70 Chojiro Sasakibe
(Yamamoto POV)
"So you wish to found an Academy for young Shinigami to learn how to fight and defend themselves. Well, I find that commendable. You are already teaching some, so making it official and professional is a good idea.", Gojo-sensei said.
I was relieved about that. I wasn't sure whether he would agree to let me teach things that were originally from him. He was the one to come up with many of the things that I was taught and normally this is not something that you would want to have others spread.
"If you believe that I am so petty as to not allow it because you might teach things that I taught you, then you don't have to worry. I find it a splendid idea and long overdue. Of course, there are some things that I don't wish for you to teach just like that. I believe you know what I'm talking about.", sensei said.
"Yes, I understand. I wasn't planning on teaching your own special Kido anyway. Those are too dangerous for normal Shinigami to handle. So that won't be taught. I am planning to teach Zanjutsu, Hakuda and Hoho. Kido is not really something I excel in but I will do the introductions to Kido.", I explained.
"Yes, that seems like a wise idea. I'm sure that you'll find others who might also teach in this Academy of yours. You could become the head instructor, so you keep full authority over all the things that happen inside. And at the same time, you will learn how to lead and delegate things. Your wife could help you with that."
"That's not a bad idea sensei. She has been bothered by the fact that she doesn't see me as much as she likes. So giving her responsibility is a good idea."
I was always doing a lot of things and Aiko was unhappy about that. I guess it is a good idea to have her close to me. I do miss her as well.
So with Gojo-sensei's approval, I can begin my plans to build an Academy. I think I'll call it ... Shinigami Academy. That is simple and makes the most sense.
"How is your training going Shigekuni?", sensei asks me.
"Well I didn't have the time to train all that much in the last years but it is coming along nicely. I have finally achieved Bankai. But it is still not at its maximum potential. I can feel there is still more that I can do."
"I see. Well, you have become stronger. Your quest for protecting the Soul Society is coming along nicely as well. But don't neglect your training. There is so much you can do with your Shikai alone, so don't forget to hone it as well. Relying on only one part of your strength is not strength ... but weakness."
I know that. Sensei always tells me these things and I know them already. I just can't come to understand what he means exactly. How would anyone do something about my Bankai? That seems like an impossibility ...
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(Hades POV)
Interesting. I seem to be at least 2100 years before the start of the story. It is truly impressive how Yamamoto was the most powerful Shinigami to appear in his lifetime. He had to have been roughly 3000 years old in the story. Because Unohana looked virtually the same as she did in her youth. So she either had a method to halt her ageing with Kaido or Shinigami aged slower up to '60' or something. Because Yamamoto looked to be at least 50 years old when he fought against Ywach.
But I was more impressed with his power over the time I knew him. He is truly the strongest Shinigami, safe for Ichibe, but Ichibe doesn't count as he is not ... well that is something for the future.
I have come to a very troubling and sad realisation. And I will deal with it when the time comes.
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More and more characters who I know are being born or getting attention. Yachiru is already a teenager ... at least in her looks. She has taken it upon herself to fight as much as she can and spill a lot of blood. I don't know whether I made any progress in trying to tone her blood lust down, but I dread how she had to have been in the original.
There is also a young woman with long, dark pink hair tied up in two hip-length pigtails on either side of her head. Another future Captain in the making. She was constantly challenging people who she saw as strong. Nobutsuna and her already had their first fight and ... it turned out to be his win.
I can't wait to see when some of the younger characters come. I am interested to find out how a young Sosuke Aizen was or what the deal was with the Ise family. Because right now, they are a boring and unassuming family. I guess Oetsu hasn't made the ancestral sword for them yet.
I wonder how that sword/weapon would fare against me... I'll see when the time comes.
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For now, I focus on my love's progress. It seems like she is close to finishing her first Quest. That's good. She is getting stronger and stronger. I am proud of her. But little does she know ... the real challenges start with the second Quest.
I made sure to gradually make the quests harder and harder but to also give her some breathing room. She can try the quests over and over again. It is training in itself. What I mean by that is that I made the quests to challenge Senjumaru. Her power and love for sewing has so much potential. She will surely grow into someone who can stand proud in the world of DC.
I made sure of that. Those disgusting Fate-sisters are going to die. And Senjumaru, if she wants will take their powers and position.
The first quest is only to give Senjumaru a good base. Have her train the basics again to a high level, so that she can use them in her fights going forward.
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The first quest is made up of three parts. The first is to create special clothes with properties that she chooses. The requirement is 10,000, but it doesn't say that they have to be different. She can theoretically make 10,000 copies of an outfit that has fire resistance or something like that. But I know that she won't do that. I can see that she is really trying hard with this one.
The second requirement is to create 1,000 different puppets and use them in dungeons. Every day, the daily quest for her to become strong grants her one dungeon key. The dungeons are harder, depending on her level. So for her to create 1,000 puppets and then have them fight in dungeons is quite a feat. I just want her to focus on this skill, because it is very versatile and powerful.
The last requirement is for Senjumaru to level her Shikai to LV.100. That might not seem like much, since she already was close to LV.90, but it's not like that. Levelling up after 90 is very hard and it takes for her to really understand her Zanpakuto and her Shikai, to reach LV.100. But that is all going to be done very soon. And then she can focus on other things.
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(Yamamoto POV)
I walk out of my home after having told Aiko about my plans to create a Shinigami Academy. She is delighted. I am also happy that I can be closer to her from now on ... hopefully. After having talked with Gojo-sensei, I am looking forward to founding the Academy. Sensei also thinks that it's a good idea since I already teach a few people anyway.
"Master Eijisai ... Master Eijisai Yamamoto!", I hear a voice say behind me. I can feel a vein on my head throb as I hear that name.
I turn around and see a young man. He had short, light hair and short eyebrows. He wore the standard Shinigami uniform with a white robe over it which was clasped at the front by a simple knot.
"Hey! Don't call me Eijisai!!!", I scream.
"F-Forgive me, sir!", he says and kowtows.
I don't like that name. For some reason, I am called Eijisai, due to the scar on my forehead. The scar is shaped like the Japanese character "Ei."
Each time I distinguish myself in battle, with another rogue Shinigami or a Hollows, the name 'Eijisai' becomes more and more popular and more people use it.
Normally I don't really care about that, but ...
"But, Master Eijisai, I cannot be so audacious as to call you by your real name!", the boy says.
"What is it with you, anyway?! You're not even one of my students and yet, you hang around here every day!", I say. He is getting on my nerves. He won't stop turning up here nearly every day and calling me Eijisai ...
"I come hoping to be your right-hand man!", he says.
"In that case, all the more reason for you to become my student! If you rise to the rank of master, you'll naturally become my right-hand man!", I tell him proudly.
I was the one who founded my own fighting style, called the Genryu Style. Gojo-sensei called me very talented to come up with a fighting style that suited me this well. I can't claim to be the strongest Shinigami, but Goji-sensei says that he does not consider himself to be a Shinigami only. He is more ...
"No, Master Eijisai, if I become your student, then I will only be mimicking you. A right-hand man must be one who can compensate for the things you are unable to handle!", he says.
"You are always splitting hairs ...", I tell him but I am interrupted.
"Stop acting all high and mighty 'Kuni love. This young man is obviously interested in becoming your right-hand man and instead of just rejecting him you should be smarter and put him to the test.", I hear my wife say who has come out of the house.
She uses that embarrassing nickname ... 'Kuni ... the short version of Shigekuni. Urgh, it's unbearable when I hear it in public.
"What do you mean, put him to the test?", I ask her.
"Well, a right-hand man needs to be able to compensate for the things you are unable to handle, just like he said. But for that he needs strength. So test him on that and then decide. But don't just push the topic further and further."
"Yes. Lady Yamamoto is correct. I haven't shown up every day. This is in fact the first time here in a month. As you told me a month ago ... I have acquired a Bankai.", the boy says.
"Oh? In that case, try to defeat me with that Bankai of yours.", I tell him.
"See. That wasn't so bad. Now don't do it here, or you'll destroy everything again.", Aiko says.
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Chojiro and I make our way to the Rukon District - East 37 District, Ryugon.
"All right. Here we can fight without disturbing anyone. So show me what you got."
"Yes."
Chojiro releases his Zanpakuto first.
"Pierce, Gonryōmaru", he says and the Katana transforms into a rapier. An interesting form, mostly used to pierce, just like the release says.
Then he slowly raises Gonryōmaru in the air, pointing at the sky.
"Bankai! Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū!"
Chojiro raises his Zanpakutō above his head, causing dark clouds to form above him. He then produces sparks and a golden bolt of lightning from the blade which extends towards the dark clouds and transforms them into a dome of lightning.
The dome is stationed far above his head and fastened to the ground by a large number of golden lightning pillars. The sword itself remains in its Shikai form for the duration of the Bankai.
Chojiro moves the blade of Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū alongside the lightning pillars as if he is collecting them. By doing so, Chojiro can infuse his sword with immense amounts of lightning. He then uses that speed and power of the lightning he has 'collected' and rushes towards me.
I can feel a wound on my forehead. I was surprised at the speed and power it held, but I could also feel that it was still fresh and unrefined.
"That Bankai is like a newborn.", I say.
"That's right. I intend to spend the rest of my life honing this Bankai so it can be helpful to you, Master Eijisai!", Chojiro said.
I can tell that he is not lying. He means what he says and will indeed hone his Bankai only to be helpful to me. I guess that answers the question of whether I should make him my right-hand man.
