Graduation

At the Shino Academy, during the swordsmanship class.

"Diezuka Hiroe, come up and demonstrate the technique we learned yesterday!"

During the Kidō class.

"Diezuka Hiroe, tell us your insights on casting Hadō #32!"

During the Hakuda class.

"Diezuka Hiroe, no, Yoruichi. Forget it, both of you come up. One will perform the correct demonstration, and the other will serve as the negative example. Hiroe, you'll be the negative example..."

Days passed by, and before they knew it, the three of them had spent six years at the Shino Academy.

Life at the academy was leisurely yet orderly. As one of the top students, Hiroe enjoyed his time here immensely; it was destined to be one of the most nostalgic periods of his life.

Today was graduation day for the three of them, and no matter how reluctant they felt, it was time to bid farewell to the academy. Six years was the maximum duration of study at the Shino Academy; regardless of whether a student had succeeded or not, they had to leave once the six years were up. That was the rule.

However, Hiroe was the only one who felt any real reluctance. Yoruichi and Urahara had never intended to attend the Shino Academy from the start, and Yoruichi had suggested graduating almost every year for the past six years; making it to today was no small feat.

"Senior Hiroe, congratulations on your graduation! Please, accept these flowers!"

"Haha, thanks! Come to the 13th Division later, I'll look out for you!" Hiroe took the flowers from the junior student and added a cheerful word of encouragement, which made the young girl who had just enrolled last year beam with joy.

Over these six years, the trio of Hiroe, Yoruichi, and Urahara had been the stars of the academy due to their immense talent, strength, and the fact that they had shed their childishness for more handsome and striking appearances.

Among them, Hiroe was the most popular. Yoruichi was too overbearing, her heroic spirit so intense that people were afraid to approach her. While Urahara always wore a smile and seemed easygoing, his expression always gave people the feeling that they were being schemed against, so even fewer people dared to approach him than Yoruichi.

Only Hiroe had an open and magnanimous personality, interacting with others without a hint of arrogance. In the eyes of others, he was the most approachable of the three, and every student at the academy had interacted with him to some degree.

"You two have empty hands, so you might as well help me carry some of these." After dealing with the last admirer, Hiroe saw that Yoruichi and Urahara were still empty-handed and quickly distributed some of the flowers from his arms to them.

"You really are bored enough, aren't you?" Yoruichi rolled her eyes and asked irritably, "When did you even meet those people?"

"Actually, I don't know them all. I don't even know the names of some of them..." Hiroe replied with a pout. He had spent most of his time over the last six years with Yoruichi and Urahara, so he hadn't actually remembered most of the people who seemed so familiar with him.

"I didn't expect you to be even more boring than I thought. What's the point of wasting time on these people?"

"Senior Hiroe, the people from the Gotei 13 have already arrived at the Spirit Pool!" a young boy shouted from afar.

Hiroe nodded, finished thanking another admirer, and turned to Yoruichi. "See? This is where it comes in handy. I didn't waste my time after all."

The entrance ceremony at the Shino Academy might be optional, but the graduation ceremony was of great significance.

The Shino Academy was founded to supply fresh blood to the Gotei 13, so whenever a graduation ceremony was held, the Gotei 13 would send officers of lieutenant rank or higher to scout for talented individuals to join their respective divisions.

Therefore, the graduation ceremony could also be considered a simple recruitment event. Every year, the graduating students had to test their spiritual power levels at the Spirit Pool before submitting applications to their desired divisions.

Upon arriving at the room housing the Spirit Pool, the graduates stood in neat rows, gazing at the twelve Soul Reapers dressed in Shihakusho and one wearing a white sleeveless haori. These thirteen individuals were the current lieutenants of the Gotei 13.

While they said lieutenant rank or higher, only lieutenants ever showed up. Hiroe looked over the group; aside from the lieutenant of Squad 1, Chojiro Sasakibe, who wore different attire, this was his first time seeing the rest of the lieutenants.

"The spiritual power level test begins now!" the instructor in charge announced once everyone had arrived. "First, Kao Susumu."

Kao Susumu had been waiting by the Spirit Pool early today. His white kimono was free of wrinkles, and his hair was combed neatly; it was clear he had put a lot of effort into today.

"Level 6.5!" The instructor looked at Kao with a smile. "It seems you'll be able to join the division you want."

Kao didn't answer, merely glancing toward Chojiro Sasakibe's position, making no secret of the fact that he intended to join Squad 1.

"Well done, Kao!"

"Don't forget about us when you become a lieutenant!"

"That commoner actually reached level 6. Yamamoto shouldn't let commoners set foot in the Seireitei!"

After six years of systematic study, Kao Susumu had raised his spiritual power from level 4 to level 6. Aside from a small number of noble students, most people were willing to get close to him. After all, in the Seireitei, strength was everything.

"This guy actually has some substance to him." Hiroe pointed at Kao's back and continued, "Did we misjudge him?"

"Character and virtue have no direct correlation with strength. The best example is your Old Man Yama..." By now, Urahara already had the air of a future mad scientist, his speech always stiff and formal.

"Can you watch your phrasing? What do you mean 'my' Old Man Yama?" Hiroe wiped sweat from his brow and turned to Yoruichi. "What's your take?"

"Urahara is right." Yoruichi nodded, though her tone shifted instantly. "But a selfish, reckless person like that will eventually die by my hand!"

"Uh, are you sticking up for me?"

"The duty of the Onmitsukido is to eliminate law-breaking Soul Reapers. I'm just following protocol. Of course, there's a part of me doing it for you, but that's just a side benefit."

Hiroe's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Was this what it felt like to be kept? Hiroe glanced down slightly—not that there was much to see—why did she always want others to rely on her? She wasn't even afraid of bumping into someone.

Over these six years, the relationship between the trio and Kao Susumu had never improved; in fact, it had become even worse than when the conflict first started in the Sword Chamber.

In truth, Kao Susumu was only annoyed by Hiroe; Yoruichi and Urahara were just innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. However, the two of them didn't mind, and to this day, they were even more hostile toward Kao Susumu than Hiroe was.

Not to mention what happened in the Sword Chamber, Kao Susumu had been targeting Hiroe throughout their six years of study. It wasn't fair competition, but rather low-handed targeting!

During kendo drills, he would constantly aim for Hiroe's throat, and during Hakuda sparring, he would either poke at his eyes or go for the groin—all dirty tricks from life-or-death duels, as if he were trying to kill Hiroe. In Yoruichi's words, "I've already shown great restraint by not killing him on the spot, haven't I?"

It was unclear when this grudge, which started because of Hiroe, would end, or if it would last until death. Who could say what the future held?