The First Class (2)

The dojo doors opened, and rows of sword racks were wheeled inside. They were arranged neatly along the walls, each loaded with brand-new Asauchi.

Asauchi were what Zanpakuto were called before they underwent Shikai. They could be thought of as blank weapons made exclusively for Soul Reapers in the Soul Society.

At that moment, over a hundred swords were displayed silently before the new students. Though they made no sound, every student was shaken by the sight.

These scions might have been pampered in their daily lives, but neither private soldiers nor bodyguards were allowed to carry Zanpakuto. Apart from the scions of the Four Great Noble Houses, most of them were probably seeing a Zanpakuto for the first time.

Their gazes crisscrossed toward the racks, filled with such fervent longing that it seemed sparks might fly through the air.

Lin Nan wasn't particularly surprised. After all, he'd seen plenty of Bankai in the manga in his previous life. What was there to get excited about with a mere Asauchi?

Perhaps he'd feel a little excited once he got to hold one, but he figured it'd be only slightly more thrilling than the time he'd accidentally found an exceptionally straight branch as a kid.

Since the distribution hadn't begun yet, he looked around and spotted Kyoraku and Tsunayashiro, who were just as unexcited and steady as old dogs. After a moment's thought, he immediately understood why.

Kyoraku's older brother was a Soul Reaper. Even if he was often away on missions, he must have come home now and then. Kyoraku had probably had the advantage of proximity and might have played with a Zanpakuto before.

As for the Tsunayashiro Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Houses, it possessed the heirloom Zanpakuto, the Yanluo Mirror Codex. Though Tsunayashiro Tokinada wasn't the most valued child in the family, he'd surely had the chance to learn a thing or two.

A mere Asauchi wasn't enough to get him excited.

Lin Nan couldn't help feeling wistful. Damn, it was good to be rich. From childhood, you got to see all kinds of things other kids your age never did.

Even Ukitake, usually so mature and composed, was gazing at the rows of Asauchi on the racks, eyes shining!

"Huh? Pervert, you don't seem very excited," Kyoraku said, seeing Lin Nan looking around and assuming he was doing the same thing as him. "See any pretty girls?"

"How many girls do you think there are? Our class is practically all monks. And don't call me a pervert. I'm looking around because I'm bored. You're the one looking for girls," Lin Nan declared righteously.

The Soul Reaper in charge of distributing the Zanpakuto was an elderly man wearing a pair of narrow glasses. He recited the regulations in the Spirit Arts Academy's Zanpakuto Management Code in a stiff, methodical voice.

"First, drawing your sword is forbidden except during Zanjutsu meditation and live-blade testing classes.

"Second, under no circumstances may you point your blade at a fellow student.

"Third, ..."

The teacher spoke so slowly that scattered conversations began among the students. Some of the impatient ones had already started grumbling under their breath.

Kyoraku chimed in from the side. "The teacher talks so slowly! And next class, there's no way I'm standing in the front row. I couldn't see a single girl behind me... We'd be better off going back to sleep sooner!"

Ukitake once again took on the role of class representative for their trio. "Kyoraku-san, focus. The time will pass quickly!"

Lin Nan listened closely, analyzing as he went. "Why do I get the feeling the school's regulations are hinting at something?

"No drawing your sword, no pointing it at your classmates... Have students gotten into fights and drawn their swords at the academy before?"

This time, before Kyoraku could answer, Lin Nan looked toward Tsunayashiro Tokinada, who stood in the row behind them. "Do you know what's going on?"

The Tsunayashiro Clan had managed the Soul Society's intelligence for generations, so Tokinada's knowledge was surely far better than Kyoraku's, who only heard stories from his older brother. It couldn't hurt to ask; he might be able to coax out a little information.

Tsunayashiro was still smiling as he answered softly. "No. They say the rule hasn't changed since the academy was founded. It's just there to make students respect their Zanpakuto. There is, however, one actual restriction."

The three of them perked up at that. Even Kyoraku put on a reverent expression, ready to hear more.

"Actually, there are several permanent barriers within the Spirit Arts Academy. One of them, the Blade-Sheathing Decree, is meant to prevent new students who don't know how to use a sword from drawing one carelessly and causing an accident."

Tsunayashiro Tokinada didn't seem to care at all about revealing such an insignificant secret.

"There's a barrier? Then does that mean we can never use our Zanpakuto at school?" Ukitake asked.

Kyoraku shook his head slightly. "No, it's probably a fairly simple barrier. Otherwise, it would interfere with the academy's lessons."

Tsunayashiro Tokinada glanced at Kyoraku Shunsui, his expression unreadable, and smiled. "That's right. The barrier can only restrain students with weak spiritual pressure.

"Once we take Zanjutsu meditation and manage to communicate with our Zanpakuto, our spiritual pressure should be strong enough to break free of the barrier."

After hearing that, Lin Nan nodded thoughtfully and murmured, "So we can communicate more deeply with our Zanpakuto and achieve Shikai?"

The other three looked at him in unison. Tsunayashiro Tokinada watched Lin Nan, smiling without a word.

Kyoraku looked rather surprised. "You already know about Zanpakuto? I didn't know any of that... Ah, the old man must've given you special lessons! I'm going to complain to him tomorrow!"

Ukitake chipped in at just the right moment. "If the teacher actually shows up, will you still dare say that?"

Kyoraku stiffened for half a second, then gave Ukitake an embarrassed look. "Whose side are you on? I'm your roommate!"

Seeing that the other three were still looking at him in confusion, Lin Nan quickly explained with a serious expression. "I was just guessing. Didn't I just say that you can only draw your sword during Zanjutsu meditation and live-blade testing? How could we take Zanjutsu meditation if the barrier were too strong?"

While the three of them chatted, the teacher at the front finally finished his speech and began handing out Zanpakuto.

Standing at the podium, the teacher took out the roster and flipped through it. Then, finding it too troublesome, he closed it again and simply announced that they would come up for their swords in order.

That gave those in the front row an advantage. Lin Nan and the others were at the front, so they got to go first.

Kyoraku had acted as if he didn't care, but now he hurried forward in three quick strides. Looking at the Asauchi before him, he rubbed his hands together and asked the teacher, "Can I pick one?"

The teacher shot him an irritated look. "They're all the same! Take them in order. You get whichever one you reach!"

Kyoraku said, "Oh," grabbed the first sword from the rack, then turned and hopped back to the line. As soon as he was steady on his feet, he began carefully examining the sword from every angle.

Ukitake went up, greeted the teacher properly, picked up a sword, and returned to the line at an unhurried pace.

Lin Nan took the opportunity to tease Kyoraku. "Look at Ukitake. That's how you stand properly. Girls like his type. You should learn from him."

Kyoraku paid him no mind and kept fiddling with his sword. "What's the point of learning that? This young master's going to have wives and concubines by the dozen..."

It was Lin Nan's turn to go up third. He gave the teacher a slight nod, then headed for the sword rack.

Honestly, all the swords looked exactly alike. They had black scabbards, and the wrapping on their hilts was the same shade of yellowish brown.

"They don't seem any different..." Lin Nan thought. "I'll just take the one after Ukitake's."

He took the next Asauchi in order and turned to leave, but a strange feeling suddenly stirred in his heart. So he walked forward again, toward another rack on his right, and reached out to grab a different Asauchi...

The teacher, waiting to call the next name, saw that Lin Nan still hadn't finished choosing and returned to the line. He turned around impatiently. "Didn't I tell you not to pick? Hurry up..."

He had only turned halfway when the sight before him forced him to swallow the rest of his words.

Lin Nan stood in front of the rack, the sword he'd chosen already at his waist. In his hand, he was drawing another Asauchi from its scabbard, exposing the blade.

The teacher's face turned as yellow as the blade—

In full view of everyone, the blade of the second Asauchi was made of bamboo.