Chapter 40: Summer Tutoring Plan: Bankai
No school trips, no Golden Week.
But at least there were still long holidays.
In summer, that sweltering season where iced watermelon becomes a basic necessity, the Spirit Arts Academy opened its gates, allowing people from Rukongai to come and go for family visits.
Most regular classes were suspended. Only a handful of elective courses remained, and the rest of the academy's energy flowed into club activities, injecting a different kind of liveliness into the campus.
Midsummer passed, and the calendar turned to the first day of July.
The temperature climbed instead of dropping.
Dawn came earlier and earlier.
So early, in fact, that the squad member on night patrol saw someone jogging down the main road just as he was preparing to hand over his shift.
"Is that…?"
He squinted through the gray morning light.
"A newcomer?"
"Huh? Yes, sir. I just transferred from the Tenth Division to the Seventh Division."
"Then it makes sense you would not know."
The veteran yawned and answered at an unhurried pace.
"That is the strongest prodigy in the history of the Spirit Arts Academy. He is destined to become a big shot in the Soul Society and stab straight through your whole life, your children's lives, your grandchildren's… your entire family's career path."
"He goes out to train almost every morning, running laps along the main roads around the academy for at least two hours, like he does not need sleep."
"Personally, I do not think running is anything special, but maybe he has his own training methods. And for some reason, seeing him every day actually makes night patrol feel more motivating."
"It gives me this tiny sense that I am participating in some grand mission of protecting the Gotei."
"Well, in a few days, you will understand too. Work hard, rookie. You are technically his senior, so show some spine and do not let him look down on you."
"…Yes, sir!"
On paper, the newcomer was indeed his senior.
That said, the Seventh Division member could not help but watch with a hint of admiration in his eyes.
Takeru Shimiya had no idea he had become the subject of someone else's early morning commentary.
However…
Dressed in a gray tracksuit in a style completely different from Soul Society's uniforms, Zanpakuto strapped across his back, jogging along the perimeter road of the Spirit Arts Academy at dawn, he was not exactly easy to overlook.
"Ha…"
After nearly two hours of steady running, Takeru's stamina was reaching its limit. He finally stopped, bracing his hands on his knees as he panted for breath.
His muscles trembled. Sweat poured from every part of his body.
He looked like he had just been dragged out of a river.
Normally, with his fairytale dragon blood, his stamina was not this fragile.
But that was under normal conditions.
Tap, tap.
Takeru forced himself upright and lifted one hand, lightly tapping the hilt of the sword on his back.
In that instant, his entire body felt several times lighter.
This was a training method Aizen had designed for him after he achieved Shikai, tailored precisely to the nature of his Zanpakuto.
In a single phrase:
Use the Zanpakuto's spiritual power to put pressure on its wielder.
According to Kisuke Urahara, "spiritual power is power that acts on beings with souls."
Endonemī, in particular, excelled at this.
Rather than simply "releasing spiritual pressure,"
It was better described as applying spiritual power within its wielder's body, causing some extremely terrifying reishi phenomena from the inside out.
So, as long as the blade stayed close, and its spirit released power while taking a resistant stance against its master, and the master did not forcibly suppress it with his own spiritual pressure, instead allowing that power to fill his body…
If he continually maintained that state, like a "failed Shikai,"
His body would feel unbelievably heavy, as if his entire frame were filled with liquid metal.
However, once he adapted to that resistance, not only his physical capabilities but also his spiritual power would be trained in full, resulting in explosive growth.
"It is about time I head back."
Takeru wiped the sweat from his face and naturally turned into a smaller path leading back to the academy grounds.
His daily schedule was extremely disciplined.
He woke early for morning runs.
Then he attended whatever classes were in session.
After classes, he either went to the Fifth Division to use the Spiritual Power Restoration Chamber or practiced his sword techniques.
In the evenings, he ate and drank as he pleased, never skimping on food, and when bedtime came, he used "sword meditation" instead of ordinary sleep.
Then the next day, he woke to another morning run.
This tightly regulated cycle was what kept him, the strongest genius in the academy's history, from being completely overtaken by Ichigo, that once in a million years aberrant monster.
But as Ichigo's spiritual pressure climbed into Captain class and his basic abilities continued to grow, Takeru, though he never talked about it, felt enormous pressure bearing down on his heart.
Everyone knew that if you wanted to talk big, you needed the strength to back it up.
The last thing he wanted was to one day accidentally provoke some powerful enemy bent on destroying Soul Society, then realize he was outmatched and end up screaming, "Ichigo, save me!"
How was a future Captain Commander supposed to save face after that?
"Which is why, Sensei, I hope you can guide me and help me master Bankai as soon as possible."
Fifth Division, Captain's office.
Takeru sat upright on the sofa, making his request to the man seated across from him.
"Hm…"
Aizen's expression turned a little complicated.
But overall, he still looked calm.
Hinamori Momo, the "Paperwork Tiger" off to the side handling the division's administrative duties, was stunned speechless.
It was not that Takeru was going around bragging to everyone that he would be the next Captain Commander.
He had simply said he wanted to quietly master Bankai, then surprise Ichigo with it, using that shock to encourage him to work harder and aim even higher.
He had even emphasized that this was his duty as a good friend.
Momo felt like something in her head had come loose.
It felt wrong somehow.
But it also sounded strangely reasonable.
So was it right or wrong?
She had no time to untangle that knot.
Her attention was immediately stolen by her Captain's next words, and she plunged straight into a deep, burning envy.
"Bankai, hm… Takeru certainly has the qualifications."
Aizen nodded lightly.
"No, it would be more accurate to say it is time for you to reach the ultimate secret of Zanpakuto combat."
"Come with me."
Takeru stood up at once, ready to follow Aizen out.
"Um… Captain, I think I am almost ready too…!"
"Hinamori, stay here and handle the paperwork. It is still far too early for you to concern yourself with this."
"… "
Momo watched the two of them leave one after another, still whispering to each other as they went, and could not shake the feeling that their backs looked oddly harmonious, almost like a father and son. Her expression gradually turned vacant.
Then she slumped forward onto the desk like a salted fish that had lost all motivation.
A student who had not even been in the academy for a full year was already starting Bankai training.
Meanwhile, she, a Vice Captain with over forty years in the division, was only suited for paperwork.
Maybe that previous question she had asked herself had been half true.
But this one was absolutely and completely wrong.
On the other side, Takeru followed Aizen to an open, shaded lawn inside the Fifth Division barracks.
"This place should be suitable."
"…Is it not strange that this is not a training ground?"
"No."
Takeru shook his head.
"I do not really understand the proper method of training for Bankai, but the stronger an ability is, the more it needs to be mastered with a calm mind."
"That is something I learned from my experience with Shikai. And I believe it should apply to Bankai as well."
He looked at the green canopy before them, lush and tranquil despite the blazing summer sun.
The agitation in his heart at the thought of learning Bankai slowly began to settle.
"An excellent realization."
Aizen folded his arms inside his sleeves and also gazed at the sea of green, then beyond.
"In fact, even if you had not brought it up, I was planning to remind you in a few days."
"Because the first step of your Bankai training already started several months ago."
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