"How are you doing, Captain-Commander?"
Meanwhile.
Shiba Isshin entered the First Division barracks with his mission report.
In the center of the hall, an old man sat, his breathing steady.
Hearing Isshin's voice, he slowly raised his eyes, his tone flat and unreadable: "Shiba, I didn't expect you to still be alive."
Shiba Isshin waved his hand, as if dispelling bad luck:
"Perhaps I'm not meant to die."
"I'm surprised myself that I made it out of the Dangai alive. Maybe it's because I do good deeds every day."
"Captain-Commander, I am a Captain after all. It's not very appropriate for you to curse me to death."
"Hmph."
Yamamoto Genryusai snorted, "An incompetent Captain, dead is dead. If you can't properly resolve an unexpected emergency, then that truly disappoints me."
"The Captains of the Gotei 13 are not freeloading good-for-nothings."
"Shiba, tell me, what did you encounter in the Dangai?"
"That made you rush back as soon as your mission ended."
Thump.
Yamamoto Genryusai slowly rose, gripping his cane and striking it heavily on the ground.
His seemingly frail body contained power like a volcano.
Shiba Isshin coughed lightly: "Uh, Captain-Commander, please don't get angry when I tell you."
"Actually, I didn't encounter anything."
"I just closed my eyes and opened them, and I was out."
"But this seemingly normal situation is often the most abnormal."
"You, sir, know more about what the Dangai is than I do."
"It's a superposition point of tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of spaces."
"Under normal circumstances, if you accidentally enter one space, there's no way to get out."
"But I got out…"
"You, sir, are well-traveled and knowledgeable, I wonder…"
"Never seen before." Seemingly guessing the question Shiba Isshin wanted to ask, Yamamoto Genryusai interrupted,
"Not only I, but even those above, have never known the full extent of the Dangai."
"Asking these questions is meaningless."
"Give me some meaningful reports instead."
Among Squad Zero, some were born millions of years ago, but even he is not The Almighty.
Regarding Hell and the Dangai.
The extent of understanding so far is not even 50%.
"Uh…"
Stumped, Shiba Isshin's words came to an abrupt halt.
He thought for a moment, then could only say: "Is that so?"
"It seems I was overthinking."
"Very well."
Taking a deep breath, Shiba Isshin stroked his chin and continued,
"As for other meaningful matters, in my opinion, there are only the Menos Grande in the Human World and Third Seat Tsugikuni's Zanpakuto."
"As for the Menos Grande, there must have been a mishap in the Forest of Menos."
"Third Seat Tsugikuni's Zanpakuto… Captain-Commander, you must have known its Shikai ability from the start, right?"
"I know."
"Then aren't you worried?"
"Worried about what?"
"Worried about it disrupting the balance of the Three Realms: the Human World, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo." Shiba Isshin's voice gradually grew serious.
He paused, then continued:
"Humans die and become souls, souls die and become spirits. Some souls will reincarnate in the Human World and Soul Society, while others will fall into Hell."
"And spirits that fall into Hell do not reincarnate."
"This cycle system barely maintains the ecological balance of the Three Realms."
"But if too many souls enter Hell, this cycle will be broken."
"Logically speaking, Tsugikuni's Zanpakuto ability has already seriously threatened the safety of Soul Society, hasn't it?"
"Are those old masters of the Central 46 still sitting idly by?"
The Central 46 are all nobles, responsible for handling all aspects of Seireitei.
The Gotei 13, led by Yamamoto Genryusai, is equivalent to a samurai organization.
And the Central 46 is the government agency responsible for commanding the samurai organization.
The two are one, yet each has its own duties, but their purpose is the same: to protect Soul Society.
Any existence that can threaten the safety of Soul Society will not be spared.
The Maggot's Nest and Muken, these two prisons, were created for this very purpose.
Facing Shiba Isshin's question.
Yamamoto Genryusai narrowed his eyes slightly: "Is this your concern, or the Shiba Family's concern?"
"Of course it's my concern, he's my Tenth Division's Third Seat after all!" Shiba Isshin sensed the sudden change in atmosphere and said without hesitation,
"I know you, Captain-Commander, are very perceptive."
"Since you know his ability, yet let it be, does that mean there's a part we don't know?"
A Zanpakuto, theoretically speaking, only has one ability.
But there are exceptions.
For example.
Kido-type Zanpakuto.
Kido abilities are diverse; even if it's just a ball of fire, in the hands of a clever person, it can be used to produce more than three effects.
It depends on how the user develops it.
Like Yamamoto Genryusai.
The Zanka no Tachi (Blade of Ember) he wields has a power vastly different from a thousand years ago.
Yhwach once commented on it—Blade of Blazing Fire. Meaning it releases flames for attack.
A thousand years later.
Its temperature is contained, all flames are absorbed into the blade, so much so that the blade's temperature approaches the core of the sun.
This has already far exceeded the scope of flame.
Perhaps.
Tsugikuni Yoriichi's Zanpakuto is also like this.
"…"
Yamamoto Genryusai was expressionless.
Shiba Isshin's concerned expression was reflected in his deep pupils.
Finally, he slowly said: "Indeed."
He turned around.
With his back to Shiba Isshin, he gazed at the peaceful and serene beauty of Seireitei through the open window, his voice coming slowly:
"Since you are his Captain, I will not hide it from you."
"His Zanpakuto essentially possesses four abilities. The Hell Gate you saw is merely the most common one."
"Those with stronger spiritual pressure, firm will, or gentle nature can all be immune to the Hell Gate's capture."
"The Central 46 once issued an order for his capture, but this old man refused."
"Because the fear of the nobles is simply not worth mentioning compared to the positive impact he can bring to Soul Society."
"What impact?" Shiba Isshin asked subconsciously.
"You want to know?" Yamamoto Genryusai turned around with his staff, his slightly narrowed eyes showing no emotion.
He stared at Shiba Isshin:
"I can tell you, but there's a condition."
"Before the right time comes, you must not disclose it to anyone."
"If it weren't for graduating as a Captain being too high-profile, this old man would have planned to transfer him to the Third Division."
"It just so happens that the original Captain of the Third Division is about to retire…"
"…" Shiba Isshin was stunned into silence by these words.
So.
Letting him become Third Seat, was he actually overreaching?
Graduating as a Captain, what kind of concept is that…
In a thousand years, no Shinigami has ever accomplished it, because it's against common sense.
However… summoning Hell also seems very unreasonable.
Putting them together makes it much more reasonable.
Taking a deep breath.
Shiba Isshin gradually accepted reality and began to listen to Captain-Commander Yamamoto's description.