Chapter 72
The sun rose gently over the eastern horizon, painting Tokyo in shades of soft gold and silver. A thin mist clung to the rooftops, and the air was cool enough to sting the skin the kind of morning that felt alive with renewal.
In the courtyard of Takeda's second residence, faint echoes of steel rang against steel.
Renji moved swiftly across the training ground, his wooden sword cutting through the air with a clean, precise rhythm. His movements were sharper now, his breathing steady, his mana flow controlled. The same boy who had struggled and stumbled only a day ago now looked like a different person.
He was faster.
He was lighter.
And, for the first time in weeks he wasn't fighting against himself.
Takeda met each of his strikes calmly, his own practice blade moving in graceful, efficient arcs. Every block, every parry, was deliberate and measured. He wasn't testing Renji's strength anymore — he was testing his focus.
The clash of their swords cracked through the air, each impact sending bursts of wind across the courtyard. Dust swirled. The air shimmered faintly with mana.
On the far end of the field, Hiroto leaned against a railing, watching quietly. His sharp eyes tracked every movement, every change in Renji's footwork, every time Takeda adjusted his stance.
Renji pivoted and came in low with a sweeping strike. Takeda sidestepped easily, his expression unreadable. The movement wasn't meant to win — it was meant to teach.
Renji's blade cut through empty air, but instead of cursing or losing his rhythm, he twisted with the momentum and came back with another strike, cleaner this time.
Takeda deflected it, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Good," he said quietly. "You're not overreaching anymore."
Renji didn't answer — he was too focused. Sweat rolled down his temple, but his eyes burned with concentration.
He shifted again, slashing upward. Takeda met it, their blades locking.
For a brief moment, the two of them stood close master and student, power and potential.
Renji gritted his teeth, pushing forward with everything he had, but Takeda didn't move an inch.
Then, as if deciding to end the exchange, Takeda twisted his wrist and sent Renji's sword flying into the air.
The blade landed a few meters away with a dull clatter.
Renji stumbled back, breathing hard.
Takeda lowered his own weapon, his expression thoughtful. "You've grown," he said simply. "Your stance no longer wavers."
Renji looked up, chest still heaving, his face streaked with sweat but there was a faint smile there. "Still… couldn't land a hit."
Takeda gave a small shrug. "That's not the point. You're not fighting me .. you're fighting the version of yourself that hesitates."
Renji let out a short laugh. "Sounds like something you'd say."
"Because it's true," Takeda said, his tone calm but approving. "Yesterday, you couldn't even keep your mana steady for three minutes. Today, you lasted twenty. That's progress."
From the side, Hiroto crossed his arms, calling out, "He's right, you know. You're actually keeping up better than I expected."
Renji turned toward him, wiping sweat from his chin. "That's your way of saying 'good job,' isn't it?"
Hiroto smirked. "Don't get used to it."
Takeda's gaze softened slightly as he looked at Renji again. "Your rhythm's changed," he said. "You're breathing with the fight now — not against it. That's what I wanted to see."
Renji caught his breath, eyes flicking up at Takeda's calm face. "Guess I finally stopped thinking too much."
"Or maybe," Takeda said, looking off toward the rising sun, "you finally started thinking about the right things."
The light hit the side of his face, giving him an almost ethereal glow. For a long moment, none of them spoke — the only sounds were the whisper of the wind and the faint hum of mana fading into the morning air.
Renji looked at his hands, the faint tremor of exhaustion still there, but something felt different now — lighter, steadier. The guilt from the night before still lingered, but it no longer weighed him down; it burned instead, quietly fueling him.
He tightened his grip on the training sword. "Again," he said.
Takeda's gaze flicked back to him — sharp, assessing — and then he nodded once.
Without a word, they took their stances again.
The world around them seemed to hold its breath. The first swing came fast — Renji's strike cutting through the air like lightning. Takeda met it, their blades clashing in a perfect echo of the morning calm.
The dance resumed.
Teacher and student ..... steel and resolve.
This time, Renji didn't fight to win.
He fought to understand.
And Takeda, for the first time in a long while, allowed himself the smallest, quietest thought — a flicker of pride behind his stoic gaze.
> "He's learning," Takeda thought. "He's finally learning."
Hiroto watched from the sidelines, hands in his pockets, the faintest grin breaking his usually reserved face. "Not bad, kid… not bad at all."
The sun climbed higher over the skyline, spilling light across the courtyard and in that moment, the clash of training blades sounded less like combat and more like music.
A new rhythm.
A new beginning..
The morning light filtered through the wide glass panes, cutting across the polished wooden floor in pale golden stripes. The air was cool, still, charged with that quiet intensity that always came before battle.
He rolled his shoulders, steadying his breath. His muscles ached faintly, but it wasn't like before — no crushing pressure, no doubt clawing at his chest. He felt lighter today. Focused.
Takeda stood near the far wall, arms crossed, that sharp, watchful gaze following Renji's every movement. Hiroto was there too ... leaning lazily against a pillar, hands in his pockets, a faint smirk playing on his lips. Choji sat cross-legged at the side with Lily beside him, both watching quietly.
Renji exhaled, calming the thrum in his chest.
Takeda spoke first, voice calm but firm.
"Good. Your body's adjusting. You're finally syncing your mana with your movement."
Renji nodded. "I feel it too… It's like the weight is gone."
Takeda's lips curved slightly. "Then let's see what that means in a real fight."
He turned to Hiroto. "You're up."
Hiroto straightened with a small chuckle, brushing off his jacket.
"Guess it's my turn then," he said, walking casually toward the center of the hall. "Don't worry, kid — I won't hold back."
Renji's expression hardened. "Good. I won't hold back either."
"Oh?" Hiroto tilted his head, smiling. "So you feel you're stronger now?"
But before he could even finish that sentence....
BANG.
Renji was suddenly in front of him — a blur of motion that even Hiroto's trained eyes couldn't track. The air cracked as Renji's fist slammed into his torso with a thunderous impact. Hiroto's body lifted off the ground and crashed into the wall behind him, the wooden planks splintering from the force.
Dust filled the air.
Hiroto coughed, brushing rubble off his shoulder, eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"You're sloppy, Hiroto-san," Renji said calmly, lowering his fist.
"Oh, I see…" Hiroto muttered, his grin returning, though tighter this time. "So that's how it is."
He straightened, rolling his neck until it popped. Then his mana flared — golden light rippling across his body, his eyes igniting like twin suns.
"I'm sloppy, eh?" Hiroto's voice deepened, edged with challenge. "Then come at me, and I'll show you what sloppy really means."
Renji shifted his stance.
In an instant — they both moved.
The sound of their clash tore through the air – BOOM! A rush of energy exploded outward, rattling the room. The two figures were barely visible, darting and vanishing, their blows colliding faster than the eye could follow.
Each strike was met with another.
Each movement countered with precision.
Shockwaves rippled through the hall, cracking tiles, shaking the walls.
Choji's eyes widened, his jaw slack. "I-I can't even see them!"
Lily clutched her chest, her eyes shining. "He's… keeping up with Hiroto…"
Renji moved like lightning — faster, sharper, yet calm, his breathing steady.
Hiroto countered each attack with practiced ease, parrying, dodging, and striking back, their fists colliding midair again and again, sparks bursting from every impact.
They were equals — in strength, in speed — though experience lingered on Hiroto's side.
Takeda's gaze sharpened. "He's improving with every exchange…"
Minutes passed like seconds.
Then — the floor shook from a heavy impact as the two separated, skidding back to opposite ends of the hall.
Hiroto grinned, dusting off his hands. "Alright, Renji. Playtime's over."
Renji tilted his head slightly, sweat glistening down his jaw. "Playtime?"
In a blink, Hiroto vanished.
Takeda's eyes narrowed. "Afterimage."
One moment, Hiroto was in front of Renji — the next, he was behind him, blade of mana forming in his hand.
"Oni-chan! Behind you!" Lily screamed.
Renji's instincts roared — his body twisted just in time, blocking the strike with his forearm. The clash sent a spark of energy through the air. But before Renji could fully turn, Hiroto disappeared again — reappearing right in front of him — and drove his knee and daggers into Renji's stomach, followed by a vicious kick that sent Renji crashing into the wall.
"Renji-san!" Choji shouted, jumping to his feet.
Takeda's expression hardened, eyes like ice.
Lily's hands trembled. "No… please…"
Hiroto exhaled, lowering his stance, golden aura still blazing. "Because you're SS-rank doesn't mean we're equals," he said coldly. "You might surpass me someday — maybe you're destined to. But right now…" He pointed at Renji, voice sharp. "Right now, you're weaker."
Silence.
Then, from the dust ..a voice answered.
"Shut up…"
Hiroto blinked. "What?"
"Shut up!" Renji roared, stepping out from the debris. His eyes blazed, his body bruised but still standing. "Watch me!"
Hiroto's grin widened. "You never learn."
He vanished again, moving to replicate the same maneuver — circling around for a blind-side strike.
But this time!
Renji stamped his foot on the ground.
The air trembled.
Takeda's pupils widened. That feeling… Impossible… that's my...
"Special Awareness," Renji said quietly, his gaze calm.
He turned just as Hiroto appeared behind him blocking the blade with perfect timing. The shockwave sent a burst of wind through the hall.
Hiroto froze mid-motion, eyes wide. "How… how can you use Takeda-san's skill!?"
Renji didn't answer. With a sharp twist, he grabbed Hiroto by the arm and threw him across the floor. Hiroto skidded back, but before he could recover, Renji charged, his movements fluid, his presence heavy with power.
His fist connected — BOOM! — a direct hit to Hiroto's chest, sending him flying backward again.
Hiroto coughed, landing hard. When he looked up, his eyes widened further.
Renji's aura was changing — brighter, sharper — his wounds closing right before their eyes.
Takeda's lips parted slightly. "He's… healing."
Hiroto pushed to his feet, breathing hard. "How… how are you doing this!?" he shouted, disbelief breaking his composure.
Renji shifted his gaze toward him, his tone low and calm.
"You said I'm weak, didn't you, Hiroto-san?"
The floor beneath him cracked as he planted one foot forward. The air around him distorted, vibrating with raw mana.
Takeda's breath caught. That output… it's unbelievable.
Renji vanished faster than before, faster than even Takeda's eyes could track.
Impossible he's faster takeda musterd deeply
Hiroto blinked — then stiffened.
Renji was behind him.
"Impossible… that's my—"
"The skill," Renji said, his voice echoing in the stillness. "Afterimage."
Before Hiroto could turn, Renji's kick slammed into his back with devastating force, launching him across the hall and into the far wall. The entire structure shook with the impact.
Silence fell.
Dust drifted in the air, soft motes glimmering in the morning light.
Hiroto groaned, half-buried in the cracked wall, then looked up .. disbelief painted across his face.
Renji stood still, chest rising and falling steadily, aura fading.
Takeda exhaled slowly, stepping forward. His expression was unreadable, but his tone carried a rare mix of awe and pride.
"I've never seen anyone do this before," he said quietly. "To copy even my skill and Hiroto's… after seeing them only once."
Choji grinned, eyes shining. "That's Renji-san for you!"
Lily's lips curved in a trembling smile, her eyes glassy with relief and pride.
Renji didn't respond — he simply looked down at his hands, his heart pounding in his chest. For the first time in a long while… he felt it.
Power.
Not borrowed.
Not forced.
But his own.
The air in the hall slowly calmed, the golden light fading into the morning glow.
Takeda finally spoke again, his voice softer.
"Good work, Renji. You've taken another step forward."
Renji bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Takeda-san."
Hiroto, still catching his breath, laughed weakly. "Tch… Guess I underestimated you, kid."
Renji smiled faintly. "Guess you did."
Takeda gazed at Renji, feeling something he hasn't felt in a long while, a proud teacher
Smiling faintly....I wonder if he sees me as a father figure he mustered deeply within himself
The tension broke with quiet laughter.
Outside, the first birds of morning began to sing.
The air in the training hall was still humming from the last clash. Dust floated lazily through the sunlight that streamed across the cracked floor.
Renji stood with his chest rising and falling, his fists still clenched. Hiroto was on one knee, his hand pressed to the ground, breathing heavily but wearing a look of disbelief more than pain.
He looked up at Renji, his golden eyes dimming back to normal. "How… how the hell did you do that?" he said finally, his voice filled with shock. "I've never seen anyone copy another hunter's skill before. Not once."
Renji blinked, still catching his breath. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I just… thought about it. I saw the movement, felt the energy, and when I tried it— it just happened."
Hiroto stared at him for a moment longer, as if trying to figure out if he was serious. Then he looked down, running a hand through his hair. "Unbelievable…"
Takeda finally stepped forward, his heavy boots echoing across the hall. His calm gaze swept between the two of them before settling on Renji.
"It's impressive," he said slowly, his tone carrying both admiration and gravity. "Even for me, what you did shouldn't be possible."
Renji straightened, turning toward him.
Takeda continued, "You copied a skill not only from an SS-rank hunter, but also from me a Pillar. And then, right after that, you healed from a stab wound in seconds. No one can do that, Renji. Not even the other Pillars."
Renji looked at his own hands again, flexing them slightly. His knuckles were bruised but already fading back to normal. He didn't feel pain anymore— just warmth, calm and strange.
"I didn't think about healing," he said quietly. "I just… didn't want to lose. I was determined to keep going, no matter what. I didn't want to fall behind again."
Takeda's eyes softened for a moment, though his expression stayed firm. "Determination alone doesn't make miracles," he said. "But whatever that was… it's worth studying."
Choji stood up from the side, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Renji-san, you really outdid yourself this time!" he said, almost bouncing where he stood. "You even shocked Takeda-san and Hiroto-san!"
Lily giggled beside him, her earlier worry completely gone. "Yeah! You totally kicked Hiroto's butt!" she said, grinning from ear to ear.
Hiroto, still sitting on the floor, froze. His face turned red instantly. "W-what? Hey, it wasn't like that!"
Lily smirked mischievously, folding her arms. "Oh, come on~ You got thrown through a wall twice!"
Hiroto stood up quickly, dusting off his clothes with a scowl. "Tch. It was just a warm-up match! A minor loss! From my rival," he said, glaring at Renji with mock seriousness.
Renji chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Sure, Hiroto-san. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
Choji burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Rival! That's one way to make an excuse!"
Even Takeda couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face. For a moment, the entire hall was filled with laughter— light, genuine, the sound of relief after days of tension.
The air that once felt heavy with battle now carried warmth.
Lily leaned on Choji's shoulder, still grinning. "You all looked so scary a few minutes ago," she said. "Now look at you. Like kids fighting over who's cooler."
Hiroto rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. Next time, I'm not holding back even a little."
Renji smiled faintly. "I'll be waiting."
Just then, the light mood shifted as Takeda's phone began to ring. The sharp, buzzing tone cut through the laughter.
He pulled it from his pocket, glancing at the screen. His expression darkened slightly as he answered.
"This is Takeda," he said curtly. There was a brief silence, then his eyes flicked toward Renji and Hiroto. "Understood. We'll be there immediately."
He hung up and slipped the phone back into his jacket.
"What happened?" Hiroto asked, his casual tone fading.
Takeda turned to face them, his voice firm and serious once again. "We've been summoned. The Bureau has requested our immediate presence."
Renji's posture straightened. "The Bureau?"
Takeda nodded once. "Yes. You, me, and Hiroto. Something's come up."
The laughter in the hall faded completely.
Choji and Lily exchanged a worried glance.
Renji took a deep breath and stepped forward. "When do we leave?"
"Now," Takeda said simply, already moving toward the exit. "Whatever this is, it's important."
Renji followed, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the hall.
Hiroto stretched his neck once, then smirked faintly as he walked beside him. "Guess our fun's over for now."
Renji nodded, his mind already shifting back into focus. "Yeah… but I've got a feeling whatever's waiting for us there won't be easy."
Takeda stopped by the door and turned slightly, his sharp gaze landing on both of them.
"Then you'd better be ready," he said.
The three of them left the training hall together, the morning sun spilling behind them as the door closed and with it, the quiet warmth of that moment.
Somewhere beyond the city, far away from laughter and sparring the world was moving again.
And this time, it felt like something big was coming.