5th Division, Kido Recovery Room.
The polished, gleaming floor reflected Takeru's physical form as he sat cross-legged upon it.
He held a calligraphy sheet, staring at the painting-like characters for a long while before closing his eyes.
He had written the sheet himself.
Every time, before using the Kido Recovery Room, he would follow his intuition and write the first character that came to mind, without hesitation.
Then, he would wholeheartedly visualize the object depicted by the character in his mind.
He did it with the determination to "make it real."
He could not waver in the slightest.
Shiba Ganjū had once said that imagination was the key to Kido.
And Aura Michibane (from Burn the Witch) had also proven through her actions that the essence of Kido is the subjugation of Reishi and souls.
From this, a conclusion could be drawn.
The Kido of a Shinigami is the process of using one's personal will to command one's own soul and Reishi, thereby creating all kinds of incredible, paranormal-like spirit-particle phenomena.
The answer to "where should I focus my training" was obvious.
Shigū Takeru's training covered everything.
—Writing and staring at the characters by instinct was an attempt to activate and resonate with that instinct.
—Visualizing the object the character represented was a comprehensive exercise for his mind.
—Prolonged visualization, while ostensibly to improve concentration, was truly about gaining control over himself. This would make it easier to "command his own soul."
—And finally, the mental energy expended in this process was a test of his personal will.
Even the one part that wasn't directly involved—"the subjugation of Reishi"—was not neglected.
The environment of the Kido Recovery Room was magical. Inside, it felt as if an invisible power was seeping into his body.
It not only eased the physical burden of mental exhaustion, allowing him to quickly recover his spiritual energy during the grueling ordeal and continue training, but it also had a chain reaction on his Reiatsu, causing it to become "active" on the surface of his body. It felt as if it was ready to respond to his will at any moment, to manifest his visualizations.
It was exactly like the preparatory steps for activating Kido.
It only failed to become real because it lacked the incantation and the catalyst.
One could easily imagine it.
When his body and mind adapted to and remembered this feeling, casting Kido would surely become fluid and natural.
He would have the bearing of an expert.
"This hope—that even those who are not geniuses can become strong—is the anchor that keeps the division members' emotions stable."
From this sentence, it was clear Aizen had not been speaking carelessly.
The "secret" he taught truly had this effect.
It was worth noting that a simplified, improved version of this secret was recorded in the sixth-year Academy textbook, revered by Ise Nanao as the timeless truth of Kido.
After all, without the Kido Recovery Room, doing this kind of training was just self-harm, not worth the cost.
Even the 5th Division members, lacking either the instinct or the calligraphic talent, mostly used a lower-grade, simplified version.
...
The white sky was exceptionally turbid, like mixed concrete.
Shigū Takeru blinked, his gaze shifting from the sky to the earth.
The ground was cracked and barren, stretching to the horizon.
Countless umbrella-shaped... mushroom-like... objects stood tall like a forest of trees and flowers, unevenly spaced.
Takeru felt a little uneasy. If this were a painting, it would be a rather bizarre one—nothing but a field of mushrooms against a turbid white background. It was a monotonous, eerie sight.
Above all, it was so deathly silent.
There was no wind, no insects. It was a place of complete silence, as if all life had been sucked dry by the mushroom-shaped creations. And even so, the creations themselves had no vitality, clearly dead and withered.
Takeru slowly remembered.
He had been training, and then he suddenly appeared here.
Appeared in...
His own, inner world.
"You don't seem very happy to see this... But then again, the scenery here isn't exactly beautiful."
A clear voice, impossible to pin as male or female, rang out. It instead brought to mind a hawk, crying out with innate pride.
And the voice was, indeed, coming from the sky.
Takeru tilted his head back. A figure was slowly drifting down from the sky that had just been a murky haze.
Flowing long hair, a white variegated cloak, and a comically large mushroom cap on their head—it was hard to tell if it was a hat or growing from their skull.
High-concentration blue Reishi light filled the inside of the cap and the lining of the cloak.
The underside of their black hair was dyed blue. A blue, gem-like core was embedded in their chest.
A pair of bright blue eyes shone, far more striking than the figure's delicate, feminine features.
Beneath the cloak, they wore black boots that contrasted with their snow-white skin. A sliver of calf was visible, showing faint blue markings.
This strangely-dressed, yet beautiful, woman wore a haughty smile, floating in mid-air and looking down on Takeru.
Her posture was that of the master of this world.
...No, to be more precise, a "god."
"I never thought I was particularly 'beautiful' myself. I'm not unhappy. I don't care what my inner world looks like. Given my circumstances, nothing is strange enough to surprise me."
Takeru showed no trace of shock, speaking as if he were chatting with an old friend.
"But I'm very unhappy. Being trapped in a world like this, unable to even leave."
The mushroom-woman tilted her head, her smile showing no trace of anger.
"You want to leave?"
"Of course. Who would want to be trapped in a world like this?"
"I've heard that powerful Zanpakutō come to see their masters as a restraint. Are you that type?"
"What do you think?"
"I think you're not."
"Oh?"
"No."
Takeru's firm answer made the mushroom-woman's smile broaden. She spun in the air before drifting down like a cherry blossom, landing directly in front of her master.
They were less than a meter apart. Their eyes met, seeing only each other. Even the world around them seemed superfluous.
"A Zanpakutō is its master's power. There are only fools who are consumed by their own desires; there are no masters who are 'betrayed' by their Zanpakutō. I was wavering on that point for a while... but now, you have made the choice for me," the mushroom-woman said softly.
Takeru frowned, displeased. "I don't like the sound of that. It makes it sound like I was a fool on the verge of being consumed by desire until just now."
"You're not?"
"No."
"Hahaha~ You're right, you're not. 'Desire' is too small a word for it. That... is the 'equanimity' that only comes from the perspective of a being far greater than any god."
"Is there something wrong with equanimity?"
"Not at all. And even if there was, now that I am here, it will be gone."
The mushroom-woman leaned in, pressing her forehead against Takeru's. His figure was enveloped under her massive cap, as if the two were merging into one.
"Conversely, to wield me, you need that equanimity."
"So, when you call for me, do it softly. Just like now. Whisper to the other 'you' inside your heart."
"And then... I will become you, and you will become me. And together, we will... annihilate every last unpleasant thing outside... leave nothing behind...!"
As her voice faded, Takeru's vision blurred. He was suddenly back in reality.
The Kido Recovery Room was unchanged, but the mushroom-woman's clear, savage voice still echoed in his ears.
"..."
Takeru looked down at the Asauchi at his waist.
It had changed slightly from when he first received it.
The hilt was now blue. The tsuba (handguard) was a rounded square, matching the shape of the mushroom-woman's cap.
He slowly drew the blade, staring at its bright, snowy edge. His lips moved, feeling an urge he couldn't suppress.
But Takeru held it back.
If he shouted the release command here, this Kido Recovery Room—and possibly the surrounding buildings—would likely be annihilated in an instant. He had a clear premonition of this.
"Shigū-kun, are you finished training? It's time to eat."
Just then, a clear-eyed, gentle girl appeared before Takeru.
From the Vice-Captain's armband on her shoulder, her identity was clear.
5th Division Vice-Captain, Hinamori Momo.
Due to their frequent use of the Kido Recovery Room, and of Aizen himself, Takeru and Ichigo had inevitably gotten to know the Vice-Captain.
As time went on, their relationship had warmed.
Takeru could feel that her smile was much more genuine than it had been at first.
She would even come by at mealtimes to notify him, just as she was doing now.
"Using Captain Aizen's method is a heavy burden on the body. Please don't overdo it. With your willpower, Shigū-kun, if you keep this up for a few more years, you'll definitely be able to catch up to me."
It was hard to say if Hinamori's words were encouragement or a humble-brag, but they were heartwarming. Even if she was showing off her Kido prowess, it wasn't annoying, but rather like the small, innocent pride of a young girl.
"It's hard work, but it's just as you'd expect from Teacher."
Takeru didn't mind. He picked up his Zanpakutō and gestured with it.
"He said that studying calligraphy would help with Kido and Zazen. I didn't expect it to pay off so quickly."
"..."
Hinamori froze. Her memory was excellent. Though she had only glimpsed it before, she clearly remembered that Takeru's sword had not looked like this.
This change could only mean one thing.
"Shigū-kun... have you... mastered Shikai?"
"I have. It was a bit faster than I expected. I thought it would take a few more months of grinding."
"..."
Even if it took a few more months, that's still unbelievably fast!
Since the Academy's founding, how many students have mastered their Zanpakutō release in their first year?
At this rate, and with his Reii level, he'll probably be able to touch the ultimate art of Zanpakutō combat—Bankai—before he even graduates!
"I understand Captain Aizen's feelings now. A genius like this... you really can't just leave them be..."
Hinamori looked at the imposing young man, feeling both envious and dejected.
-------
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