Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 54

Chapter 54 - 54: If I Were a Master

"Hey, did you hear? A man moved into Ane-san's house."

"I know! They seem really close. Do you think they're...?"

"I never thought this day would come. Hard to believe, huh?"

...

Rukongai District 3 – Hokutan.

Kaien Shiba sipped his tea, shaking his head as he tried to dismiss the gossip as nothing more than a joke. It took him a while to suppress the irritation rising in his chest.

His sister—more brash and headstrong than most men—bringing a man home? What kind of nonsense was that? Impossible!

There had to be some kind of misunderstanding. Maybe this so-called "Ane-san" wasn't even referring to Kūkaku, but rather some upstart gang with a female leader.

Even so, the idea of Kūkaku being interested in a man wasn't completely unfounded. It was just a rumor, after all. No one had ever seen her take an interest in anyone...

Then, a face flashed through Kaien's mind—an unforgettable man, the type that could easily make someone fall for him at first sight.

Kūkaku... was interested in him.

Oh, hell no.

"Kaien-aniki, come on, tell us! What kind of guy is Kūkaku Ane-san's man?"

Passersby recognized Kaien and excitedly gathered around.

"Yeah! I heard from Ganju-oyabun that he's really good-looking."

"I heard that too! Apparently, he's about to join the Gotei 13 as a Shinigami!"

"Oi! There's no way my sister has a man. That's just a bunch of nonsense, so stop spreading rumors."

Kaien waved them off dismissively, but his presence only stirred more excitement.

As the current head of the Shiba family and the undisputed leader of Western Rukongai, he was widely respected, with countless people eager to follow in his footsteps.

But then... his smile froze.

A sudden realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.

That damned guy was in his house.

Kaien abruptly stood up, bolting toward home, his pace quickening with every step.

No more self-deception.

He rolled up his sleeves and ran.

...

Outskirts of Rukongai District 1.

A squad of Shinigami, clad in Shihakushō, marched forward in formation.

Two captains led the group, their white haori flowing behind them. Following closely were elite Shinigami, their powerful Reiatsu radiating through the air.

Civilians and gang members alike froze in place, their eyes widening at the sight of the fully armed squad. The sheer pressure emanating from them made the crowd instinctively retreat, overwhelmed by shock.

—This unit alone could crush all of Rukongai.

At the head of the formation, Isshin Shiba and Shunsui Kyōraku walked side by side toward the outskirts, with Lisa Yadōmaru, wearing her division's insignia, keeping pace just behind them.

"This house..."

Shunsui stopped, staring at the bizarre structure ahead. Two massive stone arms held up a banner, proudly displaying the name 'Shiba Kūkaku.'

His mouth twitched.

Did an actual human build this?

Isshin stepped closer and leaned in, whispering a few words into his ear.

"I see... Your niece has quite an interesting taste."

Shunsui Kyōraku couldn't help but throw in a jab.

Isshin Shiba sighed inwardly. While he often enjoyed goofing around, even he couldn't bring himself to appreciate this architectural style. Shaking his head helplessly, he let it go.

Tap, tap, tap...

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the woods.

Isshin looked up, and almost instantly, a gentle smile spread across his face.

A black-haired boy came charging forward, leading four other kids—all of them riding atop a wild boar.

"Uncle Isshin!"

The five of them pulled up in front of him, grinning as they waved.

The moment those words were spoken, the nearby villagers gasped in shock.

Isshin? That Isshin Shiba?

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