"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!. Hadō #63. Raikōhō."
With a low incantation, Yamahiko's palm emitted a yellow light. In the next moment, an explosion resounded, and the area in front of him was engulfed in yellow electric light, extending far into the distance.
When the light dissipated, deep trenches appeared on the ground, extending up to thirty meters away.
This was the power of advanced Hado, and it also proved that Yamahiko had reached the sixth-level Reiryoku.
Reaching the sixth-level Reiryoku allowed one to learn advanced Hado, and their control over spiritual particles(Reishi) became more precise. Consequently, the power of their Kidō became stronger. For example, when Byakuya used Hadō # 33. Sōkatsui, its power was much greater than Rukia's.
Byakuya Kuchiki, as a captain, had at least the seventh-level Reiryoku.
The sixth-level Reiryoku belonged to Shiba Kaien, Gin Ichimaru, and Toshiro Hitsugaya when they graduated. After their graduation, they all naturally became seated officers.
Speaking of Toshiro Hitsugaya, this genius child had recently entered the Shin'o Academy. With his sixth-level Reiryoku, although he was in the junior grade, he was studying senior-level courses and was expected to graduate in just one year. He had already become a sought-after candidate for various squads.
However, Toshiro Hitsugaya had been personally brought into the Shin'o Academy by Rangiku Matsumoto, so after graduation, he would join Squad Ten as a seated officer.
It had been two years since the attack on Renji Abarai and the others. They had now reached their sixth year and had become senior students.
Yamahiko was seventeen years old this year and had just reached the sixth-level Reiryoku. He had begun to learn advanced lightning-based Hado, and once he fully mastered it, he would be able to assist Sui-Feng in researching Shunkō.
Sui-Feng's Shunkō had made little progress over the past three years because she was not well-versed in Kidō and could only explore it slowly. However, Yamahiko, who had only learned Hadō #63. Raikōhō, had some insights. Some of Raikōhō's traits were suitable for Shunkō, and he would extract them and fuse them with other traits to create Shunkō.
After Yamahiko's spiritual power(Reiryoku) had increased, his strength had grown significantly. Coupled with his Shunpo and improved hand-to-hand combat skills, he was now on par with Shikai Ichigo Kurosaki, firmly securing his position as a seated officer of the Third Division.
But the only regret for Yamahiko was that he still had not achieved Shikai.
It had been four years since he had obtained his Zanpakuto. He spent every day infusing his soul into it, nurturing it, yet he couldn't gain its acknowledgment.
Although this meant that his Zanpakuto would be incredibly powerful, Yamahiko had been uneasy about it.
At this moment, a voice sounded in Yamahiko's ear, "In just one afternoon, you can fully master advanced Hado. Your Kidō talent is astonishing."
Yamahiko turned to look at Sui-Feng and said, "I have to thank Captain Sui-Feng for imparting your experience to me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have mastered it so quickly."
Sui-Feng felt a bit helpless. It took me three days to master this Kidō, and you did it in half a day. That's too exaggerated.
Suì-Fēng looked at Yamahiko and said, "In a few days, I'll teach you the remaining lightning-based advanced Hado."
Yamahiko nodded and replied, "Thank you, Captain"
"Well, it's getting late. Let's end it here for today," Suì-Fēng said.
After leaving these words behind, Suì-Fēng turned and left the area. Yamahiko waited until she was gone before disappearing in a flash.
Back in his office, Yamahiko began handling official business. Despite being seventeen years old now, he still appeared to be around eleven years old, having grown only a centimeter or so in height.
This was the unfortunate aspect of souls. Ordinary souls could live a very long time if they replenished their spiritual particles(Reishi) promptly. Stronger Shinigami, on the other hand, could potentially live for centuries. For instance, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who lived two thousand years ago, had only aged to a middle-aged appearance. Today, he had reached an elderly state, estimated to have a lifespan of at least three to four thousand years.
Chōjirō Sasakibe, two thousand years ago, when the Shin'o Academy had not yet been established and was known as 'Genji School,' had already become Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto's right-hand man.
Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō, the first graduates of the Shin'o Academy, had been around for 2066 years since its establishment. They were conservatively estimated to be two thousand years old.
Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō, both the first graduates of the Shin'o Academy, looked like young adults even after two thousand years.
Retsu Unohana was considered an elder by Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō, with qualifications likely on par with Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
Especially Retsu Unohana, she appeared younger two thousand years later than she did two thousand years ago.
Yamahiko estimated that he would need at least one to two thousand years to grow into an adult.
"Guess I'll have to wait."
Yamahiko sighed in resignation. However, at that moment, a member of the security detail entered and said, "Lord Yamahiko, there's someone named Renji Abarai looking for you."
"Him? Where is he?" Yamahiko immediately stood up, his tone anxious.
The security team member replied, "He's been stopped at the foot of the mountain."
Ordinary people can't enter the Central Mountain where the Second Division is located without permission
Yamahiko left his room and the Second Division barracks, descended the mountain, and saw Renji Abarai and the disheartened Rukia at the mountain's base.
When Renji Abarai spotted Yamahiko, he immediately stood up and called out, "Yamahiko!"
Yamahiko signaled to the security team to go back and walked up to them, asking, "Renji, Rukia, what happened?"
Renji Abarai glanced at Rukia, hesitating before saying, "This has to do with Rukia. She..."
Renji Abarai paused, and Yamahiko suggested, "If it's not convenient to talk here, let's go inside."
Yamahiko led the two inside the barracks. Renji Abarai looked around at the opulent decorations of the Second Division's quarters and seemed surprised. "These decorations are quite lavish, aren't they?"
The Shin'o Academy's decorations were simple, and the other divisions' barracks added some unique features to that simplicity. Only the Second Division's barracks could be described as a luxurious clubhouse.
Yamahiko chuckled and replied, "This is our division's specialty."
Renji Abarai was very astonished. He entered Yamahiko's office with Rukia and, looking at the office desk, asked worriedly, "Bringing us here, won't your superior mind?"
Yamahiko smiled and said, "This is my office. I'm the Vice-Captain of the Patrol Corps. Generally, I handle official matters here."
Renji Abarai's eyes widened at this, and he said, "So, you already have a position. I was thinking of surpassing you once I joined the division."
Yamahiko chuckled and replied, "Just a vice-captain. Renji, you can achieve much more."
Renji Abarai waved his hand dismissively and said, "Never mind that. I came here today for something important."
Yamahiko stopped smiling and asked, "What is it?"
Renji Abarai glanced at Rukia and said, "Have you heard of the Kuchiki clan?"
The Kuchiki clan, could it be?
Yamahiko nodded and said, "Of course, one of the four noble families."
Renji continued, "The current head of the Kuchiki clan wants to adopt Rukia as his sister, officially inducting her into the family lineage as a member of the Kuchiki clan."
Yamahiko furrowed his brow and asked, "Isn't that a good thing? What's the matter?"
Renji Abarai replied, "It is a good thing indeed, but Rukia rejected it."
"Rejected it?"
Yamahiko looked at Rukia, realizing that this was different from history