"That's not what I meant. I want to teach him Shunkō."
Yoruichi Shihōin furrowed her brow slightly, then leaned in, rubbing her nose against Masatsuki Aozaki's.
"Has he reached Third-Class Spiritual Power?"
Masatsuki paused for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the question.
"Not yet, but he's close," Yoruichi replied casually.
"He's barely over a hundred, and he's already about to reach Third-Class? That's ridiculously fast."
"That's what you call exceptional talent. Having the bloodline of one of the Five Noble Clans is truly enviable," Masatsuki mused.
After all, reaching the level of a top-tier Lieutenant in just over a century was an astonishing feat. Even in the talent-rich Gotei 13, such a prodigy was a once-in-a-century rarity.
However, even for those born into the Five Noble Clans, reaching the level of a Captain required not just their prestigious lineage but also extraordinary talent and relentless effort.
"You shouldn't be the one saying things like that—it'll make others feel inferior."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yoruichi sat up straight and swiftly pressed a soft kiss against Masatsuki's cheek.
"I plan to pass down the position of family head to him once he masters Shunkō."
Masatsuki was momentarily stunned as he fully grasped the weight of Yoruichi's words. A warm feeling surged in his chest, and he couldn't help but pull her into a tight embrace.
...
That night, Yoruichi clung to Masatsuki like a sleepy koala, wrapped around his broad, firm chest without setting foot on the ground.
Her eyes remained shut, caught between sleep and wakefulness, but her grip on him never loosened. Her peaceful expression was almost unbearably adorable.
Every so often, she would murmur something about wanting to give him children right away, as if she were afraid of falling behind her "sisters" and losing her place.
Listening to her, Masatsuki could only shake his head helplessly, feeling a faint ripple of emotion stir within him.
Still, Yoruichi's sudden desire to have children left him with mixed feelings.
The truth was, he wasn't ready for something like that.
The world was still filled with countless dangers, and even if he managed to fully merge with the Hōgyoku, there was no guarantee of absolute safety. No one could predict what the future would bring.
The timing simply wasn't right.
Most of the time, when he claimed to be "contributing to Soul Society," it was really just an excuse to slack off.
...
As dawn broke and the first light tinged the sky, Masatsuki carefully handed Yoruichi over to Suì-Fēng, who had come looking for her.
When Suì-Fēng saw Yoruichi's peaceful, sleeping face, her eyes widened in shock—her mouth even started to water.
Masatsuki couldn't resist teasing the flustered and blushing Suì-Fēng before heading back to his room. Once inside, he retrieved the unfinished Hōgyoku.
Compared to a decade ago, the gemstone had finally begun to reveal its true potential, radiating an intense blue-black glow that made its extraordinary nature unmistakable.
Without hesitation, Masatsuki grasped the Hōgyoku in one hand and Banshō Senran in the other, then began his meditation training.
Although the Hōgyoku was still incomplete and incapable of facilitating evolution, it was more than sufficient as an aid for refining Reiatsu.
With its help, he had advanced from Third-Class Spiritual Power to Second-Class in just a few years.
For others, like Shunsui Kyōraku, reaching Second-Class had taken centuries.
Even a genius like Aizen had spent two to three decades reaching that level.
But everyone had long accepted that Masatsuki's monstrous talent was an anomaly. His terrifying rate of advancement no longer shocked them—it had become something they had simply grown numb to.
After half a day of intense training, the once-bright milky white glow on Banshō Senran's blade gradually dimmed.
Masatsuki was left panting and drenched in sweat, but after sensing the changes in his own Reiatsu, he finally exhaled in relief.
After taking a moment to steady his breathing, he smiled in satisfaction.
This training session had further refined his Reiatsu.
Though the increase wasn't massive, every bit of progress counted at his level.
The stronger one's Reiatsu became, the harder it was to push further.
Many who barely managed to reach Second-Class found themselves stagnating, unable to advance a single step beyond that point.
"If I keep training like this, it won't be long before I hit the limit of Second-Class."
"And once I do, the next step is First-Class Spiritual Power. The old man always said my talent far surpassed his. With the Hōgyoku's assistance, breaking through to First-Class shouldn't be an obstacle for me."
Masatsuki's eyes burned with unshakable ambition.
Upon reaching First-Class Spiritual Power and unleashing Bankai, he would momentarily stand at the absolute peak of the Shinigami world—stepping into the same domain as Yamamoto and Aizen.
By then, there would be very few in this era who could truly threaten him.
…
Two months later, in Naruki City.
Kūgo Ginjō and the members of Xcution, the Fullbringer organization he had founded, had all gathered in one place.
Today was the day he was to hand over his tribute—a task assigned to him by Masatsuki Aozaki.
His mission was simple: find Fullbringers.
These Fullbringers were the tribute he was expected to present, their bodies containing fragments of the Soul King—fragments that would feed the insatiable hunger of the Hōgyoku.
Perhaps everyone in this world had their own destined role to play.
For more than a decade, Kūgo Ginjō had excelled at this grim task, offering up numerous Soul King fragments to Masatsuki Aozaki.
At the moment, the recruited Fullbringers sat inside a tavern, their faces alight with joy.
Their excitement had reached a fever pitch, like the fervent zealots of a dark faith.
Despite their extraordinary abilities, Fullbringers had always been outcasts—misfits rejected by society. To them, Kūgo Ginjō was a savior, the one who had lifted them from their suffering.
...
On the other side of the tavern, Masatsuki Aozaki and Kūgo Ginjō sat quietly in a dimly lit corner, watching them.
In contrast to the frenzied expressions of Xcution's members, Kūgo Ginjō remained utterly composed, his face devoid of emotion.
Over the years, he had encountered too many people like this—people he had given hope, only to take it away again.
But he wasn't the sentimental type.
Yes, these people were pitiful.
But what right did he have to pity them?
Even I can't control my own fate...
Kūgo Ginjō let out a quiet sigh.
As far as master-servant relationships went, the man before him had treated him with a surprising amount of respect. Even in their daily interactions, Masatsuki Aozaki had never looked down on him as a mere subordinate.
But in the end, who in this world would willingly accept having their destiny controlled by another?
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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