A pitch-black Jigokuchō flitted by.
Above the rooftops, a swift figure darted past like a fleeting shadow.
It was a messenger Shinigami, clad entirely in black cloth, dressed akin to a ninja.
Guided by the Jigokuchō, he discerned his direction before heading straight toward the newly established 11th Division.
"Halt."
But as he reached the entrance to the 11th Division's training grounds, a blade appeared silently before him.
Kuruyashiki Ryoma stood quietly in place.
His small stature did nothing to diminish the chill of his blade, his calm gaze fixed on the Onmitsukidō member before him.
"Kuruyashiki, 9th Seat."
"I bear the orders of the Captain-Commander."
The Onmitsukidō member dropped to one knee, explaining swiftly.
Ryoma merely nodded, sheathing his blade.
"Wait a moment."
"The Captain and Vice-Captain are occupied."
"Yes."
Ryoma turned his head, looking toward the two figures standing opposite each other within the courtyard.
Makoto Fujimiya gripped his blade with both hands, his focus locked on Yachiru Unohana's direction, utterly engrossed.
Unohana, by contrast, stood relaxed, a serene smile on her face.
The next moment...
Clang!
Their blades clashed, the high-speed collision and immense force producing a crisp ring before parting just as quickly.
With a deft turn of his blade, Makoto shifted his footing and circled Unohana, their swords weaving through constant exchanges. His blade tips always aimed at vital points, the sharp clinks ringing out in an unbroken rhythm.
Makoto's Zanjutsu, honed to the Tier-12, was a formidable level for any Shinigami. For most, a lifetime of effort might only reach this point.
Even someone as mighty as Unohana would occasionally find her eyes lighting up at Makoto's exceptional swordsmanship. She'd then ramp up her strength and speed, her blade targeting the fleeting flaws in his technique, all while keeping her output just below his level.
Though their sparring reached speeds that ordinary Vice-Captains couldn't track with the naked eye, there was no hint of true aggression.
Not even a single scratch marred Makoto's body.
This was a contest of skill against skill.
Undoubtedly, Unohana still held a firm upper hand.
Yet Makoto wasn't discouraged. He sought out his flaws in each exchange, striving to correct and improve with every swing.
Unfortunately, today, the familiar chime of his broken zanpakuto prompt didn't ring in his ears.
Not because his cheat had vanished.
But because…
[Zanjutsu: Tier-12 (99/100)]
[Zanjutsu Bottleneck · Stage Four]
[Would you like to use a talent point to break through?]
Those words lingered on Makoto's personal panel.
Clink!
With a faint crisp sound...
Makoto, fully focused, felt his pupils contract. His forward step faltered slightly backward, his body stiffening for a brief moment.
But even such a minuscule opening couldn't escape Unohana-sensei's keen eyes.
In the very next instant after that pause, her razor-sharp blade sliced through the air with a tearing gust, stopping just before Makoto's throat, a faint sting lingering at the edge.
Makoto gave a wry smile, raising both hands.
"Sensei, I've lost."
Unohana slowly withdrew her blade, her expression still gentle, her gaze toward Makoto softening with a warm smile.
"I'd thought it would take you a while longer to approach this level."
"I didn't expect I'd underestimated you, Makoto-kun."
"You suddenly showed up at the barracks asking for a spar, you must have noticed it, right?"
"The bottleneck in your Zanjutsu."
Makoto nodded slightly, asking, "How did you break through this bottleneck, sensei?"
"This might sound a bit arrogant, but… I keep feeling like this barrier shouldn't be that hard to overcome."
"Yet no matter how hard I try, I'm still stuck in place."
His grasp of himself was razor-sharp, and he trusted his instincts implicitly.
Setting aside the three-plus years he'd spent as a Shinigami since he got Isekai'd, fighting through countless bloody battles...
Even now, over three months since the Gotei 13's founding, Makoto has never paused his self-training.
But with his Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kidō, and Hohō all reaching significant heights, the number of foes who could genuinely threaten him had dwindled. Those capable of guiding him from a higher vantage point were even fewer, just a handful.
At this level, bolstered by the Swordsmanship Prodigy trait inherited from Unohana, Makoto knew his current state better than anyone.
Unohana didn't answer immediately. Instead, she countered, "What flaws do you think you still have, Makoto-kun?"
Makoto pondered for a moment. "My Hakuda lags behind my Zanjutsu by a fair bit."
"And I struggle to unleash the full power of high-level Kidō."
As for the rest...
No exaggeration, Makoto believed his foundational strength now qualified him to vie for the average captain and against future figures like Komamura Sajin or Muguruma Kensei without his mask.
That kind of power wasn't weak by Soul Society's standards.
But compared to his sensei's expectations, there was still a clear gap.
Unohana considered this, then asked, "Which low-level Kidō around number thirty are you most skilled at, Makoto-kun?"
"Show me its full power."
"Yes."
Fully aware of the vast gulf between his and his sensei's strength and insight, Makoto complied without hesitation.
"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and blood, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Scorching heat and discord, roll back across the sea to the south, march onward!"
"Hadō 31: Shakkahō!"
With peak Tier-4 Reiatsu, a complete incantation, and full effort...
The three combined.
The sheer size, three to four times larger than usual, was intimidating enough on its own.
Under normal circumstances, even a weaker captain wouldn't take this head-on.
Yet Unohana merely watched the blazing fireball hurtle toward her, extending a single finger forward.
"Hadō 1: Shō."
With that faint murmur, an invisible shockwave shot silently from her fingertip, aimed straight at the incoming Shakkahō.
Makoto's eyes narrowed as he sensed something unusual.
The next moment...
Boom!
The fireball and shockwave collided midair, locking in a brief stalemate.
Then both shattered simultaneously, whipping up a swirling torrent of spirit particles.
Unohana turned to him. "Did you notice the difference, Makoto-kun?"
"Yes."
Makoto nodded, frowning slightly.
With his perception and insight, he knew the disparity wasn't between Hadō 31 and Hadō 1, nor was it a matter of raw power.
Even the Reiatsu Unohana had just used matched his almost exactly.
Logically, Hadō 1 should've been obliterated outright.
The reason for that momentary standoff was simple, in the instant she struck, Unohana had condensed all of Hadō 1's power into an infinitesimally small point.
That level of control and manipulation over fundamental reishi particles was leagues beyond what a Kidō halfwit like him could achieve.
"So…"
"The gap lies in reishi particle control?"
"The finer your mastery over reishi fluctuations, the greater the power you can unleash?"
He muttered to himself, "Or perhaps Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō… maybe they're meant to improve holistically, complementing each other at bottleneck stages?"
Unbeknownst to him, Unohana had stepped beside him, her slender hand gently ruffling his long hair.
Watching her disciple lost in focused thought, her smile unconsciously softened further.
As expected of Makoto.
Always able to see through to the essence in a single glance.
It was… impossible not to feel excited about.
If only time could pass a little faster.
Makoto didn't notice the odd glint in Unohana's eyes, shifting toward something akin to a combat-crazed mentor, still engrossed in pondering the connections between the four skills.
If his hunch was right, he couldn't afford to build himself into a strength-specialized monster like Zaraki Kenpachi.
As he mulled this over...
Ryoma, seeing their spar conclude, approached with the Onmitsukidō messenger in tow.
"Captain Unohana."
"The Captain-Commander has ordered preparations for the Gotei 13's first captain meeting since its founding."
"Please arrive at the meeting hall this afternoon on time."
"No absences permitted."
Unohana frowned slightly at this, as if something occurred to her, before nodding.
"I understand."
"Yes."
The Onmitsukidō member knelt briefly, then vanished in an instant.
Unohana turned her gaze into the distance.
Though the new Seireitei's organizational structure was in place, it couldn't hide the fact that it was still a makeshift operation.
In the three months since the Gotei 13 was established, most former captains hadn't even figured out their responsibilities. Shortages of personnel and literacy issues had caused plenty of chaos and no shortage of laughs.
Still, if that were the only problem, a couple more years would likely smooth things out.
The real issue facing the Seireitei now was the undercurrent simmering beneath this sprawling structure, stirred by nobles licking their wounds.
And the enemy who'd once shown their face, now lurking again in the shadows of the living world.
The tree craves stillness, but the wind refuses to cease.
"Makoto-kun."
Unohana suddenly called out, turning back.
"Yes!"
Snapped from his thoughts, Makoto responded promptly.
Unohana faced him, flashing a perfect smile.
"We've got a meeting this afternoon."
"Don't forget."
Makoto's face fell at once.
Over these three-plus months since the Goter 13 were formed, nearly all squad duties had been dumped on him.
This time, it was obvious he'd be stuck carrying the load again.
His tone stretched into a plaintive whine.
"Yeees, yeees~"
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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