First Student Council President

Life during the break was leisurely—so leisurely it became dull.

Every day, Xin had nothing to do but train. Shūbīng often came to spar with him and was defeated time after time. Though he said he never wanted to fight Xin again, the number of matches did not decrease at all.

Spiritual Pressure Level: Lv. 14

Zanpakutō Unlock Progress: 7%

Spirit Energy Reserve: 20%

The efficiency of improving through training alone was not high. This time, it had taken him half a year just to rise one level.

If he could steadily gain one level every half year, he would not be in any hurry. In a few decades, he would reach max level.

But when he had first begun training, he could gain a level every few days.

The further he went, the harder it would only become.

Just as the tedious break was nearing its end, Xin finally received a summons from the Spirit Training Academy's upper management.

Nanda Hidezawa came personally to fetch him and led him straight to the door of the Principal's Office.

Nanda Hidezawa did not say much along the way. His gaze toward Xin was merely somewhat strange. Perhaps he did not know what was going on either and had only been suddenly told to bring Xin over.

"Go in. The Principal is waiting for you."

After he knocked, a vigorous voice from inside called out, "Come in."

When he pushed open the door, Xin found that there was more than one person in the Principal's Office. With a glance, he recognized most of them. Naturally, he had met the Principal of the Spirit Training Academy before; every year, he gave a public speech to the new students. As for the other three—

The captain of the Tenth Division, Shiba Isshin.

The captain of the Thirteenth Division, Ukitake Jūshirō, and Lieutenant Captain Shiba Kaien.

There was also a richly dressed middle-aged man. He wore neither a Shinigami Robe nor a captain's haori. His expression was blank—or rather, somewhat stern. He was clearly a noble.

This was quite an impressive gathering.

Xin remained calm. After stepping inside, he first bowed to everyone.

"You are Tachikawa Xin?"

Shiba Isshin spoke first. His face was somewhat genial, and his eyes moved back and forth over Xin as though he were very interested in him.

"Tachikawa," said the Principal of the Spirit Training Academy, Suzumebachi Gyosho.

"You should know why you were summoned here this time, correct?"

Xin pondered for a moment. "It is about the Student Council, isn't it?"

Suzumebachi Gyosho was a white-haired old man, but his features were far from kind. Clad in a loose kimono, he carried an air of authority.

"When did you first have this idea?"

"A year ago."

"Why?"

"At the time, I noticed that the teachers had to personally handle many miscellaneous matters, even minor ones, in managing the school. Although the class monitors could help shoulder some of their burdens, there was ultimately only so much one or two people could do. That was when I came up with this idea."

"Is that all?" Suzumebachi Gyosho asked. "Your plan for the Student Council seems highly developed. You could establish it immediately and set it into operation."

Xin said, "Since I had the idea, I naturally had to put it into action. So I spent a year refining this proposal. If the esteemed gentlemen find it feasible, would that not save a great deal of trial-and-error cost? That also aligns perfectly with the concept of easing the teachers' burden."

He knew that was not what Suzumebachi Gyosho truly wanted to ask, but that was all he could answer.

The establishment of the Student Council would certainly bring more benefits than drawbacks. No matter how some people viewed it, they could not deny that its existence would greatly reduce the burden on the Spirit Training Academy's faculty.

Moreover, students who held positions in the Student Council would gain far more experience in management and practical work after graduation.

For an organization beneficial to both the Spirit Training Academy and its students, those present truly could not think of any reason to refuse.

They had all read Tachikawa Xin's file. A commoner born in the Gokō District, he had drawn attention simply by surviving long enough to leave Gokō District alive.

The Seireitei's attitude toward that place could be described as complete neglect. Unless Hollows caused trouble, they would not send Shinigami there to clean things up.

"It seems you came well prepared," Suzumebachi Gyosho said, though it was unclear whether he meant Xin's Student Council proposal or something else.

Tachikawa Xin's grades were already good enough for him to graduate from the Spirit Training Academy, yet he had chosen to remain. Rather than directly submitting his Student Council proposal to the academy's teachers, he had sought out Lieutenant Captain Shiba Kaien of the Thirteenth Division.

Suzumebachi Gyosho had learned of the matter through Ukitake Jūshirō, captain of the Thirteenth Division.

Not long afterward, he had been summoned to attend a Central 46 meeting. Central 46 had held a special meeting over the matter, and it passed by a majority vote.

As the dignified Principal of the Spirit Training Academy, he had known absolutely nothing about this beforehand. Because of that, he had specifically spoken with Tachikawa Xin's homeroom teacher, Nanda Hidezawa, only to find him equally bewildered.

Suzumebachi Gyosho immediately realized that this Tachikawa Xin was no simple student. At the very least, he understood the rules by which Soul Society's upper leadership operated.

Of the people who had come to meet Tachikawa Xin this time, Shiba Isshin, captain of the Tenth Division, had volunteered to come. The other was a current Central 46 councilor, a member of the Kǎxiá Dàlù Clan.

"Do you have any thoughts on the Student Council's recruitment requirements?"

This was not written in Xin's document. Nor were the Student Council's regulations.

Xin said, "Select the best candidates from each class of students at the Spirit Training Academy and arrange interviews. Grades would be secondary; the main consideration would be whether they possess management skills and the ability to get things done..."

"No."

Before Xin could finish, his proposal was rejected. The speaker was that noble.

"Grades are the primary standard of assessment. If a student cannot even achieve acceptable basic grades, then he will not amount to much as a Shinigami either."

Xin chose not to argue with him.

Suzumebachi Gyosho said, "We will formulate a complete plan regarding the Student Council's recruitment threshold, as well as its various regulations and the specific positions it will be responsible for."

"One final question."

"Tachikawa Xin, do you wish to become the first Student Council President?"

That should also have been Tachikawa Xin's goal.

Suzumebachi Gyosho understood that the boy had gone through such a roundabout route, using the Lieutenant Captain and captain of the Thirteenth Division to bring this about, all for this very matter.

At the Central 46 meeting, both Ukitake Jūshirō and Shiba Isshin had strongly argued for the boy to become the first Student Council President.

If things had gone as previously described, and Tachikawa Xin had reported the matter to the teachers first—

Then the position of President could never have fallen to him.

Fortunately, aside from a few records of skipping class, Tachikawa Xin had outstanding grades in every respect, and the talent he had displayed left no room for criticism.

Ukitake Jūshirō held no low status in the Seireitei. Though his family background was not prominent, he had served as a captain for several hundred years, and his teacher was the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.

Shiba Isshin, meanwhile, came from the Shiba family, and everyone knew of Shiba Kaien's talent.

This boy...

Faced with the varied gazes of those present, Xin was not afraid in the slightest. Instead, a confident smile appeared on his face.

"I am confident I can do this position well!"