Entering the Academy

"Sorry for the disturbance everyone, I hope I'm not too late to participate in the selection.."

Ignoring the stunned looks on their faces, he bowed slightly, and flashed a small gentle smile, that captivated the hearts of everyone present.

Intently watching his young and handsome, with his lean physique, the mouths of some Shinigami widened with shock.

In their minds, apart from the Vice Captains and Captains of the various divisions, as well as some seated officials or lunatics in the 11th Division, no one would've been able to take Jidanbo down. However, the person responsible for the mess was no Captain or Vice Captain, neither was he a seated official. Heck, he wasn't even a shinigami yet and looked younger than a 100 years.

"How dare you attack the gatekeeper!!"

Coming to his senses the Shinigami in charge quickly drew his blade and rushed towards Kenshin in a rage.

Taking a step back, Kenshin's smile vanished in a moment and his eyes turned , as his hands slowly moved to the sheath of his blade.

"Enough".!"

However, before anything, Rangiku stepped in with a commanding tone. The sheer pressure of her reiatsu knocking the Shinigami off balance and pushing him back several meters, while Kenshin stood his ground, unaffected in anyway.

"Vice Captain, he killed Jidanbo.."

The Shinigami tried to find a plausible explanation to justify his actions, yet Rangiku's reiatsu locked onto him once more, as he shut up immediately.

"Jidanbo's not dead..just knocked out. Besides, their duel was my idea. He is one of my candidates for the selection..."

Rangiku spoke, walked and picked up one of the reiatsu measuring stones and handed it over to Kenshin who looked towards her right in the eye for a moment, before he took the rock and imbued it with his own reiatsu.

"What?"

In about a moment, the rock glowed with a green light, as the Shinigami roared in shock.

In just one selection, two geniuses had been selected.

"Sigh. Gives me deja vu on the day that brat Gin Ichimaru was selected as well..."

One Shinigami turned towards his colleague and sighed, as the others shook their heads in annoyance.

"Very well. The selections have been completed. All those who passed the tests should now follow me to their new quarters...The rest of you who failed, better luck next time.."

The instructor cleared the dust off his robes and announced, as those citizens who had passed cheered with excitement, while the ones who had lost sighed and turned around, led by the Shinigami as they left the Seireitei in deject.

"It's hard to see, watching people's dreams get crushed right before their eyes. Seeing the hopes and goals before them, but not being able to reach or accomplish them.."

Momo sighed and lowered her head in deject.

"Well said, Momo...In my eyes a failure is someone who lets his dreams and hopes be crushed by the harsh reality of this world. Though these people might've lost this test, there's still hope for them..at least they can brag to their friends and family about seeing the Seireitei..."

Rangiku spoke sincerely and patted Momo on the shoulder, however she joked at the end of her statement, inciting a small giggle from the young lady.

After their talk, both of them walked towards Kenshin and Toshiro who were standing amongst the selected.

"Whew. Beating Jidanbo in one attack..you have earned my respect. Mr. Swordsman. It's good you held back, otherwise you would've killed him.."

Walking specifically to Kenshin, Rangiku smiled towards him, as the young man merely looked towards her and took a deep breath.

"I don't appreciate you ordering an innocent man to attack me for your own amusement.."

Kenshin's stood there in a gentle yet stern composure, with his left hand that never left the scabbard strapped to his waist, as he spoke.

"It wasn't for my amusement, hotshot. The rules of the selection examination demand that after the first test, the gates of the Seireitei are to be closed to any other participant. I just tweaked the rules a little, to give you the opportunity you wanted.."

Rangiku smiled, as Kenshin looked towards her. His stern gaze softening a bit.

"Oi. We're going to be in the same class. As a sign of good will why don't you teach me your sword technique.."

Toshiro asked with his arms folded before his chest, looking right at Kenshin with his turquoise irises.

"I won't."

Kenshin spoke, as the boy raged and then walked away, following behind the instructor and the selected, who were marching to their quarters.

"Shiro Chan can be a little aggressive at times. I hope you can look beyond his character and protect him while in there.."

Momo bowed slightly towards Kenshin and pleaded, while Kenshin gently nodded and followed behind them unhurriedly.

"Let's leave as well, Momo.."

As Kenshin left, Rangiku tapped the young girl on her shoulder and both of them slowly left, however as they walked away, Rangiku turned her head towards one of the buildings in the distance as a frown materialized on her face.

Standing atop that particular building, a handsome young man with short messy silver hair stood with a smirk. The edges of his lips stretching further than normal and nearing his cheeks.

His eyes were closed, and he was dressed in a white shikahusho, with a short blade strapped to his waist.

"Vice Captain Ichimaru, who is that guy.." Beside him, one Shinigami stood dressed in the normal Shinigami garb with a sword strapped to his waist. The shock on his face from the previous display of strength from the young red haired man still playing in his mind.

"It seems he wants to become a shinigami?" The white haired man spoke, placing his hand on his chin, while his smirk widened.

"Should we report this to Captain Aizen?.."

The shinigami asked, however the man merely shrugged and then shook his head after a moment.

"Nope. Just let him be for now.."

He disappeared right after leaving behind his last words, as the Shinigami bowed slightly.

*******

After a stressful day, the selected were successfully oriented to the Academy and their quarters, being informed to report to class at sunrise.

The dormitories were rather large, each one consisting of three floors, with each floor consisting of about 10 cubicles which could house about 20 students each.

While breakfast and lunch were served within the Academy's diner, supper was served in the dormitories , with multiple servants bringing each student a food filled tray.

On the second floor in one dormitory, in the fifth cubicle, Kenshin sat on his bed with a tray of food before him slowly eating, while one of his roommates who happened to be Toshiro looked towards him in annoyance, as he hanged his newly acquired Academy uniform which consisted of a white sokode (shirt) having the logo of the Academy on both sides of the chest, and purple stripes on the arms with a purple hakama(trousers).

At night, when the students prepared themselves for bed, Kenshin sat the edge of his bed, his sword resting in his bosom with his eyes closed as the others gossiped.

A group of students who stood on their own turned towards him in annoyance.

"I thought out asauchi would be given to us tomorrow.."

On man in the group spoke, while the others grew enraged by Kenshin's reserved nature.

"I heard he got in only because a high ranking official pulled some strings.."

The leader of the group smirked and walked to Kenshin while his group followed behind him.

"Oi! Wake up!"

The leader smashed his fist into a wooden chair beside Kenshin's bed in an attempt to gain his attention.

"How many I help you?"

Kenshin slowly opened his eyes and politely smiled towards the group.

"Just because your potential surpasses us, doesn't mean you are better than us. We don't appreciate the fact that you refuse to mingle with us. Do you look down on everyone here?"

The man spoke, attempting to rally the support of everyone here, meanwhile Kenshin looked on in confusion.

"All I hear is a bunch of idiotic bullies who think they can prove to the world their worth, by picking on innocent people.."

Toshiro who was quietly lying on his bed spoke with a condescending tone as he yawned in exhaustion.

"What did you just say?!"

The leader and everyone else turned their attention to the white haired boy enraged by his comment.

"I'm pretty sure I toned it down to your level so idiots like you can understand, but it seems I overestimated your intelligence. You're dumber than I thought."

Toshiro smirked arrogantly and spoke without any hint of remorse.

"Get him!!"

Roaring out the leader rushed first with his fists cocked backwards, filled with rage, as the others followed behind.

Instantly jumping to his feet, the boy laughed and performed a cockscrew flip, leaping over the enraged mob.

Although he wasn't yet a shinigami, someone as talented as him knew how to increase his attributes to a level using the reiryoku within his body.

"Are you guys going to just stare foolishly? Come on.."

Taunting them, he smiled, seeing them rush towards him, as moved. Like an experienced acrobat, he weaved through their attacks, with impressive agility, hopping between their legs and dodging all their attacks.

Dodging a punch from one man, he rushed forth, flipped over and kicked him squarely in the jaw, hurling the poor man away a few meters.

However his joy was cut short when he was suddenly ambushed by nearly everyone. He was immobilized almost immediately, as the leader walked forward with his fists clenched.

"You think you can insult us just because your potential is higher? We're going to teach you a lesson."

The leader smirked and then smashed out his fist, wanting to punch the boy squarely in the face.

However a few inches from the boy's face, a ghost like figure appeared before him and grabbed his fist, and in a simple gentle flick, hurled him backwards.

"That's enough.."

Kenshin gently raised his head and looked towards the leader without fear.