"Nice to meet you, Hitsugaya Tōshirō. I'm Kuchiki Shinji, Captain of the 10th Division."
Stepping into the small room, Shinji looked at Hitsugaya Tōshirō and introduced himself with a faint smile.
At this point, Shinji's plan was basically locked in. Even if he didn't come here now, in a few years Tōshirō would naturally enter the Shin'ō Academy, graduate immediately, and become the next 10th Division Captain.
That alone said everything about Tōshirō's talent.
So, Shinji was just getting ahead of schedule.
Bringing Hitsugaya Tōshirō under his wing now was a critical step in his Captain Training Program.
Besides, in the original timeline, after Shiba Isshin disappeared, the 10th Division Captain seat was naturally Tōshirō's. Shinji was simply getting him ready sooner, then once Tōshirō had Bankai, Shinji could retire and go fishing in peace.
"Are you looking for me?"
Hitsugaya Tōshirō frowned slightly, staring up at this big shot.
Shinji's meaning was obvious, he'd come specifically for him.
But why?
He was just a wandering soul in Rukongai.
Why would a Captain-level big shot care about him?
"Hey kid, ever thought about enrolling in the Shin'ō Academy and becoming a Shinigami?"
Rangiku suddenly asked, her eyes fixed on Tōshirō.
Looks like Shinji was right, Rangiku's gaze turned serious.
This white-haired brat, Hitsugaya Tōshirō, really was something special.
The raw Reiatsu pouring off him unconsciously was monstrous,suffocating those around him.
Well… maybe not quite on her captain's level,
but definitely captain-class potential.
"Eh???, are you inviting Him?"
Hinamori Momo gasped, glancing at Tōshirō and then back at the pair.
Had they really come just for Tōshirō?
"Become a Shinigami? Not interested."
Tōshirō rejected them flatly, turning and walking deeper into the room. "Please leave. I have no interest in becoming a Shinigami."
But Shinji's calm voice stopped him in his tracks.
"You've noticed it, haven't you? That you're different."
A long silence.
Tōshirō turned, eyes flickering with hesitation. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't want to be a Shinigami."
Becoming a Shinigami meant changing your life, escaping the chaos of Rukongai, becoming one of the "big shots" people dreamed of.
Every soul knew that, everyone in these slums clawed for that chance.
But Hitsugaya Tōshirō? He didn't care about any of that.
He just wanted to stay here.
Quietly. With his grandmother.
That was enough.
"Please go back. I'm not leaving this place."
He shook his head and forced down the uneasy feeling.
Hearing this, Shinji stepped forward, placed a hand on Tōshirō's head, and gently ruffled it.
Tōshirō: "???"
The hell was this guy doing?!
Who gave him permission to just pet him?!
"Ah, sorry, force of habit. Couldn't help it."
Shinji pulled his hand back, scratched his head, and his expression turned serious.
"Hitsugaya Tōshirō, what I'm about to tell you, I'm dead serious."
"With your power, you must've noticed you're not normal, right?"
"Didn't you notice people moving away from you? The wandering souls drifting out of this area?"
"Haven't you felt anything strange?"
Tōshirō's expression shifted slightly.
Shinji pressed on: "You're different, Hitsugaya Tōshirō."
"Your Reiatsu isn't like other souls, it's on a whole other level. You were born a Shinigami. More than that, a born captain-level Shinigami."
"You've been having strange dreams, haven't you?"
Tōshirō couldn't hide his shock this time.
"How do you know about that? Those dreams, why do I see that ice dragon?"
Shinji patted him on the shoulder, looking him dead in the eye.
"Don't get worked up, Hitsugaya Tōshirō."
"That ice dragon you see? That's your Zanpakutō."
"It's calling you, waiting for you to awaken it and wield its power."
Tōshirō fell silent.
"…My Zanpakutō?"
The moment he murmured those words, Shinji pressed forward: "Time's running out for you, Hitsugaya Tōshirō."
"Haven't you noticed how cold it gets when you sleep?"
"You're not a Shinigami, so you can't control your Reiatsu at all. That's why I found you."
"Your power leaks out on its own, pressing down on everyone around you."
"The wandering souls don't understand why, but they feel weaker and weaker, so they flee."
"And your grandmother, haven't you seen it? She's been getting more and more tired lately."
Shinji gave him a long, heavy look and patted his shoulder again.
He didn't need to say more.
Tōshirō understood.
"…So grandma's getting weaker… because of me…"
Tōshirō's eyes went blank as the truth hit him.
It was him.
He was the reason.
He drew in a sharp breath and locked eyes with Shinji.
"I want to become a Shinigami, teach me how to wield my Zanpakutō!"
Under Momo's stunned gaze, the lazy Tōshirō she knew was gone.
Replaced by someone determined.
"Good. That's the spirit."
A hint of satisfaction flickered in Shinji's eyes as he nodded.
Plan, complete.
Next step, train Hitsugaya Tōshirō into a captain-level Shinigami.
A kid who'd reach captain rank in six years by himself, with Shinji's help?
Bankai in no time.
Then, retirement, here I come.
"Huh?! Aren't you going to teach me yourself?"
Tōshirō shouted.
"What are you talking about? You think I'm free enough for that?"
Shinji squinted at him.
"Huh? But Captain Shinji, aren't you super free? You dump all the paperwork on me!"
Rangiku cut in mercilessly, her tone pitiful as she put on an expression that could make anyone want to weep.
Anyone, except Shinji.
"Matsumoto Rangiku!!"
That damn woman, she was always throwing him under the bus.
Did she want to be disciplined?!
After glaring at her for a few seconds, Shinji said to Tōshirō: "You don't know the basics yet. Go enroll at Shin'ō Academy first, get your foundation. Don't expect me to do everything myself."
Teach him personally?
What a joke.
I love work so much (no wonder). How am I supposed to find time to teach him all these basic things?
Three days later, in the afternoon.
A light rain was falling over Jingling Court, and the sky was foggy.
"Captain, Captain, have you seen my belt?"
Boom!
The door to the captain's office slammed open, and Matsumoto Rangiku's voice rang out.
"Rangiku, can you please knock before you come in?"
Without even looking up, Shinji let out a sigh.
"Eh? Are you really in such a rush? Besides, with our relationship, do we really need to be so formal?"
Matsumoto Rangiku's teasing tone sounded right in his ear.
Then, she bumped her shoulder against Shinji's.
Shinji froze for a second.
Something about this… didn't feel right.
Suspiciously, Shinji tilted his head, and then his eyes widened in surprise.
In front of him, Matsumoto Rangiku was actually running around the room in just her swimsuit, rummaging here and there looking for the belt she mentioned.
"You…"
Shinji sniffed, staring intently.
…Sorry, but I just got a nosebleed.
I mean, seriously, Rangiku's figure is just unreal. I love it.
"Ah, you're wondering why I'm dressed like this? Ah! Found it!"
Rangiku laughed, pulling a red belt out from a corner. She twirled it in front of Shinji's face. "Does it look good?"
"It's beautiful. Really beautiful."
Shinji blurted it out with a perfectly serious look.
This is too much.
Big sister types really are the best.
"Oh? I'm not showing you anymore!"
Like she'd won some little game, Rangiku triumphantly ducked back into the room to put on the Shinigami uniform she'd taken off on purpose.
Then she turned and explained:
"Our Women's Shinigami Association is having a gathering. We're going swimming to relax a bit."
As she spoke, Rangiku leaned closer to Shinji with a sly smile. "Captain Shinji, wanna come?"
"A gathering of your Women's Shinigami Association? What would I do there? Don't drag me into that mess."
Shinji quickly shook his head.
A bunch of female Shinigami, all in swimsuits, sure, that was a sight worth seeing.
But the thought that Unohana Retsu might be there too… made Shinji instantly back off.
That dark-bellied woman… who knows what she thinks of me these days?
"That's a shame. So many beautiful female Shinigami… Captain must really want to come, huh?"
Rangiku teased him one last time, then waved and left the office.
"Women's Shinigami Association, huh…?"
Leaning back in his chair, Shinji fell into thought.
To be honest, the Women's Shinigami Association was practically a god-tier organization within Soul Society.
It was created to promote the status and rights of female Shinigami.
Surprisingly, without interfering with Soul Society's operations, many decisions made by the Association couldn't even be overruled by the Central 46 Chambers.
That level of authority was ridiculous.
"Anyway… looks like today's the day to enter the Third Fusion Stage."
Shinji's gaze shifted slightly as he placed his palm on his chest.
The Hōgyoku pulsed beneath his hand.
The fusion progress was deepening. He was right at a crucial threshold, just about to break through to the next dimension.
After being squeezed by Nilu's relentless initiative countless times…
And constantly developing the Hōgyoku's power…
And secretly using it to boost Rukia's Reiatsu and abilities…
In just a few days, the fusion between Shinji and the Hōgyoku had reached the critical point of evolution.
"I need to find a safe place…"
After a brief pause, Shinji stood up and vanished from the room.
On his desk, the loose sheets of paper fluttered gently before settling back down in silence.
Kuchiki Clan's estate, a vast secret underground chamber.
Shinji sat cross-legged on the ground, his upper body bare, eyes closed.
Around him, he had used the Hōgyoku's power to set up a massive barrier, enough to completely conceal any disturbances.
Suddenly —
Shinji's eyes snapped open, a thin white light flickering in them.
"Let's begin."
Lowering his gaze, Shinji looked at his chest.
Just like last time, vein-like patterns instantly spread across his body.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
Like a heart, the Hōgyoku began syncing with Shinji's own heartbeat, echoing with thunderous beats.
Then, an endless surge of power welled up from deep inside him, continuously rising!
"The limit… is broken."
Shinji narrowed his eyes, watching his body change.
As a Shinigami, Shinji naturally had limits too.
After reaching a certain point, his Reiatsu and strength had plateaued for a long time.
Until he stepped into the First Fusion Stage… then the Second Fusion Stage with the Hōgyoku.
But as his Reiatsu grew stronger, new limits appeared again.
Recently, Shinji had felt his Reiatsu growth hit a near standstill, the ceiling of the Second Fusion Stage.
But now, that ceiling was shattered once more!
In an instant, an unimaginably vast Reiatsu erupted from him.
It was so dense that it physically materialized, tearing up the ground around Shinji in a massive radial blast zone.
Then came the sound of crackling.
Shinji's body began to transform at high speed!
Strength, speed, stamina, defense, even his Reiatsu and life force were evolving rapidly.
In just seconds, Shinji's power had completely surpassed his old self, stepping into a whole new level and dimension.
It was as if his genes were breaking apart and recombining anew.
Shinji could clearly sense that his life form itself was ascending.
This change would bring unimaginable benefits, a breakthrough beyond the life form limits of a Shinigami.
If someone like Kurotsuchi Mayuri or Szayelaporro saw this, they'd want to dissect him on the spot to study exactly what was happening inside him.
Honestly, Shinji himself was curious what exactly his body had become now.
Boom!
At some point, a blue-purple Reiatsu burst out, branching like veins and spreading across the entire chamber.
Then, they instantly retracted, all flowing back into Shinji's body.
The blood-red vein lines slowly receded, gradually merging back into the Hōgyoku like tendrils.
But around the Hōgyoku itself, some vessel-like streaks remained, connecting it to Shinji's body.
The evolution was complete.
The Third Fusion Stage was fully achieved!
"Feels like I could wipe out a whole city with just a flick of my hand."
Shinji raised his right hand. The bloody lines had mostly faded away.
Just like when he entered the Second Fusion Stage, he still retained his human form, there were no signs of becoming Hollow or anything like that.
It seemed his evolution was subtly different from Aizen's.
"Still…"
He swung his arm down casually.
He didn't even attach Reiatsu or sword pressure, just the force of the swing alone.
The air it cut through split everything in its path.
On the ground, a slash stretching for thousands of meters ripped through the earth, so long that its end couldn't even be seen.
This swing split the earth itself.
"Looks like now even my casual swing is enough to destroy a city."
Shinji murmured to himself.
Leveling a city wasn't that big a deal for a captain-level Shinigami.
Whether through Kidō or with their Zanpakutō, they could do it if they went all out.
But doing it so effortlessly, with such ease,that was on another level entirely.
Sheathing his Zanpakutō, Shinji stood up.
The ground under his feet crumbled, but Shinji rose into the air, looking down at the massive collapsed mountain beneath him.
"Looks like I'll need some time to get used to this new state…"