Sōsuke, Tie Me Up

"Truly astonishing. Your talent for Kido surpasses even mine at your age."

Hachigen Ushōda exclaimed in amazement. He had never expected Lu Li to actually succeed—and with such a high degree of completion.

As the Chief of the Great Kidō Corps, he had been hailed as a once-in-a-millennium Kido prodigy. Yet even he had worked his way up through lower-level Kido before successfully casting Red Flame Cannon in a single attempt.

If there was nothing questionable about Lu Li's identity, then this meant he had encountered Kido for the first time today and successfully cast Red Flame Cannon on his second try. That level of Kido talent was simply absurd.

"You flatter me, Teacher. I'll still need much more guidance from you in the future..."

Lu Li said modestly. He glanced at Aizen, smiled, and added, "And I'll need plenty of guidance from Sōsuke as well."

Aizen was genuinely stunned. Like Yoruichi, he had assumed that someone like Lu Li would probably not excel at such "delicate work" as Kido. Yet Lu Li had truly succeeded on his first attempt.

He was simply... not beneath him.

Of course, Aizen himself had also successfully cast Red Flame Cannon on his first try.

Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly behind his black-framed glasses before his face broke into the cheerful smile his classmates knew so well. "Lu-kun, let's learn from each other and improve together."

The students present were still reeling in shock when Hachigen Ushōda's next words made their jaws drop even further. "Would you be interested in joining the Kidō Corps after graduation? That way, your talent would not go to waste."

Lu Li was somewhat surprised as well. He had not expected Hachigen Ushōda to be so "impatient." This was only their first class and their first meeting, yet he was already trying to recruit him.

The surrounding students all looked envious. The Kidō Corps was a special force independent of the Gotei 13. Shinigami who could work in that "department" were generally top students, and the benefits were excellent.

And judging by Hachigen Ushōda's manner, Lu Li would likely receive a high-ranking position as soon as he joined the Kidō Corps after graduation. This was practically an olive branch leading straight to the heavens.

Lu Li also noticed Hachigen Ushōda's form of address. It seemed that calling others "Your Excellency" was not merely a verbal habit he developed in later years. Rather, whenever someone caught Hachigen Ushōda's eye, he instinctively addressed them that way.

The Kidō Corps' olive branch was tempting, but unfortunately, even though he had plenty of time to stay here, he had no intention of joining the Kidō Corps.

In his view, that was a place for "mages." As a martial man, he loved brutal close-quarters combat, fists striking flesh and blades drawing blood. The Kidō Corps did not suit his style.

He wanted to learn Kido only to add more options to his combat strategies.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Teacher, but I've only just enrolled and haven't decided on my future path yet. Could you give me some time to consider it?"

Lu Li replied. It was, in truth, a polite refusal that still gave the Chief of the Great Kidō Corps some face.

Hachigen Ushōda was slightly disappointed upon hearing that. He had heard that this child had been brought to the academy by Captain Unohana. Lu Li's swordsmanship and Hakuda attainments were both exceptionally high; he was an all-around genius with limitless future potential. Naturally, he had the right to choose his own path.

On further thought, the Kidō Corps did have its limitations. Since he himself was the Chief of the Great Kidō Corps, he could not possibly give his position to Lu Li. With Lu Li's talent, after struggling for a few years following graduation, he could very well become a new Captain of the Gotei 13.

"Very well. Continue practicing for now. If there's anything you don't understand about Kido, you may ask me directly."

Hachigen Ushōda did not hide his appreciation for Lu Li. Even though he had been politely refused, he was still more than willing to nurture this Kido genius.

For the remainder of the class, Lu Li tried every Kido listed in the textbook.

Seeing many of his classmates around him frowning over Hadō No. 4: White Lightning, Lu Li found it strange... Was Kido really that difficult to learn?

He had always possessed an exceptionally strong degree of control over his own body. After mastering the method of manipulating Spirit Particles, he discovered that he could likewise precisely and delicately control the energy hidden within his body.

In his eyes, Kido was simply arranging and combining Spirit Particles according to predetermined methods of control, eventually turning them into offensive techniques.

But there was one problem. Though he did not find Kido difficult, he had already lost interest in Hadō.

With Lu Li's way of thinking, the purpose of Hadō was to injure enemies. So why not just draw his blade and cut them down directly?

Bakudō and healing arts, on the other hand, had far more supportive applications in combat. Bakudō could capture enemies, while healing arts could heal himself.

The latter in particular—if his healing abilities became powerful enough, could he fight without defending himself under certain circumstances in the future?

Because healing arts were relatively complex, they were not included in the first-year textbooks. There were a few Bakudō spells, but they were all very basic. He wanted to learn something more advanced.

Thus, Lu Li could only seek help from his all-purpose roommate—Aizen. "Sōsuke, can you teach me some Bakudō that isn't in the textbook?"

"Bakudō? I do know a few, but why are you interested in that?"

Aizen asked curiously. In his view, didn't most people want to learn powerful Hadō? Like himself, he had recently been studying how to cast Black Coffin.

"Hadō feels like too much trouble for killing enemies. Bakudō has more supporting applications, like tying people up."

Lu Li explained casually, then thought for a moment before speaking under Aizen's strange gaze. "Sōsuke, why don't you cast a Bakudō to bind me first and let me experience it?"

"Why are you looking at me like that? Do it. The teacher only said we weren't allowed to keep trying dangerous Hadō. Bakudō should be fine, right?"

Lu Li urged him. "Come on, the higher-level, the better."

Even with Aizen's composure, he raised a hand to his forehead for a moment before speaking. "Self-destruct, Rondanini's black dog. Burn yourself to ashes and sever your own throat! Bakudō No. 9: Geki!"

Lu Li did not dodge. A red light coiled around him, and he instantly felt his movements become sluggish. At the same time, a searing sense of suffocation rose from his neck.

Bakudō No. 9: Geki was a Bakudō that both bound and injured its target. Lu Li could still barely move, but that suffocating sensation would severely affect his combat ability.

By his judgment, if he were hit by this move in battle and could not break free quickly—or end the fight immediately after being bound—then the battle would only head toward defeat.

As expected, Bakudō was a powerful combat support skill.

After considering it, Lu Li mobilized the spiritual power within his body to resist the Bakudō while using the Brute Force of his body to "tear" at it. When his tension reached its limit, the red light scattered.

"When the difference in Reiatsu is not too great, low-level Bakudō can generally only temporarily bind and interfere with an enemy after hitting them. It is difficult to trap an opponent completely."

Aizen was not surprised to see Lu Li break free from his Bakudō and continued explaining, "Only high-level Bakudō can completely lock down an enemy's movements, but that also places greater demands on a Shinigami's control over their own spiritual power."

Lu Li nodded. "Then give me something more advanced, Sōsuke. You should... know some, right?"

Aizen's expression remained unchanged as he smiled and shook his head. "You think too highly of me, Lu-kun. Though I do have some talent in Kido, I am only a first-year student like you. How could I know such high-level Bakudō? If you're interested in high-level Bakudō, you should ask Teacher Tsukabishi. Bakudō isn't dangerous, so he should be willing to teach you."

Looking at Aizen's harmless face, Lu Li thought, As if I'd believe that!

He could not be sure whether Aizen could cast advanced Kido like Black Coffin at this point, but casting Hadō or Bakudō in the sixties or seventies should have been effortless for him.

There was no helping it. Someone as good at holding back as Aizen would never break character because of him. Lu Li could only go ask Hachigen Ushōda.

"Oh? Bakudō and healing arts? I can teach you some Bakudō that your current Reiatsu allows you to attempt. But if you're interested in healing arts, you should ask Captain Unohana when she comes to substitute for the class."

After hearing Lu Li's request, Hachigen Ushōda said, "I believe Captain Unohana will be very willing to teach you."