Chapter 13

"Ah!" 

Inside the First Division dojo, Kaelith Yurei let out a rather undignified scream as he collapsed onto the ground, eyes squeezed shut and mouth agape. 

Yamamoto gently lowered his bamboo sword, his expression one of mild exasperation. 

He hadn't even used much force with that strike—was this really necessary? 

After pondering for a few moments, Yamamoto nodded slightly and said, "I've got a good grasp of your situation now. Even though I had set high expectations for you, your abilities have still exceeded my predictions. If you can continue down the right path, without distractions clouding your way, your potential will be limitless." 

Kaelith slowly picked himself up. "Wait a minute, Head Captain, I've just been beaten half to death, and instead of checking on my injuries, you go straight to lecturing me?" 

A vein popped on Yamamoto's forehead. "Injuries? You call that an injury? The Seireitei does not produce such fragile Shinigami!" 

Kaelith sighed deeply. 

Being a Shinigami was tough—completely lacking the perks of a career in singing, dancing, or rapping. 

After some thought, Yamamoto spoke up again. "Kaelith Yurei, have you achieved Shikai yet?" 

Kaelith shook his head. "No." 

Despite synchronizing with Aizen's powers, he hadn't gained Kyōka Suigetsu. In fact, he hadn't even unlocked Shikai as a general ability. 

Kaelith figured this was due to the unique nature of Zanpakutō. The power of a Zanpakutō reflects the attributes of one's soul. Only through communication with one's soul could one infuse energy into an Asauchi and achieve release. 

No matter how much Spirit Pressure he synchronized from Aizen, it wouldn't change the nature of his soul. To unlock his Zanpakutō, he'd have to rely on himself. 

Hearing Kaelith's reply, Yamamoto frowned slightly. 

It was unusual for someone with Vice-Captain-level strength to not have unlocked Shikai. This typically indicated a lack of understanding of one's soul, or insufficient conviction—a sign of an immature spirit. 

The clearer Kaelith's potential became, the more Yamamoto worried he might stray from the right path. 

After some thought, Yamamoto instructed, "If that's the case, your primary goal from now on should be unlocking your Zanpakutō. Starting today, I'll teach you a new meditation technique. You'll meditate for at least two hours a day to expedite communication with your Zanpakutō." 

With that, Yamamoto sat cross-legged on the floor and began teaching Kaelith the meditation method he'd developed. 

The principles of the technique were simple: achieve a state of ultimate calm, regulate Spirit Pressure, and stimulate the body and mind to maintain a heightened state of relaxation, enabling prolonged communication with the Zanpakutō. 

After a few attempts, Kaelith managed to enter the meditative state. 

However, despite meditating for quite some time, all he experienced was aimlessly drifting through darkness. He didn't hear a single whisper from his Zanpakutō, let alone achieve release. 

Yamamoto didn't say much about this, merely advising him to keep practicing. 

"If you can't achieve Shikai in the short term, then learn a technique that can temporarily substitute for it. Both Shinigami and Hollows often possess unique abilities. Engaging in direct combat with an unfamiliar opponent can be highly dangerous." 

Under Kaelith's watchful gaze, Yamamoto raised his bamboo sword. 

With a sharp downward swing, a silver crescent-shaped energy wave shot forward, striking a reinforced target stone and leaving a deep gash. 

Kaelith blinked in surprise. "Getsuga Tenshō?" 

"What?" Yamamoto frowned. 

"Ah, nothing," Kaelith said quickly. "I just remembered a story I heard in Rukongai as a kid. There was a move similar to what you just did…" 

Yamamoto nodded. He'd heard of newly arrived souls from the World of the Living retaining fragments of their memories, so he wasn't concerned about Kaelith's remark. 

He slowly spoke: "This move is called Kenatsu"

"The principle is similar to Hadō, in that it converts spiritual pressure into a special attribute."

For example, the Hadō number 4, Byakurai (White Lightning), converts spiritual pressure into lightning."

"The Hadō number 30, Sōkatsui (Blue Fire, Crash Down), converts spiritual pressure into fire."

"The principle of Sword Pressure is to use the Zanpakutō's enhancement to transform one's spiritual pressure into the attribute of 'cutting.'"

"Now, I will go over the details of this technique, and you must remember them clearly."

While under Kaelith's gaze, Yamamoto explained the technique of Sword Pressure at a steady pace.

After finishing his explanation, he asked, "Did you remember everything?"

Kaelith pondered for a few seconds before answering, "I've already forgotten half of it."

Yamamoto: "?"

He was puzzled. "What part did you forget?"

Kaelith thought for a moment. "Now, I've forgotten most of it."

Yamamoto: "???"

Before Yamamoto could say anything else, Kaelith clapped his hands. "Now, I've completely forgotten!"

With that, he slightly tilted his head, revealing the smile of a master who was at peace with his solitude.

Having said such high-level profound words, Yamamoto would surely be deeply moved, thinking he had discovered a martial arts genius.

Perhaps, in his excitement, Yamamoto would even bring out some secret techniques, who knows?

Kaelith looked expectantly, but Yamamoto took a deep breath.

Then, he roared, "Get your ass out right now! You must master it within this week! If you can't, I'll show you the consequences of mocking your elders!"

Without waiting for Kaelith to say anything further, Yamamoto immediately sent him flying out of the dojo.

Watching the dojo door slam shut with a bang, Kaelith couldn't help but feel some emotion.

Yamamoto truly had no understanding of what it meant to have style.

No wonder he fell during the Thousand-Year Blood War... In the realm of hot-blooded manga, style is power. Once you lose that style, you naturally become background filler.

Captain Yamamoto still needs a lot of training.

As Kaelith prepared to head back, his expression suddenly shifted. 

Judging by the time, Shin'ō Academy's dining hall must've already stopped serving dinner. If he returned now, he'd probably have to go hungry all night! 

Fortunately, a solution quickly came to mind. 

As the leader of the Gotei 13, the First Division's dining hall surely still had food available. 

With his current skill set, sneaking in to grab some food would be a piece of cake. 

The abilities he'd gained from Aizen hadn't yet seen much practical use. Tonight, they'd finally have their moment to shine. 

If these abilities had feelings, they'd probably be moved to tears by finally being put to good use, wouldn't they? 

A smirk spread across Kaelith's face as he dashed off. 

It didn't take long for him to find the First Division's dining hall. 

Hugging the wall outside, he cautiously scanned the area for any "enemies" before creeping toward an open window. 

Suddenly, a voice sounded beside him. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Whoa!" Kaelith exclaimed, spinning around in shock. 

Standing next to him was a young, dark-skinned girl in a cloak, smiling mischievously at him. 

(t/n Oh no, the two menaces have finally met!) 

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Hoped you liked that extra chapter! Also, I forgot to mention but you also can get an extra chapter by giving me your stones!! I am a greedy goblin so let's say 60 tones= 1 chapter tomorrow. 

See ya later!