"Another powerful companion is about to join us."
Ren Kuro carefully arranged the ten Devil Fruits in front of him, his face filled with anticipation.
"I choose to unlock…"
"Captain of Squad Six — Byakuya Kuchiki!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the ten Devil Fruits in front of him vanished in a strange, silent flash.
"Energy absorption complete. Beginning summoning."
As the system prompt sounded, a brilliant azure light bloomed before Ren Kuro.
Within that radiance, the outline of a tall, slender figure gradually emerged.
He was a handsome man with distinctly noble features. He wore the Kenseikan in his hair and the white ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu scarf around his neck. His eyes were pale violet, and his expression was so cold and emotionless that he looked almost carved from stone.
At a glance, one could feel the aloofness radiating from him.
He carried the unmistakable bearing of nobility—every movement calm, restrained, and proud, as though all things in the world existed beneath his notice.
Captain of Squad Six — Byakuya Kuchiki.
Byakuya Kuchiki was born into one of the Four Great Noble Houses of Soul Society, the Kuchiki Clan, and inherited the position of its twenty-eighth head.
From childhood, he had stood in the spotlight.
Gifted with extraordinary talent, he had been taught by both Yoruichi Shihōin and Kuchiki Ginrei, and had made a name for himself in Soul Society at a young age. After graduating from the Shin'ō Academy, he joined Squad Six, and after his father's death, he shouldered the full burden of the Kuchiki family, eventually growing into its absolute head.
On the surface, Byakuya looked cold and expressionless.
But beneath that exterior—
he valued emotion deeply.
A classic case of someone cold on the outside, warm on the inside.
Just as Byakuya fully appeared, the system's voice rang out again.
"Congratulations, Host. You have successfully summoned the Captain of Squad Six, Byakuya Kuchiki!"
"Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the Shikai of Senbonzakura, along with Byakuya Kuchiki's Shinigami powers."
Ren Kuro nodded in satisfaction.
With Byakuya now summoned, the Shinigami power within him had grown even stronger.
In truth, each captain specialized in different strengths.
Gin Ichimaru excelled in ambushes and assassination.
Byakuya Kuchiki, meanwhile, was far stronger in Kidō and Shunpo.
And because of the system—
Ren Kuro inherited both of their strengths perfectly.
"This is not Soul Society."
As the azure light faded, a cold, level voice broke the silence.
"Oh my, Captain Kuchiki… long time no see."
Gin Ichimaru narrowed his eyes and waved lazily.
"Gin Ichimaru?" Byakuya frowned slightly. He first glanced at Gin, then looked deeply at Ren Kuro, coolly assessing the situation. "So it was you who summoned me into this world."
"That's right." Ren Kuro smiled. "Byakuya Kuchiki—from now on, you're one of our companions."
"…Companion."
Byakuya fell silent for a moment, then gave a faint nod and said nothing more.
"Oh dear, already going quiet again?" Gin smiled like a fox and suddenly drew Shinsō, thrusting it straight toward Byakuya. "Captain Kuchiki, you really are no fun."
"I have nothing to say to you."
Byakuya let out a cold snort and vanished from the spot with Shunpo.
"Oh my… Shunpo inherited from Yoruichi Shihōin? Terrifying, truly."
Gin said that, but there wasn't the slightest trace of fear in his eyes.
"That's enough. Both of you, stop."
Ren Kuro spread his hands helplessly.
One was a sly snake.
The other was a frozen-faced noble.
Their personalities really did clash.
At Ren Kuro's command, both men immediately stopped.
As summoned figures—
neither of them could disobey his will.
"Now that we've got another companion, let's set sail again." Ren Kuro's mood clearly brightened. "We need to continue gathering Devil Fruits."
With two Admiral-level fighters now at his side, there were very few forces on the sea he needed to fear—so long as he didn't run headfirst into a giant like the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Oh my, life as a pirate is always so dull." Gin shrugged, clearly unimpressed by the monotony of sailing.
"…Pirates." Byakuya's eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.
The three of them boarded the small wooden boat once more.
At Sea
After leaving Adria Island, the trio continued sailing along the Grand Line.
Now there were two pressing problems before Ren Kuro:
Devil Fruits
and
a proper pirate ship.
The farther they sailed, the more important the second problem became. Ren Kuro had no intention of believing that an ordinary little boat could carry them safely all the way to the New World.
What he needed—
was a large, sturdy ship.
After drifting for more than half a day, they suddenly encountered an unexpected turn.
"…That ship looks familiar."
Ren Kuro narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance.
At the far end of the sea, a luxurious vessel was rapidly approaching, and the flag flying above it was impossible to ignore.
The banner of the Celestial Dragons.
"So we've run into a Heavenly Tribute ship…"
A cold gleam flashed through Ren Kuro's eyes.
An audacious idea rose in his mind.
Rob it.
The so-called Heavenly Tribute referred to the wealth that World Government member nations sent each year to the Celestial Dragons. These treasures were usually transported under heavy guard to the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Each of those ships carried enormous wealth, along with countless rare and priceless treasures.
It was a fortune beyond imagination.
"Gin Ichimaru. Byakuya Kuchiki."
Ren Kuro's voice hardened with decision.
"Let's stop that ship."
To him, it already looked as if a mountain of treasure was waving him over.
"Oh my… highway robbery? That doesn't seem especially honorable."
Gin said that, but he was already smiling as he drew Shinsō.
"Shoot to kill… Shinsō!"
The instant the release command sounded, a streak of blinding light cut across the sea and sliced cleanly through the guard ship's mast.
BOOM—!
The mast crashed down, plunging the deck into chaos and forcing the ship to halt.
Seizing that opening, their small boat sped closer.
"Who are you people?!"
The guards' expressions changed drastically as the three men appeared before them. They shouted in anger, though their voices carried obvious panic.
"Who we are doesn't matter."
Ren Kuro pointed coldly toward the cargo hold.
"Those treasures belong to us now."
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