"Kuchiki Byakuya… why does that name sound so familiar?"
"Idiot! He's Ginrei Kuchiki's grandson!"
"No way? The kid who was still practicing swordplay in an open-crotch diaper a hundred years ago? How could he be on the list?!"
"Exactly! I don't accept it!"
…
Looking at the text on the screen.
The Visored members, for a moment, doubted their own eyes, expressing their inability to accept this ranking!
In their impression,
Byakuya Kuchiki was indeed a child prodigy.
Under the full cultivation of the then Sixth Division Captain, Ginrei Kuchiki, the young Byakuya Kuchiki, still in his early years, was given high hopes at a young age.
But…
Potential is not the same as strength.
No matter how strong Byakuya Kuchiki's talent, no matter how superior the resources he could enjoy,
it was impossible for him to overtake others within a hundred years and enter the top fifteen of the Soul Reaper World.
This was unrealistic!
"Could it be a mistake?"
Hirako Shinji blinked, forcing out an excuse: "I think this is just a prank by the video creator, just to tease the audience."
"Very likely!"
"That Byakuya Kuchiki, I think I heard Yoruichi mention him, isn't he the current Captain of the Sixth Division?" When mentioning the name of the stoic, Kensei Muguruma's face was full of disdain, "If he were really that strong, Yoruichi, as his former mentor, would surely be showing him off everywhere, so how could he remain unknown?"
"I don't accept it! This ranking is too watered down!"
"I want to see how Byakuya Kuchiki, that kid, made it onto the list!"
…
The abandoned warehouse exploded with noise.
Almost none of the Visored, this group of century-old Captains, recognized the result.
Byakuya Kuchiki ranked fourteenth?
Heh heh!
How could he?
——
At the same time,
over at the Gotei 13.
There was also a great commotion due to this round of ranking.
Eleventh Division.
"No way? Byakuya Kuchiki? That stoic can make the list?!"
White haori, black shihakushō.
Zaraki Kenpachi stood with his arms crossed.
On his scarred, ferocious face, there was an expression of "Are you kidding me?"
Let alone Byakuya Kuchiki.
He was already a bit unconvinced by the previous round's ranking!
After all…
The reason Urahara Kisuke could convince everyone
was by fully chanting Hado number ninety-one.
And as the king of basic attacks, Zaraki Kenpachi despised Kido the most!
In his combat philosophy,
only "basic attacks" and "slashes" were the truth.
As for other methods, they were all flashy and not worth mentioning at all.
Now, it's even worse,
even Byakuya Kuchiki made the list.
Zaraki Kenpachi suddenly felt like he was being played!
"Hehe, Xiao Jian, that's a bit too much to say, Byakuya Kuchiki is a Captain after all, why do you make him sound so weak!"
On Zaraki Kenpachi's shoulder.
The doll-like Yachiru gestured with her fingers, giggling.
At this moment, another voice came from the sofa in front of the wooden table: "Yachiru, I can understand the Captain's feelings, to be honest, I feel the same way."
Ikkaku Madarame, bald with no hair, frowned and said:
"It's undeniable…"
"As the Captain of the Sixth Division, Captain Kuchiki's strength is indeed unquestionable. But… I seem to remember that he can't use Hado above number ninety, right?"
"Besides…"
"The Captain Commander, Captain Kyōraku, Captain Ukitake, Captain Retsu Unohana… I can name several offhand, which of these people would be worse than Captain Kuchiki?"
"It's not that I'm looking down on him, really…"
Ikkaku Madarame deliberately emphasized:
"Among the Soul Reaper Captains, Captain Kuchiki seems to only rank in the lower-middle tier, right?"
These words were well-reasoned and supported.
There was virtually no fault to be found with them.
In the bald man's view, Byakuya Kuchiki was strong, but definitely not in the first tier!
"Ikkaku, you seem to have forgotten something…"
Ayasegawa Yumichika fluttered his eyelashes, gently reminding him: "This list has fifteen spots, even if you add Urahara Kisuke, there's more than enough room for all thirteen Captains to make the list."
"So I think this ranking is fine."
"The characters appearing later should be the other Captains!"
Ayasegawa Yumichika presented his opinion.
In his view, this ranking list was tailor-made for the Soul Reaper Captains.
As for others?
At this current point in time, since Aizen hasn't betrayed them yet, and the Espada and Visored haven't appeared, in his understanding, the Soul Reaper Captains are undeniably the strongest individuals!
"Let's keep watching…"
"Perhaps Byakuya Kuchiki has been hiding his strength all these years, you never know…" Zaraki Kenpachi then expressed his stance, enduring his impatience and continuing to watch.
Actually, whether Byakuya Kuchiki made the list or not,
he didn't care at all.
The king of basic attacks was more concerned with whether the video could be sped up.
Preferably, it would fast-forward directly to his appearance!
At the same time,
the next scene appeared!
What came into view was a pitted, uneven land, with traces of destruction everywhere.
"Clang!"
Zanpakuto collided, sparks flying.
"Shinigami, I've had enough of your stoic face, Bankai against Bankai, you no longer have any advantage!" Holding Tensa Zangetsu, Kurosaki ichigo, dressed in black robes, said with burning eyes.
And opposite him.
Byakuya Kuchiki stood arrogantly.
Only, around his body, vibrant pink cherry blossoms swirled!
"Here it comes!"
"It's a battle scene after all! But the background in the picture, why does it feel so familiar?" Ikkaku Madarame frowned, muttering in confusion.
"It's not 'like'… this is clearly Sōkyoku Hill!"
Ayasegawa Yumichika said with certainty.
PS: Let me explain here, the standard for judging strength includes the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, meaning their performance during the confrontation with the Wandenreich, so the characters' later strengths are not static.
Chapter 13: Ichigo Stunned!
"Ikkaku!"
"It's not 'like'… this is clearly Sōkyoku Hill!"
His pupils contracted.
Ayasegawa Yumichika stared at the screen with a grave expression.
After observing carefully for a few seconds, he said with a tone of certainty.
"Ah?"
"Sōkyoku Hill?"
Ikkaku Madarame suddenly understood, his tightly furrowed brows deepened: "Wait! Did I lose my memory? How come I don't remember any battles happening at Sōkyoku Hill?"
"Also…"
"That orange-haired kid, is he also a Shinigami? Why is he holding a Zanpakuto?!"
"And, I think I just heard the words 'Bankai'?"
At this moment,
Ikkaku Madarame's thoughts were in disarray.
Setting aside his doubts about Byakuya Kuchiki's strength, just the scene in the picture—Sōkyoku Hill, specifically used for executing criminals—left him utterly bewildered.
Sōkyoku.
It combined the power of millions of Zanpakuto.
As a symbol of the Soul Society's rules and order, it was only allowed to be used when facing grave offenders guilty of heinous crimes.
Because of this, most of the time, Sōkyoku Hill was forbidden to enter, let alone have battles occur on it!
But now?
In the video, Sōkyoku Hill was a mess, covered in traces of battle.
This was already strange enough!
Even more incomprehensible—as a Soul Reaper Captain, Byakuya Kuchiki actually personally entered the fray, fighting a stranger intensely on Sōkyoku Hill!
What exactly was going on with all of this?
"Yeah, A-I is right, I don't remember any battles happening at Sōkyoku Hill either."
Propping her chin with both hands.
Yachiru pouted, her face filled with confusion, and reminded him:
"Also, don't forget Byakuya Kuchiki's identity…"
"He's not only the Captain of the Sixth Division, but also the head of the Kuchiki noble family! Given Byakuya Kuchiki's consistently arrogant demeanor, I don't think he would do something as undignified as fighting in public!"