"Bai Chen…"
"Would you be interested in joining the Gotei Thirteen?"
The invitation caught Bai Chen completely off guard.
They had only just met.
He'd only just said his name—
And Shiba Kaien was already extending an offer without a moment's hesitation.
Of course—
Bai Chen wasn't the only one surprised.
Watching from a distance, Shiba Kūka and Shiba Ganju were equally stunned.
"W-What?!"
"No way… Brother Kaien just invited him to join?"
"That doesn't sound like him at all!"
Ganju froze, then shook his head hard as if to make sure he hadn't misheard.
From what he knew of his brother—
Kaien had become a household-name genius early on.
But…
He also carried the burden of "restoring the Shiba clan's noble glory."
Ever since graduating from the academy and joining the Gotei Thirteen,
Kaien had been relentlessly disciplined.
Before every action, he weighed it carefully.
He never did anything that violated rules or regulations.
That was exactly why Ganju was so shocked—
He'd never expected his usually steady, careful brother
to break pattern like this, issuing an invitation after hearing only Bai Chen's name.
It made Ganju instinctively think—
Wasn't Kaien being a little too hasty?
Yet beside him—
Kūka remained calm.
With a knowing look, she curled her lips slightly.
"Ganju… you still don't get it?"
"That boy—'Bai Chen'—is obviously not an ordinary soul. Just that absurd reiatsu alone is already far stronger than Brother Kaien's."
"And most importantly, he's not a Hollow… and not a ryoka."
"So as long as he hasn't shown clear hostility, it's better to pull him to our side than risk a clash."
Compared to her big, rough-edged little brother—
Kūka might act bold and carefree most days,
but her mind was clearly sharper.
In an instant, she'd seen straight through Kaien's thinking.
"So that's what it is…"
Ganju's eyes widened in realization.
"If he's not an enemy, then with reiatsu that outrageous, Bai Chen really is worth pulling in—no matter the cost!"
"But…"
"Will he even agree?"
Ganju couldn't help doubting it.
Sure, a captain-class Soul Reaper had the authority to issue an invitation—
But that was usually based on one condition:
The person being invited was an academy graduate.
Aside from that—
Any soul who wanted to become a Soul Reaper—
Unless they had the bloodline of the Four Great Noble Houses—
Had to enter the Shinō Academy for training, no exceptions.
Only after six years—
After completing the full curriculum of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō,
and passing the required konso practicum and final assessments—
would they be permitted to graduate,
and truly qualify to join the Gotei Thirteen.
That was exactly why Ganju doubted this would work.
Because…
Not everyone in the world dreamed of becoming a Soul Reaper.
Some people were born craving freedom, unwilling to live under constraints.
Ganju and Kūka themselves were the best example.
And judging from his first impression—
Ganju instinctively felt Bai Chen was probably that type too.
Otherwise—
A monster with talent and reiatsu like that…
How could he have stayed unknown all these years?
It had to be that Bai Chen was low-key—
Someone who valued freedom and disliked being bound by rules and regulations.
Which was why he'd only revealed his true strength now.
And as it turned out—
Ganju's guess wasn't wrong.
When Kaien invited him, Bai Chen's first reaction was to refuse.
After all—
He'd already awakened his cheat.
He had the "God-Tier Senju Hashirama" character-template system.
From here on out,
as long as he checked in at the system's designated locations,
he would keep getting stronger—
unlocking and mastering more god-tier abilities.
So for Bai Chen,
becoming a Soul Reaper and joining the Gotei Thirteen wasn't particularly tempting.
If anything, it meant more restrictions and unnecessary constraints.
He'd rather move freely.
But…
Just as Bai Chen was about to reject Kaien—
Without any warning—
The system chimed again.
Ding!
"New check-in mission issued!"
"No time limit. Please proceed to the Shiba residence and check in."
"Upon completion, you will receive a special reward: Monstrous Strength!"
The moment he heard it,
Bai Chen's eyes lit up.
The refusal that had already reached his throat—
he swallowed it right back down.
And inwardly, he couldn't help but laugh.
"So that's how it is…"
"If I want to check in at the Shiba residence and claim the reward…"
"Then this time—I have no choice but to accept."