I Became a Shinigami After Death

"Impressive!"

Even the observing instructor couldn't help but exclaim in awe. Yoruichi's counterattack was nearly flawless—pinned to the floor, her only chance to turn the tide was through grappling techniques. And she had managed to find that minuscule opening!

Yoruichi moved with incredible speed, her legs locking tightly around Ren like coiling vines, fluid yet unyielding.

Ren's gaze sharpened. He hadn't underestimated her, but this move hit his blind spot. Among all types of combatants, grapplers were the most troublesome for him.

In his previous world, he had defeated several experts in this art, not because grappling was ineffective, but because his overwhelming strength had crushed their precision. However, things were different now. Yoruichi's spiritual energy was almost on par with his own—perhaps even superior. His brute strength advantage was gone. If he allowed her to lock him down, defeat was certain.

Instinctively, in a fraction of a second, Ren executed a backward somersault. The sudden manoeuvre disrupted Yoruichi's attempt to wrap her legs around his neck, flipping the situation entirely.

If Yoruichi didn't adjust her posture mid-air, her head would slam into the floor. But if she did, her leg lock on Ren would break.

A moment of hesitation sealed her fate.

To everyone's shock, Ren planted his hands on the ground mid-air, avoiding the collision Yoruichi anticipated. As she adjusted her position, Ren seized the opportunity, twisting his hips and throwing her off.

Before Yoruichi could rise, Ren's fist stopped inches from her face. The wind from the punch swept through her hair, and a bead of sweat slid down her forehead, reflecting in her amber eyes, still wide with surprise.

Ren stood up slowly from his crouched stance. "Thank you for the match."

He had restrained himself in the final moment—not out of chivalry, but because he recalled sparring with Instructor Fujimoto. A punch like that would have hurt him more than it hurt her if it landed.

The dojo fell into an eerie silence before gasps filled the air.

"The Demoness lost?!"

"The Shihōin family's Hakuda prodigy lost to a transfer student?"

"Isn't Yoruichi supposed to be a genius? How could she lose..."

"Didn't she even beat the instructor during sparring once?"

Among the murmuring crowd, Aizen stood silently, his face expressionless, though his thoughts churned. His sharp eyes followed Ren's figure.

"To think he could defeat Shihōin Yoruichi... Even his Hakuda is this strong? Just how many things are you skilled at?"

"You're telling me you've never formally studied Hakuda?"

Disbelief coloured Yoruichi's voice as she rose to her feet with a complicated expression marring her face. From the murmurs around them, she pieced together his background. He was nothing more than a street urchin from Rukongai.

"No one in Rukongai taught me Hakuda," Ren explained. "I just figured out some moves on my own."

Of course, he couldn't reveal his true origin as someone from another world, so he kept it vague.

If Ren wanted to graduate early, he couldn't afford to hide his strength like Aizen. He had to shine with everything he had to achieve his goal.

"Hmph. Don't get cocky," Yoruichi scoffed. "I got careless earlier. Next time, I'll definitely beat you!"

Her scepticism about Ren's claim was evident. To her, his fighting style, while appearing wild and instinct-driven, had clear structure and discipline—hallmarks of proper training.

Ren chuckled at her defiant expression. He couldn't help but find it amusing that the cool and flirtatious Yoruichi from the original story had such a fiery and youthful side. "Win first, then talk."

With that, he turned to Aizen. "Sōsuke, care for a spar?"

Watching Ren walk away, Yoruichi ground her teeth in frustration. She couldn't deny the truth: even if she had gone all out from the start, there was no guarantee she could have beaten him. This transfer student was undeniably skilled in Hakuda.

Since childhood, she had never lost in this field—not to anyone. She swore she'd turn the tables next time, not for the honour of the Shihōin family, but simply because she couldn't swallow this humiliation.

The memory of Ren's unorthodox low kicks burned in her mind. She clenched her fists, vowing to crush him next time, even if it meant...kicking his balls next time!

Meanwhile, sparring with Aizen, Ren suddenly felt a cold shiver run down his spine, causing a momentary lapse in his movements. Aizen's casual punch struck his chest.

Aizen paused, slightly puzzled. "Was Ren holding back for my sake?"

For the rest of the class, Ren and Aizen continued their sparring, during which Aizen humbly sought advice on Hakuda techniques.

Ren shared some practical combat methods he had developed in his previous world, though he couldn't gauge how much Aizen had genuinely absorbed since the latter's performance remained stuck at 'average' for the rest of the class.

Several times, Ren almost blurted out, "Aizen, isn't it exhausting pretending to be so mediocre? Can't you fight properly?"

After class, Aizen remarked with a faint smile, "Ren-kun, you might make a good teacher one day. I learned a lot from this session."

Aizen had indeed gained valuable insights, though he hadn't shown them during the spar. Ren's unconventional combat strategies intrigued him, potentially useful in his own grand plans for the future.

"By the way, Ren," Aizen asked as they walked out, "have you ever practised Kidō before?"

-------

Ren gazed at the towering figure before him—a middle-aged man with reflective glasses, an unusual horn-like hairstyle, and clad in a deep blue robe. He couldn't help but marvel at how peculiar and fascinating this world was.

"....Wait, isn't this the legendary Grand Kidō Chief, Tessai Tsukabishi? And he's still teaching at the Shin'o Academy at this time?"

Ren was startled by the realization, his mind racing.

"Ren-kun, you'd better not let your mind wander during this class," Aizen gently reminded him in a calm tone.

Ren couldn't help but marvel internally. "Well, can you believe this? The very same uncle who ends up working at Urahara's shop in the future is already the Commander of Kidō Corp at this point?"

The reverence from the students was palpable. Everyone sat up straight, their attention razor-sharp, as if afraid they might miss some profound "truth of Kidō" being revealed. It was clear from their posture alone how highly they regarded Tessai Tsukabishi.

"I hear a new transfer student is joining us today," Tessai began, his voice steady but commanding. "Let me first cover the basics of Kidō. For those who've heard this before, don't feel disheartened—the truth is often found within the fundamentals."

As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Ren for a brief moment. Despite being a newcomer, Ren Hoshino had already become a topic of interest within the academy, and Tessai had clearly heard the rumours.

The other students showed no signs of impatience. They listened intently, eager to absorb every word of the master's explanation.

Ren, too, paid close attention, his interest piqued. This was his first formal encounter with "supernatural" abilities. Though his primary passion lay in martial arts, Kidō techniques of the Soul Society intrigued him. Properly applied, they could undoubtedly enhance his combat effectiveness in surprising ways.

Tessai, despite his eccentric appearance, proved to be an exceptional teacher. His explanations were clear and engaging, allowing even Ren, a complete novice, to quickly grasp the essence of Kidō.

Kidō, as explained, was divided into three main categories: Hadō (Destructive Spells), Bakudō (Binding Spells), and Kaido (Healing Techniques).

At its core, Kidō involved channelling spiritual energy through incantations, shaping it into various effects.

Reciting an incantation wasn't strictly necessary to cast Kidō, but it served as a 'mould,' helping Shinigami structure and refine the spell. Those highly skilled in Kidō could forgo incantations entirely, enabling instantaneous casting.

However, such mastery was rare. Most Shinigami lacked the finesse required to control their spiritual energy without an incantation. At best, some could omit incantations for lower-level spells, but only the most gifted individuals—those with extraordinary talent—could cast high-level Kidō without them.

For instance, Ren thought, glancing at the seemingly harmless Aizen Sōsuke seated beside him.

Tessai's voice cut through his thoughts. "Aizen, since you seem to be on good terms with our new student, why don't you guide him through the casting of some basic Kidō techniques?"

Aizen's expression remained serene, as though he had anticipated being called upon. Although he deliberately concealed his true potential in most classes, his prowess in Kidō consistently placed him at the top of the rankings.

Aizen's curiosity was piqued as well. This would be the perfect opportunity to assess Ren's aptitude for Kidō firsthand.

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[T/N] - With this chapter, we crossed the 15K words milestone! Now on, we can be ranked in the Powerstone rankings!! I'll be depending on you guys when that time comes, so don't forget to VOTE Powerstones. 

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