Chapter 30: with translation of chapter title

Guard Court First Division barracks, swordsmanship dojo……

It is among the Guard Court Thirteen Divisions, the dojo with the most luxurious facilities; whether the flooring wood or the furnishings in the dojo, they are far beyond what the swordsmanship dojo of the Eleventh Division barracks can compare to……

However, on this spacious swordsmanship dojo, there were not many First Division members coming to train; gazing out, the empty dojo had only a single person standing on the wooden floor, like an tireless machine, continuously waving the wooden sword in hand! Sweat flying……

This person is none other than the captain of the Guard Court First Division, and also the commander-in-chief of the Guard Court Thirteen Divisions, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni! Since a few months ago, when Araki warned Yamamoto about the dangers of the Quincy, the commander-in-chief of the Guard Court Thirteen Divisions, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, has not left this dojo; he has been constantly training himself, improving himself, keeping his body in the optimal state for combat……

However, accompanied by a chilling spiritual pressure, it blew in through the dojo's ventilation window with the breeze! It seemed that the tireless Guard Court Thirteen Divisions commander-in-chief, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, who continuously waved his wooden sword, sensed something, and he abruptly halted his relentless sword-swinging motion……

"This spiritual pressure, is it from Chōjirō and Araki?!"

Genryūsai set down his wooden sword, picked up the towel wrapped around his neck, lightly wiped the sweat from his forehead, and made his way to the edge of the dojo, looking out through the ventilation window at the far distance.

"Is Chōjirō undergoing Bankai? Though likely, Chōjirō will still lose to that brat Araki!"

"I only hope that Chōjirō, with the help of that brat Araki, might gain something!"

Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's gaze was like a torch; looking into the distance, he saw the sky over the Eleventh Division barracks shrouded in those heavens‑covering dark clouds, and in an instant he understood roughly what was happening outside.

Although Genryūsai usually keeps his emotions hidden and is extremely strict with everyone, in private he still holds high hopes for Chōjirō of the Sparrow Division, and he also wishes that Chōjirō can find his own path to grow stronger……

On the other side, outside the swordsmanship dojo of the Eleventh Division barracks, on the open ground.

As Araki disarmed Chōjirō and took his Soul‑Cutting Sword, the dark clouds that had been summoned over the Eleventh Division barracks by Chōjirō's Bankai‑activated Soul‑Cutting Sword gradually dissipated……

"Do you want to keep going?!"

Araki gripped the Soul‑Cutting Sword he had snatched from Chōjirō's hand and asked the fallen Chōjirō.

"I'm done fighting, I'm done……"

Chōjirō shook his head repeatedly after hearing Araki's words.

Nonsense, he even had his Soul‑Cutting Sword taken by Araki; without Bankai, what does he have to fight Araki with? Rely on a hard head?

"You can't do that, Sparrow……

"After not seeing each other for hundreds of years, you're still……

Araki felt a little disappointed upon hearing Sparrow admit defeat……

Next, Araki casually tossed back the Soul‑Cutting Sword he had taken from Sparrow to the still‑prone Sparrow.

"Pfft!"

Behold, the Soul‑Cutting Sword thrown by Arake kept flipping in the air, tracing an exquisitely beautiful arc, and then plunged into the soil less than five centimeters from Sparrow's most vital 'little brother'!

"Araki, be careful! A little more and my brother would have died!"

Sparrow looked at the Soul‑Cutting Sword emitting a cold light, buried half a foot into the ground, and his face turned deathly pale from shock.

"Doesn't matter, right?"

"Anyway, you can't use that thing; might as well cut it off~

"This way you'll be better off, able to focus more on improving yourself……

Araki said, turned his body, and walked toward the Eleventh Division barracks.

"Hey! You lot, you've watched enough—get back to training~

Before leaving, Araki didn't forget to remind the group of Eleventh Division members who had been sneaking a look at his fight with Sparrow to immediately return to the dojo for training.

"All right, Captain Araki! Take your time……

All those who, since the start of Araki and Sparrow's clash, had remained silent, trying to minimize their presence and pretend they didn't exist, upon hearing Araki's words, scrambled up from the ground, straightened their bodies, and bowed to Araki at a ninety‑degree angle.

Each Eleventh Division member bent his waist so much that he was practically a right angle……

"Hn……

Araki heard it, gave a slight nod, stopped looking at those Eleventh Division members, and headed straight to his quarters for a nap in the Eleventh Division captain's room.

"Araki……

"Our training isn't over yet, is it?!'"

Sparrow saw Araki about to leave and instantly grew anxious; he still wanted Araki to keep training him a bit……

"Sparrow, you're too weak; even if I train you, you won't gain any growth……

"Besides, my fighting style doesn't suit you! If you fought my way, you might end up dying even faster on the battlefield……

Upon hearing that, Araki finally stopped, turned his side to look at the dirt‑covered Sparrow, and spoke helplessly.

"Really?!'"

After hearing Araki's words, Sparrow's expression twitched slightly; he opened his mouth to say something, but in the end all his thousands of thoughts boiled down to just two characters.

Yes, Sparrow originally wanted to rebut Araki a few times! He didn't think he was incapable of learning Araki's combat techniques; even without talent, needing to put in a thousand‑fold, ten‑thousand‑fold effort, he would still master it to show Araki……

But when Sparrow recalled that just moments ago, in his fight with Araki, he had clearly stabbed Araki's body with his own Soul‑Cutting Sword, yet Araki emerged unscathed, the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back; that technique he really seemed unable to learn.

No, that can't even be called a technique anymore; it's practically some unfathomable divine skill……

"Sparrow, I think you'd be better off not choosing to fight enemies head‑on like we do, but instead maximize the advantage of your Soul‑Cutting Sword! Use its swift characteristic to carry out rear‑stab assassinations!

"Anyway, once the enemy becomes strong enough that your First Division must join the fight! The front‑line battlefield of the First Division is also the personal stage of Old Man Mountain; enemies Old Man Mountain can handle, you First Division troops would just get in the way; enemies Old Man Mountain cannot handle, even if you muster the full strength of the First Division, you still couldn't defeat them!

"Therefore, I think you'd be better off, while Old Man Mountain acts like the sun drawing fire, to slip behind the enemy like a shadow, then use the lightning‑like speed your Soul‑Cutting Sword grants to instantly pierce the enemy's heart! Give the enemy a surprise and blessings~

Araki analyzed based on Sparrow's Soul‑Cutting Sword characteristics.

"Like a shadow, slip behind the enemy and attack?!'"

"I get it! I finally understand!'"

Upon hearing Araki's words, Sparrow's eyes instantly shone with excitement, as if he had grasped some essence.

Perhaps even Araki himself didn't expect it; he merely gave Sparrow a couple of pointers based on his past‑life memories, yet this brought about the birth of the Soul Society's number‑one 'old six' back‑stab king.

"As long as you understand, that's fine.'

Araki looked at Sparrow, whose confidence was blazing, and gave a slight nod.

"However, Sparrow, your flash steps, barehanded strikes, demon arts, and swordsmanship must not be neglected just because your Soul‑Cutting Sword's Bankai performance is excellent! I think Old Man Mountain should have told you that a Shinigami's most basic abilities lie not in the Soul‑Cutting Sword, but in the cultivation of one's four fundamental foundations……

Immediately afterward, Araki seemed to think of something else and reminded Sparrow.

I understand!

Quebu heard the words, he recalled his Soul-Cutting Sword being disarmed by Araki, his helpless 'ugly' appearance, he immediately nodded seriously, he decided that from now on he must not neglect the training of the Death God basics, next time when he encounters his Soul-Cutting Sword being disarmed, he will absolutely not be so embarrassed.

Araki, regarding the training of 'cut', 'fist', 'walk', 'ghost', can you be my coach? I think, if I can get your help, my basic abilities will surely make rapid progress...

Quebu Chojiro, after making up his mind to diligently train the 'cut, fist, walk, ghost', he extended an invitation to Araki, hoping that Araki could become the coach of his Death God four basics.

Never mind my words~

But I found someone for you, a better teacher than me~

After all, we're good brothers! No need to thank me..

When Araki mentioned the phrase 'a better teacher than me', he couldn't help but cast a somewhat teasing and slightly pitying glance at Quebu..

As Araki finished speaking, he turned around and left without looking back. He, Araki, is kind-hearted and cannot bear to see others bleeding profusely! So he simply chose not to look..

A better coach than Araki?!

Quebu Chojiro, after hearing Araki's words, stood frozen in place, he simply could not imagine that among the Eleventh Division, there could be any member whose teaching ability could surpass Araki's and be even more outstanding..

Ah la~

Isn't this Quebu, the vice-captain? I didn't expect to see you again~

Just as Quebu's expression froze slightly and a sense of suspicion rose in his heart, a gentle female voice slowly sounded from his front-right.

You are…… Vice-captain Unohana?!

Quebu looked at the person who came and instinctively greeted them.

Immediately afterward, Quebu suddenly sensed something amiss; alarm bells rang in his heart, and an ominous premonition gradually welled up inside him.

Um, Captain Unohana, may I ask you a question? I don't know when the instructor who is even better than Captain Araki, whom he just mentioned, will arrive.

Actually, at this moment Quebu had already guessed what was waiting for him next.

But deep inside Quebu Chojiro's heart, there was a fierce desire to live! That incredibly strong will to survive made him unable to believe that what he thought was actually the fact.

Ah la~

Vice-captain Quebu, you're joking~

The person responsible for training your cut, fist, walk, ghost isn't standing right before you?

Upon hearing this, Unohana Retsu gave Quebu a slightly eerie smile..

Just then, Unohana Retsu gently loosened her coiled long hair, and instantly a head of black-as-ink hair flowed down along her snow-white neck..

At the very moment Unohana Retsu released her hair, her entire demeanor changed abruptly; the originally gentle and soft Unohana Retsu seemed to transform into a blood-soaked rakshasa!

Indeed, the person responsible for teaching Quebu the Death God four basics is none other than the former Kenpachi, Unohana Retsu.

Can I still make it back in time?!

Quebu Chojiro looked at the figure before him, whose whole body exuded a blood-ink-like killing aura, the original Kenpachi, and his eye twitched slightly.

Suddenly, Quebu Chojiro felt a bit regretful about coming to the Eleventh Division to seek Araki for training!

Hang in there! Don't die, okay! Quebu Chojiro!

Meanwhile, Araki returned to his own captain's quarters, and instead of lying down on the sofa for a nap, he silently mourned for his dear friend Quebu Chojiro for a full three seconds!

Thank you, Araki!

Meanwhile, Quebu Chojiro looked at the blood-soaked ground before him and revealed an extremely ugly smile.

And also~

(End of chapter)