Reishi Communication Network

Seiya's Bankai.

At its core, it was a unique ability that deconstructed, strengthened, and distributed eight distinct powers.

While some abilities might appear stronger than others on the surface, such comparisons were ultimately relative.

Given that all eight abilities were designed to address various situations, even the activation of a single one was enough to astonish most people.

And at this moment, that was precisely the case.

Gandharva.

Among the Eight Aspects of the Heavenly Dragon, Gandharva was known as the "Divine Musician."

A being that consumed only fragrance for sustenance, abstaining from alcohol and meat—one of the celestial musicians in service of Śakra, King of the Devas.

From another perspective, the term carried an additional layer of meaning.

In Sanskrit, Gandharva symbolized something "unpredictable and elusive."

Even the concept of a "mirage" in traditional mythology could be described as a Gandharva City.

Ethereal, untouchable, ever-changing.

This was the true essence of Gandharva.

And under Seiya's interpretation, its power became strikingly simple and clear.

"My Reiryoku can be amplified and dispersed through my Bankai: Gandharva."

"Like seasonal pollen, this dispersed Reiryoku can merge with the land, the air… even living beings."

"Is that a bit hard to grasp? Hmm… Well, the surge of energy you all just felt—that was Gandharva in effect."

By bonding his power to others, he fused his abilities with external entities.

In other words—

"Anyone influenced by my ability can use these new Kido techniques unconditionally."

Because it was intangible and formless, it could be everywhere.

This was an extension of Seiya's deep perception and analysis of his surroundings—now materialized into an ability that allowed him to dissolve into the world itself.

Shock was an understatement.

After all, similar abilities had been seen before.

To the more experienced Captains, techniques that blurred the line between self and environment weren't unheard of.

However…

Seiya's approach was distinctly different.

"This is… intriguing."

Kyōraku Shunsui, rarely one to frown, furrowed his brows.

Setting aside his booklet, his eyes gleamed with contemplation.

"Captain Arima, this next question might be a little personal—do you mind?"

Clever or devious—it was hard to say.

But in this setting, Seiya had no choice but to answer.

Besides, it was a valid concern.

"Go ahead."

Kyōraku hesitated for a moment before speaking softly.

"This ability of yours—rather than calling it 'new Kido'… wouldn't it be more accurate to say it's simply an extension of your own power?"

A vague description, perhaps.

But he quickly clarified.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it, but let me see if I understand this correctly…"

The seemingly laid-back Captain lifted a finger and traced the air.

"You're using your Zanpakutō's ability to distribute fragments of your power to others."

"As long as someone meets your conditions—or is recognized by your Zanpakutō as an ally—they can tap into this power."

"Essentially, you deconstruct and share your abilities with others… Is that right?"

As expected of a seasoned Captain.

And one with an intelligence background at that.

His reasoning was meticulous, leaving no room for flaws.

Kyōraku had effectively dissected Seiya's Bankai, and Seiya saw no reason to hide it.

"As Captain Kyōraku says, that is indeed the case."

"Hmph. So it's just more of your cheap tricks."

That voice—

There was no need to turn and look.

Everyone already knew who had spoken.

Captain of the Second Division, Sui-Feng.

Even after forty years, it seemed she was still bitter about their previous battle.

While she wasn't so irrational as to oppose him outright, she would never pass up an opportunity to mock him.

It was as if she had been waiting for the right moment to put him down.

Seiya took a moment to consider her words before responding with a calm smile.

"It's true that my abilities are still quite limited… which is why the range of my power remains fairly small."

Hitting a pillow instead of a wall—frustrating, wasn't it?

But clearly, nobody in the room cared about how she felt.

At that moment, someone else broke the silence.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi raised his head slightly.

"Range?"

It was as if someone had triggered him.

"Yes, range."

Seiya raised his right hand slightly, making a loose grasping motion.

"The range of Gandharva depends on my overall Reiatsu and my ability to control my environment."

The former was a fixed limitation.

The latter required actively constructing a network-like system, gathering precise data to make it function.

"Over the years, I've gradually adapted to Seireitei's internal structure. As of now, I can extend my ability to about one-third of its total area."

It sounded limiting, but from an individual standpoint, it was already absurd.

After all, this was a literal attempt to rewrite Seireitei's fundamental mechanics with a single person's power.

Hearing this, even Kyōraku couldn't help but chuckle.

"No, no, that's already plenty impressive…"

That being said—

There had been something similar before.

But that individual had focused solely on absorbing external energy, using it to magnify their own strength beyond normal limits.

"But Captain Arima's ability is different."

"You're not a consumer—you're a supplier."

"If this technique is fully stabilized and implemented under the right conditions…"

Without a doubt—

It would be a massive enhancement to Seireitei's combat capabilities.

"Hmm~ I think I get the general idea now. But… I have one final question."

Adjusting his hat, Kyōraku's expression grew serious.

"When others use your Kido system, is all the Reiryoku drawn directly from you?"

A critical question.

Even as a Captain, it was impossible to sustain the entire Gotei 13 by himself, fueling every Shinigami's spells indefinitely.

There had to be a limitation.

Seiya chuckled before replying in a lighthearted tone.

"Of course not. I'm not some monstrous wellspring of energy."

Instead—

"I'm merely a conduit linking all of Seireitei together."

"My power serves as a bridge between the will of Shinigami and the surrounding Reishi in the air and environment."

"If I had to name it… I'd call it a Reishi Communication Network."

Connecting Reishi and Shinigami—fully integrating them into one system.

True to its name…

Seiya's Gandharva did not provide any energy of its own.

"Everyone here understands this well."

"The Soul Society is composed almost entirely of Reishi."

"So under my influence, the energy cost of using Kido is covered by the environment itself."

"Of course, this would cause some structural damage… which is why limitations and regulations still need to be discussed."

Mayuri scoffed lightly.

In a near-whisper, he muttered:

"Stealing Reishi from the surroundings… That's something an Arrancar or a Quincy would do."

Indeed.

While Shinigami could manipulate Reishi, they were nowhere near as proficient at absorbing and repurposing it as the Quincy were.

After all, the Quincy's very nature revolved around forcibly seizing Reishi.

Their techniques, like the Vollständig or the Sklaverei, embodied this concept to the extreme.

Shinigami weren't built for such things.

But in the domain Seiya had created, they could mimic it—if only temporarily.

"I don't supply energy myself—I simply allow the connection to happen. That's the foundation of it all."

Seiya was merely constructing a framework in a familiar environment, creating a hazy yet functional system.

That was all.

"Of course, in critical moments, I can act as a direct supplier, temporarily fueling Shinigami with my own Reiryoku."

"But I wouldn't last long—probably just a few minutes before I'd be completely drained."

"So please, don't expect too much from me."

At this, Aizen Sōsuke finally spoke.

Still standing in the Third Division's section, he crossed his arms and smiled warmly.

"Please, don't be so modest, Captain Arima. If this ability is fully realized, it will be an incredible asset to Seireitei."

With Aizen setting the tone, the rest of the room began offering their assessments.

The Captain of the Fourth Division, Unohana Retsu, spoke in a rare tone of contemplation.

"If this ability allows for unrestricted use of Kaidō within the activation period… then it would be worth implementing training programs within the Fourth Division."

"In crucial moments, such an ability could save countless lives."

The Captain of the Seventh Division, Komamura Sajin, nodded in agreement.

"Although the security within Seireitei has improved, there are always reckless individuals among the Inner Court Guards…"

"If we can utilize a simplified, easily deployable Bakudō, it would greatly assist us in maintaining order."

"Speaking for myself, I fully support Captain Arima's proposal."

Various voices overlapped in discussion, as more Captains weighed in with their thoughts.

Eventually, Kyōraku Shunsui stepped forward, attempting to summarize the situation.

"Well~ it looks like everyone is rather intrigued by Captain Arima's research."

"Which is a good thing, of course. But since this is a new system, we'll need time to properly evaluate its stability."

"So let's not get too excited just yet—there's still a process to follow before anything is made official."

At the same time, he turned to Seiya, his expression thoughtful.

"Let me sum things up, Captain Arima."

"Your ability can provide Seireitei with eight easily accessible Kido techniques, which can be used multiple times under the right conditions."

"And in order for those conditions to be met, certain prerequisites must be fulfilled… Uh, give me a moment—I need to check the handbook again."

After flipping through the pages, he continued.

"Condition One: Captain Arima must remain within Seireitei and maintain Bankai: Gandharva in an active state."

This was the fundamental requirement for constructing the Reishi Communication Network.

"Condition Two: While the ability is active, Captain Arima must not be disturbed—he requires a stable environment to operate effectively."

Seiya nodded slightly, smiling.

"That's correct. Even though I'm familiar with the surroundings, establishing a proper framework still requires immense concentration."

To support the entirety of Seireitei, this level of focus was a given.

Kyōraku nodded in return.

"Given the scale of the effect, that's understandable."

If anything, the required sacrifices were minimal.

After all, the Gotei 13 had thirteen divisions.

If the Fifth Division was handling this responsibility, it wasn't as if the other twelve divisions would just sit idly by.

With that, the full extent of Bankai: Gandharva had been laid out.

Its capabilities, activation conditions, and required maintenance had all been thoroughly analyzed.

And now, faced with this proposal from the Fifth Division Captain, Kyōraku exhaled deeply.

"You say this is 'insignificant'…"

"But being able to do something like this is already beyond extraordinary."

"Captain Arima, compared to your methods, we so-called Captains are starting to feel a little redundant."

His tone was half-joking, half-serious.

But it was also honest.

Because Kyōraku truly believed what he was saying.

A power capable of reshaping not just Seireitei, but all of Soul Society.

Not through individual strength—but by granting others the ability to wield forces beyond their own.

Seiya Arima…

Where is your true limit?

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Powerstones?

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