Shin'ō Academy

As the light of their last companion's soul faded completely into the twilight of Soul Society, the dilapidated little hut that had held so much laughter and so many tears fell into a long, deathly silence.

The peaceful smile Kenta had left behind when he faded away was like a cold brand, etched deep into the hearts of the three survivors.

Grief spread silently through the stillness like damp moss, yet it also gave rise to a sprout of resolve.

After several days of silence, Liu Hao was the first to speak. He sat in an empty corner of the hut, his fingers absently tracing the rough marks on the floor. His voice was dry but clear. "We can't go on like this."

Renji looked up sharply. The eyes beneath his red hair, usually burning with an untamed flame, were now filled with pain and bewilderment.

Rukia sat by the window with her knees drawn up, gazing at the eternally gray sky outside. Her small back was ramrod straight, yet there was a taut fragility to it.

"If we stay here," Liu Hao continued, his gaze sweeping over every familiar corner of the hut, now a source of nothing but sorrow, "nothing will change. We'll just keep losing people. We can't protect the people we want to protect, and we can't even be sure we'll live to see tomorrow." He paused and looked at his two companions. "Remember what Captain Unohana said? Only with power can we choose."

"Go to Seireitei... and become Soul Reapers?" Renji's voice was a little hoarse. It wasn't hesitation, but a faint tremor of distant hope after being crushed beneath cruel reality.

"Become Soul Reapers and gain power." Liu Hao nodded, his eyes more resolute than ever before. "Not for some noble mission, at least not at first. It's to stay alive, to make sure that when disaster strikes again, we won't just have to stand there and watch, or rage helplessly and run away. It's so... the people we care about will have at least a tiny... chance of survival."

Rukia slowly turned her head, looking at Liu Hao with her violet-gray eyes, then at Renji. She said nothing, only nodded firmly, her tightly pressed lips betraying the turmoil within her. The dead were gone, and the living had to move forward, carrying the departed with them down a path where they might be able to take hold of their own destinies.

Once they had made their decision, they acted quickly. They buried—or rather, formally bid farewell to—everything in their past, and set out for Seireitei, whose towering walls symbolized order and power, carrying with them only the resilience they had honed while struggling to survive in Rukongai.

After passing through a long stretch of wasteland and security zones, the oppressive presence of the towering white walls and massive gates was far greater than they had imagined.

The Soul Reaper guarding the gate regarded them with indifference and a businesslike manner.

When Liu Hao explained why they had come and said they hoped to take the entrance examination for Shin'ō Academy, the guard simply handed him a brief form and a wooden tag engraved with a number.

"Fill in your information and leave an imprint of your Reiatsu. The next regular entrance examination is in six months. Bring the tag to take the preliminary test," the guard said in a flat voice. "Only those who pass the preliminary test may proceed to the next round. Of course, a direct recommendation or endorsement from any current captain can also earn you admission to the academy or a division without an examination."

Six months. Neither a long nor a short time. For the three, who were desperate to change their circumstances, every day was an ordeal. They spent the last of their "savings"—a few Reishi stones that were still worth something in Rukongai—to rent a temporary dwelling in the outer area of Seireitei. It was exceedingly crude, hardly more than four walls. It was little better than their home in Rukongai, but at least the sky overhead seemed a little closer to the world beyond those high walls.

During the wait, Liu Hao didn't waste a moment. He knew full well that the Shin'ō Academy entrance examination was no joke, and that the strength and control of one's Reiatsu were the most fundamental requirements.

Thanks to his earlier "experience" of losing control of his Reiatsu and the years he had since spent consciously exploring it, he had gained a preliminary, rough sense of the power within him that had once run wild. He taught Renji and Rukia everything he had learned: how to sense the flow of Reishi more keenly, how to try to guide the Reiryoku within rather than fight it, and how to gather their scattered auras as tightly as possible.

There were no textbooks and no instructors. They relied entirely on instinct and repeated failed attempts.

In that cramped, shabby room, the three practiced day after day, their exercises monotonous and painful.

Sometimes they sat in meditation to sense spiritual power; sometimes they sparred. They often exhausted themselves until their Reiatsu was in disarray and their heads felt ready to split. But no one called a halt. The faces of their dying companions were the strongest force driving them onward.

Six months slipped quietly by amid sweat and the thirst for power. When their wooden tags grew slightly warm to notify them of the examination and led them back to Seireitei's main gate, much of their initial uncertainty had faded from their eyes, replaced by a greater composure.

The examination grounds were packed with souls from all over Soul Society, gathered with the same dream. They varied in age and appearance, but their eyes shone with similar longing and nervousness.

The tests were more standardized than expected: touching a special crystal to measure the basic strength of their Reiatsu, attempting to produce the most basic resonance with an Asauchi—an unreleased Zanpakuto prototype—within a set time, and completing a simple challenge to test the precision of their Reiatsu control.

Thanks to six months of focused training that bordered on self-torture, Liu Hao, Renji, and Rukia all passed without difficulty. Renji's Reiatsu was fierce and outwardly explosive, much like his personality; Rukia's was cool and steady, with a resilience that belied her petite appearance. Liu Hao's Reiatsu was the most unusual. The testing crystal flickered violently several times when he touched it, and though the final reading was high, it was somewhat unstable. Even so, it clearly met the threshold for "Soul Reaper potential," and briefly drew the attention of a Soul Reaper proctor nearby.

Those who passed the preliminary test were led as a group through the massive gates that had once seemed impossibly distant, officially entering Seireitei.

The towering white buildings, the streets so clean they were almost spotless, the rich and orderly Reishi in the air... Everything stood in a contrast like heaven and hell to the chaotic, impoverished Rukongai.

Many successful candidates from Rukongai couldn't help exclaiming in amazement as they eagerly took in the world they had long yearned to see.

Liu Hao was observing too, but his attention fell mostly on the people accompanying them. He saw a girl with short brown hair, a gentle smile, and a determined light in her eyes—Momo Hinamori. He also noticed a boy with light yellow hair, a somewhat gloomy air, and impeccable manners—Izuru Kira.

Those familiar names and faces made him even more certain of the "timeline" he was in. When his gaze passed over Rukia's rather slight back, a thought suddenly struck him:

Hisana Kuchiki... Rukia's older sister and Byakuya Kuchiki's wife.

According to the original story, she's extremely frail. She'll probably pass away in the next few years... no, perhaps even before long.

She was searching for her long-lost younger sister until the day she died.

If I can get Rukia to reunite with her before then... not only will Rukia gain a blood relative in this world, but more importantly... that's the Kuchiki Clan! The foremost of the Four Great Noble Clans!

If Rukia can be accepted into the Kuchiki Clan early, the road ahead will be countless times smoother. At the very least, she can avoid many of the tragic experiences she originally suffered...

Once the idea took root, it quickly occupied Liu Hao's thoughts. How should he tell her? How could he explain knowing such a closely guarded secret? Say it outright? He would probably be taken for a madman, or draw unnecessary suspicion. Drop hints? Guide her toward it? He had to find a plausible way that would leave no trace.

Liu Hao was somewhat distracted for the rest of the journey. Neither the magnificent buildings nor the solemn atmosphere could hold his attention. His mind was full of possible explanations and plans; at times he frowned, and at others he sank into thought.

The group finally arrived at Shin'ō Academy. Its towering gate, spacious plaza, and students in matching uniforms coming and going all displayed the authority and order of the place.

The new students were handed over to the academy's teaching assistants and assigned to classes according to the roster. The assignments were based primarily on their Reiatsu evaluations and control during the preliminary test. The value of Liu Hao and his companions' six months of hard training now became apparent—all three of their names were called for the "First Division direct recommendation elite preparatory class."

The class was small, but its students were clearly prospects receiving special attention.

The classroom was spacious and bright, with a separate desk and chair for each student. The academy issued matching light blue student uniforms and a standard Asauchi to each of them. Cold and heavy, with a plain white strip wrapped around its hilt, the blade symbolized their status as "Soul Reapers in training." A teaching assistant briefly announced the daily schedule and curriculum, which included Kidō, Hakuda, footwork, sword strikes, and Reiryoku theory. His tone was stern as he emphasized discipline and honor.

Next came dormitory assignments. The dormitory area consisted of neat rows of two-story buildings, with conditions countless times better than their temporary shacks in Rukongai and outside Seireitei. While the teaching assistant was making assignments, Liu Hao stepped forward and quietly asked to room with Renji Abarai. The assistant glanced at him, checked the roster, and nodded his approval.

However, when Liu Hao used his key to open their assigned room, the door directly opposite happened to open as well. Rukia emerged with another female student, who wore her hair in a ponytail and looked timid. Liu Hao's expression turned rather interesting in an instant.

Well, would you look at that... The boys' and girls' rooms are right across from each other. Could this whole floor, even the whole building, be mixed? This dorm layout... just what you'd expect from a two-dimensional setting. Liu Hao couldn't help commenting inwardly. Are the rules really this lax? Then again, I suppose the Soul Reaper academy probably values strength and Reiryoku more and might not be so particular about those details... Hmm, I wonder if the baths are also...

"Liu Hao?" Rukia's puzzled voice interrupted his increasingly wayward thoughts. "Why... is your smile... kind of strange?" She tilted her head slightly, her violet-gray eyes full of curiosity.

Liu Hao snapped back to his senses and realized his daydreams might have shown on his face. He quickly straightened his expression. "Huh? Is it? No, it isn't! You must have imagined it!"

Renji gave him a suspicious look too, his brows knitting. "I bet you were thinking about something shady just now."

"Slander! Pure slander!" Liu Hao immediately protested with righteous indignation, then quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, let's get inside and change! Once we're done, we can look around the academy together and get familiar with the place. We'll be spending the next few years here!" With that, he practically snatched the door open and slipped inside, leaving Renji and Rukia staring at each other in the corridor.

"Has he been... a little weird lately?" Renji asked, rubbing his chin.

"He's been distracted ever since we passed the preliminary test and came through the gate." Rukia nodded. "But Liu Hao always has his own ideas... Never mind for now. Let's change."

A short while later, the three changed into their brand-new uniforms and walked along Shin'ō Academy's broad paths. Many other new students were also exploring in twos and threes, their faces alight with excitement and curiosity.

The white buildings, neatly trimmed plants, and distant shouts from training grounds made everything feel new and full of hope, temporarily dispelling the gloom of their partings and the many worries on Liu Hao's mind.

The next day, the elite preparatory class's first lesson began in a solemn atmosphere. The middle-aged man who stepped up to the lectern had a meticulous air and a neatly groomed mustache. He wore a black Soul Reaper uniform beneath a white haori. He was Chōjirō Sasakibe, lieutenant of the First Division.

His subject was not Kidō or Zanjutsu, but "Introduction to Soul Reapers and their code of conduct." In a steady, resonant voice, he explained the purpose of Soul Reapers: to purify Hollows and maintain the balance of souls between the World of the Living and Soul Society; to guide the dead and safeguard order and peace in Soul Society; and, most importantly, to protect Seireitei and the eternal peace beneath the Soul King Palace.

Many of the new students listened with shining eyes, their blood surging with excitement. Renji sat upright, his fists slightly clenched, his eyes burning with a desire to "protect" and for "power." Rukia listened intently too, as if she meant to engrave every word on her heart. The scene stood in subtle, ironic contrast to their experiences struggling to survive in Rukongai and witnessing injustice and indifference.

As Liu Hao listened to Chōjirō Sasakibe's account, so full of duty and honor, he remained unmoved and even felt like laughing.

Protect ordinary souls? More than ninety percent of the souls in Soul Society are thrown into the harsh conditions of Rukongai to fend for themselves, while nobles and Soul Reapers occupy the safest places in Seireitei and enjoy its finest resources.

The Gotei 13, as its name suggests, has the foremost duty of protecting the court—protecting Seireitei, the city of nobles and Soul Reapers.

The so-called balance and order are nothing more than tools for keeping the existing social hierarchy fixed in place.

Over the past thousand years, with the external threat—the Quincy—temporarily gone, all that remains within is power struggles, infighting, and the endless defense of their own rules... These thoughts churned in his head, leaving him utterly uninterested in the "ideology lesson" before him.

The lesson ended, and Chōjirō Sasakibe left the classroom. Liu Hao let out a long breath and slumped lazily over his desk.

"Hey, Liu Hao," Renji said, nudging him. "Why are you so listless? The lieutenant's lesson was great! That's what a Soul Reaper should be like!"

Rukia nodded in agreement. "Yes, those principles are important. They'll guide our actions in the future."

Liu Hao raised his head and looked at his two companions as though they were some kind of rare animal, a slightly mocking curve tugging at his lips. "Principles? Guidance? Have you two forgotten where we came from? Have you really forgotten the lives we used to lead?" His voice wasn't loud, but it had a cold edge that froze the excitement on Renji's and Rukia's faces.

"The Gotei 13 was founded over a thousand years ago," Liu Hao continued, glancing around at the other students, most of whom were still caught up in the "noble sentiment" of the lesson. "Why is it called the 'thirteen court guard squads' instead of the 'thirteen spirit guard squads' or the 'thirteen soul guard squads'? What court? It's Seireitei, right here beneath our feet. Who's going to 'protect' the souls in Rukongai?"

Renji and Rukia fell silent. Memories of Rukongai came flooding back—hunger, cold, the fear of Hollows, the deaths of their companions, the nobles' indifference, the distant Soul Reapers... Those vivid, painful images clashed with the picture of "protection" painted in the lesson.

"In this world, the power to have a say in anything ultimately comes down to strength and influence." Liu Hao lowered his voice, but his words became clearer. "Our first goal in coming here is to get stronger. Strong enough to protect ourselves, strong enough that perhaps one day we'll have at least a little power to change the things we can't stand and protect the people we truly want to protect. If we can't become that strong..." He paused. "Then first we learn to follow the rules here, use them, stay alive, and grow stronger."

"What about you, Liu Hao?" Renji stared intently at him, his gaze complicated beneath his red hair. "What exactly do you want to do after you get stronger? Just follow the rules and use them, like you said?"

Liu Hao met his gaze without flinching. The flippancy and laziness vanished from his face, replaced by a rare solemnity. "Me? I'll do my best to protect Seireitei."

The answer startled both Renji and Rukia. It seemed at odds with Liu Hao's earlier criticism.

"Because," Liu Hao added slowly, looking toward the towering spires of the white buildings outside the window, "this place has at least given us a chance and a place to gain power and change our destinies. Whatever the original intent behind that 'gift,' to me, it's a kindness I need to repay.

"Within the limits of my ability, I'll protect the existence of this 'order.' But aside from that..." He looked back at his two companions, a deep light in his eyes. "I'll protect only the people and things I consider worth protecting. As for the rest, I'll let things take their course."

Liu Hao did not know that in a seemingly ordinary observation room next to the classroom, two people had heard every word of his remarks, from their "unorthodox" beginning to their eventual "return to orthodoxy."

In the center of the room, a huge monitoring screen slowly dimmed. Before it stood a tall old man with a thick, long beard and a face as imposing as if carved from rock, both hands resting on an ancient-looking wooden staff. He wore a white haori embroidered with the character for "one." He was Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, captain-commander of the Gotei 13.

Standing behind and to his side was none other than Chōjirō Sasakibe, who had just finished teaching. At the moment, the usually composed lieutenant looked troubled. His brows had drawn tightly together, especially when he heard Liu Hao's initial sharp and merciless analysis of the nature of "protecting the court." Only when Liu Hao finally said he would "do his best to protect Seireitei" did his expression soften slightly, though it remained grave.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto had not said a word throughout. Only when the boy had spoken frankly of "protecting the court rather than the spirits" had his fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around his staff for an instant, and his eyes, seemingly able to see through a thousand years, narrowed slightly.

"Chōjirō," a deep, commanding voice finally sounded, breaking the silence. "What is the name of that red-haired boy? And what is his relationship to the other two?"

Chōjirō Sasakibe immediately bowed and answered respectfully, "Captain-Commander, the red-haired boy is named Liu Hao.

"As for the other two, the boy is named Renji Abarai, and the girl is named Rukia.

"According to the candidate background briefing compiled earlier by the Second Division, the three originally lived together in Inuzuri, District 78 of Rukongai, and previously had several other companions.

"Some years ago, they were attacked by a Hollow. Two companions died on the spot. Another was saved by Captain Unohana, but his soul had been too deeply corroded by the Hollow's Reiatsu, and he too faded away several years ago."

"Afterward, the three decided to come and take the Shin'ō entrance examination. The briefing also made special mention that during the attack, this Liu Hao unleashed an exceptionally powerful burst of Reiatsu and nearly inflicted severe injuries on the Hollow with his bare hands. He subsequently fell into the danger of losing control of his own Reiatsu, but fortunately Captain Unohana treated him and brought it under control in time."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto listened quietly, his gaze still fixed on the darkened screen, as though he could still see the red-haired boy speaking with confidence.

"Chōjirō," the captain-commander spoke again, his voice betraying no emotion. "Do you think there is... some truth to what that boy said? 'We are only the thirteen court guard squads, not the thirteen spirit guard squads.'"

Chōjirō Sasakibe's body trembled slightly, and he lowered his head further. "All the Gotei 13's principles and actions should be guided above all by your will, Lord Genryūsai. We need only follow and carry out your will."

"Follow this old man's will..." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto repeated the words and slowly raised his head. His gaze seemed to pass through the ceiling toward the endlessly distant Soul King Palace, and his voice carried an almost imperceptible, lingering sigh. "Then, Chōjirō, what do you think this old man's will... ought to be for?"

The question made Chōjirō Sasakibe hold his breath, unsure how to answer.

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto did not wait for his answer. He lowered his head, his gaze turning sharp as a blade once more, as though he had made a decision.

"A promising boy," he said at last. His tone was calm and even, yet carried immense weight. "His talent, character, and experience all show potential for refinement.

"Send word to Shin'ō Academy. The coursework and training intensity for this year's elite class, especially Liu Hao, Renji Abarai, and Rukia, may be arranged at the 'special excellence' level. I... want to see just how far they can grow."

"Yes, Captain-Commander!" Chōjirō Sasakibe answered solemnly, though inwardly he was already in turmoil.

For the captain-commander to personally inquire after students and order "special excellence training" was exceedingly rare even in the history of Shin'ō Academy.

The wheel of fate for Liu Hao, the red-haired boy from Rukongai's District 78, seemed to have quietly shifted from the moment he stepped into that classroom, setting him on a course that even he might not have foreseen.