Hearing the voice, the purple-haired boy looked up slightly confused, only to see a radiant smile, just like the first ray of sunlight on a spring day.
But he didn't lower his guard because of this. Instead, without any hesitation, he turned and ran. Born as a resident of the Rukongai, the first rule of survival was to stay away from strange people or things.
But before he could reach the shrine's entrance, he heard a voice from behind.
"Young man, do you really want to give up these delicious dried persimmons to be an ordinary person?"
For so reason, when he heard these words, the boy inexplicably stopped in his tracks, turning around warily to look at the smiling young man in front of the altar.
"Who are you?"
Akira smiled, "I am a ssenger of the gods. Hmm, you could understand as a god's enforcer, the kind who does all the dirty work."
The boy fell silent.
Although born in Rukongai and having seen all kinds of things, he was quite mature for his age and far smarter than children from ordinary families, knowing how to assess situations. But the other's words left him montarily speechless.
Does God really exist in this world? If one had to say, those Shinigami living in the Seireitei would indeed seem like lofty gods to the people of Rukongai.
The boy carefully examined him — white haori, black inner garnts, attire unlike the commoners of Rukongai...
"Shinigami?"
Akira nodded, then shook his head, pointing at the empty shrine behind him, explaining, "Not just a Shinigami. Regular Shinigami don't have the ti to co to such a desolate place. I ca here guided by a deity. He heard your prayer and specially sent to save you. Tell , what is your choice..."
As he spoke, he took out three dried persimmons and placed them in front of the boy.
"This one is gold, this one is silver, and this one is original."
Looking at the persimmons in front of him, the boy fell silent again.
Are ssengers of gods this unreliable? These three dried persimmons don't have the slightest difference!
After thinking for a mont, the boy chose the original persimmon.
Seeing this, Akira wore a regretful expression, casually putting away the three dried persimmons, shaking his head as he ca to the boy's side, familiarly placing his arm on his shoulder.
"Young man, although I don't know what you were thinking. But in tis when you can't fill your stomach, the correct choice should be — Take them all!"
The boy looked up, his gaze toward this man sowhat bewildered. This bandit-like theory caused quite an impact on his young mind.
Akira stuffed all three dried persimmons into his hands and casually asked, "Do you rember what you prayed to the deity for earlier?"
The boy hesitated for a mont, then obediently said, "Sufficient food and water, and also... The aning of living."
Due to the miraculous display of the person in front of him, he chose not to lie.
What if the other person really was a ssenger of gods? Wouldn't lying offend him?
Although this young man didn't display strong oppression, standing with him gave a feeling that his life was in danger. It was as if the other person could crush him with just a stretch of his hand.
Akira nodded, "Quite modest wishes. Since that's the case, I'll reluctantly help you fulfill them. The first two are easy to solve; the key is the third one..."
He frowned in thought for a while, then looked at the boy again and asked.
"What do you think is the aning of living?"
The boy silently shook his head. If he knew, he wouldn't have done sothing as childish as praying to a deity.
"It's simple — life doesn't necessarily have aning." Akira frowned deeply, trying hard to search for keywords in his mind, piecing together a complete sentence, "But if you keep living, you'll discover interesting things. Just as you found this shrine, just as I found you..."
Hearing this, the boy also frowned, revealing a thoughtful expression. In his idle monts, he had pondered this question more than once, but ultimately without any gain.
Until just now when he heard this man's answer. Living might not have aning, but only by continuing to live can one encounter aningful things.
Just like now.
The boy nodded slightly, showing a smile, "I understand."
Saying this, he took a bite of the dried persimmon in his hand. It tasted sweet, just like the sunlight outside the shrine.
"By the way, young man, I still don't know your na."
"Gin, Gin Ichimaru..."
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Although already accustod to a certain person's ability to recruit, Aizen was still surprised when he saw Akira leading a light purple-haired boy into the 11th Division.
This guy, where does he find so many promising talents?
Because he frequently used Shinigami as experintal materials, Aizen had gained deep expertise in judging whether soone possessed Reiryoku talent. Just at first glance, he judged that this boy's talent was no weaker than other mbers of the 11th Division.
Given ti, he would at least be at a Lieutenant level.
While he was thinking, others in the division barracks saw Akira return and ca forward to respectfully greet him. Many curiously examined the boy standing beside their Captain.
About eleven or twelve years old, with squinted eyes and a calm deanor, he looked like a white snake lurking in the shadows.
Among the crowd, Kana frowned.
Without sight, his perception was more acute than normal people. He could sense that, unlike other mbers who joined the 11th Division midway, this boy concealed many thoughts.
Could his Captain have been fooled by this boy?
Thinking of Akira's "astounding wisdom", Kana increasingly felt it possible.
Just as he was about to say sothing, he saw the boy notice him in the crowd, the corner of his mouth slightly raised, his cold smile like winter snow falling on the skin.
Kana's eyebrows tightly knotted together.
"This is Gin Ichimaru, whom I brought back from Rukongai." Akira introduced to everyone, "From now on, he'll be a mber of the 11th Division."
The crowd cheered, expressing their approval.
Since Akira beca Captain of the 11th Division, he often brought back companions from outside, from Lieutenants to Seated Officers. Now he's even recruiting young boys.
One can only say, as expected of the great Lord Magistrate, with such a broad nu, we can only bow down in admiration!
Gin, looking at the crowd gathering around, let down the vigilance he had maintained in his heart for a long ti.
People's uninhibited smiles were like a dicine that healed everything...
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For a long period after that, the Soul Society maintained a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.
But only a very few people knew that this was rely the calm before the storm.
Especially in the 1st Division.
After learning from Akira that Yhwach might still be alive, Genryūsai resud the training he had abandoned for years. Despite the slim chance of becoming stronger, he refused to waste even a mont.
He knew clearly that if Yhwach were to appear again, he would be the only one who could stand against him.
However, when Chōjirō learned of this, he offered the old man a new strategy.
"Captain-Commander, sir. In my opinion, rather than shouldering all the burden yourself, why not share it with others?"
Genryūsai frowned: "But..."
Seeming to sense his concerns, Chōjirō spoke frankly, "Looking across Soul Society, perhaps no one can oppose Yhwach now. But that doesn't an there won't be soone in several decades or even a century. With Captain Kisaragi's talent, I believe that with intensified training, he will surely beco one of the Gotei 13's formidable warriors. Think about it — how long did it take Captain Kisaragi to reach his current position from a re academy student?"
Genryūsai suddenly awoke to the realization.
All along, he had chosen to silently bear everything. Until Chōjirō's reminder, he suddenly realized that his rebellious student had beco a pillar of strength in Soul Society.
"I understand." Tthe old man said, "Send word to the 11th Division. Tell that boy to co to the back mountain."
With that, he picked up Ryūjin Jakka from the hearth fire and walked out.
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Not long after, when a certain figure appeared on the back mountain of the 1st Division, rolling flas transford into clouds on the horizon, coloring the entire sky.
Not giving Akira a chance to react, the blade wrapped in flas had already descended.
Akira: "?"
What was happening now? He clearly hadn't caused any trouble these days!
Could it be that Yama-jii had beco senile?
"Master, you can't do this!" Akira drew his sword in response, blocking the descending Ryūjin Jakka, attempting to make a final struggle, "I've been very well-behaved lately."
Although he was confident in his defense, his previous experience had made him understand that against Ryūjin Jakka, this level of strength was far from enough. He had no interest in directly withstanding that fla blade right now.
"I know." Genryūsai replied impassively, "This is a necessary path in training, to beco stronger. Ti waits for no one. I must make you stronger in the shortest ti possible."
As his words fell, Ryūjin Jakka lifted and then descended with scorching heat.
Instantly, the ground collapsed, and the violent Reiatsu swept across half of the Seireitei like the sky falling.
"Damn you, Yama-jii, taking advantage of my youth and weakness!" Seeing no way to dodge, Akira burst into anger, releasing all his Reiatsu and unleashing his strongest state to face him head-on, "Today I'll raise the banner of overthrowing Yamamoto's tyranny, eliminate the traitor, and restore Soul Society to righteousness!"
Seeing that he still had the strength to speak under his pressure, Genryūsai imdiately increased his Reiatsu output. Fire clouds instantly covered the sky of the 1st Division.
Soon, soone's spirit was suppressed.
"Master, you can't do this. Training should be gradual! Wait, I've shed blood for the Seireitei, I've contributed to Soul Society!"
As a pillar of fire piercing heaven and earth lit up on the back mountain, screams like Thomas the Cat's rose straight to the clouds.
Under the illumination of Ryūjin Jakka, Akira once again recalled the fear of being dominated by this damned old man.
Genryūsai with a sword and without were not even in the sa dinsion. The mont he drew his sword, he was undoubtedly Soul Society's strongest Shinigami.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
Life continued painfully yet joyfully.
Akira beat the other mbers of the 11th Division, Genryūsai beat him, and occasionally he invited Unohana to appreciate flowers under the moon and contemplate the supre way of the sword together.
Until Aizen brought first-hand intelligence from Hueco Mundo.
"Grimmjow is missing?" Akira sat up in surprise, looking at his friend, "What's going on?"
Aizen shook his head and explained, "To be precise, Szayelaporro can no longer detect his Reiatsu fluctuations. My experint is at a critical stage, and I can't leave at the mont, so you'll have to go instead."
Akira frowned.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
Under the crescent moon, above the silver sea.
The ferocious white panther stared intently at the two figures ahead, wild Reiatsu surrounding him, his streamlined body slightly arched.
He was ready for battle.
Both wore tattered gray cloaks. One had short, slightly curly dark brown hair and a beard along his jaw, resembling a decadent middle-aged man. Beside him stood a cute-looking girl with short light green hair and a mask covering half her face.
"A rare Adjuchas, indeed." The girl folded her arms across her flat chest, examining Grimmjow with interest, "He can actually withstand this guy's released Reiatsu. And he's still quite spirited."
The middle-aged man nodded almost imperceptibly but didn't respond.
"Hey, who are you?" Grimmjow let out a low growl, fighting spirit rising in his eyes, "This is Las Noches territory!"
"?" The middle-aged man pointed at himself and smiled, "Nice to et you, I'm Coyote Starrk. Sorry for intruding into your territory, we'll leave now."
Unlike the battle-eager Grimmjow, Starrk had no fighting spirit at all — like a dried salted fish.
"Wait!" Grimmjow roared, "Before you leave, have a battle with !"
He could sense the other's strength. Even though Starrk showed no fighting spirit, Grimmjow could still detect that vague sense of danger.
This feeling, he had experienced from only a few individuals in Las Noches.
This guy must be a powerful warrior!
With a mind focused on becoming stronger, Grimmjow naturally wouldn't miss an opportunity to fight a strong opponent.
"A battle? How troubleso..." Starrk scratched his head, full of reluctance.
But while he was hesitating, Grimmjow had already launched a dishonorable attack. Limbs slightly bent, explosive power tore open the ground as the white figure transford into a streak of light, charging directly at Starrk.
The battle erupted instantly.
Two powerful Reiatsu blew away the clouds in the night sky, revealing the flawless moonlight.
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"So..." Akira looked at the unscathed man before him with a strange expression and asked, "Is this why you beat my little cat until he couldn't function normally?"
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T/N: If you want more Chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!
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/mrblackwing
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