Two days later, at the Kido Corps barracks.
Hasumi Ren passed through the main gate of the Kido Corps and walked along the corridor.
In the training grounds, many Kido Corps members were practicing.
Someone saw him enter; their eyes flickered for a moment before quickly looking away.
"Why is he here again?"
"No idea. Why does an outsider keep coming to our Kido Corps?"
"I heard the Grand Kido Chief arranged an off-book internship for him..."
"But... on what grounds?"
Whispers drifted from every corner; they didn't even bother to lower their voices.
Ren remained unfazed, walking straight to the edge of the field and finding an inconspicuous spot to stand.
Before long, Tsukabishi Tessai stepped out from the inner chamber.
He scanned the area, his gaze pausing on Ren for a brief moment. He gave a slight nod before facing the crowd and speaking in a deep voice.
"You have been practicing the basics of dual incantation for some time now."
"Today, I will test your progress."
The members straightened up, their focus sharpening.
His gaze swept across the group.
"Who will go first?"
The training grounds fell silent for a moment as everyone looked at one another.
Then, a young member with an arrogant expression stepped forward.
Tessai nodded.
The member took a deep breath and raised both hands, gathering two distinct Kido spiritual pressures in his palms.
He then attempted to merge the two spheres of light.
As soon as the spheres touched, they began to vibrate violently.
The member's forehead was slick with sweat as he struggled to maintain them, but after only two breaths, the spheres shattered with a bang.
He stepped back with a sour look as suppressed laughter echoed behind him.
Several others tried next with similar results. The best among them couldn't even hold it for three breaths.
Tessai remained expressionless, showing neither approval nor disappointment.
However, the surrounding atmosphere clearly began to grow heavy.
Tessai's gaze eventually landed on Ren, who was standing in the corner.
"Ren, you've been studying for about as long as they have. You try it as well."
Hearing this, Ren looked at Tessai.
Every eye in the training grounds instantly focused on him.
He walked to the center of the field and raised his hands.
Crimson and azure began to intertwine and spin, forming a stable double-helix structure.
The members who had been whispering earlier grew quiet. Many looked quite resentful.
'They were starting to realize something—was this guy being used by the Grand Kido Chief to put them in their place?'
Ren finished his demonstration, dispersed his spiritual pressure, and stepped aside.
Tessai nodded, his tone flat.
"Good."
But in those deep eyes, a clear flash of admiration passed through.
"He only came to the Kido Corps for the first time a few days ago, yet he has already mastered the prototype of dual incantation."
"Some of you have been practicing for over two months, yet how many of you have actually succeeded?"
"Keep practicing," he said, turning to the members. "Some of you have become far too complacent."
The members were silent as they dispersed to practice individually.
But Ren could feel the stares becoming more complex.
It wasn't just contempt and defiance; jealousy and confusion were now woven together.
During a break, a few members in Kido Corps uniforms approached Ren, sizing him up.
"Which squad are you from?"
Ren glanced at them. Based on their attire and attitude, they were likely from noble families.
After all, commoners rarely had the connections to enter the Kido Corps.
Unlike the Gotei 13, the Kido Corps and the Stealth Force were essentially private domains for the nobility.
"Stealth Force, Second Division."
The man blinked in surprise.
"The Stealth Force?"
"Yes."
"What is a member of the Stealth Force doing learning Kido instead of perfecting their Hakuda?"
Upon hearing he was from the Stealth Force, the questioner's tone lost some of its contempt, and his arrogant attitude softened slightly.
However, Ren didn't answer.
Seeing his silence, the man frowned and glanced toward the longhouse at the edge of the training grounds.
Tessai was resting inside, paying no attention to what was happening outside.
"Even if you are with the Stealth Force, it's not quite appropriate for an outsider to be coming and going from here so frequently, is it?"
"..."
Several nearby members looked over at his words.
The atmosphere grew tense.
Just then, Tessai's voice came from behind them.
"Ren is here on my special authorization for an off-book internship. If you have any complaints, you can take them up with me."
The member's expression shifted instantly. He turned to see the Grand Kido Chief, who had appeared behind them, and quickly bowed.
"No, I wouldn't dare."
Tessai walked up to them, his gaze landing on the member. His voice was calm, yet it carried an invisible weight.
"He is studying Kaido in the Fourth Division while simultaneously learning Kido here, all while keeping up with his Stealth Force training. And what about you?"
"You're content with the status quo, showing no ambition. Your attitude toward training is pathetic."
"Do you think everything is fine just because you coasted into a position through your family's influence?"
The member lowered his head in silence, his teeth clenched where no one could see.
Tessai scanned the entire field before returning his gaze to the member.
"Any more questions?"
The member's face flushed. Finally, he forced a few words out through his teeth.
"My apologies, Kido Chief. I was... out of line."
With that, he and the others behind him turned and left.
Ren stood his ground with a neutral expression, silently observing the conflict between Tessai and the members.
He had a faint idea of why the Grand Kido Chief had specially authorized him to study here.
But unfortunately, the results seemed a bit different from what was intended.
'It seems the Kido Corps wasn't exactly a monolithic entity.'
'The atmosphere here is much worse than that of the Stealth Force.'
Tessai frowned at the departing members. His lips twitched, but in the end, he said nothing more.
"Those fellows are used to being arrogant. I'll make sure to push them harder from now on. Please, overlook it."
Hearing this, Ren spoke softly.
"It's fine."
"I was wondering why the Grand Kido Chief wanted me here. It turns out I'm being used as a spur to motivate these lazy members."
"But right now, it looks like it's having the opposite effect."
Tessai's expression was heavy as he let out a deep sigh.
"I'm sorry, young man."
"These people are even more shortsighted than I anticipated."
Ren chuckled lightly, appearing quite unbothered.
"The Grand Kido Chief doesn't need to worry about it."
"I came here to learn, not to make friends. How they view me doesn't matter to me."
He glanced sideways at the members who were still practicing, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear.
"Besides... if my presence makes them train harder, then I've done my part for the Kido Corps."
"As for everything else, I don't care."
'After all, picking up shards is enough.'
Tessai took a long look at him.
In those deep eyes, there was pure admiration, along with a faint, nearly imperceptible... expectation.
Tessai spoke slowly.
"Very well. Just focus on your studies and ignore them."
"Speaking of which, your foundation in dual incantation is quite solid. Shall we move on to the next set of techniques?"
Although Ren had already learned from Unohana, Tessai's demonstration would surely provide different insights and more shards.
Factoring in his private practice in the Fourth Division and Unohana's subsequent guidance, his proficiency in dual incantation was progressing beautifully.
[SYSTEM: Dual Incantation - Beginner (45%)]
With that in mind, Ren gave a slight nod.
"Then I shall trouble you, Grand Kido Chief."