Since that day, Makoto now bearing the title of Instructor joined the Genji School's Kidō study group as a latecomer.
But…
"Um… Makoto-sama."
The portly, middle-aged Kidō instructor wore a strained look. Only after class did he summon this esteemed figure to his office, wrestling with his words.
"You see, Shinigami each have their strengths, right? Some excel at Zanjutsu, others at Shunpo! So, if someone isn't adept at Kidō, isn't that perfectly normal? You really don't have to…"
Hearing Instructor Honda's roundabout tone, Makoto's face stiffened. "Instructor Honda, please just say it straight."
"…"
Honda Kyōgo took a deep breath, his expression tinged with regret. "My deepest apologies, Makoto-sama. Uh… pfft, cough! A student who's spent two full months and still hasn't grasped even Bakudō 1... haha, cough... it's a first for me. Not that I'm mocking you, of course! It's just… haha, well, a bit challenging."
Makoto stood by, watching Honda's grin stretch ear-to-ear. After holding it in, he snapped, "You're clearly enjoying this!"
"No way!"
"Don't slander me!" Honda waved it off, unwilling to own it or risk offending this rumored prodigy of an instructor. "You must've misheard."
"No, I didn't." Makoto, who'd coasted smoothly thus far, had never hit such a wall. Unconvinced, he pressed, "If Reishi's so hard to control, how do the other students manage?"
Honda adjusted his glasses, speculating, "From our Kidō group's analysis, the issue likely lies with your Zanpakutō. If it resists cooperation, a Shinigami's internal control often falters. We suggest you communicate with it more."
Makoto glanced down at the bead-wrapped nuisance at his waist, letting out a long, weary sigh.
"Fine. Thanks for the trouble."
Resigned, he turned and left the office.
Moments later, raucous laughter erupted behind him.
"I'm still in earshot!"
The laughter cut off abruptly, replaced by muffled chuckles after a beat.
"…"
"Fuck this shit." Makoto muttered through gritted teeth, kicking a trash bin in the hallway.
Walking back to the dorms, he stared at his panel, utterly baffled.
Why won't it work?
[Name: Makoto Fujimiya
[Reiatsu: Fifth-Class - Mid (Lieutenant)
[Four Arts:
- Zanjutsu: Tier-9 (16/100) - [Secret Technique (1)]
- Hakuda: Tier-6 (89/100) - [Ikkotsu]
- Kidō: Tier-1 (99/100)
- Hohō: Tier-7 (76/100)
[Zanpakutō: Unreleased
[Talent Points: 0
[Bond Traits: Swordsmanship Prodigy (Yachiru Unohana Level 1), Art of Footwork (Saitō Fukofushi Level 1), Wall of Sighs (Chōjirō Sasakibe Level 1), There's Always a Master (Batsu'unsai Katori Level 1)
[Love Traits: None
[Note: Reiatsu, Four Arts, Zanpakutō release, and Bond/Love Trait limits are bound by innate talent. Use Talent Points to break or reshape them.]
For some reason, his Kidō bar sat frozen, immovable.
No sign of a talent cap either.
It was simply… unlearned!
Makoto, a once-in-a-generation genius, couldn't accept this. He hadn't slacked in theory class... how could it be?
It had to be this wretched blade's fault!
Utterly maddening.
Back at the dorm, he pushed open the door. A small head popped out.
"Makoto-nii! You're back!" Kirio Hikifune waved gleefully, her eyes locked on his bulging chest.
"I'm back."
Makoto smiled, pulling an oil paper parcel from his robes and handing it over. "Here, today's snack for you."
"Wah!"
"You're the best, Makoto-nii!"
At the sight of treats, Kirio bounced up, snatching it with delight.
"Yes, yes." Makoto chuckled, nodding along.
After days of asking around the Genji School, he'd learned that while past Shinigami often identified gifted kids, few brought them back.
The reason was simple, resources were scarce.
Even self-arriving hopefuls often failed the entrance tests, dreaming of joining the Genji School wasn't enough.
It wasn't that easy.
Soul Society never lacked those with spiritual potential.
What it craved were the rarest, most exceptional few.
One of the latter outweighed a thousand or ten thousand of the former.
Such was Soul Society's harsh truth.
Left with no choice, Makoto had taken Kirio under his wing, raising her in his dorm.
And so unfolded the House of Fujimiya Project!
"Oh, right, Makoto-nii..." Kirio mumbled through a mouthful of biscuit, "Katori-nee stopped by earlier and took the papers off your desk."
"No worries, they were for her anyway." Makoto, still brooding over his Kidō woes, barely cared about the novels he'd spent ten minutes a day transcribing.
"And, and! I made rice too!"
"Yes, yes…" Makoto nodded absently, then paused. He glanced at tiny Kirio, then at the towering kitchen counter—no stool in sight. "Wait… how'd you cook, Kirio-chan?!"
"Well…"
Kirio faltered, unsure how to explain, and waved her hands vaguely in the air.
Then, before Makoto's gaping eyes, it happened.
Two golden cords materialized from nowhere, coiling around Kirio's waist and hoisting her gently into the air... perfectly level with the counter.
Munching her biscuit, she turned to Makoto, whose eyes nearly popped from their sockets.
"…Like this!"
"Makoto-nii, can we eat now?"
"Uh… huh?"
Makoto stared at the finger she'd waved as if it were a literal golden ticket.
"Hold on, hold on!"
"That 'whoosh' just now... how'd you do it?!"
Shock painted his face.
That was unmistakably Bakudō 4: Hainawa and without an incantation!
For Makoto, who couldn't even master Bakudō 1, this was an impassable chasm.
"Hm?"
Kirio tilted her head, puzzled. "Didn't you show me that a few days ago at home? I watched and learned. But I forgot the chant you used."
"…"
Is this the disparity of the world?
Makoto gawked, at a loss for words.
On reflection... weren't the temporary souls and Gikon pills her future inventions too?
A soul-tinker like her... how could her Kidō talent be anything less than stellar?
Aizen and Urahara could sling Hadō 99 without a whisper of incantation!
Swallowing hard, Makoto blurted, "Kirio-chan, try it on me!"
"Oh."
Kirio, unfazed, flicked her finger casually at him.
Two cords shot forth, binding his wrists and ankles in a flash.
Makoto hit the floor, yet a strange relish flickered across his face.
This is the real deal!
[Pfft! Pervert!]
[Teaching a kid rope tricks, you creep!]
[I'd rather play with the big kids!]
Even his bratty blade couldn't stomach it.
What... now it could yap freely in front of anyone?
"Shut it, you know nothing!"
Makoto shook off the bonds and stood.
Then, a panel prompt flashed.
[Kidō +1]
[Kidō: Tier-2 ↑]
Wait...?!
Kidō improved through taking hits?
With the stat boost, his Reishi control sharpened noticeably. He froze, stunned.
At the same time, fragments of Bakudō 4: Hainawa seeped into his mind.
It can level up like this?!
A fire ignited within him.
Suddenly, Makoto's gaze on Kirio gleamed like he'd struck gold.
Kirio squirmed under his odd stare.
Am I eating too much?
Kids' worries were always so quirky.
She shifted from gobbling to nibbling her biscuit.
Makoto reached out, ruffling her head with a sly, coaxing grin—the perfect shady uncle.
"Kirio-chan."
"Wanna go to school with me?"
Kirio's face twisted with reluctance, peering up at her Makoto-nii.
"Huh? Me?"
***
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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