Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

The clash of ferocious flames and icy winds churned up a dense, terrifying mist, blanketing the entire barrier. 

For a time, everyone in Seireitei could only see the flickering firelight beyond the mist-covered barrier, unable to discern what was happening within.

Meanwhile... 

Within the boundary, Rukia summoned the power of the waveguide, conjuring a protective shield in front of herself to withstand the searing flames. 

Her expression had grown complicated. 

She never imagined... 

That such an overwhelmingly powerful existence would appear in this world. 

If not for the barrier's protection, Rukia was certain that the catastrophic wave of flames would have been enough to reduce all of Seireitei to ashes. 

"This is the captain's power? Truly, it's not to be underestimated," she murmured softly. 

Yet this realization only deepened her anger. 

Someone wielding such terrifying strength was being manipulated by Aizen, reduced to a mere pawn for his ambitions! 

Stubborn, arrogant, and blind to the bigger picture! 

How could someone like that lead the Gotei 13 effectively? 

No wonder Soul Society's history was riddled with chaos and failures. 

Now, the root of the problem was clear. 

It was unacceptable for Soul Society to remain under such flawed leadership! 

Though the thought might seem presumptuous... 

Rukia now had the right to say it.

"Kyuubi! Don't engage him head-on—his flames are too powerful!" 

Rukia's eyes flickered with determination as she noticed Kyuubi struggling to break through. Raising her shield, she stepped forward to join her companion. 

Thanks to their evolved bond, Rukia now possessed both ice and fairy energy within her, drastically boosting her combat ability. She had nearly reached the peak of level 80, hovering around level 89. 

Yet the gap between levels 89 and 90 was as vast as the difference between two worlds. 

To avoid hindering Kyuubi, Rukia had refrained from interfering in the battle. 

But now, it was clear that if she didn't act, Kyuubi would not be able to defeat the formidable Captain Yamamoto. 

"The crest of turbulence is revealed; the reckless arrogance of talent! 

Surge, denial, paralysis, and moment—impeding eternal rest! 

The creeping Iron Princess, the clay doll that mutilates itself endlessly! 

Combine, rebound, extend to the ground—know your own powerlessness! 

Hadō #90: Black Coffin!" 

BOOM! 

With a commanding gesture, Rukia summoned a massive black cuboid of energy beneath Yamamoto, imprisoning him like a colossal coffin. 

In the next instant, countless black spears materialized within the coffin and pierced toward the captain with unrelenting fury. 

"Now, Kyuubi! Use 'Seal'!" 

Rukia wasn't naive enough to think her Kidō could permanently contain a captain as powerful as Yamamoto.

Her sole goal was to buy Kyuubi enough time to act. 

"'Chirp!'" 

Kyuubi let out a resonant roar. 

Miraculous energy gathered at its forehead, condensing into a brilliant beam of light that shot directly at the center of the black coffin. 

For a brief moment, cracks began to spider across the coffin's surface. 

Violent flames erupted from within the fissures, prying them wider and wider. 

The black coffin—a pinnacle of Kidō meant to deprive its target of all power and senses, leaving them isolated in eternal darkness—was visibly straining under the might of Yamamoto.

And, against a force like his, Rukia's Black Coffin was still far too immature. 

"Kid, your Kidō... isn't nearly strong enough!" 

A deep voice reverberated through the air. 

In mere moments, the massive black coffin shattered into countless spiritual fragments that dissolved into the void. 

From within, Yamamoto emerged, his muscles bulging fiercely, his already imposing form towering even higher. 

Yet as he raised his flaming blade to counterattack... 

A strange energy suddenly enveloped his body. 

"What...!?" 

Yamamoto's expression shifted in shock. 

Before he could react, an overwhelming suppressive force took hold of him. 

His bulging muscles returned to normal, and all the flames within the barrier vanished instantaneously. 

Even his Zanpakutō, previously unleashed in its Bankai form, reverted to a plain asauchi.

Move: Seal! 

A hallmark of Fairy-type Pokémon, 'Seal' possessed the unique ability to neutralize an enemy's actions and abilities. 

Although the seal wouldn't last long, in top-level battles, even the slightest advantage could decisively shift the tide. 

The only drawback to this move was its relatively low accuracy. 

However, with Rukia's strategic assistance and the fact that no one understood the true power of Pokémon, she successfully incapacitated Captain Yamamoto! 

"Yes! It worked!" 

Seeing her clever plan succeed, Rukia's eyes sparkled with excitement. 

She exchanged a glance with Kyuubi, then stretched out her left hand while gripping her left wrist with her right, making an aiming gesture. 

She began chanting with a solemn expression: 

"Hands that reach across the heavens, 

A Lord's grasp shrouded in shadows, 

Archers of the sky, reflected no more, 

Let the radiant path expand before us. 

Fan the flames of the wind, 

No longer lost in confusion. 

As we converge, obey my command… 

Light spheres, eight forms, nine streaks, 

Heaven's Well, Imperial Jewel, 

Great Wheel, Gray Turrets— 

Lead the bow to the horizon, dispersing brilliance!" 

"Hadō #91: Thousand-Hand Incandent Heaven Culling-Sear!" 

BOOM! 

A crimson energy cannon erupted from Rukia's hands, hurtling toward the sealed Yamamoto. 

Not to be outdone, Kyuubi also unleashed a devastating energy beam, an awe-inspiring attack known as the Hyper Beam in the Pokémon world. 

BOOM! 

Though slightly delayed, Kyuubi's Hyper Beam reached Yamamoto even faster than Rukia's Hadō cannon. 

Under the astonished and terrified gaze of countless Shinigami, the two overwhelming attacks struck Yamamoto in rapid succession. 

In an instant, the spiritual barrier, painstakingly maintained by several captain-class figures, shattered under the force of the combined attacks. 

A storm of ice and snow engulfed Seireitei once more. 

Countless Shinigami were blown backward by the shockwaves of the rampaging energy, including some vice captain figures. 

The sheer destructive force caused Seireitei itself to quake as if struck by an earthquake. 

At the very center of the impact zone—where Yamamoto had stood moments before—a massive crater now yawned, as if divine wrath had cleaved through the rock itself. 

"Could this kind of power... really come from someone who's only recently become a Shinigami?" 

Several squad captains stared at the catastrophic scene before them, their eyes filled with disbelief. 

On one hand, they were deeply concerned about Captain Yamamoto's fate. 

On the other hand, fear began to creep into their hearts as they contemplated Rukia's overwhelming strength. 

In just a single day, their understanding of the world had been shattered, like a mischievous child hammering a windowpane until it completely broke apart. 

WHOOSH! 

At that moment, a silver streak flashed above their heads. 

Rukia, riding atop Kyuubi, sped along a self-created spiritual path. 

Around her waist hung several tattered pouches, hastily assembled, yet filled with valuables scavenged from the ruins. 

Rukia had already realized something crucial… 

Yamamoto had been holding back his true strength, unwilling to unleash his full power for fear of inflicting greater damage on Seireitei, even the Soul Society.

Even with Kyuubi's extraordinary abilities, defeating someone like Yamamoto head-on seemed almost impossible. 

But then again, the two of them were not truly enemies. 

There was no reason for Rukia to fight him to the death. 

She still remembered... 

The one who had disrupted her life and forced her to abandon her path as a Shinigami prodigy was none other than Aizen! 

If she fought Yamamoto to the bitter end and destroyed Seireitei in the process, it would only bring sorrow to her loved ones and delight to her enemies. 

Her plan had always been to demonstrate her strength and teach the stubborn old man a lesson—nothing more. 

Then, she would escape from Seireitei with her dignity intact as a self-proclaimed genius. 

She couldn't wait to see the expression on Yamamoto's face when the full truth came to light one day! 

As for the things she had taken from the ruins... 

They were her tools for escape. 

Having attained VIP6 status in the Dimensional Trade Chamber, Rukia could now make a variety of requests in exchange for points. 

With enough points, even leaving this dimension entirely was an option. 

This knowledge had come to her through the inherited memories she gained after becoming a VIP6 member. 

If the Chamber could facilitate interdimensional travel, relocating her to safety would be a trivial task.

Rukia had already made up her mind. 

She would bide her time, accumulate the necessary points, and then—when the opportunity presented itself—return to confront Yamamoto. 

She wanted to see his reaction when she revealed everything. 

And until that day came, she would continue carving her own path, far from Seireitei's chaos. 

Relying on the agility of Kyuubi, Rukia swiftly ascended the high walls of Seireitei. 

Just as she prepared to create another spiritual path to make her escape, a familiar voice called out from behind her. 

"Rukia…" 

"..." 

Kyuubi, attuned to Rukia's thoughts, halted abruptly, hovering mid-air. 

Rukia hesitated for a moment before leaping down from Nine-Tails' back. She removed the Hollow bone mask from her face, and as it left her hand, the mask dissolved into a wisp of spiritual energy, vanishing into the air. 

"Nii-sama." 

Rukia bowed respectfully to Byakuya, just as her etiquette training had taught her. 

An imperceptible glimmer of relief crossed Byakuya's otherwise stoic expression. Without so much as a ripple of movement, he appeared before Rukia, closing the distance in an instant. 

"Rukia, where are you going?" 

Despite the commotion Rukia had caused that day, Byakuya's tone remained calm, as though this were any other ordinary conversation. 

"I don't know," Rukia admitted softly. She paused, then added resolutely, "But I can't stay in Soul Society any longer." 

"Soul Society may appear peaceful, but it's rife with hidden dangers… staying here brings me nothing but harm!" 

"Brother, everything I said before was the truth!" 

"Please, warn the clan to be cautious of Captain Aizen from the Fifth Division!" 

"Aizen…" 

A flicker of surprise crossed Byakuya's eyes, but he nodded slightly. 

Though he didn't fully understand the details, he knew that unexpected upheavals occurred in Seireitei every few decades. 

For someone like Byakuya—who excelled in history and culture and was still relatively young—this was a familiar pattern, nothing extraordinary. 

The only thing that caught him off guard was the fact that the central figure in today's chaos was none other than Rukia Kuchiki—his wife's sister and his adopted sibling. 

But... 

The fact that Rukia still addressed him as "brother" was enough for Byakuya to offer her his unconditional support. 

Slowly, Byakuya reached into his sleeve. After a moment, he withdrew a mysterious jade pendant and casually tossed it to Rukia. 

"Take this," Byakuya said in his usual calm tone. 

"Huh?" 

Rukia caught the jade pendant and examined it. Its intricate carvings exuded an aura of profound spiritual energy. 

What stood out most were the two large characters engraved on it: Kuchiki. 

Rukia's eyes lit up in realization. 

Her experience with dimensional transactions told her that with the spiritual power imbued in this jade pendant, she could easily exchange it for a significant number of points—at least 5,000, possibly more if the pendant had any special effects. 

But why would her brother give her something so valuable? 

"Is this…?" 

Confused, Rukia looked up at Byakuya. 

Byakuya, noticing her expression, nodded thoughtfully. 

"It seems I guessed correctly…" 

"You must be in desperate need of items with powerful spiritual energy. Otherwise, you wouldn't have risked scavenging the battlefield for random objects during such a critical moment." 

"And when I think about it… some of the family's allocated resources have inexplicably gone missing on occasion. I assume that was your doing." 

Rukia froze, her face turning red with embarrassment. 

She hadn't expected anyone to discover her misuse of family resources for dimensional trades, let alone confront her about it so directly. 

"Ah? Nii-sama, I…" 

Rukia began to stammer an explanation, but Byakuya raised a hand, silencing her. 

"There's no need to explain." 

"I only hope you understand this: Seireitei is not indestructible." 

"The Captain is not the absolute leader of Soul Society." 

"So, I hope you won't hold excessive resentment for certain decisions he makes." 

"..." 

Rukia pondered his words for a moment before nodding slowly. 

"I understand." 

"Good." 

Byakuya nodded in satisfaction, then turned and began walking back toward the center of Seireitei. 

But as he departed, his voice lingered in Rukia's ears: 

"This is all I can do for you." 

"The rest, you must decide for yourself." 

"But..." 

"The doors of the Kuchiki family will always remain open for you." 

——

[Note: For those who don't know, Seireitei is the capital city of Soul Society. It also means 'Court of Pure Souls'.]

——