Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21 - 21: Training Ground

Masatsuki Aozaki and Yoruichi Shihōin made their way across half of Seireitei, eventually arriving at the base of Sōkyoku Hill.

One look at the place was enough to leave Masatsuki stunned.

The underground beneath Sōkyoku Hill had been completely hollowed out by two incredibly audacious individuals. The space was packed with an assortment of training equipment—clearly meant to serve as a training ground.

"Damn you, Yoruichi! You were the one who wanted to build this place, so why am I the only one doing all the work?"

Yoruichi was enthusiastically showing Masatsuki around when a lazy, disgruntled voice interrupted her.

The source of the complaint was a man with messy, light-blond hair that curled slightly at the ends. His military-green eyes held a perpetual look of exhaustion.

"That guy over there is my partner, Kisuke Urahara."

Yoruichi pointed toward the slouched figure before suddenly raising her voice.

"Oh? I could've sworn I just heard someone badmouthing me. Kisuke, are you slacking off?"

"No way, can't you see how much fun I'm having?"

Kisuke grinned as he continued digging with a shovel in hand.

Masatsuki stepped closer and asked, "Urahara-san, what exactly are you digging?"

"I'm making a big pool for a hot spring," Kisuke replied matter-of-factly.

"Why not just use Kidō? Isn't there a barrier set up outside?" Masatsuki asked, puzzled.

Kisuke chuckled. "Well, large-scale Kidō is too noisy. If we use it, the barrier outside might not hold up, and then we'd have a problem."

"I see. Urahara-san, you're quite cautious," Masatsuki remarked with a nod.

Kisuke paused mid-dig, his expression shifting.

"Wait a second... who are you?"

Masatsuki blinked. "You don't know me?"

Only now did he realize that Kisuke had no idea he was coming. He turned to Yoruichi.

"You didn't tell him?"

Yoruichi scratched the back of her head and laughed. "I forgot! But it's fine, you two seem to be getting along just fine."

Seeing Yoruichi play innocent, Masatsuki couldn't help but chuckle. "Guess I'll introduce myself, then."

"Nice to meet you, Urahara-san. I'm Masatsuki Aozaki."

Kisuke froze for a moment before exchanging glances with Yoruichi, whose smirk radiated unmistakable pride.

His voice turned wary. "Masatsuki Aozaki... as in, the Captain-Commander's disciple?"

"I suppose I am that Masatsuki Aozaki, but I'm not the Captain-Commander's disciple."

Masatsuki smiled before changing the topic.

"So, Urahara-san, you built this underground training ground? I have to say, it's impressive. Everything needed for training is here. More importantly, the space is huge—you don't feel constrained in battle."

For techniques like Shunpo, having ample space was essential for proper training. Practicing in a cramped area meant missing out on important details...

Kisuke rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So, Yoruichi just decided to hand over all my hard work..."

"Yup." Yoruichi answered without hesitation, showing not the slightest guilt about claiming his efforts.

Come on, the whole idea had been hers in the first place—Kisuke was just doing the manual labor. Ever heard of intellectual property?

She turned back to Masatsuki. "No need to be polite. You can use this training ground however you want. If anything breaks, Kisuke will fix it. Just try not to use Kidō above level 70 until he finishes upgrading the protective barriers."

"Understood," Masatsuki replied, glancing at Yoruichi again with a renewed sense of appreciation.

He was already planning how to incorporate this training ground into his schedule. It was more than just a place for Shunpo practice—there was potential for so much more.

Masatsuki asked sincerely, "Then, will you train with me?"

"The Captain-Commander gave me a week to master sword pressure," Masatsuki said, shaking his head. "I already lost a day yesterday thanks to someone... If I don't get it down in time, the old man's gonna hit me with an Ikkotsu." (A Hakuda technique known for breaking bones.)

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