Misao and Rukia's Regular Class / Obstruction from the Shadows

"As for Tokoyo Misao, although he rose from Grade 19 to Grade 14, he still fell short of the minimum requirement of Grade 12, so neither of them can enter the special training class."

"Huh? Teacher, that's not right! Going from Grade 11 to Grade 10 is completely different from me reaching Grade 12! Nobody could possibly do that!"

Renji Abarai shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Yeah, there's got to be something wrong."

"The textbook clearly says Grade 10 is the dividing line."

"Of course someone can!" Teacher Ōu roared, drowning out all the clamor.

"Gin Ichimaru, a current captain of the Gotei 13, was Rei'i Grade 11 when he enrolled. By the one-month test, he had already risen to Grade 7, and when he graduated a year later, he had reached Grade 5."

He raised his head and looked at Rukia. Seeing the unwilling expression on her little face, he clenched his fists tighter behind his back and continued:

"The special training class wants geniuses with potential, and they didn't meet the requirements."

"Dismissed."

Chapter 18: Misao and Rukia's Regular Class

Crack! Renji Abarai threw the wooden sword in his hand to the ground, breaking it.

After announcing the list, Teacher Ōu left the training ground without another word, leaving the new students staring at one another.

A moment later, the other students also headed into the classroom, leaving only Tokoyo Misao and a few others standing on the training ground.

Renji Abarai shouted angrily, "There's definitely been some mistake!"

He glanced to the side and saw Rukia standing there, clutching her clothes tightly in both hands, her little face deathly pale.

He gritted his teeth and roared again, "If the teacher doesn't give us an explanation, then I'm not going to this special training class either!"

"Idiot!" Rukia raised her head and shouted at him.

"The regular class can't even compare to all the resources in the special training class.

You saw it in the dining hall, didn't you?

In the area where they eat, the Reishi concentration in their food is on a completely different level from what we regular-class students get.

How can you give up an opportunity like this?"

Renji Abarai walked up to her and said seriously, "But this is way too unfair.

Rukia, you're better than me in every way. I never won a single spar against you, let alone matched your Rei'i Grade.

Why can all of us get into the special training class, but you can't? It's not fair!"

Rukia fixed her black eyes on Renji Abarai and replied calmly:

"What are you talking about, Renji? We should have known from the start that there's no such thing as fairness in this world, shouldn't we?"

Back then, she and Renji had survived in Rukongai for many years, and they had a few friends with them.

But as time passed, those friends whose Reishi concentration was insufficient soon died, turning into Reishi and returning to the earth.

It was then that she and Renji decided to come to the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts to learn how to become Soul Reapers.

She had understood long ago that fairness had never existed in Soul Society to begin with.

Renji Abarai wanted to say something else, but when he saw Rukia shake her head slightly, he swallowed his words and lowered his head in silence.

Izuru Kira ran over to Tokoyo Misao, who was yawning nearby.

"Big Brother Misao, don't you think there's something wrong with this?"

Tokoyo Misao waved a hand. "Didn't Teacher Ōu make himself clear? They're the ones with the final say.

If we want to fight back, let's wait until we become captains of the Gotei 13."

He turned sideways to look at Momo Hinamori. "We said we'd celebrate at the tavern. Are we still going?"

"Yes, of course." Momo Hinamori quickly called to the others. "Come on, let's go have a good meal at the tavern today."

Momo Hinamori walked at the front, with Izuru Kira and Renji Abarai following behind her.

Rukia trailed at the back, walking beside Tokoyo Misao.

On the way to the Junrinan tavern, Rukia finally couldn't hold back and asked quietly:

"Misao, am I really not talented?"

"If you mean talent like Gin Ichimaru's, you're probably a good way short.

But your own talent isn't bad, and your future accomplishments definitely won't be modest."

Tokoyo Misao tucked his hands into his sleeves and strolled along.

His soft, gentle voice gave Rukia a sense of reassurance.

Rukia raised her head, looked at Tokoyo Misao beside her, and asked again:

"If that's the case, why wasn't I chosen for the special training class? Because I didn't reach Rei'i Grade 10?"

Tokoyo Misao curled his lip. "Who knows?"

That was a lie.

In fact, he had already guessed who was behind it. It was the person who had frequently come to spy on Rukia lately.

That person probably wanted to separate Rukia from her friends and isolate her, so that their chances of success would be greater when they made their move.

To be honest, the tactic was a little nasty.

And why he hadn't been sent to the special training class was rather intriguing.

Now that he and Rukia were both in the regular class, they could still look after each other, so Rukia wouldn't feel lonely and miserable.

Before long, the group arrived at the Junrinan tavern.

As soon as they pushed open the door, they saw a familiar golden-haired figure.

"You students actually came to the tavern for a drink too?" Holding a flask of sake, Rangiku Matsumoto greeted the new arrivals with a smile.

Momo Hinamori immediately bowed. "Lieutenant Matsumoto, we finished our test today, so we came to celebrate."

"Is it that time already? Time really does fly. But with your grades, you should have passed the special training class test easily, right?"

Rangiku Matsumoto narrowed her eyes slightly and took in the Rei'i Grades of the people before her at a glance.

These new students were outstanding, and Rukia in particular was even more gifted than she had been as a student.

Tokoyo Misao was the weakest, but his powerful Reishi control and proficiency in Zankensoki should have made up for his lack of aptitude.

"Come on, come on, let's drink and celebrate together." Rangiku Matsumoto beckoned them over to sit with her, then turned and shouted, "Owner, a few more flasks of sake!"

When she turned back to the juniors who had taken their seats, she noticed that all of them except Misao looked a little off. Puzzled, she asked:

"Didn't you say you came to celebrate? Why the long faces?"

Renji Abarai growled under his breath, "I don't know what went wrong, but neither Big Brother Misao nor Rukia was chosen for the special training class."

"Hm?" Rangiku Matsumoto frowned. "It would be understandable if Tokoyo Misao was rejected. His current Rei'i Grade really isn't high enough, after all. But Rukia definitely shouldn't have been."

"What did the old men at the school say?"

"Teacher Ōu said Rukia didn't have enough potential. She's been enrolled for a month, but her Rei'i Grade hasn't risen at all." Renji Abarai repeated the teacher's answer.

"Huh?" Rangiku Matsumoto frowned even harder.

As a lieutenant, she knew even better than the academy's teachers what Rei'i Grades 11 and above were like.

With Rukia's current talent, enough to break through to Rei'i Grade 10 at any moment, she would be considered quite good even among the Gotei 13.

She was very likely to reach the level of lieutenant or even higher in the future.

How could someone with that kind of aptitude be said to lack potential?

The old men at the school shouldn't have been that blind. Something must have gone wrong.

While she was thinking, a bang came from the entrance as someone shoved the tavern door open.

"Rangiku, you're slacking off during work again, aren't you?"

Chapter 19: Obstruction from the Shadows

The Junrinan tavern.

A short, black-haired man wearing a white haori called out as he walked toward the table.

"Oh, Captain, look, these children are all outstanding students at the academy.

They just finished a test, so I'm celebrating their achievement."

Rangiku Matsumoto remained seated, but she looked noticeably flustered as she hurried to explain.

"Our Tenth Division really needs talented people, so I'm making preparations in advance!"

When Rukia and the others saw that the newcomer was a captain, they immediately stood and bowed. "Captain."

They didn't know this captain's name.

Meanwhile, Tokoyo Misao was holding a flask of sake under his nose. He sniffed it, then made a disgusted face.

Rukia immediately reached out and tugged his sleeve. Only then did Tokoyo Misao turn his head and smile at the newcomer. "Captain, care for a drink?"

"Oh, since you've invited me so warmly, I'll help you celebrate." The young man sat down cross-legged.

He picked up a flask of sake and gulped it down, then laughed heartily and said,

"I'm Isshin Shiba, captain of the Tenth Division."

"After you graduate, you can consider joining the Tenth Division. Our work mainly consists of patrols, so it's not as troublesome as the other divisions."

Isshin Shiba's voice was bright and hearty, and his manner was carefree, giving him a naturally approachable air.

Rukia and the others immediately relaxed and sat down.

Rangiku Matsumoto leaned close to him and said quietly:

"Captain, do you see that little girl with black hair?"

Isshin Shiba looked over, his eyes lighting up. "Good, she's a truly outstanding talent."

Rangiku Matsumoto continued, "She and Tokoyo Misao beside her weren't chosen for the special training class. There's definitely something wrong."

Isshin Shiba put down the flask, rubbed his chin, and gestured for her to continue.

Although Rangiku Matsumoto had leaned close and kept her voice low, she hadn't deliberately hidden the conversation from Tokoyo Misao and the others.

So when they heard the question, Renji Abarai, Momo Hinamori, Izuru Kira, and Rukia immediately grew tense and turned their gazes toward Captain Isshin Shiba.

Then Rangiku Matsumoto repeated everything Renji Abarai had said earlier.

Captain Shiba frowned and said:

"Something must have gone wrong here. How about this? I'll go to the academy tomorrow and ask the principal about it.

Let's keep celebrating today. Everyone, smile. There's no need to be so serious in a tavern."

"Thank you, Captain!" Rukia braced both hands on the table and stood, thanking him repeatedly.

Renji Abarai, Momo Hinamori, and Izuru Kira hurriedly followed her lead, thanking him loudly.

Only Tokoyo Misao silently poured a cup of sake and handed it over, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the guard on his right arm.

Isshin Shiba accepted the cup with a smile. His gaze fell on Tokoyo Misao's arm guard, and when he saw the Eternal Eyes Crest, he asked curiously:

"Is that your family crest? It's quite unusual."

With that, he raised the cup and drained it in one gulp.

Tokoyo Misao replied with a smile, "Have you ever seen the Eternal Eyes Crest, Captain Shiba?"

"Hahaha, no, I haven't. Sorry, I've never been interested in noble family crests. I'm from a branch of the Shiba family, after all, and I don't much like all those rules."

Isshin Shiba put down the cup as he answered with a smile.

He was also wondering to himself, Is this kid called Tokoyo Misao a child of some high-ranking noble family?