Chapter 126: Space Creation

Shunkō’s principle was simple but brutal: strap Kidō to your fist like a bomb, harming only the enemy. Yamabuki Haruto, having grasped its basics, needed practice to perfect it alongside Shihōin Chihiro.

By evening, Chihiro had tuned her Shunkō’s rhythm. Kidō chants and arm-condensing took time, like loading a cannon. Mastery demanded deeper Kidō training and stronger Reiatsu.

“Here I come!” Chihiro charged, Reiatsu erupting, shredding her sleeves. Haruto, his flesh-enhanced Reiatsu dwarfing hers, blocked her Shunkō with one hand. Her attacks, limited by weaker Reiatsu, couldn’t dent him.

Chihiro’s shihakushō tore from her own Reiatsu. Yamamoto had taught Haruto that a punch’s power flows from legs to waist, back, shoulder, and fist. Shunkō concentrated Reiatsu in arms and back, bursting normal clothes.

“No more!” Chihiro gasped, half-naked. “You’re a monster. Two months in Gotei 13, and your Reiatsu rivals Unohana’s. In years, you’ll challenge Yamamoto’s Zanka no Tachi.”

Haruto laughed bitterly. “I’m nowhere near that nuke.” His Reiatsu, boosted by the Soul King’s flesh, just edged Unohana’s.

“Grab wine; meet me in the dining hall,” Chihiro said, eyes sly. As Haruto turned, she flashed forward with Shunpo and Shunkō. “Sneak attack!”

An invisible barrier stopped her fist. Haruto’s spatial ability materialized—a small space behind him, like a Hollow’s Negación, isolating attacks. Aizen faced this at Sōkyoku, Haruto recalled. Even Yamamoto couldn’t break Negación’s space-time shield.

Another Hollow power? Haruto mused. The Soul King’s flesh made Fullbring or Schrift plausible. Or was this Reversal, Silver Angel’s Shikai? He’d once created a miniature space with Vollständig to absorb damage.

Space creation? Inspiration struck. “Chihiro, dinner’s off. I’ve got training to do,” Haruto said, rushing home. He released Reversal, Silver Angel, forming a ten-centimeter black sphere—an absolute vacuum, devoid of light, matter, or time, isolated from the world.

It lasted three seconds before collapsing. Perfect for defense, Haruto thought. It could shield his heart or head from non-rule-based attacks. With regeneration and Kaido, other injuries healed instantly. Why am I becoming a tank? Too many beatings?

Unohana returned from the Eleventh Division. “Cut me,” Haruto said, grinning.

She blinked, amused, but obliged, slashing with Minazuki. Each strike met a small spatial sphere, blocking her blade. “What’s this?” she asked.

“My new trick,” Haruto said. Shikai’s hidden power? The Quincy war loomed, and this could be his edge.