Chapter 166 – Kaien Shiba

Chapter 166 – Kaien Shiba

"No, Kukaku, I believe Captain Ailin speaks sense." Kaien Shiba rested his hand gently on his sister's head, his voice a soothing murmur. "Compared to the Shinigami of the Seireitei, our Shiba clan's legacy has fallen behind."

He continued, "Remember Lady Yoruichi?"

"Oh? That woman?" Kukaku's nose wrinkled at the mention of the dark-skinned woman.

Despite being of similar age and descending from the Five Great Noble Houses, Kukaku always found herself soundly defeated whenever she sparred with Yoruichi Shihōin. Worse, she couldn't even gauge how much effort Yoruichi exerted during their matches.

"Yes," Kaien affirmed with a nod. "Kukaku, in terms of talent, I believe you are no less than Lady Yoruichi."

"However, Lady Yoruichi has inherited the complete legacy of the Shihōin clan, while our Shiba clan... by our generation, even the Kidō incantations are incomplete..."

A shadow of worry crossed his face. "If we don't seek change, the Shiba clan will truly decline in our hands..."

Hope flickered in his eyes. "As Captain Ailin said, our Shiba clan isn't without foundation in the Seireitei. With Uncle Isshin as the Captain of the 10th Division, any difficulties I encounter in the Seireitei can surely be resolved with his strength and status."

"With access to the Seireitei's training resources, I'm confident I can reach captain-level strength within a century."

A determined glint appeared in his eyes. "By then, with my influence and Uncle Isshin's, we can restore the Shiba clan to its former glory and reclaim what we've lost!"

"But brother, if those people discover your talent, they won't simply watch the Shiba clan rise again," Kukaku countered, her voice laced with concern.

Despite the enticing future Kaien described, her family's safety remained her top priority. "The dangers you'll face will be far greater than you imagine."

"But Kukaku..." Kaien's voice softened. "If I don't face these dangers, will you? Or Ganju? Or the next generation of the Shiba clan?"

"This is the best time," he insisted. "If we miss this opportunity, how long will it take for the Shiba clan to return to the Seireitei?"

Kaien's gaze turned distant. "I know our clan's ancestral teachings urge us not to return to the Seireitei but to expose the sins of the Five Great Houses and bring them to justice..."

He looked at his sister with unwavering resolve. "But all of that requires the Shiba clan to possess both strength and influence."

"Otherwise, even if we reveal their crimes, who would believe us?"

Kaien held back one final thought, echoing Captain Ailin's words. Without strength, the Shiba clan, burdened by generations of resentment towards the Five Great Houses, would never be allowed to rise again. Any sign of their resurgence would be met with swift and brutal suppression from the other noble houses.

...

After spending most of the night in discussion, Kaien finally convinced Kukaku to allow him to enter the Seireitei and become a Shinigami.

To protect the main house from retaliation during Kaien's absence, Kukaku took Ganju and relocated. Without her guidance, not even Kaien could find their new residence.

...

Ailin's plan to search for promising "children" in the Rukongai was cut short. He couldn't possibly explore every district within a few days.

She would also recover the Eight Mirror Sword.

"Our training will prioritize Kidō, with Shunpo as a secondary focus, and swordsmanship as the least important. What do you think?" Ailin asked.

"I'll follow your arrangements, Uncle Ailin."

Ailin nodded. Nanao wasn't a prodigy with independent thinking like Gin Ichimaru, nor did she possess the combat intelligence to adapt and improvise like Byakuya Kuchiki.

She was more like a diligent student who relied on memorizing countless exam questions and solving them through experience, somewhat rigid in her approach.

Therefore, Ailin planned to start by having Nanao master all the Kidō spells within her current reiatsu capacity.

Then, through combat training, he would help her apply those Kidō techniques with proficiency.

Ailin believed that under his personalized training, tailored to their individual styles, Nanao would be able to find perfect solutions to any challenge she encountered in the future.

To improve her adaptability and survival rate, Shunpo training was also essential for Nanao.

...

"Hey, did you hear? Apparently, another prodigy has emerged in the Shin'ō Academy this year..."

"They say he already possesses fifth-level spiritual pressure upon enrollment."

"Yes, I heard his name is Kaien Shiba?"

"Shiba? I wonder if he's related to Captain Shiba of the 10th Division..."

"I'm so envious."

Fifth-level spiritual pressure was equivalent to the level of a seated officer within the Gotei 13. It was practically the limit for ordinary Shinigami, a level many struggled to achieve.

The minimum requirement to join the Gotei 13 was tenth-level spiritual pressure.

Seventh-level and above were considered "elite Shinigami."

With fifth-level spiritual pressure and a successfully nurtured Zanpakuto, one could easily reach the rank of a seated officer.

Fourth-level was sufficient to serve as a vice-captain in any division.

Third-level and above marked the realm of captains.

Kaien Shiba's enrollment had undoubtedly caused ripples within the otherwise peaceful Soul Society.

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