For the next few days, Kurotsuki Renya followed Marechiyo Ōmaeda to learn the duties of the Patrol Corps, memorizing all guard posts, security deployments, and rotation schedules.
At the same time, Renya also received his own Hell Butterfly. These creatures, native to Soul Society, serve to guide Shinigami through the Dangai, carrying messages and ensuring safe passage so one does not become lost in the boundary.
With his own Hell Butterfly, Renya mastered the unique recognition code of the Second Division, a means of identification used within the Gotei 13 and among Onmitsukidō operatives.
Once Renya grasped these basics, Marechiyo began shirking his own duties, leaving Renya to prepare all the work.
Arranging rosters, issuing rotation lists, and overseeing guard placements—within three days, Renya was handling the entire Patrol Corps' operations.
Renya didn't resent this. Through managing guard points, he gained a detailed understanding of Seireitei's layout—every sector, every Division, and all its major structures.
…
"How have you been adapting these last few days?"
Soi Fon stood nearby, watching Renya closely.
It was Wednesday, and as agreed, Renya reported for her special training every Wednesday and Friday.
"I've memorized the roster of every Patrol member, the guard posts, and rotation schedules," Renya answered. "I've also been managing personnel assignments and adjusting the guard points accordingly. Vice-Captain Ōmaeda has left most of it to me."
Soi Fon's eyes narrowed, irritation flashing. That fool Marechiyo is dumping his duties on him again.
"Forget him," she said coldly. "I summoned you here for special training."
Renya straightened.
"There are three stages to this training," Soi Fon said firmly. "First, mastering Air-Walk. Second, learning Hakuda's vital strike and nerve suppression techniques. Third, refining Hakuda combat and Shunpo. The first is required of all advanced Shinigami. The second is exclusive to the Onmitsukidō, with only a handful of others knowing it. The third is my own curriculum for you."
Renya already understood the terms. Air-Walk—Hohō's method of using spirit particles beneath one's feet to move through the air. Hakuda's vital strike and piercing point—specialized pressure techniques to incapacitate enemies quickly.
"Today," Soi Fon continued, "you'll begin with Air-Walk. It's performed by gathering reishi beneath your feet to create footholds in the air. Higher reiryoku and fine control are required to maintain support points. Start by concentrating reishi in your palm."
Renya extended his right hand. Reishi surged from the atmosphere, condensing into a glowing blue sphere in his palm.
Soi Fon nodded slightly. "Now press your left hand against it."
Renya tried, but his hand slipped through, dispersing the reishi.
"This happens when the density is too low," Soi Fon explained. "To stand in the air, the foothold must be far denser. It requires intense focus and absolute control. I'll guide you slowly—wait, did you just… succeed?"
Before she could finish, the reishi sphere compressed into a flat disc, scarcely a centimeter thick, tightly compacted.
Renya stepped onto it, hovering for a moment before it collapsed.
He scratched his head. "Not stable enough. My control needs work."
"Fail?" Soi Fon nearly scoffed. He just created a foothold strong enough to hold him, on his very first attempt.
With a calm face, she said, "Don't be discouraged. This isn't mastered in one or two tries—wait… you're doing it again?"
Renya gathered reishi once more, forming another foothold. This time he stepped lightly upward, toes brushing the air. The foothold wavered, collapsed, and immediately reformed beneath him. He was standing in midair.
The discs of reishi kept forming beneath his feet, supporting him step by step.
Soi Fon's eyes narrowed. Impossible. He's already walking on air?
Air-Walk isn't something all Shinigami can use. It requires both strong reiryoku and refined control. Yet Renya's aptitude was undeniable.
Still, her breath caught when she saw what happened next.
The footholds beneath Renya's feet aligned, extending outward into a continuous reishi pathway—a proper Reishi Platform, straight and orderly. He sprinted along it, vaulted at the end, and landed back before her.
Soi Fon's composure cracked. "How did you do that?"
This was no mere Air-Walk. It was a structured Reishi Platform, a technique rarely seen outside the Dangai. To form such a path, one must mix atmospheric reishi with their own reiryoku, maintaining perfect stability.
Renya simply smiled. "I realized the reishi around me wasn't replenishing fast enough. So I mixed in my own spiritual power to stabilize it, and it just… worked."
Soi Fon's gaze sharpened. Too gifted. Immense reiryoku, and flawless reishi control… a true prodigy in Kidō and Hohō.
Renya vaulted again, soaring higher. With each leap, he planted footholds seamlessly, climbing the sky. But suddenly, the footholds vanished, and he plummeted.
"Not good!" Soi Fon tensed, ready to move.
But mid-fall, Renya thrust both hands downward, condensing reishi into a platform that caught his weight. He flipped neatly, turned midair, and descended gracefully.
By the time he landed, he was spinning, flipping—turning acrobatics into fluid motion, all balanced on reishi footholds.
Soi Fon exhaled sharply. Unbelievable. It took me an entire day to master this technique, yet he's not only succeeded after two attempts, he's already refined it further.
Infuriating… people like this make others despair.
Renya landed lightly beside her. "Captain Soi Fon, what's next?"
Her eyes narrowed. "…What's next? You've already completed the training I had planned. Since Air-Walk is already yours, we'll move on directly to Hakuda's vital strike and piercing point."