The Assessment Ends (Part Two)

For the next few days, Liu Ziyun entered "workaholic mode."

By day, he wandered the streets and alleys of Karakura Town, searching for [Pluses].

At night, he kept wandering—after all, some [Pluses] preferred to be active after dark.

The process was far from smooth.

[Pluses] weren't cabbages. They wouldn't line up and wait for him to perform Konsō on them.

He often spent an entire day walking without encountering a single [Plus].

When he did occasionally find one, he still had to compete with the other trainees for it—after all, everyone needed to complete the assessment.

Once, he even ran into Shinji Hirako and his group.

"Hey! Ziyun!" Shinji Hirako called from a distance. "How many have you found?"

Liu Ziyun gave a wry smile. "One... How about you?"

Shinji Hirako proudly held up three fingers. "Three! I'm already done!"

Liu Ziyun: "..."

Comparisons really were infuriating!

But he had no time to complain.

He kept searching.

Finally, on the third night, he found two [Pluses] in an abandoned factory—an elderly couple who appeared to have died in a car accident, their hands still clasped together.

Liu Ziyun sighed and drew his Asauchi:

"Konsō."

"Konsō."

Two flashes of light appeared.

The elderly couple's figures slowly faded away.

"The second and third... Done." Liu Ziyun put away his sword and breathed a sigh of relief.

Over the next few days, he performed Konsō on several more [Pluses] and purified a few Hollows foolish enough to get in his way.

By the time they assembled on the seventh day, he had exceeded his target.

In front of the Senkaimon, Shunsui Kyōraku counted everyone. After confirming that no one was missing, he announced, "This Soul Reaper Internship assessment... is over! Now, we return to Soul Society!"

Soul Society, Senkaimon Plaza.

Shunsui Kyōraku stood on a raised platform, looking down at the trainees. "In this assessment, everyone met the basic requirement—performing Konsō on at least three [Pluses]."

He paused. "Next, each of you will return to the academy and wait for it to assign you to a division. Or... those of you who have a division in mind can apply to join it yourselves."

As soon as he finished speaking, the trainees cheered.

At last... they were going to become real Soul Reapers!

Liu Ziyun didn't cheer.

He walked silently over to Unohana. "Captain... I'll go back to the Fourth Division with you."

Unohana glanced at him and nodded. "Let's go."

The two left the plaza, one behind the other.

The others each chose their own paths as well.

Shinji Hirako joined the Fifth Division—and because of his outstanding performance, he was immediately appointed Third Seat, causing quite a stir.

Kensei Muguruma went to the Ninth Division—a division whose creed was "justice," which suited his straightforward personality.

Love Aikawa chose the Seventh Division—Liu Ziyun had heard it was because he liked the division's atmosphere.

Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi went to the Third Division—in his words, "Art needs more stages."

Everyone had a bright future ahead of them.

In the days that followed, Liu Ziyun officially became a member of the Fourth Division.

Assignment: Fourth Division, Seventh Medical Squad, regular division member.

Duties: treating the wounded, organizing medicinal supplies, cleaning, and occasionally helping write medical records.

His life was frighteningly regular.

He got up at six in the morning, started work at seven, took an hour's break at noon, finished at five in the afternoon, returned to the dormitory, ate, and went to sleep.

Day after day.

He even deliberately reduced contact with his friends.

Shinji Hirako and the others tried to get together with him several times, but he fobbed them off with one excuse after another:

"Sorry, I'm on duty today."

"There's an urgent assignment at the barracks. I can't get away."

"My stomach hurts. Maybe next time."

In time, everyone understood—this guy wanted to "lay low."

So they stopped pressing him.

Gradually, Liu Ziyun also "faded into obscurity" within the Fourth Division.

The new recruits didn't even know that this ordinary-looking young division member with a scar on his face had once been a figure who stirred up the entire Seireitei.

The older members remembered, but seeing how he now kept himself "aloof from worldly affairs," they stopped bringing it up.

Only one person hadn't forgotten.

Tsunayashiro Tokinada.

He kept track of Liu Ziyun's movements every day.

But to his annoyance, Liu Ziyun was like a turtle tucked inside its shell, leaving him no way to strike.

Barracks → dormitory → barracks.

Back and forth between the two.

When he occasionally went to the cafeteria, he ate in a hurry and left.

He gave Tokinada no opportunity whatsoever.

"Damn it..." Tsunayashiro Tokinada gritted his teeth. "That Zanpakuto... an ability even Enrakyōten can't copy... I have to get it... I must..."

But all he could do was think about it.

Several captains were keeping an eye on Liu Ziyun now—Unohana, Shunsui Kyōraku, and even... Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

He didn't dare act rashly.

All he could do was... wait.

Several months later.

Fourth Division Barracks, medical room.

Liu Ziyun was bandaging an injured division member's wound.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open.

Unohana walked in.

"Captain." Liu Ziyun hurriedly bowed.

Unohana glanced at him with the hint of a smile. "It seems... you really have been keeping a much lower profile lately."

Liu Ziyun scratched his head. "Please don't tease me, Captain. You know how it was... I was tangled up in trouble before. Keeping a low profile helps promote unity."

"Unity?" Unohana raised an eyebrow. "Unity between whom?"

"Why, the overall unity of Soul Society, of course." Liu Ziyun grinned. "Hehe."

Unohana smiled too. "If it's the overall unity of Soul Society... then we should get rid of you. Wouldn't that settle everything once and for all?"

Liu Ziyun: "..."

Huajie, if you talk to people like that, you won't have any friends!

Unohana stopped teasing him. "All right. It's been so long since it happened. Keep a low profile if you think you should."

She paused. "I came to find you today... because Captain-Commander Yamamoto wants to see you."

Liu Ziyun stared. "Huh?"

"Come with me." Unohana turned and left.

Liu Ziyun hurried after her, asking as they walked, "Wait... the Captain-Commander wants to see me? I'm just an ordinary division member! Why would the Captain-Commander be paying attention to me?"

Unohana didn't look back. "You're not an ordinary division member. How could someone who... stirred up conflict between the Thirteenth Division and the nobles be ordinary?"

Liu Ziyun smiled wryly. "Captain... none of this is what I wanted! They suddenly produced a shit-stirrer who kept trying to latch onto me! What was I supposed to do?"

Unohana stopped and looked back at him. "A shit-stirrer?"

She considered it, then nodded. "That description... is quite apt."

She paused. "But... those who attract shit-stirrers to themselves usually aren't very clean themselves."

Liu Ziyun: "..."

I've been wronged!

But he didn't dare say it aloud.