Under Kōga's careful arrangements, Rukia hesitated between accepting a placement in the Fourth Division or the Thirteenth Division before ultimately choosing the frontline duties of the Thirteenth.
Even with her new assignment, she continued shuttling between the two barracks.
On weekdays, she trained with her squad, but whenever she found even a little free time, she hurried to the Seventh Division to receive Zanjutsu guidance from Kazuma.
However, her progress was slow.
Among the four Shinigami arts, her weakest area was foundational Sword Technique, which left Kazuma rather frustrated.
When he had taught Kōga decades ago, the guy had grasped the philosophical essence of sword-holding in just a few days, while Rukia needed a full month just to learn it properly.
Arriving at the Seventh Division for her usual training, Rukia stood before Kazuma in the dirt courtyard with a serious expression.
After a month of effort, she had finally mastered the static sword-holding skill.
Knowing she no longer needed to repeat the grueling posture exercises, she felt ready to move on to higher-level training.
Looking at the determined girl, a flicker of satisfaction crossed Kazuma's eyes.
"We won't practice holding the sword today. It's time to move on to the next stage."
Hearing this, a wave of relief washed over Rukia, followed closely by a surge of anticipation.
Having finally escaped the tedious static practice, she felt eager to face new challenges, completely unaware that the real nightmare was only just beginning.
Tilting her head, Rukia asked, "The next stage? Are we going to practice drawing the blade, Sensei?"
Kazuma nodded slowly.
"Yes. Starting today, we begin drawing practice. Remember the quota I gave you: two thousand draws."
Rukia's face twisted into a bitter expression at the reminder, and she immediately regretted her youthful ignorance in agreeing to such a demand.
At first, she had thought that drawing a sword two thousand times was no big deal, but her physical conditioning had already taught her that the reality was completely different from what she had imagined.
Still, having come this far, she refused to give up.
Stepping forward, Kazuma demonstrated the fluid motion, prompting Rukia to fall into stance and begin her practice earnestly.
Gritting her teeth against the rising burn in her shoulders, Rukia drew her unreleased Asauchi again and again.
Her arms gradually grew sore and weak, trembling under the repetitive stress, but she stubbornly persisted.
Time passed slowly with each metallic ring of her blade.
"One thousand nine hundred ninety-nine… two thousand!" Rukia finally gasped, completing her daily quota as she leaned heavily on her scabbard, panting while sweat soaked through her Academy uniform.
Watching her closely, Kazuma offered an approving nod.
"Not bad. Keep practicing like this."
...
One humid afternoon, while Rukia was relentlessly practicing her draws alone in the courtyard, Kazuma approached her and tossed a specialized wooden sword toward her.
"Try drawing with this."
Catching the thick blade, Rukia staggered, surprised by its heavy weight.
"This is a specially carved training sword, core-weighted with iron sand to make it heavier than a standard Asauchi," Kazuma explained, leaning against the wooden fence. "Practicing with a heavier center of gravity will be more effective for building your striking speed."
Gripping the thick hilt tightly, Rukia drew the heavy sword with immense effort.
This time, the physical sensation was different.
The massive weight made every movement strenuous, forcing her to rely on the torque of her hips rather than just the strength of her arms.
As she drew the heavy sword repeatedly, she began to feel the natural inertia of the blade, learning to flow with the momentum of her own strength.
As the hours went on, her jerky movements gradually became fluid and natural.
Watching from the side, Kazuma smiled with genuine satisfaction.
"You're improving quickly, Rukia," Kazuma noted, his tone turning serious. "But standing still is not enough. In a real battle, your enemy won't give you a polite opening to draw your sword. You must be able to unsheathe the blade swiftly from any angle and deliver a fatal strike before they reach you."
...
A month of conditioning passed in the blink of an eye.
Stepping up the difficulty of her training, Kazuma instructed, "Rukia, the next phase is harder: drawing the blade while moving. You must learn to attack quickly and accurately while constantly shifting your physical position."
Inwardly groaning at the prospect of combining high-speed movement with heavy strikes, Rukia mustered her courage and launched into a sprint.
At first, her movements were clumsy, often tripping over her own momentum, but through continuous practice under Kazuma's watchful eye, she gradually found her lethal rhythm.
...
Time flew by, and another exhausting month passed.
Rukia's Zanjutsu technique grew proficient.
She could now draw her blade in a blur while moving at high speed, striking a wooden target with precision before her feet even touched the ground.
"You've done well, Rukia," Kazuma praised, tossing her a real Asauchi. "Now, try integrating the high-speed draw into an actual spar."
After several months of Kazuma's straightforward instruction, Rukia's foundational Sword Technique advanced to a respectable level.
However, her talent for Zanjutsu was still relatively poor.
To reach a masterful level comparable to Kōga's, she would have to persist with the regimen day and night on her own.
After finishing an exhausting sparring session, Kazuma looked at the panting girl and announced.
"Rukia, starting tomorrow, you don't need to come to the Seventh Division for training anymore."
Rukia's violet eyes widened in shock.
Tilting her head, she asked in confusion, "Why? Did I do something wrong, Sensei?"
Kazuma smiled faintly.
"No, you did well. I've taught you everything I can about the foundation of Sword Technique. The rest is up to you. You need time to digest the muscle memory and put these skills into practice during your actual duties with the Thirteenth."
Rukia nodded in understanding, and a massive sense of relief washed over her.
The months of intense Zanjutsu training had been a tremendous physical ordeal, so knowing she could finally catch her breath left her feeling relaxed.
Bowing deeply to show her respect, Rukia said clearly, "Thank you for your guidance, Master!"
Kazuma quickly waved his hands in annoyance.
"Hold on. I already told you I do not consider you my disciple! I only instructed you out of a personal favor to Kōga."
Taken aback for a moment, Rukia quickly regained her bright smile and corrected herself as she bowed again.
"Then thank you for your guidance, Sensei!"
As she walked out of the barracks, Rukia felt somewhat puzzled.
She was unsure why the Captain was so resistant to taking on a disciple, but since he hated the title, she decided to simply change how she addressed him.
As long as she could express her gratitude, that was enough.
...
Returning to the sprawling Kuchiki manor that evening, Rukia sought out Kōga in his private study.
"Uncle," Rukia called, stepping into the room. "Kazuma-sensei has officially finished my foundational instruction, but I have a question I'd like to ask you."
Setting his brush down, Kōga smiled.
"Go ahead."
Sitting on a cushion across from him, Rukia asked, "Why is Captain Kazuma so resistant to me calling him Master? He refuses to take me as his disciple! I know my Zanjutsu talent is poor, but I don't think I'm that bad, am I?"
Kōga chuckled softly and began recounting his own history.
"Rukia, you are still decades away from qualifying as his true disciple. In his eyes, you are barely a beginner. Do you have any idea what level of strength I possessed when I finally forced him to accept me?"
Rukia shook her head, her eyes wide.
"No."
Kōga's thoughts drifted back to the arrogant days of his youth, and his voice turned nostalgic.
"I had achieved massive early success. I mastered Bankai at a young age, which made me arrogant and dismissive of older Shinigami. During a public spar with Captain Kazuma, He made a bet that if I lost, I would become his disciple."
"At first, I scoffed at the idea of losing… but reality cruelly defeated me. I was utterly crushed by him without him even drawing his sword! It was in the dirt of that courtyard that I realized there were always greater heights, and monsters far stronger than a mere genius."
Hearing her uncle's recollection, Rukia's jaw dropped in disbelief.
A Captain-level prodigy with Bankai had been crushed by a man who did not even draw his sword?
"Uncle," Rukia pressed further, leaning in. "Can you defeat Kazuma-sensei now?"
Kōga shook his head slowly, a solemn look crossing his face.
"Don't be fooled by his lazy demeanor. Over the decades, his strength has become increasingly unfathomable. The older generation once whispered that he was second only to Yamamoto in sheer destructive power. Now, it seems he may have already surpassed the Captain-Commander."
As he spoke, Kōga's expression turned serious.
He leaned across the table and looked Rukia directly in the eye.
"What I am about to tell you next must not be revealed to anyone, Rukia. Do you understand? No matter who asks, this stays within the family."