In the abandoned hospital, the veins on Uryū Ishida's forehead throbbed.
"Who told you to use it like that?"
Muten Natsu yawned. "What's the problem?"
"A Quincy doesn't fight with anything other than a bow!" Uryū Ishida pointed at the crescent-shaped spirit blade in Ichigo Kurosaki's hand. "What do you call that?!"
Ichigo Kurosaki looked completely innocent. "No one ever taught me. Things were urgent back then, so I just used whatever worked."
Wanting to become stronger, Ichigo Kurosaki had gone to Muten Natsu for help.
Ichigo Kurosaki had been a huge help in the previous battle, so Muten Natsu naturally didn't refuse.
Uryū Ishida, on the other hand, had no desire to help Ichigo Kurosaki. But as a Quincy, he couldn't just stand by and watch another Quincy be taught by a Shinigami, so he came along anyway.
"For someone who taught himself, getting this far is already pretty impressive," Muten Natsu said, flicking a finger lightly. "There's real physical impact, and the Reiryoku is highly condensed."
"Doesn't it kind of look like a bow?" Orihime Inoue tilted her head. "I mean, it counts, right?"
The cross on Uryū Ishida's wrist floated up, gathering Reishi and forming a Reishi bow. He drew the string and released an arrow. The Reishi projectile slammed into the wall.
"That is what a bow and arrow looks like."
"I can do it too." Before asking them for help, Ichigo Kurosaki had tried countless times on his own. He swung his spirit blade hard, sending a crescent-shaped slash flying into the wall. "Like this."
Muten Natsu nodded. "That really does count as a bow and arrow."
Uryū Ishida: "…Heresy!"
"As long as it works," Muten Natsu suggested. "If you're not satisfied, you can always teach him the orthodox Quincy fighting style. More skills never hurt."
"…Fine." Uryū Ishida began explaining patiently. "First, transform your Reishi armament into the shape of a bow."
Ichigo Kurosaki recalled the initial sensation and let the spirit blade in his hand return to a form with equal length on both sides.
"Next, hook your fingers around the ring and feel the connection between the ring and the cross. Strengthen that connection through Reishi concentration. While drawing the string, use that connection to further condense the Reishi within the bow. Bind and refine the Reishi in the atmosphere to maintain the strength of the Reishi string. You need to carefully adjust the different elasticities of the bow and the string, shape the Reishi, wrap it with your own Reiryoku to create a Reishi arrow, and then release it."
Uryū Ishida fired another Reishi arrow, then pushed up his glasses in satisfaction.
"Well? Pretty simple, right?"
Ichigo Kurosaki: "Huh?"
"I got it." The principles were essentially similar to Kidō. Rukia Kuchiki had even taught something like this to Orihime Inoue before. Muten Natsu shook Ichigo Kurosaki's head. "But he seems completely lost."
Uryū Ishida pressed a hand to his forehead. "I feel like I can hear a tiny brain rattling around inside an empty skull."
"How is anyone supposed to understand that?!" Ichigo Kurosaki cried, looking for support. "Chad, did you get it?"
"I…" Yasutora Sado hesitated, then clenched his right fist. Black armor wrapped around his arm, two prongs spreading outward from his wrist. A surge of Reishi was drawn in and poured into it. He threw a punch, and a roaring torrent of Reishi blasted into the wall. "I can do it."
Uryū Ishida nodded. "See? I told you it was simple."
Ichigo Kurosaki shook his head, once again feeling as though he could hear a tiny brain bouncing around inside an empty skull.
Why does it feel like I'm the only one who can't do it?
Ichigo Kurosaki tried to hook the ring on the cross, recalling Uryū Ishida's instructions as he tugged the ring away from it.
"Use Reiryoku… wrap it with Reiryoku… but what even is Reiryoku…"
He closed his eyes and focused. To his surprise, he actually felt a pulling sensation. With a hard yank, the ring came free from the cross.
"I did it… huh?"
He stared blankly at his left hand. A short, dagger-like Reishi blade had appeared there.
Uryū Ishida took a deep breath. "Where's the string? One weapon wasn't enough, so you made two? You heretic!"
"Everyone's body is different, so the way they use power naturally differs too," Muten Natsu said, thinking of a possibility. "Why don't you try talking to the Quincy Cross? Ask it its name or something."
Ichigo Kurosaki: "Huh?"
"That's all I can do for you. From here on, you're on your own." He had originally planned to help Ichigo Kurosaki get a proper grasp of his power, but… Uryū Ishida shook his head. "I'm going into seclusion for a while."
Muten Natsu asked, "Summer break's almost here. Why go into seclusion all of a sudden?"
Uryū Ishida shot him a glance and said nothing.
The trouble he had caused was ultimately resolved by a Shinigami.
That only made Uryū Ishida more eager to grow stronger.
He needed to prepare for the day he would have to clean up the mess Muten Natsu caused.
Don't think this means you've won.
I won't lose to you.
…
Today's training came to an end, and everyone went their separate ways.
When Yasutora Sado's hand touched his front door, he suddenly froze.
The door wasn't locked.
He opened it. In his usually empty home sat a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair.
Eating ramen.
"Ah, you're back." The man finished the last of the broth in one gulp. "Yasutora Sado."
"Who… are you?"
"You might be wondering how I got in," the man said, pointing at the door. "I told the lock to open, so it opened. Then I came in."
"Who… are you?"
"You might be wondering why the lock listened to me," the man said, wiggling his fingers. "Because I pulled out the lock's soul."
"Who… are you?"
"You might be wondering how I was able to pull out the lock's soul." The man stood up. "Because I possess a Fullbring."
"Who… are you?"
"If you're not going to listen, there's no point in me explaining it again," the man said helplessly, shaking his head. "I'm Kūgo Ginjō, a Fullbringer just like you."
"Not the same."
"Oh?" Kūgo Ginjō raised an eyebrow. "You're that sure?"
"Yes." Yasutora Sado nodded. "I wouldn't… break into someone else's house to eat ramen."
Kūgo Ginjō replied indignantly, "But I like ramen!"
Yasutora Sado paused for a moment. "So… you don't have a home of your own."
Kūgo Ginjō: "…Let's talk business. You're about to die."
"Because… you're eating ramen in my house?"
"Because of your awakened power," Kūgo Ginjō corrected. "You'll be killed by the Shinigami, along with your friend Ichigo Kurosaki."
Dong dong dong!
The sound reached Ichigo Kurosaki in his sleep.
Who's knocking on my window?
He sat up in bed and pulled the curtain aside.
Outside the window was…
A lion's head.