The Katori-ryu Dojo.
A sharp shout rang through the courtyard, followed by the rhythmic clack of wooden swords colliding.
Thud-thud-clack—
Kuchiki Byakuya was sparring with Madarame Ikakku.
"Those two are starting to look the part," Batsu'unsai commented with a faint smile.
"Hm… a bit better than wild swinging, at least," Nanatsuki nodded.
After taking in Madarame Ikakku as a disciple, war had broken out, but thankfully, Tsubaki Jin'uemon had stepped in to help with instruction.
Now, both Kuchiki Byakuya and Madarame Ikakku had completed their basic swordsmanship training. No longer were they just flailing aimlessly.
[Disciple Kuchiki Byakuya has completed Basic Swordsmanship Training. Rewards calculated.]
[Received: 2000 General Ability EXP]
[Disciple Madarame Ikakku has completed Basic Swordsmanship Training. Rewards calculated.]
[Received: 2000 General Ability EXP]
Nanatsuki had already mastered all beginner-level Kidō tasks. Now, basic training missions no longer rewarded Kidō proficiency—but the General Ability EXP had doubled from 1000 to 2000.
"I win!"
Byakuya deflected the incoming wooden sword and moved to strike while Ikakku was off-balance.
But then—he spotted a figure perched on the courtyard wall he hadn't noticed before.
Startled, his swing hesitated.
Pain shot through his wrist a moment later.
Thwack!
His wooden sword flew from his hand.
"Counterattack success!" Ikakku slung his wooden sword over his shoulder and laughed heartily.
"You ambushed me! If not for Yoruichi-senpai scaring me, you wouldn't have landed that hit!"
Byakuya crouched, rubbing the red swelling on his wrist.
"Getting spooked isn't my fault."
Yoruichi dropped down from the courtyard wall.
"So it was you, Yoruichi-senpai!"
Ikakku finally noticed her behind him.
"Your Reiatsu concealment's gotten better—didn't even sense a trace," said Batsu'unsai in admiration.
"Even Shishō didn't detect her!" Byakuya's eyes lit up. 'If I could hide my Reiatsu like that, my strikes would be nearly impossible to anticipate.'
"I want to learn that! Can you teach me?"
"You want to learn this?" Yoruichi looked at Byakuya, whose eyes still hadn't been tempered by the cruelty of the world, and a wicked grin crept onto her face.
"This is a secret technique passed down only in the Shihōin family…"
Her voice lowered, conspiratorial, like she was revealing a forbidden truth.
"The Shihōin Clan's secret technique!"
"A technique that precious… then I probably won't be allowed to learn it…" Byakuya sighed in disappointment.
If it was labeled a "Shihōin Secret Technique," it obviously wasn't something shared lightly.
"But, for the sake of your teacher, maybe… just maybe, I could teach you," Yoruichi smiled faintly.
"Really?!" Byakuya lit up.
"Of course. But I can't give it away for free…" She rubbed two fingers together. "How much pocket money you got?"
"I've saved up about 50,000 Kan!" Byakuya named a figure he could live with.
Though the Kuchiki Clan was wealthy, they were strict with their youth. Saving 50,000 Kan had been no small feat.
To compare: the extra hazard pay for slaying a Hollow in the World of the Living was only about 5,000 Kan.
"Not enough!" Yoruichi sneered. "A mere 50,000 Kan? You think that's enough for the Shihōin Secret Technique?"
"At least 80,000," she said, eyeing his reaction closely.
"But I don't have that much…" Byakuya tugged at his hair in frustration. He really wanted that technique.
"Then I guess you're just not destined to learn the Shihōin Secret Technique," she sighed regretfully.
"Wait! I can borrow the rest!" He turned to his sparring partner. "Ikakku—"
"Call me 'Big Bro' first," Ikakku said, picking his nose lazily.
Though Ikakku lived in Rukongai, his father's generation had already produced a Shinigami. Now that he was attending the Academy, his family had offered some support—and the Academy provided a monthly stipend. He'd managed to save a bit himself.
"Big Bro Ikakku!" Byakuya caved instantly. If calling him that could get him the secret technique, so be it.
"Heh…" Ikakku grinned and slowly pulled out his coin pouch. "I don't have much either. Just 10,000 Kan."
"That's enough! Thanks, Big Bro Ikakku!"
Byakuya gleefully accepted the money and completed the payment, handing over 80,000 Kan to Yoruichi.
"I can sense your sincere desire to learn the Shihōin Secret Technique," she said as she accepted the pouch, grinning like a fox.
"Behold—the Shihōin Secret Technique!" Yoruichi pulled out a pen and paper and scribbled something.
Byakuya snatched it eagerly.
A moment later, his face darkened.
"You swindler!!"
He threw the paper to the ground in fury.
When he lunged to retrieve his money, Yoruichi gracefully dodged aside.
"I didn't lie—this really is the Shihōin Secret Technique! Ahahahaha!"
Ikakku picked up the discarded sheet out of curiosity.
"It really does say 'Shihōin Secret Technique'…" he muttered.
That was all it said. Just those four characters.
"I will master Shunpo one day!" Byakuya shouted, unable to catch Yoruichi.
"Don't forget to pay me back!" Ikakku clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"You'll get your money," Byakuya grumbled, red-faced. "I'll pay you in two months!"
That day, he learned the painful truth of having inferior Shunpo.
"A nice little payday," Yoruichi said, tossing the coin pouch in her hand as she approached Nanatsuki and Batsu'unsai.
"You really swindled a kid." Nanatsuki sighed.
"I was teaching him about the treachery of the world. Charging tuition is perfectly justified," she replied with a straight face.
Then she pulled out a report. "This is the war summary."
"I agree, the number of Quincy seems abnormally high. It's only been a few decades, yet they've recovered this much power. And the elite Quincy you encountered... something's off. There must be an undiscovered stronghold."
The battle strength displayed by the Quincy had caught the Shinigami off guard.
Many captains believed there was at least one hidden settlement of powerful Quincy they had yet to locate.
But none of them—Aside from Nanatsuki—had realized the Quincy were hiding in the deepest shadows of Seireitei itself.
"...Thanks for the work." Nanatsuki flipped through the report.
His suspicions had become certainty after infiltrating Silbern two days ago: the abnormal Quincy resurgence was directly tied to the Wandenreich.
He now planned to use the upcoming Sternritter recruitment as his opportunity to infiltrate their ranks.
It would help him monitor Yhwach's condition and, when the time came to strike the Wandenreich, having insider credentials would minimize casualties on the Shinigami side.
"Stealth Force's sweep is done. We captured some Quincy escapees from the battlefield, but they all had a spiritual formula embedded in them to prevent interrogation. We couldn't get a single piece of intel."
Though the open conflict had ended, the cleanup in the World of the Living continued.
"Then send them to the Research Division. Let Vice-Captain Urahara and Third Seat Mayuri crack the encryption."
"Too late," Yoruichi said, voice grim. "The formula activated two days ago. All of them are dead."
The Wandenreich had left no loose ends. Every soldier deployed to the World of the Living carried a spiritual self-destruct protocol.
"No wonder Soken said not to bother... He must've known already." Nanatsuki recalled how exhausted Soken had looked.
It wasn't just physical. Jugram Haschwalth's cold indifference had clearly shaken him.
"This sort of thing can't really be stopped. The Stealth Force did their best," Nanatsuki said calmly.
Yoruichi nodded and left. She still had much to handle after the return from the World of the Living.
But before leaving, she passed by Byakuya.
"Go away. I don't know you." He turned his head coldly.
"Don't want this back?" She dangled the coin pouch in front of him.
"Give it!" He lunged—but she dodged.
"When you can sense my Reiatsu, I'll give it back," she smirked and tucked it away.
"Ugh!" Byakuya's aloof mask cracked. "Just say you don't want to return it! I'm not a sore loser!"
"I won't cheat you. Here's a tip." Yoruichi vanished, her voice echoing from afar. "Hold your breath to focus your mind. It helps with both suppressing and sensing Reiatsu."
"Really?" Byakuya turned to his teacher. "Is that true?"
"Depends on the person," Nanatsuki chuckled. "If it helps you concentrate, then it's useful."
Byakuya held his breath and tried to sense Ikakku's Reiatsu. After a moment, it did seem clearer.
"It… works. Not a total loss," he muttered, the sting of losing his money slightly eased.
"It really helps!" Ikakku said after trying it himself. "I can feel your Reiatsu more clearly too."
Byakuya's eye twitched. He got the same trick… for free. The pain returned.
"Damn it…"
With that lesson wrapped, Nanatsuki turned his attention to the Reishi Shell puppets nearby.
Liltotto and Meninas were training too.
To streamline instruction, Nanatsuki had arranged for Meninas to train at Liltotto's place.
"These are spirit tools I crafted for your training."
He handed them each a pair of spirit-imbued wristbands.
Last night, his Reishi Shell puppet had returned to Soul Society to retrieve the newly forged equipment.
Meninas had already tested them—they improved her control over external Reishi and internal Reiatsu.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
Liltotto felt a warmth inside. It had been a long time since she'd felt cared for.
"I'll guide you through sensing the Reiatsu flow," Nanatsuki said, taking her hand. "This is the first phase frequency."
Liltotto focused, sensing her spiritual power.
With his guidance, her Reiatsu began circulating with a gentle rhythm.
"That's it," Nanatsuki released her hand. "First phase is easy. Try it on your own now."
Liltotto nodded, suppressing 20% of her power as she tried to maintain control.
"It's not hard… but not exactly easy either."
She opened her palm, but the Reishi didn't form a proper sphere.
"No rush. Can't drink hot tea in a hurry."
Nanatsuki turned to Meninas. She'd been standing silently. "Finished the second phase?"
"Mhm!" She opened her palm, drawing ambient Reishi inward until a gleaming arrow took shape. "Look, Teacher!"
"Excellent progress," Nanatsuki nodded. "At this rate, you should finish all five phases before the recruitment ceremony."
Meninas had more basic training than Liltotto, so he expected faster results.
"But if you want to grow before the ceremony, this alone won't cut it. Time to raise the difficulty."
He smiled. "They haven't released Sternritter recruitment criteria, but battle performance will surely be a major factor."
"We're doing combat training next?" Meninas asked eagerly.
"Yes. During your test the other day, I noticed some flaws," he said, raising his hand. "Let's start with evasion."
The blue glow in his palm made her instincts scream. She shot into the air using Hiryūkyaku.
"Good reflexes. But your movement is sloppy—too many wasted motions." Nanatsuki fired a barrage of Reishi arrows. "Get rid of all the fluff!"
The dense arrow storm made her scalp tingle.
She pushed her footwork to the limit to evade, but was soon struck.
To her surprise, the arrows dissipated on contact.
"I've suppressed their power. What're you waiting for? Looks like I'll need to increase the pain!"
Pain flared in her gut as the next volley landed.
"Owowow!!"
She twisted away, arrows raining down. They wouldn't injure—but they did hurt.
"Teacher can shoot this many even without a bow?!"
Liltotto was awestruck once again by his power.
She'd seen Royal Guards fight—but they didn't compare.
"I better train seriously too… don't wanna get left behind."
She refocused, grappling with the Reiatsu inside her.