Night.
Toushiro's house.
"What happened today is roughly like this…"
Toushiro looked at Hinamori Momo and his grandmother, appearing somewhat hesitant.
He unconsciously clenched one hand, lowered his gaze, and his voice, due to the sudden praise, sounded a little unconfident.
"Mr. Tsugikuni said I'm a genius. Am I really a genius? Grandmother, I don't feel like it at all."
Toushiro felt that he was very ordinary; after all, before this, apart from Hinamori Momo, he had no friends with reishi around him.
At the same time, he hadn't lived in Rukongai for very long.
Due to the lack of suitable reference points, it was difficult for him to truly experience the unique sense of difference that talent brought.
Yet, Mr. Tsugikuni had seen his talent with just one glance and extended an invitation, giving him a surreal, dreamlike feeling…
Toushiro's grandmother had a kind expression, and facing Toushiro's hesitation, she didn't say anything to dampen his confidence.
She simply patted Toushiro's shoulder gently, her eyes full of encouragement, telling him to believe in himself and follow his heart.
Hinamori Momo also chimed in from the side.
She was deeply convinced that since Captain Tsugikuni said Toushiro was a genius, then Toushiro must be a genius.
One should know that the last person Captain Tsugikuni called a genius was Ichimaru Gin.
That young man's strength, at less than a hundred years old, had already propelled him into the ranks of Vice-Captain, and he was sure to become a Captain in the future.
Could Toushiro do the same?
Hinamori Momo couldn't help but anticipate it.
Under the encouragement of his grandmother and Hinamori Momo, Toushiro gradually gained a bit of confidence.
Finally, he decided to follow Yoriichi Tsugikuni's advice and occasionally attend lectures at the Ninth Division.
However, he couldn't go with Hinamori Momo,
because if he and Hinamori Momo left together, then his grandmother would be left unattended.
In Toushiro's eyes at the moment, his grandmother was more important than anything else.
Thus, in the days that followed, a small silver-haired figure would occasionally appear quietly in the Ninth Division.
No one knew where he came from, because Toushiro wasn't much of a talker.
But his talent was astonishing.
After only half a month of training in swordsmanship, he could easily defeat other auditing students who had been training for several months.
Two months later, in terms of technique, even Hinamori Momo, who had practiced swordsmanship for several years and had considerable experience, occasionally found him quite challenging during their spars.
Half a year later, Hinamori Momo was defeated by him in one move, successfully achieving a comeback…
It was only then that Hinamori Momo understood what Captain Tsugikuni meant by "genius" back then.
In front of these geniuses, it seemed any amount of effort had to bow down and fade into insignificance…
…
"Yahoo! Is this Soul Society?!"
One morning, Toushiro, carrying a blade, had just passed through Byakudo Gate and stepped into Seireitei.
Suddenly, he saw a green-haired girl chattering incessantly beside a handsome, rather languid-looking man.
The girl was about the same height as him, but their temperaments were worlds apart.
She had one arm linked through the man's, bouncing around, her overly lively tone as if she had ADHD.
This made Toushiro subtly raise his eyebrows, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
"Soul Society?"
The word coming from the girl's mouth seemed a bit off…
Were they residents of West Rukongai? Why had he never seen them before?
Also, when ordinary Rukongai residents enter Seireitei, they usually say, "Is this Seireitei?" right?
It gave Toushiro the feeling that these two people came from a world outside of Soul Society…
Since he hadn't started school yet, Toushiro didn't know about the existence of Hueco Mundo.
He just found it strange, but he didn't rashly go up and disturb them.
He quietly exhaled, silently memorizing their appearances.
Then, as he passed by them, Toushiro simply pushed the matter to the back of his mind for the time being.
He then quickened his pace, swiftly heading towards the Ninth Division, ready to begin his day's auditing lessons.
Tap, tap.
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed continuously in his ears, fading into the distance…
Starrk watched a silver-haired young man pass by him, his originally languid eyes narrowing slightly.
Even though he was within a Mukuro, and his own power was completely suppressed, he could still tell that this young man was extraordinary…
"As expected of Seireitei,"
Starrk mused to himself, "Even a random child passing by possesses such outstanding talent…"
Lilynette was still chattering beside him, and Starrk simply held her hand to prevent her from running off randomly and causing any unnecessary trouble.
If an observant person were to look closely, they would notice that while they appeared to be moving, they were actually standing still, as if waiting for someone.
Soon, Yoriichi Tsugikuni arrived in a hurry, and Starrk stepped forward, remarking with emotion:
"Oh, you're finally here. Lilynette has been nagging to look around here…"
"Where is Kisuke Urahara?"
Starrk said, looking around, his eyes full of confusion.
Because it was Kisuke Urahara who had previously informed them that they could only come after half a year, but now he was nowhere to be seen.
"Kisuke is in the middle of research and can't get away. Today, I or another Shinigami will show you around. Follow me first."
Yoriichi turned around.
He seemed to have guessed Starrk's next question, so he provided the answer in advance.
"Grimmjow has already arrived ahead of you."
"It's just that there was a problem with the Black Cavity's positioning, and he ended up in East Rukongai, even fighting with the guards there.
"To deal with that, I was a bit late in coming."
Although the Mukuro restricted reishi, it did not restrict other physical abilities; combat skills, strength, and so on were all retained.
Therefore, the heroes of East Rukongai were not Grimmjow's opponents.
It almost caused chaos.
Fortunately, it had been stopped.
Starrk nodded, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes: "I see…"
Grimmjow was as violent as ever, but compared to before, he was clearly much better.
If it had been the old Grimmjow, the guards there would surely have died.
The three walked on, and the scenery of Seireitei unfolded before Lilynette's eyes.
What might have been ordinary and rather monotonous to others was incredibly rich and colorful to her.
She continued to bounce around, her exclamations like "Oh, wow, hoo!" almost never stopping.
This made Starrk feel very ashamed.
It was as if an old father living in the countryside had brought his daughter to a big city for the first time and saw the bustling urban landscape.
Not long after.
The group arrived at the Ninth Division.
Standing by the squad barracks gate, Yoriichi turned and said:
"I still have some matters to attend to. Starrk, the rest of the tour will be led by my Third Seat."
"Please rest assured, he is like me, friendly towards those Menos Grande of the Lawful Neutral alignment."
Just as he was speaking, the squad barracks' gate was pushed open… No, to be precise, it was crashed open.
A blue-haired young man was violently sent flying out.
The moment this person flew out, Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Starrk, relying on their powerful senses, "saw" it in advance and successfully avoided him.
Lilynette couldn't avoid it in time, but fortunately, Starrk pulled her back, barely managing to dodge.
Her body still swayed slightly from the inertia.
As the figure flashed past his eyes, Starrk clearly saw the person's face.
Full of arrogance—it was Grimmjow.
Grimmjow?
Bang.
Just as Starrk's thoughts settled, Grimmjow slammed hard into the wall directly opposite the Ninth Division.
With a dull thud, the white stone instantly shattered, though it didn't collapse, indicating that the person who threw him had controlled their strength well.
"Cough, cough…"
Coughing twice, Grimmjow cursed under his breath, a flash of anger in his eyes.
He brushed the dust off himself and stood up, his movements slightly disheveled, then raised his eyes and immediately saw the three people standing by the door.
"…"
This made his expression instantly stiffen.
Thump.
Just as Grimmjow was about to explain everything, inside the squad barracks, the tall Komamura Sajin walked out.
Due to a blind spot in his vision, he didn't see Yoriichi Tsugikuni beside him, only saying:
"How about it, Grimmjow? Do I fit the description of a strong person you spoke of?"
"If you want to challenge the Captain, you'll have to get past me first."
"If you can't even defeat me…"
Komamura Sajin's words were rather subtle.
The implied meaning was:
Go to sleep.
You can have anything in your dreams.
This kid was too arrogant; he immediately wanted to challenge the Captain, acting like he was second only to heaven.
Komamura Sajin had no choice but to take action and teach him a lesson, lest he lose his bearings.
After Komamura Sajin finished speaking, he saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni and the two people beside him. Lilynette didn't feel particularly special, but Starrk…
With just one glance, Komamura Sajin felt that this man was unfathomable.
Starrk smiled but didn't speak.
After Yoriichi introduced them and left.
Only then did he understand that this beastman, who resembled both a dog and a wolf, was the Ninth Division's Third Seat who would be leading Lilynette on a tour of Seireitei.
His strength was quite good, at least in terms of power, he could overpower ordinary Vasto Lorde.
He wondered how he managed that; was it innate talent?
Entering the Ninth Division, Starrk smiled and asked, "Is your Captain very busy?"
Just then, Starrk saw the silver-haired young man he had met earlier, his gaze shifting slightly:
"By the way, Komamura-kun… Is that child also a Shinigami?"
"Which one?" Komamura Sajin looked in the direction Starrk indicated, saying,
"The Captain isn't busy; it's just that I heard his wife is pregnant recently, and due to some things that happened during their Human World period, the Captain is quite worried…"
"That's why he occasionally works overtime, so he can finish work early and go home."
"That child is not a Shinigami, but he is destined to become one. His innate soul density is even higher than some Seat Officers…"
"Innately powerful reishi?"
Starrk murmured to himself, a peculiar emotion welling up in his heart.
No wonder, no wonder Starrk saw a reflection of himself in Toushiro; he too was born with powerful reishi.
Although Toushiro was no match for him currently, there was an inherent difference between a Shinigami and a Hollow.
One must know that he had undergone evolution after evolution, only achieving the pinnacle of Hollow reishi after becoming a Vasto Lorde.
Considering Toushiro was in a "blank slate" state and still young...
Starrk nodded understandingly, a slight, relieved smile gracing his lips.
This was the companion he had been searching for all along.
If Toushiro were a Hollow, then his reishi would certainly not be much weaker than his own.
Soul Society.
He had indeed come to the right place.
...
On the other side.
During the process of apprehending a criminal, Yoriichi Tsugikuni coincidentally encountered Matsumoto Rangiku, who was returning home from a break from the Spiritual Arts Academy.
At this moment, Rangiku was hurrying along, her face beaming with an excited smile.
Upon seeing Yoriichi, she was overjoyed and had intended to immediately go forward and tell him the good news.
But when Rangiku noticed Yoriichi was escorting a prisoner, she instantly sobered up and decisively reined in her thoughts.
She secretly decided to wait until they returned home to tell him in detail.
In the past year, Matsumoto Rangiku had truly put her utmost effort into her training.
It was only recently, after expending countless efforts, that she finally succeeded in awakening her Shikai.
At the same time.
Perhaps it was because her previously missing soul had been completed, coupled with the influence of the Soul King's fingertips.
In just one short year, she had soared from eighth-tier spiritual power, re-ascending to seventh-tier spiritual power, subtly showing signs of breaking through to the sixth-tier.
The speed of this improvement was simply unimaginable, far surpassing the small progress she had made over four years in the past.
Of course, the nourishment and assistance from the high-concentration reishi within the Seireitei must have also played a part.
However, these external factors were not actually that important to her.
What she cared more about was the number, one year.
She firmly believed that if her improvement speed remained constant, in less than five short years, she would likely be on par with Ichimaru Gin in terms of reishi.
By then...
It is worth mentioning that although Aizen had been sent to Hell, and this matter had been made public.
Because of this, the agreement between her and Ichimaru Gin seemed less important.
But no matter what, Matsumoto Rangiku felt that she absolutely had to fulfill this agreement.
She wanted to prove herself.
After watching Yoriichi Tsugikuni leave, Matsumoto Rangiku gently exhaled.
She lowered her eyes slightly, tightly gripping the Zanpakuto tied to her waist, muttering to herself not to get complacent, because seventh-tier spiritual power was only the beginning of a Shinigami's career.
Only by reaching the fifth-tier, which was the Vice-Captain level, could one barely be considered to have entered the inner circle.
Ichimaru Gin could defeat the Third Seat of the Fifth Division in one year...
At least, she had to be stronger than the Third Seats of the other Divisions.
Harboring these thoughts, Matsumoto Rangiku returned home and immediately saw Uta.
After some time apart, she noticed that Uta had changed, seeming to have gotten...fatter?
She had a small belly and even some baby fat on her cheeks, making her much cuter.
It wasn't until a maid explained that she suddenly realized Uta was pregnant.
—Pregnant?
Matsumoto Rangiku couldn't help but widen her eyes slightly, her face full of disbelief: "Is that true or false?"
How could it be false?
A maid secretly grumbled in her heart, but patiently explained aloud:
"Ms. Rangiku, you haven't been back for three months, so you don't know. Uta was already pregnant three months ago."
"Then why didn't anyone notify me?" Rangiku asked.
As a member of this family, she was the last to know, which was truly outrageous.
The maid was a bit helpless:
"Lord Tsugikuni did notify you, but at that time, you and your friends went to the Human World to view cherry blossoms. The letters sent were probably put aside by you."
"Didn't you see them when you came back?"
Matsumoto Rangiku indeed hadn't seen them. When the maid mentioned the letters, she felt a sudden wave of awkwardness.
This was because if it had happened three months ago, then all the letters from that time had been thrown away by her.
Ah, being too popular is also a sin...
Snapping back to reality, Matsumoto Rangiku cleared her throat twice: "So that's how it is. My apologies, I know now..."
...
...
After the maid withdrew, Matsumoto Rangiku went up and chatted with Uta for a while, quickly getting a general understanding of what had happened over the past three months.
Uta's pregnancy was one thing, and the second...
Apparently, there was no second thing.
Life in the Seireitei was generally quite leisurely; major events typically occurred only every few years, with most other things being trivial matters.
For example, Rukia's swordsmanship had improved again, and she could even defeat adult Shinigami in terms of technique.
Hisana's soul had recovered a bit more, and she was on the verge of leaving the Mukuro and being able to live a normal life...
Uta slowly recounted these trivial matters, and Matsumoto Rangiku listened quietly. After she finished, she gently exhaled:
"So, have you thought of a name for this child?"
This was the first offspring of the Tsugikuni Clan, which held great significance.
Because the current Tsugikuni Clan's status was subtly on par with the Five Great Noble Clans.
It was just that their foundation was insufficient, and their population was too small to replace the Shiba Family.
Uta didn't care about these so-called statuses or family matters; she only cared if her child could be born safely.
Hearing Matsumoto Rangiku's question, she smiled and replied:
"I've thought of it. Yoriichi and I discussed it before. If it's a girl, she'll be named Ai, and if it's a boy, he'll be named Yuu. It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, because their father is very powerful."
"They don't need to worry about the matters of the Three Realms at all. As long as they can grow up safely, that's enough."
"Rangiku, when they are born, you must not bully them," Uta earnestly instructed.
Bully?
Matsumoto Rangiku's mouth twitched slightly. With Yoriichi Tsugikuni's talent, it was hard to say who would bully whom.
Because a child's talent, in a sense, depended on the parents' talent.
It was like genetic inheritance.
It wasn't that beautiful people were guaranteed to have beautiful children, but the probability of them being beautiful was certainly much higher than for those with ordinary appearances.
Brother's child...
Let's forget about it.
She might be able to tease them when they were little, but when they grew up...
Thinking of this, Matsumoto Rangiku managed to calm her emotions for a moment, then smiled faintly and said:
"How could I? They are my younger siblings! I wouldn't bully them, no matter who else I might bully."
"Regarding this matter, does anyone else know? I mean, people outside of this family."
"Ms. Yoruichi knows, and also, the young man from the Kuchiki Clan named Byakuya seems to know. Hisana probably told him."
Uta counted on her fingers, "Besides them, there shouldn't be anyone else."
"Byakuya? Kuchiki Byakuya?"
Matsumoto Rangiku's mind immediately conjured the corresponding figure. She wasn't surprised that Yoruichi Shihouin knew about this.
Because Yoruichi had intended to form a marriage alliance with Yoriichi Tsugikuni a long time ago, but Uta's appearance dispelled those thoughts.
With a child...it was only natural for those thoughts to resurface.
Nobles, after all, always needed an influx of fresh blood, which was why they paid attention to this matter immediately.
However, Kuchiki Byakuya...
Just as she was about to press for more information.
Thud.
Hisana and Rukia returned to the living room from the backyard.
They were covered in sweat, even their hair was damp, clinging in strands to their temples.
It was clear they had undergone intense training, and they were still breathing slightly heavily.
Seeing Matsumoto Rangiku, Hisana nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Rukia, on the other hand, said with a joyful expression:
"Rangiku-nee, you're back! Is school on break?"
If she remembered correctly, this period should be summer vacation...
The appearance of the two made Matsumoto Rangiku swallow the words she wanted to ask.
She returned a smile, then began chatting with them.
After Hisana and Rukia had successively finished their baths, dusk fell, and Yoriichi also returned home.
After dinner, Matsumoto Rangiku told Yoriichi Tsugikuni the good news that she had mastered Shikai.
Yoriichi was slightly surprised upon hearing it. He carefully examined Matsumoto Rangiku's Zanpakuto, which was placed nearby...
Its design was rather ordinary, with a red and white hilt. The tsuba resembled a shield, with three sharp corners, presenting a cold, bronze color.
The blade emitted a cold light.
Yoriichi nodded and asked: "So, what are its name and abilities?"
"Congratulations on your Shikai. This means you've taken the first step towards becoming a Shinigami. From now on, you must never relax..."
"I know." Matsumoto Rangiku interrupted. She was tired of polite words; she wanted to hear Yoriichi's praise more, though she knew it would be difficult.
Therefore, she didn't ask for it.
Matsumoto Rangiku took a slight breath and explained:
"Her name is Hinagiku. Her ability is to turn the blade into smoke to attack others, and she can also gather that smoke to defend herself."
"Under the same reishi level, it can be called absolute defense."
"Since I've only just obtained Shikai, this is all I've discovered about her abilities."
"In terms of effect, it should counter Gin's Shinsō, right?"
Perhaps, it depends on the operating mechanism of the so-called absolute defense.
Not all defenses can be called absolute defense.
Yoriichi was about to ask when Matsumoto Rangiku suddenly remembered something and added:
"Oh, by the way, Brother, this sword of mine is a bit special. After Shikai, Hinagiku will turn into two swords."
"These abilities are from one of them; I still don't know the abilities of the other."
"I asked the teachers at the Spiritual Arts Academy, and they don't know either."
"They only told me that the Captain of the Thirteenth Division, and the Captain of the Eighth Division, Jūshirō Ukitake and Kyōraku Shunsui, also have two swords."
"They are the only two pairs of twin Zanpakuto in Soul Society's history."
"Brother, can you help me ask them what exactly is going on?"
"The other sword still hasn't responded to me..."