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Midnight.
The film covering the training ground flickered at a regular frequency, a sign that the protective shield was operating normally.
The training was quiet, with only the occasional clash of swords.
Aozaki Reiji stood on a giant rock, holding Shinra Bansho in one hand, panting heavily.
Across from him, Yoruichi Shihouin held a short blade, looking relaxed and at ease.
Kisuke Urahara found a spot with a clear view and lay on the ground, lazily watching the show.
The clashing sounds grew from distant to near, like a brisk rhythm. The frequency of sword clashes began to increase, rising higher and higher as the figures intertwined.
The battle only ended when one party was struck in the abdomen by the other's palm, sent flying several meters, and landed on the ground, their spiritual pressure blowing Kisuke Urahara's short hair into disarray.
"I lost..."
Shadows covered Reiji's handsome face, and what met his eyes was a vibrant, short-haired girl giving him a healthy smile.
Watching the girl's smug expression, he felt no discouragement; it was simply unavoidable.
Although the opponent looked young, she was actually over a hundred years old, a genuine Captain-class powerhouse, not someone a Shin'o Academy student with five levels of spiritual power could contend with.
"Reiji, you're not good enough; you need to practice more."
Yoruichi Shihouin reached out her hand, pulled Reiji up, and slowly walked towards Kisuke Urahara.
A man and a woman strolled through the rocky forest; no wind disturbed them, and dust settled lightly.
"You were too ruthless. With that palm strike just now, I almost thought I was going to die," Reiji mumbled, swaying and rubbing his stomach, gritting his teeth, "It hurts... go easy."
"I held back. Otherwise, you wouldn't just be lying on the ground for a while; it would be much worse."
Yoruichi Shihouin grinned, putting one of Reiji's hands on her shoulder.
"You're too fragile. What kind of injury is this?"
"See that lazy guy over there? There was a time when he sparred with me and was bedridden for three days, but he's still alive and kicking now."
"No wonder he doesn't want to play with you," Aozaki Reiji sighed, "I'm starting to regret it."
"Aozaki Reiji, you can't regret it. It took me a lot of effort to get away."
Kisuke Urahara found a fan from somewhere, fanning himself while watching the show, completely at ease.
Listening to Kisuke Urahara's sarcastic remarks, Reiji rolled his eyes at him.
Yoruichi Shihouin pouted, punched him on the head, and light smoke wafted out.
"Stop talking nonsense. Hurry up and get out those little pills you invented."
"Got it, don't be so impatient..."
Kisuke Urahara reached into his clothes, pulled out a small medicine bottle, and handed it to Reiji.
"Here, take one every hour. It will help your body recover quickly."
Aozaki Reiji took the medicine bottle, poured out a pill, and put it into his mouth. Sure enough, he felt the pain gradually subside.
Kisuke Urahara stroked his chin. He had been thinking ever since he first learned Reiji's identity.
A Shin'ō Academy student, who had mingled and established a foothold in Rukongai, District 60, before enrollment.
On his first day of enrollment, he showed his brilliance, transforming into the Shin'ō Academy's greatest genius in history.
After establishing close ties with two Captains, he also grew closer to Yoruichi.
How could such a person be so naive?
A hint of worry couldn't help but appear in his eyes.
No matter how he looked at it, there were too many mysteries surrounding this man, and getting involved with him would definitely be troublesome.
He glanced at Reiji, who was praising him with renewed vigor, and Yoruichi Shihouin, who was chatting and laughing with him.
Never mind. After all, he was recommended by that woman. He would observe him for a while longer, and if he proved dangerous, he would stay away from him no matter what.
Thinking this, he curled his lips, feeling much lighter in his heart.
But just then, a bad premonition arose in his heart.
Aozaki Reiji suddenly turned his head, looked over at him, and handed out the medicine bottle in his hand.
Seeing the medicine bottle, Reiji suddenly thought of Kisuke Urahara's capabilities.
In fact, besides creating Hōgyoku, this man could do many other things.
His talent could be used to create Hōgyoku, but using it only for Hōgyoku would be a waste; it could be applied to other areas entirely.
Kisuke Urahara felt a chill in his heart, sensing an unspeakable desire in the other's gaze, and a hollow feeling in his heart, as if he had lost something.
He didn't yet understand that he was gradually drifting away from his favorite leisurely life.
"Alright, little Reiji, let's go. Don't forget our main business."
Yoruichi Shihouin patted Reiji's shoulder and pulled him away into the distance.
......
In the Kido Field, Aozaki Reiji repeated to Yoruichi Shihouin every single detail of the Sword Pressure techniques that Yamamoto had taught him the day before.
Upon hearing about the Sword Pressure taught by Yamamoto, Yoruichi showed a thoughtful expression.
After a while, she nodded, "As expected of Captain-Commander Yamamoto. The method he taught for using Sword Pressure is incredibly detailed; there are even some specifics that I myself had overlooked."
"This technique is indeed very important for Shinigami who haven't awakened their Zanpakuto, whose Zanpakuto are direct attack types, or who lack offensive capabilities."
"Before I developed Shunko, this was also the combat technique I used most often."
"What kind of ability is Shunko?" Reiji feigned confusion.
Yoruichi paused, hesitating whether to tell the truth. Looking at Reiji's sincere expression, she weighed her options for a moment, and finally said:
"This is a combat technique I created because my Zanpakuto isn't suitable for combat. So, I combined Hakuda and Kido to develop this secret technique."
"To train in this combat technique, you must be proficient in Kido and Hakuda. I'll teach you when there's an opportunity in the future."
"You're not qualified yet. Don't aim too high. First, practice your Sword Pressure well. Captain-Commander's punches are not easy to bear."
Reiji nodded, not saying much.
"Not qualified yet"... Hearing those four words, he sighed inwardly, feeling both disappointment and a sense of relief.
He had only been exposed to these things for too short a time, and while he had practiced well in all aspects, he was still far from the top powerhouses in these fields.
"Will I hurt him too much like this?"
Yoruichi looked up slightly and could see Aozaki Reiji's disappointed expression.
As she watched, her gaze slowly lost focus, then suddenly became a little absentminded.
If Reiji had bothered to look up, he would have noticed that the girl's attention was entirely on him.
Reiji didn't dwell too much on his "low talent" problem, nor did he want to infect others with his negative emotions, so he smiled and said:
"Captain-Commander did say that I still need time to mature. I will work hard. Let's continue practicing Sword Pressure."
"You really scared me just now. I thought you'd be completely disheartened by just one sentence. If Captain-Commander knew that his precious student was ruined by a single word from me, he'd surely come after me."
Yoruichi was stunned, her near-pitying state of mind suddenly shattered. Her smile became a wry one, and after a long moment of calming down, she chuckled, "
But you are truly a natural prodigy. Even without this extraordinary talent, I believe you wouldn't be far off."
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