"Miyako, what are your plans now? I heard you've been training Chad these past few days?" Rukia asked as she and Amamiya walked back from the Visored hideout towards the Urahara Shop.
"Mmm. Chad's power is far deeper than what he's shown, but he seems to have hit a wall. It's similar to when we Shinigami commune with our Zanpakutō to achieve Shikai. He needs to comprehend what his power truly represents. Otherwise, he won't be able to progress further."
While Amamiya had helped Chad unlock the true potential of his Brazo Derecha de Gigante, he was genuinely unsure how to approach awakening the Brazo Izquierda del Diablo.
"Next, I'm going to seek instruction from the former Captain of the Kidō Corps on high-level spells. You should come along, Rukia."
"The former Captain of the Kidō Corps… I never realized Tessai-san was such an important figure when I visited the shop before," Rukia remarked, a hint of awe in her voice. "But is it really okay for me to join? I thought you said this was part of your payment for training Chad."
"It is. But it's fine. Tessai is far more straightforward than that sly fox Kisuke Urahara. He doesn't overcomplicate things. We're allies on the same side; teaching one more person shouldn't be an issue."
Back inside Urahara Shop, Tessai Tsukabishi was wearing a simple apron, meticulously dusting the shelves of quirky merchandise. His spiritual pressure was perfectly restrained, leaving no trace of the formidable presence he once commanded as Captain of the Kidō Corps. After over a century in the Human World, he had long since settled into his new, quieter identity.
"Amamiya-san, Kuchiki-san. Welcome back," he greeted them with a polite nod.
"Tessai. I've come to ask for your help," Amamiya said, getting straight to the point.
"Hey, Miyako, that's too direct," Rukia chided softly, tugging on his sleeve.
Tessai set down his feather duster, smoothing his apron.
"It's quite alright, Kuchiki-san. I am no longer a Captain. Now, I am simply an employee of this shop." He turned his calm gaze to Amamiya. "Please, state your request."
"Tessai, I want you to teach Rukia and me higher-level Kidō. Up to and including the spells of the ninety-ninth rank."
"The ninety-ninth? Miyako, that's a bit…" Rukia stared at him, astonished. She had hoped to learn some advanced Kidō, but the pinnacle spells were a wholly different realm.
"Hmm… Instructing you in Kidō is not a problem. However, the spells of the ninety-ninth rank… Perhaps we should begin with other high-level Kidō first? Once you have mastered those, I will seriously consider your request."
It wasn't that Tessai was unwilling to teach. Rather, the higher the spell's rank, the more it depended on innate talent and spiritual comprehension. The difficulty of mastering some forbidden Kidō even surpassed that of achieving Bankai.
"Understood. We'll start with other Kidō," Amamiya agreed after a moment's thought, respecting Tessai's caution.
The three descended into the expansive underground training area. Tessai regarded them both. "Now then, Amamiya-san, Kuchiki-san. Which Kidō do you wish to learn?"
Rukia looked to Amamiya, letting him choose.
Without hesitation, he stated: "Bakudō Number Eighty-One: Dankū."
"You choose a defensive barrier first?" Tessai asked, slightly puzzled. From Urahara's reports, Amamiya seemed to be in a desperate race for offensive power. Dankū was a powerful, but purely protective, spell.
"Dankū again? I remember you wanted to learn it before. But with your current spiritual pressure level…" Rukia questioned, equally confused. With his current power, casting Dankū shouldn't be an issue.
Amamiya's primary reason for choosing Dankū was strategic. He hoped to fuse its barrier-forming principle with the arrows fired by his Shikai, Shinnya Zetsun. If he could manifest a Dankū barrier not from his own hands, but from an arrow's point of impact, it would drastically expand his Zanpakutō's utility.
While Kojin Zetsun's 'Rejection' power was formidable for offense, its defensive application was mostly personal. Fusing it with Dankū could allow him to create defensive fortifications or even trap enemies within isolated arenas—similar to the Four Red Yang Formation he'd theorized about.
'I'll make you experience the power of my 'Divine Isolation Room'!' He'd even come up with a name for the hypothetical technique, envisioning using it for decisive, one-on-one confrontations.
"Bakudō Eighty-One: Dankū, is it…" Tessai fell into a brief, heavy silence. The spell instantly brought to mind a memory from a century past—Aizen Sōsuke. He had once fired Hadō Number Eighty-Eight: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō at the traitor, only for Aizen to block it effortlessly with an incantation-less Dankū. The event had plunged Tessai into profound self-doubt. 'Who is the real master of Kidō here?'
'Amamiya seeks a defensive barrier before destructive arts… Does this mean he holds something—or someone—in his heart that he wishes to protect?' Tessai's thoughts warmed slightly. Perhaps Urahara's concerns were overblown. Like Kurosaki Ichigo and the others, Amamiya's drive for power might be rooted in a desire to shield others.
If Amamiya could read his mind, he'd offer an awkward smile. Tessai was only half right. Amamiya did have people he wanted to protect now. But his philosophy was simple: the ultimate form of protection was the complete and utter eradication of the threat. Only by ensuring the enemy could not escape, by annihilating them entirely, could he truly feel at ease.
"I understand. Then I shall demonstrate Bakudō Eighty-One: Dankū. I will release my spiritual pressure fully so you may carefully observe its flow and formation."
Tessai took several steps forward, raising a single hand towards the empty space before them.
"Disorder in the heavens, the iron fortress, a giant steed, a glittering spear, a soaring golden halo! The sun and moon plunge, the four heavens return! The heavens and earth are severed!"
"Bakudō Number Eighty-One: Dankū!"
A massive, shimmering rectangular wall of golden light materialized in the air with a deep thrum, its surface humming with immense defensive energy.
Amamiya and Rukia watched intently, sensing the precise, powerful, and incredibly stable flow of Tessai's reiatsu. The former Captain's mastery was unmistakable.
Stepping forward, Amamiya raised his own hand. "Hadō Number Sixty-Three: Raikōhō!"
The Thunder Roar Cannon, fired without an incantation but with power nearing a full chant, shot forth and slammed into the golden barrier. The energy crackled violently before dissipating completely. The Dankū wall didn't even shimmer; it held firm and unwavering.
"Bakudō Eighty-One: Dankū can completely negate Hadō spells numbered eighty-nine and below. However, this is not an absolute rule. The greater the spiritual pressure invested, and the deeper one's understanding of the barrier's formation, the stronger the attacks it can withstand. Furthermore, its defense is not limited to Kidō; it possesses a significant effect against other forms of energy-based assaults."
Hearing Tessai's explanation, Rukia's understanding deepened. Dankū was a versatile, all-purpose shield.
"My demonstration is complete. You may both attempt it now. If your spiritual pressure is insufficient, try reducing the size of the barrier. I have heard that both Kuchiki-san and Amamiya-san possess considerable talent for Kidō. This should not be beyond your capabilities."
Tessai's words, while encouraging, made Rukia feel a twinge of insecurity. While her Kidō was better than average, mastering the nuances of such a high-level barrier spell was daunting.
But seeing Amamiya immediately close his eyes to focus, gathering his reiatsu with determined concentration, a spark of rivalry ignited in Rukia's chest.
'I won't lose to you either, Miyako!'