On the way to the training grounds.
Ichigo looked at the marble floors with wonder. They were so perfectly cleaned that he could see his own reflection with just a glance. He soon realized that the eyes of everyone around them were fixed on him, Haschwalth, and Hubert, who was leading the two of them somewhere.
"Are we that interesting?"
As Ichigo muttered this, watching the whispering maids and the soldiers dressed in pristine white uniforms similar to Hubert’s, Hubert replied with a look of disdain.
"Of course. You’re the lucky ones His Majesty personally chose. One is a 'Quincy who shares power,' a rarity born only once every few decades, just like His Majesty. And the other is... 'the absurd Quincy who claims to be His Majesty’s biological son.'"
"...I’m not the one who claimed that."
While Ichigo pouted and sighed in exasperation, Hubert ignored him and came to a halt.
"We’re here, you brats. This is the Sternritter training ground. It’s where Quincies who aim to join the Sternritter practice, aside from you two."
He immediately swung the doors open.
On one wall, white human-shaped scarecrows were lined up at regular intervals, while on the opposite side, targets glowing with a faint blue light were clustered together.
Some other Quincies were already dealing with the scarecrows and targets in their own ways.
In the center was a large rectangular space, seemingly intended for sparring.
"Ooh..."
As Ichigo narrowed his eyes and looked around, and Haschwalth scanned the area with wide eyes, Hubert spoke without even glancing at Haschwalth.
"Blondie—Jugram, was it? You said you can't use a Heilig Bogen yet, right? Try swinging that sword of yours. Let’s see if you at least know how to use your body."
Haschwalth hesitated for a moment at his words, then drew the sword hanging at his waist with a trembling hand.
"...A fine blade."
Hubert left a brief comment on Haschwalth’s sword—the heirloom of the Bazzard family—and watched him with crossed arms, like a teacher observing a student solving a problem. Soon, Haschwalth stood before a scarecrow.
"Hup..!"
—Swish!
The sound of the blade cutting through the air was quite sharp.
Stepping forward with his right foot, he twisted his waist, using that rotational force to bring the sword down. There was no unnecessary tension in his shoulders, and his gaze was fixed precisely on his imaginary enemy.
A series of strikes followed immediately.
The sequence from thrusting to slashing and returning to a defensive stance was as smooth as flowing water.
"Whoa..."
Ichigo’s eyes sparkled as he watched the swordplay.
Having only ever handled an axe in his life, Ichigo felt a slight tremor of excitement and thought Haschwalth looked incredible.
"...Impressive. To have that level of swordsmanship at that age."
"I don't see what the big deal is. It's all useless if he can't gather Reishi."
The other Quincies were also chattering among themselves, intrigued by Haschwalth’s appearance but offering harsh evaluations of his movements.
Soon, Haschwalth performed a final move, accurately splitting the scarecrow’s chest in half, before sheathing his sword and panting heavily.
"Huff... huff..."
A bead of sweat from his forehead dripped onto the floor with a soft tap.
Hubert stared at Haschwalth silently before relaxing the tight muscles around his eyes slightly.
"Ho. That’s not the skill of someone who just started swinging a sword yesterday."
Hubert curled his lips into a satisfied smile.
"Your muscle usage and weight distribution are excellent. The only downsides are a few bad habits that pop up occasionally... but those can be fixed. As for your inability to use Reishi, His Majesty will surely know a way."
"...."
Haschwalth accepted the praise with a slow, expressionless bow.
Hubert nodded and then turned his gaze toward Ichigo.
"Now, it’s your turn. Fire a Heilig Pfeil. Hit that target over there."
"...Huh? Wait, hold on. I told you, I’ve never handled Reishi before! I can't do something like a Heilig Pfeil."
When Hubert spoke while rummaging through his pocket as if it were a given, Ichigo shouted in a hurry.
Hubert frowned and looked at Ichigo.
"...So that wasn't a lie?"
"Yeah. I can't do that!"
Hubert fell into thought for a moment as he looked at Ichigo, who was boldly declaring his incompetence. He didn't hide his discomfort.
"Then what is this Reiatsu you're giving off right now?"
"...What?"
While Ichigo hesitated, Hubert continued.
"The level of Reiatsu you're emitting right now... no matter how I look at it, it's at the level of a mid-to-high-tier warrior in our army. Reiatsu distributed so evenly across the body is a sign of mastery in handling Reishi. Have you really never handled Reishi before?"
At those words, Ichigo looked at Haschwalth with a desperate expression, asking if it was true. Haschwalth looked back at Ichigo with a strange expression and nodded.
Hubert let out a bewildered chuckle, his eyes filled with a peculiar light.
"...Are you some kind of genius?"
Hubert muttered this unconsciously, so softly that no one—not even himself—could hear it, and then looked at Ichigo again.
"Fine. Then have you ever seen someone handle Reishi?"
"...Yes. My grandfather showed me a few times, and I've seen others use it occasionally."
Ichigo quickly wiped the blank look off his face and nodded.
"Then this will be quick. I'll show you a demonstration one more time, and you're going to fire a Heilig Pfeil right from the start."
Saying so, Hubert immediately pulled a small, glowing medal from his pocket. It was a Quincy Cross, engraved with the symbol of the Quincy.
"Since it's your first time, I'll keep it simple. A Heilig Bogen is fundamentally used through this Quincy Cross as a medium. There's a thin wire inside, and if you hook your finger into this circular part and pull, the wire comes out. Based on that, if you pull the ring and hook your finger..."
The moment Hubert explained, blue light condensed at his fingertips in an instant, forming a blue Reishi bow about a meter long—a Heilig Bogen. It was a bow engraved with sophisticated and sharp geometric patterns.
"This is how a Heilig Bogen is made. Now, try making one yourself."
After de-manifesting the Heilig Bogen, he lightly tossed the Quincy Cross to Ichigo.
Ichigo caught the Quincy Cross quickly with both hands, swallowed hard, and prepared to pull the wire with tension.
'Okay, stay calm. I can do this. Everyone said I'm a genius, right? I should be more than capable of handling Reishi.'
Taking a deep breath to shake off the nerves, Ichigo focused his strength into his fingertips, recalling the Heilig Bogen Hubert had just made.
However, no blue light gathered. Only his trembling arm remained, looking pitiful.
"...What are you doing?"
"N-No!! Wait! I can do it!!"
Shouting with his eyes squeezed shut, Ichigo cursed inwardly and pulled the ring.
'Dammit, it really won't work? Is it because I'm nervous? Or because it's my first time?'
As he kept pulling the ring, Ichigo stopped for a moment and looked at his fingertips.
'...Wait. Why am I trying so hard? Joining the army wasn't my goal in the first place.'
Thinking about it, he had no intention of joining the Sternritter.
He had basically been dragged here by force while just walking down the street.
Yet, Ichigo was currently working hard to create a Heilig Bogen without even realizing it, trying to gain Hubert's approval.
This wasn't some simple desire for validation.
'...I want to know. If that man really is my biological father.'
Yhwach, who called Ichigo his biological son. The father of all Quincies.
Was he truly his father?
Not just as a figure of speech, but was he really the person who brought him into this world?
'I want to know.'
He wanted to know.
'I have to be recognized.'
And to find out, he had to be recognized.
"So please, just—!!"
Ichigo shouted through gritted teeth, his voice trembling.
"Work!!!"
In that moment, the Reiatsu Ichigo had been unconsciously suppressing exploded, and he began to forcibly drag in the surrounding Reishi.
"..!! What kind of violent..!"
Hubert couldn't hide his shock.
It was as if he were subjugating the surrounding Reishi and forcing it to 'serve' him.
One thing was clear: he was using something else to move the Reishi, forcing an act that didn't even suit his Quincy nature.
"...!"
Haschwalth stared at Ichigo with wide eyes, unable to hide his astonishment.
"W-What is that?"
"I don't know. What the hell is that?"
The other Quincies nearby were also unable to hide their confusion at Ichigo’s immense Reiatsu.
Soon, the vibration of the Reishi stopped. Ichigo, struggling to steady his trembling arm, panted heavily and wiped away beads of sweat as he held up the Heilig Bogen he had created.
"Huff... huff... did I... do it?"
It was a perfectly formed Reishi bow, shimmering with blue afterimages.
"...You pass too, Ichigo."
Hubert gave a hollow smile and shrugged, looking completely dumbfounded.
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