Six months have passed since the start of the second year. Akio has been performing his four Zanjutsu form everynight. And now, every muscle in his body knew the rhythm, the flow, the instinct of the Zanjutsu forms. He had mastered 'Ha' and 'Mune' months ago and now after months repeating them again and again and trying to make them more refined and precise—he could perform them blindfolded, underwater, or with one arm tied behind his back. And finally today was the day he would finally do 'Ha' and 'Mune' infront of everyone. Though he would not show his full power yet.
That morning, when the second-year morning bell rang everyone gathered at the training ground. Many children were practicing Ha and Meru. Some like Ikkaku and Yumichika had already mastered it and were training different things. Ikkaku was practicing the Zanjutsu forms suitable for him and Yumichika was reciting kido incantation.
Akio also stood in the training ground his Asauchi in his hand. He closed his eyes took a deep breath and then flowed his Reiryaku through his Asauchi. Everyone present in that room turned towards Akio and then they saw him.
His grip tightened.
"Ha."
Reiryoku surged, precise and deliberate, sliding down the edge like liquid light. The blade gleamed dark, an invisible distortion clinging to it. His swing came down — silent, clean.
The dummy's head slipped off its shoulders without a sound, the cut so fine it took a moment for gravity to notice. The two halves dropped to the ground, splitting perfectly.
The courtyard froze.
Akio straightened, blade humming faintly in his grip. His chest rose once, steady, calm.
Akio turned his blade, guiding the Reiryoku along the spine this time. His stance shifted, weight flowing through his body.
"—Mune."
The blade blurred. A single strike — not heavy, not forced — but so swift it cracked the air like a whip. The dummy shuddered, split neatly down the center as if the wood itself had chosen to part.
Gasps rippled through the students.
Ikkaku's jaw split into a wide grin. He bounded forward, clapping Akio hard on the back. "You finally did it, runt! Hah! Been hiding this the whole time, haven't you?"
Yumichika, for once, let a genuine smile touch his lips. "Mm. Congratulations, Akio. You've finally joined us on the proper stage."
The morning went on like that. Akio tried doing 'Ha' and 'Mune' some more times and was successful at least most of the time. He deliberately messed a few times to show that he haven't perfected it yet.
Then the morning training ended and he went towards library.
After entering the library he started searching for #1-#5 hado and bakudo. He couldn't seem to find them. And as he was searching he heard a voice '"Looking for this?" He looked where the voice came from and found the librarian with the Kido scrolls. It was from the librarian. He was a tall man about 6'10" with a hulking, muscular build that radiates raw power. His broad shoulders and thick arms are corded with muscle, built for crushing blows, giving him a bear-like presence. "Thanks Ryugo-san I was searching for this."
Taking the scrolls from Ryugo Akio exited the library, 'Well I don't know why but he doesn't give me a librarian vibe. Oh well what am I even thinking. Let's focus on Kido, shall we."
After reaching the training grounds he first noticed Ikkaku who was jumping while reading the Kido texts.
Ikkaku struggled with the Kido texts. He had always relied on raw strength and instinct in combat, his energy and physicality overwhelming opponents before any spell could matter. He approached the library reluctantly, scratching his head as he read the fine script of Hado-4: Byakurai.
"Why does it matter how the fingers move? Just… blast already!" he muttered, glaring at the diagrams.
Yumichika, in contrast, had already mastered much of the year's Kido curriculum. Each scroll felt like a familiar melody to him. He traced the characters with delicate precision, testing incantations on small energy balls that hovered and pulsed in his hands. His mastery of Hado, Bakudo, and the subtle combinations of both set a high bar.
Akio found a quiet corner between them, unfolding a series of scrolls with numbered Hado. He started with #1.
"Hado #1: Sho."
A soft burst of force shoved the dummy back half a step. Weak — but stable.
"Well I was able to do that quite easily. Must be because I have good control of my Reiyarku. Now the next step is to make it stronger."
"Hado #1: Shō."
Reiryoku gathered in his palm. A weak shove of force rippled outward, nudging the dummy half a step.
"…Stable," he murmured. "But weak."
He repeated it. Again. Again. Each time he altered the amount of energy, the pattern of flow, the rhythm of his breath. Too much Reiatsu — the spell destabilized, sparking apart. Too little — it barely stirred dust. Sloppy control — it refused to form at all.
Hours passed in repetition until he found it: the perfect balance, the right pattern of flow. When he released it, the dummy staggered back a full stride, dust scattering under its feet.
Akio exhaled, a thin smile on his lips. 'That's it.'
But he wasn't done. Words were still a crutch. He needed more.
Now was the time for incantationless Hado but for learning that he needed the help of someone. He could ask the instructor. But the instructor was busy helping other students too and he knew someone who would dedicate to him wholly while teaching.
His gaze drifted to Yumichika, who was already practicing higher-level Kidō with casual elegance. The decision came instantly. Unlike Ikkaku who was struggling learning basic Kido, Yumichika was a genius in Kido. Even his Zanpakto was Kido type in the anime. So Akio decided to seek help from Yumichika.
Akio stepped closer. "Yumichika. Can I ask you something?"
Yumichika arched an eyebrow, lips curving faintly. "Hm. Finally decided to value refinement over brute effort?" He set the scroll aside with his usual flourish. "What is it?"
"How do you cast without incantation?" Akio asked directly, lowering his voice. "I can feel the flow when I recite, but the words… it's like I'm leaning on a crutch. I want to do it without them."
For a heartbeat, Yumichika only studied him — sharp eyes assessing. Then he leaned back gracefully, folding his arms. "Most people can't. Not really. They mutter the words faster or clip them short and call it incantationless, but it isn't. True incantationless Kidō means reshaping the spell within your will, without the scaffold of words."
Akio frowned. "So… what do you actually do?"
Yumichika tapped a manicured finger against his temple. "Visualize. When you speak the incantation, the words guide your Reiryoku into form. Without them, you must picture the result perfectly. No hesitation, no fuzziness. See the push. Feel where it should erupt. Your Reiryoku is water, and the incantation is a carved channel. Incantationless means carving that channel yourself, in your mind."
Yumichika smiled faintly. "But be mindful that without the incantation, the spell loses some of its force, its precision. Unless, of course, you have absurd control like certain captains… then even a spell cast without words can rival the full form. But for us?" He flicked his fingers outward, a burst of force rippling across the table without a whisper. "We trade raw power for speed. Refinement over brute strength."
Akio absorbed the words, his fingers curling slightly, he nodded. "So… direct shaping."
"Exactly." Yumichika flicked his hand outward, casual as a brushstroke. A sudden burst of force rippled forward — no words, no warning, just a clean execution of Shō. The air pushed across the table, scattering a few parchment scraps.
Akio's eyes widened despite himself. "… Show-off."
Yumichika smirked. "Refined."
Akio steadied his breath, holding his palm outward. Normally he would murmur the words — the long incantation and Hadō #1, Shō — and the Reiryoku would align. Now, he reached inward, guiding the energy as Yumichika said: a channel without words. He pictured a sudden push forward, sharp and clean.
Nothing. Just a faint tingle in his hand.
Yumichika clicked his tongue lightly. "Too vague. You thought of the push, but not the force. It must be precise, Akio. Imagine not a breeze, but a wall slamming forward. Every detail matters. And first try to only use the short incantation like Hado #1, Sho then go to full no incantation."
Akio tried again. His palm trembled slightly as he focused, sweat forming at his brow. Then "Hado #1, Sho" This time, a weak shove of air flickered out — barely enough to rustle Yumichika's hair.
Yumichika blinked once, then sighed dramatically. "Unpolished. But better." He leaned forward, lowering his voice almost conspiratorially. "Here is the trick: match the feeling of the incantation without speaking it. You've recited Shō many times. Remember that pull in your chest, the way your Reiryoku tightens before release? Call that same sensation, then cut the words away."
Akio froze, realization dawning. He had felt it — that coil-and-release rhythm, like drawing a bowstring. He closed his eyes, recalled the exact rhythm of saying the words, then stopped short, letting only the shape of energy remain. His hand thrust forward —
Whump!A blast of force shot out, clean and sharp, rattling the scrolls on the nearest shelf.
Yumichika's smirk widened. "Mm. Passable. For a first attempt, at least. See? Refinement triumphs over effort. You could learn something from me after all."
Akio exhaled, half-laughing despite his exhaustion. "Guess I do owe you this one."
A loud thud echoed from the next aisle. Both turned to see Ikkaku sprawled on the floor, his hand smoking faintly.
"DAMN IT!" Ikkaku roared, coughing out dust. "I said the words right! Why the hell won't this stupid Bakudō stick?!"
Yumichika groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Honestly. Some people just aren't meant for elegance."
Akio grinned faintly, but said nothing — his palm still tingling with the memory of the spell, the taste of real progress sparking like fire in his chest.
Just then Tanaka announced, "Listen up. Two days from now. A calligraphy class by Captain of Squad 5 'Sosuke Aizen' will be held."
Author's Note
Hey everyone! I'm still shaping this story and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
What do you think about the pacing so far?
Are you enjoying Akio's journey?
Your comments or a quick review would mean a lot—they help me know what's working and what you'd like to see more of. Even a short "I like it" or "keep going" gives me motivation to write faster. Every comment gives Akio +1 Reiatsu 😆.
Thanks for reading, and see you in the next chapter!