It was an unforgettable experience. A painful memory. A chapter of the past no one ever spoke of.
To claim that this incident was the direct cause of the Quincy Extermination would be giving Shirō far too much credit, but he couldn't deny it was at least related. Perhaps you could call it the spark before the spark?
In any case, Shirō and Isane were eventually found and brought back by Yoruichi. As for how she managed to locate them, Yoruichi hadn't said a word, but Shirō could guess. It had to be thanks to that so-called protective charm she gave him earlier.
Later, after some back-and-forth among the higher-ups, Shirō and Isane, two small fry, unimportant in the grand scheme of things, were quietly released and allowed to return safely to the Soul Society.
The political aftermath might not have rippled through the general Shinigami populace, but the ordeal left a deep imprint on both of them.
From that day forward, Isane Kotetsu developed a traumatic sensitivity to fish cakes. Just hearing the word made her pale. She even began having recurring nightmares featuring grotesque kamaboko horrors. The once-innocent food had become a lifelong curse.
As for Shirō, the experience ended up benefitting him in an unexpected way: he finally learned to unlock his Shikai. Or more precisely, he mastered the first ability of his Shikai.
And that marked a fundamental leap in his power, not just in strength, but in peace of mind. No longer did he have to worry about someone discovering his Zanpakutō and him being unable to explain it.
Now, he could use it openly.
His Zanpakutō's unique nature provided the perfect justification for remaining in a constant Shikai state, something even the strictest officers couldn't reasonably question.
Of course, Soifon was probably going to be exasperated all over again.
Not long ago, she had secretly admired Shirō's Zanpakutō ability, especially his clever strategy of concealing its presence, maintaining an air of mystery to maximize its tactical advantage. A hidden blade was a blade most feared.
What she didn't know was that Shirō hadn't meant to hide anything.
He simply didn't have it at the time.
And Shirō, for all his bluster, was a man deeply obsessed with repectable status. The way others saw him mattered. For years, he'd endured the mockery of others for being the only top student without a Zanpakutō. On the surface, he laughed it off. Inside, it quite annoyed him.
He'd just brushed it off like nothing and comfort himself
But now that he finally had a Zanpakutō?
He wants to show it off to others.
He had waited too long.
Time to make his grand debut.
He wasn't someone without a Zanpakutō. He'd just been "keeping it low-key."
Now look, he could even maintain Shikai form 24/7.
The first ability Shirō unlocked was something he dubbed:
Barrier of the Wind King.
Don't mistake it for just some simple weapon camouflage.
Yes, the most obvious effect of the Wind King Barrier was to render a weapon invisible, but that was only scratching the surface.
In its complete form, the Wind King Barrier had three primary functions:
First, and most straightforward: it rendered weapons invisible. Obvious, but extremely effective in close combat, especially against opponents who relied on sight to anticipate attacks.
Second, offensive power. Compressing wind around the blade didn't just hide it, it sharpened the cutting edge with enhanced air pressure, amplifying its penetrative force. Moreover, if needed, the compressed wind could be released in a sudden burst. This wouldn't just reveal the weapon, it would unleash an air-blast, something like a cannon of wind. Much more powerful than his half-baked fake Getsuga like Mana burst. The downside? Typically usable only once per charge.
Third, and most crucial to Shirō, was its ability to be projected onto objects other than his weapon.
In Fate/Zero, Saber had once faced a high-speed chase against Iskandar. Riding a conventional motorcycle, she had no chance of catching up, until she wrapped it in the Wind King Barrier. The result? A speed boost that let her keep pace with a flying Noble Phantasm chariot.
That, Shirō realized, was the true high-level use of this ability.
He could cover his entire body in the Wind King Barrier, not just his blade, rendering himself completely invisible. And this wasn't just visual cloaking.
Why had Saber's bike moved so fast?
Not because it was "strengthened" conventionally, but because the barrier had reduced air resistance to near zero.
Think of it like a playing card. Normally, flying it flat causes air drag. But flip it sideways in just the right way, and it cuts through the air effortlessly.
This was that principle, weaponized.
With this, Shirō's already fast body would be boosted to new heights. In such a state, even Yoruichi might be left eating dust behind him.
Of course... how he was going to stop after that was another story entirely.
And don't forget, the biggest flaw of most invisibility techniques?
Motion trails.
Sound and scent mattered too, yes, but in the context of Shunpo and high-speed movement, especially for Shinigami, those were minor. The real giveaway was the visual trajectory.
But the Wind King Barrier left barely any trace.
Maybe not zero, but it was so subtle, like a falling leaf on a breezy day. Unless the environment was dead silent, Shirō could move virtually unseen.
And if he stood still?
With the barrier sealed tight, no sound or scent escaped. It was a perfect cloaking field.
Which meant...
If Shirō appeared behind someone, the odds were high they'd be dead before they could even react.
Well, provided he didn't crash into them first.
Still, for such a god-tier combat ability, the first thing Shirō used it for...
Was peeking.
Yep.
Peeping.
What would Saber, his Zanpakutō spirit, think if she knew her power was being used for this?
That night, Shirō dressed in full black ninja garb. Even though he was going to be invisible, he still felt the need to dress the part. Was it to complete the aesthetic? Or was it just his guilty conscience?
He readied everything.
"...Right!" Just as he was about to leave, Shirō remembered something and rushed back to his bed, gently placing the protective charm from Yoruichi under the covers.
"Heh... now I've got nothing to worry about. And I'm not doing anything weird, alright? Just... testing the integrity of the barrier in practical use. Field testing! Yep, totally legitimate. Hehehe..."
Muttering to himself like a man deep in denial, Shirō summoned his Zanpakutō with a Command Seal, activated his Shikai, and let the Wind King Barrier engulf his body.
He stood before the mirror.
Invisible.
Perfect.
Time to move.
Target, Yoruichi Shihōin.
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