"Invade Soul Society!?"
"Are you insane!?"
Ichigo stared at Cole in disbelief.
According to Rukia, Soul Society was filled with powerful Shinigami—those stronger than her were as numerous as carp in a river.
Him and Cole invading Soul Society?
That was like an old man tying a noose around his neck and begging for death.
Either way, we'll have to go sooner or later… Cole thought silently.
In his heart, he had already made up his mind.
Since they had to go to Soul Society anyway, why not take the initiative—storm the place with Rukia and flip everything upside down?
That way, they might even turn a passive situation into an active one.
At least they wouldn't have to face all thirteen Captains at once.
With that thought, Cole grew excited, grabbing Rukia's small hand:
"Rukia, you're a Shinigami. Can't you open one of those Senkaimon gates?"
"Of course not."
Rukia sighed helplessly: "To open a Senkaimon, you need approval from Soul Society. Otherwise, it's impossible."
Then, she looked at him suspiciously: "You really want to invade Soul Society?"
"Of course!"
Cole nodded, ruffling her hair with a grin: "Since going back means punishment for you, then we might as well storm the place and turn it upside down."
Rukia blushed but tried to stay serious:
"Cole, I really think you should give up this idea. You don't understand how terrifying the Captains truly are."
"Scarier than Soi Fong?"
"Of course!"
Rukia nodded gravely: "Don't think what you saw today was Captain Soi Fong's full strength."
Cole suddenly realized: "She suppressed her reiatsu on purpose?"
"Exactly!"
Rukia looked at him in surprise—she hadn't expected him to guess that.
"All Shinigami who enter the Human World must suppress their power to one-tenth, otherwise they would cause destruction."
"In other words, today Captain Soi Fong only used one-tenth of her strength."
"And besides, Captains also possess a power called Bankai that multiplies their strength thousands of times…"
I already knew that… Cole thought, then said:
"I don't doubt Soi Fong only used one-tenth of her reiatsu, but her Hoho today—was that really only at one-tenth of her ability?"
Rukia reluctantly nodded.
"Hoho doesn't rely much on reiatsu. What you saw today was probably her maximum speed."
"I see!"
Cole nodded firmly.
His resolve to storm Soul Society was now absolute.
Whether you stick your neck out or not, the blade still falls—so better to fight back with it.
The next morning, at dawn, Cole went alone to Urahara's shop.
When Kisuke saw him, his face turned pale as he hurried to block him:
"Cole, why are you here again? My basement is already destroyed! Coming back won't change anything!"
"I came to study kidō!"
Cole turned to Tessai with a smile: "I realized I'm more interested in kidō. Uncle Tessai, could you teach me?"
Tessai lit up instantly, tossing his goods aside and grabbing Cole's hand eagerly:
"Come, I'll take you to a good place."
He had heard from Yoruichi—this kid had raised his Hoho to Captain level in just one day.
If that monstrous talent applied itself to kidō, in just a few years he could surpass Tessai himself.
Kisuke's eyes went wide: "Oi, Tessai! If you leave, who's going to run the shop? You're just going to abandon me!?"
"Isn't Jinta and Ururu still here?"
Tessai waved dismissively and left with Cole in tow.
Kisuke slapped his forehead, thousands of curses racing through his mind.
He regretted it bitterly.
He should've hidden Cole from Tessai in the first place.
Now all the work was left to him.
"Yoruichi, Tessai's gone. Can you at least help me with the shop?" Kisuke muttered helplessly.
From the side, Jinta and Ururu walked out with baseball bats, saying casually:
"Shopkeeper, Yoruichi already left with Captain Soi Fong early this morning. She said she's giving her special training in Shunkō."
Kisuke: "…"
"…"
On the road, Cole frowned in confusion, glancing at Tessai:
"Uncle Tessai, this road leads into the city. Shouldn't we pick somewhere remote to train?"
Tessai shook his head: "With your reiatsu, if you practice kidō in public, the Shinigami Research and Development Institute will notice instantly. I'm taking you somewhere better. Just don't absorb reiryoku there."
His tone grew especially serious:
"The people there aren't like us. They're fierce, and they might beat the lesson into you."
Cole nodded, but his heart raced with excitement.
There were only three Shinigami groups in the Human World: Kurosaki Clinic, Urahara's shop, and the Visoreds' hideout.
The Kurosaki Clinic had no detectable reiatsu.
Urahara's shop had already been wrecked by him.
So this place Tessai was taking him to… could it be the Visoreds' base!?
Cole swallowed nervously.
He hadn't planned on absorbing more reiryoku, but now… maybe just a little nibble wouldn't hurt.
"We're here!"
Tessai stopped before a massive warehouse.
Cole placed his hand on it, feeling the invisible barrier. Sneakily, he took a little bite of its reiryoku, causing the barrier to tremble violently.
"Cole…"
Tessai sighed helplessly at him.
Cole coughed, pulling his hand back like nothing had happened:
"I was just testing the flavor of this barrier."
"First time I've heard reiryoku has flavor. So? How does it taste?"
"Not as good as Urahara's basement."
"Of course not. That was my creation—much stronger than this place."
As they spoke, the warehouse door creaked open.
A girl in red, carrying a massive jagged blade, glared at them impatiently.
"Tessai, you bald old man, why'd you bring someone again? And this time it's just some human brat?"
(End of Chapter)
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