It should be noted that in the Demon Slayer World, "Shinigami" and "Humans" are completely different "species,"
It's not that when a human dies, they become a Shinigami.
In fact, if someone dies in the Current World, they can only become the lowest type of wandering soul in the outer areas of the Soul Court in Rukongai, and even... are deemed unworthy of Aizen's hollow experiments...
Moreover, Shinigami are born spiritual, with long lives and powerful Spiritual Pressure... As with Tōshirō Hitsugaya, who is regarded as a "child" by Shinigami standards, not to mention...
Roy,
A bone age of less than fourteen,
In the Shinigami world, he would easily be classified as part of the "infant group," without any doubt...
"Sssss~" The flames burn, high temperatures crushing down with high pressure, forming a strong wind that tightens the skin...
Immersed in the visualization of the "sun," unaware of the passing years... Roy transforms from an atom, undergoes fusion with other atoms, and then an explosion occurs, losing himself... He repeats this drastic process over and over for a long time until, finally,
At some moment, having fully mastered the instant of fusion, he regains himself, feeling his limbs, heartbeat, breathing... As Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni's astonished gaze falls on him, he slowly opens his eyes...
"Any more?" the old man asks.
"No more," the young man replies bitterly,
He can clearly feel his entire body drained, emptied of Nen, and even maintaining the Gate of Cognition is difficult. He simply throws the Eclipse into the Sumeru Mustard Seed, sprawls flat on the ground,
"Woo~" Above him, a fiery tornado carries a mushroom cloud higher, getting thinner...
Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni's figure trembles slightly, as Roy's Nen is drained, he clearly finds it hard to maintain the Gate of Cognition, which gradually begins to fade...
The old man senses something, knowing it's time to return,
He looks down deeply at the young man lying by his feet, who starts to flop around like a salted fish, restoring Nen, and says a single word to Roy: "Among the young people I know,"
"I, Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, am willing to call you the most talented..."
"Is this recognition?" Roy says, "Pity I couldn't even touch a corner of your clothing, old man."
"You can't touch it now," Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni gently taps upon the ground with Ryūjin Jakka, which reverts to a mundane cane, then says with reverent pride, "Can I hope for you in the future?"
Roy grins, revealing white teeth: "If you're not afraid of being cut down, feel free to hope."
Hoo-hoo-hoo… Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni's eyes suddenly reveal divine light, and a rare smile appears on his stern and sharp face... This smile is faint and fleeting... If his long-time companion, Jūshirō Ukitake saw it, he might be so shocked he drops his watering can, suspect something has taken over the Captain-Commander!
After all, having been with Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni for nearly two thousand years, he's never seen him smile at anyone, truly... a rare occurrence!
"Young man, you're quite arrogant..." The figure visibly fades further as the old man strikes the ground with Ryūjin Jakka, and says softly: "I am waiting for you!"
Without waiting for the Gate of Cognition to urge him away,
Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni voluntarily exits through a gap, as Roy's heart and mind move, he enters swiftly through the Shinigami's Gate, which is filled with Nen Light, obscuring human consciousness...
A familiar sense of falling comes,
Consciousness follows as it begins to descend,
When the old man slowly opens his eyes, he... has left the Demon Slayer World and returned to the Shinigami World.
In front of him lies the familiar little garden, and beneath the porch are two plump chrysanthemums and raccoons chasing each other around, playfully fighting. With another glance, he looks to his side, where Jūshirō Ukitake stands in a fine suit, Western Sword on his waist, platinum vertical pupils, having returned with him, urgently waiting... for him to give an answer...
Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni carefully reflects on the Demon Slayer World he witnessed and was intertwined with Roy, silently for a while, and then gives his own thoughts: "Jūshirō, perhaps we are trapped by our own foolish stagnation,"
The old man sits cross-legged on the wooden corridor, Ryūjin Jakka, now a simple cane, rests on his knee. As Jūshirō Ukitake's bewildered gaze watches him, he lifts his head to the sky where the sun freely radiates light and heat, and then speaks: "Like a frog trapped at the bottom of a well, believing the sky is only as big as the well's mouth, unaware,"
"The world is far larger than... just the dimensions of Three Worlds and One Prison."
[Three Worlds and One Prison]: The world order created by the first Spirit King, maintained by the Spirit King's body,
Divided simply into: the Current World inhabited by humans,
The Soul Society guarded by Shinigami,
The Hollow Realm wandered by corrupted souls, known as Hollows,
And... the final destination for souls... signifying "the end"... Hell!
"Sss...sss..."
"Meow~" In the courtyard, in their playful antics, the plump chrysanthemum and colorful raccoon accidentally knock over a watering can placed on the wooden rack, causing a light spray to wet a patch of grass...
Silence envelops the small courtyard at this moment,
Jūshirō Ukitake stares blankly at Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, seeming shocked, or perhaps his mind is rapidly processing this information, deeply contemplating the implications, furrowing his brow, "Gulp~" swallowing a mouthful of saliva: "So, what did you see?"
"The sun and the young man."
"?"
"Not within the Three Worlds, but tilting towards the solar path... human young man..."
Not within the Three Worlds... human... Jūshirō Ukitake recalls that Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni could enter while he could not, and he couldn't even see the mysterious "void gate," all of which seem to testify to Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni's words.
This vice-captain of Squad One, owner of the "Thunder" type Soul Cutting Blade, Severe Spirit Pill, during the Thousand-Year Blood War, after losing his Bankai, was severely injured by Sternritter member Driscoll Berci, the existence that successfully unleashed Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni's anger,
Having followed Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni for nearly two thousand years, he's never doubted his words before, visibly silent for a while before coming back to his senses, his expression heavy: "If it's real, I hope it's fake. If it's fake, I hope it's real."
Jūshirō Ukitake solemnly looks at Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni and says: "Genryuusai, you know, the Soul Society cannot fall into chaos, but to let... the Palace of the Spirit King know,,"
Jūshirō Ukitake pauses, then speaks heavily: "Under the collapse of Faith, order will cease to exist!"
It should be known that the existence of Three Worlds and One Prison, maintaining a relative balance, relies heavily on the power of the "Spirit King",
The Royal Guards of the Spirit King Palace are tasked with guarding the "Spirit King's body", thereby protecting the Three Worlds and One Prison as their mission, pride, and faith...
So if they learn that the so-called Three Worlds and One Prison are just the "well" Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni spoke of, Jūshirō Ukitake can almost imagine, that when the faith and pride of the Royal Guards collapse, losing their minds, they might do something insane!
Foremost, confronting his captain, his old friend, is something easy to foresee!
Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, draped in a white haori, with a black shihakusho underneath, his white beard meticulously braided into a plait, sits cross-legged on the wooden corridor, the braid forming a circle resting on the floor. Hearing Ukitake, he remains silent...
He understands the implications and "reminders" in Ukitake's words, and the "concern"... even without Ukitake reminding him, he's already deeply contemplated this issue, hence it's common for captains or vice-captains to see him lost in thought during meetings,
Thus,
"What must come won't be avoided,"
"What must go can't be retained,"
The old man leans against Squad One's barracks, beneath which suppresses Infernal Hell, squinting at the sun's unrestrained radiance, vaguely seeing Roy's fiery long red hair waving in youth, his weathered lips in Ukitake's shocked gaze slowly curl upwards, drawing a shallow arc: "Should there be a problem,"
"I will simply cut it down."
Ukitake: "......"