Bleach: Reborn — Chapter 136 - Opening Ceremony — A New Beginning

"Tsukishiro-nii, this is where the new student assembly will be held." By the time three in the afternoon drew near, Yū Nakai had already walked Wayne through the entire Shin'ō Academy. They had also toured the surrounding facilities near the Seireitei, all to help Wayne get familiar with the environment as quickly as possible. Wayne hadn't refused. Though he could see everything perfectly well on his own, strolling here with Nakai served two purposes. First, it helped him establish his cover. He'd gained a bit of a name for himself during the exam, so letting everyone confirm he was blind would pay dividends later.

Second, sticking with Nakai gave Wayne more chances to talk with him, learn his history, and verify whether he was genuinely safe.

"Thank you for your trouble, Nakai." Wayne nodded.

"It's nothing. This is what I'm here for." Nakai waved his hands hastily. "Today is Captain-Commander Yamamoto's address. Some seniors told me that the only chance to see the headmaster at the Seireitei's Shin'ō Academy is during this new student assembly. The Captain-Commander is usually far too busy. If you want to see him again, you'll have to wait until you become a Soul Reaper."

"He oversees the entire Seireitei. Being busy comes with the territory." Wayne answered offhandedly, but his attention was already on the grand building before him. Immense white walls. Enormous doors. Countless young men and women in red and blue robes streaming through the academy gates. The interior was vast, capable of holding tens of thousands, just enough for the six-year cohort of over ten thousand students. Today, however, only Wayne's incoming class was here, so the space felt empty. But fewer people had its advantages. At least it wasn't crowded.

"Nii-nii! Nii-nii!" From a distance, Momo waved at him. "Over here!" She darted out from the crowd and came to his side. "I was just trying to figure out how to come find you."

"Ah, you can thank Nakai for that." Wayne quickly made introductions. "Nakai, this is my sister, Momo Hinamori. Momo, this is my roommate, Yū Nakai."

"So you're Nii-nii's roommate." Momo bowed at once. "I hope my brother hasn't caused you too much trouble."

"No, no, not at all." Nakai waved his hands frantically, his face a mask of awkwardness. "I'm the one who owes Tsukishiro-nii. I only made it into the Shin'ō Academy thanks to his help. If anything, I'm the one who's been looked after."

"What's this about?" Momo didn't know Nakai's story. As they walked inside, Wayne filled her in on his roommate's background.

"So that's how it is." Momo was a little taken aback. She hadn't expected the academy to extend such a courtesy to her brother.

"It's probably due to feedback from the various squads after the exam." Wayne was unbothered. In fact, without this roommate, he'd have been even freer. But given that he was in the learning phase at the academy, being watched didn't really matter. Later on, the Soul Reaper squad barracks provided private rooms. He could even buy property directly in the Seireitei and bring Shiro-chan and Granny over. During his student years, though, he didn't have that kind of means yet. The only thing he could do now was get Granny's watermelon business off the ground.

"Ahem." Soon, on the academy's massive podium, a white-haired man with a trimmed mustache and an aristocratic bearing stepped forward. "New students, welcome to the Shin'ō Academy. I am the lieutenant of Squad One of the Gotei 13, and also the vice-headmaster of this academy. Chōjirō Sasakibe."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.

So this is the lieutenant of Squad One? I heard Lieutenant Sasakibe has served the Captain-Commander for over a thousand years.

He carries himself with such dignity. Is this the Reiatsu of a lieutenant?

He looks like a strict man.

The students buzzed. To accommodate their feelings, Sasakibe deliberately paused a full minute before continuing. "Over the next six years, you will study and grow here, laying the foundation for your future as Soul Reapers — a noble calling. Of course, the requirements to become a Soul Reaper are far more demanding than those to enter this academy. I hope you will all continue to strive, work to graduate as soon as possible, and join the ranks of the Gotei 13. There, within the Soul Reaper forces, greater resources and broader opportunities await to help you grow stronger."

Lieutenant Sasakibe's words made one thing clear: the more outstanding you were, the sooner you could graduate and join the Gotei 13. The earlier you graduated, the more resources would be funneled your way. A reward mechanism, in essence.

"Now, I invite the Captain-Commander to speak." Sasakibe swiftly yielded the podium. From behind the curtain, draped in the Captain-Commander's haori, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto emerged. His steps were slow, but each one was steady and weighty. His aged face, worn by years and duty, was carved with solemnity, as if the old man had never smiled a day in his life. His grizzled beard was bound neatly with a cord, immaculately kept. With every step, the peachwood cane in his hand struck the floor with a resonant thud.

Those who knew the old man understood what that cane truly was: the Zanpakuto that had accompanied him his entire life. The strongest fire-type. Ryūjin Jakka. In this era of peace, to prevent his mighty Zanpakuto from releasing scorching Reiatsu that would harm those nearby, the old man had wrapped it within a walking staff, sealing away the immense power inside the blade. A lifetime of toil, all for the balance of the Soul Society. He had given far, far too much.

"Students!" The old man's voice was hoarse, yet it carried immense force. "Welcome to the Shin'ō Academy. I am the headmaster of this institution, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto."

That single sentence drew thunderous applause from the two thousand-plus students below.

"Here, you will learn the foundations of becoming a Soul Reaper — the four core disciplines: Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. After this, you will receive your very own Zanpakuto. In the future, when you awaken your Zanpakuto, you will learn Konsō and become Soul Reapers. Of course, the academy does not demand mastery in all four areas. Every student has their own strengths. The Gotei 13, the Kidō Corps, the Stealth Force — all these institutions will open their doors to you and invite you to join. Surge forward! Strive! The future is in your hands!"

BOOM!

Thunderous applause erupted once more. Wayne could clearly sense that the old man had infused his words with Reiatsu, stirring the hearts of everyone present.

"A branch of high-level Kaidō?" Wayne felt his own heart surging, yet kept his composure.

Indeed, no one in the Soul Society was simple. For the old man to hold his position all this time, he had to possess formidable methods.

"Next is the class assignment ceremony." Sasakibe resumed speaking as the Captain-Commander departed. "When your name is called, follow your assigned instructor."

At his words, six instructors stepped forward simultaneously and began conducting the class divisions off to the side.

Each year at the Shin'ō Academy was divided into six groups, labeled A through F. Each group was further split into three classes, with one to two hundred students per class. Assignments were based on entrance exam scores, and resource allocation varied accordingly.

Class A took the most talented. Class E took the most average. Class F was the noble admissions track, status, not talent, determined placement. After this initial assignment, final exams every six months would reshuffle the rankings, giving students whose talents had been overlooked a chance to rise.

Fortunately, Wayne, Momo, and Izuru Kira were all placed in the same Class A section. Yū Nakai too, thanks to Wayne, he entered Class A as an exceptional admit.

The four of them regrouped and instantly formed a unit.

Four to a squad, two to a fireteam. The structure existed so that if danger struck, they could watch each other's backs. In the worst case, they were to send word back to the Soul Society via Hell Butterfly.

"This is great! Now I get to attend classes with Nii-nii!" Momo was overjoyed. She knew her brother's entrance scores were excellent. If they'd been separated during class assignment, it would have been terribly lonely for her.

Classes at the Shin'ō Academy were nothing like those in the World of the Living. Every lesson tested spirit, soul, Reiryoku, and physical endurance. Every class demanded absolute focus, practical application far outweighed theory. Aside from Kidō, which required studying incantations and spiritual invocations, only the awakening and release of a Zanpakuto called for more theoretical grounding.

"Here's hoping we can all graduate early, become Soul Reapers soon, and join the Gotei 13." Kira nodded.

"Resource allocation is the most critical factor." Wayne had already zeroed in on the key point. "Only by achieving excellent results and securing those resources can we grow faster and stronger." He paused. "In any case, let's face the coursework ahead head-on."

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

The two voiced their resolve one after the other. Beside them, Yū Nakai timidly raised his hand, hoping to join in.

The four became one squad. This kind of grouping was exactly what the class aimed for. Study groups operated with the fireteam as the basic unit, for theory, for drills, for practical operations alike.

Whatever anyone else thought, at least two of the four people in Wayne's squad were people he trusted. That alone made the safety margin high enough.

As for Yū Nakai, whether or not Aizen had placed him there, Wayne had no intention of exposing his secrets to him.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's assembly soon concluded. The students returned to their dormitories or went out to explore. As long as they stayed within the Seireitei, they could go anywhere except the inner city. The academy didn't mandate attendance. As long as you didn't violate the Seireitei's rules or set foot in its forbidden zones, you had considerable freedom. If you wanted to leave the Seireitei, you had to inform an instructor in advance, otherwise, running into a Hollow could mean death, and the academy couldn't guarantee your safety beyond its walls.

As for classes: fail the exams, and the academy would advise you to withdraw. As for showing up, so long as you didn't break the rules, the academy said nothing to students who skipped.

Some outstanding graduates completed six years of coursework in a single year. They certainly didn't do it by attending every class without fail.

With Momo present, Kira soon said his goodbyes and headed home. Unlike Wayne, a Rukongai native who needed to board in the Seireitei, Kira was a day student and could return to his family home at any time.

Yū Nakai also tactfully excused himself, citing the need to organize his luggage. So, with nothing else on the agenda, Wayne and Momo once again wandered the streets of the Seireitei. Days this leisurely would end today. Starting tomorrow, their grueling coursework would begin.

Tonight was their last chance to relax.

They settled into a barbecue shop, sat down to rest, and ordered food.

The food here was nothing like the Rukongai. The variety was staggering. Barbecue was just one option. The processed ingredients not only tasted far better than the grilled meat Wayne had eaten in the forest, the Reishi they replenished was every bit as potent as what those forest creatures once provided.

"Nii-nii, the food here is so good." Momo spoke between bites, never pausing her tasting. The barbecue was still searing hot, and she huffed and puffed with every mouthful.

"This is the Seireitei. The Rukongai can't compare." Wayne savored the flavors himself and couldn't help the pang of emotion. Decades of eating Hollow creatures, and he'd nearly forgotten what food actually tasted like. It was here that he finally rediscovered the flavors he'd once known as a human.

"If only Shiro-chan and Granny could eat food like this. We could open a shop just like this one back home." Even while enjoying her meal, kind-hearted Momo didn't forget her friend and Granny.

"That's not very realistic. The Rukongai isn't like the Seireitei. Almost everyone here possesses Reiryoku, so their demand for food — and their standards — are high. In the Rukongai, only a small fraction of people have Reiryoku, and most of them end up coming to the Seireitei to make their way. That's why inside and outside the city are practically two different worlds." Wayne gently shot down the idea.

"After I saw the watermelon sales at Shiro-chan's place, I considered whether we could set up restaurants or stalls outside the city. But even in Junrinan, the First District where we live, raw ingredients are extremely rare and the economy is undeveloped. A business like that is nearly impossible. Their need for food is minimal. As long as they have water, that's enough."

"Nii-nii, once we become Soul Reapers, our family's situation, and Shiro-chan's, should improve, right?"

"Of course. But Shiro-chan's Reiryoku talent is even higher than yours. His future is limitless. He's just too young right now to control it. In a few more years, the talent he shows might surpass yours outright. I believe that once Shiro-chan awakens his Zanpakuto, his Reiatsu will instantly exceed that of most students."

"What's that supposed to mean? Don't underestimate me, Nii-nii." Momo puffed out her cheeks, indignant. "I'll finish my studies quickly and awaken my own Zanpakuto!"

"Hahaha, I believe in you. Give it your all!" Wayne encouraged her, then murmured quietly to himself.

"A Zanpakuto... when will it finally awaken?"

➤ Next: Zan, Ken, Sō, Ki