BREAK THE NOISE

**Date Started:** 29 November, 2021
**Date Completed:** Ongoing
**Previous Role-Play**: N/A
**Next Role-Play**: HEAT THE SOUL
**Users Involved:** User:ComicMaster619
**Setting:** Seireitei, Human World
**Characters Involved**: Soichiro Tenma, Kei Kazuhira

## Ten Year Dream

10 Years ago…

"What?" Tenma mumbled, having been escorted to a room in a separate department at the academy, the room filled with hooded figures, bearing the insignia of the Kidō Corps. At first he wasn’t sure what to expect, whether it was good or not, it didn't change the fact that Tenma was too nervous to say anything. Welcome to the Gotei 13? He thought out loud, his instincts telling him to run, intimidated by being in the presence of one of the three organizations responsible for looking over the Soul Society. As if aware of his unease, the senior member of their group stepped forward, his face obscured by their signature face-coverings, with the rest taking a knee as he passed them by, demonstrating their respect and admiration in his presence. “We are aware of your exploits at Shin'ō Academy. It has been brought to our attention of your remarkable talent with Kidō, which has run its course here,” extending his hand out, one of the other members handed him a scroll, detailing all the information that they'd gathered in regards to the young Shinigami. “Soichiro Tenma, enrolled in less than a year and on your first attempt, received the top marks in the written and performance scores of each of your classes, and went on to garner the recommendations of several instructors.”

With most of his history out in the open, Tenma’s personality took on an astonished look, their level of influence nothing to scoff at if they could find so much on him in just a few hours. From what they had learned in class, the Kidō Corps operated in absolute secrecy, with next to nothing in context as to what their responsibilities consisted of. “I understand taking an interest in who they admit into the academy, but what does that have to do with me?” Tenma, as far as he knew, kept his background a secret, especially the nature of his clan. Could they have figured it out? He dreaded his head. As a member of a Noble House, Tenma was at liberty to receive special treatment if they pushed for it, hand-delivering everything without any kind of work on his part. It was one of the reasons he entered the academy under a false name and registered himself under “Tenma”, keeping his true identity a secret so that he could excel using his natural talent.

“It's simple, we would like for you to join our order. Whenever we find students from the academy that show any kind of promise at Kidō, we simply pluck them and hone their skills the rest of the way at our division. Now is no different.”

“Huh?” Jaw-struck, he could hardly believe his ears, he wanted to join the Gotei 13, serve the Soul Society, he just didn’t think it would be through the Kido Corps of all places. On one part, he felt conflicted, he was sent from home to become a Shinigami, and attain a seat in one of the Divisions. On the other hand, since he started practicing, Tenma found he was very skilled, and in some instances, talented with creating spells. If he was going to do this for the rest of his life, Tenma was going to choose the one that best suited HIM, not his family. Gulping nervously, whatever hesitation or lack of resolve he had a moment ago had disappeared, replaced by new found resolve, that did not go unnoticed by the senior Kidō Corps member.

“I would be honored to join,” Tenma replied, bowing to the one who would soon become his commanding officer.

“A most favorable response.” Turning to face the exit, the rest of his accompanying members followed his cue, leaving before stopping ti turn to their new member. “As of tomorrow, you are a member of the Kidō Corps. I will finalize the transcripts for your transfer and immediate graduation.” Before Tenma could say a word, the order of spellcasters vanished, employing the use of Shunpo to leave without so much as a soul to see them off. With his choice made, all that was left to do was report to the clan elders about his change in position, something of which would not bode well for him.

Night was beginning to fall in the Soul Society. Lanterns were set outside and lit to illuminate the road home. As a noble, Tenma’s family lived at the farthest edge of the Seireitei, away from other souls that were human in appearance. As a member of the Onryōkai Clan, all members of his family were souls who had been reincarnated into animals, creating some animosity to normal looking residents as they mostly kept to themselves. One of their sacred laws forbade the entrance of any human souls to their territory, with numerous guards posted at the border of their domain. Two such guardians could be seen from beyond the lantern’s light.

“Well well well, if it isn’t ‘Tenma’ huh? The elder was looking for you Soichiro, and he wasn’t happy,” he hissed, the guard’s form bearing the resemblance of a serpent, holding a lance, his robes emblazoned with their clan’s symbol across his shoulders. The way he spoke emphasized just how little he was respected, something that was only reinforced by the fact that he used “that” name.

“Are you trying to shame our clan Soichiro? I would have expected more respect from Master Tetsudoro’s runt,” crackled another guard, his appearance sharing similarities to bull, his weapon consisting of an axe.

The main gate was watched by various other members of his clan, consisting of all manner of beasts. Among them, Tenma tried to make out a familiar figure, disappointed, but not at all surprised. “I see father couldn’t be bothered to welcome his own son.” Tenma spat, his frustration visible from the flaring of his fangs and low growl. With nothing left to say, they simply opened the gate for the young man, hurrying as quickly as they could to get him out of their sight. What stood on the other side was nothing one would have expected to see. Tenma was greeted by what looked like a festival taking place, as crowds of families and souls loitered around the busy streets, food stands were full and foot traffic was especially bad this time of the month. For a compound that keeps to itself, they were just as lively as any other, and he was comfortable enough to call it home.

Arriving inside the Onryōkai Clan’s mansion, Tenma was tailor fitted with an extravagant kimono to best signify his status, escorted by a squad of bodyguards to the very center of the building's innermost chamber. With nothing but doors to obscure those behind them, Tenma stood at the center of the room, with ten other elders convening to meet. It was common for members of their family who join the Gotei 13 to be interviewed on their position within Soul Society’s military. This expectation only expounded upon his status as a noble belonging to the Onryōkai Clan’s main branch.

“Enough prattle, get on with it,” barked one of the elders.

“Regardless of whether or not you succeed, do not expect leniency from us simply because of your position,” warned another.

Throughout the entire process, Tenma was accompanied by a single attendant, Azai, a caretaker that had watched over him since he was a child. He was an older looking soul, a feline much like himself. He was very disheveled, skinnier than most of the other members of his clan, sitting right beside Tenma, giving him some measure of tranquility. But in his heart, Tenma already knew how things were going to end, and in some ways, it wouldn’t have made any difference if he admitted it or not, as Tenma was sure they’d have already heard news of his status, this entire ceremony a simple formality to jab at him.

“Contrary to what the council desired, I didn’t join the Gotei 13, my abilities were better suited for a position in the Kidō Corps“, he explained, bowing his head and kneeling in an apologetic manner, much to his disdain. The Onryōkai Clan were a family of warriors, for one of their own to enter a position that was anything less than that was absurd. And it was just as what he expected, as the entire room exploded in a cacophony of yelling and infighting.

“RIDICULOUS! How could you let this happen? Someone of your position should have easily secured at least 3rd seat. How stupid could you be?!”

“Not only did you fail, but you went behind the council’s back. From what our agents tell us, you even used an alias, denying our ability to position at a much higher station. If this isn’t the height of incompetence, how would you describe this behaviour Soichiro?!”

“I have no excuse, it's exactly as the council describes, it couldn’t be helped” Tenma struggled to say, barely able to keep his anger in check.

“What was it, ‘it couldn’t be helped’? If it wasn’t for your father, you wouldn't be standing here wasting everyone's time. You would be dead. Gone and buried somewhere you couldn’t shame this clan anymore than you already have.”

“With that final utterance, the hall became vacant, none of the members bothering to acknowledge Tenma. As far as they were concerned, his role was over, a failure. As a clan that breeds Shinigami for use in the Gotei 13, Tenma joining anything else was an investment that the clan lost, all the time and training that went into his development, wasted. Shaking and trembling in place, his breathing became rappid, trying to calm himself down before he did something he was going to regret, biting down on his hand to stop himself running. “What’s so wrong? What's so wrong with choosing what I want!” Tenma roared, his cries falling on deaf ears. He didn;t know what to do, he felt as directionless as he did years ago after the accident. Before he could sulk more, a gentle press across his back tried to console him, the hand belonging to his attendant Azai.

“Azai, what do I do? I’ve made a mess of things, and father—,” before he could finish, Azai stopped him.

“Young master, I have watched over you since you were a mere kitten. I’ve seen you grow up from a beautiful babe, and into a strong man. There’s nothing wrong in stumbling from time to time if it means reclaiming your balance.” His tone was gentle, understanding of what plighted Tenma, for as long as he could remember, he was a shoulder he could lean on when he needed help. “You are Soichiro ‘Tenma’, not Soichiro ‘Onryōkai’, you must ask yourself, what would he do?”

Tenma tried his best to control his emotions, relieved that at least one person was on his side, it was more than enough for him to continue down his own path, no matter what anyone else told him. However Azai looked nervous, pale as his hands trembled in place. Tenma was about to say something before noticed a large container next to him. “Azai? What’s wrong? And what's with the box?”

“It is not my place to give you this, that right was reserved to its original owner.” Holding onto a large wooden box, the exterior was wrapped in a silk cloth, the length being nearly the size of his torso.

Giving him the box, Tenma gripped it tightly, analyzing it from every direction and angle, trying to guess what could be inside. But from the shape and weight, it all but narrowed it down to a single item. Inside the box, it carried with it a Zanpakutō, much older and worn in comparison to the Zanpakutō he received from the academy. From the feel alone, it carried very little residual Reiatsu from its previous owner, the signature alone sending a chill down his spine. “AZAI! THIS IS—”.

“I know, although he is no longer with us, I know in my heart, he would have wanted you to have it.”

“My brother’s Zanpakutō?”

## A Choir of One

5 Years ago…

"Concentrate, keep the spell from spreading out." From within the large walls that comprised the Seireitei, a small group of shinigami could be seen murmuring chants with their hands pressed against one another, forming hand gestures reminiscent of mudras used in prayers, a sight that wasn't too uncommon to see in the Soul Society, but had its own marvel when performed at such a high level in the hands of experts. From what bystanders could see, it was a group of four hooded shinigami, accompanying what appeared to be several seated officers arriving from the world of the living. "Begin the next phase of spell," retorted one of the hooded figures, as the level of Reiryoku began to steadily rise, leaving a surprised expression on those passing by, so much so a small crowd began to form. As much as anyone with a passing fancy was worried about, the surrounding area was sealed off by other division shinigami from letting anyone get too close to their area of work.

Given his history, Tenma wasn't at all surprised that he would draw the stares and unwanted attention of others, it was something he grew to accept, and at one point, grew accustomed to. Only difference this time was the fact it was something other than his appearance that drew the eyes of others rather than his particular features, being one facet of his division that he had grown to appreciate, since in the name of secrecy, each member were required to wear face-coverings that obscured their entire head, save for the face.

"I've never seen them before, what division are they from?" Murmured one from the crowd.

An older fellow belonging from the 12th division chinned in, more seasoned from the look of stern face, leaned in the conversation. "Not your average shinigami boy, they're one of the three pillars of the soul society. If the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Stealth Force are the hands and legs, the Kido Force are undoubtedly the brains."

Having finished his studies at Shin'ō Academy a few months ago with a remarkable talent for Kido, it wasn't long after that the Kid Corps had scouted him after graduating with a chance to join as an unseated officer. Since then, his routine had been relatively the same, days spent practicing and perfecting his craft while studying under some of the senior officers to increase his abilities even further. Their work for the day simply consisted of inspecting the Senkaimon for routine maintenance, often requiring a very small team of their order to service, but today, it was Tenma's turn to lead the ceremony. "Release," he muttered, finishing his spell and letting the gate open naturally, allowing the shinigami to head to the human world for their next mission. As he and his squad were finishing up, a hell butterfly came fluttering by, perching itself on his shoulder.

"Agh...yes...mhm...I understand, I'll be right there sir." Taking his leave, his squad followed suit, reporting back to his senior officer on their way back to the Kido Corps barracks. Reflecting back on his days at the academy, Tenma rather liked this change of pace. On any particular day, his responsibilities had mostly consisted of his visiting different areas of Soul Society to maintain or strengthen whatever barriers or seals were placed there. On other days, he would open the senkaimon for anyone headed to the world of living, oftentimes doing it for a large number of shinigami to come through, as well as provide the added security in case something else would come without any permission. However, his interest stemmed solely on the Senkaimon of all things, and particularly in the way it was constructed and what laid beyond: the Dangai.

Tenma understood the science and thought that went into its construction, and having opened it for so many people as part of his daily routine, he was all too familiar with the ritual and spellcasting associated with it. His was so much so he had considered incorporating it into a pet project he was focused on. It wasn’t uncommon to see various members working on developing new spells or devices to further along their understanding of the art, in that sense, they were no different to the R&D Department from the 12th Division. Upon arriving at the barracks, he was just about to continue his work before a familiar voice caught his attention.

"You're late, didn't think opening up shop would be so hard for you," someone from the other side of the room yelled. The figure made no effort to hide his annoyance, sitting on the couch in the barrack's lobby as a number of kido troops took notice, the voice being none other than one of their senior officers, someone who, for all intentions, was rumored to be in the heading for promotion to Vice Kido Chief.

"Kei,” Tenma muttered, "if you were going to complain, you should have just done it yourself, aren't you my supervisor?" Even as a member of the same division, Tenma got only oh so much information due to the nature of the jobs he was given and the division he belonged to, his actual orders simply being given to him word of mouth from his senior officer, the one that was assigned to supervise him while he was still adjusting to his new position.

"Oh Tenma, I wouldn't be much of a teacher if I made things easier for you, consider it a learning experience. You'll need it for tomorrow."

Before he could mutter another word, Tenma had played back Kei’s words through his head. Looking back on everything he had done to this point, his responsibilities, and therefore jobs up to this point were the bottom of the barrel, even for a new recruit. “What’s happening tomorrow?” From his shift and schedule, nothing of note was going on at this point, other than simply opening up the senkaimon and using whatever spare time he had on reciting spells and developing his kido. Before he could say another word, just before the words could escape his mouth, his mentore cut him off, “instead of asking stupid questions, take your ass to the training ground, you’re due for another lesson from the looks of it.” He didn’t understand what he meant, but it made more sense once he took a closer glance at his robe. From the sleeve up, it had been charred from what he could assume was the excess energy that was released from the kido he used to open the gate repeatedly throughout the day, a rookie mistake that most academy students were expected to make, not member of the elite Kido Corps.

“You’re better than most Tenma, under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t have such an amateur mess of your clothes. You’re just not used to the volume and excess use of kido that’s expected of you here rather than what they practiced at Shin'ō Academy.”

Tenma felt more ashamed than frustrated at this revelation. He had thought that he made some manner of progress since he joined this division months ago, Kei’s words only enforcing the fact he still had a long way to go before he could make something of himself. “BWAAAGH! It’s god damn humiliating that its you telling me this Kei,” Tenma shrugged, his face somewhat dejected, but grateful at his sincerity if nothing else. To his awareness, as far as he could remember, aside from Aya and Garou, Kei was the only other person to treat him with any semblance of normalcy, despite being treated like an errand boy for the most part.

This was a fact that Tenma  found most endearing about his mentor. Among all the senior officers, he was the only one willing to spare any time to teach him anything, at least when he felt like it and when he wasn’t too inebriated to forget their sessions together. Taking it a step further by asking him to use his free time for extra curricular lessons in Kido. “If you have time to put me on the spot, you could help me from making a fool out of myself.”

“You kidding, you don’t need my help to do that, you’re doing a perfectly good job of it yourself.” Picking up a gourd of sake from the floor, he lifted it across the table, serving himself a cup as the rest of the division was changing shifts, some loafing around the facility to rela, while others were stationed across the library and archives to study, a very common sight given the department’s responsibilities. Ignoring the new kid on the block, Kei simply kept drinking, the two of them lumped in together after he put himself in charge of looking over his newest subordinate as one of the oldest members of their company, although failing to realize what that responsibility entailed at the heat of the moment.

“I’m serious Kei, at the pace I’m going, I’m not making as much progress, and you're the only willing to put up with me.” Hitting a wall in his training, Tenma struggled to advance to the next level, the only thing stopping him being actual battle experience and proper technique, something that required a sparring partner, but given his appearance and just how green he was, there weren’t too many challengers. Kei kept his eyes closed, slowly nodding off from all the alcohol he drank, opening one eye to see if his subordinate have given up, only to find himself pitying his officer, as if they left a stray kitten out in the rain, now whether or not he was doing this on purpose or not, didn’t change the fact he was strong arming him even though he didn’t meant to.

Signing profusely, Kei hopped off the couch in the lounge, scratching his chin as an expression of annoyance welling up on his face. Turning to face the eit to the barracks, he motioned to Tenma with his hand over his shoulder. “Alright, fine. Let’s go Tenma, the lesson isn’t going to teach itself you grubby bastard.”

He was just about to give up, but hearing those words, he was beyond elated, so much so his tail was flicking and his ears perked up, as a sign of relief washed over his face. “Yes, I-I’ll be right there,” he said ecstatically, packing up his robe and putting on his face-covering over his head.

With what felt like hours of walking, Tenma and Kei had reached the underground confinement section of the old execution ground, an empty abyss that, several hundred years ago, was used to feed criminals to hollows for the amusement of those watching. Now abandoned with the exception of the two of them. With his sharp hearing and feline vision, Tenma could make out signs of life beyond the cells, life that was anything but human. As soon as their presence could be felt, the new captives that filled the haunting prison filled the empty space with ear-bleeding cries.

“Hollows?! Kei? What are you thinking?!” The wails were all too familiar to anyone that was a shinigami. From the sound, there were more than a dozen hollows incarcerated, all eyeing the pair with nothing but ill intent. Tenma instictvly went for his zanpakutō, only to be reminded that we had left it back home ever since he joined the Kido Corps. Taking particular note of his shift in posture, Kei used it as a sign to let one of the hollows out, starting off with one that he thought would give him the most trouble at a first glance given their size difference. Although low-leveled, the hollow was larger than most, a mask depicting a boar with a physique to match, his frame being nothing but pure muscle. Roaring after its liberation, it charged after Kei first, the Shinigami more than impressed at the hollow’s arrogance for going after its capturer rather than its intended prey. The hollow was more than furious, charging blindly at his with its fist picking up tremendous speed, aiming to crush his headfirst into the ground.

“Arrogant bastard isn’t he?” Without bothering to move from his place, Kei stood his ground, elevating his spiritual power to a level that was much higher than what the hollow had, reeling his right hand back in a mocking fashion, imitating the hollow’s attack. At a first glance, it was apparent he threw his punch without much enthusiasm on his part, contrasting the hollow who was fighting with nothing but hunger and rage on his mind, his attack reflecting as much with the sheer power pack in it. In the collision, the difference in power was unbelievable, but in all the wrong ways. “It doesn’t make any sense,” Tenma mumbled in astonishment, unable to believe his eyes.

The punch, from the hollow’s side, was giving way to the shinigami who didn’t even bother to put an ounce of motivation into his own blow, his face portrayed by a half asleep man uninterested by the current events taking place right before him, overpowering a creature more than three times his own size.

“Tenma, in a battle of spirits, force isn’t everything, the side with weaker spiritual pressure will always lose out to superior soul,” with the exchange, the hollow was the only one to come out injured from the brief collision. Its arm ruptured and burst, as pieces of viscera flew everywhere, quickly backing away to get away from the prey that had caused him so much harm. Without muttering a single chant, Kei extended his index finger forward, channeling his reiatsu into electricity. “Hadō #4. Byakurai.” In an instant, the hollow was dead, a single bolt of lightning piercing straight through its head, standing up motionless before its body could so much touch the ground, with a large thud creeping over a moment later

“If you’re skilled enough, you can skip the incantations, we call it Eishōhaki. Think of it like muscle memory, constant repetition and practice and you’ll have no problem using Hado and Bakudo spells without wasting time on pretty words.” Going over the basics of silent casting, Tenma was surprised that such a thing was even possible, completely making what he learned at the academy somewhat obsolete. But before he could try, Kei drew his attention. “While it does reduce the interval between casting, expect a drastic reduction in its effectiveness, don’t use it unless you're sure it’ll work.”

Tenma was beyond amazed, as if a whole new world just opened up right in front of him, setting the bar even higher than where he thought it was. Lost in the moment, his thoughts were scattered all over the place, especially on him trying to use a weapon he should have known he didn’t have,wondering where things had gone wrong. In the academy, Tenma was average overall, well-rounded in Zanjutsu, Hakuda, and Hoho, with Kido sitting at the forefront of skills he specializes in. Although he wasn’t as amazing by any definition of the word in the other fields, he was competent enough in their use to hold his own, even with Aya, a shinigami who outmatched him in terms of physical power, at a physical brawl. However, ever since he joined the Kido Corps, all he had to ever really relied on was Kido, even leaving his sword behind, as it was unnecessary for him to carry around with the number of spells at his disposal. It slowly dawned on him that for all the work he put in those fields, he had slowly lost some of his skill in the pursuit of perfecting his skill at kido.

This realization wasn’t unnoticed by Kei, Tenma’s attempt to reach for a sword was more than enough to illustrate that he wasn’t fully willing to use just kido by itself. His mindset was more similar to someone from the Gotei 13 rather than that of an officer of the Kido Corp, a habit that Kei knew would be more harmful than helpful if he kept splitting instincts. “Listen catboy, there’s nothing wrong with branching out in how you want to handle a situation, but when you start switching back and forth on what your focus is, that's when problems start to arise. Trying to grab a Zanpakutō that you know wasn’t there tells me you're thinking like a swordsman, not a spell caster.”

“I know, I know, it's a hard habit to break after practicing for so long, you can’t expect me to just forget it overnight do you?” Tenma knew he was making excuses, but he didn’t have the heart to outright admit it to his seniors of his faults when he knew he could fix it. As much as he knew or anyone else was concerned, he still had his pride, the thought of remaining a student after graduating from the academy only made him feel that he took a step back from any progres he’d made, quickly glancing over everything else in order to recover that lost footing he had. It was this frustration that pushed him to throw everything he had into , disregarding everything else to the wayside, much to his own detriment.

Kei knew this, and it was typical for shinigami fresh out of the academy to go out and prove themselves, but it did more harm than good, especially for someone who possessed natural talent like Tenma. Since the moment he had arrived, Tenma picked up whatever he was taught almost instantly, developing a sincere understanding on the matter, and further developing it to the point of perfection. It was rare to find someone who took every lesson to heart, and expounded upon it. It almost felt like a shame that he was relegated to a Division that solely focused on one aspect of compatc that Soul Society offered rather than expand on what he already knew and branch off into other fighting techniques with the same vigor.

If he kept disregarding everything else for the sake of excelling in one single category, it’d only lead to stagnation, and Tenma would later regret it down the line. Kei’s job was simple, he was to train Tenma and further his knowledge in weaving spells while getting him accustomed to his new position. It was how he was taught, and how his own mentor was taught before him. But if he did, he would be undermining his growth by keeping him chained down on a single skill. What he was considering was about breaking every single rule he learned since joining, undoing hundreds of years worth of lessons for the sake of polishing up a rather diverse student whose skill leaned in all sort of directions.

“A real jack of all trades type huh? Alright,” Kei muttered to himself, more than dead set on his decision. Keeping the lesson going, Kei slapped him across the back, Tenma nearly leaping off the ground in surprise, as if things weren’t tense enough. “Don’t get so stuck in your head, I’m not expecting you to fix your problems in a single day, but you're a smart kid. So you'll get there sooner than most.”

“As expected,” Tenma replied, maintaining his bravado in front of his superior officer, but on the inside, appreciated the sign of confidence.

Opening another cell, the next Hollow was chosen based on what Kei thought might be the best challenge for Tenma, the hollow in question was very slender, its head narrow and physique quite compact. The mask depicted the head of a chameleon, with numerous spikes protruding from its neck and head. In terms of strength, Kei chose a hollow whose strength was relatively close to Tenma’s, not enough to pose a threat, but just enough to provide a sufficient challenge to his skills, while being resilient enough for him to practice his kido on a live combat. Before he could run rampant, Kei held it in place with a Bakudo spell, letting Tenma prepare himself. “Remember kid, the objective isn’t to take down the hollow, but to think on your feet! Practice the basics and don’t die.”

Nodding to Kei, Tenma rolled up his sleeves, his mission clear and hands ready to perform whatever spells he may need for his altercation with the hollow. Kei witnessing this took it as a sign to get the battle going, acknowledging with a “Release!” Before long, the hollow was set loose, its speed making it difficult to spot with all the erratic movement taking place, and the dark, cramped space didn’t help much either. Charging straight ahead, the hollow’s mouth was agape, the human-like teeth simply ready to bite head-first toward the shinigami’s head.

Glancing at its movements, Tenma adjusted his footing accordingly, evading at the last moment and side-stepping toward the left, staying as close as possible to the hollow’s blind side. Without a Zanpakutō, Tenma felt a little out of place, this was his first time entering battle without it, the thought terrifying him as he felt incomplete without it. But as a member of the Kido Corp, it was expected for its officers to be able to handle such danger without such a tool at their disposal. In order to live up to this expectation, Tenma had to get creative in his approach. With this opening, Tenma opened up the palm of his hand, having it pointed directly at the hollow’s head, elevating his spiritual pressure while focusing his energy on the Hado of his choice, following Kei’s advice, “Hadō #31. Shakkahō!” Almost awestruck, Tenma recovered his cool, and kept himself focused, more than happy he had the sufficient skill to use incantationless spells without it blowing up in his face.

However, what he said was true, the lack of chants heavily decreased the potency of the spell, evidenced by the fact that as soon as the ball of flame hit its intended target, the hollow’s head was still intact, badly bruised if at all damaged. With its attention drawn to Tenma, the hollow countered in the short distance it was from the shinigami by using its tail swing to attack from a vertical direction, spikes growing from the surface of the scales as they began to protrude from all corners of its body, garnering the appearance of spiked salamander. The hollow was more than angered at the sudden barrage of blasts, so much so that it powered through them, disregarding its own safety in order to catch the delicious morsel dangling right in front of it.

Weaving his hands into different signs, Tenma tried to use the very spell Kei used, “Bakudō #8. Seki!” Upon its utterance, Tenma created a small orb of blue light that shone brilliantly, generating it around the top of his hand, moving it directly in front of his chest where the tail was headed, but as soon as it made contact with the orb, the tail rebounded off. But the potency and force coming from the opposite party managed to send him flying backward, struggling to reclaim his footing a short moment later. However, what he didn’t expect was what followed next. The moment the tail bounced off his hand, the spikes growing out of the scale’s surface exploded from place, firing them in all manner of directions, some deliberately heading for him. Using Shunpo to evade the Hollows' aim, Tenma was dancing and darting around as much as he could before the hollow ultimately fired all spikes at once, Kei putting up a barrier to defend himself while leaving Tenma to fend for himself.

“Damn, not enough time!” As much as he struggled to evade, there were too many spikes flying all over the place, some unfortunately there were only oh so many directions he could escape to, putting up his arms to form a barrier as quick as he could. With all the effort he put in, there were several gaps in his defense, a fact that the hollow took full advantage of as numerous spikes hit their mark, skewering him through his leg, shoulder and left arm. “GHWAAA, ARRRGH!” Tenma grunted through his teeth, the stakes deeply embedded into his body, immobilizing him, and worst of all, incapacitating his arm.

“This was the last thing I needed. Can’t move, and I can’t flee, I bet that’s exactly what you wanted huh?” Breaking out in a sweat, Tenma’s breathing became ragged, blood drifting down his clothes and dripping all across the floor, incapable of getting out of the way. Without losing a beat, the hollow kept firing more spikes at tenma, simply regrowing more and firing. Even with one arm, Tenma was still confident in his ability to defend himself, applying numerous spells consecutively, “Bakudō #39. Enkōsen.” Pointing the palm of his hand forward, a large spinning disk of condensed Reiatsu in front of him, blocking all of the incoming spokes and shattering afterwards. Hollow kept firing, but with the amount of spirit energy he had, on top of the low cost of the spell, Tenma could continue the vicious cycle until one of them ran out of steam, but knowing the hollow, it was only a matter of time before an opportunity would arise, and he could employ his own plan. And just as he expected, the hollow grew frustrated with the repetitive nature of his game, ceasing his barrage of spikes in favor of a swift, decisive kill at close-range.

“Wait. Wait. Wait just a little more.” With the hollow drawing closer, Tenma stood still, playing dead so as to draw the hollow in a false sense of security. As the same pattern kept playing on and on, the hollow began to change tactics, favoring a head-on approach from the front, an easy enough feat with a target as weak and injured as Tenma was. As it charged forward, it was just the occasion the young shinigami was looking for. “Now!” Snapping his fingers, Tenma created a bright yellow band of rope composed purely of Reishi, whirling around his right hand as it formed into a cracking bundle of cable. “Bakudō #4. Hainawa!” His strategy was simple: if he couldn’t move, he’d let the hollow come to him.

As Kei watched on, he couldn’t make out what Tenma was planning, wondering if maybe his injuries had done more to rattle his brain. “If your objective was to kill the hollow, a Hado spell would have been more effective. So why use a Bakudo spell? You can’t move because of those injuries, and simply buying more time isn’t going to help improve the situation.”

As he hurled it at the hollow from such a close distance, the hollow’s larger frame made it easier for him to hit the target dead on, as the energy curled all over the hollow, tightening its grip around its arms and body, rendering it immobile. With the rope still in hand, Tenma switched his hand signs, and started another spell, “Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and tear out your own throat! Bakudō #9. Hōrin!” Using the index and middle fingers from his one good hand, Tenma generated an orange-hued tendril with spiraling yellow patterns from the tip of his finger, racing across the ground like a bolt of lightning, ensnaring and immobilizing the hollow opponent as the tendril wrapped itself around its body. With the first line being emitted by his index finger, Tenma extended his middle finger out, firing the same spell again but as a separate anchor.

Kei was surprised, the fact that Tenma was using two spells back-to-back in his condition was one thing, but choosing the ones he did showed initiative, as those two were very compatible with one another, as one binded and the other served as an extension, “clever, using a Bakudo spell in similar fashion to Hado.”

Tenma used the first spiral tendril to hold the hollow’s body down, crashing directly at this upper torso, already bound by the first Bakudo spell, while the second tendril was aimed toward its head, tying itself along the rough, spiked contours of its neck. With both parts connected, Tenma motioned his index and middle into a cross gesture, the tendrils reflecting the same motion by having each move in different direction, the hollow caught right in the middle howling and raving in desperation to escape, as the force exerted on the them was now beginning to unveil Tenma’s true intention. Struggling and bulging in vain to escape the hollow tried to do whatever it could to stop the two opposing forces from manipulating his body to suite the shinigami’s needs, squealing to run to the young man but the kido still inhibiting his movements, as the noose around his neck got tighter and tighter. “This is it,there's no escaping now,” as a snap sound reverberated off his fingers, Tenma's plan was in full effect, if he couldn’t move or attack, the best he could do was use the natural defensive properties of Kido in a way that best took advantage of their restraint. In this case, pull his head up and drag his lower body down, and use whatever force he could muster to try and rip the two apart.

The hollow was gasping for air, bones now snapping as the very last breath to escape its mouth would be its last, as with a quick snap of his fingers, the two tendrils tugged at their very hardest at both seems, decapitating the creature in a colorful display, blood flying in every which direction and its head soared through the air, landing smackdab across the room. Soon after, its body began to vanish, as was customary with hollows after their defeat. The only respite Tenma could find from this whole endeavor was the comoft that he had at least met the first condition of Kei’s challenges, that and he was still alive in relatively good condition barring his arm and leg.

Falling on one knee, Tenma tried his best to catch his breath, gripping tightly at his injured shoulder, still haunted by the shrieks of hollows from beyond the cages. “That was too close, if things had gone any further, our situations might have been reversed,” he muttered to himself, trying to find his mentor from beyond the dark, nowhere to be found.

Kei, keeping his distance, took in the whole battle, breaking it down bit-by-bit in his mind about what his younger officer could've done differently. In his opinion, Tenma was more than just sloppy, he put himself in more danger than he should have and could have done better if he had taken the time to be more careful. Traversing through the darkness, he made himself known to Tenma. Simply standing there, Kei said nothing, only examining the extent of his injuries and the condition of his spiritual power. On the surface, it was more than clear that his body was in shambles, nothing that he didn’t expect on their first outing. But it was what he couldn't see that drew his focus, as his spiritual pressure was just as large and energized as before he started this exercise. “I figured you were some run-of-the-mill graduate from the academy. In some ways you are. Green as all hell, and not much to stare at either. But there's definitely more to you than meets the eye.”

Putting Tenma’s arm over his shoulder, the senior officer crouched down to meet him at his level, carrying him on his back, thanks to the feline shinigami’s short stature, the young man caught off guard from the sudden motion. “W-Wait a second, Kei, what the hell?! I don’t need your help, I can manage just fine.”

“Comone kid, let me act like a teacher for once, isn’t that what your commander’s for?”

Although he was fidgeting in place, Tenma appreciated the sentiment, not too familiar with what to do in this situation, too tired to complain and for once, didn’t want to argue with his superior officer for a change.

“Not much of a good first impression huh?”

“Maybe, but nobody gets anywhere in a single day, that's why we’ll do this until I’ve drilled it into you, so don’t complain about it later. Remember, you asked for this.”

What followed in the coming several months was a steady regime of Kido based training and combat, fighting everyday while developing his stamina and overall volume of spirit power. All the while pursuing his side project during his free time. Tenma naturally had, which was much larger than what was customary for most shinigami straight from the academy to possess. Only expanding up on it the more he practiced. During today’s session, the sheer number of hollows was lower than normal, an obvious result of their division’s constant need to burn through them for practice. Golancing at the clock, Kei clicked his tongue, picking up his sandals as he motioned to the young cadet. “Pick up the pace kid. As of today, it’ll be your responsibility to refill the kennels, get your coat and gear, we’re going to the world of the living for a milk run.” Kei draped himself with a coat, emblazoned with the Kido Corps’s logo on the front. It was the first time he had seen him wear anything as dignified other than the plain white undergarment typically layered underneath a Shihakushō.

“Milk run?” Tenma looked at Kei puzzled, as it was the first time he was going anywhere other than the Seireitei or Rukongai on official Kido Corps business. “Could this be…,” before he could finish that sentence, Kei zipped right across the room with Shunpo, folding his fingers into a knife-hand gesture and karate chopping him across the head. “Idiot, whatever you're thinking, it's nothing so grandiose as that,” the force was enough to slam him across the ground, not enough to severely hurt him, but just enough that he meant business.

“GWHAAA!” Falling on his knees, Tenma bellowed out in pain at the suddenness of his smack, hissing at his mentor from underneath his breath, “Dammit Kei, I think I liked you better when you're talking crap.” Rubbing his head, he dusted off his clothes, ready to take his leave for the Senkaimon.

Before he could go, Kei mumbled something from his lips, mulling it over in his head before finally spitting out. “Tenma...why don’t you bring your Zanpakutō with you this time around.”

“What? Where did THAT come from?” Tenma, puzzled, stood there confused, since it was Kei of all people telling him to do this, the forefront image he had of what came to mind when it came to a kido practitioner. At first, the two glanced at one another, Kei not showing a hint of emotion or facial expression, not so much as flinching in his decision, making him difficult to read as to the reason why he would ask him to bring it. Tenma wanted to say something, but for the first time, it was better to simply follow his superior’s orders rather than question them.

Arriving back to the barracks. Tenma looked all over his room for his Zanpakutō, consisting of a singular long sword, one that he had gotten ahold of as soon as he had enrolled in the academy, it had a green handle, with a cross guard that was a little larger than most. Tying it along his waist, it was odd enough to see someone of his stature carrying a large sword, but a member of the Kido Corps to boot too, it welcomed too much unwanted attention. “Bakudō #26. Kyokkō.” Waving his hand across his sword, Tenma hid the physical form and Reiatsu that his sword emitted by bending the light around it.

“Shouldn’t draw too much attention now.” Leaving the barracks in a hurry, Tenma had arrived in the Senkaimon, Kei, waiting near the gateway, simply looked on, opening the gate with the aid of several other members. They shined brightly, signifying that all the preparations were ready.

As the gate opened, they were greeted by the loud hustle and bustle of the Human World, the streets very active this time of day, with the only the two of them allowed to to enter, made the world seem much larger with just them to inhabiting it, as no other shinigami were in the vicinity.

The exercise today would have Tenma corral new Hollows for him and the rest of his division to use in training, as well as resupply their own stock for his extra curricular activities. High above Kagamino City, the two shinigami use their time to take in the sights, purifying whatever lingering spirits they encountered along the way. Spending the better part of half the day on the prowl, all their waiting had finally paid off, as the both could feel the Reiatsu coming from several low-level hollows, creeping up behind several humans from across the street.

“2, 3, 4...that should be enough for now, I’ll leave it to you to round them up.” Kei exclaimed, sitting across the nearby roof as he pulled out one of soul society’s monthly magazines, setting aside a light snack while his young pupil could catch as many as he could before the end of the day.

“Try and catch them in one piece, at your level, you have to be more careful than usual. You're challenged for the day, try and hold them down for as long as you can without damaging them,” Kei muttered, his head buried in a book, switching his attention back and forth between the pages and Tenma’s progress.

“I know, I know.” Practicing and memorizing spells, Tenma had gotten the knack for using chantless spells, more so using it to force himself to use weakened spells on purpose for the sake of training. As the hollows were wailing, the denizens out in the streets, they krept up along the buildings, invisible to all the denizens but the sheer impact they had on the environment was all but supernatural and tumultuous. The glass windows broke, shattering into pieces, the utility poles and traffic lights bending in unnatural ways from the spiritual pressure they were emitting, causing several of the residents to faint, with the rest fleeing wherever they could. With nothing stopping them from continuing their rampage, one of the hollows helped themselves to one of the humans running for their life, forcibly taking them with its bare hand.

“I-I CANT...BREATH...W-WHATS GOING ON! GWHAAA!”

With that single act, the rest of the hollows followed its example, obvious from Tenma’s standpoint that it was their leader. Even for such low-level creatures, they're sizes were a mix between medium and large, at least two or three times larger than the average human, while the leader stood nearly twice their size. Taking a deep breathe, Tenma’s hands began to move with extraordinary speed, weaving all manner of symbols in the air as his body began to illuminate a red ray of energy across the surface, the head hollow swiftly being engulfed by the very same power Tenma was producing.“Bakudō #9. Geki!” As the spell completely activated, the hollow growled and struggled, unable to do so, thanks to the Bakudo 's complete paralysis. With his experience, Tenma altered the nature of the spell by adding additional signs increasing its single-target range to encompass a wide arrange of targets.

Using quick fluid movements Tenma kept alternating hands and gestures, creating afterimages from the rapid casting, ensnaring not just the leader, but the underlings as well, radiating the same red veil of energy as the first one.

“Seal!” Spreading out the spell in all directions, Tenma had a firm grip on the hollows, all struggling to move, unable to break free of the sheer power he was radiating, adjusting output accordingly and maintaining it. “Kei wanted to increase my stamina, whatever that means.” Although he would have simply liked to head on back to the Soul Society, he understood the importance of maintaining his training regime, following through by sitting across the nearby building, maintaining his focus and Reiryoku steady.

Since the moment that he started, it was now late afternoon, having spent several hours frozen like a statue meditating, keeping the spell active unwavering in its effectiveness. With months of training, Tenma wasn’t even remotely tired after sustaining the spell such a long interim of time, if anything, it was more likely he could keep going for several more days with this level of opponent. Taking note, Kei cut his training short, as it didn’t serve any purpose for Tenma who was at such a high level since they began. “You can stop. At this point, there’s not much these hollows can provide in terms of practice, the benchmarks been set pretty far now.”

“Tomorrow, I’m going to give you your first preliminary test, we’re going to see just how much you’ve learned.” With a sick smile contorting on his face, Tenma felt a cold sweat drip down his face.