Hisana acted so much like a parent in front of Rukia that Yoriichi had forgotten this point.
Therefore, after taking them away, Yoriichi decided to let them interact more with girls their age, so they wouldn't become old before their time.
This thought, like a seed quietly sprouting in spring, continued to grow in Yoriichi's heart.
Back at their residence, life returned to its usual tranquility.
During this period, Yoruichi Shihouin visited several times.
According to her, the girls she knew held tea parties and other warm activities every Wednesday.
She felt that if Hisana or Rukia wanted to make friends, it would be best to do so during this time.
Yoriichi once asked about their temperaments, and Yoruichi Shihouin smiled, saying it didn't matter.
At least, not every noble was arrogant and looked down on nobles who had risen from commoners.
There were many commoner nobles within the Shihouin Clan's factions, so she believed Hisana and Rukia should get along with them.
The development of events was exactly as Yoruichi had expected.
After only two tea parties, Hisana and Rukia became friends with those girls.
However, at the same time, Rukia's mind suddenly brought up her friend from Rukongai, Hinamori Momo.
Thinking about it, she had been too busy with her brother's affairs these days, so she hadn't seen Hinamori Momo for two weeks.
She had wanted to ask her brother if she could bring Hinamori Momo to the next tea party.
But she didn't expect that when she gently knocked on her brother's door, she didn't hear any response.
Rukia, full of doubt, pushed open the door and looked inside, only to find that her brother was gone.
She hurriedly ran into the courtyard to search, but still couldn't find her brother, which made her a little anxious.
And at this moment.
Hisana walked out of the basement, holding a sword.
The basement had been carefully renovated and transformed into Hisana's private training ground.
Inside, there was a killing stone, and Hisana would practice her aim there when she had nothing to do.
When she saw Rukia pacing anxiously in the courtyard, she quickly wiped the sweat from her forehead, hurried forward, and couldn't help but ask:
"What's wrong?"
Rukia heard the voice, immediately turned around, and poured out all her worries to her sister.
As a result, her sister, upon hearing this, showed a look of sudden realization.
Hisana smiled gently:
"So you were worried about this, did you forget? Today is the thirtieth day since brother became a disciple."
"He went to Yamamoto Grandpa's place early this morning."
...
Gotei 13.
At this moment, Yamamoto Genryusai was sitting at his desk, fully focused on processing documents.
Although Chōjirō Sasakibe and Okikiba Genjirō were helping him.
But as the Captain-Commander of all divisions, on the first day of every month, there would always be mountains of documents piled up.
Tap, tap.
Crisp footsteps echoed in his ears, the rhythm sounding somewhat familiar.
Yamamoto Genryusai slowly picked up his brush and looked up.
When he saw that the person who came was Tsugikuni Yoriichi, he suddenly remembered that today was the day to verify the Genryu fighting style.
Narrowing his eyes slightly.
Although Yamamoto found it hard to imagine Tsugikuni Yoriichi mastering it within a month, he still slowly asked:
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi, have you finished your training?"
"How is your progress?"
The progress was certainly good. Fuzan was mastered on the eighth day, and the rest of the days were spent researching Ikotsu.
As a culmination of fist techniques, it had to be admitted that Ikotsu's skill was quite compatible with his Bankai.
Both were pure power, and once used, they were like adding wings to a tiger, maximizing their power.
If Yamamoto Genryusai could shatter a killing stone with one punch, Yoriichi could now shatter three with power to spare.
And this was not his limit.
If he were to encounter the Shinigami who attacked Kuchiki Sōjun again, he would probably be able to turn him into a bloody mist with one punch.
Even activating Bankai would be useless.
—Ikotsu was born for this very purpose.
Exhaling, Yoriichi slowly informed Yamamoto Genryusai of his current progress.
When Yamamoto Genryusai heard that Yoriichi had mastered Fuzan in just one week, something others hadn't learned in hundreds of years...
Clatter.
The brush fell, and he suddenly froze on the spot.
"What did you say?"
He felt like he had become hard of hearing. Getting old was truly bad; he even misheard the time. One week?
Wrong, it must be wrong.
But!
He had only given him a short month, and no matter how monstrous he was, he couldn't transcend time.
Even if it wasn't a week, it must have been within a month!
Yamamoto Genryusai's eyes rarely sparkled with brilliance, and his breathing gradually became heavy.
For the first time, he felt his heart beating so fast.
This talent... even a thousand years ago, when prodigies were abundant, it would have been rare!
At least...
Retsu Unohana, as the first Kenpachi, known as Yachiru, mastered over eight thousand types of swordsmanship in the world.
To this day, she still hasn't learned Fuzan...
"Demonstrate it."
With an imperceptible breath, Yamamoto Genryusai quickly calmed himself.
He was nearly two thousand years old this year, and he couldn't afford to be stimulated further.
No matter what he saw or heard next... he had to remain calm.
Thinking this.
Not far away, a wall was instantly cut by Yoriichi with a raised hand.
With a rumble, the cutting motion was like a fleeting moment, so fast that it was almost impossible to capture.
Even if Yamamoto Genryusai concentrated, he could only see faint traces.
—It really is Fuzan!
—And it's a "mastered" Fuzan, where the technique has been honed to perfection!
To be honest, to achieve this level, one's control over spiritual pressure already surpasses 99% of Shinigami.
There is almost no substance in the world he cannot cut.
Ultimately, Fuzan is a cutting technique that sacrifices volume for extreme power.
Yamamoto Genryusai's eyes were filled with relief, and he was about to say that Yoriichi's performance was already up to par.
But the next second, he heard two more sentences.
"Teacher, don't be in a hurry."
"I've also learned Ikotsu."
"..."
It's over, he's hard of hearing again.
Ikotsu?
Yamamoto Genryusai opened his mouth.
His eyes reflected Tsugikuni Yoriichi looking for something.
He knew he was looking for a killing stone.
Hoo...
Yamamoto Genryusai let out a long breath, slowly rose from his cushion, and said sternly:
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi, come, attack me!"
"Let this old man see..."
"If you have truly learned Ikotsu!"
A killing stone is just a standard for measuring power. Only through direct contact can one know the opponent's degree of spiritual pressure control and explosive power.
Like boxing.
Yamamoto Genryusai wasn't sure about Tsugikuni Yoriichi's mastery of Ikotsu, but since he had learned Fuzan earlier.
Even if he spent all the remaining time on Ikotsu, barely getting started, the power probably wouldn't be too great.
Perhaps, only half of what he himself had shown before.
This was already an overestimation.
In an ideal situation.
However, he overlooked the reality, which is often more cruel than ideals.
Yoriichi heard Yamamoto Genryusai's words and mistakenly thought that Yamamoto Genryusai wanted to verify his Ikotsu through actual combat.
So, the moment Yamamoto Genryusai extended his fist and aimed at him.
Hiss...
A long breath instantly echoed in his ears, and all his spiritual pressure converged and condensed.
Then.
Bang!
The punch roared, and the air waves exploded. As the squad barracks' wall collapsed, dust scattered.
Finally.
Drip...
Drip...
Drops of dark red blood flowed down Yamamoto Genryusai's arm, forming a small stream beneath him.
When the smoke completely cleared, Yamamoto Genryusai's expression was as if he had seen a ghost.
...
Injuries are extremely common in the world of Shinigami.
However, injuries to the Captain-Commander are quite rare.
Inside the squad barracks, the sound of the building collapsing was like a deafening thunderbolt.
Many Shinigami were startled by the huge commotion.
They quickly put down their work and rushed out to observe with anxious expressions.
At first, everyone thought it was a Menos Grande invasion of Seireitei, and they were all nervous, as if facing a formidable enemy.
But what they saw was...
Yamamoto Genryusai's upper body was bare, blood gushing from his arm, a gruesome sight.
This scene was no less terrifying than a meteorite falling in their eyes.
—The invincible Captain-Commander, hailed as the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years, was actually injured?!
Even his arm was broken, and white bones could be vaguely seen...
—It's fake!!
Some people refused to believe it, even thinking it was a hallucination caused by being too busy with work.
Especially those Shinigami who had recently joined the Gotei 13; they worshipped Yamamoto Genryusai and regarded him as a god.
But one day, a god bled and fell...
Hiss...
Hoo...
Some Shinigami took deep breaths, trying to calm their inner shock.
However, time would not stop with their surprise and disbelief.
The blood on the ground gradually increased, like a red stream, slowly staining the broken stones.
Yamamoto Genryusai first looked at his bloody right hand.
After a slight sensation, he found that Tsugikuni Yoriichi's blow had shattered all the bones in his entire arm.
Tiny bone fragments were evenly distributed within the flesh.
If it weren't for his spiritual pressure protecting him, dissipating Tsugikuni Yoriichi's explosive spiritual pressure at his shoulder...
This one punch alone would have at least resulted in the terrifying consequence of half his body disappearing.
Although such an injury would not be immediately fatal for a Shinigami, it would be extremely troublesome to deal with.
Thinking of this, the ghostly expression on Yamamoto Genryusai's face gradually calmed down. After all, he was a Shinigami who had lived for nearly two thousand years.
What was the point of being shocked at every turn?
But...
Pain surged like a tide, and Yamamoto Genryusai secretly took a breath. How long had it been... how long since he was last injured?
He couldn't quite remember, but it should have been over a hundred years ago.
Judging by the current injury, he had indeed not misjudged this young man.
His power has completely surpassed this old man...
Perhaps...
Endless thoughts formed a spiderweb tightly clinging to Yamamoto Genryusai's heart. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Yoriichi directly opposite him.
Reflected in his eyes was Tsugikuni Yoriichi's surprised and worried expression upon seeing him injured.
Quietly observing this scene, Yamamoto Genryusai nodded with satisfaction.
Although the pain in his right hand was bone-deep, it did not prevent him from giving Tsugikuni Yoriichi's character an even higher score.
—Strong in power yet never complacent...
Good!
—Outstanding talent yet humble and reserved...
Good!
This young man possessed all the virtues he had seen in most Shinigami; he was truly a born strong individual.
As for shortcomings...
Yamamoto Genryusai was sorry to say he couldn't see any.
Because of this, he was even more satisfied.
At this moment, Chōjirō Sasakibe and Okikiba Genjirō, who were in the adjacent room, heard the loud noise and belatedly ran out.
They had initially thought that the commotion here was caused by Yamamoto Genryusai teaching his disciple, and they remembered this day, so they didn't pay attention at first.
But later, the whispers from outside penetrated their ears like mosquitoes, and the more they listened, the more something felt wrong.
Only when they came out did they realize how serious the matter was.
The Captain-Commander was seriously injured from sparring with his disciple; who could have imagined that?
Chōjirō Sasakibe, however, had a faint sense of déjà vu.
Before he could speak, Okikiba Genjirō stepped forward and was the first to say:
"Captain-Commander, I'll go call Captain Retsu Unohana over right away!"
Although he wasn't sure how severe Yamamoto Genryusai's injuries were, seeing the large pool of blood on the ground, it was undoubtedly a life-threatening level.
He unhesitatingly used Tenkei Korō.
Beside him, Chōjirō Sasakibe belatedly reacted and quickly turned to disperse all the nearby Shinigami.
After Okikiba Genjirō contacted Retsu Unohana and gave Yamamoto Genryusai's pulverized right arm emergency treatment.
Chōjirō Sasakibe then turned and called a group of people, instructing them to correct the rumors that were about to spread.
He clearly knew that Yamamoto Genryusai's serious injury could not be kept a secret.
Who knew how those busybodies would distort the facts—gossip is human nature.
...
Soon.
Swish, swish, swish.
Inside the secluded operating room, Retsu Unohana was treating Yamamoto Genryusai's injuries.
Cold white light shone vertically, and her fingers moved delicately, like precise machinery, quickly extracting tiny bone fragments wrapped in green spiritual pressure.
As an internal explosive fist technique, this type of injury was the first Retsu Unohana had ever seen.
Therefore, when treating it, she mostly adopted a learning attitude.
Her peripheral vision swept over Yamamoto Genryusai—the old man's eyes were half-closed, still appearing unconcerned.
Her gaze returned to the wound, and Retsu Unohana inadvertently asked:
"Captain-Commander, forgive my presumption, but I would like to ask, was this injury of yours an accident, or...?"
She didn't finish the last few words, pausing, then changed her question:
"I apologize, I know this is a bit sudden, but you are the Captain-Commander after all."
"If I'm not mistaken, your disciple, who became a disciple of Genryu, has just completed one month, correct?"
"Indeed." Yamamoto Genryusai's closed eyes slowly opened, revealing a complex light.
His voice slightly deepened as he looked at Retsu Unohana:
"Retsu Unohana, this old man knows what you want to ask. As you said, he has only been a disciple for one month."
"However, my Ikotsu and Fuzan have been completely mastered by him."
"Even the former surpasses the Ikotsu this old man has mastered."
"This old man does not consider this a shameful thing. When the student surpasses the teacher, that is the fundamental reason why Shinigami can prosper indefinitely."
"But, you all need not worry."
As if taking a big breath, Yamamoto Genryusai changed his tone,
"This time, this old man underestimated him. It won't happen again. I didn't expect this young man's talent to be even better than I anticipated..."
"Is Genryu blessed by heaven?"
"Enough."
He sighed, "Regardless, the fact of this defeat is set. Retsu Unohana, you must remember, do not tell a second person about this old man's injury."
"Not even Tsugikuni?" Retsu Unohana asked.
"No."
Yamamoto's attitude was resolute.
Seeing this.
"Understood. However, Captain-Commander, I believe it will take at least a year for this injury of yours to heal. Will you maintain the current situation for this year?"
"Of course not. This old man remembers that when Tenjiro Kirinji left, he left a formula for the Red and White Hot Springs in the Twelfth Division."
"As long as it's prepared, even the most severe injuries can heal within a week."
"Where is Kisuke Urahara?"
"Have him come see this old man."