Field Trip

The sun, perched high in the sky, poured golden radiance over the windswept grasslands of Rukongai. The group of second-year students from the Shinigami Academy, under the watchful eye of Master Yoshido, navigated the rugged terrain. Their destination: the periphery of the wild zone, a place infamous for housing Hollows in search of a reckless meal. Although the more intelligent Hollows steered clear of the Soul Society, the less discerning kind tended to stumble in, often leading to unexpected encounters.

Leading the trip was Master Yoshido, a veteran Shinigami whose power and wisdom commanded respect. Despite losing his Bankai, he exuded an aura of undiminished strength that made him more than capable of leading this potentially dangerous expedition.

Kazuki, one of the standout students, followed closely behind. A picture of contrast amidst his peers with his silver hair glowing under the sun, sky-blue eyes scanning the surroundings, and his pale skin almost luminescent in the daylight.

Suddenly, the rustle of dry grass snapping under pressure echoed in the air. Yoshido paused, his experienced eyes narrowing in on a spot some meters away. He signaled the group to halt. A hushed silence fell over them, the playful chatter and laughter vanishing as swiftly as it began.

"Stay behind me," Yoshido ordered, his voice carrying an edge of danger that brooked no argument.

He stepped forward, the students watching as the grass parted to reveal a Hollow, its form lumbering and its gaze empty, devoid of any intelligent thought. It let out a thunderous roar, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

Despite the sense of danger looming in the air, Kazuki didn't falter. If anything, his gaze hardened. He watched Yoshido with rapt attention, studying his movements and his handling of the Hollow.

Without another word, Yoshido strode forward, his pace measured and steady. The Hollow's feral eyes locked onto the Master Shinigami as he entered its field of view, an alien disturbance in its mindless hunt. Suddenly, the grasses underneath Yoshido shimmered with an unseen force, turning a shade paler, almost ethereal. Yoshido didn't mutter an incantation, didn't make a grand gesture, he simply extended a hand, fingers splayed.

The Hollow froze, its lumbering movements arrested as if an unseen force bore down on it, leaving it immobile in the heart of the sun-drenched grassland. The students watched on in stunned silence, gazes alternating between their Master and the immobilized Hollow.

"What was that?" one student muttered to his neighbor.

"That's Bakudō #9. Geki. But he didn't use an incantation..." the whisper fluttered through the group.

While the murmurs buzzed around him, Yoshido turned his back on the immobilized Hollow. A rustle of surprise swept through the student ranks, but he merely raised a hand, quelling their concerns. It was then they noticed the glimmering aura still surrounding his fingers.

Yoshido's voice rang out, clear and powerful, echoing through the stillness, "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat!"

In response to his command, the red aura intensified, wrapping tighter around the Hollow. Its strangled cries filled the air, creating an eerie symphony of the macabre.

Surprisingly, Yoshido chuckled, breaking the tenseness of the moment. He turned back towards his students, his eyes twinkling with the mischief of an old fox. "I know some of you are wondering why I'm reciting the incantation after casting the spell," he began. "Contrary to popular belief, if you're skilled enough to use a Kido without the words, you can still recite them afterward to bolster its power."

A collective murmur of astonishment and intrigue rippled through the group, eyes wide and minds churning. Yoshido was not merely a leader or teacher, he was a fountain of knowledge from which they could all drink.

As Yoshido's laughter subsided, he shifted his gaze back towards the immobilized Hollow, its form twitching under the force of the Bakudo. His smile faded, replaced by the stern countenance of an instructor. He raised his hand, drawing the attention of the hushed crowd of students.

"The primary objective when facing a Hollow," he began, his voice echoing in the eerie silence, "is to split its mask and head in two." He pointed towards the skull-like mask of the immobilized Hollow. "This is their weakest point, and striking here will lead to their purification, allowing the spirit within to enter the Soul Society."

The students nodded in understanding, their eyes tracing the line Yoshido had metaphorically drawn on the Hollow's grotesque form. Kazuki, standing at the forefront, watched with intent eyes, his mind processing every word.

With a fluid motion, Yoshido drew his Zanpakutō. The sunlight glinted off the blade, casting a silver glow that reflected off the motionless form of the Hollow.

"Observe," he said, stepping towards the creature. With a swift and sure stroke, Yoshido's blade sliced through the mask of the Hollow. The creature let out a high-pitched wail as its form began to disintegrate, its spiritual essence purified and set free.

As the Hollow vanished, leaving behind nothing but a faint echo of its existence, Yoshido turned back to his students. "The trick is not to overthink. Trust your instincts and your Zanpakutō. But never underestimate the danger a Hollow poses," he warned, sheathing his weapon.

With the dissipating remains of the first Hollow still fresh in their minds, Yoshido shifted his focus towards a new target. His eyes scanned the sun-drenched grasslands, narrowing at the sight of another Hollow skulking in the distance. The beast lurked, its grotesque form partially concealed by the waving grass.

"Observe," Yoshido commanded, his voice carrying across the hushed field. His hand rose again, fingers splayed. As before, the Hollow froze, trapped in an invisible hold. This time, however, Yoshido did not proceed to deal with it himself. Instead, he turned to his students, a stern look on his face.

"One at a time," he instructed, his gaze scanning over the crowd. "Approach the Hollow and aim for its mask. Remember what I told you, the mask is the Hollow's weakest point."

Each student looked at one another, a sense of unease coursing through the group. However, the unease soon gave way to determination, as they prepared themselves for their respective turns.

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