Chapter 4

A year has passed since the last time we saw each other, it was quite a fruitful year I have to say. I reached a satisfactory level in Zanjutsu sometime in my first year and so I stopped training it all together. Because of that my training regime changed, now it's 3 days of Hakuda training, 3 days of Hoho training and 1 day of Kaido training. Those additional days of Hoho training truly did wonders to my mastery of it. I'm way better than I was before, I don't feel like I will make the same mistake as falling on my ass again. You are certainly looking at a new version of me.

As for my zanpakuto, well I was actually right about it, it seems to be angry with me. I managed to actually hear it clearly and for quite a long time, in short though those conversations came down to you should use me more. I think it was a woman's voice so I will be referring to it as she from now on. Anyway she sounded really apathetic but I could feel the resentment beneath it. It seems before I know her name I will have to appease my capricious zanpakuto first.

Well I will worry about it after a decade, after all there is no need to dwell on a problem I don't intend to address at all, I just hope she will forgive me within 20 years. I'm positive I will be able to gain my Bankai before cannon if that happens.

Anyway I think I will be graduating soon, my Kido friend seems to be in a similar situation. There is just so much I can improve without actual experience and I'm starting to feel a wall in my training here. Not to mention I would most likely already have shikai or at least could battle with my zanpakuto for it. I'm also already a pretty seasoned Hoho and Hakuda practitioner, I think I'm quite qualified to graduate.

These lessons here are seriously starting to bore me, the days here really are starting to look pretty gray. I feel like I'm falling into a routine that sucks my soul away. I don't like that one bit. I think I'm going to send a request for an early graduation, I'm sure the result will be positive.

"Yes, graduate quickly I'm sure you will have to use me that way"

'You don't believe I can do my missions without using a sword? They are definitely going to be dangerous but I know I will manage'

Didn't respond to me at all in months and when she does talk tries to scare me. Or giving valuable advice I'm choosing to ignore. Either way I won't listen.

Moving on from that little exchange I went to my desk and wrote a short letter regarding my little problem and suggestion. I think this will be good enough but I don't really know honestly, I hope it will come back positive. I'm going to get bored to death if I spend more time in this place.

Well I'm not going to beat around the bush, my faster graduation got accepted and I'm fully stepping into the world of Shinigami. It wasn't accepted immediately though, it was first thought through for a month before another month of making sure I am ready. The other guy also was sent to the Kido Corps. As for me I'm fully going to the 2nd division and special forces under Yoruichi Shihoin. So I'm that far from canon. That's good, if I was thrown like 5 years away from it I'd rather just die than struggle. Well staying in Rukongai and hoping it doesn't get to me would also be a possibility.

The next day I was already in the 2nd division, I got acquainted with some of the people there and was let go to do what I want before I get my orders. By the way I myself am part of the executive militia. In other words my missions will most likely involve even more life endangering situations. The first few days I wasn't made to particularly do anything so I trained I even did some fighting with people from the division for it. Overall I at least have people I can now train with, however while they are okay with training the people here aren't very friendly. Well I guess that comes with the work, at least it's not unpleasant. It's quite luxurious here even.

Well eventually I did get a mission, which is what I am on right now. It goes like that, a small group of Shinigami committed a crime. However scared of punishment left for Rukongai before it was discovered. Most of them don't have a seat at all, though one of them does, there is 6 of them in total, and 4 of us. They sent a more experienced guy to take on the seated one, the other 3 however are all fairly new members, while I am on my first mission ever. Anyway the task is to apprehend them, however if it gets too dangerous holding back you are allowed to fight with the intention to kill.

That's about it, right now I'm following my teammates. As expected all of them are better than me. I knew being in service is way better than just simple training, experience and training must go hand in hand. Otherwise it's pointless, but I have to say even with me holding them back we should be faster than the other guys. Besides they are the ones who should be on their toes not us.

"Stop"

All of us halted on nearby trees, as for why it's obvious. Those guys are here, they aren't that smart. Placing a campfire at night when they are pursued, well there isn't much you can do when you are pursued by people who are faster than you and tire less. We've been pursuing those guys for 3 days already. But everyone here knows they won't go to sleep. They are all far too tense for that. So we decided on this. Our leader will attack and separate the seated guy, while we right after that swoop in and separate them from each other.

After a short while our leader made a sign and we proceed into action. All of us flash step right after our leader, he quickly carries away the guy. That's when we enter, with my left leg I kick one of them straight in the back of his head. Once my leg touched the ground I tried to kick another guy that was behind me with my other leg but he caught it. So i tensed it up and then.

"Hado #4 Byakurai"

I shot a Hado right into his chest. I thought about using Sho, but it would most likely take me with him. So I used it to push him back without me going with him. It seems others separated their own guys. Wait a moment, I'm left with two, damn it.

Soon enough I seen the results of it, after both of them recovered they fired a Hado at me. I avoided it by jumping up, to which they responded with coming at me with two swords. With that techinque shinigami use to walk on the air I pushed myself with my legs and with a flip went behind one of the guys.

"O Lord, Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter wings, you who bears the name of Man, Inferno and Pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, March on to the south"

I whisper to myself, I cannot use a Hado of this level without incantations yet.

"Hado #31 Shakkaho!"

As I fell to the ground I shouted the last part and shot the kido at them who were falling behind me. A red ball exploded once it hit the two of them

"Gah"

Since I used it on the two of them the fire power was less, but it's okay I am not supposed to kill them, even though I am fighting as if to kill them. That's just because it's two vs one. Once the some settled I saw them with scorched skin on the ground. Thinking that I cannot let them recover I move towards them.

However instead I fall to the ground.

"Gr"

I grunted a bit, my right leg hurts. When I look at it it was cut, I didn't feel it at that time but it must've been when I did that flip. Obviously they wouldn't let me do acrobatics without any repercussions, not only that it's cut at a pretty bad place. Right behind my knee. That's pretty bad, and they are recovering from the attack already. I can't really use Kaido effectively on my self, I mean it works by recovering the reiatsu first. I can't recover it with my own reserves. They are already coming my way, I pull the not hurt leg up to face my enemy. I can't face them with my fists like that, reluctantly I pull out my zanpakuto and hold it with two hands.

They both charge at me with their zanpakuto. One of them came faster and slashed at me which I fended off with my zanpakuto. The other guy then came and slashed at me from my right, which I blocked as well and got pushed back a little. Legs are important in fighting, without a good posture you can be easily pushed around, and a knee on the ground is not a good posture. This time, they were both together so instead of one after another both slashed at me from above at the same time. I blocked it with one hand on the handle and the other at the back of my blade.

My body dug deeper into the ground and I had to put my head down from the impact. I have to do something, I can't just take a beating here and hope the others deal with their own fast enough. I grit my teeth at this moment, I'm quite angry at myself and frustrated at them. Not to mention my spirit was right and so soon even. There is only one thing I can do, use the reiryoku I wasn't using yet and overpower them with my spiritual pressure.

"Grr..."

I started grunting from putting force in my sword, the steel was cluttering from our clashing. My veins were quite visible from my struggling. My reiatsu was flickering and slowly but surely a golden glow was becoming apparent.

"AAAAAH"

I yell as if to lift my spirits, though it's more akin to making a sound when in pain. An automatic response if you will. Once I do that my reiatsu flares up and the golden glow covers me and a bit more. I make a step forward and slash pushing both of them back. No that's not all they also got cut across their chest, shallow it may be that's still a wound. I put my sword back, flash step forward a small distance and catch their heads before smashing them against each other knocking them out with that.

It healed, my leg has healed. And I have no idea how it did as well. But I managed to do it, I beat the two of them. I only need to restrain them now, at least I can say my first mission is successful. With satisfaction on my face I go to restrain them.