"Hado #78: Zangerin," A flare of my Reiatsu sent out a circular saw all around me, my eyes wide as I quickly dispelled it before it could continue flying outwards.
Unlike before where I was forced to use the reishi in the air and the Reimyaku below my feet to use the spell, that barely cost me any spiritual energy at all to cast and I'm fairly sure the spell would have continued going for a bit had I not cancelled it.
I know Mimihagi said that it was only a portion of his power, but for it to go to this extent…
'Just how powerful is the Right Arm of the Soul King?', I thought with a frown while lowering my sceptre, turning to see Ukitake approaching with an awed look on his face.
"I must say that it is rare to see someone so young do a Hado of the level 70s and not be over a century old, especially for that someone to be a human."
"Well, I like to think that I'm unique."
"That you are, Mr. Kanonji. That you are."
"How's your head treating you?", I asked, chuckling as the man gave a sheepish smile before nodding his head.
"Better than I was expecting. It's a good thing we have Kaido for headaches or else I may have been sitting with quite the headache."
"That'll teach you to try and perform on a night that's supposed to be chill. Anyway, how did your attendants take it when you told them what happened after you woke up?"
"My attendan-Oh, you mean my 3rd Seats? Oh, they were more angry at you for letting me drink than at me for actually drinking," The man spoke with a smile as we walked out of the training yard, my eyes glancing at where Orihime was trying her best to use her Shun Shun Rikka as an attack against Rukia.
The girl was making progress, but Rukia looked just as bored as she did yesterday when she easily parried the attack, catching my eyes and making me sigh subtly as she shook her head.
"Oh, I can see that happening. They were both more worried about you last night and wanted to shout at me, but I just gave them a quick reality check. I'm guessing that's why they're not trailing behind you today?", I asked, smirking as Ukitake nodded with a happy smile.
"Indeed. I do not know what you said, but it seemed to work as they forced themselves to not follow after me. However, I'm sure they're probably in hiding somewhere around here."
"Probably," I muttered while glancing to the left as we descended the steps, not surprised to see the duo hiding in the bushes while following after us.
"Also, I would also like to apologize for my behaviour yesterday. I'm sure you would have loved to discuss what happened yesterday."
"Oh, don't feel bad. The drinking was more than enough fun to make me forget about it, but you are right. Am I allowed to ask what that was or not?", I asked, glancing at the 1st Division Building in the distance which he noticed before nodding as we stopped at the bottom steps.
"You can. It's not forbidden, but most do not dare to ask me because they're too afraid."
"Okay, then I'm sure you have your questions as well."
"A question for a question, then?", Ukitake asked as we sat down under a tree, to which I nodded in agreement as I laid my sceptre over my lap.
"Sounds good to me. Mind if I go first?", I asked, nodding as Ukitake shook his head before going over the questions I wanted to ask.
"Firstly, what was that I saw inside of you?"
"Well, I'm sure you already know, but my sickness did not give me much time to live. I was supposed to die at the age of three, but with the help of my parents who took me to see Lord Mimihagi, he was able to stall the progress of the decay of my soul."
"And in exchange, he lives on inside of you until you die?"
"Until he decides it is my time to die," Ukitake clarified and I narrowed my eyes at that before shaking my head and gesturing for the man to continue with his question.
"What did you do to your right arm when you met him?"
"I asked for the capabilities and knowledge on how to survive the coming battles, but I guess he just heard the power part and gave me a fragment of his. However, I accepted it and a part of his domain while allowing myself to freeze who I am."
"And what is that?"
"A man who fights for love and for the ones I protect, even if it means the rest of the world burns," I answered with a smirk, the Shinigami letting out a soft chuckle at my words as we both relaxed against the tree.
"Our situations are quite the paradoxes, aren't they? We have the ability to progress in a world that never stops evolving, but in exchange, I remain unchanged in my sickness while you remain unchanged in your way of thinking."
"Yeah, it's a bit weird…but sometimes, strength can be found in refusal and holding fast to what matters."
"That is quite the look to have on this," He spoke and I smiled softly as I looked up at the clouds and nodded.
"It is, but I do not intend to grow beyond this point. I've already done too much throughout my life so perhaps it's time for me to just stall and stay strong in my beliefs from this point forward."
"Then it appears that we are two souls bound by fate and burden, walking the narrow path between regression and evolution," The man spoke with a smile and I nodded as I looked at him.
"I suppose we are."
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"U-Um, are you sure I'm ready for this, sensei?", Orihime asked as she stood opposite of me, to which I nodded as I twirled my sceptre before pointing the tip of it at her.
"You are. You're just struggling to attack so I'll help you. Now, come at me with all you got or else I'm going to be very disappointed, okay?"
"Okay. Can I begin whenever?"
"Begin whenever," I nodded, watching as her expression shifted from nervous to determined before her hairpins glowed and the pixie in the black bodysuit appeared beside her, three of the remaining five floating in front of her.
"Tsubaki! Koten Zanshun: I reject!", She exclaimed and I watched as the black pixie overflowed with spiritual energy before it shot at me. Creating a Kan'oncape, I dodged to the side just in case it cut through, but frowned when the spirit slammed into my shield.
Shifting the spiritual cape and snapping it upwards, I sent the spirit flying while firing a Kan'onball at her and the pixies in front of her quickly flew into a triangular formation.
"Baigon! Hinagiku! Lily! Santen Kesshun: I reject!"
"You take too much time shouting their names!", I barked out as I made the Kan'onball explode, creating a red smoke cloud to block her vision before firing three more at different angles.
The smoke cleared as she blocked the one coming from the right, but the one from the left and the front exploded the second they touched her, a pained cry escaping her lips as she got sent to the floor.
"You need to learn how to activate your technique without needing to shout the name. Not just that, but you need to learn how to use both offence and defence at the same time as well as figure out how to make smaller shields with each pixie instead of needing all three to form one larger shield."
"I'm trying, but it's…it's a lot harder than I thought."
"What do you think of when you make a shield?"
"I…I think of that time I needed to protect Tatsuki."
"During the Hollow Attack with the Gillian? The Menos Grande," I clarified as I saw her confused look and recognition flashed in her eyes before she nodded.
"Yeah, that."
"Hmm, what if you don't think about just her? Instead, think about everyone that you love…and that they're being attacked at the same time? On top of that, don't keep the shield up. Watch where my blasts are going to land and activate the shields right as the impact is about to happen. Can you do that?"
"I…I think I-"
"No, not like that. If you're going to fight in the war as the healer, you're going to have to be the one that is the most confident. Now, can you do it or not?", I asked, watching the uncertainty dance in her eyes before it faded as confidence took its place.
"I'm sure."
"Wonderful," I spoke and swiped my sceptre, unleashing a barrage of Kan'onballs and watched as she clapped her hands before her spiritual energy surged.
The next moment, her form was obscured by the rapid explosions, but as the smoke faded away, I grinned as I saw five of her pixies floating around her with numerous triangular barriers slowly shattering.
Oh, she's about to be glorious.
"Was that too much? Should I-"
"It wasn't enough. L-Like you said, sensei, I need to be the most confident one and I'm confident that wasn't enough," She spoke with a shaky smile that was half-confident and half-nervous, but I couldn't help the cackle that escaped my lips as I nodded.
With a surge of my own spiritual energy, my sceptre glowed and her eyes widened slightly as I grinned and created a dozen Kan'onballs around me.
"Okay, then. Remember, defend…and attack!", I exclaimed as I thrust my sceptre at her, watching as her pixies glowed before numerous triangular barriers formed to block the Kan'onballs.
That was not all as I watched the sixth pixie that was Tsubaki slicing through the air like a bullet, creating a Kan'oncape to block his attack and my eyes widened as the shield cracked when he smashed into it.
Shattering the cape and transforming the energy into Kan'onballs, I fired them at it only for the pixie to rapidly fly around, dodging the attack before I activated the Reishukaku to form a barrier that blocked the pixie coming at me from behind.
'Okay, Kan'onballs are too predicta-Holy shit, is this thing fast,' I thought with a frown as I leaned back, locking eyes with Tsubaki for a brief moment as he grinned and flew past.
"Impressive, Orihime! Keep going!", I shouted with a grin as I began to focus, pulling on the Hollow spiritual energy in the sceptre before pointing it at her.
"Kan'onball: Metralleta," Taking inspiration from the gunslinging Hollow, the air in front of me rippled before numerous Bala Kan'onballs flew towards her, Orihime's eyes widening as she rapidly formed barriers.
The barrage was never-ending as I kept up the attack, using the Reishukaku to block Tsubaki's attempts to try and hit me before I stopped right as the Hollow energy in the sceptre was almost gone.
Watching as the flashing light died down, I grinned proudly as Orihime knelt on the floor, one hand still held up and her pixies looking weak as their barriers fell to the floor.
"Not bad, Orihime. You are one powerful girl, you know that?", I spoke with a smile as I walked over, turning my head as Tsubaki flew beside me while looking forward at Orihime dropping her hand.
"S-So…think I'm confident enough?", She asked and I chuckled as I held out a hand, helping her up and creating a barrier that helped carry her over to the porch on the side.
"Well, I guess you really found a way to make her more confident," Rukia spoke with a blink of her eyes and I just shrugged as I placed the orange-haired girl down, smiling at her thankful nod before sitting down beside them with a groan.
"Yep, I just had to find a way to motivate her."
"What if that one didn't work?"
"Then, I'd just have used Ichigo as a motivator. That usually works nine out of ten times, right?", I asked as I looked to Orihime, smiling as she blushed and kept quiet while Rukia looked amused.
You know…while we're here…
"Hey, Rukia. Got a question for you."
"What has your mind concocted now?"
"Ichigo or Renji? If you had to pick one for a boyfriend, which one would you pick?", Both girls looked at me in shock as I looked at the Shinigami with a smile, Orihime blushing and looking nervous at the same time while Rukia was a bright red.
"W-What kind of stupid question is that?!"
"The kind of a man that's bored."
"W-Well, I won't answer it."
"So, Ichigo?"
"He's far too young for me! He's 15 and I'm over fifty years old!"
"…Well, Orihime, your chances of being Mrs. Kurosaki are still the highest!", I spoke with a grin, cackling as Rukia swatted at me with her sheathed katana while Orihime hid her face behind her hands.
"You! Are! A! Fool!"
"Uh-huh, but you know one thing? You chose Renji!", I exclaimed before creating a barrier as she unsheathed her katana, swinging rapidly at the barrier with a growl.
Ah, it is quite nice to tease the teenagers of the group.
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"I heard you wanted to speak with me?", I asked as I walked into Yamamoto's room, sitting down in front of the man while nodding to Chojiro as the captain commander looked at me.
"I hear from Ukitake that you and he had an…incident?"
"If you want to ask about the arm, just ask about-"
"Is your arm now Mimihagi?", He cut me off, his eyes open and staring at me as I blinked at his interruption before shaking my head with a smile.
"Nah, don't worry about the arm. It's only a portion of his power so you don't have to worry about it."
"Why did your arm turn into that?"
"Because I asked Mimihagi for some help in defeating Aizen and his army and it…he…they? They gave me this as an answer."
"Do you have control over his domains, then?'
"The thing about stillness? I haven't tested it out…not that I even know where to start."
"Focus on stillness and the halt of progress."
"…What?", I asked with a raised eyebrow and he shook his head before I hopped back as flames interrupted from the floor and barely missed me.
"What the hell?!"
"You wish to help, did you not? To do that, you must figure out how to use the domain. Now, prepare yourself," The man spoke as the desk shattered, his spiritual energy surging as he unsheathed his katana and coated it in flames.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," I muttered with a frown as my sceptre glowed, releasing a Kan'onball only to blink as flames reached out and snuffed it out of existence.
'…I am all kinds of fucked right now,' I thought with wide eyes before dodging to the side as Yamamoto swung down, unleashing a burst of fire that melted the air where I stood.
"Come on! Give me at least some time to-"
"No! You are to fight in this war as a human and in this war, no one will give you the time to do so!", He barked out as he dashed after me, swinging upwards and making me hiss as some of the flames licked my left arm.
Stumbling back while holding my right arm outwards, I fuelled as much spiritual energy into it before my eyes widened as Yamamoto appeared in front of me, his blade coated in flames as he slowly stabbed at me.
'Stop! Stop! Stop, time! Stop, space! Stop everything!', I shouted, watching as the world ceased for a moment before it continued and I was sent flying backwards by a powerful explosion.
"…You did it," He spoke with a pleased look in his eyes before he shot forward, a groan escaping my lips as I stood up just in time for the man to try and cut my head off.
'Everything stop!', This time, I ducked down right as everything froze, time resuming the next moment and Yamamoto's eyes narrowing as I slammed my sceptre into his side when his attack missed.
"Was that supposed to do something?"
"…No, that was just me venting ange-Stop!", I shouted and dove forward, slipping between his legs and kicking at his knees before the world continued and Yamamoto turned his gaze even as the impact of my kick echoed in the air.
"You understand it now, but your body is weak."
"No shit, Sherlock. I'm a human," I spoke with a frown as I stood up, dusting off my clothes while wincing at the pain of my bruises. Yamamoto simply hummed before sheathing his blade, my eyes narrowing at the Shinigami.
"That is true. Then, I suppose it's time to make you into a better fighter," The man spoke as he tossed his katana at Chojiro, a groan escaping his lips as he took off his haori and the top of his uniform while picking up one of the tables beside him.
With a grunt, he broke it in half and tore a chunk from one of the halves, my eyes watching the Shinigami in awe as he cracked and chipped parts of it off until it was a rough copy of my sceptre.
"What exactly are we going to learn here?"
"I have mastered everything there is to master in the history of the Soul Society, which includes fighting with staves, spears and halberds."
"And you're going to teach me how to do so?"
"Yes. Your Kido is strong, but everything else is weak."
"And why exactly would I believe the words of the man that tried to kill me?"
"Because this gives me the perfect opportunity to vent some of the anger and stress you caused me. Now, get into your stance," The man spoke with a frown as he settled in a horse stance with the top end of the staff pointed at me while he held the bottom end and middle of it.
Copying his stance as best as I could, I grimaced as I saw the glee dancing behind the stoic look in his eyes before asking the one question I wanted.
"Am I still going to be alive after this?"
"…That depends on how well you do…and how merciful I am. Now, prepare yourself."
A/N: And we're ending it here~! A bit of Ukitake-Kanonji bonding, some training time with Orihime to help her grow and then, some training withYamamoto.
Next chapter: Back to Karakur-Oh, it's you?
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