Kidō Classroom Dojo
"Number 31—Breaking Spell: Scarlet Cannon—is one of the most commonly used breaking spells."
Kagibayashi Tessai spread his fingers like iron bars, and a crimson flame slowly ignited in his palm, radiating intense heat in all directions.
"Not only does it deliver incredible power, but with precise control over the spiritual pressure output, it can be adapted to various situations."
"For example… illumination."
The dojo's curtains dropped, and the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness.
Then, a bright yet gentle light erupted from Tessai's palm, illuminating the entire dojo.The students' faces reflected a mix of astonishment and surprise.
"Of course, this requires fine-tuned control and a deep understanding of Kidō itself."
Tessai extinguished the flaming cannon in his hand.The motion was so rough that it produced a small burst of force, making some students flinch.
Technically, everything he said was correct.
But the sheer style?Kisaragi Akira and the others couldn't help thinking it utterly unconvincing.
Even the famously brave and ferocious Eleventh Squad rarely produced someone who could match this Kidō teacher physically.
And rumors had it that Tessai would soon be promoted to Chief Kidō Master, an existence on par with the captains of the Gotei Thirteen.
Most students had been completely dumbfounded upon hearing this.After slowly accepting it, their minds naturally shifted to worry for the future of the Kidō Corps.
Would they remain the deadly ranged specialists of Seireitei, or would they become reckless brawlers like the Eleventh Squad?
"To understand Kidō, one must first grasp its essence."
"From incantations to hand seals, to the release of spiritual pressure and the flow of Reishi."
"Even the incantations alone vary between breaking spells. Usually, mastering just one variant suffices."
"But if you wish to achieve precise control, like I do, you must familiarize yourself with other incantations—and the hand seals, likewise."
In teaching Kidō, Kagibayashi Tessai truly had no equal.Even Akira, who often dozed off during theory lessons, now listened with rapt attention.
Of course, there was another reason he stayed awake.
After introducing the main concepts, Tessai delved into layered, detailed analysis, dissecting the essence of Kidō itself.
During the mid-class break, the students were allowed to try the Scarlet Cannon in mid-air, under Tessai's supervision to prevent accidents.
"So… Sousuke, what's this rapid-strengthening method you mentioned before?"
Kisaragi Akira asked eagerly."Since it's supposed to involve Kidō, you can give me a simple explanation now, right?"
Aizome nodded slightly, his expression calm.
"Remember the last time you used the ritual method to communicate with your Zanpakutō, channeling the essence of your soul to transform it into your own?"
Akira nodded.
Although he still didn't fully understand his Zanpakutō's abilities—or even its true name—he had tried, in his free time, to communicate with it again using the ritual, entering its inner space.
Each attempt ended the same way:as soon as he neared the divine figure in the Reverse-Bone Shrine, the Zanpakutō's internal space shattered with a roar.
According to Aizome, Akira's spiritual pressure wasn't yet sufficient to support the next stage of his Zanpakutō's release.
Even a genius like Akira would need more time to achieve mastery over its true name.Beyond daily sign-ins, it required grueling, hyper-competitive training.
Changes to Akira's Spirit Form
"A Shinigami's body is composed entirely of Reishi."
Aizome explained,"Countless particles of Reishi assemble into a flawless spiritual body, guided by the soul, forming what we call a 'Shinigami.'"
"Don't look at me like that. This is straight from the textbooks."
Akira froze, realizing compared to Aizome, he was barely above illiterate.Theory classes were far less interesting than the ritual work, and motivation was hard to muster.
Fortunately, he had an invincible friend.Whenever he hit a dead end, he could just rely on Aizome Sousuke to figure things out.
"The point is, once you complete the ritual communication, the essence of your spiritual body changes."
Aizome continued, analyzing carefully:"Simply put… you evolve."
Akira furrowed his brow.Seeing his friend attempt independent reasoning, Aizome felt a small thrill—if Akira didn't think for himself, his mind would rust.
"Since rapid advancement in spiritual pressure isn't feasible in the short term…"
Aizome shared his plan,"…why not explore the latent potential within your spiritual body instead?"
"To some extent, Kidō and the spiritual body share structural similarities, and their compatibility is extremely high."
"You can try imprinting Kidō within your spiritual body, then release it via hand-to-hand techniques. In simpler terms…"
"Further strengthen your spiritual body!"
"Of course, this carries risks."
"So it's best to attempt it only after you fully master a particular Kidō…"
"Akira, you understand, right?"
Seeing him dazed, Aizome frowned.
"Ah… yes, I get it, I get it," Akira grinned."Isn't that just what I said before?As a proper mage, you max out your life and endurance, choose skills like Skull Split, Parry, Critical Strike, Charge, Decapitation, Armor Break…and finish with a simple Light spell."
Aizome was momentarily stunned—this time, Akira had actually summarized it correctly.
"I still don't understand one thing." Akira said, frowning.
"Go on."
"You said my spiritual body has changed in essence.Does that mean… I'm no longer a Shinigami?"
"Even at equal spiritual pressure, ignoring external factors, purely in terms of combat quality… you might not even beat me," Aizome replied, his brows knitted in thought, struggling to follow Akira's logic.
Akira clenched his fists, excitement bright in his eyes.After a sharp punch to the palm, he concluded boldly:
"One way to get stronger is—"
"Sousuke, I'm not going to be a Shinigami anymore!"