Ichigo subconsciously blurted out his catchphrase.
Seeing his utterly shocked expression, Aizen's mischievous side seemed satisfied, and his smile deepened.
"Let me state this upfront, I am not joking."
"Si Gong student has been with you day and night. With his observation skills and intellect, I believe he has some understanding of your situation. Furthermore, the teachers at the Spirit Arts Academy are not incompetent, yet they haven't offered any useful advice. Clearly… your situation appears to be unsolvable to them."
"Kurosaki-kun, your Spiritual Pressure is too strong, so strong that it's uncontrollable, which is why when you use Kido, you can't limit its power, leading to self-destruction."
"Of course, I have a way to avoid this situation, but then another problem will arise."
"What problem?"
Ichigo quickly pressed for an answer.
"It's still because the power is too strong, isn't it?"
Shimiya Takeru reacted extremely quickly, guessing the answer directly.
"Yes."
Aizen adjusted his glasses, first affirming Shimiya Takeru's judgment, then slowly explained:
"Even if you can successfully cast Kido, the problem of your Spiritual Pressure being uncontrollably strong still hasn't been resolved."
"Imagine this: when you intend to use 'Hado #1: Thrust' to knock a sword out of an enemy's hand, but instead you shatter both their sword, their arm, and even half their body."
"…"
Ichigo seemed to envision that scene; his initially somewhat unwilling expression became much heavier. It was clear he had an aversion to uncontrollable violence.
If such a brutal situation was inevitable, he would rather give up Kido and fight only with his sword.
"However, taking a different approach, 'Kaido' doesn't seem like a bad option either."
Aizen suddenly changed the subject.
"Huh? 'Kaido'?"
Ichigo's mind almost couldn't keep up.
Shimiya Takeru, however, could easily follow Aizen's train of thought.
"Teacher means that since Kido's destructive power is uncontrollable, why not specialize in 'Kaido'?"
"For healing-based techniques, the stronger the performance, the better. Not only can you heal yourself anytime during battle, but you can also provide emergency treatment to teammates, which can be considered a suitable outlet for your powerful, unplaceable Spiritual Pressure."
"Si Gong student's words are exactly what I wanted to express."
Aizen nodded approvingly.
"Although Kido is abandoned, your Zanpakuto, Zanjutsu, and Hakuda are sufficient. Coupled with 'Kaido' for healing, which can be activated directly without incantations, it's a unique form of offense and defense."
"Even if your opponent's strength far surpasses yours, they would still need to expend considerable effort to defeat you. It's a rather tricky combat style."
That's for sure.
There is currently only one Shinigami in the Soul Society who can heal himself while cutting down opponents like that.
Shimiya Takeru couldn't help but think.
"I understand the principle, but from what I know, 'Kaido' isn't easy to learn…"
Ichigo hesitated.
The Spirit Arts Academy offers 'Kaido' courses, but they are extremely difficult. Moreover, since it's a healing technique, it's generally considered unhelpful in combat, so it has become an unpopular elective.
"I can understand your concerns, but they are unnecessary. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but you have a great talent for Spiritual Power control."
"Otherwise, normally, your Spiritual Pressure would have been so out of control that it would need to be sealed. The fact that you can still stand here indicates that your power is still within your grasp. With sufficient training, you can completely utilize your power more meticulously."
"If not for that, I wouldn't be confident in helping you solve this problem, because in such a situation, any experience or skill would be futile."
Aizen's words gave Ichigo immense confidence.
"I understand! 'Kaido,' right? I will definitely master this technique!"
"Then, next, I will teach you some practical Kido techniques, along with the Spiritual Power Restoration Chamber to improve efficiency. Kurosaki-kun's problem will soon be easily resolved."
"Afterward, through the Spirit Arts Academy, you will master the basic 'Kaido' courses. Once you've entered, I will recommend you to assist at the Fourth Division's Comprehensive Treatment Center to gain experience. As for Si Gong student…"
Aizen looked at Shimiya Takeru, who seemed to have little presence, with a kind smile and sincere tone.
"As the best Freshman in the Spirit Arts Academy's history, I don't think anything can stump you."
"But witnessing and helping juniors grow is also my mission as a Gotei 13 Captain and a Spirit Arts Academy lecturer, so whether it's Kido or anything else, you can always consult me if you wish."
"Really?"
Shimiya Takeru was a bit surprised; this attitude was too good. Was he trying to recruit him into his ranks, to join the great rebellion?
"Of course, I sincerely look forward to you going further and further on the path of a Shinigami."
Aizen's cheerful statement made Shimiya Takeru a little hard to read.
But he didn't care about any of that.
Just as he had told Rindo Yu earlier, intentions weren't important; what mattered was action.
"Then… please guide me in the future, Teacher."
Shimiya Takeru bowed solemnly.
Ichigo, seeing this, remembered how much he had also been looked after by the other, and quickly straightened his posture to bow in 禮.
…
In a flash, night fell.
Aizen personally saw the two out of the barracks, watched their young figures gradually disappear into the distance, and then returned to his room.
Outside the door, on the veranda, a slender, frail figure leaned against a pillar, placing himself in the shadows where the moonlight couldn't reach.
"Oh my, you actually spent an entire day training those two children. Is Captain Aizen planning to find some colleagues for me and Kaname? Although they are very clever children, it seems they won't be useful in the short term."
"Are you trying to say I'm wasting my time, Gin?"
"I didn't say that~ Captain Aizen has his own reasons for doing what he does, but it feels a bit different from Captain Aizen's usual style, so I'm just a little curious."
The person in the shadows spread his hands, his seemingly frivolous tone betraying no emotion, just like a snake or a fox, always appearing cold no matter how it moved, and always cunning no matter how it was viewed.
"My style, huh… It seems you observe very carefully, Gin."
Aizen's smile was playful.
"Only by understanding your superior's preferences can you be a good subordinate~"
"Then you should be even more diligent."
"…"
Ichimaru Gin paused slightly.
"If you truly understood me, then you should remember what I once said—developments not within the plan can also be considered gains that exceed the expected plan."
Aizen looked up, his indifferent gaze fixed on the moon in the sky. The scattered moonlight was blocked by his thin glasses, while the dark clouds resembled the swirling thoughts in his eyes.
"The deceased Kurosaki ichigo, and the youth born without warning whose potential is no less than his, I feel a gravitational pull from destiny."
"But undeniably, this joke is far more interesting than this disappointing world, making one eager to do something. If you say my style is different from usual, then that must be the reason."
"…"
Ichimaru Gin frowned. He didn't understand Aizen's words; even though he was a genius, he still couldn't comprehend Aizen's current mood.
This was inevitable.
A person who abandons comrades and carries everything alone is destined not to empathize with someone who has been alone from the start.
They cannot understand the surprise the latter feels when encountering a similar kindred spirit.
They cannot understand the feeling of their own unintentional actions leading to the other gaining companions with whom they can walk side-by-side, thus avoiding walking alone.
Chapter 10: The Mushroom Woman in the Inner World
Fifth Divsion, Spiritual Power Restoration Chamber.
The gleaming, polished floor was like a mirror, reflecting the physical form of the person sitting cross-legged on the ground.
Shimiya Takeru held a calligraphy copybook, gazing at the painting-like characters on it for a while before closing his eyes.
The copybook was written by his own hand.
Before each use of the Spiritual Power Restoration Chamber, he would write down the first character without any hesitation, following his intuition.
Then, he would wholeheartedly visualize in his mind the object depicted by the character.
He did this with the determination to "make it a real object."
There could be no wavering.
Shiba Ganju once said that imagination is the fundamental key to Kido.
And Douhagane Aura also proved through action that the manipulation of spiritons and souls is the essence of Kido.
Therefore, a conclusion can be drawn.
The so-called Shinigami's Kido is the creation of various incredible spiriton phenomena, like spiritual occurrences, through one's personal will to manipulate one's own soul and spiritons.
So, where should the focus of training be? The answer was already clear.
Shimiya Takeru's training encompassed everything.
—Writing characters by instinct and gazing at them is an attempt to activate and resonate with instinct.
—Imagining in his mind the objects represented by the characters is a comprehensive exercise for his mental faculties.
—Prolonged imagination, on the surface, is to improve his concentration, but in reality, it is to control himself, making it easier to "manipulate his soul (himself)."
—Then, the mental energy consumed in this process is a test of personal will.
Even the only aspect not involved, "the manipulation of spiritons,"
was not overlooked.
The environment of the Spiritual Power Restoration Chamber was very magical. Inside, an invisible force seemed to permeate the air, seeping into the body.
It not only alleviated the physical burden of mental exhaustion but also rapidly restored mental energy during the dull and arduous process, allowing the training to continue for long periods.
It could also, like a chain reaction, affect Spiritual Pressure, activating it on the body's surface, as if it would respond to the owner's will at any time, manifesting objects with imagination.
It was almost exactly like the preliminary steps for activating Kido.
It just lacked the incantation, the verbal spell, and the catalyst to become real.
It was completely imaginable.
When the body and mind adapted and remembered this feeling,
the casting of Kido would surely become very fluid.
It truly had the demeanor of an expert.
"To enable those who are not geniuses to also become strong, this hope is the support point for the squad members to maintain emotional stability."
From this statement, it can be seen that Aizen was not speaking carelessly.
The secret he taught had such an effect.
It is worth mentioning.
A simplified and improved version of this secret is also recorded in the Spirit Arts Academy's sixth-year textbook, revered by Ise Nanao as the timeless essence of Kido.
After all, without the Spiritual Power Restoration Chamber, doing this kind of training would be self-harming and completely not worth the effort.
Because of deficiencies in instinct or calligraphy talent, even most Fifth Divsion members also use a lower-grade, simplified version.
…
The white sky appeared exceptionally murky, like stirred concrete.
Shimiya Takeru blinked, his gaze shifting from the sky to the earth.
The ground was cracked and boundless.
Countless umbrella-shaped… that is, mushroom-shaped, peculiar objects stood unevenly, like trees and flowers, lining the landscape.
Shimiya Takeru felt a bit uncomfortable. If this were a painting, it would certainly be a rather eerie one, with only mushrooms covering the mountains and fields, and then a murky white background, a monotony with a hint of the bizarre.