บท 18: Chapter 18
First Division, Sword Dojo.
Yamamoto stood at the center of the spacious dojo, his back turned to the entrance.
Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, he spoke slowly, "How is your sword-pressure training coming along?"
Looking at Yamamoto, who appeared every bit the enigmatic master with his back to him, Kaelith Yurei gave him a disdainful glance.
This old man... it's a pity he hasn't published a book titled *The Art of Pretending to Be Mysterious.*
However, remembering the reason he had come here today, Kaelith's expression quickly shifted into a smile.
"Of course, I've mastered it. When the Head Captain himself gives an order, how could I not take it seriously?"
Hearing this, Yamamoto slowly turned around.
"Show me."
Without hesitation, Kaelith drew his Asauchi and slashed the air in Yamamoto's direction.
A crescent-shaped wave of blue sword pressure tore through the air, heading straight for Yamamoto.
Watching the incoming wave, Yamamoto's eyes showed a trace of surprise.
He extended a hand, catching the sword pressure mid-air.
*Zzzt!*
The strike, powerful enough to split through boulders, felt like cotton in Yamamoto's grasp, leaving not a single scratch.
After gauging its strength, Yamamoto casually exerted a bit more pressure, shattering the wave into fragments that dissolved into the air.
Looking at Kaelith, who still held his Asauchi, Yamamoto opened his mouth.
After a few seconds, he finally said, "Not bad."
Kaelith chuckled. "All thanks to the Head Captain's excellent guidance."
Seeing his smug expression, Yamamoto felt a silent alarm go off in his mind.
Something was off…
This kid must want something from me!
The reason for his quick judgment was simple:
Back when Kyōraku Shunsui caused trouble and needed help or forgiveness, he had the exact same expression as Kaelith did now.
With heightened vigilance, Yamamoto began today's lesson.
Today's focus was hand-to-hand combat, part of the Shinigami's four fundamental skills—Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. Specifically, they were focusing on Hakuda.
Kaelith showed genuine interest in this.
Yamamoto's mastery of Hakuda had been fully displayed during the battle in the Karakura Town arc.
Faced with Wonderweiss Margela, an Arrancar specifically created to seal Yamamoto's Zanpakutō, Yamamoto had used nothing but his fists to utterly destroy him.
Though Wonderweiss had no extraordinary abilities beyond suppressing Yamamoto's Zanpakutō, his defensive strength was undeniably Espada-level.
For Yamamoto's Hakuda to shatter an Espada's body in a single blow—it surpassed the strength of many captains' Zanpakutō.
Of course, this comparison excluded a certain someone.
For the next few hours, Yamamoto earnestly shared his understanding of Hakuda, teaching Kaelith everything he could.
Meanwhile, Kaelith, rare as it was, adopted the demeanor of a diligent student, carefully absorbing every word.
"…That's all for today. We'll continue next time."
After what felt like an eternity, Yamamoto concluded.
Hearing this, Kaelith blinked in surprise.
Then, hurriedly raising his hand, he asked, "Wait, Head Captain! Don't you have a super-powerful punch technique? One that can split mountains and seas? Aren't you going to teach that today?"
Yamamoto: "?"
It took him a moment to realize what Kaelith was referring to.
Meeting Kaelith's expectant gaze, Yamamoto grumbled, "With your current understanding of Hakuda, it's far too early to learn Ikkotsu."
"Learning is a process of gradual accumulation. If you aim too high without a solid foundation, you'll only end up taking the wrong path…"
His beard bristling, Yamamoto launched into a lecture.
Seeing the impending long-winded speech, Kaelith quickly raised his hand again. "Then, Head Captain! If I can master everything you taught me within this week, can you teach me that punch technique next week?"
Yamamoto frowned slightly.
While today's lesson focused on foundational techniques, foundational skills required time and repetition to truly internalize.
Many swordsmanship prodigies spent years honing basic swings before moving on to techniques.
Even though Kaelith was a genius, overconfidence was dangerous.
After a pause, Yamamoto nodded. "Fine. If you master everything I taught you within a week, I'll teach you Ikkotsu."
"But if you fail, next week you'll be training under a waterfall."
It was a calculated move to temper Kaelith's arrogance while he was still young, saving him trouble in the future.
Kaelith agreed enthusiastically.
As Yamamoto prepared to dismiss him, Kaelith raised his hand yet again.
"Head Captain, are you busy right now? I have some extracurricular questions."
"I'm busy."
"If someone has an extremely powerful hypnosis ability that can't be countered by ordinary means, what would be the best way to resist it?" (t/n I love this guy)
"…"
For a brief moment, Yamamoto seriously considered kicking Kaelith out of the dojo again.
Still, the question intrigued him.
Standing on the wooden floor of the dojo, he pondered for a while before answering.
"There are three methods."
"The first is the simplest: elevate your Spirit Pressure."
"All hypnosis techniques are fundamentally tied to Spirit Pressure. If your Spirit Pressure far surpasses your opponent's, you can forcibly break through their ability."
"The second method is to find a way to counter it."
"For instance, if the hypnosis relies on sound, you can use Kidō to block your hearing before the fight begins."
"If it's based on visual cues, disrupt your opponent's movements."
"If neither of those work, consider using items like potions or gadgets. I'm not particularly familiar with these, but the Department of Research and Development might have a solution."
"As for the third…" Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.
"This method just occurred to me."
"Twelve Division Captain Kirio Hikifune has recently made significant advancements in artificial souls. If anyone could create a defensive mechanism against hypnosis, it would be her."
Kaelith paused at the name.
Kirio Hikifune… it sounded familiar.
Wasn't she a member of the Royal Guard in the future?
So at this point, she hadn't been promoted yet and was still working within the Gotei 13?
Though he wasn't sure of her current capabilities, if she eventually joined the Royal Guard, she must be quite skilled.
Kaelith decided to make time to visit the Twelfth Division soon.
With his First Division credentials, he could easily come up with an excuse to get in.
Perfect plan!
"Head Captain, one last question."
"Do you have any tracking techniques? Something subtle, like leaving a mark to locate someone without being noticed?"
Yamamoto: "…"
First hypnosis, now tracking techniques.
What on earth was this troublemaker planning?
Squinting, Yamamoto prepared to kick Kaelith out when a voice suddenly called out from the entrance:
"For stuff like that, ask me! I'm the expert!"
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