"The Seireitei isn't a place where you can just recklessly charge through with brute force like you imagine. Just the two of you brats, no matter how strong you are, won't be able to handle those Captains."
"Our goal is to save someone, understand?"
"The more people we have, the more dispersed the targets become, the easier it is to create chaos and attract the attention of the Gotei 13. Only then will you have a chance to reach Rukia."
Yoruichi paused, her tail gently brushing past Sasuke's cheek, her tone becoming somewhat meaningful.
"As for that orange-haired girl…"
Yoruichi's tone became meaningful, "She seems to have a very special ability that hasn't awakened yet. Perhaps at a critical moment, she will become an unexpected help for us."
Sasuke fell silent.
He still looked down on the strength of those humans, but Yoruichi's explanation was one he could accept.
Chaos, feints, diverting attention...
They were all the most basic tactical concepts.
"Hmph."
Sasuke turned his face away, letting out a cold snort, which essentially meant he accepted her reasoning.
"Do as you please, but if they hold us back..."
Sasuke's steps paused slightly, "I won't waste effort worrying about whether they live or die."
In the following time, they went to find Inoue Orihime and Sado Yasutora.
To Sasuke's surprise, these two humans, who in his view had nothing to do with this matter, agreed immediately without any hesitation upon hearing they were going to the Soul Society to save Rukia.
It was just Uryu who had a stress reaction upon seeing Sasuke, muttering something about 'Quincy not helping Shinigami'.
But that was fine anyway, as Sasuke didn't like him much either.
…
Urahara Shop, massive underground training ground.
"Alright, since everyone is here."
Yoruichi leaped down from Sasuke's shoulder, returning to her languid posture, "Then, before setting off, you all still need a little special training."
She looked at Inoue Orihime and Sado Yasutora, giving a sly smile, "You two, come with me. I'll help wake up those dormant powers inside you."
After saying that, she turned her gaze to Sasuke.
"As for you, you should know the prerequisite for mastering Bankai, right?"
"To 'materialize' the Zanpakuto in the external world, and subdue it in battle, gaining its recognition." Sasuke's reply was crisp and clear… this was common knowledge for all Shinigami.
"Correct."
Yoruichi nodded, "You probably still can't achieve materialization, can you?"
Sasuke's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, this question touched upon the bottleneck he had always faced.
He had tried countless times. But no matter how deeply he practiced Zanpakuto Meditation, no matter how he communicated with his Zanpakuto, the true form of Takemikazuchi always remained within his Inner World, unable to be summoned into reality.
Yoruichi didn't seem surprised by this at all. She flicked her tail.
"Then go have a good talk with your sword first. Tell it you need more power."
She looked into Sasuke's eyes, a glint of sharp light flashing in her golden cat-like pupils.
"After you finish communicating with it, I'll tell you the method that can force it to 'materialize'."
Hearing this, Sasuke's heart jumped. He didn't hesitate any longer.
He walked to a huge rock at the very edge of the training ground, sat down cross-legged, placed Takemikazuchi across his knees, and slowly closed his eyes.
Zanpakuto Meditation.
His consciousness once again sank into that familiar lightning wasteland.
The sky was overcast, purple-black lightning snakes churned and darted through the cloud layers, intermittently illuminating the entire desolate land.
The air was filled with a heart-palpitating aura of lightning.
Sasuke's figure slowly took form on this wasteland.
He raised his head, looking towards the center of those thunderclouds.
Previously, what hovered there was the true form of his Zanpakuto.
But this time, he sensed something different.
An unprecedented consciousness was emanating from the depths of those thunderclouds, carrying an innate arrogance.
Sasuke didn't speak, standing quietly in place, waiting.
He knew it would appear.
Boom…!!!
A thick, pitch-black thunderbolt, like a divine spear, slammed down fiercely from the center of the cloud layer, crashing heavily onto the wasteland before Sasuke.
The earth shook violently, dust and electric light soaring into the sky.
As the dust settled, a tall figure stood silently on the charred earth.
It was a man clad in ancient hunting attire, his posture as straight and proud as a pine tree, faint black arcs of electricity crackling around him.
His features were handsome yet severe, with narrow, elongated eyes whose pupils were a pure, pitch-black. Most striking was the ancient-looking Totsuka Sword slung across his back.
Merely standing there, he seemed like the lightning-wasted plain itself… the embodiment of thunder.
"You're here."
A low, cold voice, devoid of any emotion, rang out.
Sasuke's gaze was equally cold as he looked at the imposing man before him, speaking calmly.
"I need greater power."
"Power?"
Takemikazuchi slowly raised his eyes, his pure black orbs reflecting Sasuke's slender form.
"Your current strength is sufficient to cut down most of your enemies."
"Why seek more?"
"Because it's not enough."
Sasuke's reply was curt and decisive, "I need Captain-level power. Right now, it's far from enough."
"Captain…"
Takemikazuchi mulled over the word, the corner of his mouth lifting in a barely perceptible arc.
"Do you mean that man cloaked in white haori, the one who can turn his blade into a billion cherry blossoms?"
Sasuke's pupils constricted slightly.
'My Zanpakuto's spirit could perceive battles in the outside world?'
"Every swing of your blade, every battle, is witnessed under my gaze." Takemikazuchi said, as if seeing through his thoughts.
"Then you should understand."
Sasuke took a step forward, staring directly into those pure black eyes, "I need Bankai. I need power enough to oppose them."
Takemikazuchi fell silent.
He did not answer immediately, instead slowly raising his hand to grasp the hilt of the Totsuka Sword on his back.
Shiing…
A clear, resonant sound of a blade being drawn echoed throughout the lightning wasteland.
As the blade left its scabbard, it erupted with a blinding black lightning, dyeing the entire sky ink-black.
"Bankai is the complete synchronization of the sword and its master's soul. It is absolute trust and recognition."
Takemikazuchi held the sword wreathed in black lightning, its tip pointing obliquely at the ground. A sharp, fighting spirit ignited within his pure black eyes.
"You crave my entirety. But before that, you must first prove one thing to me."
"Prove what?"
"Prove your 'capacity'."
Takemikazuchi's voice became solemn and murderous, "Prove that this weak vessel of yours is worthy of bearing my world-destroying thunder."
He slowly raised his sword, pointing it toward Sasuke from a distance.
"Swing your sword at me. Use your strongest form... to amuse me."
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