The sky was dark and heavy with thick clouds.
The vast dojo seemed almost crushed under their weight, and the old wooden buildings creaked intermittently.
Inside the dimly lit Hakuda Dojo, Masatsuki Aozaki stood alone on the wooden floor, shirtless, his well-defined muscles exposed. His eyes remained closed as the flickering oil lamps cast a faint, distorted shadow of his figure on the walls.
Air currents surged from beneath his feet, lifting his long hair and swirling around him.
If anyone had been present, they would have been shocked—because the rising currents encircling Masatsuki showed no signs of being driven by Reiatsu.
In the next instant...
With a light step, both Masatsuki and the gust of wind vanished. In a blink, he reappeared before a Kidō-enhanced training dummy.
His eyes snapped open. Raising his fists, he struck out—
Sōkotsu!
The dummy shattered instantly, breaking apart like fragile ceramic.
Exhaling softly, Masatsuki smirked in satisfaction.
"Guess I really need to create a sense of urgency for myself... It's the only way to push my limits."
As he picked up the broken fragments, he studied them carefully, speaking with a hint of emotion.
Over the past few months, his training progress had slowed significantly—his Reiatsu growth had nearly stagnated.
Even though his abilities were still improving with increased training intensity, the pace was far from ideal.
However, after his battle with the captain-level rebels, something shifted—whether due to sheer determination or some mental breakthrough, his training efficiency had improved dramatically.
"Too bad those rebels weren't strong enough to really get me into the right state."
Masatsuki chuckled, wiping the sweat from his body with a towel.
Truthfully, they weren't weak—but they were weaker than Yoruichi and stronger than himself, which made it impossible to go all out.
Without Yoruichi, he wouldn't have risked his life in battle. Without him, Yoruichi could have easily taken down the rebels on her own.
"I miss sparring with Yoruichi..." A trace of nostalgia flickered in his gaze.
But now, she barely had time. At most, she could visit him once a week.
Back when they trained together, she would suppress her Reiatsu and engage him in specialized sparring sessions.
During that time, he was injured almost daily—but the sheer thrill of those battles, the constant struggle to push himself further, was intoxicating.
That had also been the period when his strength grew the fastest.
Unfortunately, those days were long gone.
The conflict between the rebels and the Gotei 13 had only intensified. While Yoruichi wasn't personally fighting, the overwhelming responsibilities of her division left her utterly exhausted.
Thinking about this, Masatsuki slowly put on his clothes.
He wasn't in a rush.
The graduation exam was approaching, and if everything went smoothly, he would be in the Second Division within a month.
His strength was nowhere near the level of monsters like Yamamoto or Unohana, but he was confident that, with his talent, he could stand among the strongest in the Soul Society.
Before that could happen, he had to grow stronger.
He had to turn the talent that had earned Yamamoto and Unohana's recognition into real, undeniable power.
A resolute light flashed in his eyes as he stepped out of the dojo and pushed open the door.
Raindrops fell steadily outside, and patrol officers moved through the courtyard, conducting their routine security checks.
Across from him, in the spacious Zanjutsu Dojo, Rangiku Matsumoto and Gin Ichimaru were fully immersed in their training.
Rangiku held her Zanpakutō firmly, her expression serious as she practiced her swordsmanship with disciplined precision. The sharp edge of her blade sliced through the air, creating sharp, whistling sounds.
Gin, meanwhile, sat cross-legged with his Asauchi resting on his lap, his expression calm as he meditated in Jinzen.
"They're working hard," Masatsuki observed with satisfaction, smiling as Unohana approached.
She spoke in her usual gentle tone.
"They're good kids. The 62nd District of Rukongai truly is a rare gem—producing three geniuses at once. Especially Rangiku... she's improving rapidly."
With Seinosuke Yamada, that fanatic, as her Lieutenant, she had become the most relaxed captain in the Gotei 13.
Masatsuki smirked, recalling the sharp-tongued officer.
Every time he visited the Fourth Division, he ended up suffering at Seinosuke's hands—not in battle, but through sheer verbal torment.
Boom!
A crack several centimeters wide suddenly split open along one of the dojo's pillars.
Reiatsu surged through the air, drawing the attention of the Shinigami patrolling outside the courtyard.
"What's going on?"
"Who just released their Reiatsu?"
"This Reiatsu... isn't it that silver-haired kid's?"
"..."
The patrol officers glanced toward the dojo, their expressions shifting slightly, but none of them lingered. After a brief moment of curiosity, they resumed their rounds.
Masatsuki, however, watched Gin with keen interest as the burst of Reiatsu settled.
Beside him, Rangiku instinctively reached for her Zanpakutō, ready to say something, but Masatsuki placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.
She hesitated but stopped just as a low murmur echoed through the dojo.
"Shinsō."
The moment the words left Gin's lips, the Asauchi in his hands transformed—its blade shortened, its tsuba curved into an S-shape, resembling an unassuming wakizashi.
"You've awakened your Shikai?" Masatsuki asked.
Gin slowly opened his eyes and gave a small nod. "Yeah. Its name is Shinsō."
Masatsuki's eyes lit up. "Want to test its power?"
"Right now?" Gin waved a hand dismissively. "I can't control it properly yet..."
"No worries, let me see it in action!" Masatsuki grinned, resting a hand on Banshō Senran. "With Captain Unohana here, there's no need to worry about injuries."
Gin hesitated under Masatsuki's eager gaze but eventually gave in. "Alright then... Be careful, Masatsuki. Shinsō can extend its blade in an instant."
He pointed the tip of his Zanpakutō at Masatsuki, hesitated a moment longer as if double-checking his aim, then finally called out the release command—
"Shoot to kill, Shinsō!"
Whoosh!
The short blade extended at lightning speed, shooting forward like a spear.
It was fast—but in Masatsuki's eyes, not fast enough. The difference in their Reiatsu was clear.
Unfazed, he let out a quiet chuckle, smoothly drawing Banshō Senran and giving a light swing to intercept the thrust.
Their blades clashed, sending sparks flying, before Shinsō's extended blade embedded itself into the ceiling.
Gin exhaled in relief. No accidents. If Masatsuki had moved even slightly in the wrong direction... there would have been no talking his way out of it.
But before he could fully relax, he felt a surge of Reiatsu behind him and let out a resigned sigh.
Rangiku had drawn her Zanpakutō, her voice ringing with anger. "Gin!"
It was obvious to everyone—she was furious.
"I told you I couldn't control it yet..." Gin muttered helplessly as Shinsō retracted back into its short form.
Still caught up in the thrill of witnessing a new Shikai, Masatsuki quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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