Byakuya Kuchiki's words made Rukia's face go pale.
The time she had spent studying Kido with Teacher Ailin had helped Rukia regain her confidence.
Rukia's way of thinking was typical "rational thinking."
There were patterns to learning Kido.
The arrangement of spirit particles, the chanting of incantations, changes in chanting speed, patterns in spiritual pressure and spirit particle fluctuations...
Rukia was exceptionally good at identifying those patterns, then applying them to her Kido training.
In battles using Kido, Rukia was also adept at seizing the openings her enemies revealed, analyzing the distance between them, and unleashing Kido at the appropriate range to kill her enemy in one strike.
Her smooth progress in Kido had swept away the gloom left by the setbacks she had suffered during her first year at the True Zero Spirit Arts Academy.
But Zanjutsu was different.
When practicing Zanjutsu, Rukia could use the patterns she had summarized to improve more efficiently than those who trained blindly.
Yet during Zanjutsu sparring, that "rational thinking" became her greatest weakness.
Whenever she faced an attack, Rukia would always rationally analyze her opponent's attack speed and range, as well as what method she should use to block, evade, or counterattack.
But the greatest difference between blade combat and Kido duels was distance.
In a Kido duel, both sides stayed more than ten meters apart, giving Rukia time to think and decide on a response.
But in blade combat, both fighters were practically face-to-face. Before Rukia could fully come up with a response, her opponent's attack had already reached her.
Under those circumstances, each time she faced an attack, Rukia could only respond in haste. She could not even properly bring out her own strength.
And Byakuya?
The guilt he felt over Hisana's death had unconsciously caused him to raise his