79 You Are Too Weak, Senbonzakura
Regarding the act of betraying the Soul King, each family had its own thoughts.
For example, the Tsunayashiro Family wanted to steal the Soul King's power and take his place.
The Shiba Family wanted to lay everything bare before the world, allowing the world to judge this group of traitors.
The Kuchiki Family wanted to maintain the existing order and preserve the world the Soul King had envisioned.
The Shihōin Family, which commanded the "God-Given Armaments," was the family with the strongest private armed force among the Five Great Noble Families.
Yoruichi did not evaluate how the previous family heads had positioned the Shihōin Family. But ever since she took over the position of the head of the Shihōin Family, her philosophy had been to prepare for all external changes. Moreover, Byakuya Kuchiki's strength...
It wasn't that she looked down on Byakuya, but with his talents and the abilities of his Zanpakutō, Yoruichi felt that for Byakuya to return this favor, he would need at least three to four hundred more years of cultivation.
"You demon cat..."
"Alright, Byakuya, sit down." Pressing Byakuya down to sit beside him, Ailin laughed, "I'm still an uncle-in-law here, so how can I let my nephew repay the debt?"
"Yoruichi, I don't care much about many things, and I don't pursue many things either. But for everything I care about and possess, I cherish it deeply and don't want to lose it.
In a sense, as long as the people I care about are doing well, I don't really care about the state of the world. On the contrary, if the changes in this world pose a threat to the people I care about, I will spare no cost to stop it."
Byakuya and Soi Fon were puzzled by these words, but Yoruichi, who knew the secrets of the "Soul King," understood that Ailin was frankly telling her that he had no intention of interfering with what she and Urahara were doing.
"Of course, since I owe Yoruichi a favor, as long as Yoruichi speaks up, anything I can do, I will definitely not refuse. This time, asking Yoruichi and 3rd Seat Urahara for a Tenshintai, would that count as a 'captain-level' favor?"
"A captain-level favor?"
"Yes, as long as the enemy's strength does not exceed the captain level, I'll be there whenever you call!"
"Alright, you've convinced me." Yoruichi stretched lazily and stood up. "Soi Fon, I'll continue to entrust you with the squad's duties here. Let's go, Ailin and young Byakuya. I'll take you to find Urahara."
***
"Oh, Captain Ailin, you really are a rare guest. And this must be the future head of the Kuchiki Family, Lord Byakuya, right?"
Although surprised that someone could secretly establish such a large underground training ground within the Seireitei, Byakuya already had a few hints of the aloof "poker face" demeanor he would later develop, so Kisuke Urahara was bound to be disappointed.
Because he couldn't see any surprise on Byakuya's face at this creation of his. From his uncle Ailin, Byakuya knew that the somewhat unkempt man before him was the main focus of this time.
Although arrogant, Byakuya was not a fool. Regardless of whether it was Yoruichi Shihōin or his uncle Ailin, their evaluation of this "Third Seat" was very high, so this man was clearly no ordinary person. Thus, he politely greeted Kisuke Urahara with the courtesy of a junior.
"Mr. Urahara, please take care of us this time."
"What a polite child."
Seeing the disheveled Urahara showing signs of developing the unkempt appearance and wooden sandals characteristic of a centuries-old eccentric, Ailin quickly interrupted.
"Alright, Urahara, our time is quite urgent. After all, Lord Ginrei is still waiting over there."
"Well, if it's Captain Ailin's request, I naturally can't disobey." With a wave of Urahara's hand, there was a loud "bang," and white smoke burst open.
When the smoke cleared, a white human-shaped target was slanted and stuck in the ground.
"Lord Byakuya, before the training begins, I must explain this clearly to you."
Walking up to the human-shaped target, Urahara straightened it up. "This thing is one of my accidental inventions. Its function is to help Shinigami whose spiritual pressure has not yet reached the captain level externalize their Zanpakutō in the outside world."
"What?"
Byakuya Kuchiki was stunned, his pupils involuntarily contracting, almost letting out a cry of surprise. No wonder his uncle Ailin was so confident, promising his grandfather that he could complete the Bankai training within three days.
It turned out that there was something in this world that could externalize a Zanpakutō by substituting the Shinigami's spiritual pressure.
For other Shinigami, not only did they have to externalize their Zanpakutō, but they also had to defeat their Zanpakutō and make it submit to them, which was no easier than externalizing the Zanpakutō itself.
But for Byakuya, who had grown up through Ailin's thousands of life-and-death training sessions, as long as he could externalize his Zanpakutō, everything else would not be a problem.
Seeing Byakuya's shocked expression, the corners of Urahara's mouth also curled up slightly. He didn't know when it started, but he had developed a liking for seeing people's surprised and admiring expressions at his inventions.
"Of course, since it's an accidental product, this Tenshintai also has a slight flaw." Saying this, Urahara held his thumb and index finger apart to indicate a minuscule distance.
"What flaw?"
"Heheh, since the spiritual pressure that externalizes the Zanpakutō is provided by the Tenshintai, it's best to complete the Bankai training and make the Zanpakutō submit within three days.
If it exceeds three days, a Zanpakutō that has not been nurtured by its master's spiritual pressure for a long time will go out of control...
To put it simply, if the Bankai training is not completed within three days, the Shinigami will never be able to achieve Bankai in this lifetime. Lord Byakuya, now that you know this flaw, do you still insist on using this Tenshintai?"
"Never able to achieve Bankai?" Byakuya's eyes narrowed slightly.
No wonder. If this Tenshintai didn't have such a major flaw, this Third Seat Urahara would have become a well-known figure in the Seireitei long ago.
Without answering Urahara's question, Byakuya simply stepped forward, drew his Zanpakutō, and stabbed it into the Tenshintai beside Urahara. He used his actions to answer Urahara's question from earlier.
Swoosh!
"Oh, Lord Byakuya is quite decisive." Urahara instantly appeared beside Ailin, patting down non-existent dust on his clothes.
Seeing this scene, Byakuya's gaze tightened slightly. Indeed, not bad for someone his uncle had taken notice of - his instantaneous movement alone showed he was no ordinary person. However, in the next moment, Byakuya no longer had spare attention to observe Urahara.
Because -
The externalized Senbonzakura had appeared!
Clad in a pink long robe and wearing a helmet with long whiskers, beneath the helmet was a ferocious mask. At first glance, it resembled a noble samurai.
"Senbonzakura..."
Seeing Senbonzakura in reality for the first time, Byakuya Kuchiki felt a moment of disorientation. However, he quickly adjusted his mindset.
What he needed to do now was to defeat the Senbonzakura before him and make it submit to him, assisting him in completing the cultivation of his Zanpakutō's Bankai.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
Boom!
Two pillars of spiritual pressure shot into the sky, accompanied by a sky filled with scattered cherry blossoms.
"Oh? Young Byakuya's strength is quite formidable."
Outside the battlefield between Byakuya and Senbonzakura, Ailin, Yoruichi, and Urahara stood watching.
Ever since witnessing Ailin's demonstration of Shakūren, the hot-tempered Byakuya had undergone a significant change.
Faced with Yoruichi's taunts and mockery, Byakuya rarely responded and only focused on his cultivation.
This meant that Yoruichi had not had much interaction with Byakuya for nearly ten years. Her understanding of Byakuya was still largely based on what she knew from ten years ago.
For a Shinigami, ten years was not a long time. But judging from the strength Byakuya was now displaying, he had already exceeded Yoruichi's expectations of him.
"Yes, Byakuya has worked hard." Yoruichi's praise of Byakuya was affirmed by Ailin's nod.
Indeed, not everyone had the courage to accept Ailin's three-month special training. Thousands of times on the brink of death, the fear. Thousands of times exhausting all efforts, only to return in defeat, the helplessness. Thousands of times growing, yet not narrowing the gap between them in the slightest, the bewilderment. And facing a profoundly powerful existence for an extended period, the despair...
Who could endure all that?
It could be said that after experiencing Ailin's three months of hellish training, Byakuya had been transformed.
With the same abilities, Senbonzakura was actually suppressed by Byakuya.
Who would believe it if it was said out loud?
Shinigami nurtured their Zanpakutō, entered their inner world, conversed with their Zanpakutō, learned the Zanpakutō's name, and learned to use the Zanpakutō's abilities from the Zanpakutō itself.
In some ways, the Zanpakutō could be considered the teacher of the Shinigami. But this battle made Yoruichi and Urahara open their eyes wide.
Byakuya used certain abilities of Senbonzakura more smoothly than Senbonzakura itself. It was as if the positions of the two had been reversed, with Senbonzakura being the one learning.
...
A large amount of cherry blossoms formed a rotating sphere over two meters wide around Byakuya, deflecting the incoming sword strikes from Senbonzakura.
Sensing the attacking power of these numerous sword strikes, a hint of disappointment flashed across Byakuya's eyes.
Ever since learning how to condense Senbonzakura's sword strikes into a sword body during his battle with his uncle Ailin, Byakuya had developed several more techniques to unleash Senbonzakura's full power.
This time, in his battle with Senbonzakura, Byakuya had high hopes of finding the flaws in his techniques through their exchange and researching how to improve them together.
But Senbonzakura's performance was simply too disappointing for Byakuya. Its techniques were rigid, only commanding Senbonzakura's sword strikes to flutter and attack.
This was very similar to how Byakuya himself had been during his initial battles with his uncle Ailin.
"You are too weak, Senbonzakura. In your Shikai state, using all your sword strikes for attacks leaves you vulnerable on defense. With such flaws, you are wide open to my attacks!"
Saying this, Byakuya's thoughts stirred, and the rotating pink sphere transformed into a raging cherry blossom tornado, completely enveloping and shredding Senbonzakura's incoming sword strikes.
