Kaelith Yurei patted his chest confidently.
"Co now, Commander, what's this talk about contingencies? Everything I am today, I owe entirely to your guidance!"
"Your kindness to is like Jiraiya to Naruto, Roshi to Goku.
"As long as I know sothing, there's nothing I wouldn't tell you!"
Yamamoto gave him a sidelong glance, his expression indifferent.
"Is that so? Then tell how your hands were healed."
Kaelith chuckled nervously.
"As expected of you, Commander, nothing escapes your notice!"
"These hands were healed thanks to Yoruichi. She learned a secret healing technique from the forr Captain of the Second Division…"
Before he could finish, Yamamoto interrupted with a frown.
"The Hell Hot Springs?"
"That technique's docuntation was stored in the Twelfth Division, ant to be handed down after the Shihōin girl beca a captain…"
He suddenly paused, realization dawning.
"So that's why you two went to the Twelfth Division that night."
"You scoundrels! You'll be the death of !"
Yamamoto took a deep breath, his mustache quivering in frustration.
Two of the Soul Society's brightest stars—his own disciple and a noble family head—had tead up for petty thievery!
He clenched his fists repeatedly, but considering the gravity of the topic, he decided to let it slide for now. Internally, however, he made a ntal note to hold Kaelith accountable later.
After composing himself, Yamamoto spoke slowly:
"Your earlier concerns weren't misplaced."
"A Zanpakutō without a na is an extraordinary matter."
"In the worst-case scenario, it could shake the very foundation of the rules that have maintained the Soul Society since ancient tis."
"I must ask you—besides , does anyone else know about your Zanpakutō being naless?"
Kaelith shook his head. "I haven't told anyone else."
"Good," Yamamoto nodded. "From now on, this matter must remain a secret, forever."
"I don't care how you handle it—whether you fabricate a na or pretend you've spoken to your blade—whenever you use its abilities, you must act as if you know its na."
"Never reveal this to anyone. Not your future wife, not your children. Not a single word!"
Kaelith took a deep breath and nodded seriously.
Although Yamamoto hadn't explicitly explained, Kaelith could piece together the implications.
The nas of Zanpakutō seed to be under the jurisdiction of Squad Zero.
Perhaps, they were even controlled directly by the Soul King himself.
Though he hadn't read the entire Thousand-Year Blood War arc before his transmigration, he had caught snippets of discussion.
For instance, he'd heard countless complaints about how Ichigo Kurosaki defeated Yhwach with a single slash in the finale.
Squad Zero, it seed, each managed an aspect of the Soul Society's powers.
If his assumption was correct, the authority over "nas" likely belonged to soone in Squad Zero.
Whoever held that authority would likely know all Zanpakutō nas and abilities.
Kaelith thought to himself: If he were in such a position, and soone existed outside his jurisdiction, it would certainly be cause for alarm.
With this in mind, Yamamoto's insistence on keeping the matter secret made perfect sense.
Seeing that Kaelith Yurei had understood the gravity of the situation, Yamamoto felt sowhat reassured.
Though Kaelith often seed unreliable in trivial matters, he demonstrated sound judgnt when it ca to critical issues. Observing the young man before him, Yamamoto realized he was likely about to beco even busier.
Kaelith's developnt of the double strike technique possessed imnse potential. Yamamoto planned to set aside ti to help him refine the *Double Bone* technique, ensuring it worked seamlessly with the double strike. It wouldn't be a small project.
As he was deep in thought, Yamamoto suddenly raised his head and looked toward the dojo entrance.
"I'm removing the barrier now," he said, giving Kaelith a brief heads-up before gently striking his cane on the ground.
The layers of barriers surrounding the dojo dissolved instantly, fading into nothingness.
A figure appeared beside Yamamoto in a blur, kneeling on one knee. It was a mber of the Stealth Force tasked with delivering ssages.
The ssenger glanced at Kaelith but remained silent, awaiting Yamamoto's instructions.
Kaelith was about to excuse himself when Yamamoto shook his head slightly.
"No need. It's no secret."
With that, the ssenger spoke. "Reporting to the Commander: the search unit has assembled and is ready to act at any ti."
Yamamoto nodded. "Proceed as planned. If the Shadow Killer is confird, you may take full action. Life or death, it matters not."
"Understood!" The ssenger bowed deeply before disappearing into thin air.
Kaelith felt a twinge of unease but kept his expression neutral. Still, he couldn't help but glance curiously at Yamamoto.
"Old man, this 'Shadow Killer' you just ntioned—is it the one Uncle Kyōraku talked about? The one committing murders in Rukongai?"
"Not just that," Yamamoto said, shaking his head slightly. "Evidence from the Second Division attack indicates that the Shadow Killer was responsible for the death of the Seventh Division's Vice-Captain."
"...What?" Kaelith nearly let his shock show but managed to hold it together.
The Shin'ō Academy was on the opposite side of the Seireitei from the Second Division barracks. Even with the flash step technique, it would take 30 to 40 minutes to travel between the two.
What was Aizen thinking, sprinting halfway across the Seireitei in the middle of the night just to kill the Seventh Division's Vice-Captain? What kind of grudge could justify that?
Unaware of Kaelith's internal turmoil, Yamamoto continued, clearly not suspecting any connection between Kaelith and the Shadow Killer.
"Post-incident investigations revealed that Vice-Captain Sakamoto Kōichi had defected to the rebel forces."
"That night, the Seventh Division's patrol routes were planned by him."
"Every security gap ca directly from his hands."
"Even so, defecting or not, he remained a high-ranking officer of the Gotei 13. For a re rat skulking in the shadows to bare its claws at the Gotei 13… such arrogance is unforgivable."
Yamamoto's presence exuded an intangible pressure.
He turned to gaze out the window. "I've stationed covert squads across Rukongai. We've finally pinpointed the Shadow Killer's hiding place."
"Tonight, this assassin will pay the price for their audacity with their life."
With that, Yamamoto waved his hand dismissively.
"That's all. If there's nothing else, return to your training. Rember to focus on your studies—I will be testing your progress in our next lesson."
By "testing progress," Yamamoto undoubtedly ant a hands-on "lesson" in the form of an iron-fisted evaluation.
Under normal circumstances, Kaelith might have tried to negotiate, at least for so leniency. But today, he had no such mood.
After leaving the First Division barracks and walking two blocks, he imdiately activated Flash Step, sprinting full speed toward the Shin'ō Academy.
He had to make sure Aizen stayed in the dormitory tonight—there was no way he could let him go out!
Flash Step is Shunpo btw. As you might have noticed already. I am going to use both the English and the bleach nas when it cos to techniques.
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