Heavy raindrops pounded noisily against the tiled roof of the gazebo in the park. The downpour seemed determined to remind me of every sad thing that had ever happened, deepening my already foul mood.
I hate rain.
It makes me remember that day.
Makes me relive my helplessness and weakness. And considering what happened, that feeling has only become stronger.
I admit it—I got cocky and overestimated myself.
Seeing how easily studying came to me, I'd grown smug and overconfident.
I thought I could handle anything, do anything, and cope with everything without effort. Yes, I mastered shunpo on my own—so I considered myself better than the rest.
But today's lesson clearly showed that even I have limits I can't overcome. There are things I may never master.
Today was our first lesson in the basics of Kido. And there… they made it clear to me.
It all started as usual.
Our teacher stepped out—an elderly woman named Sato Koko. She was friendly, kind, and endlessly patient.
First, she gave us a lecture on what Kido is.
"My dear ones, Kido is our magic," the teacher began. "It is one of the techniques used by shinigami. Unlike the zanpakuto, it is a direct manifestation of our power. And it can harm Hollows as well as send them on the path to rebirth. There are three types of Kido.
The Path of Destruction, Hado, consists of combat spells.
Binding Spell, Bakudo, consists of defensive, searching, and restraining spells.
Healing Spiritual Arts, Kaido, consists of healing techniques.
Each is different and suited to different situations. Spells are divided into levels from 1 to 99—the higher the number, the stronger, more complex, and more energy-consuming it is. Though of course, it all depends on the shinigami's skill and how much power they pour into the spell. Even a level 1 technique can be incredibly powerful if one puts enough effort into it. But remember—spells consume your strength and can exhaust you. So be careful when using them." She smiled gently. "Every shinigami leans, to some degree, toward one of the three Paths. Some can use all of them—but most of those are captains, individuals with perfect control and long years of experience. Not all of you will be able to use Kido, but I will teach you the basics of each Path. And later, in Advanced Kido classes, you will choose the Path that suits you best."
Next, she explained how Kido functions. You must recite the incantation and concentrate your power. These words seem very complex, and, most importantly, they have some meaning. When pronouncing them, the teacher easily focused her reiatsu. From what I understood, spells are special words that act upon the subconscious or inner essence, directing energy. An experienced shinigami can skip the incantation and state only the spell's number. The words are already etched into their subconscious, producing the same effect—though without reciting the incantation, the technique's power diminishes significantly, but it can be used directly in the heat of battle.
Hearing all this, I became excited by the possibilities. Considering my perfect control of reiatsu, I saw no problems in mastering these arts. I wanted to learn as much as possible—especially healing techniques. After all, with them, I could help others. Many people out there need medical aid, and I wanted to master everything. But I also couldn't forget the combat aspect. Until I obtained a zanpakuto, I would rely on spells.
So I decided to go first.
I stepped forward. She asked me to light the spheres and show how I could control them. It was no trouble at all. I'd been playing with these spheres for five years, so I didn't even need to think.
"Excellent, Kuroki-kun," the teacher said with a warm smile. "Now, let's try Hado Number 1—Sho. It creates a shock wave. Here is the incantation: 'Wind that carries, will that grants, Lord of the great clouds that rush into the distance'—Hado #1: Sho."
After memorizing it, I stepped forward. The incantations here are fairly long—you need a lot of practice to master them.
A target stood in front of me. It was quite large, so there was no chance of missing.
"Wind that carries, will that grants, Lord of the great clouds that rush into the distance. Hado #1—Sho!"
I spoke… and nothing happened. Not even a spark. A few seconds passed.
"Wind that carries, will that grants, Lord of the great clouds that rush into the distance. Hado #1—Sho!!!"
I repeated, louder and sharper. Still nothing.
"How strange…" Sato-sensei approached me. She pulled out a pair of glasses. "Repeat it."
I repeated the incantation.
The teacher frowned thoughtfully.
"Let's try something else," she said.
Next, I attempted Hado #2. Then 3. Then 4. Nothing. Sato-sensei didn't give up—we tried Bakudo #1: Sai. But the result was the same.
The whole lesson passed in my futile attempts to understand what I was doing wrong.