Soul Society Year 2050, Thursday, Clear Skies, Spiritual Arts Academy, Kidō Training Grounds.
"Pop!"
With a crisp sound, several veins bulged violently on Ikkaku's smooth, bald head. Combined with his flushed red face, he looked just like a fully boiled egg.
The surrounding students couldn't help but burst into giggles at his ridiculous appearance.
Even Ukitake, watching Ikkaku, sighed helplessly and shook his head.
Today was the second day of Kidō class. Back on Tuesday, Ukitake had already explained the basics of spirit energy manipulation.
For these Class A prodigies, Ukitake's requirement was simple: use spiritual power to form a glowing orb and maintain it in the palm for over ten seconds. That would be considered passing.
This task was incredibly simple for most students—especially for the likes of Asano Kiyoshi and Yumichika, two gifted students with monstrous Kidō talent.
After a single demonstration by Ukitake, Asano had already fully grasped the basics of reiryoku manipulation with the help of his scroll. But he didn't dare show his full capabilities. He feared that displaying such absurd talent too early might get him taken by the 12th Division's scientists for dissection.
So, he pretended to struggle like the others, only managing to "barely" complete the task just as Yumichika and Komamura Kojirō succeeded.
Ukitake clearly saw through Asano's act, but said nothing. He simply smiled and nodded. He knew far more than Asano did—and thus, had more to consider.
As more students succeeded, the number of glowing orbs grew. However, since it was only the first day of training, many still failed. Ukitake told them to practice more and said he would check again Thursday before teaching them new content.
There was no doubt Ukitake's lesson plan was solid. Like a luxury item—expensive, yes, but otherwise flawless. If there was a problem, it wasn't with the teacher; it was with the student.
Ikkaku was one such student. He was top of the class in Hakuda and Zanjutsu, yet when it came to Kidō, he was practically bottom of the barrel.
That's right—his talent for Kidō was abysmal! Just as bad as that other red-haired guy!
So bad he could probably use a fireball Kidō like a flashlight!
Even with Yumichika and Asano's full support, Ikkaku could barely maintain a spirit orb for three seconds—far below Ukitake's ten-second requirement.
Ukitake shook his head, but didn't scold him. Instead, he offered a few words of encouragement and then began the new lesson. To make things easier to understand, Ukitake chose one of the simplest Hadō spells—Hadō #1: Shō—as the day's focus.
The reason for picking Hadō was that it was easier to teach compared to Bakudō (which involves forced reiryoku transformation) or Kaidō (advanced spiritual conversion). Hadō is more direct—blow things up.
Ukitake stood before a large stone block and gently chanted:
"Hadō #1: Shō!"
With a slight movement of his finger, a loud crack echoed through the air. The sound multiplied like firecrackers, followed by the massive stone shattering into countless pieces.
Ukitake gave a sheepish cough and said, "Ah, sorry. Been a while since I last taught—overdid the power a bit. Anyway, depending on the amount of reiryoku you channel, the destructive power of Hadō will vary. The key here is: First, gather your reiryoku into your finger—any finger works, personal preference—and then..."
His explanation was thorough. Even without using the scroll's help, Asano quickly mastered the spell.
Still, he didn't plan to show off. He prepared to cast it only once Yumichika and Komamura Kojirō had succeeded.
But just then, as Asano was slacking off, Ukitake suddenly called out:
"Asano Kiyoshi, come demonstrate for the class. Don't be nervous—you'll succeed, won't you?"
Seeing the smiling Ukitake, Asano had a feeling there was more hidden behind that expression. Is he trying to get me to show off my talent a little? That thought flashed through his mind—and immediately, Asano understood Ukitake's intent. Though he didn't yet grasp the full reasoning, judging from both current and future events, he didn't believe Ukitake would ever harm him.
So, he nodded slightly, then walked to the demonstration spot under the mixed gazes of surprise, indifference, jealousy, and disdain from his peers.
He raised his finger and chanted:
"Hadō #1: Shō!"
As his words fell, the head-sized stone before him shattered with a loud crack into several fragments. The falling pieces landed with crisp, echoing sounds—like a series of slaps landing on the faces of the noble students watching.
Especially those like Komamura Kojirō and his noble peers, whose expressions darkened. Raised on privileged Kidō theory and elite training, they were now being outshone by a commoner whose background they couldn't even comprehend. As nobles who held family honor above all else, rage filled their hearts. Kojirō's gaze toward Asano became increasingly venomous and hateful.
Ukitake saw it all—but there was little he could do. As a mid-tier noble himself, he deeply understood the darkness of Soul Society. He knew full well that his status wasn't enough to stop the Komamura clan's influence.
Therefore, the only thing he could do... was encourage Asano to display more talent—enough to shock even that old man, so that Asano might one day receive his protection.
After class, Ukitake asked Asano to stay behind. He explained the situation and the danger he faced. Asano listened quietly. After a while, he took a deep breath. His gaze was bright and resolute as he looked at Ukitake and asked:
"Sensei, if I don't display enough talent, and the Komamura clan wants to kill me, what kind of punishment would they face?"
Ukitake's eyes dimmed slightly. He lowered his voice and replied:
"A verbal warning. A symbolic punishment. In reality... no consequences."
Hearing this, Asano sighed softly. Just as Ukitake was about to offer some words of comfort, Asano suddenly looked up and smiled:
"Then I'll just keep getting stronger—strong enough that they can no longer look down on me!"
Black spiritual pressure surged from the boy's body. Ukitake looked at him—and in that moment, it was as if he truly saw a vision of the future.