Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

Szzzz—— 

The white airwaves filled the sky, resembling the aftermath of an explosion as they surged madly in all directions. 

Wherever they reached, the temperature plummeted sharply! 

The sky over Karakura Town felt as if it had plunged into the depths of winter. Snowflakes began to drift, scattering through the cold air. 

"This... This is..." 

A teacher stretched out a trembling finger, pointing at Rukia, who stood in the midst of the icy mist. 

Though his body was now encased in frost, his movements growing stiff, the fervor in his eyes was undimmed. 

"It's... Bankai!!!" 

Another teacher finished his sentence, his pupils quivering with disbelief as he stared at the white-robed Shinigami standing in the sky before them. 

"Teacher." 

After achieving Bankai, Rukia's demeanor and voice exuded a cold detachment, as if she were the embodiment of an iceberg. 

Clad in a pure white, imposing robe, her hair now as pale as snow, she emanated an aura of overwhelming power. 

Holding her snow-white ice blade at her side, Rukia's voice carried a chilling finality: 

"Leave the rest of the battle to me." 

"Y-Yes... Of course..." 

In the presence of Rukia in her Bankai form, the three teachers no longer carried the air of authority. They retreated like soldiers who had accepted their defeat. 

In Soul Society, strength was status. At this moment, in the teachers' eyes, Rukia had earned the right to command them. 

Of the three teachers, two moved to shield the scattered students, while the third rushed to rescue another teacher who had fallen. 

In an instant, the battlefield was cleared, leaving only Rukia and two Menos Grande suspended in the sky. 

Momentarily stunned by the oppressive force of Rukia's spiritual pressure, the two Menos hesitated, uncertain of how to proceed. 

Across the sky, Aizen—locked in battle with several other Menos—suddenly paused, casting a sharp, surprised glance toward Rukia. 

"That Rukia... She actually achieved Bankai at this moment!?" 

Aizen, the master manipulator, found himself genuinely shocked. 

To him, a newly awakened Bankai was of little consequence. Yet, Rukia's method of achieving it piqued his curiosity. 

Generally, there were only two ways for a Shinigami to unlock their Bankai: 

The first was through relentless training, gradually increasing one's spiritual pressure until the Zanpakutō fully submitted. This was the standard path followed by most Shinigami. 

The second, rarer path was reserved for prodigies like Toshiro Hitsugaya, born with immense spiritual pressure. Such individuals could control their latent power early, enabling them to achieve Bankai in an extraordinarily short time. 

Aizen, however, was certain Rukia's spiritual pressure was far from the level required for the latter scenario. 

As for the first path... he dismissed the possibility entirely. 

A veil of mystery seemed to shroud Rukia, compelling Aizen to uncover its secrets. 

"Fascinating." 

From a vantage point unseen by others, a sly smile tugged at the corners of Aizen's lips, his mind alight with contemplation. 

It had been some time since something intrigued him so deeply. 

His original plan was simply to sow chaos and harvest a few students' souls as experimental material. 

Rukia had been an incidental target, part of the broader scheme. 

But he hadn't anticipated this turn of events. 

Her sudden display of Bankai disrupted his plans, rendering direct action against her unfeasible in the short term. 

No doubt, Urahara Kisuke would already have taken notice of his actions. The traps Aizen left at the gate would soon be dismantled. 

When Rukia returned to Seireitei, her display of Bankai would undoubtedly thrust her into the spotlight. Any reckless move against her could incite widespread panic. 

Despite his disrupted plans, Aizen felt no frustration. 

His gaze lingered on Rukia, radiating a bone-chilling aura in the distant sky. 

A thought surfaced, bringing a sinister glint to his eyes. 

"I wonder... what form this little girl will take after she becomes a hollow." 

  ...

  ...

Meanwhile, in Seireitei. 

Division 12 Headquarters – Research Room. 

The previously bustling and chaotic research room was now eerily silent. 

One by one, the researchers had stopped their work, many choking back sobs. 

Even the captains present were left speechless, their eyes fixed on the live broadcast of the battlefield. 

A heavy silence hung in the air until, finally… 

Shunsui Kyōraku, ever the relaxed observer, exhaled sharply. Breaking the silence, he glanced at the diminutive Toshiro beside him and exclaimed: 

"Another ice-type Zanpakutō?!" 

"Are you elemental types all born geniuses or what?" 

On the screen before them was Rukia, wielding her ice-based Zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki. 

Shunsui's thoughts wandered as he mentally compared it to Toshiro's Hyōrinmaru and his teacher, Yamamoto's fire-based Ryūjin Jakka. 

Each elemental Zanpakutō seemed more extraordinary and terrifying than the last. 

"Even that Aizen guy," Shunsui mused, "has been a Shinigami for thousands of years, wielding a water-type Zanpakutō, and hasn't even awakened his Bankai yet." 

"Though, to be fair, for someone to reach captain rank without Bankai is a feat worth applauding." 

Unbeknownst to Shunsui, his idle musings had come dangerously close to uncovering one of the biggest secrets in Seireitei. 

On the other side, Toshiro, the target of Shunsui's jest, remained stoic. 

His gaze stayed locked on the screen, his eyes glimmering with intensity as his thoughts raced. 

Unexpected... 

Unbelievable… 

Just a few years after he'd cemented his title as a prodigy, another Shinigami had awakened their Zanpakutō before even graduating. 

A surge of excitement stirred within him, breaking through his typically icy demeanor. 

For a moment, he considered the possibilities: 

If a new genius like Rukia entered Seireitei, he might finally find someone to share his lonely position at the pinnacle of talent. 

"And…" 

"If I can bring her to the 10th Division, maybe I could finally replace that woman Rangiku. She's so annoying!" 

"Always slacking off and lazing around! A responsible and focused subordinate like Rukia would be such a breath of fresh air!" 

Imagining the scenario, Toshiro's usually reserved mind raced with ambition. 

"Rukia as Vice Captain, Rangiku demoted to the third seat... The 10th Division would become the genius division of Seireitei!" 

Despite his typically calm exterior, Toshiro's thoughts were far from subdued. 

As he watched Rukia's display of power, even the millennial prodigy couldn't help but feel admiration. 

After all, though he'd achieved strength comparable to a Shinigami with Bankai early on, it had taken him considerable time to fully awaken it.

For many, mastering a Zanpakutō was a monumental challenge. 

And for someone like Toshiro, whose personality mirrored his icy Zanpakutō, the process had been even more arduous. The more stubborn the wielder, the more resistant the Zanpakutō. 

Yet here was Rukia—a newborn who had been cultivating her spiritual pressure for only three months. 

Though she had already built a reputation in Seireitei for her exceptional swordsmanship, no one had expected her to achieve this milestone so quickly. 

Without warning or fanfare, she had ascended in a single moment, joining the ranks of the elite few in Seireitei capable of wielding Bankai. 

Perhaps… 

She's a greater genius than I am, Toshiro thought, his resolve hardening. 

Around him, the other captains were equally stunned. 

Even Mayuri Kurotsuchi had ceased his work, unable to divert his attention from the screen. 

Work? What work? 

There was no point in laboring over trivialities now. 

Even Aizen—without a Bankai—could handle one Adjuchas and three Gillians. 

But a Shinigami with Bankai? Such a battle had no suspense. 

The captains had unconsciously gathered in the research room, leaving Mayuri seething internally. 

Why is everyone crowding into my lab? 

Don't you all have your own divisions?! 

Do you want me to lose face just because I haven't figured out the anomaly at the boundary gate yet?! 

Mayuri fumed silently, his irritation growing as the others remained fixated on Rukia. 

At that moment, among the assembled captains, the one with the most stoic expression was undoubtedly the captain of Division 6—Byakuya Kuchiki. 

Initially, upon hearing from his squad members that Rukia might be in danger, Byakuya had hurried to the 12th Division, which handled the teleportation operations. 

What he witnessed, however, was far from what he expected. 

An extraordinary sight unfolded before him, leaving him with a singular, incredulous thought: 

'Hisana, your sister is this powerful... does your family even know?!' 

——

High above Karakura Town. 

After releasing her Bankai, Rukia regarded the two Gillians before her with an expression devoid of emotion. 

"Absolute Zero."

The whispered words escaped her lips, almost inaudible. 

With a graceful motion, she raised her Zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki, into the air. 

Suddenly— 

A vast, disc-shaped light appeared beneath her feet, radiating an intense white glow. 

In the blink of an eye, the light expanded, spanning the heavens and earth, with Rukia as its epicenter. Waves of dazzling energy surged outward, like massive tides crashing against the two Gillians. 

It began and ended in an instant. 

A crystalline sheen enveloped the Gillians' forms. Before they could react, their bodies froze solid, transforming into intricate, towering ice sculptures. 

'"Let this be the end,"' Rukia declared coldly. 

With a flash, she appeared behind the frozen giants. 

The ice sculptures shattered explosively, fragments scattering into the void. In their wake, the Gillians' spiritual forms dissolved into countless particles, vanishing into the air. 

The two Gillians, who had left four instructors from the Spiritual Arts Academy utterly helpless, were defeated by Rukia in mere moments.

Rukia's gaze turned skyward. 

She didn't linger to admire her work. Her attention shifted to the battle above, where four more Hollow stood—opponents Aizen was struggling against.

In an instant, she launched herself upward. The sound of air bursting accompanied her as she arrived beside Aizen. 

Upon seeing her approach, the Adjuchas abruptly stopped, retreating to maintain distance. Its mocking demeanor vanished, replaced by alarm. 

'"Curse you, Shinigami! I didn't know you possessed such power!"' 

The Adjuchas, dragged into the human world under Aizen's manipulation, had no idea why it had been sent here today. It didn't even realize that the one it had been fighting for the past hour was its master—the mastermind behind everything. 

"Rukia!" 

Aizen's voice cut through the air as Rukia appeared. Feigning relief, he let out a dramatic sigh, his posture relaxing. 

His expression shifted to one of astonished admiration as he addressed her: 

"I never imagined you could awaken a Bankai, something I've only dreamed of."

"Truly, each generation surpasses the last." 

Aizen's bitter smile was flawlessly crafted. He seemed the picture of a captain marveling at the emergence of a prodigy, masking his true intent with deceptive ease.

"Captain Aizen, your words are unnecessary flattery,"' Rukia replied, her tone distant and aristocratic—a reflection of the chilling influence of her Zanpakutō. 

Her voice carried an air of authority, almost regal, as she raised her Zanpakutō again. With cold precision, she turned to Aizen, offering him a curt warning: 

"My next move may impact the surrounding environment. Please retreat to a safe distance." 

It was an unprecedented sight—a fledgling Shinigami addressing a division captain with such authority. Such boldness was unheard of in Seireitei's long history. 

Surprisingly, Aizen complied without hesitation. 

"Understood, Rukia. But be cautious—this Adjuchas is formidable."

With those words, Aizen deactivated his Zanpakutō and used Shunpo to retreat to the edge of the battlefield. 

"Thank you for your concern," Rukia acknowledged with a slight nod. 

Her icy gaze refocused on her opponent, the Adjuchas. Her grip tightened on Sode no Shirayuki as the cold air around her intensified.

Swish!

A ray of light, as radiant as moonlight, suddenly appeared along the path Rukia traversed. 

The light expanded abruptly, resembling the arrival of a luminous full moon. 

Crack... crack... 

Without warning, any Hollow caught in the light's glow was instantly encased in a layer of ice shimmering with a colorful halo. 

Just like the two Gillians before them, several Hollows—including the Adjuchas—were frozen solid by Rukia's frigid aura before they could react. 

Rukia calmly sheathed her blade, her gaze fixed on the immobilized figures of the frozen Hollows. 

Just as she was about to speak— 

A sudden surge of water lashed through the air like a whip, slicing through the ice. In an instant, the frozen Hollows shattered into countless fragments, scattering into the void. 

"Rukia, you did an excellent job!" 

Aizen's voice rang out, filled with warmth and approval. He stepped forward, his expression gentle and tinged with relief. 

"Now no one can threaten those children," he continued. "They're safe!" 

His words carried a sense of genuine gratitude, his demeanor exuding the gentle, reassuring presence he was known for. 

Rukia, who had originally intended to capture some of the Hollows and bring them back to the Seireitei for interrogation, froze in place upon hearing Aizen's words. 

For a brief moment, her expression faltered. After a pause, she gave a small, inexplicable nod—seemingly an acknowledgment of Aizen's statement. 

However, she did not release her Bankai. 

At that moment... 

Aizen remained unaware of one crucial detail. 

Rukia's body, capable of reaching temperatures below absolute zero, had also frozen the reiatsu seeds of his illusions implanted within her during their first encounter. 

As a result, the gentle, spring-like charm he projected—designed to make others feel at ease and draw them closer—failed to have any effect on her. 

Rukia's icy resolve remained unshaken, her demeanor impenetrable as she stood before him.