"Yo, Segawa, have you been waiting long?"
The instructor approached with a group of students, each carrying an Asauchi at their waist, his tone light and friendly.
Shigure Segawa smiled and nodded in response but remained silent.
At that moment, the kendo instructor entered the dojo and announced the beginning of the class.
Taking a deep breath, Shigure steadied his thoughts. He knew that from this moment onward, there was only one thing he needed to focus on—unlocking the true name of his Zanpakutō as quickly as possible.
The Zanpakutō was the core of a Soul Reaper's power.
Since the system had named it "Limitless," its significance was clear.
His Zanpakutō was bound to be extraordinary.
Moreover, additional abilities would be unlocked later.
As for the kendo lesson, which he deemed inconsequential, Shigure only needed to demonstrate his strength to meet expectations.
Time passed slowly. The instructor taught the basic stances of kendo with great detail and enthusiasm, while Shigure listened absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied with planning his next steps.
"Shigure Segawa! You're up next to spar with me!"
The kendo instructor called out loudly, "I will show you what true swordsmanship means! You must use the stances I just taught to counter my attacks!"
"Understood!"
Shigure responded firmly, standing up and picking up a wooden sword from the rack nearby.
In kendo lessons, which were part of Zanjutsu training, students naturally wouldn't be allowed to use their Asauchi.
As Shigure stepped forward, many students looked on with eager anticipation.
This was the record-breaker of the spiritual energy test, after all. How would he perform in his first class?
The previous dozen students who sparred with the instructor had all been defeated swiftly, unable to withstand even a single strike.
The kendo instructor, Mikazuki Tōkudan, hailed from the noble Mikazuki family. He was one of the most renowned kendo masters at the Shinō Academy and had been teaching there for over two hundred years.
Shigure gripped the wooden sword with both hands, extending it forward as he focused his mind.
In the next instant, his thoughts sank deeply, and without hesitation, he adopted a kendo stance he had already mastered.
Tōkudan's eyebrows shot up in surprise, followed by a hearty laugh.
"Impressive! Segawa! That's an excellent stance! It seems I'll need to take this seriously!"
With that, he mirrored Shigure's stance.
In an instant, the dust in the dojo stirred as if moved by an invisible wind.
Neither of them used spiritual pressure; this was purely the result of their swordsmanship stances. Yet, the sword intent exchanged between them felt almost tangible.
The students seated on the mats were utterly stunned.
"No way… Is this even possible?"
"Who is this guy? Has he already trained in swordsmanship before?"
"He's matching Mikazuki-sensei in presence alone!"
"Go, Segawa!"
Some students even began cheering for him.
Tōkudan, far from being annoyed, continued to laugh heartily.
"Here I come, Segawa!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped forward and attacked.
"Please guide me!" Shigure responded earnestly.
Though he had fully mastered the techniques of kendo, this was still his first real combat experience.
Tōkudan's wooden sword came slashing from the side with terrifying speed and force.
Instead of dodging, Shigure chose to block the attack with his own sword and counter.
Clack!
He successfully parried the strike!
Tōkudan's eyebrows twitched as he realized Shigure's intent. He quickly stepped back to avoid Shigure's counterattack.
But his reaction was just a fraction too slow. Shigure's wooden sword struck his haori.
The surrounding students erupted in gasps.
Not only had Shigure Segawa defended against Tōkudan's fierce strike, but he had also turned the tables and landed the first blow!
The instructor glanced at the tear in his haori, then looked back at Shigure.
Suddenly, he burst into laughter. "Haha! Segawa, are you testing my swordsmanship? Your skill in Zanjutsu… is entirely on par with mine!"
The students seated on the mats were left speechless by this statement.
Shigure, who appreciated the instructor's magnanimous personality, smiled and replied, "You flatter me, Sensei. I was merely fortunate."
Hearing this, Tōkudan shook his head with a grin.
"Fortunate? If I had truly held back, it wouldn't have been just my clothing that got hit."
He had attacked with full force after recognizing Shigure's exceptional stance.
Had he underestimated Shigure, the counterstrike would have landed directly on his abdomen.
The students erupted into excited whispers.
"Did I hear that right? Mikazuki-sensei went all out against Segawa…"
"Who is this guy? Is he from one of the Four Great Noble Families?"
"Idiot! None of the Four Great Noble Families have someone like him. This guy… he's the real deal!"
Swordsmanship, often regarded as the easiest skill for Soul Reapers to learn but the hardest to master, was one of the four core techniques.
Yet, on the very first day of class, Shigure had displayed a level of Zanjutsu that rivaled a teacher who had been practicing for over a century. It was nothing short of terrifying.
"Segawa, why are you still standing there?" Tōkudan said with a smile. "These basic techniques are no longer necessary for you to practice."
Shigure smiled, bowed respectfully, and said, "Thank you for your guidance."
With that, he turned, placed the wooden sword back on the rack, and walked calmly out of the dojo.
No one stopped him, nor did anyone consider his departure disrespectful.
After all, even the instructor had acknowledged that these lessons were unnecessary for him.
Shigure's reason for leaving was simple—he had decided to find a quiet place to reenter a meditative state, continuing his dialogue with his Zanpakutō.
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