CH 32: BYAKUYA KUCHIKI
When they came back from the outing, Rangiku told Gojo that he would be asked to make a complete report about his observations of the situation before swiftly leaving.
As for the students, the instructors who were briefed about the situation were extremely sorry and decided to give them a full grade on this little test.
Meanwhile, they could only look at Gojo with mixed emotions since they knew that if not for his presence, this would have most likely ended with a few deaths at best and a total wipeout in the worst-case scenario.
After talking for a little while, the students were then dismissed.
---
Walking alongside the usual group, Renji was talking excitedly.
"You guys were so epic! Even from far away, we could feel your Reiatsu going wild, and Toshiro, when he awakened, the whole sky seemed to be covered in frost and we could even hear a roar!"
For Renji, who had always worshipped strength, the exploits of his friends were something that brought him a great sense of pride and envy.
Toshiro wasn't with them since he had been taken to the 4th division for healing. After all, his wounds were not light.
Initially, they wanted to follow but Rangiku dissuaded them as the ground of the 4th division was only allowed to wounded or members. Because of this, they had no other choice than simply waiting.
Gojo was rather disappointed since he wished to see some Kaido spell in action but since he already decided to join the 4th division, he wasn't in a hurry.
While talking, Renji couldn't help but gently caress his sword.
"One day, I will also awaken my Shikai, perhaps even the Bankai!"
Kira snickered at that, "Awakening a Bankai means reaching the lowest threshold to become a captain. You think it's so easy?"
"Shut it, okay? I am allowed to dream..."
The others laughed at his embarrassed expression.
"Oh yeah, I had told Rukia we were going to the human world. Now that we passed the test, let's meet her, okay?"
Gojo shrugged, "Why not? Not like we have anything better to do."
"Yosh! Let's go now. I can't wait to see her face once I tell her what happened!"
-----
[Shin'o Academy.]
In one of the classrooms, Rukia was currently facing a few men.
Out of the group, two of them stood out particularly.
One was a black-haired young man while the other one was an old man whose hair was already completely white.
In the soul society where the souls could still look young after a thousand years, it was hard to imagine just how old such a man could be.
They were currently discussing something when the door was pushed open with a bang and Renji barged in.
"Hey! Rukia, did you hear…"
Renji's voice trailed off when he saw the group.
Sighing, the young black-haired man addressed Rukia, "It seems that we have been interrupted. We will discuss later."
Saying so, he did not spare Renji a look and began to walk away.
Renji, meanwhile, was unable to move as sweat covered his face.
He could feel pressure out of this world from the man. He felt like an ant facing a terrifying monster.
But, just as he was about to step out of the room, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Gojo, who was facing down the black-haired man, looked at him from head to toe and let out a whistle.
"This white headpiece in your hair is really beautiful. So this is the Kenseikan? What does a high-class noble want with our beautiful but slightly brutish Rukia?"
While everyone else could barely speak because of the pressure, only Gojo could talk so nonchalantly.
What's more, he released his own Reiatsu and countered the one emitted by the black-haired young man.
'Oh?'
Behind the young man, the old-looking man raised an eyebrow at this display of power.
It didn't take long for him to pull out the information from his memory.
'So this is Satoru Gojo? Ohoh. What a fearsome potential.'
The old man had absolutely no intention nor reason to intervene in this little clash.
The young man, after feeling the power, finally looked properly at Gojo.
"What's your name?"
"Heh, you do know that you have to introduce yourself first before asking someone to do the same?"
The man's eyes twitched. There were many things he wanted to say, but remembering the promises he made on the grave of his wife, he calmed down.
"I am Byakuya Kuchiki, 28th head of the Kuchiki family. What about you?"
Gojo wanted to leave some snarky comments, but he wasn't an unreasonable man.
"Gojo Satoru. From the Rukongai."
Byakuya didn't seem particularly surprised.
Even though he had his pride as a noble, he never looked down on anyone because of their origins.
Otherwise, he would have never married someone from the Rukongai despite all the complaints he received.
He simply looked down at everyone by default until proven otherwise.
"I will remember your name."
Stopping there, Byakuya simply began to walk away.
----
Once they were out of earshot, Byakuya asked the old man behind him.
"Grandfather, what do you think?"
The old man was none other than Ginrei Kuchiki.
One of the oldest members of the Gotei 13 and also one of the strongest.
Ginrei thought for a while before nodding.
"If you fought against him without Shikai or Bankai, your chances of winning would be meager."
Byakuya clenched his fist and did not oppose the opinion of his grandfather.
In this world, there were only two people he could call his teachers.
The first one was the now fugitive, Yoruichi Shihoin, who taught him everything he knew about Shunpo.
The second one was his grandfather to whom he owed all his skills.
"It seems like I need more training."
Byakuya was a man who could be called pride itself.
But his pride did not rest on what he obtained by birth but what he gained thanks to his arduous and continuous training.
It was one thing to be still weaker than some captains.
But weaker than a student?
So what if he could beat him by using his Shikai or Bankai?
Needing to use his weapons against a student was a humiliation all by itself.
His pride refused to accept it and the simplest answer was to train and reach even greater heights.
Looking at the determined back of his grandson, Ginrei let out a smile.
Byakuya's mood had been at an all-time low since the death of Hisana.
Finding someone that could spur him on was a good thing.
-----
Meanwhile, unaware that he became some sort of rival for the man named Byakuya, Gojo shook his head when he heard how Renji replied to Rukia's words.
It seems like the man had decided to adopt Rukia in the Kuchiki family.
What's more, once she was adopted, she would immediately graduate and be sent to the 13th division.
Even though Gojo didn't really like this clear show of nepotism, this was clearly a good thing for Rukia.
But Gojo couldn't understand why.
It wasn't rare for nobles to adopt people of the Rukongai when they showed talent.
Even in his case, he had received many such demands. Even though he always ignored them.
But, although Rukia wasn't bad, she wasn't particularly talented either.
At least not at the level where the head of the Kuchiki family would come and make the proposal himself.
Something felt off.
When Rukia explained this, it was clear that she wished for Renji to stop her, to tell her to stay.
But Renji didn't do so, and she simply walked away.
Clearly, she had decided to accept the proposal for reasons purely emotional.
'Hmm, well, not like it's my problem.'
Even though he quite likes Rukia, they weren't close enough for him to drown in worries because of her.
She was free to make her own choices.
If, in the end, she regretted her choice, then she would have no one to blame other than herself and, in the same way, if she succeeded, then she would have no one to praise other than herself.
This was how life worked.
(AN: For those confused. I just want you to know that the five great noble houses have existed far before Gotei 13. In fact, it has existed millions of years before the Gotei 13. Since the five ancestors were companions with the Soul king and created the soul society together. Though the soul king got betrayed. How the fuck a near-omniscient entity gets betrayed and loses his arms and legs is beyond me. But heh, some theories say he let himself get betrayed intentionally. Out of the five, we know four. The Shiba with Ichigo's father. The Shihoin with Yoruichi. The Kuchiki with Byakuya and The Tsunayashiro with Tonikada. I theorized that the fifth house was the Ise clan. But who knows. As for Ginrei's strength, I already talked about it , but the 7th Kenpachi, who was specially invited by the Division 0 named Ginrei as one of the people he might lose to. That says everything about him I think. Though I don't know if the novel where the 7th Kenpachi appears is Canon. After all, the one where the 8th appears isn't Canon.)