Izumi took Kazuya to a secluded Quincy training ground in Karakura Town — an unassuming warehouse, empty on the inside. Izumi set up a force field using a specialized Quincy technique and began instructing him on the control of Reiryoku. Kazuya didn't toy with Izumi this time and demonstrated results after only a few moments of fake struggle.
However, he took great care to limit his Reiatsu to several levels below his peak, not wishing to frighten them with his Great-Level Reiryoku.
They both showed a look of brief surprise — a priceless reaction — before Izumi began teaching him the crucial part that allowed Quincy to use their abilities.
The gathering of Reishi.
Kazuya was already familiar with Reishi manipulation from his month-long training with Harribel. However, Quincy abilities demanded incredibly precise control over large quantities of Reishi — a skill he had yet to acquire.
'It shouldn't be that hard.'
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. The thudding of his heartbeat drowned out all other sounds as he entered a state of deep concentration — the very state that had allowed him to discern so much about Hollows in Hueco Mundo.
He referred to this state as 'Cultivator Mode.'
Blue spirit particles materialized within the room, each vibrating molecule gravitating towards Kazuya. He took command of them, molding them into the shape of a typical bow. A faint, spectral silhouette of a bow began to manifest, only to crumble into non-existence at the last moment.
[Racial Ability: Reishi Manipulation unlocked.]
[Current Mastery Level: Basic.]
Kazuya's brow furrowed, feeling a strange sense of resistance from the Reishi around him. Undeterred, he made repeated attempts, each one giving the bow to a more distinct look.
Izumi watched, torn between interrupting his efforts and the desire to see him succeed. Every Quincy needed a Cross to manifest their Spirit Weapon, yet Kazuya seemed resolved to defy this tradition.
Eventually, his perseverance bore fruit as a grand spirit bow, matching his height, took form. He drew back the invisible bowstring, and a ridiculously massive arrow materialized. "At last. I was starting to doubt myself there."
A shared glance passed between Lisa and Izumi. The reality of Kazuya's monstrous potential was sinking in. Izumi knew of no one who could conjure a Spirit Bow without a Quincy Cross, let alone on the first day of their training. It sparked a glimmer of hope in her that he could usher in a new era for their fading Quincy race.
Lisa, however, eyed him skeptically. "Guest-dono, are you certain this is your first try?"
She focused her senses on his Reiatsu, feeling any fluctuation that could tell her that he was lying.
Caught off guard by the suspicion in her gaze, Kazuya tilted his head. "Absolutely. Onee-chan, you mentioned that Hollows are big monsters. I shall shoot them down with my divine bow, Gandiva… I will call it that after I improve my marksmanship."
In Hueco Mundo, he was waiting for his Zanpakutō before deciding on his main weapon. Then the egg showed up in the place of his Zanpakutō, leaving him befuddled. With Reishi Manipulation, he could try practicing with any weapon. They won't be as effective as Zanpakutō but they were better than nothing. Plus, there was the potential of crafting more powerful weapons as his mastery over Reishi improved.
Finding no trace of a lie in his words, Lisa discarded her suspicions of Kazuya being a spy like herself. She could discern no motive for Kazuya to deceive a Quincy of Izumi's stature, and he shouldn't have any knowledge of her hidden identity.
'I am being overly cautious.'
Aizen's betrayal had filled everyone in their group with trust issues. The seemingly gentle Vice Captain had wrapped the entire Seireitei in his fingers, and they could do nothing but hide in the Living World, waiting for a day they could become powerful enough to destroy him.
"Guest-dono, your bow is an overkill," Lisa said, observing his bow with a frown. "Keep in mind that manipulating Reishi drains stamina. Anything bigger than a standard bow is a waste of energy."
His response was a teasing wink. "I have infinite stamina, Maid-chan. Come to my bedroom if you want proof."
"Please don't try to seduce me," Lisa whispered, adjusting her glasses. "I'm not interested in one night stands."
He dispersed the bow and feigned a hurt look. "I'm sad that you think of me as a playboy."
"Have you given me enough reasons to not assume you are not?"
"I haven't. Your bias still hurts me."
Izumi's lips curled into a gentle smile. "Don't take it personally, Otouto-kun. Lisa's rather... complex. Her passion is more in books than the world around her."
If Lisa wasn't acting as a spy, she would have openly argued against Izumi. Alas her current role prohibited from making snarky comments on Izumi's husband.
"Onee-chan, some people are like ice cubes — they have no flavor, no heat, and no substance."
The corners of Lisa's mouth twitched. He implied she was bland as hell, which was far from the truth. "The world is a cold place, Guest-dono. A candle like you can only provide so much warmth before the harsh gales snuffs you out."
"I'm not a candle, Maid-chan. I'm the whole damn sun. The wind can't approach me, much less snuff out my radiance."
"Yeaaaaaah, right."
"..."
Kazuya formed a lance with Reishi. "How effective is it against those Hollows?"
He had to ask Izumi since he couldn't use the weapon in this place. Lest he ended up destroying the entire warehouse by accident.
"Not as effective as a bow," Lisa said. "And useless against a decent Zanpakuto wrapped in Seated Officer's Reiatsu… I have to admit, your ability to manipulate Reishi is out of this world."
"I am also out of this world."
Lisa shrugged. "Okay."
He continued honing his Reishi manipulation skills until it was time for lunch. Despite his efforts, the System remained silent — no notification about unlocking or acquiring a new race. It seemed that merely learning a single Quincy technique didn't warrant him the title of 'Quincy' in the eyes of the System.
'Do I have to learn all Quincy abilities?'
Even with his talent, learning all the abilities would take quite some time.
"Otouto-kun, before we go to lunch, I need to tell you more about our world…"
Izumi relayed surface-level information on the three realms—Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, Living World—and their intricate dynamic that hung upon the balancing of souls.
"Soul-eating monsters in twisted masks, a group of old-fashioned samurai purifying those monsters with unique weapons known as Zanpakutō, and us. That's all the major factions you need to be aware of… though we are not big anymore ever since the Quincy incident one fifty years ago."
She didn't sugarcoat the story and revealed the fall of Quincy. Somehow she found it appropriate to share this with Kazuya, whom she was supposed to recruit into her clan. Maybe she had blind faith that he wouldn't get scared after hearing about a genocide.
"I can't judge the incident from listening to one side." Kazuya turned to Izumi, looking into her cloudy eyes. "However, the Quincy faction feels like the real villain. They should have listened to the Soul Society's appeals about the cycle of souls."
Izumi let out a weary sigh. "As much as I despise those words, they are the bitter truth. Our ancestors committed grave sins."
"The Shinigami are also unjust for wiping out thousands."
"Yeah…" Izumi nodded. "To make up for those mistakes, my husband Sōken wants to create a new system where we keep Hollows at bay and protect citizens until Shinigami arrives and purifies them with their Zanpakutō… It will preserve the balance and keep casualties to minimum."
Kazuya frowned. "That's a pretty clever way of maintaining the balance. Where is your husband though?"
"He is out… training." Izumi leaned her butt against the table, gripping the table with her knuckles. "I'll give you some time to decide your future — whether you want to stay here or leave."
She was leaving the choice up to him, a pretty odd move considering the importance she attached to his talent.
Lisa sighed at Izumi's stupidity. Izumi could have saved the Quincy Fall's details for later. But no, Izumi had to be a stuck-up noblewoman and make Kazuya wary.
She approached Kazuya. "Guest-dono, the thing happened one fifty years ago… circumstances were different back then. What happened was tragic — a bloodshed that could have been prevented with some effort. Alas…" she trailed off with another sigh, recalling the events from her childhood. "I can assure you that it won't happen again as long as the souls maintain a balance across three worlds."
Helping Lisa convince Kazuya wasn't part of her job but she didn't want to see Izumi go back to her lonely self. After all, her job here could come to an end any moment.
Kazuya gave a nonchalant shrug. "I understand. Onee-chan, I'm staying."
Izumi's face brightened before she coughed. "Welcome to Ishida Clan. We'll not disappoint you."
"I'll train my ass off to stop Hollows. In return, you'll be paying for all of my expenses."
He wouldn't need to worry about money as long as he stayed in Karakura Town and fought some Hollows.
Lisa's face twitched. "Do you see Izumi-sama as a cash cow?"
From what she knew, Sōken was wealthy but Ishida Family's expensive lifestyle was slowly chipping away at his wealth. Kazuya might turn out to be the camel that breaks the back for the Ishida Clan.
"I mean I'll be risking my life fighting Hollows. Gratitude won't fill my stomach."
"Otouto-kun's argument is valid, Lisa," Izumi said in a calm voice. "I'll happily pay for it if it's within reason."
"Let's celebrate this with something spicy!"
***
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