A few days later, in the backyard of the Katori-ryu Dojo—
Shihōin Yoruichi had fully recovered from her injuries, and Nanatsuki was now teaching her the sword technique Raikiri.
The skills rewarded by the system weren't limited to just his own use. After mastering Raikiri, he'd developed a deeper understanding of the technique and had no pressure guiding others in it.
Nanatsuki said, "You know the Hadō spell Tsuzuri Raiden, right?"
"The way Raikiri releases lightning is quite similar to Tsuzuri Raiden."
"Tsuzuri Raiden discharges lightning along an object to attack an enemy."
"But Raikiri requires you to stimulate your own body with that lightning, to gain greater strength and speed—and to deliver a more powerful strike."
Shihōin Yoruichi scratched her head. "I do know Tsuzuri Raiden, but if I use lightning to stimulate my body, wouldn't I just electrocute myself?"
Nanatsuki replied, "Of course you would. That's why Raikiri is actually a very dangerous sword technique. I was able to use Raikiri continuously during the battle in Karakura Town because I also specialize in Kaido, so I could heal the damage caused to myself."
"Huh? So to learn Raikiri I also need to know Kaido?" Yoruichi's face instantly fell. "I'm really not good at Kaido..."
Learning Kaido meant memorizing an overwhelming amount of medical knowledge—an area she was totally hopeless in.
Nanatsuki said, "While you're training Raikiri, I'll heal the damage for you."
"If you become proficient enough in Raikiri, the lightning's stimulation becomes gentler. With enough Reiatsu, you can protect your body and avoid injury."
Yoruichi nodded vaguely. "Let's just give it a try. If you talk too much, I'm going to forget it anyway."
She closed her eyes, gripped the hilt with both hands, and channeled her Reiatsu into the blade.
Quickly, Reishi vibrated and clashed at high speed, converting into crackling lightning.
The blade began to sizzle and buzz loudly.
But before she could celebrate—
"AaAAaaAAHHH!!"
Shihōin Yoruichi lay sprawled out in a large 'X' on the ground, her hair frizzed out like a thundercloud, and her tanned, round face was several shades darker.
Nanatsuki slapped his forehead helplessly. "Why do people always go so hard on themselves? Couldn't you just release a little less Reiatsu?"
"Rie, come over and watch how I treat this." Nanatsuki waved over Hoshino Rie, who was reading under the eaves.
Today, only she and Yoruichi had arrived early. The other disciples hadn't shown up yet.
After witnessing her companions' deaths, Yoruichi had become much more committed to training. Even though it was a rest day, she'd come early.
So had Rie. She had been the most seriously injured in the Karakura Town incident. Though still not fully healed, she insisted on coming to learn Kaido.
She felt deep guilt over her companions' deaths. She had encountered danger first, and they had come to help her.
Nanatsuki had asked them about the situation afterward. Noticing her somber mood, he gently said, "You all did everything you could that day. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."
Rie's chest tightened, and she spoke her heart: "If my teammates hadn't come to help me that day, maybe I could've escaped when the Menos Grande appeared..."
Nanatsuki shook his head. "That baby had been tampered with—he carried a bait that attracted Hollows. As soon as he was born, Karakura Town started drawing in large numbers of them. Your squad was assigned to West Street—you couldn't possibly have escaped in time."
The details hadn't been disclosed to the students. None of them had seen the Quincy, so when the results came back mentioning Quincies, everyone had been confused.
"So that's what happened..." Rie whispered. "The Quincies are so evil... to do something this cruel..."
The Karakura incident had caused major casualties—many humans died.
"It might not have been the Quincies," Nanatsuki said. "They just happened to be there killing Shinigami, so they became the most convenient scapegoats." He said no more—there was no proof connecting it to the Kasumioji clan, and he didn't want to drag his students into it.
"Train hard. That's the only way to handle unexpected situations better in the future." Nanatsuki raised a hand—while healing Yoruichi, he began instructing Rie.
"For large-area injuries, don't rush. Take your time—quality healing takes time. Yoruichi's injuries are minor—one round is enough. But if the wounds are serious, treat them in stages..."
A while later, the other disciples began arriving at the dojo one by one.
"Kana, who's this kid?" Muguruma Kensei asked curiously, noticing the little boy following Azashiro Kana.
"This is my little brother—Sōya. Don't just stand there, say hello! These are all your big brothers and sisters." Kana pointed toward those crouched under the eaves. "That's my Sensei—you can just call him 'Sensei' like I do."
The boy politely greeted everyone. Unlike his outgoing sister, he seemed shy and reserved.
"So you're Sōya! I'll take you to Rukongai later to have some fun!" Kensei laughed heartily.
Everyone had a soft spot for polite kids. They welcomed him warmly, easing the little boy's nerves.
"Sensei, Mom asked me to train Sōya in swordsmanship, so I brought him along. But don't worry, he won't interfere with anyone's training," Kana said sheepishly.
"It's fine. Our dojo's pretty big. A few more people won't make a difference." Nanatsuki smiled.
On a whim, he glanced at the boy's Status Interface, and paused in surprise.
[Azashiro Sōya]
[Talent: S+]
[Reiatsu: Lv2]
[Fame Level: Stranger]
[Status: Mentally Refreshed]
Kana's little brother had S+ talent!
According to Nanatsuki's observation, an S+ talent had the potential to become a captain-class powerhouse. Among the people he knew, only Unohana, Batsu'unsai, and Kyōraku Shunsui had talent at this level.
Nanatsuki's smile brightened even more.
"Since he's your little brother, I'll take responsibility for teaching him," he said to Kana. "You should be close to mastering Flowlight—push a little harder and try to learn it in the next day or two. Once you do, I'll teach you the next sword technique."
"If you're willing to teach, that's perfect!" Kana grinned. "To be honest, I've never taught anyone before. I was afraid I'd mess up and teach Sōya all wrong."
She fully trusted her teacher's ability and was happy her brother could receive his guidance. "Sōya, hurry and thank Sensei!"
"Thank you for your guidance, Sensei," Azashiro Sōya said with a bow.