Chapter 4: Entering the Academy
The entrance exam ended quickly, and fewer than ten students passed. The total number of successful applicants from the four districts in Rukongai—north, south, east, and west—was estimated to be fewer than fifty.
Under the guidance of their teachers, the successful students from the East District crossed a small part of Seireitei and arrived at the white gate in the west.
Before them stood a massive, ancient building with a distinctly traditional style, reminiscent of ancient private academies in the human world.
Inside the dojo, large plaques hung on the pale gray walls, bearing a dragon-and-phoenix-styled.
The predecessor of the Shino Academy was founded by the renowned Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
It was unclear whether the headmaster of the Shino Academy was a fan of Yamamoto, but he certainly shared a similar bald look that glimmered under the light, making it difficult for Tsukizuki to keep his eyes open.
The headmaster sat in the main seat, exuding a formal and powerful aura as he spoke.
"Welcome to the Shino Academy. I hope that over the next six years of study, you'll learn how to become an excellent Soul Reaper."
While speaking, he casually surveyed the three students—Tsukizuki, Rangiku, and Gin—sitting in the audience.
These three were geniuses who, barring any accidents, would rise in the fiercely competitive Gotei 13 in the future.
Tsukizuki scanned the room, noticing not only the ragged students from Rukongai but also those from more affluent Seireitei families.
He spotted a familiar face.
Aizen Sōsuke, the 5th Division's lieutenant, who also served as a special calligraphy instructor at Shino Academy.
It was said that his classes often exceeded the available space, with students standing in the hallway to listen to him.
Aizen's brown hair, styled into bangs at the front, and his loose shihakusho combined with the white uniform of the Shino Academy gave him an elegant and refined look.
However, in contrast to his depiction in the anime, Aizen at this time still looked quite young, lacking the maturity he would eventually develop. There was an air of youthful arrogance, but he already possessed the charm of a future villain.
As for the person sitting next to him, Kuchiki Sōjun... well, there was a certain gentle and delicate aura about him.
Sitting properly, his slim figure looked fragile, as though a light breeze could blow him over, but there was still an aristocratic quality to his presence.
Despite being only a few hundred years old, he gave off the impression of someone nearing two thousand, embodying a "frailty" that spoke of a much older age.
They were certainly admirable individuals...
Tsukizuki couldn't help but feel a bit envious.
Kuchiki Sōjun was fine. Although he was the heir to the Kuchiki family, one of the four noble families, and had inherited the family's natural talent, his frailty made him unsuitable for combat.
Aizen, however, was a bona fide genius, a monstrous genius.
His talent was so great that it left him isolated, yearning for the ordinary life of a regular Soul Reaper.
Such talent was simply excessive.
It made Tsukizuki envious.
Having struggled from the very bottom to get his spiritual pressure to the 16th rank, Aizen was already contemplating breaking through the Soul Reaper limits. In other words, he was likely already at the 1st rank.
And that didn't even account for the fact that, if Aizen succeeded in breaking the Soul Reaper's boundaries in the future, surpassing Yamamoto as the strongest Soul Reaper and reaching an even higher level...
Truly, it was something to be envious of.
It was clear, however, that Aizen was still quite young at this point, carrying with him the pride and innocence typical of youth.
He hid these traits well, but when interacting with Tsukizuki, they would sometimes slip out unbidden.
Catching Tsukizuki's gaze, Aizen maintained his signature warm smile and playfully winked.
"Tsukizuki, we'll be living here from now on. Looks pretty good, huh?"
Rangiku, having received the student uniform from the teacher, unfolded it and ran her hand over the fabric.
It was a material she'd never seen in Rukongai—this was far superior to even the best clothes available there.
She smiled happily.
Why did the souls of Rukongai want to enter the Shino Academy? Was it to serve the nobles as Soul Reapers?
Of course not. It was simply for a better life... a better opportunity.
Even if they couldn't become nobles, just being a regular Soul Reaper was a step above, with living conditions that couldn't be compared to those in Rukongai.
Not to mention the rich spiritual energy in the air, something Rukongai could never provide.
Who would complain about living better, unless they were some masochistic lunatic?
With the better environment and the professional guidance of the Shino Academy, cultivation would be far more efficient.
"Aizen really wasn't lying..." Tsukizuki muttered to himself.
"Is this enough?" He turned to Rangiku, a broad grin on his face.
"It's not enough. It needs to be even better."
His current goal was simple—participating in the Hollow Experiment was temporarily out of reach, so his best bet was to aim for a high rank in the Shino Academy's graduation exams, preferably becoming a seated officer. That way, he could elevate his status and enjoy a better life.
He wasn't going to keep being a lowly thug from Rukongai; once he became a Soul Reaper, he'd belong to the warrior class. What was the point of still being a street thug?
One word from a Soul Reaper and those thugs wouldn't dare disobey.
As for continuing his work providing "services" to the noble ladies...
He figured that wasn't something he'd have to give up just yet.
"Next, the teachers will take their students to their respective classrooms."
The bald headmaster's loud voice echoed through the room.
The dojo immediately fell silent, and the teachers sitting at the front stood up with lists in hand, leading their students toward the classrooms.
Once inside the classrooms, the teachers stood at the podium, explaining the curriculum for the next six years.
At this point in time, the Shino Academy had already been well-established, and the Soul Reaper training system was essentially mature.
The most basic courses included training in "Zan, Ken, and Hō," as well as knowledge related to the Soul Burial ritual.
"Zan" referred to swordsmanship, the art of using a Soul Reaper's zanpakutō in battle.
"Ken" referred to hand-to-hand combat, a Soul Reaper's technique for fighting unarmed.
"Zō" referred to Shunpo, the Soul Reaper's technique for moving their body at incredible speeds.
"Hō" referred to Kido, the ability to convert spiritual energy into various forms for attack.
"Soul Burial" was the process by which a Soul Reaper sends the souls of the dead to the Soul Society, the basic task of a Soul Reaper.
Tsukizuki was determined to study hard. While "Zan, Ken, Hō" were the foundational teachings of the academy, they were also essential to a Soul Reaper's strength.
Having spiritual pressure alone wasn't enough. Only by mastering these various techniques could one truly become powerful.
A quarter of an hour later, Kuchiki Sōjun finished introducing the academy's basic curriculum to the students.
Once most of the students had dispersed, and after a bit of small talk, Tsukizuki and his friends stood up and left for the cafeteria.
The aristocrats of the Soul Society weren't lacking in money, so Tsukizuki, who made a modest fortune by working for the noble ladies, could afford to be a small-time rich man.
Soon, he picked out a luxurious meal set for the three of them, setting a long table full of food.
Rangiku eagerly dug in, her cheeks quickly puffing up as she stuffed her mouth with food.
In contrast, Gin was a bit more reserved. Seeing that Tsukizuki and Rangiku had already started eating, he waited a moment before picking up his chopsticks, though his eating speed was just as fast.
"Is it okay if I sit here?" Kuchiki Sōjun approached their table, gazing at the three students devouring their food with a gentle smile before letting out a sigh.