A week passed quickly.
Beneath the Sōkyoku Execution Platform, in a secret underground training ground, the protective barriers had been upgraded, now allowing the use of all Kidō below level ninety.
As Masatsuki Aozaki watched Yoruichi Shihōin warming up, he unconsciously took off his robe.
"Masatsuki, are you ready?" Yoruichi asked seriously.
Masatsuki's gaze was firm as he responded in a deep voice, "I'm ready."
Yoruichi slowly removed her jacket, revealing her toned, sun-kissed back.
Thinking about what was about to happen, Masatsuki couldn't help but swallow hard.
Noticing his reaction, Yoruichi gave a small nod and sat cross-legged on the ground.
"I originally planned to teach you Shunkō after your Reiatsu reached Captain level," she said.
"But since you were able to defeat a Captain-level rebel using Sōkotsu, you already have the fundamental spiritual body requirements to wield Shunkō."
Faced with the opportunity to learn Shunkō, how could any man resist?
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Masatsuki couldn't hold back any longer.
"Let's get started!" he said eagerly.
Yoruichi was pleased with his enthusiasm. She nodded and spoke seriously.
"Let me put it simply. Normal Hakuda uses Reiryoku to enhance speed and power, but it doesn't actually strengthen the spiritual body itself."
"Hakuda is often called a physical technique, but in reality, it relies on Reiryoku to propel the body, coordinating energy with movement to execute attacks."
"The body is merely a vessel for Reiryoku—it's the energy itself that truly determines the impact."
"However, the Captain-Commander's Hakuda focuses more on reinforcing the spiritual body. Instead of outward bursts of Reiryoku, his technique internalizes it, amplifying the raw destructive power of the spiritual body itself."
"Shunkō is similarly complex. It not only requires altering the properties of Reiryoku but also demands complete synchronization between energy and the spiritual body."
"The principle behind Shunkō is converting one's Reiryoku into Kidō of various attributes, wrapping it around the body, and then triggering controlled explosions to merge Kidō and limbs into a singular, devastating force."
"In comparison to the Captain-Commander's Hakuda, both techniques require immense physical endurance."
"The main difference lies in how the Reiryoku is applied and how the attacks are executed."
"To put it simply, one is focused outward, while the other is focused inward."
As expected of Soul Society's master of hand-to-hand combat—her explanation was clear and easy to understand.
Masatsuki, who had dedicated himself to training in Yamamoto's style of Hakuda, understood immediately.
"This really suits me," he said with confidence. "I have complete control over both Kidō and Hakuda techniques."
Yoruichi raised three fingers and smiled.
"There are three key aspects to training Shunkō."
"First, Reiatsu level. You've already met this requirement. Shunkō doesn't actually demand a high Reiatsu—Lieutenant level is sufficient."
"I originally said you needed to reach Third-Class Reiatsu because, at Captain level, your body is further strengthened by the natural feedback of Reiryoku, surpassing most Seated Officers and Lieutenants in raw durability…"
Masatsuki waved a hand and laughed.
"Reiatsu is the source of a Shinigami's power. Raising it naturally enhances the body—I get that."
Yoruichi chuckled and shook her head.
"Second, spiritual body resilience. Your spiritual body is already on par with a Captain's, so that's not an issue. You're more than qualified to train in Shunkō."
Masatsuki let out a small breath of relief.
This was the benefit of having a great teacher—he didn't have to worry about the training methods, and someone was always there to fine-tune the details.
Yoruichi Shihōin's expression remained serious as she said,
"The most important thing is the final point."
Masatsuki Aozaki immediately straightened his posture, sitting up attentively.
Yoruichi took a deep breath before continuing,
"You'll need to prepare a proper outfit—something sleeveless, preferably with an open back. Otherwise, every time you use Shunkō, you'll end up destroying your clothes. It's a hassle."
"Tch! And here I thought you were going to talk about Reiryoku synchronization or spiritual body coordination," Masatsuki scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"I'm quite good at taking off clothes."
"Huh!?"
Yoruichi gave him a long look, her lips curving into a smirk.
"We're discussing serious business, and yet you still have time to flirt? Should I take it as proof of my overwhelming charm, or is it just you being shameless?"
How could he say something like that in front of a woman?
She used to tease girls all the time, but it had been a while since she'd said something so brazen.
"Where is your mind going? I was talking about Master Yamamoto," Masatsuki quickly clarified, waving his hands before she could get mad.
"You forgot how Master doesn't like wearing a shirt when he fights? I've already asked him about the technique for quickly taking off clothes."
"Not to brag, but Master said I'm the best among his disciples. He even complimented the sleeve-tied bow I made, saying it was the most elegant one any of his students had ever crafted."
"If you don't believe me, I can show you—"
"You little brat, don't start competing over something this ridiculous!" Yoruichi cut him off with a shout, grabbing his face and rubbing it vigorously.
"I get it! Just let go, or my face is going to fall off," Masatsuki grumbled.
But the more he begged, the more Yoruichi wanted to mess with him.
Who told him to constantly piss her off?
Besides, she knew full well how talented he was. If she didn't take the chance to bully him now, she might not get another opportunity in a few years.
Masatsuki kept protesting, but his body betrayed him—the corners of his mouth were already curling up slightly.
Getting bullied by a beautiful woman… honestly, it didn't seem like such a bad thing.
Still, he made a silent declaration to himself—
I absolutely do not have any weird fetishes.
Unaware of his inner thoughts, Yoruichi continued to torment him.
They wrestled around for a while before finally letting go of each other, panting from the playful scuffle.
Yoruichi sat on top of Masatsuki, arms crossed, exuding the confidence of a victorious warrior towering over her fallen opponent.
Leaning slightly forward, she reached out, gave his cheek a light pat, and licked her lips.
"Just admit it—you're no match for me right now. Don't forget why we're here."
Feeling the warmth of her breath so close, Masatsuki found his face heating up slightly.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now get off me," he muttered, catching his breath.
"Good."
Yoruichi smirked, satisfied.
"Now hurry up and train. Once we're done, we're going to enjoy that hot spring."
"It took a lot of effort to steal that thing—we still don't know if it actually works."
Masatsuki chuckled.
"If it doesn't, we'll just go settle things with Kisuke."
"Hah! Good idea. It's been too long since I last gave Kisuke some trouble," Yoruichi grinned.
...
Without further delay, the two began their Shunkō training.
Following Yoruichi's instructions, Masatsuki removed his top and demonstrated the bow-knot technique that even Master Yamamoto had praised.
Yoruichi gave him an unenthusiastic compliment before moving straight to the real lesson—guiding him through the process of converting Reiatsu into a Kidō-based lightning attribute.
For Masatsuki, this part wasn't too difficult. His Kidō training had never slacked, and he could wield nearly all Kidō spells up to level ninety with ease.
The real challenge came in compressing the Kidō and seamlessly merging it with his limbs.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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