On the day of the graduation exam,
Jun walked leisurely toward the academic area with his sister in tow. The exam venue was the largest auditorium in the academic area, usually used for large public lectures.
Someone might ask whether a place like an auditorium could be used to test Kidō. Testing Hakuda and Zanjutsu there was one thing, but what about Kidō?
There was no need to worry. The examiners were all important figures from the Gotei 13, with the lowest-ranking among them at least a Third Seat. There were also plenty of captains and lieutenants who came in person. With that group of powerhouses watching, what trouble could a few graduates possibly cause?
There were plenty of people on the examiners' side, too. Members of the Gotei 13 were welcome to attend if they wished, so there were always more spectators than examinees.
The turnout for Jun's graduation exam was impressive. Seven captains had come, and the other five divisions were led by their lieutenants. The First Division wasn't taking new recruits, so it didn't need to send anyone.
Among this large group led by captains and lieutenants, Jun could finally see some familiar faces. The examiners for this exam were as follows:
Second Division: led by Captain Yoruichi Shihōin, with Third Seat Kisuke Urahara (this guy only became captain of the Twelfth Division a little over a hundred years before the original story). There was also a chubby old man standing ahead of Kisuke Urahara. He should be Marechiyo Ōmaeda, the father of the lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda from the original story. Junichi didn't recognize anyone else.
Third Division: led by Lieutenant Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi (that withdrawn guy from the Visored). Jun didn't recognize most of the others, but an older woman with a very yakuza-like face looked somewhat familiar. After some thought, he figured she might be Iba Chitetsu, the mother of Tetsuzaemon Iba, the Seventh Division lieutenant in the original story. He didn't know whether she was married yet.
Fourth Division: led by its lieutenant. Unfortunately, Jun had never heard of this man named Kojima Kintarō. He must have died or retired long before the original story. Of course, he might also have been promoted to the First Division to become an extra. Jun didn't recognize anyone else. It was a shame Retsu Unohana hadn't come.
Fifth Division: Captain Nambu Nobuyasu, someone Jun didn't recognize at all. The lieutenant was famous, though: Shinji Hirako. Jun also spotted a smiling Aizen. The man in front of Aizen looked like a middle-aged version of him and was probably his father. Jun didn't recognize anyone else.
Sixth Division: Captain Kuchiki Ginrei had come in person. He was Byakuya's grandfather, and he seemed to be here because one of the examinees was a retainer of the Kuchiki Clan. The lieutenant was Sōjun Kuchiki, Byakuya's father. Jun took a couple of extra looks at him out of curiosity. He had died without ever appearing in the original story, and he was a handsome man with delicate features. The Kuchiki Clan really did have good looks.
Sōjun looked especially young, though, and Kuchiki Ginrei didn't look as old as he had in Byakuya's recollections in the original story. It seemed the Kuchiki Clan currently had only these two generations. Byakuya's father might not even be married yet, or at least he didn't have a child.
Seventh Division: led by Captain Love Aikawa (the tracksuit-wearing uncle from the Visored). Jun didn't recognize the lieutenant or anyone after him.
Eighth Division: there was no need to mention Captain Shunsui Kyōraku. Jun didn't recognize the lieutenant. He also saw Uncle Imari and Mr. and Mrs. Tōdō, and nodded in greeting. Then, among the people following farther behind, Jun spotted a conspicuous braid. The young girl had an innocent-looking face and was probably Lisa Yadōmaru.
Ninth Division: led by Lieutenant Kensei Muguruma. Jun didn't recognize anyone else, unfortunately.
Tenth Division: Captain Shiba Kazato and Lieutenant Isshin Shiba. Jun didn't recognize the former, but the latter was Ichigo's father. Jun took a couple of looks at the young Isshin. Ichigo really was his son; father and son looked remarkably alike. It seemed the current captain was Ichigo's grandfather, while the lieutenant who had visited Jun's home back then was nowhere to be seen.
Nana Onibe made faces at Jun and Jing from the crowd. She had taken on several teaching assignments after Isuzu graduated and was very fond of Jing.
11th Division: led by Captain Kuruyashiki Kenpachi. Jun recognized him at first glance because he looked so distinctive. Even sitting down, he was a head taller than everyone else. Among the whole group of captains, he was the only one without a proper bearing, sitting with his chest bared.
He hadn't brought his lieutenant. Among the 11th Division members behind him, Jun saw not only Instructor Tachikawa Zan, who greeted him, but also a very, very thin man who looked sickly. Jun recognized him too. He was the next captain of the 11th Division, Azashiro Kenpachi, currently still called Azashiro Sōya.
Twelfth Division: only one pair of ardent eyes made Jun long for her day and night. Unfortunately, he didn't recognize anyone else. The lieutenant was leading them (too lazy to make up a name; poor guy). The captain was reportedly still Kirio Hikifune, the fat middle-aged lady in the Zero Division, but unfortunately she hadn't come.
Thirteenth Division: Jun didn't recognize the lieutenant (too lazy to come up with a name, so he was just as unfortunate as the one above). Jun saw a handsome young man behind him: Kaien Shiba, who would later guide Rukia. Speaking of which, Kaien Shiba and Isshin Shiba belonged to the same clan. Kaien was from the main family, and Isshin was from a branch family. By generation, Kaien and Ichigo were peers.
From this, one could see that the Shiba Clan had been very powerful among the Five Great Noble Clans before its decline. Even after declining, its position in the Gotei 13 hadn't been affected.
There was also the Kidō Corps. Jun was very familiar with one of its members who had come: Instructor Hanazawa from back then. To Jun's surprise, she was actually the Deputy Kidō Chief. Jun didn't recognize anyone else from the Kidō Corps.
All examinees had to enter before eight. Jun had arrived an hour early and thought he was early, but there were plenty of people who had arrived even earlier.
Before eight, examinees could greet people they knew. As soon as Jun arrived, Kyōraku called him over.
"Uh..." Jun didn't know how to address him, but Jing was delighted. She hugged Kyōraku and called, "Brother Shunsui~"
"Hehe~" Kyōraku held the little girl, patted Jun on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "What's this? Has going to school made you distant from your big brother instead?"
"Hehe, a little." Jun was rather embarrassed. "Brother Shunsui, I'm here to fulfill my promise. I'm going to become a Soul Reaper."
"Yeah!" Kyōraku gave Jun a hearty pat. "I believe in you! Don't hold back. Make those people's jaws drop to the floor, got it?"
Jun wasn't surprised that Kyōraku could tell he was hiding his abilities. With Jun's record-breaking talent, unless he had spent decades as a wastrel, there was no way he could be weak. Shunsui Kyōraku had long since considered why Jun was doing this.
Now Jun could see that Kyōraku both understood and strongly supported what he was doing, which was even better.
Jun had prepared several plans for the exam. After receiving Kyōraku's support, he settled on one he hadn't originally thought much of. He had thought he and his sister were on their own, but now that they clearly had someone backing them, he could go wild.
After exchanging a few words with Uncle Imari and Uncle and Auntie Tōdō, Jun took his sister to visit his two instructors, Tachikawa Zan and Hanazawa E.
A group of rough men from the 11th Division warmly welcomed the siblings. The unkempt Kuruyashiki Kenpachi even joked around with his men. To be honest, in just a few minutes, Jun had come to like the current 11th Division.
Unfortunately, the 11th Division was a unit strongly influenced by its leader's personality. Before long, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi would die at Azashiro Kenpachi's hands, and the 11th Division would change its style again.
The Kidō Corps members were very surprised that their Deputy Kidō Chief actually had a disciple. Instructor Hanazawa smiled at Jun, causing another stir among them.
"Just show them what you can do." Those words of encouragement left the entire Kidō Corps dumbfounded and made Jun realize what sort of image his first instructor had in other people's minds. It seemed he had found a treasure. She might be a big shot who didn't pay much attention to others.
Then Jun took Jing to visit Aizen and his father. Aizen was Jing's instructor, so it was a necessary courtesy, but it meant Jun missed several chances to visit the owner of that gaze.
"Hello, Uncle Aizen~" the siblings said in unison.
"Haha, hello. Since you call me uncle, and Jun is also friends with Sōsuke, I'll call you by your names."
"Of course, Uncle. Please do."
Aizen's father was a genuinely gentle gentleman, just like Aizen's outward persona. Jun finally understood why Aizen was so good at putting on an act. With a father like that, he had indeed grown up exposed to it.
Uncle Aizen asked after the siblings' well-being, then gave them some advice on the exam. He was truly attentive to them, and in the end even told them to visit often. He was very much like a friendly uncle from the neighborhood.
At last, they could visit someone of their own generation. The siblings went to the Tenth Division, where Nana Onibe hugged Jing and said with a smile, "All right, all right, what more do we need to say? Just focus on your exam. Go on, she's waiting for you."
"Mm." Jun nodded. "Oh, right, be ready."
"What?" Nana had no idea what Jun meant. It seemed Isuzu had kept it well hidden; the tsundere girl had no idea Jun was joining the Tenth Division.
When Jun reached the Twelfth Division, he walked straight toward the most beautiful person there. The two hugged each other tightly, as if trying to press each other into their own bodies. The other Twelfth Division members were still dumbfounded, while the rowdy old men of the neighboring 11th Division cheered. Those guys were always eager to see more excitement.
Jun gently stroked Isuzu's cheek. "Wait for me."
"Mm." Isuzu buried her face in Jun's shoulder.
Jun turned to his sister with a smile. "Jing, this is your sister-in-law."
His sister was dumbfounded, as were the other Twelfth Division members. The 11th Division raised such a ruckus they nearly brought the auditorium roof down. Then the examining instructor called the examinees to assemble, so Jun had to part from his beloved for the time being and take his sister back.
"Bow~~!!"
"Please take care of us~~!!"
The examining instructor called for a bow, and the examinees bowed deeply together. Once the greeting was over, there was no particular order; they simply went up one at a time for their exams, from the front of the line to the back.
Because Jun and Jing were the last to run back, they were standing toward the rear. They watched the people ahead of them go up one by one.
"Oda Anjin! I wish to join the Seventh Division! Please take care of me~!"
He called out his name, the division he wanted to join, and then asked them to take care of him. A Seventh Division member stepped forward, and the two took their places on opposite sides of the auditorium. After they bowed to each other, the examining instructor gave the signal, and they began fighting.
There were two rounds of combat. The first was unarmed Hakuda, and the second was swordsmanship with blades. After the two rounds came the Kidō test, in which they cast the highest-numbered Kidō they knew.
The first examinee, Oda, was quite capable. Both his Hakuda and Zanjutsu were high-dan, and his Kidō was +11. He successfully joined the Seventh Division, making for a good start.
As the exams proceeded one by one, hardly anyone failed. Quiet conversation was allowed in the venue, and the division members in particular commented freely on the examinees. It was actually rather noisy.
A few examinees caused quite a stir, including several who applied to the Second Division. Most people had to wear masks after joining the Second Division's Stealth Force, so it would be difficult to see their real faces afterward.
Somewhat regrettably, none of this year's graduates were from the 11th Division, and nobody was hardheaded enough to apply to it either. So Jun didn't get to see the 11th Division's special entrance fight he had heard about. Supposedly, someone was injured in every 11th Division entrance exam, and deaths had happened more than once or twice.
Before long, it was Jun's turn.
"Jun Shimizu! I wish to join the Tenth Division! Please take care of me!"
Junichi's appearance caused quite a stir. Many people knew his name as the record-breaking genius. But because Jun had spent so long in school, and given the situation in Soul Society already mentioned, opinions of him were sharply divided. There was plenty of gossip, and some people even looked at him with contempt.
Of course, those inconsequential remarks weren't a problem. What mattered was that the captains had their own opinions. In fact, few people who had reached the rank of captain would look down on Jun; they understood the significance of talent better.
The old captain of the Tenth Division, Shiba, was surprised. He glanced at Shunsui Kyōraku, who met his gaze. The two nodded, having exchanged their thoughts, and the old man waved a hand. A male Tenth Division member stepped out to face Jun.
Shiba Kazato was very surprised that Jun had chosen the Tenth Division. Everyone had thought the two siblings from the Shimizu Family would join the Eighth Division together. Nana Onibe's mouth hung open; she now understood what Jun had meant earlier.
"Please go easy on me!" Jun bowed, and his opponent did the same. Then they took their stances.
"Begin the match~~!"
As soon as the examining instructor finished speaking, Junichi vanished from where he stood. This was why Shunpo wasn't tested separately: its level was easy to judge during the two combat tests.
Jun's Shunpo exceeded his opponent's expectations. After all, Jun was still a teenager, so it was natural for the man to underestimate him. Then Jun's knife-hand stopped at the back of his neck.
An uproar swept the hall. This was the first examiner in this exam to lose to an examinee.
"Thank you for the match." Jun stepped back and bowed slightly.
The man was thoroughly embarrassed, his face flushed red, but there was nothing he could do. He walked off in disgrace, not daring to continue with the swordsmanship test. He had realized his Shunpo was no match for Jun's.
He hadn't managed to test Jun's Hakuda ability, either. Unlike the Soul Reapers in the noisy crowd, several captains and lieutenants were somewhat surprised by Jun's display of Shunpo.
"Mizunami, you go," Shiba Kazato said, calling out a surname. Mizunami then stepped forward, but his appearance made the scene even more chaotic. From fragments of conversation, Jun learned that he was the Tenth Division's Sixth Seat.
A single-digit seat was no joke. Although Jun knew he was strong, he was no match for a powerhouse who had been a Soul Reaper for decades or even a hundred years. After all, Jun hadn't accumulated enough Reiatsu yet, and he didn't have a Zanpakuto. How was he supposed to fight him?
"Please go easy on me!"
This time, the examining instructor gave no signal. As soon as Jun finished speaking, he used Shunpo to charge straight at Mizunami with a punch. Unlike the previous opponent, Mizunami caught it steadily.
But Jun wasn't finished. Just as Sixth Seat Mizunami prepared to counterattack, he saw Jun plant his foot, and the fist he had caught suddenly unleashed another burst of force.
"Inch force, crushing fist!"
Jun twisted his waist, sending a force stronger than before through Sixth Seat Mizunami's guard and straight toward his abdomen. But in the next instant, Sixth Seat Mizunami vanished.
Jun hurriedly rolled aside, but he was still kicked in the backside. Unable to break his fall, he tumbled over a dozen times.
"Good lad! There's something to that punch." Sixth Seat Mizunami shook his hand. That crushing fist had injured his wrist somewhat. "You've definitely reached menkyo in Hakuda, though perhaps not kaiden. Still, that punch was impressive. Captain Shihōin, what do you think?"
Sixth Seat Mizunami's assessment made Jun the focus of the entire hall. The place fell completely silent as everyone waited for Yoruichi's answer. Jun also stood up and looked at the woman whose strength was unfathomable even in the original story.
"Hmm~" Yoruichi already had that familiar husky voice. "Menkyo. He has some very original ideas about applying force in Hakuda. If he continues to study it, he should have no trouble founding his own style. Your name is Jun Shimizu, right, kid? Hehe, I look forward to seeing the Shimizu Hakuda Style. When the time comes, I hope we can have an exchange with the Shihoin Style."
"You flatter me!" Jun hurriedly bowed in thanks. Her assessment was far too high. Although Jun intended to incorporate some martial arts ideas from his previous life into Hakuda, and had already managed some of it, he didn't know whether he would ever reach the level needed to found his own school.
Sixth Seat Mizunami smiled, paying no attention to the spectators who had erupted again. "All right, draw your sword. I hear Tachikawa taught you the basics of Zanjutsu. I'm looking forward to seeing your skill. Come on."
Jun drew his long sword and gripped it tightly with both hands. "Please go easy on me!"
Bang! Whoosh! Bang, bang!! Whoosh! Bang!
To anyone lacking sharp eyes and spiritual power, it looked like a battle between immortals. Jun and Sixth Seat Mizunami were completely invisible during their swordfight; only when they clashed could a faint afterimage be seen.
The pressure on Jun had multiplied. Sixth Seat Mizunami's Zanjutsu was far better than his Hakuda. In their Hakuda exchange, the powerhouse had gotten the better of Jun with superior Shunpo, but now he had restricted his Shunpo to Jun's level, making this a genuine contest of Zanjutsu.
Jun's understanding of Zanjutsu was no different from his understanding of Hakuda. All force in the human body came from the waist and legs, and all techniques came from the shoulders, elbows, and wrists, or even the fingers in more extreme cases.
When one could control those parts at will and had trained them to achieve a greater range of rotation, there were more options in both swordsmanship and unarmed combat. This was one of the foundations of formidable fighting power, the basis of technique.
Even so, the gap in strength couldn't be made up. The two quickly exchanged fifty moves. From the thirtieth onward, Jun felt Sixth Seat Mizunami putting more force into every strike. He also used a special way of applying force that left more of it on Jun's side, preventing Jun from redirecting it.
Finally, on the seventy-third exchange, Jun's sword flew from his hand. He watched it sail away, panting heavily. There was nothing more he could do.
"Whew~~~~" Sixth Seat Mizunami took a deep breath and looked toward the 11th Division. "Tachikawa, you taught him well. This kid's swordsmanship is just like yours, incredibly steady, and his fundamentals are excellent. If I weren't strong enough to overpower him, I might have embarrassed myself here today."
"Hahahahaha, good, good, good! That's my student for you! Jun, lad, you've completed your training!"
"Genuine menkyo-level swordsmanship. It's a bit of a shame that he doesn't seem to have as many ideas about swordsmanship as he does about Hakuda. His Shunpo is menkyo-level too, and few people his age can match his Reiatsu. Our Tenth Division has gained a treasure!" Sixth Seat Mizunami returned to the group with a hearty laugh. The rest of the Tenth Division looked delighted too, including the man Jun had just defeated. Only Nana was dumbfounded.
In the other divisions, only the single-digit seated officers, captains, and lieutenants could still say anything. Everyone else was stunned. More than half the people present couldn't match the level Jun had just displayed.
"Begin the Kidō exam. You may start the incantation," the examining instructor said.
The instructor certainly hadn't expected what Jun would do next, so
"O Glorifier! Pale howling wrath, land of all creation, fall forever into hell."
As soon as Jun began chanting, several captains and lieutenants were dumbfounded. After exchanging glances, they all stood. Kuchiki Ginrei, Yoruichi Shihōin, Shunsui Kyōraku, and Shiba Kazato each swept out a hand, surrounding Jun with four Bakudō number eighty-one, Dankū.
Only then did some of the people present realize what Jun was doing.
"That's Hadō number eighty-three!!?" someone asked uncertainly.
"What!? What number!?" More people either didn't dare imagine it or simply didn't know.
Whatever anyone else said, Jun continued chanting. "Light of a long-cherished wish, forged in humanity's name! Fangs that devour all things perish in the wind, shatter the sky, and return in an endless cycle!"
"Hadō #83: Gaki Rekko!"
More than a dozen cyan pillars of light shot from the gathering whirlwind and crashed violently against the erected Dankū barriers. The tremendous noise and blinding light made the entire auditorium tremble. The light from inside could even be seen from outside, and students throughout the academy turned to look.
This continued for quite a while. Fortunately, Jun's Reiatsu wasn't that terrifying yet, and the Gaki Rekko didn't last long before it was absorbed by the Dankū. Still, several captains and lieutenants wiped their foreheads, having nearly broken into a sweat.
Shunsui Kyōraku was about to cancel his Dankū when Jun suddenly spoke. "Please don't cancel the Bakudō. I still haven't cast Hadō using Incantation Abandonment."
"Cough, cough, cough." A fit of coughing swept the hall.
Kyōraku hurriedly canceled the Dankū and waved a hand. "Jun, just tell us what number you can reach with Incantation Abandonment. There's no need to test it. You've already passed."
"Oh, with Incantation Abandonment, if I don't count the success rate, the highest I can cast is number seventy-eight, Zanka no Tachi."
"Cough, cough, cough, cough." Another fit of coughing immediately swept the hall, perhaps accompanied by a few feelings of cardiac arrest.
"For Bakudō, I can chant number eighty-nine, Great Heaven Six Pillars. With Incantation Abandonment, I can cast number eighty-one, Dankū, which the captains just used."
"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough." The coughing probably couldn't be stopped now. A whole lot of people might go home and come down with sore throats starting today.
Shiba Kazato made the decision on the spot. "Shimizu, you're a member of our Tenth Division now. In a few days, take the division's internal assessment and see whether you can become the Ninth Seat. All right, come over here. You don't need to return to the line. Our Tenth Division is taking you today! No one's going to steal you from me!"
Everyone else immediately gave the shameless old man looks full of envy, jealousy, and resentment. Jun put on a cute expression, said "Oh," and ran over.
Meanwhile, Shunsui Kyōraku wiped away his sweat and muttered to himself,
Good thing Fourteen didn't come, or he might have had an attack on the spot. That kid Jun is scary enough.