CH 14: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Differently from what it seemed, the Shin'o Academy didn't only have two classes for each year. 

In fact, there were as many as four classes. 

The only difference was that the 3rd and 4th class were reserved exclusively for nobles who did not have any fighting talent. 

In those classes, the students just learned general knowledge and some basics but nothing deep. 

The 2nd class was the class that held the most students, noble or not alike. This class could also be called the normal class. 

Being a student from class 2 didn't mean that one wouldn't become strong. In fact, there were examples of class 2 students becoming seated officers. Though none of them ever managed to reach the level of Vice-captain or higher. 

Finally, class 1, also known as the elite class. It was also the class with the smallest number of students, with the majority of them being nobles. 

All the students of class 1 who did not die on the road became seated officers without a doubt, and aside from some small exceptions, all the current captains who went through the school had been in class 1.

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[Shin'o Academy. Class 1 homeroom class] 

Class 1 was no different from any university class in Gojo's memory. It was a very large amphitheater that could easily house hundreds of people, though the number of students present was surprisingly low. Just about fifty. 

The moment Gojo and Toshiro entered, they could see Momo waving at them quite enthusiastically.

"Gojo! Shiro-Chan! come here, I reserved a place for you."

Gojo laughed lightly while Toshiro blushed in shame. Being called with such a cute nickname in front of his new classmates on the first day wasn't something anyone could support. 

What's more, even though Toshiro wasn't young by any means of the word, for him, who was only in his fifties at most, he was without a doubt the youngest in the room. 

'Well, technically I am the youngest.'

Gojo's laugh cramped a little before he decided to later threaten Momo and Shiro to never reveal his age. 

Under the gaze of all the students present, Gojo and Toshiro joined Momo, who sat alongside two men. A blonde man who looked a little shy and a Yankee-looking red-haired man. 

"Yo! Will you be introducing us to your friends?" 

Gojo gave a frivolous salute with his usual smile as if nothing could bother him in this world.

"Of course! Gojo, Shiro, those two are my schoolmates. Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira. Renji, Kira, those two are the ones I talked about."

The boy named Renji gave a scrutinizing look at Gojo as he said, "This sissy-looking guy is the one who killed a hollow you said?" 

"Renji!" 

"Heh, sissy?" Gojo raised the corner of his blindfold to take a better look at Renji from up to down. 

"Ha ha."

Renji was taken aback because of his actions. After all, he had thought that the man was blind. But, this simple laugh full of disdain which spoke more than thousands was like a critical blow. 

"Bastard! What do you mean?" 

Sighing, Gojo took a seat and said, "I mean, look at you. Unkempt hair, messy clothes, unruly way of speaking. You aren't bad-looking per se, but everything else wastes it. You must not really be popular with girls, right?" 

The image of a short black-haired girl always calling him peasant or monkey flashed through his mind as Renji simply crumbled down in defeat. 

"Hahaha! You are a thousand years too young to fight against me!" 

Renji laughed in awkward ways as he said, "Dude, your tongue is really poisoned. But I like direct guys like you. Sorry for the rough start. Like Momo said, name is Renji Abarai. Though you can call me Renji"

"Satoru Gojo. You can call me either way."

The two fist-bumped in a friendly way. 

Watching them, one wouldn't think that they had a dispute just a few seconds ago. 

Of course, Gojo had his reasons. He could discern genuine ill will from simple curiosity. 

What's more, it wasn't the first time he had been called out about his somewhat frail appearance. 

Though, after he reached the top, people stopped this kind of provocation. 

"Everyone sit down. It's time for class."

Further discussions stopped the moment the homeroom teacher entered. 

"Good morning everyone, in particular to the new students, I am the homeroom teacher of 1st-year students from class 1. My name is Gengoro Onabara" 

A bald man stood on the podium as he presented himself. 

He had a strict expression as he looked at all the students sitting in front of him. 

"The Shin'o Academy will teach you guys everything you need to know to become good Shinigami. For this, the first thing you will need to learn will be the Zankensoki, those are basic Shinigami fighting techniques." 

Saying so, he began showed à diagram on the blackboard, "Zan, refers to sword fighting techniques or Zanjustsu. Ken, refers to unarmed fighting techniques or Hakuda. So, refers to movements techniques or Hoho. Ki, refers to spells techniques or Kido."

Facing the students he continued, "In order to graduate, you must at least reach the practitioner rank in all the four arts over the six years you will pass here. After this, depending on your grades, you can be sent to a special department, enter the Gotei 13 or both."

One of the new students raised his hand, "What are the special departments?" 

He nodded as he said, "There are many special departments. Some of them are attached to the Gotei 13, while some are independent."

Tapping the blackboard, another diagram appeared, 

"The first and most well-known special department is the secret corps, which is quite ironic when you think about it. To enter this department, a great mastery of Hakuda and Hoho is necessary. 

About 60 years ago, the secret corps became linked to the 2nd division of the Gotei 13 under the order of the 23rd head of the Shihoin family, Yushiro Shihoin, and the current captain of the second division, Captain Soi Fon."

Gojo whistled inwardly, 'Seems like that little loli was really a big deal after all. Haha, I wonder if we will meet again.'

Meanwhile, Gengoro paused a little before asking, "Who can tell me what rank the Shihoin family holds in the Seireitei?" 

Kira raised his hand before answering, "It's one of the four great noble families." 

"Indeed. You will learn more about this in general knowledge courses, so I won't go deeper into that subject. Let's go back to the special departments."

He continued, 

"The second most known special department, and some of you should have already met them, is the Kido corps. I don't need to say which art you need to master to join it, right? The name is self-evident. So let's move on." 

"The third and less known department was created 60 years ago by a man that could only be called a genius. Kisuke Urahara. Ex-captain of the 12th division and leader of the scientific department. The current leader of this department, as well as the captain of the 12th division, is Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi." 

It was easy to feel the distaste in his expression as he uttered that name, but this didn't last long,  

"To enter this department, your grades in Kido, more precisely Bakudo or the way of binding, a subdivision of kido and general knowledge must be exceptional."

"Finally, we have the healing department, created about two hundred years ago by the captain of the 4th division, Captain Retsu Unohana. This division specializes in the art of Kaido or the way of healing, another subdivision of Kido. 

As for entering the Gotei 13, to enter any division aside from those previously cited, your mastery in Zanjutsu and Hado, or the way of destruction, the third and final subdivision of Kido, will be necessary."

Finally, he silently faced the class before asking, "Any question?"

Generally, he asked this question without really waiting for a question. After all, he had been quite clear in his explanation, and it was just the first day for half the class while the others already had such knowledge.

But his expectations were somewhat betrayed as one student raised his hand, turning his attention toward said student, the first he remarked aside from his rather handsome appearance was the blindfold.

He briefly wondered if this student was blind, but this wasn't a problem in his opinion. He still remembered with fondness one of his students from about 100 years ago, Kaname Tosen, a great and righteous student who also suffered from blindness, but still fought to slowly reach the top before becoming the current captain of the 9th division. 

Thinking about this, his tone became a little kinder as he answered, "Yes, what is your question? Could you also introduce yourself?"

"Thanks, teach. My name is Satoru Gojo and I have a little question."

"Go on."

"The curriculum is six years long, right?"

"Exactly."

"Then...If I want to end it in less than six months. What do I do?"

This question sent an uproar in the whole classroom.

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(AN: Yushiro Shihoin is Yoruichi's little brother and he became the head of the clan after Yoruichi escaped with Kisuke. He appears during the blood war arc, so anime watchers only won't know about him.)