Omniverse: The Martial Artist

"Eh? Why?"

Hao asked in surprise. After spending two days with Aizen, he found that, if nothing else, having someone like him around—basically a walking Shinigami encyclopedia—was incredibly convenient. And now they were about to split up?

"The first class this afternoon is an elective," Aizen explained. "I chose calligraphy. Didn't you want to study Kaidō? The two classes overlap."

Only then did Hao notice that Aizen had been carrying a small bag all day—inside were his calligraphy tools.

"Who's subbing for Kaidō today?" Hao asked, relying once more on his personal walking database.

"Hao…"

Aizen looked a little helpless. "I don't know everything, alright? Elective teachers rotate constantly. It's usually whoever's free at the time. How would I know who's teaching today?"

"Oh, I see. No worries. I'll find out when class starts."

Hao got up and rubbed his stomach. "I won't go back to the dorm after lunch—I want to practice that Shunpo feeling a bit more."

As Aizen watched Hao's retreating figure, he muttered internally:

I used to think I was intense. Turns out my roommate is just as bad.

The only difference was, Aizen rolled quietly, while Hao charged forward openly.

---

"We meet again. Have you gotten used to life at the Academy?"

A gentle, melodious voice rang out from the front of the classroom. The owner of the voice smiled kindly at Hao.

Hao glanced at his personal stat screen—his "Luck: 1" still unchanged.

…Am I actually the lucky type after all?

He must be. Just when he'd been planning to learn Kaidō, the substitute instructor for today turned out to be the absolute master of it.

"I should thank you, Captain Unohana. Without your help, I'd still be starving in Rukongai. The food here at the academy is great."

Hao said it sincerely. Without Unohana, even if he had managed to enter Seireitei, it would've been a lot more difficult to get into the Academy. More importantly, he probably would've gone hungry for at least a few more days.

"Your focus is on the food?"

She chuckled lightly. "Also—here, you should call me teacher, not captain."

What a strange child… Unohana thought to herself.

She had already heard quite a bit over the past two days about Hao's rather… remarkable performance at the academy. It piqued her interest.

That's why she made a special trip today to fill in as a Kaidō instructor—mainly to see Hao again. She didn't expect he'd actually be in the class.

At first, she'd assumed he was just a prodigy in combat. But to her surprise, he had also chosen to study Kaidō.

So, what's your real purpose in learning Kaidō?

Do you want to become a support medic… or… are you aiming for the same thing I once did?

Her lips curved into a slightly dangerous smile. Hao shivered a little.

---

"Kaidō, unlike Hadō or Bakudō, doesn't follow a strict numerical hierarchy," she explained from the podium. "It's a healing-type Kidō that doesn't require incantations…"

Even though many of the students present were already familiar with the basics, no one interrupted her.

Most of them held deep admiration for the gentle and beautiful Captain Unohana. A few, however, found her presence… a bit terrifying. None dared to make a fuss.

Hao listened intently, jotting down notes in a brand-new notebook he had "borrowed" from Aizen.

After hearing the full explanation, he realized something surprising—

Kaidō might actually be the hardest of the three branches of Kidō.

Precisely because it didn't require chanting, its successful execution relied heavily on the user's spiritual control. And that made it even more demanding than it looked.

Currently, Kaidō in the Soul Society is understood in simple terms as the healing of spirit bodies—essentially, using reishi (spirit particles) to mend them. This is an incredibly delicate operation, not something just anyone can do.

According to Aizen, each year there are over a hundred students across all grades who choose Kaidō as an elective.

But in the end, the number of Shinigami who can actually pass Kaidō class? Barely enough to count on two hands.

To put it bluntly—

Kaidō is the branch of Kidō that relies most heavily on talent.

Without a certain level of innate ability, it's basically impossible to master.

---

"I'll now demonstrate a basic Kaidō technique," said Unohana. "I'll need a volunteer."

Before she even finished speaking, several hands shot up. Clearly, she had her fair share of die-hard fans.

But Unohana didn't pick any of the eager volunteers. Her eyes scanned the room before landing directly on Hao.

"Let's have the new student experience it first. Hao, come on up."

Hao had no objections—this was a rare opportunity to witness Kaidō up close. And if he was the subject of the demonstration, he'd be able to feel exactly how Unohana performed the technique.

Unohana smiled gently. "Hold out your hand."

Hao obediently extended his arm. Without warning, Unohana gripped it tightly—her delicate, jade-like hand was surprisingly strong, and he couldn't break free. With one swift motion, she pulled him closer.

Then, with one hand holding his wrist, she used the other to gently slide up the sleeve of his uniform. A light ticklish sensation came with the friction as the fabric was rolled back, revealing a well-toned arm.

"You've been training quite a bit…"

She said it sweetly, but Hao felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Unohana extended a single finger and lightly traced it across his arm.

Hao knew what was coming, but he still hoped—could she hurry up a little? It was really ticklish!

Just as he was about to say something, a sharp sting lanced through his arm.

A thin stream of blood ran down from the shallow cut, and the pain spread steadily outward.

Unohana had started from his wrist and traced a long, deep gash all the way to the middle of his forearm.

Hao didn't flinch. He didn't even frown.

Having trained in martial arts for years, he'd experienced plenty worse. His pain tolerance was exceptional—and right now, he was utterly focused. Because he knew Unohana was about to demonstrate Kaidō.

Seeing that he showed no reaction to the pain, Unohana's eyes lit up slightly—just for a moment, in a way no one else could see.

Like a flicker of… hunger.

But her hands never hesitated. "Watch closely, everyone."

A soft teal light glowed at her fingertips.

She gently passed her hand over the wound with deliberate, practiced grace.

Like magic, the wound she touched vanished instantly. Only the lingering bloodstains remained.

Hao watched with solemn concentration. Even though it was just a "simple" demonstration, her control and technique were incredibly refined.

To him, the healing effect bordered on the supernatural.

By the time the entire wound had closed, Hao was still lost in thought, mentally replaying the sensation.

"All done, Hao. You may return to your seat."

Only when Unohana released his arm and spoke again did he snap out of it.

He ignored a few inexplicable, jealous stares from his classmates and returned to his seat deep in contemplation.

So this is Kaidō…

But… how exactly did Unohana succeed?

Because deep down, Hao knew one critical fact—

He wasn't a spirit body. He was a living, breathing human being.