Chapter 28: Ikkotsu
In the time that followed, aside from necessary training and lessons, Masatsuki dedicated most of his energy to practicing the Hakuda techniques Yamamoto had taught him.
Shinigami primarily relied on their Zanpakutō in battle, but they couldn't afford to depend on them entirely.
After all, Masatsuki Aozaki wasn't just someone who had crossed into this world—his instructor at Shin'ō Academy was Sōjun Kuchiki, whose brother-in-law was Kōga Kuchiki.
He would never overlook the existence of beings like Muramasa, a Zanpakutō that could sever the bond between a Shinigami and their sword.
Beyond that, during the Thousand-Year Blood War, the Quincy of the Wandenreich would use their "Medallions" to steal Bankai from the Shinigami.
If, by then, he hadn't acquired the power of the Hōgyoku or attained Hollowfication, he would undoubtedly be in extreme danger.
This was where the importance of alternative combat techniques became evident, and Hakuda was one of them.
...
Hakuda was an arduous skill to refine. Its true power could only be unleashed by those with exceptional spiritual body conditioning.
And improving one's spiritual body wasn't something that could be achieved overnight—it required relentless training.
Masatsuki had spent nearly half a year on it, and only now was he beginning to grasp its deeper principles.