Bleach: Gazing Mirage

Chapter 7

During the meal, Yoruichi excused herself after finishing her food, instructing Mei to bring Yuichi and Yūshirō to her study once they had finished their meals as well. After her departure, Yūshirō quickly completed his meal and followed his sister, leaving Yuichi alone with Mei, who stood silently nearby, patiently awaiting Yuichi's completion of the meal.

Yuichi, brought to this world against his will, knew he held a unique advantage due to his foreknowledge. His experiences and analytical mind allowed him to consider how his presence would change the unfolding events. He was aware of Aizen's ever-watchful eye and the threat it posed. Aizen's zanpakuto's terrifying abilities were of particular concern. Yuichi understood that he needed to become a Soul Reaper, the first step to harness the power to safeguard himself from Aizen's dangerous plots.

Mei led Yuichi to the room where Yoruichi and her brother Yūshirō were waiting. As he entered, Yuichi played his role well, appearing scared and unassuming. Yoruichi greeted him with a smile and gestured for him to take a seat.

Yoruichi began, "Yuichi, I wanted to talk to you about the sword Mei gave you. It's a Zanpakuto, a weapon used by Soul Reapers like myself. I believe you have the potential to wield one and become a powerful ally in our fight against the hollows and those who would destroy the balance of the world."

Yuichi, acting surprised and pretending ignorance about the sword and the concept of Soul Reapers, responded, "Thank you, Yoruichi, but I don't know if I'm ready for something like that. I'm scared of the dangers of this world."

Yoruichi, maintaining her warm smile, nodded understandingly. "I understand, but I know you can do it. We'll be here to help you."

When Yuichi asked about who would be helping him, Yūshirō approached and clarified, "We? Will sir Yūshirō also be helping me?"

With a friendly demeanor, Yūshirō replied, "Ah, you don't have to call me 'sir.' Just plain old Yūshirō is fine. Yeah, sis says you were very scared of fighting hollows. So, before you head to the academy, we'll drill the basics of Hohō, Hakuda, Zanjutsu, and Reiryoku into you."

Pretending ignorance, Yuichi inquired about what each of these terms meant, showing concern for the steep learning curve. Mei then proceeded to explain each term in detail.

Hohō, she described, was fast movement, focusing on footwork, speed, and agility. Hakuda was hand-to-hand combat, a close-combat style where one used their body as the weapon. Zanjutsu, known as the Art of the Sword, was the fighting style for Zanpakuto, while Reiryoku was spiritual power harnessed by Soul Reapers and other spiritual beings for various abilities.

Seemingly overwhelmed, Yuichi expressed his concern about learning so much in such a short period. In response, Yoruichi reassured him that they wouldn't expect mastery, only teaching him the basics so he could practice independently even after leaving.

With the plan laid out, Yoruichi dismissed Yuichi, and Mei guided him back to his room. Upon his return, Yuichi unsheathed the Zanpakuto he had received and examined it. It appeared as an ordinary katana, so he resheathed it and set it down. As he prepared to sleep for the night, his thoughts swirled with his mission and the challenges that lay ahead.

The next morning, Yuichi was roused from his slumber before the sun had even risen by Mei and was brought to the training ground where Yūshirō awaited. The training he underwent with Yoruichi and Yūshirō was nothing short of intense and demanding. As promised, they pushed him to his limits, helping him to develop his Hohō, Hakuda, Zanjutsu, and Reiryoku skills over the course of the next two weeks.

Hohō, or Fast Movement, was the first skill he delved into. Yūshirō provided instruction on the basics of footwork, agility, and how to use speed to evade and defend against attacks. Yuichi learned to move quickly and efficiently, utilizing his speed as an asset in battle. For hours each day, he practiced Hohō techniques, navigating obstacle courses and sparring with Yūshirō to enhance his skills. Yūshirō's strict but patient teaching style allowed Yuichi to grasp the fundamentals quickly.

They then proceeded to Hakuda, or Hand-to-Hand Combat, where Yuichi faced more challenges. Yūshirō's encouragement and Mei's guidance helped him improve as he learned how to fight without weapons, relying solely on his body to strike and defend. He acquired knowledge of leveraging his strength and speed to overpower adversaries and applying techniques like joint locks and throws. Like before, he spent hours each day honing his Hakuda skills through sparring with Yūshirō.

Next in line was Zanjutsu, the art of the sword. Yoruichi, a skilled swordsman, taught Yuichi the rudiments of sword fighting and wielding his Zanpakuto. This part of his training proved to be the most challenging, yet also the most rewarding, as he began to grasp the full potential of a weapon. Yoruichi instructed him on Zanpakuto wielding techniques and how to use it in battle. Subsequently, he delved into controlling his spiritual energy and using it to enhance his sword techniques. Yuichi practiced Zanjutsu techniques intensively every day, sparring with Yoruichi for skill improvement. He acquired knowledge about various sword styles and techniques such as Iaido, Kendo, and Battojutsu. He also discovered that to fully utilize his Zanpakuto's special abilities, he had to communicate with its spirit, a vital step toward obtaining a personalized Zanpakuto. Therefore, every evening, he spent an hour meditating with his Zanpakuto to strengthen this connection.

Finally, he tackled Reiryoku, the spiritual power that all Soul Reapers harnessed to fuel their various abilities. Mei, lacking expertise in this area, couldn't guide him, so Yuichi had to train independently. He learned how to harness and control his spiritual energy and use it to amplify his abilities. Yuichi practiced meditation and visualization techniques to enhance his Reiryoku, also gaining the knowledge to mold his Reiryoku into shapes such as spheres and disks. Mei explained the concept of Reiryoku as a set resource, whereas Reiatsu or Spiritual Pressure could fluctuate depending on the situation. Yuichi began to think of Reiryoku as a reservoir, reishi as the water, and Reiatsu as the force pushing the water out through a hose.

Every single day of the two weeks was grueling, and Yuichi felt utterly exhausted from the demanding training. However, his dedication, coupled with his preexisting knowledge of the Bleach universe, allowed him to grasp the concepts quickly and make notable progress. He knew that he had to train as hard as possible because the stronger he became, the better his chances of survival.

With the two weeks of relentless training coming to a close, Yuichi felt like the basics of Hohō, Hakuda, Zanjutsu, and Reiryoku had been imprinted in his very being.

One day, Yoruichi summoned him to her study and informed him that his two weeks of training were at an end. She emphasized that while he had learned much, there was still a long road ahead, particularly when he faced hollows. Yuichi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Yoruichi and her brother for their guidance, all the while keeping his knowledge of the looming threat of Aizen to himself. He knew he had much to learn and many challenges to overcome, but he was unwavering in his determination to become a formidable Soul Reaper and survive while safeguarding the knowledge of the impending danger.