Sure enough… I drank too much."
Kurotsuki Renya carried Captain Suì-Fēng on his back, walking toward the 2nd Division barracks. Her usually stern face was flushed red, her breath soft and uneven, fast asleep against him.
Renya had hosted a banquet for the members of the Women's Shinigami Association. Captain Suì-Fēng, despite her usual discipline, had indulged more than usual in sake—ending up completely drunk.
Renya could only sigh and take responsibility, carrying her back to the division. He carefully entered her quarters, laid her gently on the bed, and removed her outer haori to make her more comfortable.
Beneath, Suì-Fēng wore the modified sleeveless Shinigami uniform tailored for speed and Hakuda combat, revealing her fair shoulders and toned arms. The open design near her legs exposed the defined curves she normally kept hidden beneath her uniform. Renya quickly averted his eyes, muttering to himself, see no evil.
After removing her sandals and covering her with a blanket, he quietly turned to leave.
Suì-Fēng didn't stir or mumble as she sometimes did in her sleep. But after Renya stepped out, she slowly opened her eyes. Her cheeks were still flushed, her body heavy with drink. With a lazy stretch, she shifted, pushing the quilt aside and curling against it, drifting back into slumber.
⸻
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, Rukia Kuchiki, and others finally graduated from Shin'ō Academy. As history recorded, Aizen Sōsuke personally extended invitations to Renji, Kira, and Momo Hinamori.
Renji, however, had long set his sights on Squad 11, drawn by the sheer power and combat spirit there. True to form, he entered the 11th Division.
Izuru Kira had shown aptitude in Kidō during his fifth year and excelled in healing techniques by the sixth. Declining Aizen's offer, he joined the 4th Division, specializing in support and medical Kidō.
Momo Hinamori, deeply gifted in Kidō arts, especially Hadō, accepted Aizen's invitation, joining the 5th Division under his command.
Renya had tried to dissuade her, sensing the danger Aizen represented, but Hinamori's admiration for him was unwavering. In the end, he could only watch her walk down a path he knew would lead to ruin.
⸻
In this same span of time, Renya had mastered nearly every high-level Hadō of the lightning attribute. With Suì-Fēng's guidance, he even learned several advanced Bakudō, expanding his versatility and power.
Yet, one regret gnawed at him: after five years of wielding his Zanpakutō, its spirit still refused to speak to him.
His reiatsu had grown to the level of a seated officer—strong enough to rival most 3rd Seats and even some Lieutenants. Still, his Zanpakutō remained silent.
"Why can't I reach it? Is my resolve lacking… or do I still not have its recognition?" Renya often wondered, discouraged but unwilling to give up.
His main focus now was Suì-Fēng's training—her pursuit of a devastating fusion of Kidō and Hakuda.
⸻
"Captain, Thunder Roar Cannon (Hadō #63) is an explosive Kidō of the lightning attribute. Its name shares the same Cannon designation as Shakkahō (Hadō #31), but their mechanics differ greatly.
Shakkahō compresses reiryoku into a concentrated fireball, while Raikōhō scatters its energy in a wide, fan-shaped explosion. The area of effect is massive, yet each strike retains destructive force equal to Shakkahō.
On the other hand, Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō condenses lightning into a single beam, unleashing concentrated annihilation rather than dispersive force.
Because Raikōhō produces an unstable, unfocused explosion, I believe it can serve as the foundation for a Shunkō technique."
Renya stood before Suì-Fēng, holding a thick stack of documents he had compiled.
Suì-Fēng nodded. "If Raikōhō is our base, the key lies in isolating its explosive dispersal and controlling that transformation. How would you extract it?"
Renya pointed to his notes. "I compared Raikōhō with Byakurai, Raikōhō with Shakkahō, and Raikōhō with Raihō. Each reveals how reiryoku transforms into lightning and how dispersal is achieved.
By cross-referencing their mechanics, I identified the pathways reiryoku follows when converted into lightning and when forced into unstable detonation. That instability is exactly what we need to weaponize Shunkō."
Suì-Fēng flipped through the dense records—thousands of experimental attempts, each meticulously documented. Her brows furrowed. "You conducted all of these…?"
Renya smiled faintly. "If I want to find the key, I have to keep trying. Break it apart piece by piece until the pattern shows itself."
For Suì-Fēng, who rarely expressed gratitude, her quiet, "Thank you," carried deep weight.
Renya shook his head. "No need, Captain. I want to see Shunkō realized as much as you do."
Suì-Fēng's sharp eyes softened slightly. "Then… show me."
Renya raised his arm. Without a chant, crackling reiryoku surged, spreading lightning across his limb. The energy built until it erupted—
BOOM!
The floor beneath him exploded in a thunderous blast, smoke and dust filling the air. When it cleared, a crater five meters wide and half a meter deep scarred the training ground.
"This is only a preliminary stage," Renya explained. "I'm simply channeling Raikōhō's dispersal pattern through my arm. It lacks refinement. But with your mastery of Hakuda, Captain, the destructive output could reach far higher levels."
Suì-Fēng's eyes gleamed. "Excellent. Teach me everything."
Renya nodded. "The technique depends on reiryoku flow through the body's reiryoku nodes—what we call sekkotsu and saimyaku. For example, the Sekki point controls reiryoku generation, while Shūsui governs spiritual unconsciousness. Striking or altering these points can suppress or amplify power."
He recalled Ishida Uryū's Quincy technique against Cirucci Sanderwicci in Hueco Mundo—proof such principles held true even outside Shinigami.
Over four days of relentless training, Renya guided Suì-Fēng through transforming Kidō into lightning along specific spiritual pathways. She learned to unleash lightning bursts from her back and channel them through her limbs.
But full integration with Hakuda was still beyond reach. Balancing reiryoku output, distributing energy across the body, and blending it with Hakuda's flow would require countless trials.
Still, the foundation had been laid. The path to Shunkō had begun.
__________
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