Enrolling at Shin'ō Academy (2)

Tazawa Kentarō came by every day to bring him food and check on his injuries. When he pushed the door open today, he found Liu Ziyun pacing around the room like a headless chicken, muttering to himself.

"Your injuries sure picked their moment to heal," Tazawa Kentarō teased, setting down the food box. "Shin'ō Academy has only just started accepting applicants, and you're already better. I almost suspect you deliberately took your time healing to get out of work."

Liu Ziyun froze, then put on a mournful face. "Don't tease me, brother! If I could do that, would my handsome face have ended up scarred? Ah... my poor handsome face! It's ruined!"

He touched the scar on his face, his voice full of grief and indignation. "Do you know what a blow this is to a young man destined to become the most handsome man in Seireitei?!"

Tazawa Kentarō looked at his exaggerated expression and nearly burst out laughing. "Your handsome face? I'd say that's more of a hard-luck face."

He paused, then turned serious. "All right, enough joking. Shin'ō Academy has started accepting applicants. Come register with me. You have Spiritual Power, so you should be able to get in."

With that, he pulled Liu Ziyun to his feet and headed outside, leaving no room for argument.

"Wait, wait, wait! Let me tidy myself up! This is my first impression when I register, after all!" Liu Ziyun protested, struggling.

"You're going to tidy yourself up?" Tazawa Kentarō glanced back at him. "That scar on your face is the best look you could ask for. Come on!"

The two chatted and laughed all the way—or, more precisely, traded insults the whole way—until they reached the registration area at Shin'ō Academy.

A long line stretched before them, all the way from the registration desk to the street corner. Most of the people in line were teenagers, though a few looked older. Everyone followed the same procedure: collect a form, fill it out, and have their Reiatsu tested.

Some people left dejectedly after their Reiatsu tests—most likely because their Reiatsu hadn't met the requirements. Others jumped and cheered with delight—their results were probably good.

Liu Ziyun watched the cheering people and grumbled inwardly, Ah... you're laughing now, but when you're all getting eaten by Hollows later, you won't be laughing anymore.

But then another thought struck him, and his spirits sank. I'm probably in much the same boat... No, I have to keep my head down. Otherwise, the bosses who show up later will kill me.

He had spent the past few days thinking about the road ahead. He knew he had transmigrated into the world of Bleach, but he hadn't figured out exactly where he was in the timeline. The information he had gotten from Tazawa Kentarō was limited—most of the current captains and lieutenants of the Thirteenth Division were characters from the later part of the manga whom he didn't recognize.

Shinji Hirako, Aizen and the others probably haven't joined yet, because none of the captains who "ran into trouble" are here... he reasoned. So is this perhaps a hundred years before the story begins? Or even earlier?

But no matter where he was in the timeline, two things were certain:

First, Sōsuke Aizen, the ultimate actor, would appear sooner or later.

Second, Yhwach, the final boss, would awaken sooner or later too.

Kyouka Suigetsu is practically unbeatable... Touch the blade before it's released? How the hell is anyone supposed to know when it's going to be released?! The more Liu Ziyun thought about it, the more his head hurt. So I'd better keep my head down. Build up my strength quietly and don't get reckless. Once Aizen defects to Hueco Mundo, I can come out and have some fun...

Just as he was drawing up a detailed plan in his head for "how to keep a low profile in Soul Society until the end," Tazawa Kentarō patted him on the shoulder. "It's your turn. Hurry up."

"Huh? Oh!" Liu Ziyun came back to his senses and hurried forward.

The registration process was simple: collect a form, fill it out, and have his Reiatsu tested.

But he ran into a problem while filling out the form—one field asked which district he came from.

How am I supposed to know which district I'm from?! He looked back at Tazawa Kentarō in utter confusion, his eyes pleading for help.

Tazawa Kentarō came over and lowered his voice. "Just put District 56. It's fairly far out, but it's not the worst. It fits your profile of 'has some Spiritual Power but isn't particularly strong.'"

"District 56..." Liu Ziyun thought as he filled it in, Wasn't that the district Kenpachi Zaraki came from in the original story? Does that make the great Kenpachi and me hometown buddies?

Once the form was complete, it was time for the Reiatsu test.

The examiner was a stern-looking middle-aged Soul Reaper. He told Liu Ziyun to place his hand on an instrument that looked like a crystal ball. It soon lit up, its color changing from white to blue before settling on a pale blue.

"Grade 18 Reiatsu," the examiner said, recording it on the form. "You passed. You can enroll."

Grade 18... Is that high or low? Liu Ziyun had no idea. I don't think the original story mentioned any specific standards for Reiatsu grades... Never mind. Passing is enough.

Once the process was complete, Tazawa Kentarō pulled Liu Ziyun aside and quietly warned him, "After you enroll, watch out for those noble kids. Try not to offend them. Otherwise, you'll have trouble—not the kind of trouble where you can't beat them in a fight, but trouble 'within the rules.' Understand?"

"Got it, got it," Liu Ziyun said, nodding vigorously. "It's the whole 'my dad is Li Gang' routine. I understand. I won't provoke them."

But inwardly, he thought, Nobles? The Four Great Noble Clans? Or lower-ranking nobles? Whatever, I can't afford to offend any of them. I'm just a commoner player. I'll be a salted fish in peace.

The dormitory rooms at Shin'ō Academy housed four people each. When Liu Ziyun found the room he had been assigned, his three roommates had already arrived and were gathered together, excitedly discussing something.

When they saw him push the door open, all three turned toward him at once, their eyes shining.

"You're our new roommate, right? Welcome, welcome!" A lively-looking boy with short brown hair was the first to speak. "I'm Kentarō! Which district are you from? What grade is your Reiatsu?"

Another boy, who wore glasses and looked quieter, pushed his glasses up. "I'm Ryōta. Nice to meet you."

The third was a relatively sturdy boy of few words. He simply nodded. "I'm Yūji."

Caught a little off guard by their enthusiasm, Liu Ziyun scratched his head. "I'm Liu Ziyun, from District 56. My Reiatsu is grade 18. What about you?"

The three gave him their details: Kentarō was from District 42, with grade 21 Reiatsu; Ryōta was from District 38, with grade 19 Reiatsu; and Yūji was from District 45, with grade 20 Reiatsu.

Looks like my Reiatsu is below average... Liu Ziyun assessed inwardly. But it's fine. I can train to improve it. Besides, I know the story, so I know how to train effectively... probably.

"What were you talking about just now?" he asked curiously.

"We were discussing which division we want to join someday!" Kentarō said excitedly. "I want to join the 11th Division! It's a combat division, the coolest of them all!"

Ryōta pushed up his glasses. "I think the Sixth Division is better. It's the nobles' division, so it's more stable."

Yūji said in a muffled voice, "I want to join the Seventh Division. I hear it has strict discipline."

When the three had finished, they all looked at Liu Ziyun. "What about you? Which division do you want to join?"

The question caught Liu Ziyun off guard, and then he rolled his eyes. "Guys, you haven't even taken a single class yet. Can you guarantee you'll get into a division? If you're not strong enough, they might not want you even if you want to join."

He paused, then said seriously, "So you should study hard and train yourselves first. Once you're stronger, it won't be too late to think about which division to join."

Besides, he added inwardly, I've already decided on the Fourth Division! I'm going to hug Huajie's thigh and never let go!

Kentarō was a little unhappy at having cold water thrown on his enthusiasm. "Why are you so unmotivated? You've got to have dreams!"

"You do need dreams," Liu Ziyun said lazily, flopping onto his bed, "but you have to be realistic too. All right, all right, I'm going to rest. Today really wore me out."

He closed his eyes, but his mind was racing:

Shin'ō Academy... I'll be spending the next six years here—or was it four? I can't remember.

I have to learn Zanjutsu, Hakuda, footwork, Kidō...

I have to avoid trouble with the noble kids...

I have to find a way to get stronger, but I can't stand out so much that I attract attention...

And I have to keep an eye on how the story progresses, so I don't accidentally step on a landmine...

Ah... I'm so tired. He sighed and rolled over.

Outside the window, the sun sank in the west, bathing the buildings of Shin'ō Academy in gold.

In the distance, the excited clamor of the new students rang out, full of anticipation for the future.

Liu Ziyun opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

No matter what, he thought, a new life has begun.

This time, I'm going to live to the end.

And I'm going to protect the people I want to protect.

He touched the scar on his face and suddenly felt that perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing.

At least looking a little fiercer might save him some trouble.

Right?

In the room, his three roommates were still excitedly discussing their plans for the future.

Listening to their voices, Liu Ziyun found a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

It's good to be young... he thought, completely forgetting that he was a "young man" himself now.

But...

Soul Society, here I come.

Shin'ō Academy, here I come.

As for the path ahead as a Soul Reaper...

We'll see.

Night fell, and the lights of Shin'ō Academy came on one by one.

Liu Ziyun's life at the academy had officially begun.

Meanwhile, in the Fourth Division Captain's office, Retsu Unohana stood by the window, looking in the direction of Shin'ō Academy as she idly handled a report that had just been delivered.

The report read:

"New student Liu Ziyun, from District 56, grade 18 Reiatsu, old scar on face..."

Her fingers brushed lightly over the words "old scar," and a thoughtful light flashed in her eyes.

"Liu Ziyun..." she murmured. "Let me see how far you can go."