Soul Society, Seireitei, Shin'ō Academy, training grounds.
"This morning, we'll be practicing Zanjutsu!"
The goateed instructor pointed at the several dozen iron dummies lined up behind him and shouted at the gifted-class students gathered in small groups before him, drawing their attention.
"The main areas trained in Zanjutsu are strength, precision, agility, reaction speed, and so on. Now, watch my movements carefully!"
After demonstrating several times, the goateed instructor pointed at the row of dummies. "Today, your task is to leave twenty blade marks on the dummies. Whoever finishes first can go back and rest. Then we'll gather here again this afternoon to practice Kido!"
"What? It's actually this easy?"
"They're seriously underestimating us!"
"..."
As soon as he finished speaking, disdainful complaints rose from the students.
A boy stepped forward with an Asauchi in hand. "Teacher, I can split one of those in half with a single strike!"
"Then go ahead and try!" the goateed instructor said indifferently.
The student gave a contemptuous snort and walked up to a dummy. Gripping his Asauchi, he slashed down hard, but the moment the blade touched the dummy, it was immediately bounced away without even a moment's resistance.
Seeing that, the goateed instructor burst into laughter. "Idiot! How could Zanjutsu training possibly be that simple? These dummies are covered in Reiatsu. Without sufficient strength and skill, you won't be able to leave the slightest mark! If you want to rest, then start swinging! Anyone who fails to complete today's task doesn't get to rest!"
Hearing that, everyone chose a dummy and began practicing. Still, quite a few were sent flying back by the rebound, and the sounds of "Clang!" and "Clang!" rang out without end.
"Haha... I like this!"
Kensei Muguruma laughed loudly and swung his Asauchi in a horizontal slash.
With a screech of metal grinding against metal, a mark immediately appeared on the dummy before him.
"Watch me!"
Unwilling to be outdone, Hiyori Sarugaki leaped into the air and brought her Asauchi down fiercely, leaving a mark on the dummy.
Kūkaku Shiba gave a cold snort and charged forward with her Asauchi, but failed to leave a mark.
"My, I need to hurry up! If I can't finish the task, I won't have time to go back and do my research. What a headache!" Kisuke Urahara complained as he scratched his head.
"Kensei, this thing's so hard!" Mashiro Kuna pouted, looking thoroughly unwilling.
"Boring!"
Lisa Yadomaru was the most straightforward of them all. She picked up her book and walked off to the side without even sparing the dummies a glance.
Yoruichi Shihōin, however, held her Asauchi and stared at the dummy in front of her with a troubled expression. She had never been good at Zanjutsu, and now she felt completely at a loss.
Taking a deep breath and gritting her teeth, Yoruichi Shihōin rushed forward a few steps with her Asauchi and slashed down.
With a crisp clang, the dummy remained unmarked, but a chip appeared in Yoruichi Shihōin's Asauchi. One more strike—yes, just one more—and the blade would definitely break.
The training grounds fell silent at once. The students who had failed to leave a mark all looked over with gloating expressions.
"Yoruichi!"
Kūkaku Shiba undoubtedly understood Yoruichi Shihōin very well, but it was precisely because she understood her that she was worried.
"I'm fine, Kukaku!" Yoruichi Shihōin shook her head.
"Lady Yoruichi, stop! Your heart was already in turmoil the moment you drew your blade!"
A cold voice rang across the training grounds like ancient ice that would never melt. The next second, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Yoruichi Shihōin.
"Shadow!"
Yoruichi Shihōin froze, then gritted her teeth. "Shadow, move aside!"
"With Lady Yoruichi's current state, no matter what you do, it won't have any effect." Shadow looked at Yoruichi Shihōin and spoke calmly.
"What are you talking about, Shadow? Do you know that Yoruichi, she—"
Hot-tempered Kūkaku Shiba rushed over, grabbed Shadow by the collar, and shouted.
"Then, Lady Yoruichi, what do you think the heart is?" Shadow ignored Kūkaku Shiba completely.
"..." Yoruichi Shihōin lowered her head and fell silent.
"You still don't understand."
Shadow flung Kūkaku Shiba's hand away and walked up to Yoruichi Shihōin. "Then, Lady Yoruichi, raise your head, close your eyes, and tell me: what do you see?"
"If I close my eyes, won't I be unable to see anything?" Yoruichi Shihōin asked curiously.
"Is that so?" Shadow was silent for a moment before speaking. "Lady Yoruichi, open your heart."
"My heart?" Yoruichi Shihōin was taken aback.
"Close your eyes, open your heart, and cast out every chaotic thought. Understand your heart. Observe your heart. It will tell you what to do."
Watching Yoruichi Shihōin close her eyes, Shadow continued evenly, "Your eyes can deceive you, but your heart never will. As long as you see it clearly, you and your heart are one. Born together, dying together!"
"Do not let any emotion affect your heart. In battle, the most important thing is calmness. The more dangerous the situation, the more you must maintain absolute calm at every moment. Only then will you have a chance of victory under any circumstances, even if it is only the slightest chance!"
"A blade is a weapon for killing. It can become your greatest support, but it can also become your greatest weakness. Everything has two sides. There is no such word as 'absolute' in this world!"
"But the stronger your heart is, the stronger your blade will be. As long as your heart does not stop, your blade will never rust!"
"In Zanjutsu, strength and skill are both important. Everyone has things they are good at and things they are not. Making use of your strengths and avoiding your weaknesses is what matters most!"
"But what about you, Lady Yoruichi? Without absolute strength, without absolute skill or observation, you charged in recklessly. You knew you weren't good at Zanjutsu. You had no confidence at all. Forcing yourself forward only meant deceiving yourself!"
"So from the very beginning, you had already lost. You lost to your own heart!"
"Then what should I do, Shadow?" Yoruichi Shihōin asked softly.
"Use your Reiatsu to make contact with the Reiatsu attached to the dummy. Memorize the path along which it flows, then find a point within that Reiatsu. That point is the key!"
Shadow paused, then continued, "True Swordsmanship does not need techniques. It all depends on a single word: comprehension. No technique is the best technique. Simple and straightforward!"
"Lady Yoruichi, remember this!" Shadow said gravely. "The heart follows the blade. Wherever the heart is, the blade is there. Gather all your essence, energy, and spirit. Do not stare. Do not hesitate. Trust your heart, trust your blade, and strike down with all your strength!"
Yoruichi Shihōin did not answer. After a long while, she suddenly raised her blade.
"I found it!"
She slashed steadily downward from the left shoulder. Her chipped Asauchi sank directly into the dummy's two-meter-tall body, splitting it diagonally in half. With a boom, it collapsed.
"..."
"So... so amazing!"
"No way! She's that strong?"
"You've got to be kidding!"
"..."
Amid the surrounding murmurs, the goateed instructor stared at Shadow with shining eyes. That young boy possessed such unique and precise insight. Furthermore, he could not sense any Reiatsu from Shadow at all. Yet judging from the way he had appeared, it was clear that Shadow did not lack Reiatsu—it was simply so powerful that the instructor could not perceive it.
"Yoruichi..."
Kūkaku Shiba was stunned. Kensei Muguruma, Hiyori Sarugaki, and the others beside her were equally dumbfounded.
"Hey, Shadow!" Yoruichi Shihōin turned back, narrowed her eyes, and smiled. "I succeeded! I did it!"
But the moment Yoruichi Shihōin finished speaking, her face suddenly turned pale. Her body began to sway, and the Asauchi in her hand shattered into fragments. Yet she still smiled stubbornly and proudly...
Shadow stepped forward and caught Yoruichi Shihōin. A trace of gentleness appeared in his dark, indifferent eyes, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "That's right, Lady Yoruichi!"
"I'm so tired, Shadow!"
Murmuring softly, Yoruichi Shihōin could not help closing her eyes.
"Then rest well, Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow said quietly as he picked Yoruichi Shihōin up. That state was still too much for Lady Yoruichi to bear.
Looking at the sleeping Yoruichi Shihōin, Shadow sighed softly. His figure flashed, and he disappeared.
"Who was that guy, Kukaku?" Hiyori Sarugaki turned and asked.
"Is it really okay to leave Yoruichi with him?" Kensei Muguruma scratched his head. "He looks pretty cold."
"Mm." Kūkaku Shiba nodded. "It's fine. He's Yoruichi's shadow, after all!"
"Her shadow?"
"The kind of shadow that never leaves her side!" Kūkaku Shiba said. "All right, all right, get back to training! I don't want to lose to that Yoruichi!"
"I don't want to come in last either!"
Lisa Yadomaru unusually put away her book. Even Mashiro Kuna began practicing, though she was using her legs instead of a blade.
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