Trader In The World Of Pirates!!!

"Brother, are you looking for me?" 

At the Kuchiki family residence, Rukia gently knocked on Byakuya's door and asked in a soft voice. 

"Hmm…" 

Byakuya let out a low sound, his gaze complicated as he regarded Rukia standing outside the door. After a moment, he gestured to the futon in front of him and said as evenly as possible: 

"Sit down." 

"Yes," Rukia replied, taking her seat with the grace and poise befitting a noble. 

For a while, neither of them spoke. Instead, they each quietly picked up the cups of hot tea set before them and sipped carefully. 

It wasn't until only half the tea remained in their cups that Byakuya finally broke the silence. 

"Do you have any plans for the future?" he asked, his voice steady and composed, as if it were an elder casually chatting with a younger family member. 

Rukia placed her teacup down and met Byakuya's eyes. She understood immediately—he was inquiring about which division she intended to join after graduation. 

Recalling how the captains had eyed her like a pack of hungry wolves when she first returned, a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. 

She quickly answered, "I'll leave everything to your arrangement, Brother!" 

It was obvious to her that whichever division she chose would inevitably provoke dissatisfaction among the other captains. In this case, it seemed wisest to simply entrust the decision to her elder brother. 

Byakuya nodded slightly, a faint trace of satisfaction flickering in his otherwise calm demeanor. 

Rukia's rise within the Kuchiki family had been meteoric. From being a promising talent to now standing as an unparalleled prodigy—awakening her Bankai merely three months after being accepted—her progress was nothing short of historic. In the thousands of years of Seireitei's history, such talent was unheard of. 

Initially, Byakuya and the other elders of the family had worried that Rukia might resent the rules and discipline imposed upon her. But now, seeing her deference and composure, it was clear—she had fully embraced her identity as a member of the Kuchiki family and bore the name [Kuchiki] with pride. 

'Good,' Byakuya thought, a rare sense of relief washing over him. 'Very good.' 

As he picked up his teacup again, he took a deliberate sip to mask the slight upward curl of his lips. 

At this point in time, Byakuya and Rukia had only just begun to forge their bond. They did not yet share the deep emotions that came with their future relationship in the original timeline, which explained Byakuya's earlier concerns. 

However, what Byakuya didn't realize was that even if he ordered Rukia to leave the Kuchiki family, she wouldn't be willing. 

'Leave the Kuchiki name? What a joke!' 

Rukia thought to herself. 'I don't even have my own surname. Why wouldn't I keep the one that feeds me?' 

Besides, everything she had achieved was due to the Kuchiki family's resources and support. Without their backing, how could she have come this far? She prided herself on repaying kindness, and the Kuchiki family's generosity was not something she would ever forget. 

What truly preoccupied Rukia's mind now was how much more the family would invest in her after she mastered her Bankai and cemented her reputation as a "genius." 

'They think I'm a genius,' she mused. 'But in truth, I'm not.' 

Rukia was fully aware of her limitations. Her rapid progress was largely due to her accidental acquisition of the heart of enlightenment and her Zanpakutō's compatibility with it. Without the dimensional trade, she wouldn't have achieved even half of what she had in this life. 

'Is Bankai powerful? Sure.' 

'But realistically…' 

Her strength wasn't even close to ranking among Seireitei's elites. The reason she was so highly regarded was because of her perceived "genius." 

'So,' she concluded, 'I must maintain this image and continue reaping the benefits of the Kuchiki family's support while I solidify my position. That's all there is to it.' 

After Rukia made her stance clear, the atmosphere between them lightened significantly. 

Byakuya, now reassured, began asking her other questions with genuine concern, fulfilling his role as both the family head and her elder brother. 

Finally, he dismissed her, allowing her to return to her quarters and rest. 

But… 

What Rukia didn't know was… 

Just half an hour after she left the family head's room, Byakuya immediately summoned all the elders for a three-hour meeting—centered entirely on her. 

The discussion? 

The follow-up support plan for Rukia. 

---

Night fell. 

In what seemed to be a crisis-laden, unpredictable situation, Rukia's unexpected outburst had completely turned things around, transforming a bad situation into a good one. 

Everyone knew that… 

In the near future, Seireitei would gain another formidable general. 

However… 

No one realized that the so-called prodigy they revered was, at this very moment, whispering under the moonlight to a rabbit-shaped doll. 

---

"Hermes, can the spiritual pressure in my body really be removed with points?" 

Sitting in a "loli-sitting" posture, Rukia—her face full of worry—looked at Hermes. The enigmatic merchant, adjusting his top hat (which was somehow weighed down by a piece of underwear), gave her an assuring smile. 

"Of course," he replied confidently. 

"When it comes to dimensional transactions, nothing is impossible." 

"That's wonderful!" Rukia exclaimed, her face lighting up. "Hermes, please help me get rid of this strange spiritual pressure in my body as soon as possible!" 

Since discovering the peculiar spiritual pressure inside her, Rukia had been plagued with unease. 

She remembered her kendo teacher once saying: 

'Zanpakutō abilities are countless and ever-changing.' 

In Seireitei's history, some Zanpakutō could even leave imprints on others' bodies, granting the wielder the ability to manipulate their targets when the time was right. 

Rukia had no idea who had left this mysterious spiritual pressure in her, but a suspicion had begun to form—Aizen. 

Her doubts only deepened after this morning's incident, where Aizen inexplicably wiped out all the Menos, leaving none alive. The thought unsettled her further. 

Much like her "aunt," Rukia couldn't quite grasp Aizen's plans. But the more she observed him, the stronger her unease grew. 

However… 

Rukia's hopes were dashed when Hermes shook his head slightly. 

"I'm sorry, Ms. Rukia, but I can't do that." 

"What?! Why not?" Rukia exclaimed, her eyes wide with disappointment. 

Hermes smiled faintly and explained: 

"Only traders with a VIP level of 6 or higher can use points to customize their transactions." 

"Your current VIP level is only 2. Unfortunately, that's far from meeting the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce's requirements." 

Rukia's disappointment was palpable. 

"But," Hermes added with a sly grin, "out of personal goodwill, I can tell you the purpose of that spiritual pressure, if you'd like." 

"Really?! Please, tell me!" 

Desperate to rid herself of the enigmatic force within her, Rukia leaned forward eagerly. 

Hermes adjusted his top hat and said: 

"The spiritual pressure in your body serves as the activation key for a large-scale illusion." 

"Once the person who planted it decides to activate the illusion, your five senses will fall completely under their control. You'll see only what they want you to see, hear what they want you to hear—every sensation, from smell to touch to spiritual awareness, will be manipulated." 

"In essence, it's a god-like power." 

"What?! Are you saying that whoever planted this can control anyone marked with it?!" 

Rukia was utterly stunned, never imagining the spiritual pressure inside her could wield such overwhelming influence. 

"Essentially, yes," Hermes confirmed with a nod. 

"Damn it!" Rukia cursed, gritting her teeth as anger flared. Her spiritual pressure began to fluctuate wildly in response to her emotions. 

At that moment, she wished she could instantly enter her Bankai state and freeze the spiritual pressure within her forever. 

But… 

Despite the enhancements granted by her mastery of Sode no Shirayuki's power, Rukia knew she still lacked the strength to sustain her Bankai for long. 

Panic began to set in. 

"What… what should I do, Hermes?" she asked, her voice trembling. She turned to him, seeking guidance as her last hope. 

What frightened her wasn't the thought of her five senses being controlled. 

No… 

What truly terrified her was the idea that everything she had—dimensional transactions, enlightenment, her Bankai—might all be exposed. If someone else could see and manipulate her reality, her fragile sense of stability would crumble in an instant. 

Sensing her growing distress, Hermes quickly reassured her: 

"Calm down, Ms. Rukia. The spiritual pressure is only a keystone—it hasn't activated yet. You aren't under anyone's control." 

"After all," he added with a knowing smirk, "before your involvement in dimensional trade, you were just an insignificant pawn, weren't you?" 

"This…" 

Although Hermes' words were harsh, they instantly brought Rukia back to her senses.

Yes!

Without the dimensional transactions, I would have been just an ordinary student at the Shin'ō Academy. My kendo scores would have been abysmal, barely scraping the lowest ranks.

The only thing of value about me would have been my identity as Byakuya Kuchiki's adopted sister.

It seemed that…

No one truly cared about me back then.

After the dimensional transaction, I've been in contact with Hermes every single day. If anything were truly wrong, he would have told me long ago.

With this realization, Rukia finally calmed down.

Seeing her regain composure, Hermes said promptly:

"In fact, you're not entirely helpless."

"This illusion can only manipulate your five senses and spirit."

"In that case, all you need is a perception method that operates beyond the five senses and spiritual awareness. Isn't that right?"

"A method of perception beyond the five senses and spirit?"

Rukia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait… are you talking about Kenbunshoku Haki?!"

"No, no, no," Hermes replied, shaking his head repeatedly.

"Kenbunshoku Haki is just another way of utilizing mental energy. Unless it's cultivated to its pinnacle, reaching a state of spiritual sublimation, even Kenbunshoku Haki can still fall under your opponent's control."

"The perception method I'm referring to," he continued, "is something else entirely…"

"It's a mysterious power known as the Waveguide."

With a wave of his small, furry hand, Hermes summoned a Rotom smartphone. The device floated over to Rukia, its screen lighting up with a detailed introduction to the power of Waveguides.

"The… mysterious power of the Pokémon world?!"

Rukia's gaze locked onto the screen.

After quickly reading through the description, she immediately understood Hermes' suggestion.

However, just as she was about to redeem the Waveguide power, a particular line of text caught her attention:

[Purchase Requirement: VIP Level 5 or above]

"What?! The purchase requirement for the Waveguide power is VIP Level 5?!"

"Why is that?"

Rukia turned to Hermes with an incredulous expression.

"Well…" Hermes groaned, then sighed helplessly.

"I'm sorry, but this is a rule of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce."

"As for the specific reason…"

"It's because Waveguides, along with other special energies of equivalent value, can synergize with Pokémon to create a power that's greater than the sum of its parts. That's why the purchase is restricted."

"Pokémon?"

Rukia asked, her confusion evident.

It wasn't the first time she had heard Hermes mention Pokémon.

In his many explanations, Pokémon were described as one of the most cost-effective assets available in the mall.

Unfortunately…

Since she couldn't explain the origin of Pokémon to the Kuchiki family, she never had the chance to acquire one.

And now, there was another regret.

Because her membership level was insufficient, she couldn't even purchase the Waveguide power that might protect her from this dire situation.

However…

Just as Rukia sighed and began lamenting her limitations, Hermes suddenly smiled.

"Membership level? Who said yours isn't high enough?"

With a snap of his small hand, he summoned the transaction interface directly into Rukia's mind.

"Take a look at the resources you have available for trade right now!"

Whoosh! 

A vast array of resource options suddenly flooded into Rukia's mind. 

Her eyes widened in astonishment as she stared at the sheer number of options now available to her. 

'This can't be real…' 

She clearly remembered that just yesterday, when conducting transactions, her available resources had only spanned a few pages. 

But now... 

The list had expanded to dozens of pages! 

"Why... why has it changed so much?" Rukia murmured in confusion. 

Hermes, ever observant, chuckled and replied: 

"It seems your reputation as a genius has successfully caught the attention of the Kuchiki family's upper echelon." 

"To ensure you remain with the family, they've decided to transfer part of their influence to you." 

"They've even granted you the authority to mobilize some of the family's resources." 

The four noble families of Seireitei... 

Their status and wealth were comparable to, if not greater than, the Celestial Dragons of the pirate world. 

However, unlike in the pirate world... 

Where bloodlines were zealously guarded, the near-immortality of the nobility in Seireitei made blood ties far less significant. 

After all, the oldest generation was still alive and well, ensuring no one worried about the continuity of their lineage. 

For these aristocratic families... 

The true priority was the glory of their family name. 

Thus, even though Rukia Kuchiki was only an adopted member, if she displayed exceptional talent or had the potential to elevate the prestige of the [Kuchiki] name... 

The noble elders would have no qualms about supporting her. 

And so... 

While they might not yet entrust Rukia with control over the family's core divisions, granting her limited access to resources was more than enough to significantly elevate her status. 

Drawing on her extensive trading experience, Rukia quickly estimated that if all the resources now at her disposal were converted into points, she would easily have access to at least 100,000 points! 

It was only at this moment that she truly grasped the meaning behind what her friend Linlin had said in the cafeteria that day: 

'When you have enough power… you can truly do whatever you want!'