"Now that you have your own Zanpakutō and have awakened captain-level Reiatsu, what do you plan to do from here, Shiraha?" Kuchiki Yinling asked calmly, watching his grandson with a discerning gaze.
With such spiritual pressure and a personalized weapon, Shiraha could no longer simply remain sheltered within the Kuchiki compound as he had before. He had stepped into a new realm, one that demanded responsibility and direction.
"I want to join the Gotei 13 and become a Shinigami," Shiraha replied without hesitation.
The mention of becoming a Shinigami brought a visible shadow over Kuchiki Yinling's expression. His gaze drifted upward toward the sky as old memories stirred—memories of his only son, Kuchiki Aojun. Shiraha and Byakuya's father had once walked the same path. He too had joined the Gotei 13, accepted its duties, and ultimately paid for it with his life.
"Given your current strength, you already meet the qualifications to join the Gotei 13 directly," Yinling said after a moment, voice composed again. "However, I recommend that you enroll in the Spiritual Arts Academy first. Learn the foundations thoroughly. Then, after graduating, join a Division."
He gave Shiraha two clear paths: direct enlistment through the family's privilege as one of the Four Noble Houses, or proper enrollment through the Shinōreijutsuin, where he would be formally trained before joining the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.
While others could only dream of joining the Gotei 13, nobles like the Kuchiki could bypass the standard route entirely. Yet with great expectations came even greater scrutiny.
Just then, a mechanical voice echoed in Shiraha's mind.
"Sign-in Task: Enroll at the Spiritual Arts Academy."
"Task Reward: Fujitora's Smile Template progress increases by 10%."
Shiraha's eyes widened slightly at the generous reward. Compared to the grueling grind he'd endured—swinging a wooden blade 10,000 times per day for five years just to raise his template by 1%—this single task offered what he had worked half a decade for. Ten percent progress was monumental. It would be absurd to pass that up.
He stood silent, processing the information, until Yinling noticed the hesitation. "Shiraha, have you made your decision?"
Deep down, Yinling hoped Shiraha would take the Academy route. Despite possessing captain-class Reiatsu, Shiraha had only just awakened his Zanpakutō. Without a proper education in the fundamentals of combat, Kidō, and Zanpakutō communion, throwing him directly into the Court Guard Squads would be reckless—and politically vulnerable.
"I've decided, Grandfather," Shiraha said with certainty. "I'll attend the Spiritual Arts Academy first."
A reward this significant was too valuable to ignore. It was a chance to grow without suspicion, to hide in plain sight, and build power.
"Then one more thing," Yinling said as he stepped beside Shiraha and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Have you discovered your Zanpakutō's name yet?"
Shiraha hesitated, then shook his head. "No. I haven't heard it."
In truth, he didn't possess a traditional Zanpakutō at all. The cane blade he carried—styled after Fujitora's gravity weapon—was simply the medium through which his template power was channeled. Its appearance was a façade, its power born from the system rather than a forged soul bond.
Yinling's brows knit slightly. "That's unusual. If your sealed state has already become a Zanpakutō, its name should have been revealed to you. Otherwise, how did you awaken its ability?"
Feigning casualness, Shiraha replied, "Once the sealed state changed, the power just… surfaced. I guess I haven't fully communicated with it yet."
Though unconvinced, Yinling eventually nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. After all, you just received the sealed state today. Still, you should try to commune with your Zanpakutō more often. Understanding its name is essential."
He began to pace slowly, hands behind his back, pondering the situation. Shiraha's case was highly irregular—too much, too fast—but perhaps not impossible. For now, he would accept the explanation, though it left questions that nagged at the edge of his thoughts.
"I understand," Shiraha replied calmly, though inwardly he knew that the name of a Zanpakutō was something he'd never be able to provide.
"And Shiraha," Yinling said, his voice dropping into a more serious tone, "if anyone from Seireitei asks about the Reiatsu surge today, just tell them it was the first time using your Zanpakutō's ability and you lost control. Understood?"
Shiraha immediately grasped the gravity of the warning. The spike in spiritual pressure had been impossible to hide. The Court would already be investigating. If it came to light that a blind noble, previously considered spiritually weak, had suddenly manifested a captain-class Zanpakutō ability, questions—and worse, suspicion—would follow.
"Understood," Shiraha said without hesitation.
A flash of movement signaled new arrivals. Two figures appeared in the courtyard—Byakuya Kuchiki and Ichimaru Gin. Behind them trailed more than a dozen members of the Sixth Division, their presence orderly, eyes scanning the area with practiced precision.
"Well, well," Gin said with a tight-lipped smile, his eyes narrowing as they swept over the destroyed yard. "Captain Kuchiki, seems this is where that burst of captain-level Reiatsu came from."
Byakuya's expression barely changed, but his eyes moved to his grandfather.
"Grandfather," he said with a small nod of acknowledgment.
Yinling returned the gesture. The Sixth Division members, recognizing their former captain, bowed in unison.
"Captain Yinling," they greeted respectfully.
Gin stepped forward and spoke with mock curiosity, eyes flicking between Yinling and the boy beside him. "That Reiatsu wasn't yours, was it?"
Yinling's gaze sharpened. "Are you accusing this old man, Captain Ichimaru?"
Gin raised his hands innocently, still smiling. "Not at all. Just following orders, Captain."
Shiraha stepped forward before the exchange could escalate. Holding his cane blade at his side, he addressed them clearly. "That Reiatsu was mine."
There was no point in lying. Sooner or later, the truth would surface. Better to own it now.
Gin's grin faltered slightly, a glint of surprise flashing through his eyes. "You're… Kuchiki Shiraha?"
He hadn't expected that answer. Shiraha had always been an unknown—Byakuya's younger brother, low spiritual pressure, no military experience, no accomplishments. He had barely appeared in Seireitei's records.
"It seems the information on you was out of date," Gin muttered under his breath.
Byakuya stepped forward, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Grandfather… the Reiatsu that erupted from here—was it truly from Shiraha?"
He knew his younger brother well. Or so he thought. Shiraha had always possessed spiritual pressure barely sufficient to register as an officer. And now, this? This power—this force—had matched a captain's.
"It was," Yinling confirmed without hesitation. "Shiraha transformed the sealed state I gave him into a Zanpakutō today. It was the first time he used its power. The resulting surge… was unintentional."
There was a long silence as Gin and Byakuya looked between the cratered courtyard and the boy who stood in the middle of it—blind, quiet, composed, and carrying the power of a monster.
Something had shifted in the Soul Society.
And none of them knew it yet.
But the Forgotten Kuchiki was no longer forgotten.