoin Sougo's hand.
"That's right!"
"This is the Quincy Medallion I obtained from Bambietta and the others, which I then modified. Now it can ignore the Menos Grande Seeds implanted in your bodies by Mayuri Kurotsuchi and seal your Bankai!"
Sōgo Shihoin smiled kindly.
"What!?"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya was taken aback, then his expression turned to shock. If what Sōgo Shihoin said was true, and the Quincy Medallion in Sōgo Shihoin's possession could seal Bankai, then wouldn't that mean the Quincy Medallion in Sōgo Shihoin's possession was very dangerous!?
"Come on! Show your Bankai!"
Sōgo Shihoin, holding the Quincy Medallion, enveloped Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Byakuya Kuchiki in a silvery-white light the instant he finished speaking...
The next second, before Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Byakuya Kuchiki could think any further, they felt a surge of power within their bodies, and then they discovered that their Bankai had vanished!
"By the way, even if you don't use Bankai, I can still steal your Bankai directly from your bodies!"
"So!? Don't you think my invention is amazing!"
Sōgo Shihoin squinted slightly and spoke with a smile.
What should we do next!?
Tōshirō Hitsugaya looked at the smiling Sōgo Shihoin Sougo, a bad premonition suddenly rose in his heart.
"Next, to prove you can defeat your own Bankai, of course, we'll have you directly fight your own Bankai!"
Sōgo Shihoin's words confirmed the bad premonition that had been growing in Tōshirō Hitsugaya's heart.
"Show yourselves, you two!"
Under the immense Spiritual Pressure Sōgo Shihoin Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Byakuya Kuchiki.
Those two figures were the materialized spirits of Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakuto, Hyōrinmaru and Senbonzakura!
"Long time no see, partner!"
Hyōrinmaru spoke softly to Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
"Ah! It's been a long time, Hyōrinmaru!"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya felt immense pressure looking at Hyōrinmaru, and a few beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"You probably already know why I've shown up."
Hyōrinmaru looked at Tōshirō Hitsugaya and spoke softly.
"Of course I know..."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a hint of bitterness.
"In that case~"
"Then let's begin!"
"Bankai! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
After receiving a response from his master Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Hyōrinmaru happily unleashed his Bankai.
"Bankai..."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya also tried it, but unfortunately, he was unable to Bankai.
"In that case, Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens, Hyōrinmaru!"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya sighed and Shikai his Zanpakuto into Shikai form.
"Bring it on!"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, instantly filling the sky with icy rain!
"Hateful..."
Seeing the icy rain pouring down from the sky, Tōshirō Hitsugaya immediately brandished his Zanpakuto, and a roaring ice dragon emerged to block the rain.
The cold, icy rain was slapping haphazardly against my face!
Seeing the scene unfolding before him, Sōgo Shihoin couldn't help but start singing.
"Byakuya! You know why I'm here, right!?"
You know that, right? You know that, right?
"Yes, I appeared here to defeat you! Waaaaah!"
Senbonzakura stood with her hands on her hips, looking incredibly proud of herself.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
Unable to bear watching Senbonzakura any longer, Byakuya Kuchiki launched the first attack!
"Bankai! Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
Senbonzakura, seeing the sky filled with petals, immediately completed her Bankai!
Instantly, countless blades appeared on the ground; the next second, all of these blades scattered and turned into flower petals!
"Boom!"
The sea of cherry blossoms surged forth, crashing towards Byakuya. In comparison, Byakuya's Shikai Senbonzakura rather rare!
The difference between the Shikai of Senbonzakura and the Bankai Senbonzakura like the difference between a stream and a vast ocean!
However, Sōgo Shihoin made Byakuya Kuchiki surpass was this vast ocean!
"I need so much more..."
While dodging with Shunpo, Byakuya Kuchiki increased his Spiritual Pressure output, causing his Shikai to split into more and more fragments.
"Sakura~"
"Like cherry blossoms blooming and falling, like a short, abrupt ending, can you feel it? Like the shape of a mouth, does it fit together? Does it cooperate when closed...?"
Sōgo Shihoin noticed Byakuya Kuchiki's battle, and at that moment all he wanted to do was sing "para para sakura!"
Then, the first day of fighting ended...
In the hot spring, two bruised and battered individuals, Little White, sat silently, gazing at the star-studded night sky, utterly speechless...
After Sōgo Shihoin forbade the two from using any means other than their Zanpakuto, they used their Shikai to face each other's Bankai, and ended up getting thoroughly beaten up. Even Dabai didn't escape getting a beating.
"This is too difficult..."
Little White was blowing bubbles in the pool, constantly thinking about how to defeat his own Bankai.
"..."
Dabai didn't think much of it. Today, he had successfully tripled the number of blades in his Shikai, Senbonzakura. If he continued like this, one day his Shikai would rival, or even surpass, his Bankai...
Yes, Dabai suddenly discovered that his Shikai had even greater potential than his Bankai!
As the sun rises as usual, Dabai and Little White's new day begins...
Fighting, getting beaten up, healing...
Keep fighting, keep getting beaten up, keep getting healed...
Then it's back to fighting, fighting back, getting beaten up, healing...
Three months passed just like that.
The Gotei 13 remained in power for three months, allowing the captains of the Sixth Division and Tenth Division to disappear. What's most interesting is that the entire Soul Society continued to function normally, without being shaken by the mysterious disappearance of the two captains!
The main reason is that the Gotei 13 currently has too many Captain-level combatants who are not currently in use, and their foundation has not been shaken at all by the departure of the two captains.
While the Gotei 13 was still operating as usual, a dramatic change occurred between Tōshirō Hitsugaya (Little White) and Byakuya Kuchiki (Dabai)!
"I beat Hyōrinmaru!"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya wielded his Shikai, a multi-thousand-meter-long ice dragon, instantly devouring Hyōrinmaru's Bankai!
Over the course of three whole months, Tōshirō Hitsugaya went from only being able to use the 100-meter Ice Dragon in his Shikai to reaching the 10,000-meter level! His Shikai surpassed his Bankai from three months prior!
On the other side, Byakuya Kuchiki manipulated the sea of cherry blossoms in the sky with an expressionless face, shattering Senbonzakura Kageyoshi's sea of cherry blossoms!
"I, Senbonzakura, admit that Byakuya Kuchiki, your Senbonzakura is the strongest!"
Senbonzakura shouted loudly the moment Byakuya was defeated! She looked like a hot-blooded, delusional teenager.
"..."
Byakuya Kuchiki fell even more silent after hearing Senbonzakura's words; he felt that Senbonzakura was truly embarrassing.
"Sōgo Shihoin! I won!"
After Bankai the power of his Zanpakuto, Tōshirō Hitsugaya arrived before Sōgo Shihoin, dressed in rags.
"..."
Although Byakuya Kuchiki didn't say anything, his meaning was that he was declaring his victory to Sōgo Shihoin.
"Now try using your Bankai again!"
Sōgo Shihoin encouraged the two.
"Bankai! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
"Bankai! Senbonzakura ·King Yan!"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Byakuya Kuchiki exchanged a glance and simultaneously unleashed their Bankai!
"Boom!"
With a loud explosion, in an instant, Yoruichi Shihōin's secret dojo was completely overwhelmed by the overflowing sea of cherry blossoms!
On this day, cherry blossoms rained down throughout Seireitei...
"Phew~"
With a breath of freezing air and a single glance, Tōshirō Hitsugaya in the form of a young man, stood in the air, causing snow to fall from the sky as he transformed into a man.
(End of this chapter)