My Friends Might Be Doomed? (1)

In the small dining room at the Fourth Division Barracks, the aroma of Sichuan Boiled Pork's red chili oil still lingered.

Liu Ziyun was bent over his third bowl of rice, shoveling it into his mouth. He couldn't help it. He had won that fight easily, but it had still taken a real toll. Besides, getting beaten six times a day by Tulu used up as much energy as running a marathon.

Unohana elegantly set down her chopsticks and dabbed at the corner of her mouth with a silk handkerchief. Then she looked at Liu Ziyun, who was still wolfing down his food. "Are you sure it's all right to skip your next simulated trial?"

Liu Ziyun lifted his head from his bowl, his mouth still full of pork, and mumbled,

"Ah... it's fine. I took part in the first few trials anyway, and I'm just a support medic. If I keep tagging along with Hirako and the others, I'll drag down their overall scores."

He swallowed his food and added, "Besides, that show-off Hirako is always going on about becoming a captain, saying things like, 'I, Shinji Hirako, will definitely become the youngest captain in Seireitei.' If I keep tagging along and he doesn't get a good score, won't he nag me about it every day?"

A trace of amusement flashed in Unohana's eyes. "Shinji Hirako? That blond brat?"

"Yeah, that's him." Liu Ziyun nodded. "He really is talented, but he shows off too much. Last time, he lost a bet with the Kyōraku kid and had to spend a whole day walking around the academy in women's clothes. And he had the nerve to call it 'fashion is an attitude.'"

Unohana chuckled. "That boy is interesting."

She paused, suddenly remembering something. "Then do you think that brat from the Tsunayashiro Clan... might go after them because of you?"

Liu Ziyun paused with his chopsticks over the food.

"After all, like you, they all came from Rukongai," Unohana continued, a teasing note in her voice. "And they're all called 'geniuses.' If Tsunayashiro Shigure wanted revenge on you but couldn't find you, might he..."

"Take it out on them?" Liu Ziyun finished, frowning.

"It's very possible." Unohana nodded. "As far as I know, those noble children, especially those from the Four Great Noble Clans, are terribly petty. You humiliated him in public today. He certainly won't let it go."

Liu Ziyun put down his bowl and chopsticks, a worried look on his face. "That's a problem..."

He thought for a moment and said, "I'd better give them a heads-up. It wouldn't be good if something happened to them because of me."

Unohana looked at him. "Are you sure a warning will be enough to keep them safe?"

She gently swirled her teacup, her tone calm, though her words were alarming. "As far as I know, those so-called nobles... have enough tricks up their sleeves to make you sick."

Liu Ziyun fell silent for a few seconds, then shrugged. "Never mind. Hirako and the others are strong enough. They might not have much going on upstairs, but they should be fine in a fight."

He paused, then added, "Besides, Tsunayashiro Shigure is just from a branch family, not a direct descendant of the main family. If things really escalated, the Tsunayashiro Clan might not go after a few 'geniuses' with the potential to become Soul Reapers just for the sake of someone from a branch family."

That made sense, but Unohana still cautioned him. "He's a noble even if he's from a branch family. Nobles care about face more than anything."

Liu Ziyun nodded. "I understand. So I'll make things clear to them and tell them to be careful."

Unohana watched him for a while, then nodded gently. "All right."

She stood, her white haori falling around her like flowing water. "Since you don't plan to take part in this simulated trial, go help Tazawa Kentarō. There have been rather a lot of injured people in the barracks lately, and he can't manage them all alone."

"Yes, Captain!" Liu Ziyun stood at attention as he answered.

Unohana turned to leave, but stopped at the door and looked back. "By the way, the Sichuan Boiled Pork was good. Add more Sichuan peppercorns next time."

Liu Ziyun's eyes lit up. "Yes, Captain! I'll make sure to add more!"

Unohana nodded in satisfaction and glided away.

Shin'ō Academy, the boys' dormitory area.

When Liu Ziyun found Shinji Hirako, he was fiddling with his blond hair in front of a mirror, humming a tuneless little song.

"Hirako!" Liu Ziyun called.

Shinji Hirako turned around, and his eyes lit up when he saw Liu Ziyun. "Hey! If it isn't our 'Fourth Division recruit'! What, don't you have to attend to Captain Unohana today?"

Liu Ziyun rolled his eyes. "Cut the wisecracks. I need to talk to you."

He pulled Shinji Hirako aside and lowered his voice. "I offended Tsunayashiro Shigure. The young master from a branch family of the Tsunayashiro Clan."

The smile faded from Shinji Hirako's face. "What happened?"

Liu Ziyun briefly explained what had happened at the training grounds, leaving out the part where he had knocked Tsunayashiro Shigure flat with one punch and saying only that they had "a little conflict."

"Anyway," Liu Ziyun concluded, "that guy might retaliate. If he can't find me, he might come after you."

Shinji Hirako frowned. "Tsunayashiro Shigure... that guy really is arrogant."

He thought for a moment and said, "All right, I understand. I'll let Love and Kensei and the others know to be careful."

Liu Ziyun nodded. "Stay alert during the trial. Don't let them catch you off guard."

"Don't worry." Shinji Hirako grinned. "We're no pushovers. If it really comes to a fight, there's no telling who'll beat up whom."

Even so, Liu Ziyun saw a trace of concern in his eyes.

Sure enough, the name of a noble carries a lot of weight...

Liu Ziyun patted him on the shoulder. "Anyway, better safe than sorry. I'm heading back to the Fourth Division. Come find me anytime if you need anything."

"All right, get back to work." Shinji Hirako nodded.

After Liu Ziyun left, Shinji Hirako immediately sent for Love Aikawa and Kensei Muguruma.

The three gathered in the dormitory's small sitting room, all looking rather grim.

"Will that guy really come after us during this trial?" Love Aikawa asked, puzzled.

Shinji Hirako shook his head. "I don't know. But since Ziyun came all this way to warn us, he must have a reason."

Kensei Muguruma clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. "Those nobles really are a pain. I'd love to just smash that guy with one punch."

Shinji Hirako gave a wry smile. "Nothing we can do. Like Ziyun said, we're all just commoners. In the nobles' eyes, we're dirt beneath their feet, and they can grind us down however they please."

He paused, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. "But commoners have their own way of living. One day, when we're strong enough to 'smash everything,' like Ziyun says, let's see who still dares to bully us."

Love Aikawa nodded. "That's right. Strength is what matters."

He suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, have you noticed... that Ziyun seems to be hiding a lot?"

Shinji Hirako and Kensei Muguruma both looked at him.

"What do you mean?" Kensei Muguruma asked.

Love Aikawa scratched his head, trying to find the right words. "I mean... I always feel like he's really strong, but I can't tell where that strength lies."

He paused, then added, "The feeling he gives off... it's like an abyss. Calm on the surface, but nobody can say what's hidden in its depths."

Shinji Hirako looked thoughtful. "I get that feeling too."

He recalled his time with Liu Ziyun. "His Reiatsu is only around tenth grade, which is only below average at the academy. But whenever I'm with him, I always have this feeling..."

He thought for a moment, then found the right words. "Like I'm being watched. As if something's staring at you from the shadows, but you can't find where it is."

Love Aikawa nodded repeatedly. "Yes, exactly! That's the feeling! Especially when he narrows his eyes. He's always smiling, but at times like that, I feel like a beast has its eyes on me."

He shuddered. "It's like a beast with low Reiatsu is staring at you, but it makes you feel like you could be torn apart at any moment. It's contradictory, but that's really how it feels."

Kensei Muguruma listened with a look of disbelief. "Really? Ziyun's easy to get along with. And he doesn't seem all that strong. Every time we spar at the training grounds, I beat him black and blue."

Shinji Hirako glanced at him. "Kensei, think carefully. Have you really 'beaten' him?"

Kensei Muguruma froze. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Shinji Hirako said slowly, "you win every time, but how many times have you actually landed a hit on him?"

Kensei Muguruma began to think back.

The first time they sparred, Liu Ziyun had "accidentally" slipped, and Kensei had seized the chance to punch him in the shoulder.

The second time, Liu Ziyun had "lost his footing," and Kensei had brought him down with a leg sweep.

The third time, Liu Ziyun had "reacted a beat too slowly," and Kensei had taken advantage of the opening to throw him.

Every time, Kensei had won.

But every time... hadn't he won a little too easily?

As if... Liu Ziyun had let him win on purpose?

Kensei Muguruma's expression changed.

Seeing his reaction, Shinji Hirako knew he had figured it out.

"Ziyun's definitely hiding his strength," Shinji Hirako said with certainty. "At least when it comes to Kidō, he must be really good. Don't you remember the last trial? He casually used Kaidō to heal a badly injured teammate. At that level, he's at least as good as a Fourth Division Seated Officer."

Love Aikawa added, "He can probably already use his Zanpakuto's Shikai too. But I've never seen him use it. Every trial, he stays in the back healing people."

Kensei Muguruma fell silent.

After a long while, he muttered, "Even if he's hiding his strength... that's his business. At least he means us no harm."

"That's true." Shinji Hirako nodded. "Ziyun may always give people the feeling that they can't see through him, but he's sincere with his friends."

He stood up. "Anyway, just like Ziyun warned us, we need to stay sharp in every trial from now on. We can't let those nobles catch us off guard."

He looked around. "By the way, where did Rose run off to? I looked everywhere and couldn't find him."

Kensei Muguruma rolled his eyes. "Probably off playing music again. You know him. He goes on about art and music all day long. I want to knock his front teeth out just to shut him up."

He imitated Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi's tone. "'Kensei, you don't understand. Music is the resonance of the soul~' 'Kensei, fighting needs a sense of rhythm too~' 'Kensei, you're too crude~'"

His imitation was uncannily accurate.

Shinji Hirako and Love Aikawa both burst out laughing.

"All right, all right." Shinji Hirako waved a hand. "Let him know when you see him. We all need to stay out of those nobles' way for now, so they don't catch us off guard."

"OK." Love Aikawa nodded.

"Got it," Kensei Muguruma agreed.

"Then," Shinji Hirako said seriously, "let's discuss the details of the trial that's about to start. We'll make sure we're fully prepared..."

The three sat around the small table and began to talk in earnest.

Outside the window, the sun sank in the west.

Evening at Shin'ō Academy was tranquil and peaceful.

But no one knew that beneath that tranquility, undercurrents were stirring.