Chapter 78: Guiding Shunpo

Yoruichi disappeared completely in front of Makoto, leaving not even an afterimage discernible to the naked eye. Without relying on dynamic vision, it would have been impossible to track her movements.

However, Makoto, guided by the signal from the "Seed of the Forest," was certain that Yoruichi had already left the underground space.

"Training in Shunpo, is it?"

Hearing Yoruichi's final suggestion, Makoto couldn't help but grin.

Among the four fundamental combat skills of the Shinigami—Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō—Makoto excelled most at Shunpo, aside from the specialized healing techniques of Kaidō.

But what Makoto had learned in the past was no more than the basic Shunpo taught at the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy.

In reality, the advanced techniques for each of the four fundamental skills were passed down in the Seireitei primarily through direct mentorship.

According to Makoto's understanding, the strongest practitioners in the Soul Society for each skill were clear: in Zanjutsu, it was undoubtedly a contest between Captain Unohana and Yamamoto; in Hakuda, or hand-to-hand combat, it was less prominent since most Shinigami relied heavily on their Zanpakutō. However, the Second Division had a notable emphasis on Hakuda.

For Shunpo, the "Goddess of Flash," Yoruichi Shihoin, was unrivaled.

As for Kidō, while its formalized structure made it accessible to many, the specialized, unconventional spells hidden within the Kidō Corps remained out of reach for ordinary Shinigami.

Thus, receiving personal guidance in Shunpo from Yoruichi herself was undoubtedly one of the highest honors available in the Seireitei.

---

Lost in thought, Makoto unknowingly made his way back to the captain's quarters of the Fourth Division.

To his surprise, Unohana had not yet retired for the night. Instead, she was seated gracefully in the courtyard, intently arranging flowers.

"You're back?"

Sensing his approach, Unohana spoke gently without looking up. "How was Captain Shihoin's training?"

Leaving out the covert planting of seeds, Makoto truthfully recounted all the details.

When Unohana heard that Makoto had developed his Zanpakutō's offensive and defensive capabilities, her expression shifted slightly as she asked,

"Makoto, didn't you always detest combat?"

Makoto paused for a moment before raising his gaze to meet hers directly. He replied,

"I want to protect you, Captain. Just as you have protected me, I wish one day to protect you as well. For that, my personal dislike means nothing."

Unohana's serene expression wavered briefly before softening into a gentle smile.

"Makoto, your sentiment pleases me. I'll look forward to that day. But I still hope you'll remain a dedicated healer."

Her tone, however kind, carried an unmistakable disbelief in Makoto's resolve.

Makoto, gazing deeply at her, silently vowed as he withdrew,

"Captain... One day, I will fulfill every promise I've made to you. I'll show you... just how earnest and unassuming I truly am."

And so, for the sake of his captain, Makoto resolved that his seeding efforts must never falter.

---

Back in his quarters, Makoto carefully assessed the spiritual energy being steadily absorbed by the "Seed of the Forest."

Thanks to the contribution of the second captain-level Shinigami, Yoruichi Shihoin, the efficiency of spiritual energy absorption had increased by nearly 20-25%.

At this rate, in just over half a month, Makoto's spiritual pressure could reach the level of a vice-captain.

Undeniably, the diffuse spiritual energy provided by a captain-level Shinigami was leagues beyond that of ordinary Shinigami or Academy students.

Makoto planned to maintain his spiritual pressure at a vice-captain level while channeling the surplus energy into developing his "Perfect Spirit Body."

To a Shinigami, mastering Bankai marked the true recognition of one's power—a goal Makoto deemed his most pressing need.

Unfortunately, the efficiency of creating the intricate spiritual particles for the "Seed of the Forest" remained limited, hindering both his energy accumulation and his progress towards the "Perfect Spirit Body"

Only by completing this transformation would Makoto achieve a genuine sense of security.

As a healer outwardly perceived as harmless, he knew his enemies would not anticipate his mastery of formidable wood-based abilities.

Should his opponents find his abilities difficult to counter, the "Perfect Spirit Body" akin to a "Final Getsuga Tenshō," would act as a final safeguard.

And if all else failed, there was always Bankai.

Layer after layer of contingency—that was Makoto's baseline plan.

After all, though medical disputes were rare in the Seireitei now, who could predict what might happen in the future?

As a healer, if he couldn't eliminate threats to save lives, could he even call himself qualified?

---

The Next Day

As usual, Makoto concluded his duties at the Fourth Division's gynecology ward and hurried to the underground training grounds as promised.

By the time he arrived, Yoruichi was already waiting. A large cloth was spread on the ground, piled high with snacks, nuts, and fruits. Empty bottles of sake lay strewn about.

Her cheeks flushed faintly red, Yoruichi swayed slightly with a bottle in hand.

"You're here?"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi," Makoto replied respectfully, understanding her personality well enough not to question whether she was merely lounging and drinking while using his training as an excuse.

Without wasting words, Yoruichi dove straight to the point.

"I'll skip the boring foundational concepts of Shunpo. Just remember this—Shunpo is fundamentally a specialized technique rooted in the strength of the spiritual body's muscles. Thus, the limits of Shunpo are inherently tied to the strength of the spiritual body."

"Of course, over 98% of the idiots in the Seireitei will never even approach the limits of their spiritual bodies when it comes to Shunpo."

"As for the mastery of Shunpo techniques, that determines the lower bound of its effectiveness."

After expounding on numerous Shunpo techniques, Yoruichi paused, her gaze slightly unfocused as she regarded Makoto.

"I observed you last night. Your foundational Shunpo is barely adequate, so you can skip some of the unnecessary basic drills."

"Fon!"

With Yoruichi's command, the petite form of Soi Fon appeared behind her.

"Your orders, Captain?"

"Release your Zanpakutō and use its 'Double Strike Finisher' ability to kill Makoto."

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