Unlike Limitless Swordsmanship, Divine Dream — Ichitō-ryū (One-Strike Style) is not just a philosophical approach to swordsmanship—it also contains a wealth of actual techniques and forms.
What appeared to be ordinary strikes were, in fact, imbued with the spirit and doctrine of this school.
In essence, Divine Dream — Ichitō-ryū was derived from Iaido—also known as the art of the draw-cut.
It emphasizes instantaneous, decisive sword draws—
The moment the blade leaves its sheath… it's life or death.
Shimo closed his eyes, silently absorbing the flood of new knowledge.
He focused on refining his swordsmanship, letting it integrate into muscle memory and spiritual instinct alike.
Meanwhile, Miyano Kaede had already begun that day's formal instruction.
Starting with the most fundamental elements of sword technique, he walked the students through each core principle.
But just as he reached a critical teaching point, he suddenly paused.
He turned to look in Shimo's direction, his eyes wide with something that could only be described as astonishment.
"A new sword intent...?"
"Completely different from the sharp, aggressive edge from earlier…"
"This one is restrained—quiet but lethal. Like a blade honed in silence…"
"To comprehend an entirely new sword intent in a single battle... What a terrifying young man."
Though his mind was spinning, Miyano's explanation never faltered.
He continued teaching, but part of his attention remained locked on Shimo.
Renji Abarai, too, seemed to have sensed the shift.
He stared at Shimo's back with an expression filled with frustration and bitterness.
"So this is the difference…"
Only now did Renji truly understand what Shimo had meant earlier:
"Those I've defeated—even if I give them time to catch up, they'll only fall further behind."
Several minutes later, Shimo slowly opened his eyes.
A quiet, sharp light flickered behind his pitch-black pupils.
"The knowledge is a bit… entangled."
He tapped his forehead, brows furrowed.
Both Limitless Swordsmanship and Ichitō-ryū were ancient and highly developed schools. The sheer amount of insight within them was staggering.
"Still manageable though."
He relaxed and looked ahead toward Miyano Kaede, who seemed to notice the gaze and gave a slight nod in return.
Clearly, in the teacher's mind, Shimo had already earned a place of high regard.
And all of it—was built through sheer strength.
That first Swordsmanship class didn't go into anything too advanced.
Miyano kept the content at the foundational level, focusing on basic slashing techniques.
Soon after, class ended.
The students bowed in unison toward Miyano in gratitude—a tradition emphasized heavily at Shinō Academy.
As prospective Shinigami, the academy's curriculum moved at a measured pace.
After Swordsmanship class came Hakuda (hand-to-hand combat).
Since talent varied widely among students, the early-stage curriculum required balanced training in all fields.
Shimo had secretly hoped another check-in task would trigger during this next class.
But reality didn't go as planned.
The system was... silent.
A bit disappointed, he had no choice but to accept it.
The Hakuda instructor was a short man, draped in a wide black haori that seemed several sizes too large, giving him a rather comical appearance.
Yet despite his look, the students held him in clear respect—even fear.
The casual whispers and chatter from Swordsmanship class had vanished entirely.
The stylized ferns on his clothing made his identity clear.
"My name is Sekishita Sakashita. I'll be instructing you for the foreseeable future."
His brief self-introduction was simple and direct, reflecting the kind of man who preferred action over words.
Without further delay, he launched into the lesson.
To Shimo's surprise, this class didn't just include students from Class One.
Not far from his seat, he spotted a familiar figure.
That distinctive upturned fringe caused his eyes to pause.
Deep violet eyes, focused intently on the front of the classroom, carefully listening to every word.
Her hand scribbled notes as she leaned over her desk—an exemplary student through and through.
The image remained… until her fingers began cramping.
Rukia Kuchiki turned away in mild frustration, glancing to her right—
Only to see a youthful man with clean features watching her with a look she couldn't quite define.
Kyoraku Shimo had been admiring her quietly the whole time.
But this proud, headstrong girl didn't take kindly to that gaze.
Their eyes locked for several seconds—longer than either intended.
Until Rukia's ears flushed red, and she quickly turned her head back with a huff.
"Weirdo."
She muttered under her breath.
Shimo just smiled gently, unbothered.
"Interesting girl," he thought.
At the time, he figured this was the start of a nice encounter.
But what came next... left him at a total loss.
[Limited-time check-in mission issued: Sign in at Rukia Kuchiki's dorm room. (Expires in 3 days)]
[Mission Reward: Spiritual Pressure Breakthrough!]