Bleach: Getting Stronger Starting from Teaching at the Spiritual Arts Academy

Mayuri Kurotsuchi chuckled lightly.

If July hadn't used her shadow ability to identify these two Soul Hunters with spiritual pressure, their actions could have remained a secret for a very long time.

"How do we find your leader?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi asked.

"We members who stayed behind at the 'hunting ground'... were all contacted one-way by the leader." The man in overalls and with a buzz cut, fearing that Death wouldn't believe him, quickly explained, "The leader is very cautious and won't reveal his whereabouts to us. We know the leader went to the Mingmu region because we provided information about the Soul Hunters there!"

"My disciples are on duty in Naruki. Ask them if they've made any discoveries." July took out the communication device, preparing to contact Shiba Isshin.

The messenger machine quickly responded, transmitting Shiba Isshin's voice:

"teacher!"

Isshin, are you still in the Naruki region?

"I'm still on duty here. Do you miss me, teacher?"

After not seeing each other for a while, Shiba became bolder.

"I heard you've fallen behind in your cultivation. Would you like me to personally 'give you some pointers'?"

"I was wrong!"

Shiba Ichishin immediately admitted his mistake.

"How are Shuangye and Yao's assessments going?"

In July, he inquired about the situation of his disciples.

“It’s over! Their performance…” Shiba Isshin hesitated for a moment, “They all did a great job! But my duty isn’t over yet, so they’re still here.”

The Grim Reaper on duty in the Naruki area did not notice the Soul Hunter's presence.

"It seems nothing's wrong over there, but I caught two Soul Hunters who devour human souls in Karakura Town. Their leader seems to have gone to the Naruki region," July said.

"Devouring human souls? Isn't that just a void?" Shiba Isshin was unfamiliar with the term Soul Hunting.

Soul Hunters were created very early on, and unless you were in the know, you wouldn't bother to investigate them. Shiba Isshin didn't know what Soul Hunters were.

“It’s not an illusion. They feed on souls and have a strong ability to hide. If they conceal their spiritual pressure, it’s very difficult to distinguish them from humans,” July explained.

"It can devour human souls..." Shiba Isshin seemed to remember something. "During my time here in Naruki, a few strange things happened. I thought they were just a hoax, but now it seems they might be related to Soul Hunting?"

"It seems you have some leads. I'll head over now."

In July, I plan to go to the Naruki region to resolve the matter of the Soul Hunter.

The leader of the Soul Hunters gathered his companions not for survival, but to launch a counterattack against the Soul Society.

The Soul Hunters were wiped out by the Grim Reaper once, and they have a grudge against the Grim Reaper. The leader of the Soul Hunters wants to gather the Soul Hunters and launch a counterattack on the Soul Society.

Although July thought their idea was naive, Soul Hunters could indeed grow stronger by devouring souls.

Their abilities, like those of the Void, disrupt the balance of souls in the mortal world.

In time, this will also cause some trouble for the Soul Society.

As July turned to night, Mayuri Kurotsuchi and the man in overalls and with a buzz cut were no longer in the yard.

They were inside the house.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi did not forget the Quincy artifacts he had hidden.

The Quincy who took the Spirit Tools were killed by this group of Soul Hunters, and thus their Spirit Tools also fell into the hands of the Soul Hunters.

The man in overalls with a buzz cut acts like a human trafficker identifying a crime scene, directing Mayuri Kurotsuchi to the location where the stolen goods are hidden.

"Oh ho ho ho—" Mayuri Kurotsuchi opened the box and chuckled strangely, "The process was a bit complicated, but I still got it back."

The box contained various spiritual tools and books related to Quincy.

Chapter 311 An unexpected surprise

While Mayuri was searching for something in the house, July used the messenger machine to contact Akin and asked him to come and take away the Soul Hunter prisoners.

He and Mayuri Kurotsuchi were still going to the Naruki region, so it wasn't convenient for them to bring two Soul Hunter prisoners with them.

In July, Ajin was sent over to bring the two Soul Hunter prisoners back to the Technology Development Bureau.

"Captain, we've found it."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi came out of the yard carrying a box.

"Look at what you've buried."

It will be a while before Akin arrives, and since he has nothing to do now, July took Mayuri's box and looked through its contents.

“I’ve seen this spirit tool on the battlefield.” July took out something that looked like a bullet casing. “This is the standard-issue spirit tool ‘Silver Cylinder,’ right? Is it worth burying this?”

The 'Silver Cylinder' is a standard spiritual tool used by Quincy; it is a storage device that can store spiritual particles.

Quincy's combat power is highly dependent on the external spiritual energy environment. If they are in a place with low spiritual energy concentration, Quincy's combat power will be greatly affected.

This type of standardized spiritual tool is used to solve this problem.

It can store a certain amount of spirit particles for Quincy to use in battle.

"This spirit storage device was found in the package of an elite Quincy; it's not a standard product."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi shook her head and explained, "Its storage capacity is more than 100 times that of a regular storage device, and its spirit particle compression technology is very valuable."

What Mayuri Kurotsuchi valued was not the storage device itself, but the spirit particle compression technology within it.

"The amount of stored spiritual energy has reached more than 100 times the normal level?" July was somewhat surprised. "That is indeed very valuable for research!"

He didn't notice anything unusual about the spirit storage device since it didn't contain any spirit particles.

"It must be a new Quincy technology," Mayuri Kurotsuchi speculated. "Before it could be widely adopted, the Grim Reapers came knocking on our door."

“This technology can be given higher priority. If we can figure out the spirit particle compression technology, we can create a more effective ‘Spirit Gathering Pill’.” July nodded.

Unlike the Quincy, the Shinigami cannot mobilize external spiritual energy at will, but they can replenish their energy by taking a drug called "Nario-Dan".

In July, I continued to look through other items.

He took something that looked like a knife handle from the box.

"This looks like a standard spirit tool, so it must be different from ordinary standard spirit tools."

July asked.

Quincy can use these sword hilt spirit tools to create spirit particle blades and spirit particle arrows.

Given the previous example of the specially made silver tube, he thought Mayuri Kurotsuchi would retain the ordinary standard spirit tool.

“This is a standard Spirit Tool.” Mayuri Kurotsuchi spread his hands. “The Quincy’s Spirit Particle Technology and the Shinigami’s Spirit Particle Technology follow different paths. There are significant differences between them. Even a standard Spirit Tool is worth studying.”

Quincy items are generally incompatible with Shinigami, and Shinigami usually destroy or collect the Quincy artifacts they capture.

However, Mayuri Kurotsuchi is a technical researcher, and his interest in the spiritual technology principles of Quincy artifacts is greater than in the artifacts themselves.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi continued, "The spirit particle arrows made with this kind of spiritual tool have high-frequency vibrating spirit particles on their surface that can hinder the flow of spiritual pressure within a Shinigami. The principle behind this effect is simple, but making spirit particles vibrate at such a high frequency is not an easy thing to do."

“Hmm…” July nodded. “The spiritual technology here is the accumulation of Quincy over hundreds or thousands of years, and it is indeed of great research value.”

In July, Mayuri rummaged through the box. Most of the items inside were standard spirit tools. Mayuri Kurotsuchi had basically collected all the standard spirit tools of the Quincy.

There are non-standard spirit bows, but July already has a ring spirit tool given to her by Yoruichi, so she's not interested in these spirit bows.

"Is the captain looking for a rarer spirit tool?" Mayuri Kurotsuchi noticed the captain's interest in non-standard spirit tools. "I remember there's something else that's quite interesting."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi rummaged through the box and took out a rather inconspicuous silver bracelet from the corner.

"This magical artifact, like that specially made 'silver cylinder,' is something I found in the package of an elite Quincy."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi said with great interest, "Based on its characteristics, I have consulted some materials. Quincy seem to call it 'Sacred Refinement,' a rather rare spiritual artifact."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi had pretty good luck picking up a bag before running into the Onmitsukido.

He encountered a dying elite Quincy on the battlefield, and the 'Saintly' and the specially made 'Silver Cylinder' were both looted from that elite Quincy.

“The ability of this ‘Sacred Refinement’ artifact is quite interesting.” Mayuri Kurotsuchi wrapped the silver bracelet around her hand. “It allows even Shinigami to experience some of the Quincy’s abilities.”

Mayuri Kurotsuchi opened his hand, and a ball of spiritual light the size of a grain of rice quickly gathered in his palm.

“This is…” July raised an eyebrow, “...using the spiritual particles in the air?”

The ball of spiritual energy in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's hand was condensed by drawing spiritual energy from the air!

This is the core ability of a Quincy!

Quincy can use their ability of 'spirit clusters' to manipulate and utilize external spirit particles.

Through the 'Saintly Refinement' artifact, Mayuri Kurotsuchi experienced the Quincy's ability to manipulate and utilize external spiritual particles.

"That's right, this is the Quincy's core ability—the use of external spiritual particles. It's very valuable, to the point that even Shinigami can experience this ability to use external spiritual particles."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi nodded, a regretful expression on her face. "Unfortunately... this spiritual tool seems to have been damaged in battle, and its effectiveness has probably been greatly reduced. I'll have to go back and study it to see if I can repair it."

"let me try."

In July, she took the silver bracelet and wrapped it around her arm.

He instantly felt his 'spirit cluster' ability become stronger.

In July, a thought occurred to him, and he checked the panel.

The information on the basic panel has indeed changed.

[Spirit Particle Cluster lv50 (+1)]

When equipped with the 'Holy Refinement', the 'Spirit Particle Cluster' ability receives an additional level of enhancement!

Moreover, July could sense that the enhancement he gained while wielding the 'Saint Refinement' was far greater than the 'Spirit Particle Cluster' ability that Mayuri Kurotsuchi gained while wielding the 'Saint Refinement'.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi is not a Quincy; he can only exert a slight effect of 'Saintly'.

When July carries the 'Sacred Refinement', the bonus effect is based on the original 'Spirit Particle Cluster' ability.

"It's quite a nice collectible to allow a Shinigami to experience the power of a Quincy."

July looked at Mayuri Kurotsuchi and smiled.

He had little interest in the other standard items in the box, but entrusting Mayuri Kurotsuchi with deciphering the technology within would greatly benefit the Technology Development Bureau's technological accumulation.

However, this 'Sacred Refinement' is different; it can enhance the Quincy's basic abilities.

For the Quincy, it can be considered a core piece of equipment.

“Then I’ll give this ‘Sacred Refinement’ to the captain as a reward for helping me find these artifacts!” Mayuri Kurotsuchi was very sensible, but he didn’t want to give up on studying the Sacred Refinement. “It’s just that it’s badly damaged right now, so I want to try to repair it first.”

The 'Sacred Chain' that Mayuri Kurotsuchi found had been damaged in the battle; there were obvious signs of breakage on the silver chain, and it was shorter than before.

"Repairing 'Sacred Refinement' is now the highest priority."

July nodded, took off the Saintly Relic, and handed it to Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

Even the damaged 'Sacred Refinement' can upgrade his 'Spiritual Particle Cluster' ability by one level. After repair, it will definitely have an even stronger boost.

Besides the magical artifacts, there were also some books in the box.

These books were also related to the Quincy. July randomly picked one up and started flipping through it.

This book is a Quincy's training notes, which record some of the Quincy's training insights. July couldn't take her eyes off it once she started reading.

Just as July was engrossed in watching, the interdimensional gate opened above the courtyard.

Kisuke Urahara and Akin walked out of the Transcendental Gate.

"Why did Kisuke come too?" July closed the book. She could read it anytime later; there was no rush.

He had only informed Akin and was somewhat surprised by Urahara Kisuke's arrival.

"When the captain contacted Ajin, I was discussing a technical issue with Ajin."

Kisuke Urahara scratched his face. "I've read some information about 'Soul Hunters' before, but I've never seen one in person, so I thought I'd come along and see for myself."

He had seen information about 'Soul Hunter' in Kiryu's laboratory, so he knew something about 'Soul Hunter'.

Kisuke Urahara followed because Mayuri Kurotsuchi was here.

If he doesn't come, the captain will likely have to send the 'Soul Hunter' prisoners to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's laboratory.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi has always kept a close eye on his research projects and would certainly not want Kisuke Urahara to interfere.