13. Academy 2

In the dim quiet of his room, Musashi sat cross-legged on the floor, his zanpakuto resting across his lap. His eyes slowly closed, and after a deep breath, he felt the world around him change. When he opened his eyes again, he stood in a new place—the inner world.

He was standing in the middle of a meadow nothing but grass and flowers to be seen. In the middle of all the greenery there stood a giant tree Musashi went next to it. Infront of it, he looked like an ant. The ground was wet beneath his feet, and in the distance, shadows danced across the horizon, shapeless and elusive. Musashi scanned the area. No one was there. The solitude was familiar, yet strange.

"Still nothing," he muttered, almost to himself.

After a moment of silence, he unsheathed his zanpakuto and began to practice his swings, each motion measured and precise. Here in the inner world, the blade felt heavier, almost as if resisting his grip. But Musashi continued, focusing, trying to sense the presence of his zanpakuto's spirit, trying to learn its name. The silence gave nothing in return.

After a while, Musashi let out a small sigh and left the inner world, returning to his room.

As he opened his eyes in the waking world, he heard a voice at the door.

"Musashi, do you know what today is?" It was Arasaka, grinning cheekily as he leaned against the doorframe.

"No," Musashi replied, a hint of weariness in his tone.

Arasaka's grin widened. "Oh, come on, it's our one-year anniversary as academy students! Don't tell me you forgot."

Musashi just sighed as Arasaka tried to pull him into a hug, but Musashi raised his scabbard to stop him. "Stop that."

"Aww, you're so cold," Arasaka complained, pouting dramatically. "You really don't know how to treat a friend."

"Don't give people strange ideas," Musashi replied bluntly, pushing past him. 

Arasaka shrugged it off, still grinning. "Anyway, hurry up. We have zanjutsu training today, and I want to see how the new juniors look."

Musashi didn't even respond. Instead, he grabbed Arasaka by the arm, dragging him down the hall toward their class. Arasaka protested, flailing his arms like a child. "Hey, hey! I wanted to check out the juniors!"

"Focus on training," Musashi said firmly.

---

Elsewhere, Sai-sensei sat at his desk, rifling through paperwork. Suddenly, the door opened, and he looked up, eyes widening in shock. Standing in the doorway were two men—one with long white hair and a calm expression, the other wearing a bamboo hat and a relaxed smile.

"Captain Jūshirō, Captain Kyōraku?" Sai-sensei exclaimed, clearly taken aback.

"Take it easy, Sai," Kyōraku said, tipping his hat down casually.

Ukitake gave a reassuring smile. "We're just here for a little visit, no need to make it formal."

Sai took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Of course, captains. If there's anything you need—"

Kyōraku interrupted, glancing down at the student records on Sai's desk. "So, anyone promising this year?"

Sai looked over the papers and nodded. "Yes, captains. There are many promising students this year. But the strongest are from the second year, Masaharu Musashi and Yuuji Arasaka."

Ukitake raised an eyebrow, picking up Musashi's profile. "He bested you in zanjutsu?"

Sai nodded, almost sheepishly. "Yes, though his style is unrefined, filled with openings. But even so, he managed to defeat me. It is really wierd it looks unrefind but also completed at the same time."

Kyōraku's attention shifted to Arasaka's file. "And this Arasaka?"

Sai's expression soured slightly. "Talented in kido, but he doesn't follow rules and often disregards instructions."

Kyōraku chuckled. "Sounds like we have some interesting ones here. Maybe we should pay them a visit."

---

In the academy halls, Musashi and Arasaka walked side by side, catching the eyes of passing students. Some looked on with awe, others with envy, and a few with distant admiration.

Arasaka nudged Musashi as they walked. "We should introduce ourselves to the juniors!"

Musashi gave him a sidelong glance. "You just want to find out if there are any girls."

Arasaka grinned, unashamed. "Can't fool you, can I?"

Musashi started to stare at him.

Arasaka clasped his hands to his chest dramatically. "Ah! Don't look at me with those cold, empty eyes. They're too much!"

Musashi just sighed, taking his seat as their teacher entered the classroom. "Good morning, brats. Today's class is a bit different. We're going to the training hall. First years are joining us for a combined lesson."

As they moved toward the hall, Arasaka's eyes sparkled with excitement. Musashi noticed and shook his head in resignation. "You're still on about that?"

"Hey, it's an important day!" Arasaka smirked.

---

In the training hall, the teacher scanned the group, then looked at Musashi and Arasaka. "You two, stay back for a moment. I have something different planned."

Arasaka leaned toward Musashi, curious. "What do you think he wants us to do?"

Musashi shrugged. "We'll find out soon."

The first years began pairing up with second-year students, sparring under the teacher's watchful eye. Eventually, the teacher returned with four first years—two girls and two boys. He gestured toward Musashi and Arasaka. "You'll each take two juniors in a sparring match."

Arasaka immediately stepped forward, choosing the two girls with a smile. "I'll take these two lovely ladies."

The girl with glasses gave him a skeptical look. "You're not planning to hit on us, are you?"

Arasaka waved her off with a grin. "No, no, just saving you from him." He gestured to Musashi. "Trust me, he's the scary one."

The other girl, with green hair, bounced excitedly. "Alright, let's fight! My name's Kuna Mashiro."

Arasaka winked at her. "And you, beautiful lady?"

The girl with glasses scoffed, unimpressed. "Yadōmaru Lisa."

As Arasaka started his spar, Musashi faced off with the two boys. He unsheathed his blade and looked at them. "My name is Masaharu Musashi."

There was an awkward silence as the boys looked at him, intimidated.

"Uh…my name's Hirako Shinji," said one, a blonde boy.

"I'm Muguruma Kensei," said the other, still hesitant.

Without warning, Musashi stepped forward, moving so fast that Shinji barely registered the motion. Before he knew it, Kensei was sent flying, embedded in the wall and unconscious.

Musashi turned his gaze to Shinji, lifting his wooden sword with one hand. Shinji tried to defend, but the force of Musashi's strike overwhelmed him, and he was soon unconscious as well.

Sai-sensei sighed from the sidelines. "Musashi, I told you to hold back as much as you can." 

Musashi felt a flash of frustration at Sai-sensei's words. Even though he had tried to hold back, his power often seemed too much for the other students, especially when they underestimated him. He sheathed his sword, taking a deep breath to center himself, and offered a brief bow to the unconscious pair embedded in the wall. As he turned away, he noticed a familiar figure approaching from across the training ground.

It was Arasaka, who had apparently finished his own sparring session. He had a proud grin on his face, not even a scratch. His two sparring partners followed a few steps behind, looking exhousted but still on their feet.

"Musashi!" Arasaka called, ignoring the disapproving glare from Sai-sensei. "Looks like you went overboard again."

Musashi gave him a sidelong look. "They didn't take it seriously."

Arasaka chuckled and gave him a hearty slap on the back, which Musashi barely noticed. "Hey, you have to hold back buddy."

(End of a chapter)