Chapter Summaries

Asai Reiko used her Shinigami skills to stand up to Asai Yumi, and Lin Feng sent Yumi flying. Reiko worried about her uncle and aunt’s reaction, but Lin Feng proposed leaving the Asai Family and heading south to the 80th District.

• Asai Reiko bound Asai Yumi with Way of Binding No. 9 and warned her not to insult Reiko’s father again.
• Asai Reiko released Yumi and told her to leave, but Lin Feng grabbed Yumi and hurled her away.
• Asai Reiko admitted she expected her uncle and aunt to retaliate and doubted the holiday could continue at their home.
• Lin Feng reassured Reiko and suggested they leave the Asai Family and travel south to the 80th District.

Lin Feng persuaded Asai Reiko to train in the dangerous 80th District so she could grow strong enough to pursue her ambitions. After agreeing to go, Reiko prepared to pay her respects to her late father, but the Asai Family’s main force arrived.

• Lin Feng explained that the 80th District was home to vicious souls with strong Spiritual Pressure and hard-earned combat skills.
• Asai Reiko worried that the 80th District was too dangerous, but Lin Feng urged her to train there to restore the Asai Family.
• Asai Reiko decided to leave with Lin Feng and challenge herself, relying on his Captain-Level Spiritual Pressure and lightning-type Zanpakuto.
• Asai Reiko said she would pay respects to her late father before leaving, but the Asai Family’s main force arrived.

Asai Reiko confronted her uncle, Asai Yuhei, after he demanded she apologize for beating Asai Yumi and marry Nagano Ichiro. Asai Yuhei revealed he planned to force Reiko to withdraw from Shinigami Academy after the New Year, and Reiko refused to give in.

• Asai Yuhei demanded that Asai Reiko kneel and apologize to Asai Yumi, offering to overlook the fight.
• Asai Reiko challenged Asai Yuhei for forcing her to marry Nagano Ichiro despite knowing his character, and suggested Asai Yumi marry him instead.
• Asai Yuhei insisted the marriage alliance required Reiko and said he would take her to withdraw from Shinigami Academy after the New Year.
• Asai Reiko refused to withdraw, while Asai Yuhei revealed he had been currying favor with the academy's Academic Affairs Department to make her leave.

Lin Feng asked whether killing in Rukongai was illegal, then struck down Asai Yumi after she pointed at him. As Asai Yuhei and his men prepared to attack, Nagano Hideaki intervened and said he had come to discuss his son's marriage with the Asai family.

• Asai Reiko panicked when Asai Yuhei confronted her, and Lin Feng asked whether killing someone in Rukongai was illegal.
• Asai Yumi called Lin Feng a wild man and accused him of injuring her, so Lin Feng used Flash Step to knock her unconscious.
• Asai Yuhei drew his Zanpakuto and prepared to fight Lin Feng as his men urged him to attack.
• Nagano Hideaki appeared, blocked Asai Yuhei's blade with his scabbard, and announced that he had come to discuss his son's marriage with the Asai family.

Nagano Hideaki arrived at the Asai Family and announced that Asai Reiko’s engagement to Nagano Ichiro could be dissolved. He explained that his younger son, Yagumo, had urged him to end the engagement so Reiko’s promising future at Shinigami Academy would not be hindered.

• Asai Yuhei eagerly promised Nagano Hideaki that he would force Reiko to leave Shinigami Academy and marry Ichiro.
• Nagano Hideaki announced that the engagement between Reiko and Ichiro could be dissolved, shocking everyone.
• Asai Yuhei misunderstood the announcement and begged Hideaki to give the family another chance, while Reiko angrily rejected the marriage.
• Nagano Hideaki slapped and rebuked Asai Yuhei for his shortsightedness.
• Nagano Hideaki praised Reiko’s performance at Shinigami Academy and said Yagumo had urged him to call off the engagement.

Nagano Hideaki visited the Asai Family and ended the pressure over Asai Reiko’s engagement, then sought to win favor with Lin Feng because he recognized Lin Feng’s exceptional potential. Lin Feng spoke warmly of his friendship with Yakumo, while the Asai Family watched in disbelief.

• Nagano Hideaki praised Lin Feng and asked him to look after Yakumo at the academy, leaving the Asai Family confused about his intentions.
• Lin Feng realized Nagano Hideaki had come to avoid offending him, since the Nagano Family believed he might be destined for the Zero Squad.
• Lin Feng told Nagano Hideaki that he and Yakumo were good friends and that Yakumo sometimes came to spar with him.
• Nagano Hideaki understood that Yakumo had likely provoked Lin Feng and resolved to discipline him at home.
• Asai Yuhei and the others stared as Nagano Hideaki tried to ingratiate himself with Lin Feng, an academy student from the Rukongai District.

After settling Asai Yuhei’s daughter’s marriage arrangement, Lin Feng confronted Asai Yuhei for drawing his sword and trying to kill him. Lin Feng offered to let Asai go if he could withstand one move, and Asai accepted, appearing behind Lin Feng with Flash Step.

• Lin Feng reminded Asai Yuhei that he had drawn his sword on him and demanded they settle the matter.
• Asai Yuhei called the incident a misunderstanding, but Lin Feng offered to spare him if he could block one move.
• The Asai Family youths urged Asai Yuhei to teach Lin Feng a lesson, while Nagano Hideaki watched for a chance to assess Lin Feng’s strength.
• Asai Yuhei agreed to fight and used Flash Step to appear behind Lin Feng.

Lin Feng defeated Asai Yuhei and helped Asai Reiko leave the Asai Family. They traveled to the South 80th District, where Lin Feng began training Reiko while seeking to sharpen his own combat skills.

• Lin Feng blocked Asai Yuhei's Zanpakuto with his fingers and defeated him with incantationless Hadō No. 11: Tsuizuri Raiden.
• Asai Reiko thanked her uncle and aunt for raising her, then declared she would leave the Asai Family and become independent.
• Lin Feng and Asai Reiko left the Asai Family and headed for the South 80th District.
• Asai Reiko witnessed the brutal life in the 80th District, where souls sought strength as well as survival.
• Lin Feng instructed Reiko to move while chanting Kidō and attack her enemies, and she practiced Hadō #31: Shakkahō.

Lin Feng trained Asai Reiko in combat while they fought their way through the 80th District, and they spent Year's End together in the wilderness. Asai Reiko reflected that meeting Lin Feng had saved her from being pressured into leaving the Shinigami Academy.

• Asai Reiko hit an ambushing ronin with the Red Fire Cannon, and Lin Feng advised her to prioritize landing her kido over fully chanting it.
• Lin Feng taught Asai Reiko to coordinate Flash Step with her reactions and demonstrated how to strike ahead of an opponent.
• Lin Feng led Asai Reiko through the 80th District, killing dozens of expert ronin and helping her gain confidence in her combat training.
• On Year's End, Lin Feng and Asai Reiko camped in the wilderness and grilled meat together.
• Asai Reiko thought that without meeting Lin Feng, pressure from the Asai and Nagano families might have made her leave the Shinigami Academy after the New Year.

After the festival, Lin Feng returned to Shinigami Academy and spent half a year mastering Hado and Bakudo up to #81. The chapter ended with him learning Bakudo #81: Danku in less than a day, astonishing his teacher.

• Kurotsuchi Mayuri learned that Lin Feng had killed Tenfeng Shisiro with one strike and became interested in him.
• Lin Feng and Asai Reiko returned to Shinigami Academy after the festival, and Nagano Yakumo, Sanada Torataro, and Kitayama Mai stopped antagonizing Lin Feng.
• Over the next half year, Lin Feng learned every Hado and Bakudo spell below #81.
• Lin Feng cast Bakudo #81: Danku after learning the advanced defensive spell in less than a day, leaving his homeroom teacher astonished.

Lin Feng had mastered all the Kidō his teacher could teach and asked to graduate early, but the academy told him to wait for notice. He then found Asai Reiko struggling to settle her sword spirit.

• Lin Feng's homeroom teacher said Lin Feng had learned every Kidō he could teach, up to number 81.
• Lin Feng asked to learn Kidō above number 90, but his teacher explained he had not mastered those spells himself.
• Lin Feng asked whether he could graduate early, and his teacher said he had to pass the required tests and wait for notice because the academy had no precedent for graduation before one year.
• Lin Feng saw Asai Reiko practicing Sword Meditation and noticed she seemed exhausted.
• Lin Feng asked Asai Reiko whether she had settled her sword spirit, and guessed she could not release her Zanpakuto's Shikai because she lacked the power to suppress it.

Lin Feng suggested that Asai Reiko ask whether the ferocious Nine-Tailed Fox inside her Zanpakuto was named Kurama. Reiko entered her Sword Soul Space and asked the fox, leaving its answer unknown.

• Asai Reiko told Lin Feng that her spiritual pressure was too weak to suppress the sword soul and release her Zanpakuto.
• Reiko revealed that her sword soul was a ferocious orange Nine-Tailed Fox, and Lin Feng imagined she might transform after Shikai.
• Lin Feng guessed that the fox might be named Kurama and urged Reiko to ask it.
• Reiko entered her Sword Soul Space, faced the intimidating fox, and asked whether its name was Kurama.

Asai Reiko entered Sword Soul Space and confirmed that her sword soul was named Kurama, but the Nine-Tailed Fox refused to reveal its Shikai release command. After she returned, Lin Feng said she could still perform a Half Shikai even without the correct command, leaving Asai Reiko confused.

• Asai Reiko called the Nine-Tailed Fox Kurama, astonishing it because it had never revealed its true name.
• Asai Reiko asked Kurama for its Shikai release command, but Kurama rejected her and ordered her to leave.
• Kurama roared, forcing Asai Reiko to end her Sword Meditation and leave Sword Soul Space.
• Asai Reiko told Lin Feng that Kurama refused to reveal the release command, and Lin Feng explained that she could still perform a Half Shikai.
• Asai Reiko asked Lin Feng what a Half Shikai meant.

Lin Feng explained Half Shikai to Asai Reiko and proposed a release command for her Zanpakuto, Kurama. They went to the Underground Dojo to test it, where the Old Man questioned whether Asai Reiko qualified to enter.

• Lin Feng explained how using an incorrect release command could produce Half Shikai, and Asai Reiko asked how to do it.
• Lin Feng suggested that Asai Reiko release Kurama by saying, “Run, Kurama!”
• Lin Feng took Asai Reiko to the Underground Dojo to test her Zanpakuto’s released form.
• The Old Man scolded Lin Feng for neglecting his training and said only students who knew their blade spirit’s name could enter.
• The Old Man doubted that first-year Asai Reiko had released her Zanpakuto and challenged Lin Feng’s request for a room.

Asai Reiko tested her Zanpakuto in Heaven Seven Dojo and released its Shikai for the first time. She transformed with fox ears and six tails, while Lin Feng watched.

• Asai Reiko blushed when Lin Feng asked Old Man to book a room, then explained they wanted to test her Zanpakuto.
• Old Man confirmed with a testing device that Asai Reiko had learned her blade spirit's true name and gave Lin Feng the token for Heaven Seven Dojo.
• Lin Feng led Asai Reiko into the dojo and told her to try releasing her Zanpakuto.
• Asai Reiko called, "Run! Kurama!" and her blade turned crimson as Spiritual Pressure surrounded her.
• Asai Reiko grew fox ears and six white tails after releasing her Zanpakuto.

Asai Reiko’s Half Shikai raised her spiritual pressure to Vice-Captain Level and strengthened her blade, prompting Lin Feng to advise her to focus on swordsmanship. Newly confident, Reiko asked Lin Feng to spar with her at her current strength.

• Lin Feng teased Asai Reiko about her new appearance, but she focused on the power she felt inside.
• Lin Feng assessed that Reiko’s Half Shikai released six tails and boosted her spiritual pressure to Vice-Captain Level, with a full release potentially reaching Captain-Level.
• Asai Reiko said her Zanpakuto had become stranger-looking and sharper but showed no other abilities.
• Lin Feng advised Reiko to rely on Hadō for Kidō attacks and concentrate on swordsmanship.
• Asai Reiko moved away from Lin Feng and asked to spar with him in her newly strengthened state.

Asai Reiko tested her newly attained Vice-Captain Level Spiritual Pressure against Lin Feng, unveiling a carefully combined Kidō tactic. After Lin Feng broke through her trap, she pressed her attack, determined to fight without holding back.

• Asai Reiko challenged Lin Feng to a spar after reaching Vice-Captain Level Spiritual Pressure.
• Asai Reiko charged Lin Feng, then used Flash Step to cast Shakkaho above him and concealed it with Kyoko.
• Lin Feng shattered the hidden Shakkaho with a sword-pressure slash and identified Asai Reiko’s use of Subdue Fire to bind him.
• Asai Reiko attacked Lin Feng with a diagonal sword strike, following his advice to seize the moment and press her advantage.

Asai Reiko attacked Lin Feng with a Half Shikai slash, but he stopped it with one finger and shattered her defensive kido with a simple thrust. Unable to defeat him head-on, she filled the Underground Dojo with red smoke to obscure their next moves.

• Asai Reiko's Half Shikai slash struck Lin Feng's finger, but he blocked it effortlessly.
• Lin Feng used Hado Number One: Thrust to break Asai Reiko's Enko Sen and blast her backward.
• Asai Reiko used Red Smoke Escape to fill the Underground Dojo with smoke, hoping the visual obstruction would give her a chance.

Lin Feng sparred with Asai Reiko to show her that powerful enemies awaited beyond her new strength. After he blocked her ultimate move, she accepted his warning and asked to see what his Zanpakuto could do.

• Asai Reiko unleashed Hado No. 73: Twin Lotus Pale Fire Fall at Lin Feng.
• Lin Feng stopped the blue flames with Bakudo #81: Danku, and Asai Reiko's spiritual pressure dropped after the attack.
• Lin Feng warned Asai Reiko that Bleach Squad Members faced dangerous rivals, Hollows, and Soul Society traitors, and urged her to keep a low profile.
• Asai Reiko agreed to be careful and chose to leave rather than continue practicing.
• Asai Reiko asked Lin Feng to show her his Zanpakuto's abilities.

Lin Feng showed Asai Reiko the power of his Half Shikai, while the Old Man was impressed by Lin Feng’s skill with Danku. Days later, Reiko’s Zanpakuto release became known across the academy, and the captains met to discuss early graduation.

• Lin Feng released Chidori into its Half Shikai state, leaving Asai Reiko stunned by its pressure.
• The Old Man watched the dojo and was impressed by Reiko’s combat awareness and Lin Feng’s ability to cast Danku without an incantation.
• News of Asai Reiko’s Zanpakuto release spread through the Shinigami Academy, unsettling Nagano Yakumo and the others.
• The captains held a regular meeting at the 1st Division to discuss early graduation from the Shinigami Academy.