Chapter 17: What Kind of Junk Is the Tentōken?
"Have you heard? The King has a talking cat by his side!"
"A talking cat? That's impossible, isn't it?"
"It's true, many people have seen it with their own eyes!"
"The King's charisma is truly immense, to be able to make such a spiritual creature willingly follow him."
"A talking cat, that truly is a propitious sign from heaven, Heaven blesses our King."
Similar words spread throughout Hōkō.
And as these words spread, they gradually turned into legends.
Heiwu Street, in front of the nascent palace.
Yoruichi Shihouin lay lazily on the armrest of Gilgamesh's golden throne, yawning while gently flicking her tail.
Beside her, Abarai Renji was excitedly recounting the rumors and legends that had circulated recently.
At first, Yoruichi Shihouin was surprised when she heard her own rumors and legends.
She hadn't expected that she would become a propitious sign from heaven, even becoming the new kingdom's mascot.
Everyone who saw her would give her a friendly smile, and some even respectfully called her 'Black Cat'.
And the name 'Black Cat' first came from Abarai Renji's mouth.
But as more and more rumors spread, Yoruichi Shihouin became numb to them.
However, now listening to the increasingly exaggerated rumors from Abarai Renji, the originally numb Yoruichi Shihouin couldn't take it anymore. She felt her scalp tingle and quickly stopped him, saying, "Stop, stop, stop, don't say another word."
Abarai Renji, who was originally speaking with passion and eloquence, was suddenly interrupted and felt very uncomfortable having words stuck in his throat.
At the same time, he didn't understand why Yoruichi Shihouin would react this way.
Being praised by others was clearly something worth showing off.
Just then, Rukia ran over, a little out of breath, and said, "Renji, Gilgamesh plans to go to the Seventy-Ninth District, Tobi, to take a look. Do you want to come along?"
Abarai Renji was stunned for a moment, then responded without hesitation, "Of course I want to go."
Gilgamesh's goal was to establish a kingdom that would rule the entire Rukongai, so expanding his territory was inevitable. Now that Hōkō was stable, it was normal to check out the nearby districts in advance.
As for why Gilgamesh wanted to go to the Seventy-Ninth District and not the 77th District, that was not something Abarai Renji needed to consider.
As a King, he naturally had his own considerations.
All Abarai Renji had to do was follow the King's footsteps, even if the path ahead was full of danger.
Yoruichi Shihouin didn't wait for Abarai Renji and Rukia to speak. She lightly leaped onto Rukia's head, found a comfortable position to lie down, and then said, "Let's go quickly, don't keep him waiting."
Abarai Renji and Rukia were clearly familiar with this, and without saying much, they ran directly towards where Gilgamesh was.
Soon, they saw Gilgamesh, with his back to them, gazing into the forest not far away.
The Seventy-Ninth District and the 78th District were separated by this forest. To cross districts, one had to pass through this forest.
And this forest not only contained many fierce beasts but also harbored even fiercer dangers.
For example, those villains who wanted to escape the Seventy-Ninth District.
During her time here, Yoruichi Shihouin had already thoroughly understood the situation in Hōkō.
She was well aware of the dangers of the forest before them.
However, this was also an excellent opportunity to test Gilgamesh's methods amidst these dangers.
Currently, Yoruichi Shihouin did not know that Ōmaeda Marechiyo had once been conquered by Gilgamesh.
Even Ōmaeda Kichinosuke didn't know, because Ōmaeda Marechiyo felt it was too shameful to not even be able to break through Vimana's defenses, so he didn't tell anyone.
And Yoruichi Shihouin was confident that as long as she was there, Gilgamesh would absolutely not encounter any life-threatening danger.
Yoruichi Shihouin's thoughts were perceived by Gilgamesh. She didn't know that all of this was already part of Gilgamesh's plan, designed to conquer her step by step.
As for the dangers of the forest...
The corner of Gilgamesh's mouth curved into a slight smile, and he thought to himself, 'Not yet.'
After arriving beside Gilgamesh, Yoruichi Shihouin habitually jumped from Rukia's head into Gilgamesh's arms.
Gilgamesh also skillfully held Yoruichi Shihouin, reaching out to gently stroke her head, making her purr contentedly.
Abarai Renji and Rukia were already very familiar with Gilgamesh and Yoruichi Shihouin's way of interacting, but they still felt envious.
Abarai Renji was envious that Yoruichi Shihouin would only let Gilgamesh pet her.
He had tried to pet the cat more than once, even attempting sneak attacks, but all ended in failure, and he even got scratched during those sneak attacks.
Even now, he couldn't understand why, despite his seemingly flawless sneak attacks, and being so close to petting the cat, he still failed.
Rukia, on the other hand, was envious of Yoruichi Shihouin. If she could, she also wished to become a cat and enjoy Gilgamesh's petting every day.
Thinking of that scene, Rukia couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and shyness.
Gilgamesh then said, "Let's go then."
Yoruichi Shihouin, who was originally enjoying herself comfortably, heard this and her expression slightly hardened. She thought to herself, 'Let me see your methods properly.'
But after waiting for a while, Yoruichi Shihouin didn't see Gilgamesh, Abarai Renji, or Rukia walking towards the forest. A look of confusion couldn't help but appear on her cat face.
She didn't know why they weren't moving.
Just then, Yoruichi Shihouin noticed that Abarai Renji and Rukia's gazes were both directed behind Gilgamesh.
And because she was held in Gilgamesh's arms, her view was blocked, preventing her from seeing what was behind him.
Out of curiosity, Yoruichi Shihouin broke free from Gilgamesh's embrace, jumped onto Gilgamesh's shoulder, and looked behind him.
At this sight, Yoruichi Shihouin's cat face immediately showed a look of shock and disbelief.
In her eyes, golden ripples appeared in the void, and the soaring Royal Throne - Vimana - slowly emerged from the ripples.
Looking at that flawless, radiant vessel made entirely of gold and emeralds, Yoruichi Shihouin was stunned, bewildered, and felt like she was dreaming.
Born into the Shihōin Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans of the Seireitei, she had been exposed to high-end, luxurious things since childhood.
It could be said that her taste and aesthetic had become extremely discerning.
But even such a Yoruichi Shihouin was still unable to describe Vimana with words. She only felt that it shouldn't exist in this world, but rather in myths, epics, and legends.
'What is this?'
'Is it a Zanpakuto?'
'But why can't I sense any spiritual pressure?'
'Could it be a divine artifact?'
'But who could forge such a perfectly flawless divine artifact?'
One question after another appeared in Yoruichi Shihouin's mind.
The moment Vimana carried them into the air, she unconsciously thought of her own unique and precious divine artifact - tentōken.
There truly is no harm without comparison.
At this moment, Yoruichi Shihouin even wanted to complain.
"Hmm? What kind of trash is tentōken?"
End of Chapter