I don't perceive Gentle Fist as pointless. I've never come around to watching Boruto, but I know that even Momoshiki Otsutsuki used a version of Gentle Fist in his fight against Naruto. Although it's probably named differently. So even on that high level of a fight, this style is useful, and it's a way that my MC will be strifing for with his Hakuda, although he will never completely focus on that. Additionally I don't know how the presence of genjutsu affects whether the style has a point or not, especially since the style is inspired by Gentle Fist, and not Gentle Fist itself. It's a different power system after all.
As for creating a separate world, where there are users of Gentle Fist, already. I feel like I didn't explain Innovate Clear properly. The world in question is a single garden separated from reality. Every creation within depends on the user's current power and comprehension. And anything originating from this world cannot be taken outside. So since he's tiring himself just making some grass, creating an intelligent being wielding unknown and profound fighting style is out of the question. Plus I want him to work for his abilities, not receive them just 'because'.
As for Yhwach, while it's amusing thinking about messing with his head; it's so far off, that it's a bit pointless to think about.
Thank you for reading and enjoy.
"Oi, Kamui-kun. What have you been up to?"
Gin greeted Kamui while he walked out of his own Kido classes. His roommate of course who was exempted from these classes, was left up to his own devices.
"Eh, nothing much. I have some books to look through."
Answered Kamui, while thinking about a whole stack of books still waiting for him in the dormitory.
"Oh? Anything interesting."
"No."
Came the dry and a bit bitter response. While Kamui didn't expect much from the books he received from the Kido Corps, he still hoped for something better than books on the basics of Kido Art. He acknowledged that they were useful, as they touched upon the areas that the academy omitted, but it was extremely boring to relearn it.
"Hang in there, little one."
Spoke Gin with an overly sweet tone, while petting him patronizingly on the head. From the back came jealous murmurs of several girls who always wished to do the same, but they never had enough courage to talk to him, much less touch him. By now to these people Kamui was more of a symbol. Unattainable brilliance that one can gaze on, but not interact with. Even Rangiku acted a bit the same.
Shrugging off his roommates hand, Kamui ignored the commotion around and asked.
"Are you excited about the next Hakuda class?"
"Why would I? It's the same old, same old." Strange, while his apprenticeship with Tessai, and his upcoming challenge, haven't been made official yet, high ranking officers of Gotei 13 should be aware of it. Did Aizen not mention it to Gin? "Unless… you know something, don't you?"
"Not at all." Kamui replied, feeling a bit smug. Not that he showed it.
After entering the Hakuda hall, what greeted the students was an unexpected sign. Besides the regular instructor who should be present, there were two more people.
One of them was a hooded member of the Kido corps holding onto a rectangular bamboo box. The other one was a masked member of the stealth force, division specializing in Hakudo.
Probably only Kamui noticed several extra figures hiding out of sight.
Most of the students appeared rather excited thinking that it's some kind of a special lesson. Only Gin, Rangiku and a couple sharper ones turned to look at the stoic Kamui.
After all of the students were seated in seiza around the room, the leading teacher stepped out and announced.
"Welcome students. I'm sure everyone already noticed our honorable guests. Today's lesson will start with something a bit different than usual. I see that some of you already caught up. Shirato Kamui, please stand up."
After Kamui stood up and moved onto the platform at the center of the room, only then the teacher continued.
"Your fellow colleague applied to graduate from a Hakuda basic course, and today shall be his examination." After gasps of astonishment and conspiratory whispers ceased he moved on. "While I'd like for you all to know your capabilities…" Kamui ignored the thinly veiled stab at himself, with a mental roll of an eye. "As students of the first course, you should be bold. Bold in your life, bold in your pursuit of strength…"
Kamui ignored the rest of his speech, in favor of studying his opponent. While his mask and robe were specifically tailored for warding off spiritual perception, in front of Tenseigan it was but a joke.
He observed the spiritual tendrils within trying to find a pattern to their moves, trying to divine his usual fighting techniques by looking at his bones and muscle density. He noticed a slight remnant of healing kido within his left shin, signifying a recent injury that still must have been bothering him a little.
He seemed oddly tense, for a guy who just came here to spar with a student. Even if Kamui had a big prodigy halo around him it still shouldn't necessitate such a reaction. But then maybe it was not Kamui who he was tense about. He should have known who's observing the fight from the adjacent room.
Filling all his observations for later, Kamui noticed that the Kido Corps member until now standing silently on the side, suddenly opened the box he was holding and approached both the combatants.
Inside were two pairs of plain leather bracelets embroidered with kanji for 'restraint'.
"These are sealing bracelets, that you're both required to wear during the challenge. They will seal the spiritual vents on your wrists, stopping you from exercising your reiatsu. Additionally it will limit the amount of Reiryoku you can build up within your body, as to lessen the possible injuries you inflict on your opponent. The seal isn't that strong for the sake of not unnecessarily reducing your fighting prowess, so you can without much problem overpower it. However doing so will constitute your loss."
After helping both of them put on the bracelets and activate them, he backed off leaving only the two combatants on the elevated platform.
"Introduce yourself."
Came the hollering voice of the teacher. Kamui as the challenger went first and bowed.
"First year, first course, Shirato Kamui."
"Thirteen Court Guards, Second Division,Executive Militia, Eleventh seat Madao Hasegawa."
There were surprised murmurs in the background. Even Kamui himself was a bit weirded out by this. For such an occasion usually only lower numbered officers were sent out. Especially if it's from the feared 'punishment force' of the specialized in hakuda, second division.
For someone as strong as the eleventh seat to be here was really unexpected.
But after initial bewilderment, Kamui stabilized. After all he's a bit of a high profile. Even if he's very young expectations and requirements placed on him are higher than on other people.
"Assume the stance."
Both fighters did so, and even the least Hakuda experienced students noticed the oddity in their respective stances.
Whatever people's perception of them is, Shinigami are very opportunistic fighters. Striking from the back, placing traps, catching the opponent off guard with sudden sword release or Kido spell. After all they were specialized in fighting hollows, and it was counterproductive to fight them honorably. Clashing with an opponent head on was more of an exception than the standard.
Shinigami's Hakuda style reflected it. Fighting style that all students were taught was a bit reminiscent of Aikido. It was mostly for defensive purposes, redirecting their opponents force, and waiting for a chance to end the fight in one move.
But both Kamui's and Hasegawa's stances suggested something entirely different.
Kamui was slightly bent forward, while still putting most of his weight on backfoot. His hands raised and loose at his sides. It was a stance full of explosive momentum.
Hasegawa was jumping lightly at his footsteps, his hands in the boxing guard. Ie clearly favored short yet sharp moves and keeping opponents at distance.
Kamui exhaled lightly. He intended to win before the time limit of five minutes. Just holding his own was not enough.
"Begin."
Despite them both reacting immediately it was actually Kamui who gained the initiative. He practically catapulted above his opponent, rotating slightly in the air his elbow posed for a powerful ramming blow.
Although Hasegawa was intending to head forward, he changed the decision immediately seeing the sudden attack and jumped slightly to the left before intending to catch his opponents off guard by moving to his blind spot.
Too bad Kamui didn't have a blind spot to exploit. He landed strongly at his left leg before he swayed and pivoting at his right foot he lashed out with a powerful high kick, his rotation aided by his previous momentum.
Yet Hasegawa was clearly very experienced. Despite being caught off guard he managed to hastily raise his arms and block the overhead kick. He tried to grapple his opponent's leg, but Kamui already jumped back before once again rushing in, not bothering about proper stance, not indenting to give up the initiative.
Hasegawa sidestepped, and punched three times in quick succession, intent on making his opponent focus on protecting his head thus limiting his vision.
But he once again underestimated Tenseigan.
Once he kicked with his leg aiming for Kamui's side he didn't expect for him to suddenly change his tempo and sidestep the attack, striking the overextended leg with a short but very strong elbow hit.
Precisely on the spot showing signs of previous Kido treatment.
Hasegawa groaned in pain before backpedalling, and moving on the defensive. He was visibly saving his now injured leg.
They continued like this for a while. Kamui rushed in with a huge momentum and wild, powerful strikes; while Hasegawa moved with half steps striking back once in a while, trying to diffuse his opponent's momentum.
Despite seeming like Kamui held an advantage in this exchange no one thought that he'd manage to win before the time limit of five minutes expires.
But then Kamui lunged forward. It looked like a suicidal charge just rushing in like that right wide open, arm outstretched towards his opponent. His hand somehow slipped past the guard of his opponent, but Hasegawa ignored it since it didn't hold any power behind it. Instead he struck against Kamui's elbow intending to exploit his opponent's mistake and crush it, achieving victory.
Only, at the last moment did his instincts kick in and warned him about danger, screaming at him to move away.
It was too late however. Kamui's palm already landed on Hasegawa's shoulder.
This palm didn't hold any momentum behind it. It barely counted as a little more than a playful tap.
Yet at the moment of contact something entered Hasegawa's body making it sluggish for a short span of two seconds.
It was enough.
Taking advantage of his opponent's reaction, Kamui moved in closer, swiping his hand to throw Hasegawa's guard wide open.
His stance suddenly became rigid. His eyes turned sharper than before.
Three jabbing strikes followed.
First caused Hasegawa's body to grow stiff.
Second caused him to spasm and choke with pain.
Third had him thrown to the ground, eyes wide open and bloodshot. On the edge of his mask spit was visible.
The hall was silent. There was no astonishment. The conclusion was too sudden and too violent for that.
"Shouldn't you check on him?"
Only when Kamui's voice fell, did the teacher react and rush to the side of the downed shinigami. After checking his vitals, and seeing that his catatonic state looked dangerous it was only temporary, caused by the sudden turmoil of his spiritual energy. Turning Hasegawa To his side and lowering his mask not allowing him to drown in his spit, he stood up.
"Winner of the challenge, Shirato Kamui. Time. Two minutes, forty four seconds."
Hearing the result, Kamui bowed after which he took off the sealing bracelets, and after giving it back he returned to his seat.
He ignored the commotion rest of the students were causing but he noticed one thing. Gin lacked his usual mocking grin. Instead on his face was a rare serious expression.
Deciding not to interrupt his musings, Kamui thought back on his fight.
Having his reiatsu sealed, it was somewhat more difficult than usual to use his mock 'gentle fist', but as Hasegawa was in the same situation he still managed. After all, Hakuda in general focused a bit more on inner energy than on external one. So Kamui was still able to transfer his own spiritual energy into another body upon contact.
Additionally as he was still a bit inexperienced with this fighting method, it took him quite a bit of time to get used to Hasegawa's movements and find an opportunity to strike. He also was not comfortable enough to fight like that the whole time. If he started from the beginning with a Gentle Fist stance he'd probably lose.
Reminding himself to train more in Innovate Clear later, Kamui focused on his last hakudo lesson in the academy.
In the adjacent room three figures were sitting around a room observing the fight through a kido spell acting like a monitor.
"Fascinatic. So that is your new protege, huh Tessai?"
"Hmm, indeed. Although I must admit that he surprised me there at the end. I expected him to win despite Yoruichi-san swapping his opponent at the last minute, but not in this fashion."
"Right. I'd never expected this Byakugan of his to have such an application. Very creative. Although it still seems rough around the edges. By the way, what do you think, Yoruichi-san? It's after your subordinate that he mauled there."
"He's a cute one."
The other two men faltered at the playful, yet out of context answer. These three were naturally Kamui's new sensei Tessai and his two lifelong friends and colleagues Shihoin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke.
"Still… When Madao finally recovers, just wait and see the hell that awaits him. To lose so badly against an academy student. My division's reputation is at stake." She finished her tirade, after which she turned to Tessai and said, seriously this time. "You must take good care of this one. He'll grow into something scary."
"Yoruichi-san is right, Tessai. Still those eyes of his…"
"'All-seeing eyes' huh, makes you a bit jealous. And it makes you wonder…"
"About what?"
"I heard a rumor that Captain Hikifune has a tattoo on her special place. Isn't it a perfect chance to confirm it?"
Ignoring Yoruichi's weird schemes, Kisuke turned to Tessai and said.
"Keep an eye on him, just in case. This Byakugan of his gives me a bit of an odd feeling."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure… As I said it's just a feeling."
"I'll do so. Even if only for his safety. Who knows who'd try to put their hands on it…"
"Don't be such a downer Kisuke! It's still a kid! Even my Soi-Fon is bigger than that runt."
"This runt beat the crap out of one of the best hakuda users in our division. And he won't remain a runt forever."
"You still worry too much."
"I hope so."
On that somewhat grim note, the trio stood up and left, fully aware that Kamui noticed their presence.
Four days later Gin attempted his own challenge in Zanjutsu class, crushing his opponent, fifteenth seat of squad eleven.