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As one of the rare large-built Squad Members in the Fourth Division, Aoga gave off a completely different impression from a typical Fourth Division Squad Member.
Instead, he resembled the Eleventh Division Squad Members who were frequently sent to the Comprehensive Relief Station—both burly in build and fierce in appearance.
In short, he looked less like a doctor and more like a murderer.
However, those familiar with Aoga knew that this burly man's inner self was completely at odds with his appearance; he was an incredibly gentle person.
At this moment, Aoga stood out like a crane among chickens amidst the Fourth Division Squad Members.
Squad Members came and went in the ward, constantly leaving and arriving, but every Fourth Division Squad Member who entered this ward stared intently at Ishikawa Katori beside the patient's bed.
Ishikawa Katori's proficiency in Kaido had, within just half a month, completely won over the Fourth Division Squad Members.
Even Vice-Captain Kogetsu Isane had publicly stated on more than one occasion that Ishikawa Katori's mastery of Kaido far surpassed her own.
Yet, even so…
Everyone was still shocked by Ishikawa Katori's Kaido at present.
Spirit Core damaged!
The Fourth Division Squad Members understood better than anyone what these words meant, having even witnessed many instances where individuals appeared normal one moment and died the next.
Furthermore, the patient on the bed was not merely suffering from spiritual energy stagnation, but rather from severe injuries, which could be considered a 'fatal' injury for both ordinary people and Shinigami alike.
But…
Miraculously, this patient had not died.
Although the treatment had lasted for several hours, Ishikawa Katori, within the 'Pure Air Barrier', had not rested from beginning to end, but instead meticulously conducted continuous examinations on the patient.
After each period of examination, the moment the patient's condition began to deteriorate, Sir Ishikawa would activate Kaido, pouring all his efforts into pulling the patient back from the brink of death.
Vice-Captain Kogetsu Isane had also visited once in the interim.
After her examination, she reached the same conclusion as Sir Ishikawa, but she determined that she could not save this person herself.
She then ordered the Pure Air Barrier to be erected, prohibiting anyone from approaching or disturbing Sir Ishikawa's treatment.
From then on…
The kind Sir Ishikawa had been continuously striving to save the patient, never once considering giving up on the treatment.
He revived that Squad Member again and again, then conducted examinations while simultaneously researching feasible treatment methods.
Although it was already well-known that Sir Ishikawa was incredibly kind-hearted and a renowned philanthropist in West Rukongai, his current attitude of refusing to give up on any patient still deeply moved the Fourth Division Squad Members.
"Let… me die…"
Even when the patient, seemingly enduring suffering worse than death under Sir Ishikawa's continuous manipulation, begged Sir Ishikawa to give up on saving him, Sir Ishikawa did not stop… instead, his expression grew even more resolute!!
If Sir Ishikawa couldn't save this patient, he would surely be in great pain.
—Ecstasy!!
Ishikawa Katori's current mood could be perfectly described by these two words.
This Squad Member's injuries were simply too perfect.
After several hours of tormenting him, Ishikawa Katori had practically mobilized all his Kido-related knowledge—Hado, Bakudo, and Kaido—from his mind, combining them with the patient's condition.
He even experimented with all his research and ideas regarding the 'Spirit Core' from the past half-month on the patient!
As for whether the other party would die…
Ishikawa Katori was not worried at all, because if he hadn't come to the Comprehensive Relief Station, this patient would have died hours ago, and wouldn't have even lasted until Kogetsu Isane arrived.
Moreover, to avoid disturbance, he had tampered with the patient's 'Spirit Core' before Kogetsu Isane arrived, making her believe that this Squad Member was beyond saving… then, he feigned an unwilling-to-give-up demeanor, requesting her to order others to keep their distance.
Who would have thought…
He would use treatment as a cover to continuously experiment on the patient under everyone's watchful eyes.
Of course, Ishikawa Katori didn't let him die.
After each failed experiment, Ishikawa Katori would immediately take remedial measures to prevent his condition from deteriorating, ensuring he could heal him at any time.
He did this solely to avoid Captain Unohana noticing anything amiss.
Once she arrived, even if it meant losing his observation subject, Ishikawa Katori would immediately heal him.
Fortunately, according to Kogetsu Isane, Captain Unohana had been summoned to the First Division for a Captains' meeting shortly before he arrived at the Comprehensive Relief Station, and she had not yet returned!
But even under such favorable conditions, none of Ishikawa Katori's countless ideas, even after experimental failures, received system acknowledgment; without exception, they were all ideas destined to fail.
What was still missing?
Ishikawa Katori frowned, Retsu Unohana could return at any moment, and he had to finish before she did.
Hado, Bakudo, Kaido… he had experimented with every Kido-related idea, but all of them had failed without exception.
Was the idea of creating a method that allows the Spirit Core to produce spiritual power like breathing, thereby rapidly increasing one's own spiritual power, truly a dead end?
Or was it that his knowledge base, comparable to the Great Spirit Book Corridor, was insufficient to create such Kido… or more precisely, unable to even conceive a single successful concept?
After all, if there was even a tiny glimmer of a successful concept, it would gain system acknowledgment, allowing the system to help him deduce its success!!
Eventually, Ishikawa Katori was no longer limited to Kido and Reiatsu knowledge, but rather mobilized his entire knowledge base, including even unrelated Zanjutsu, Shunpo, and Hakuda… none were excluded.
But still, not a single idea appeared in the system panel's special techniques.
He was at his wit's end.
He had tried almost every ability related to Shinigami.
However, thinking about it carefully, this was actually quite normal; if such a technique were created and perfected by the system, Ishikawa Katori, upon its public release, could even directly become a member of the Zero Squad!
Hmm?
Wait…
Ishikawa Katori's pupils gradually widened, and his eyes gleamed with ecstasy.
Special Techniques:
[Chantless Kido] Advanced (680/100000)
[Kaido]: Advanced (12432/100000)
Post-chanting: High Level (360 / 100000)
...
...
Unnamed Spiritual Crests: Not Activated (0 / 50)
Did it succeed?
Ishikawa Katori looked at the last item that appeared in the Special Techniques, his face filled with wild joy. If it weren't for the only remaining bit of rationality reminding him that there were many people around, he might have put on a show of laughing and jumping like a Lunatic...
Although...
He had been tinkering for so long that it hadn't even activated, meaning he had only created a tiny possibility. But he had indeed received the system's acknowledgment, creating the second original technique after 'Kaminawa'.
As for Shunko...
Ishikawa Katori didn't believe he created it himself. After all, Kukaku had always been helping him develop in that direction, plus he was extremely proficient in Kido and Hakuda, and then there was the life-or-death situation... it was only through a combination of factors that he coincidentally succeeded in comprehending it.
And Ishikawa Katori had never paid much attention to Kaminawa, a Low Level Kido born from an accident.
But the Spiritual Crests before him were different; this was a tangible result of Ishikawa Katori's efforts, created from nothing, an achievement that would shock Soul Society... Even if it was just a tiny bit, it should still count as his own effort. Although, if he didn't have the system, after failing just now, Ishikawa Katori would have concluded that this tiny possibility was impossible to achieve.
But he had the system!
With the system as a safety net, as long as this path could be walked, even if it was just a tiny bit, the system could deduce it from '1' to its extreme.
Moreover, the appearance of these Spiritual Crests also meant...
His other anticipated techniques also had the possibility of being successfully created.
Whether it was the combination of Kaido and Hakuda, or the Bakudo specifically targeting Aizen alone... these could all be achieved through continuous research!!
"Cough, cough, cough, cough..."
A violent fit of coughing roused Ishikawa Katori from his ecstasy. Only then did he remember the experimental subject who had helped him, who was still in critical condition.
"Don't worry, I will definitely cure you!!"
Ishikawa Katori said to the patient on the bed, his words revealing a heartfelt tenderness and determination.
This person was simply his great benefactor, how could he not cure him!!
"..." The patient.
He suddenly regretted not being able to control his coughing just now.
Please stop tormenting me!
The patient felt a surge of despair in his heart. Earlier, he saw Ishikawa Katori in a daze and thought that the person in front of him had run out of options, and he could finally end this pain worse than death... But damn it, he hadn't given up yet...
It started again...
Watching Ishikawa Katori use Kaido to treat him, a hint of despair flashed in the patient's eyes.
He could foresee that he would soon be kept barely alive again, and then the other party would try to save him. While he couldn't say he felt hatred... honestly, in this pain worse than death, he had no thought of gratitude towards Ishikawa Katori.
Huh?
However, the next second he froze.
Because...
Comfortable.
An incredibly comfortable, incredibly warm feeling filled his entire body.
This was a feeling he had never experienced before. Was this...
The final burst of energy before death?
This wasn't bad either.
With a relaxed smile on his face, the patient slowly closed his eyes, awaiting death.
After an unknown amount of time...
Clap, clap, clap—
Accompanied by a series of crisp sounds, the patient felt a pain in his face, and then Ishikawa Katori's voice came to his ears: "Stop pretending to sleep, get out of bed and walk a few steps, see how you feel?"
Get out of bed and walk a few steps?
The patient was startled, then his mouth twitched as he opened his eyes: "Are you messing with me? I'm like this, and you want me to walk a few laps... Uh..." His words stopped abruptly. This Third Division Squad Member, after a few seconds of stunned, suddenly sat up from the bed.
His condition...
Was surprisingly good!
The feeling of being on the verge of death was completely gone, and the Reiatsu within his body had even become much stronger.
How was this possible!?
"He's sitting up?"
"Sir Ishikawa actually saved him!?"
"As expected of Sir Ishikawa, he's simply amazing."
"..."
The Fourth Division members in the ward couldn't help but exclaim.
They didn't know...
If Kogetsu Isane had come first, this person might have already been cured and sleeping soundly, instead of being tormented all night by someone.
However, after a night of torment, he wasn't without benefits.
At least under Ishikawa Katori's series of inhumane experiments, his Reiatsu grew from that of an ordinary Squad Member to the level of a Low Level Seated Officer, and because his Spirit Core was messed with by Ishikawa Katori... his spiritual power talent would also receive a slight increase.
Although not significant, for a Squad Member with extremely weak initial spiritual power talent like him, it could still be of great help.
"Phew..."
Ishikawa Katori looked at the Third Division Squad Member who had walked a few circles without any abnormalities and said: "Don't use your Reiatsu casually for three days. After three days, you can return to your Squad."
"Really?"
The Third Division Squad Member's face lit up upon hearing this. Although the treatment process made him want to die, being alive was always better than being dead.
And his strength had actually improved.
This filled his face with gratitude, and he patted his chest, saying: "Sir Ishikawa, from now on, my life, Kiryuuori, is yours. If there's anything you need help with, just ask!!"
Ishikawa Katori smiled upon hearing this: "No need to be polite, I'm just doing my duty."
If only you were a woman...
A man's gratitude was useless to him, he wouldn't get a single experience point.
"Everyone, disperse."
Ishikawa Katori said to the Fourth Division members in the ward who were looking at him with admiring eyes: "Just leave one person to watch him, I'll go rest in the next ward. If you need help, you can come call me."
"Yes!"
The big guy Aoga quickly responded: "Sir Ishikawa, please go rest quickly."
"Yes, you've been busy all day, and now you've been busy for the patient until now. Please go rest quickly."
"Don't worry, we will never let the patient you worked so hard to save have any problems!"
"..."
Sugishita Hanami's Favorability +1, gained 320 experience points, current Favorability: 42.
Sugishita Hanami's Favorability +1, gained 320 experience points, current Favorability: 43.
Shibata's Favorability +1, gained 80 experience points, current Favorability: 27.
Yuriko's Favorability +1, gained 160 experience points, current Favorability: 35.
"..."
Looking at the data constantly emerging from the system interface, Ishikawa Katori's smile grew warmer.
Moreover...
Current Experience: 14640
Kogetsu Isane's Favorability +1, gained 2560 experience points, current Favorability: 41.
...
...
Kogetsu Isane's Favorability +1, gained 2560 experience points, current Favorability: 44.
Over ten thousand of these experience points were provided by Kogetsu Isane when she came earlier, making Ishikawa Katori's originally depleted experience points abundant again.
A fruitful harvest!
Bidding farewell to everyone, Ishikawa Katori arrived at the third ward on the south side.
As soon as he sat on the bed, Ishikawa Katori eagerly opened the system interface, looking at the Spiritual Crests at the end of the Special Techniques, and chuckled foolishly.
Ishikawa Katori calmed his mood, named the new Spiritual Crests 'Development Spiritual Mark', and directly invested the remaining '4640' from his current experience points into it.
Development Spiritual Mark: Intermediate (3090 / 10000)
"Hiss—"
Ishikawa Katori grimaced, and countless knowledge of Spiritual Crests instantly flooded his mind. The vast amount of knowledge once again made Ishikawa Katori experience the familiar pain.
Pain and joy!
As he assimilated, Ishikawa Katori gradually understood the function of this Spiritual Crest.
This Spiritual Crest was not, as Ishikawa Katori imagined, carved on the outside of the body, but rather a layer of Spiritual Crests carved around the 'Spirit Core' using the Reiatsu within the body, thereby accelerating the speed at which the 'Spirit Core' generates spiritual power. At Ishikawa Katori's current level, he could likely generate spiritual power that would originally take days or even months to produce a trace.
Accelerate to the point where a certain amount of spiritual power can be generated every day.
It might not seem like much, but accumulated over time, his Reiatsu would increase much faster than others, and combined with Zanpakuto for Blade Meditation, this speed would only become faster!
However, this Spiritual Crest was not the bloodline Spiritual Crest that Ishikawa Katori imagined, but rather existed based on Ishikawa Katori's own spiritual power characteristics. This meant... unless someone with identical spiritual power characteristics to Ishikawa Katori appeared, this Spiritual Crest could only be used on himself.
Ishikawa Katori didn't mind this, however.
Kogetsu Isane's Favorability +1, gained 2560 experience points, current Favorability: 45.
...
...
Kogetsu Isane's Favorability +1, gained 5120 experience points, current Favorability: 50.
Current Experience: 27920.
Ishikawa Katori was startled by the prompt on the system panel, then realized. He figured Kogetsu Isane must have received reports from other Squad Members.
However...
It's 50 now.
Ishikawa Katori's expression was a bit complex; it was time to find a way to limit the increase in favorability.
Otherwise, if it accidentally broke through 60, it would be troublesome. But without the experience point income from Kogetsu Isane, it would be almost impossible for him to get so many experience points at once again.
Who else should he make friends with?
Although he luckily met Ise Nanao at the glasses shop last time, he hadn't seen her since then. Even if he wanted to continue befriending her, he didn't have the authority to go to the Eighth Division's area.
Forget it...
He'd take it one step at a time.
Ishikawa Katori shook his head, no longer dwelling on it, and instead took out a portion of his experience to raise 'Development Spiritual Mark' to High Level in one go.
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for dozens of advance chapters for over a dozen fics | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter