With Rinko properly dressed in her Taimanin uniform and her katana fastened at her waist, Motohama took a deep breath. He raised his right hand in a precise, restrained gesture, almost as if holding his breath for what was to come.
— Alright… time to go.
The air at Motohama's feet wavered for a moment, as if dormant shadows stirred in response to his will. Suddenly, a dark pool of shadows began to form beneath them, rapidly expanding.
— This is one of the Quincy techniques used for long-distance travel. It's called… Shadow.
The black surface twisted, transforming into a deep portal that pulsed in the shape of a five-pointed Quincy star.
Rinko watched closely, her clinical, calculating eyes absorbing every detail of that spiritual manipulation.
— Your mastery is… impressive.
She lightly touched the edge of the portal without a trace of hesitation.
Motohama extended his hand to her, a faint smile playing on his lips.
— Shall we?
She nodded, gripping his hand firmly, and both were swallowed by the shadows.
Silbern's Throne Room
When they emerged on the other side, the scenery had changed drastically.
They now stood in a vast hall of cold, monumental architecture. The walls were of a rigid, pale white, with a dull sheen that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. The vaulted ceiling was supported by austere rectangular columns that stretched skyward, disappearing into the heights. Instead of stained glass windows, large white banners bearing the black symbol of the Wandenreich — the Quincy Cross — hung heavily from the beams, swaying slightly in the still air.
The floor was a vast white marble carpet, cut by straight, cold lines, so perfect they seemed drawn by an architect obsessed with mathematical precision.
At the far end, atop a platform raised by a few steps, stood the throne. To Rinko's surprise, it wasn't made of black stone or gold, but of pure, perfectly polished white, almost blending with the surrounding walls. Above it, masterfully engraved on the wall, was the Quincy symbol: the stylized cross, silently watching anyone who dared enter that almost sacred space.
Rinko walked slowly, her eyes carefully absorbing the coldness and solemnity of the environment. When she was converted into a Quincy, she received a condensed version of her race's history, and in it, there was a place eerily similar to this one.
— This… is Silbern's Throne Room?
Motohama nodded, approaching her.
— A perfect replica, provided by the Essence that granted me my powers… as it was before the Second Quincy War. When Yhwach ruled quietly from here, before declaring war on the Soul Society. At the moment, I only have access to two places in Silbern: the Throne Room and the Training Field.
She looked up at the symbol above the throne, analyzing its silent, absolute presence.
— I didn't imagine you would recreate a place like this… to train…
Motohama shrugged, letting out a soft sigh.
— I needed an environment that was… inspiring. A place filled with power and discipline. The Wandenreich represents that like no other.
Rinko looked around again, absorbing the magnitude and strictness of that architecture, which seemed designed to crush any trace of emotion.
— Indeed… this atmosphere is… unique.
Motohama then turned, raising his hand with the Quincy Star glowing blue once again, opening a new portal, this time made of pure Reishi: a translucent white circle slowly rotating like a silent spiral.
— But the real training field… is just ahead.
Seinaru Shūaren-jō (Sacred Training Ground)
Rinko followed him without hesitation, stepping through the portal at his side. When they exited, they were in a shadowy place filled with countless rectangular prisms of various sizes, randomly suspended in a dark, seemingly infinite void. Rinko immediately noticed this place was special.
— The Reishi here… is incredibly pure… different from the real world…
She looked at her hands, feeling the energy caress her body.
— The Reishi in the real world, as inviting as it seems… is also dangerous for beings like us. Probably due to the number of dark supernatural entities in the world, or perhaps it's a characteristic of the world's own Reishi — it's made of both positive and negative energy… negative energy and Hollows are poison to a Quincy. That's why I didn't want you to use the Quincy powers I gave you in that world before.
— Quincies… don't have antibodies against Hollows… if we absorb negative energy… we'll be poisoned, right?
— Yes. The same applies to demonic power, youki, and other forms of negative energy… that's why the presence of dark beings feels so… unpleasant.
Rinko kept her gaze fixed on her hands, watching the Reishi gently adhere to her skin like a translucent, almost ethereal mist. It was as if the very space in that place breathed, pulsing in harmony with her heartbeat.
— "So… this is one of the few safe places where we can freely manipulate Reishi… without the risk of being corrupted…"
Motohama nodded, slowly crossing his arms while observing the surroundings.
— Exactly. Here, Reishi exists in its purest form… it isn't mixed with spiritual residues from other entities or opposing forces. It is… as it should be.
Rinko took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly, absorbing that rare, comforting sensation. The Reishi here didn't resist her… on the contrary, it naturally flowed to her presence as if recognizing her right to use it.
— That's why I chose this space.
He raised his hand as a thin stream of Reishi began to condense around him, enveloping the floating prisms that filled the void.
— Here, you will learn to control, shape, and… transform Reishi safely until your connection to it becomes instinctive.
Rinko opened her eyes, observing the prisms. They slowly rotated in silence, some as large as buildings, others as small as little boxes, all scattered and suspended without any apparent logic.
— And… what are these prisms?
She lightly touched one.
Motohama approached, resting his palm on the same prism, showing respect and familiarity.
— Condensed spiritual fragments. Here, they're used as obstacles, platforms, and also as sources of Reishi. Imagine… a training ground where everything around you is raw material for your techniques.
She gave a faint smile, quickly understanding the purpose.
— A perfect scenario…
Motohama stepped back and, with a swift motion, extended his arm forward, gathering an impressive amount of Reishi around his hand. In seconds, a perfectly formed Quincy spiritual bow appeared, vibrating with stable, cutting energy.
— First lesson…
He pointed to a series of prisms that began to move slowly, as if the very space responded to his silent command.
— We need to train your ability to absorb Reishi directly from the environment… condense it… and then shape it into a Quincy weapon. Once you master this here, you'll be able to act like a magnet in the real world, attracting positive Reishi particles and repelling the negative ones, so to speak. This will make it easier for you to use Reishi by channeling your spiritual energy. We'll also practice how to fight using only your spiritual energy for situations where Reishi is scarce.
Rinko nodded, placing her hand on her katana's hilt, but Motohama raised his hand, signaling her to pause.
— No. Leave your katana for now. Here, you will learn to fight like a Quincy… with Reishi, not just with steel.
Motohama caused a rectangular column to rise from the ground, revealing an arsenal of Quincy weapons: crosses, Seele Schneiders, Sanrei Gloves, Gintō tubes, Quincy Bangles, sabers, and more.
Motohama picked up a small silver Quincy cross attached to a thin chain and pointed it at Rinko's katana. The pendant glowed, shooting a flash of light at the katana, making it vanish.
— Now you can use your katana in combination with Quincy techniques and abilities
Motohama glanced at her, a slight smirk forming on his lips.
— Do you want to store other items too? Like… outfits? Something for a quick transformation?
Rinko hesitated for a second, lowering her gaze.
— W-well… maybe… I thought it would be practical…
Motohama arched an eyebrow, clearly amused.
— Like… a magical girl transformation?
Rinko turned her head sharply, her cheeks reddening.
— N-not exactly… I just thought… it could be efficient.
Motohama chuckled, shaking his head lightly.
— No need to be embarrassed… In fact, many modern Quincies use this kind of system. Instant storage, quick equipment changes… and yes… even stylized transformation sequences, if you want.
Rinko closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.
— Can you teach me how to do it?
— Of course. The principle is the same as storing your katana. The Quincy cross acts as a catalyst and seal, allowing you to condense and store spiritual objects within its symbolic structure. What you can store depends only on your precision in manipulating Reishi. In this dimension, my control and the amount of energy I can use are much greater, so doing something like this…
Motohama pointed the pendant toward Rinko, causing her clothes to glow with a strong blue light. Moved by the moment, Rinko smiled slightly and spun in place, moving her arms as if undergoing a transformation.
When the light faded, she was now wearing a classic maid uniform with modern and notably sensual touches that enhanced her natural elegance and commanding presence.
The black dress, fitted to her body, highlighted her impeccable silhouette, perfectly tracing the generous curves of her bust and her narrow waist. The double-buttoned corset with a high collar created a striking contrast with the light white apron adorned with voluminous ruffles, adding a delicate charm to the composition. The puffed sleeves and lace cuffs gave a noble air, while the red ribbon at her neck, fastened with a green emerald brooch, introduced a soft color accent that subtly broke the monochromatic palette. The apron wrapped around her waist and tied in long, fluttering ribbons behind her, completing the traditional maid aesthetic with a slightly daring edge.
The short, flared skirt gracefully revealed Rinko's long, toned legs, clad in white satin tights that emphasized the smoothness and shine of her skin. The skirt ended just above mid-thigh, accentuating the discreet yet undeniable sensuality of the look. On her feet, she wore classic black heeled shoes with rounded toes, detailed with lace trim, adding even more elegance and further elongating her slender silhouette.
The final touch was the traditional white ruffled headband, completing the perfect maid image, while vibrant red ribbons tied in her long blue hair created an attractive and charming contrast, reinforcing the balance between sweetness and strength present in her character.
The sensuality of the uniform was in its balance: while it evoked the classic innocence of maids with ruffles and lace, it also emphasized her mature femininity through the tight fit, the subtle neckline, the short skirt, and the form-fitting stockings. Undoubtedly, a uniform that evoked both delicate charm and Rinko's commanding sensuality, making her an irresistible and magnetic figure.
Motohama, holding his nose and desperately trying to stop a nosebleed, conjured a floating mirror in front of her so Rinko could see the result.
Rinko slowly spun in front of the mirror, feeling the light apron fabric flutter around her thighs. The soft touch of the swirling skirt made a faint whisper as the white ruffle moved with almost hypnotic elegance.
Her fingers slid over the red ribbons now adorning her long blue hair, feeling the delicate texture of the bow while a sincere, slightly embarrassed smile gradually formed on her lips.
— Hm… it's… so cute…
She carefully adjusted the collar, brushing her fingers over the green brooch that shimmered under the light, then over the puffed sleeves, admiring the ruffle details that gave a nearly noble air to the uniform. Her gaze traveled down the tight corset, noticing with a faint blush how it perfectly outlined her silhouette.
For a moment, she bit her lower lip lightly, hesitating as she spun again, now more relaxed, letting the skirt fan out in a graceful turn.
— Very… very… cute…
This time, her tone was more spontaneous and pleased as she placed her hands on her hips, as if she wanted to savor that moment just for herself.
But soon her gaze sharpened slightly, noticing how the black corset emphasized the generous volume of her bust, pressing and shaping her figure in a way that was… a bit too provocative.
— H-hmm… maybe… it's a little…
She averted her gaze for a second, her cheeks now noticeably warmer.
— …a little too erotic…
Rinko gently tugged at the edge of the apron as if wanting to pull it lower but soon let out a resigned sigh, followed by a quiet chuckle.
— Master, this model you chose… you definitely had something in mind…
She shook her head in mock reproach but couldn't suppress her smile.
Despite being surprised by the bold touch of the uniform, Rinko couldn't deny how much she liked the combination. The cuteness of the ruffles, the ribbons, the bow… it had been a long time since she had worn anything so delicate, so… feminine.
She took a deep breath and, facing the mirror again with confidence, rested one hand on her waist and lifted her chin, showing a determined yet charming look.
— Alright… I can handle this. After all… it does look pretty cute…
She spun again, quietly enjoying the lightness and grace of the outfit.