As Kyoya's disciple, Byakuya knew that the flying slash of a Great Swordsman could rival the power of Hado #60.
And the flying slash of a Master Swordsman was no weaker than Hado #80.
For a Master Swordsman like Kyoya, even a casual flying slash could unleash destructive power comparable to Hado #90.
Whether it was a Great Swordsman or Master Swordsman, the energy consumed by their flying slashes was far less than that required to cast Hado of the same level.
After all, the swordsmanship Kyoya taught treated flying slashes as a byproduct of reaching a certain level of skill, not something that consumed additional Reiatsu.
Of course, if one could imbue their flying slashes with Reiatsu, the power of the flying slash would increase significantly.
However, up to this point, no Shinigami in the Seireitei, aside from Kyoya himself, had publicly announced that they had mastered his 'aerial slash' technique.
Still, Byakuya had learned from Kyoya that Gin, the former genius who had once been Kyoya's equal and served as the Lieutenant of the 11th Division for over a decade, now the Captain of the 3rd Division, might have already reached the level of a Great Swordsman.
This was Byakuya's current goal.
After giving Byakuya his instructions, Kyoya left the 11th Division and headed straight for an izakaya in a certain district.
The Seireitei was vast, and the distance between the 11th Division and the 6th Division spanned nearly half of its area.
At the speed of an ordinary person, it would take Kyoya at least four or five hours to walk from the 11th Division to the district under the 6th Division's jurisdiction.
If Kyoya took four or five hours to reach the izakaya, even if Koga Kuchiki hadn't left by then, he would likely be thoroughly drunk, making any meaningful conversation impossible.
Thus, Kyoya had no intention of traveling by conventional means.
As he passed a certain intersection, Kyoya's body suddenly dissolved into countless golden particles of light.
In the next instant, golden light coalesced in a corner of the tavern in the 6th Division's district, reforming into Kyoya's figure.
In terms of offensive power, the Pika Pika no Mi might not be the strongest, but when it came to speed, its abilities were undoubtedly the fastest.
Even the Goro Goro no Mi, hailed as the Strongest Logia-type, was slightly inferior in speed to the Pika Pika no Mi.
Within the range of Kyoya's perception, as long as he willed it, he could transform into light and move at light speed to any location he desired.
Stepping out from the alleyway, Kyoya entered the izakaya.
When a waiter approached, Kyoya waved him off, and from then on, no one dared to disturb him.
After all, even the most ignorant person in the Seireitei knew that anyone wearing a White Haori was a figure of great importance.
And those White Haori bore the emblem of a division and its number could only be the highest-ranking officers of the Gotei 13.
"Kuchiki Koga, it's been a while. Your temperament seems to have weakened..."
"Who?"
Koga was already in a foul mood due to his strained relationship with his father-in-law. He had come to the tavern to unwind, unwilling to return to the Kuchiki Clan's estate and listen to Ginrei's lectures.
Yet now, someone was claiming that his temperament had weakened… wasn't that indirectly saying he was wrong and everyone else was right?
The reason Ginrei had taken a liking to Koga and even married his daughter to him was precisely because of Koga's 'talent'. This was also the source of Koga's pride.
In just over thirty years, Koga's Reiatsu had reached the 3rd-class Reiryoku, placing him among the ranks of Captains. Moreover, he had recently unlocked Bankai, a feat that eluded most Shinigami. (T/N: I don't understand the timeline anymore. It's said Koga entered Shin'o Academy at the same time as Ikkaku and Yumichika, but now, he said it's already thirty years, so please just shut your brain for the timeline.)
However, just as Koga was fantasizing about becoming the head of the Kuchiki Clan and the Captain of the 6th Division, an evaluation had shattered his dreams.
He never expected that not only his father-in-law but even Captain-Commander Yamamoto, whom he had once admired, would express disapproval upon learning about his Bankai's abilities.
But the moment Koga looked up and saw Kyoya, his entire body froze as if plunged into an icy abyss. The slight buzz from the alcohol instantly turned into cold sweat.
"C-Captain Kyoya..."
Koga hurriedly stood up, his words stumbling.
"My apologies, I didn't realize it was you."
Watching Koga's reaction, Kyoya shook his head and sighed: "Kuchiki Koga, you... truly disappoint me."
Koga gritted his teeth, fists clenched, wanting to say something. But in the end, he merely turned his head away, clinging to his last shred of stubbornness.
"Come with me."
Kyoya turned and left. After a moment of hesitation, Koga followed.
Koga was a genius.
But he also knew that his father-in-law, Ginrei, had once held Kyoya in the highest regard.
It was just that Kyoya's growth had been too monstrous, so before Ginrei could extend an olive branch, Kyoya had already risen to a level where he no longer needed Ginrei's support.
He, Koga, was merely a substitute for Captain Kyoya.
Yet, even being considered a substitute for Kyoya filled Koga with a sense of honor.
How many people in this world don't even have the right to be considered a substitute for Kyoya?
And once he became the head of the Kuchiki Clan and the Captain of the 6th Division, who could say he wouldn't become the next Kyoya?
This had always been Koga's unshakable belief.
But the attitudes of Ginrei and Yamamoto had plunged Koga into confusion.
Now, standing before Kyoya, he felt as though he couldn't even lift his head.
And yet, at his most vulnerable, the one standing before him was none other than Captain Kyoya himself.
Following behind Kyoya, his mind in turmoil, Koga didn't notice that the path they were taking was growing increasingly secluded.
"We'll stop here."
When Kyoya finally halted, Koga glanced around and was startled to realize they had arrived at a desolate, empty area.
Expanding his Reikaku, he confirmed that there wasn't a single soul within three spiritual miles of their location.
'Why did Captain Kyoya bring me here?'
"Draw your sword, Kuchiki Koga."
Kyoya turned, his deep gaze fixed on Koga.
"…What?"
Koga was stunned.
Drawing a blade against a Captain was considered a 'grave offense' within the Gotei 13.
As someone raised under the strict etiquette of the Kuchiki Clan, how could Koga possibly commit such a breach of decorum??
The Kuchiki Clan stood at the pinnacle of the Four Great Noble Houses of the Seireitei.
The head of the clan is even hailed as the 'model of nobility'.
In other words, even under the most intense scrutiny, the head of the Kuchiki Clan had to be an utterly flawless individual.
"What's wrong? Even now, do you still believe you can become the head of the Kuchiki Clan and the Captain of the 6th Division?"
Seeing Koga still suppressing himself, Kyoya ruthlessly shattered his last shred of hope, "Kuchiki Koga, the Kuchiki Clan and Captain-Commander Yamamoto are the most rigid guardians of order in the Seireitei."
"But your Zanpakuto… is an ability that could incite fear in every Shinigami."
"A Shinigami's Zanpakuto ability, to some extent, reflects their very nature."
"Do you think, in the eyes of Captain Kuchiki and the Captain-Commander, someone whose Zanpakuto manifests such a power would be seen as a protector of the Seireitei… or a threat to its established order?"
"Shut up!!!"
Koga suddenly roared.
The moment the words left his mouth, he froze in horror, after all, he had just shouted at a Captain.
Without a doubt, this would be the greatest stain on his record as the Kuchiki Clan's heir.
For a moment, his face turned deathly pale.
But at the same time, that outburst seemed to have broken something inside him. As if he had nothing left to lose, he continued to vent his grievances.
"Why?!"
"Thirty years! From the moment I entered the Kuchiki Clan's estate, to achieving Bankai… I've worked tirelessly for thirty years!"
"Etiquette, demeanor, diplomacy, training, division's duties, earning the respect of my peers… step by step, I've climbed to where I am now!"
"How dare they dismiss all of that just because of my Zanpakuto's ability?!"
"If they never intended for me to lead the Kuchiki Clan or command the 6th Division, then they should have told me from the start!"
"Letting me marry into the family, granting me the Kuchiki name, sending Byakuya to the 11th Division… weren't all of those signs that I was the one destined to inherit the family and lead the 6th Division?!"
"What gives them the right?!"
"Just because one of them is the head of the Kuchiki Clan, and the other is the Captain-Commander of Gotei 13?!"
It was clear that Koga had suffered no small amount of frustration under Ginrei and Yamamoto's treatment.
Now, with his defenses shattered, he unleashed his resentment without restraint.
"Indeed, simply because they are the head of the Kuchiki Clan and the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, even the slightest doubt they harbor about you means you can never become the head of the Kuchiki Clan or the Captain of the 6th Division."
Facing Koga's outburst, Kyoya calmly responded.
"Then, Kuchiki Koga, what choice will you make in such a situation?"
"Will you submit to them, accept their deliberate or unintentional tests, slowly earn their trust, and step by step approach the position of the Kuchiki Clan's head and the Captain of the 6th Division..."
"Or will you raise your Zanpakuto and declare your stance to them, reclaiming everything you've lost?"
Kyoya's words made Koga's face flush red and pale in turns.
He had to admit that, between the two options presented by Kyoya, Koga was inclined toward the first one.
He believed that as long as he demonstrated his compassion for fellow Shinigami and his dedication to protecting the Seireitei, one day, his father-in-law and the Captain-Commander would realize that he was not someone who would bring chaos to the Seireitei, but rather someone who would uphold its order.
It was clear that Ginrei had raised Koga well.
Before feeling betrayed, Koga would not abuse his power to act recklessly in the Seireitei.
However, this mindset did not align with Kyoya's expectations.
"It seems you still hold some hope for Captain Kuchiki and Captain-Commander Yamamoto."
"But, Kuchiki Koga, have you ever considered this… in the hearts of Captain Kuchiki and Captain-Commander Yamamoto, which is more important: you, or the stability of the Seireitei?"
"If one day, your actions make them believe you could incite unrest in the Seireitei, do you think they would spare you?"
Koga gritted his teeth.
This required no thought.
Even he, with his current desire to protect the Seireitei, would eliminate any destabilizing factors for its sake.
Unfortunately, for a long time to come, in the eyes of Ginrei and Yamamoto, he, Kuchiki Koga, would remain the most unstable element in the Seireitei.
"I once heard a saying-"
"'When someone suspects you have the power to destroy the Seireitei, you'd best actually possess it.'"
"Moreover, you must make it known that if a certain line is crossed, you will not hesitate to use that power."
"Otherwise, those who fear you wielding that power will test your limits step by step, search for your weaknesses, and ultimately erase you before you ever get the chance to use it."
"Captain Kyoya, does that mean you're here to erase me?"
Koga placed his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakuto, staring intently at Kyoya.
"No..."
Kyoya shook his head: "On the contrary, I am here to save you."
"Your ability is quite fascinating."
"If used well, it could even assist Shinigami who lack the potential for Bankai in their training to achieve it."
The training for a Shinigami's Zanpakuto Bankai consists of two main steps.
First, one must possess the Reiatsu capable of materializing their Zanpakuto's Spirit.
Second, one must have the strength to subdue their materialized Zanpakuto's Spirit!
For those Shinigami lacking sufficient Reiatsu, Koga's Bankai has an effect similar to the Tenshintai invented by Kisuke.
Of course, unlike outliers like Kisuke and Ichigo, most Shinigami, even if their Zanpakuto's Spirit is materialized by Muramasa and they defeat it, would still fail to complete Bankai training due to insufficient Reiatsu.
But this could still be considered a 'mock exam' for Bankai.
Once these Shinigami's Reiryoku reaches the 3rd-class and they can truly materialize their Zanpakuto's Spirit, their chances of subduing it would be much higher.
Koga was stunned.
Admittedly, Captain Kyoya's explanation of his Zanpakuto's ability filled Koga with gratitude.
If his father-in-law and Captain-Commander viewed his Zanpakuto's ability as a 'source of chaos' for the Seireitei, then Captain Kyoya's interpretation framed it as an excellent training aid for Shinigami striving for Bankai.
These two perspectives would lead to two vastly different standings for Koga in the Seireitei.
The former would make him a monitored and controlled potential threat.
The latter would elevate him to a celebrated figure sought after by countless Shinigami!