3 Rising Stars

(We are going with a training arc with time skips in between chapters)

Kaien was blown away and blasted through several trees before stabbing his zanpakuto into the ground so he could stand. He looked at the direction he was sent flying from and was frowning.

"Damn it, Yami! That stuff is unfair!"

Yami appeared in the clearing with green reiatsu surrounding his blade. Unlike the original reiatsu he had, his reiatsu now had a black outline. It gave off a sinister aura that made Kaien hate having to clash with Yami.

"Don't be a baby, Kaien. You are the one that said you would help me see how powerful this stuff was."

It had taken him nearly 20 years but Yami had finally developed the initial stages of his new technique. This was the first time he used it with someone else as he wanted to catch Yoruichi off-guard during their next training session. But first, he wanted to see just how strong his new technique was.

Yami's special reiatsu appeared around his feet before pushing off with it. He appeared before Kaien with his sword in front of him. Kaien could barely get his zanpakuto in front of him before he was shot through several more trees.

Yami continued to chase and beat Kaien for another 3 minutes before he could feel the exhaust from his new technique. The black outline disappeared from his aura after he made one last clash with Kaien.

'3 minutes, 7 seconds of continuous use. Should drain even faster if I use it in conjunction with my techniques. I'm wasting too much trying to control my energy. Need to enhance the cycle.'

While Yami was thinking of ways to improve the technique, Kaien was covered in dirt and debris. The prince of the Shiba Clan was nowhere to be seen. He looked like he had just crawled out of the Zaraki District.

"Yami! What the hell!" Kaien yelled as he charged up to Yami's face, pointing his finger dangerously close to Yami's eye.

"You were the one that asked if you could see the technique I've been working on yourself. Don't blame me if you couldn't handle it," Yami replied casually while pushing Kaien's finger away.

"I didn't think it was something that that!" Kaien complained before sitting on his butt in th middle of all the destruction that they had caused. "Reminded me of fighting my sister. You two are monsters."

Yami heard his words and thought that the real monster was Kaien.

'Even after I used my new technique and went all out, I wasn't able to deal any significant damage to you. No wonder Kukaku passed off the position as the head of the clan to you. Even without the Shiba Clan's magic, you will probably surpass her within the next hundred years or so.'

But that was even more motivation for Yami. Even if he could be called a genius himself, he knew that his potential was still smaller than the two other rising stars of the Gotei 13: Byakuya Kuchiki and Kaien Shiba.

Kaien was already a lieutenant and there were rumors going around that he had unlocked bankai within the past 25 years since he had graduated from the academy. Byakuya had also graduated from the academy about 3 years after the incident with the 2nd Division and he had risen to the rank of lieutenant under his father while Ginrei had retired due to injuries sustained from the Quincy Extermination.

Yami had the opportunity to clash with Byakuya several times over the past few years and each time they did, he could feel the massive increase in Byakuya's strength each time. It would only be a matter of time before the Kuchiki caught up to the two of them.

And speaking of the devil.

"So the ones causing all the trouble were you two. Of course."

Byakuya appeared atop one of the trees with several members of the 5th Division behind him. The Kuchiki still looked like a young teenager but his skills were improving by leaps and bounds. He and the members of the 5th were sent out to see what the disturbance was.

"Oi, Byakuya! Been a while," Kaien waved at Byakuya in a friendly manner.

Even though they had about a 30-year age difference, due to both being part of the 5 Great Clans, they had gotten to know each other.

Byakuya nodded at Kaien before turning his eyes back to Yami. Ever since he had been beaten by Yami after the incident at the 2nd Division barracks, he had been holding a grudge against the senior shinigami.

"Shiba-san. It still surprises me that your family and the head of the Shihoin Clan associate so much with someone of such... lowly blood."

"Your uncle died and then your grandfather was put out of commission in such a short timeframe. Hopefully, you and your father are able to last long enough for the Kuchiki clan to have an heir at least," Yami replied in a friendly manner but his words cut straight to Byakuya's core.

This was indeed a major concern for the Kuchiki Clan. Sojun's wife long passed away so there was no chance for him to have another heir due to the Kuchiki Clan traditions. Sojun's sister had also passed away and due to the fact that they found out that Koga was a traitor, Ginrei was reluctant to adopt another child into the family.

Thus, the matter of Byakuya's marriage was the greatest priority for the clan. And also the biggest thorn in their side.

Byakuya held up his sword in front of his chest but suddenly felt two spiritual pressures crashing down on him.

One was like the ocean, crushing yet gentle while the other was like a forest in the middle of the night. It felt more like the danger was coming straight from his soul and mind instead of some outside source.

"Byakuya-kun. I suggest that you don't do that. I can't just let you attack Yami."

"Back off, Kaien. If he wants to see the difference in our strengths once more, I don't mind adding a scar to his body."

Byakuya looked at the two of them before putting down his sword. He had learned from his losses over the years. Constantly going after Yami would only result in his loss and the loss of pride in himself and his clan.

'A century is not too long as long as I can defeat him.'

Byakuya and his group left without further words