Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25 - 25: Hakuda Training

Back at Shin'ō Academy, Masatsuki Aozaki breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Rangiku Matsumoto attending class without issue.

"Aozaki-san, skipping class is not a good habit."

A brand-new ruler lightly tapped Masatsuki on the head.

"Kuchiki-sensei..." Masatsuki slowly turned his head, awkwardly asking, "What brings you here?"

"Did you forget? This is my history class. Now hurry inside—the lesson is still ongoing," Sōjun Kuchiki said, sounding exasperated but not truly reprimanding him.

Seeing that Sōjun had no intention of punishing him, Masatsuki entered the classroom and slumped into his seat, quickly returning to his usual lazy demeanor.

Gin Ichimaru sat nearby, completely absorbed in his thin history textbook.

Rangiku, on the other hand, multitasked—sometimes glancing at Masatsuki, sometimes at her book, and sometimes at Sōjun Kuchiki.

Yūshirō Shihōin remained as absentminded as ever, which made Masatsuki—his supposed brother-in-law (?)—somewhat concerned for him.

As for Tsunayashiro, who loved forming cliques in class... well, his seat was there, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Rumor had it that the 2nd Division had taken him in for questioning. Whether he'd return in one piece was anyone's guess.

Among the people Masatsuki knew, the one who had changed the most was Sōjun Kuchiki.

Normally diligent and responsible, always carrying a gentle smile, today Sōjun seemed distracted. He would occasionally space out, then furrow his brows as if something troubling was on his mind.

Masatsuki shook his head. The feuds among nobles were far too complicated—and dangerous. That kind of trouble was beyond the reach of a commoner like him.

Best to stay out of it.

If he were strong enough, things might be different, but right now, there was no way for him to get involved. If even Sōjun Kuchiki was struggling, what could he—a Lieutenant-level Shinigami with only Fifth-Class Reiatsu—possibly do?

...

Over the next few days, Masatsuki dedicated himself to practicing "Sword Pressure" while also learning Shunpo and Reiatsu concealment techniques from Yoruichi Shihōin.

With the battle over, Shin'ō Academy settled into a brief period of peace.

Whenever Masatsuki snuck out, he no longer ran into large-scale conflicts.

Strangely, Kisuke Urahara hadn't shown up at the training grounds all week. Whatever he was busy with, no one seemed to know.

On the weekend, Masatsuki made his usual visit to the 1st Division barracks.

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto stood with his back to the entrance, leaning on his cane, exuding an air of deep mystery.

Such a high-level display of coolness...

Masatsuki sighed.

The old man was always kind to him—but he had never taught him how to act cool.

Everyone knew that in the world of "Shinigami," fashion sense was directly proportional to strength.

"How is your Sword Pressure training coming along?"

Hearing the approaching footsteps and the steady tapping of the cane against the floor, Yamamoto finally spoke.

"I've already mastered it. With the Captain-Commander personally overseeing me, how could I afford to slack off?"

Masatsuki quietly moved closer. As expected, he caught the brief flicker of amusement in the old man's expression before it quickly disappeared. Yamamoto glanced at him.

"Show me." Yamamoto snorted and slowly turned around.

Masatsuki didn't hesitate. He drew Banshō Senran and, with a swift motion, slashed through the air.

A blue wave of Sword Pressure tore through the space between them, rushing toward Yamamoto.

The old man looked at the incoming attack with mild surprise.

Then, with a single finger, he tapped the tip of the spiritual pressure blade.

Crackle!

The powerful slash, capable of cleaving through boulders, met Yamamoto's fingertip—and stopped dead in its tracks. Not only did it fail to push forward, but it didn't even leave a single mark.

Yamamoto extended another finger. With a light press between his index finger and thumb, cracks began to spread across the Sword Pressure from the point of contact.

"Crack!"

The Sword Pressure shattered without making a sound, dispersing into Reishi and vanishing without leaving a trace.

Seeing Masatsuki sitting so obediently, Yamamoto chuckled. _{fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)}

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