"Kidou?" Shikyo repeated. "So it's essentially magic?"

"Yes." Hiroshi explained. "Each one can be activated through an incantation, although once you've reached a certain level you will be able to merely call out the name of the spell to activate it."

"I see." Shikyo replied. "Where do we begin?"

"At the beginning."

Shikyo's hands locked together, with his left index finger pointed up while his right index finger crossed over it pointing left. He concentrated his energy, focusing on the spell Hiroshi taught him, "Way of Binding number 1. Sai!" He shouted as an invisible force surrounded the passing bird, causing it to immediately fall to the ground, unable to flap its wings. He smiled inwardly to himself as he released the spell, allowing the creature to move once again into the air. It was the simplest of the spells Hiroshi taught him but until he was able to master the Bakudou, Hiroshi would not allow him to move on. For hours Shikyo practiced the binding spells, the thought that he would not fail always in the back of his mind.

"Are you ready for a real opponent?" Hiroshi asked as he approached the training Shikyo.

"Of course." Shikyo responded, placing his Zanpakuto back in its sheath as Hiroshi launched himself toward him. At the first Shikyo dodged the attacks, utilizing his Shunpo to move around his master's attacks until he finally saw his opening. His hands quickly locked into position as he leapt into the air as he shouted "Disintegrate, black dog of Rondaniini. Look upon your burning soul and sever your throat." Crimson lights materialized from nowhere, surrounding Hiroshi in a red sphere, restricting his movements.

"You've improved." Hiroshi commented as he exercised his own spiritual pressure to break free of the binding spell.

"I'm ready for the next phase." Shikyo stated plainly. He grew tired of learning merely binding spells and knew that if he was to be of use in battle he would need to learn offensive spells until he was able to unlock his Shikai.

"No." Hiroshi replied. "Not until you've completed mastered control over your spiritual pressure. If you attempt to use an attack without control you lose accuracy, and could end up hurting not only yourself, but your comrades also."

Shikyo stared at Hiroshi a moment, his frustration building but decided that he would not press the issue further, for now. "Fine."

Approved + 2 to Kidou.

"Wall of iron sand, pagoda of priestly form, shimmering fireflies of iron, fill until the silent end. Bakudou #75 - Gochuutekkan!" Shikyo shouted as five golden spheres hovered above his head before he slammed his fists into the ground. Five pillars, connected by an iron chain, fell from the sky, trapping Hiroshi to the ground.

"Excellent." Hiroshi stated as the trap faded away. "I believe you have great control over your spiritual pressure now, and it's time to move on."

"Finally." Shikyo thought. He had trained long and hard and would finally be able to learn the Hadou.

"The Hadou are very different from the Bakudou," Hiroshi explained. "While the latter is for binding, the Hadou are used strictly for the purposes of destruction. Use of these spells without the proper focus could very well result in your death so it is of the utmost importance that you do exactly what I say and nothing more. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Shikyo replied eagerly.
..........................
Five wooden discs, set up on poles surrounded Shikyo.

"Concentrate your energy, remember to focus upon your targets." Hiroshi stated a final time as he watched his protege.

Shikyo's hands locked into position, the force of his spiritual energy growing as he shouted "Hadou #4 - Byakurai!" Thrusting his fingers toward the targets, bolts of white lighting erupted from the tips, incinerating two of the wooden discs.

"Good." Hiroshi replied. "Continue to practice that and in three days time I will teach you another."

Shikyo nodded in agreement. Despite how much he wanted to learn the others he knew that his master could not be rushed and that there was a good reason behind his methods. Soon enough, Shikyo would master these Kidou and it would not be long before he learned others.

Approved + 1 to Kidou.

"The purpose of saying the incantation before using the Kidou is to allow for the maximum about of spiritual energy to be used with the attack." Hiroshi explained.

"So technically, I can perform a Kidou without the incantation?" Shikyo clarified. "It just won't be as powerful."

"Correct." Hiroshi answered. "But the more destructive the spell, the more likely it is that without the incantation, it will only result in a back up of spiritual pressure that will backfire on the user."

Shikyo processed the information as Hiroshi continued to speak, "But through training you can learn to control your reiatsu to the point where you will have no fear of your own attack backfiring. I'm telling you this because performing kidou without incantation will allow you to respond much faster in situations where you would normally not be able to use them."

"I see." Shikyo replied. "So I take it you want me to practice the ones I've already learned...only this time without the incantations."

Hiroshi smiled, it was comforting to have a student who didn't need everything explained, "Correct, but I do not want you to go above 25."

Shikyo nodded to his master as he flash-stepped out of the hut and into the training field in the back. Along the edge of the fence stood various targets at different locations. Controlling his breathing he slowly gathered his reiatsu around him and locked his fingers into position as he shouted, "Way of Destruction #4- White Lightning!" As he said a bright bolt of electricity fired from the tips of his fingers and into the target in front of him. He smiled to himself before regaining his composure and performing the action again and again, knowing that repetition was the secret to getting better.

Approved +2 to kidou.

It had taken him weeks, but Shikyo had finally been able to master the techniques Hiroshi taught him. "Congratulations." His teacher stated. "There's only so much more I can teach you but I can tell that you will go far if you continue to train yourself. But we have one last lesson."

Shikyo waited patiently as Hiroshi continued to explain, "As you know there are varying degrees of Kidou, the higher the number the more powerful the attack. However with practice you will be able to combine your Shunpo with Kidou." Shikyo's head tilted as he listened eagerly to what his master meant. "Normally one must be standing in place to concentrate their reiatsu before releasing a kidou, but it is possible to start an incantation while far away from an opponent and then flash-step closer once the incantation is finished with devastating effects. The downside to this is that if your opponent flash-steps away during the time you choose to use your shunpo then you will be left completely unable to counter-attack while your releasing the kidou."

Shikyo nodded as he processed the information. From what it sounded like it would appear that this technique would best be used on low level Hollow unable to use sonido or opponents who hadn't seen the technique before to know what to expect, but after they'd experienced it they would be able to counter-attack easily with their own shunpo. "I understand." Shikyo stated. "Good." Hiroshi responded. "This is the last thing I can teach you, you're on your own now."

Approved +1 to kidou.