"Roar, Zabimaru!"
After half a year of training, Abarai Renji had finally learned Shikai.
At the words of release, his Asauchi instantly transformed into a serpentine blade made up of multiple segments.
Each segment could extend, turning the blade into a flexible, whip-like weapon.
It could be both hard and soft. Once mastered, it would offer an incredibly varied range of attacks.
Abarai Renji looked at his Zanpakuto with great satisfaction.
But his opponent also knew Shikai—and was even more troublesome.
"Raise your head, Wabisuke!"
After half a year of training, Kira Izuru had also successfully learned Shikai.
Wabisuke had a very unusual shape, like a right-angled fishhook, with a blade that curved all the way along its length.
Compared with Zabimaru, a Zanpakuto designed for direct attacks, Wabisuke was a Kidō-type Zanpakuto.
What's more, among Kidō-type Zanpakuto, Wabisuke's ability was one of the most unusual.
Abarai Renji swung Zabimaru at him, hoping to end the fight in one fell swoop.
After all, Wabisuke's ability made Abarai Renji feel sick.
He stretched Zabimaru's segments to their full length, whipped them around Kira Izuru twice, then quickly reeled them in.
But Kira Izuru's fast-sword training over the past half year had paid off. Before Zabimaru's many blades could strike, he had already slashed each one seven or eight times with Wabisuke.
Wabisuke's special effect was to double the weight of anything it struck for a time.
Two hits doubled it again, and three hits doubled it yet again...
After being struck seven or eight times by Wabisuke, Zabimaru had become too heavy for Abarai Renji to wield.
It crashed straight into the training platform, leaving several holes in it.
Abarai Renji couldn't help wondering: if he'd already been made this strong, why give Kira a Zanpakuto that countered him so perfectly?
Abarai Renji had always been stronger than Kira in combat, but ever since they had both learned Shikai, he hadn't beaten Kira Izuru even once.
He was beginning to understand why the 11th Division's members disliked Kidō-type Zanpakuto.
Aoto watched from the side, feeling a little dissatisfied.
His dissatisfaction was directed at Abarai, since he hadn't been using his full strength.
What about Hakuda? What about Kidō?
The guy had only been in the 11th Division for half a year. How had he already been so thoroughly assimilated?
He'd heard Renji had been spending a lot of time with Ikkaku lately! Had that single-minded idiot rubbed off on him?
Kaien was getting married next week, and Aoto had planned to take Renji along. It seemed he could forget about that now.
Still, despite his dissatisfaction, Aoto walked over after the fight ended.
"4th Seat Hyakume!"
"4th Seat Hyakume!"
The two greeted Aoto as he approached.
At least they had good manners.
"Finished?" Aoto looked at them, both looking a little ill at ease. "As opponents, why don't you each comment on the other?"
They looked at each other, then began awkwardly praising one another.
At least they were being considerate of their friend.
Aoto didn't scold them. Instead, he asked, "You've said plenty about each other's strengths. What about your weaknesses?"
Abarai Renji and Kira Izuru looked at each other... He's watching me. How am I supposed to criticize him?
Aoto shook his head helplessly. "Neither of you is hungry enough for victory! I couldn't even tell you were fighting. Were you sure you weren't just giving each other practice?"
"Especially you, Abarai. Why did you deliberately let Kira hit your blades? And why give up after one failed attack? Don't you know that when this kind of Zanpakuto is stretched to its full length, it's at its least versatile and least powerful?"
Abarai Renji pointed at himself in shock... He wasn't ready to accept that criticism.
He'd been doing his best to attack Kira, but what was he supposed to do when his Zanpakuto was countered?
Aoto could tell from his expression what he was thinking, and his face darkened. "Never mind that Hakuda and Kidō can also be used to attack. You know what Kira's Zanpakuto can do, so why keep using horizontal slashes? Why not strike down vertically?"
If Kira dared to use Wabisuke to increase its weight against an attack from above, he'd end up smashing himself.
"Ah! So that's how it is!"
It seemed Abarai Renji really hadn't thought of that.
Kira nearly rolled his eyes. He'd figured it out ages ago, but hadn't deliberately pointed it out to Renji. He'd just been waiting to see when Renji would realize it himself.
"Also," Aoto said, pointing at the Zanpakuto Abarai Renji had already returned to its sealed form, "if your released Zanpakuto gets too heavy to wield, just end Shikai immediately and release it again. Don't you know that a Zanpakuto sheds any effects on it when it changes form?"
Uh... He really hadn't known that.
Abarai Renji looked at the Zanpakuto at his waist. Only now did he realize that once he'd ended Shikai, its weight had returned to normal.
He suddenly felt like he really was an idiot.
"No need to feel like one. You are one!"
Aoto knew exactly what he was thinking and felt utterly exasperated.
This wouldn't do. If he didn't give the idiot a push and make him work harder, he'd end up unable to even say the full name of Bankai someday.
"Ganjuro!" Aoto called.
Ganjuro rushed over at once. "Yes, Lord Hyakume!"
"Next week, Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien is getting married. Bring three Seated Officers along with me to the wedding."
Ganjuro bowed to show he understood.
Then Aoto and Ganjuro both left.
After 4th Seat Hyakume had gone, Abarai Renji drew his sword again and faced Kira Izuru. "Let's fight again! Izuru, I won't lose this time!"
Seeing Renji's confident expression, Kira waved a hand helplessly. "There's no need to fight right now. Renji, did you understand what 4th Seat Hyakume meant?"
Huh?
Abarai Renji tilted his head, puzzled.
Kira Izuru felt that if he kept sighing, he really would die young.
"Vice-Captain Shiba Kaien is the 13th Division's vice-captain. He's Kuchiki's direct superior in the 13th Division! Do you understand now?"
At that, even Abarai Renji couldn't miss the point.
"So I'll get to see Rukia?"
Over the past six months, Abarai Renji and Kira Izuru had become much closer friends than they'd been at Shino Academy.
Renji had even been able to tell Kira Izuru about Rukia.
"Unfortunately, you won't," Kira Izuru said, looking at Abarai Renji. "4th Seat Hyakume said that 8th Seat Ganjuro would take three other Seated Officers along!"
"Are you a Seated Officer now, Renji? Or are you still just an ordinary member of the division?"
"And even if you became a Seated Officer, why would 8th Seat Ganjuro choose you?"
Kira's words began to sink deep into Abarai's mind.
"So, Renji, if you want to go, you'll need to become a Seated Officer—and your seat will have to be closer to 8th Seat Ganjuro's!"
Abarai Renji's eyes lit up!
"Then, Izuru, train with me some more!" Abarai Renji's spiritual pressure surged, and his appetite for battle was astonishing!
Uh...
Kira Izuru felt like he'd just gotten himself into trouble.
He was starting to regret it!