Ichigo glanced at Yoruichi, then looked at the imposing Kukaku in front of him, and wisely decided to ask Kukaku.
"Nee-san, please tell us how to get inside the Seireitei."
"As for the intelligence on the Gotei 13..."
At this point, Ichigo shook his head.
Since he had decided to come to the Seireitei to save Miyako, he wouldn't back down no matter who the enemy was or how strong they were.
It wasn't a question of whether he would win.
He had to win!
"No matter what they're like, I will bring Miyako-nee back!"
"Miyako-nee?"
Kukaku raised an eyebrow and looked at Ichigo, "So you're the brat who stole my sister-in-law's Reiatsu?"
"Huh? Sister-in-law?"
"That's right, Ichigo."
Yoruichi spoke up at this point.
"The reason I brought you here isn't just because this person has a way to break through the Seireitei's Shakonmaku."
"It's also because your Miyako-nee is this person's sister-in-law!"
"Wow…"
Hearing Yoruichi say thisInoue Orihime was overjoyed, "So that means Kukaku-san is on our side? Our chances of saving Miyako-nee have increased a lot!"
"Mhm."
Chad didn't speak, but nodded slightly on the side.
Although he had obtained an ability like the [Giant's Right Arm], Chad didn't think he was that strong.
From casual conversations with Yoruichi, Kisuke, and others, Chad knew that Shinigami basically trained for decades, or even hundreds of years.
Compared to them, he, who had only trained for a month, was still far behind.
"Miyako-nee is your sister-in-law?"
"Huh!"
Kukaku only needed one look at Ichigo to know his identity.
From that face so similar to her younger brother's, and Ichigo's age, Kukaku knew that Ichigo was definitely the son of her uncle, Shiba Isshin.
As for why her uncle's son had the surname Kurosaki instead of Shiba, Kukaku wasn't surprised.
On one hand, Isshin was, after all, only from a branch family of the Shiba Clan. While Isshin might be willing to sacrifice for the Shiba Clan, he couldn't possibly have the same attachment to the Shiba surname as the main family.
On the other hand, the current Isshin had married into the Kurosaki Family in the human world, so changing his surname to Kurosaki was completely normal.
"Brat, you're celebrating too early."
"Rescuing my sister-in-law was already part of my plan."
"But why should I bring you along?"
Kukaku's eyes flashed like lightning, her sharp gaze carrying immense Reiatsu as it assaulted Kurosaki Ichigo and the others.
"Glare!"
This was a technique that released one's Reiatsu through the eyes to exert pressure.
However, this technique required eye contact to feel the user's pressure.
Additionally, the pressure released by this method was much weaker than that released by fully unleashing one's Reiatsu.
Even so, the pressure from Kukaku's Captain-level [Glare] wasn't something ordinary Shinigami could withstand.
Ichigo and the other three, who had looked at Kukaku because of her words, were now all enveloped by her pressure.
Boom!
Instantly, unprecedented pressure descended upon Ichigo and the four others.
The first to falter was Orihime.
Although she had embarked on the journey to save Miyako with Ichigo and the others, before this, Orihime was just a delicate young girl.
Moreover, she was a high school student who relied on Arisawa Tatsuki's protection to avoid bullying.
If Uryu hadn't released the bait that caught Aizen's attention, causing a large number of small and medium-sized Hollows to descend directly on Karakura Town, and if Tatsuki hadn't been injured protecting Orihime, Orihime probably wouldn't have awakened her Fullbring.
However, although Orihime appeared delicate on the outside, she had a strong side internally.
After sensing the threat, Orihime instinctively moved closer to Ichigo, hiding behind him and avoiding Kukaku's gaze, thus escaping her pressure.
As for Uryu and Chad, although they felt their bodies become much heavier under Kukaku's pressure, as if carrying a hundred-pound weight-
Both Uryu and Chad had their own convictions.
Such pressure could make their bodies sense danger, but it couldn't make them retreat.
Bzzz-
The four-pointed star bracelet on Ishida's left hand formed a simple and sturdy bow after he channeled Reishi into it.
As for Chad, his right arm was covered by a Reiatsu guard formed by black-red patterns.
"Not bad!"
Seeing that Uryu and Chad both immediately assumed combat stances upon encountering danger, Kukaku nodded slightly.
Kyoya had said that in this simulated war between the Revolutionary Army and the Gotei 13, they would use Ichigo and the others as the vanguard to invade the Seireitei.
If it were just a usual simulated confrontation, while Kukaku would do her best, she knew the outcome of the Revolutionary Army and the Gotei 13 would be decided by Kyoya and Yamamoto.
However, this simulated confrontation was specifically prepared by Kyoya to facilitate her rescue of her sister-in-law, Miyako.
If the Revolutionary Army lost and her sister-in-law wasn't rescued, Kukaku would feel she had failed Kyoya's expectations.
Therefore, before heading to the Seireitei, she wanted to assess Ichigo and the others.
If they were all just pretty faces with no substance, then even if it angered Kyoya, Kukaku wouldn't let Ichigo and the others participate in this rescue operation.
'Now it seemed that among Kurosaki Ichigo and the other three, only that girl's mentality was somewhat lacking.'
'The Quincy and the human with the strange ability were not inferior in strength to the soldiers of the Revolutionary Army.'
'As for Kurosaki Ichigo-'
The corners of Kukaku's mouth lifted slightly.
'As expected of the Shiba bloodline.'
'Even though he had just awakened his Shinigami powers, he already possessed 3rd-Class Reiryoku comparable to that of the Captains.'
Such talent was something even her elder brother, Kaien lacked considerably.
"Your request, I approve!"
"Ganju!"
"Aneki."
Ganju, who was standing behind Kukaku, stepped forward.
"Take them to start preparing."
"Yes!"
Under the curious gazes of Ichigo and the others, Ganju took a crystal ball the size of a volleyball from their warehouse and handed it to Ichigo, teaching him how to channel his Reiatsu into the crystal ball to form a protective barrier.
Originally, Ganju planned to have everyone input their Reiatsu together to enhance the barrier's strength.
However, the fact that Ichigo showed no reaction under his big sister's pressure was enough to prove that Ichigo's Reiatsu far exceeded his own.
If everyone input their Reiatsu together, it was possible that everyone's Reiatsu would be directly overwhelmed by Ichigo's and they would get injured.
It was better to just let Ichigo alone be the Reiatsu provider for the barrier.
As for Ganju, he took out a scroll about a foot long and began chanting the incantations on it.
On the other side, Kukaku and Yoruichi came to the courtyard. After Kukaku performed some operations, the ground of the courtyard began to tremble.
Rumble-
Amidst the roar, a steel launch pad rose from the ground. Simultaneously, a several-dozen-meter-high cannon barrel, resembling a chimney, slowly rose from within the launch pad.
"Are you ready, Ganju?"
"Ready, Aneki."
Following Ganju's voice, Ichigo and the others came from the direction of the warehouse.
After Ichigo and the others all entered below the cannon barrel and Kukaku set the launch time, she also entered the launch tower with them.
"Huh? Kukaku, are you coming with us too?"
Yoruichi asked in confusion.
As a Great Noble, Yoruichi naturally knew the survival mode of the nobility.
In the eyes of the nobility, as long as the family could continue, they were willing to pay any price.
Miyako was the wife of the head of the Shiba Clan, Shiba Kaien.
After she violated the Seireitei's ban, even Yoruichi would only think that Kukaku would offer them assistance.
Having Ganju accompany them in action was already considered a significant investment from the Shiba Clan.
Now Kukaku was also going to the Seireitei… what was she planning?
'Was she not concerned about the Shiba Clan's legacy anymore?'
Yoruichi hadn't forgotten that the current head of the Shiba Clan, Shiba Kaien, was still serving as the Lieutenant in the Gotei 13 of the Seireitei.
If Kaien also joined the plan to rescue Miyako, upon failure, the Shiba Clan might truly be expunged from the Seireitei!
"Ah, isn't that obvious?"
Kukaku casually brushed her hair and said lightly, "These guys are willing to fight the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 to rescue my sister-in-law. How could I just watch from the outside?"
"Besides..."
She glanced at Yoruichi. From Yoruichi's expression, Kukaku knew that Yoruichi was still unaware of the Revolutionary Army.
It was understandable upon reflection.
After all, Yoruichi had left the Soul Society for over a hundred years.
Even if she still had contact with the Soul Society, it was with the hidden agents of the Shihoin Clan within the Seireitei.
Among the nobles in the Seireitei, and even the Shinigami of the Gotei 13, aside from the Captains and the Rukongai Shinigami who joined the Gotei 13 in the last ten-plus years, who else took the Revolutionary Army seriously?
Even the 11th Division, which was previously responsible for purifying Hollows in the Rukongai, had long abandoned this duty.
There was no other way.
When they received alerts of Hollows appearing in the Rukongai and the teams preparing to go purify the Hollows hadn't even set off, the Hollows' Reiatsu would completely vanish.
Once or twice was fine, but every time? They naturally realized that the Revolutionary Army had completely taken control of the Rukongai.
As for the other Divisions...
Probably only the 12th Division, which monitored the three worlds, and the 8th Division, which managed intelligence, knew what a behemoth the Revolutionary Army truly was.
"After training for so many years, I also want to find a few people to test my skills, to let those people see that our Shiba Clan is not to be bullied at will!"
Yoruichi narrowed her eyes.
The will emanating from Kukaku at this moment was something Yoruichi hadn't seen a hundred years ago.
What Yoruichi didn't know was that in the past, Kaien was the strongest in the main Shiba Clan, and Kukaku only needed to hide behind her elder brother.
But after Kukaku joined the Revolutionary Army, learned the Rokushiki, received Kyoya's guidance, and her strength surpassed Kaien's, she took on the responsibility of the Shiba Clan in her heart.
With pressure comes motivation.
Even her previously unruly younger brother, Ganju, had been disciplined by Kukaku into a capable person, serving as the deputy commander of the 4th Division to assist Kukaku.
Furthermore, when Kukaku said that the Shiba Clan was not to be bullied at will, this necessarily included the Shihoin Clan as well.
Back when the Five Great Noble Families of the Seireitei existed, the Shiba Clan's ancestor did not participate in the ambush on the Soul King and even wanted to publicize the truth of the other four families' ambush, which was why the other nobles targeted the Shiba Clan.
For a million years, under the pursuit of the Seireitei nobles, the Shiba Clan never had the chance to reveal the truth from a million years ago.
'Now that Kukaku was entering the Seireitei so forcefully, had she prepared to reveal the truth?'
'Could the Shihoin Clan withstand the ensuing turmoil?'
Many thoughts flashed through Yoruichi's mind.
But immediately, Yoruichi suppressed them all.
'Never mind, no matter how the world changes, it probably won't be worse than it is now...'
She shook her head.
Yoruichi had been with Kisuke for the past hundred years.
Naturally, what Kisuke discovered, Shihoin also knew.
This included the prophecy of the Quincy's Progenitor, Yhwach, and his goal of seizing the world.
Of course, more importantly, it was the Soul King's 'desire for death'.
Kisuke didn't know what future the Soul King had seen that made him willing, just like a million years ago when he didn't resist the nobles' ambush, to also not resist his own fate of death.
Or perhaps, after a million years of being sealed as the wedge, the Soul King's will to live had been eroded, and he only sought death for release.
Therefore, to prevent the collapse of the three worlds after the Soul King's death, Kisuke created two [Soul King candidates]-
Namely, Ururu and Jinta.
If the Soul King truly died, in a crisis, Kisuke would immediately create the Hogyoku and fuse it with them, temporarily making them the [Soul King] to serve as the wedge stabilizing the three worlds.
With the world on the brink of destruction, worrying about the Shihoin Clan's future now would be too arrogant.
Of course, another point was that Yoruichi knew that after a million years, even if Kukaku revealed the truth about the four families ambushing the Soul King now, the impact on the four families would be much less than a million years ago.
After all, unlike now, the rule of the four families was unstable back then, and they needed to use the [Soul King's] name to rule the three worlds.