"Lisa Yadomaru, the 5th Division welcomes you as well. If you join us, you can immediately serve as the 4th Seat. What do you say?" Shinji Hirako offered, though he notably did not promise the Vice-Captain position.
Lisa looked at Shinji. For some reason, his seemingly cheerful grin gave her a subtle sense of unease, and her impression of the Captain took a slight hit. Finally, she turned her gaze toward Kirio Hikifune.
However, the Captain of the 12th Division simply maintained a warm smile without saying a word.
Lisa's eyes darted between the three Captains as she rapidly weighed her options. From the perspective of future growth, the 8th Division was indeed the best choice—Captain Kyoraku had directly offered her the Vice-Captaincy.
My senior, Mashiro Kuna, became a Vice-Captain in two years. I have to be faster! I must achieve it within one!
She completely ignored Yandera Mirai, who was almost hidden behind Captain Hikifune's large frame. To her, the 9th Division wasn't even worth considering.
Ultimately, she walked toward Shunsui Kyoraku and bowed slightly. "Thank you for your high regard, Captain. Do you need me to demonstrate my grades or abilities?"
"Hahaha, no need for that~" Shunsui waved a hand lazily. "Lisa-chan, those tedious procedures are just a waste of time." He kindly gestured to the spot beside him, inviting her to stand with him.
In a normal ceremony, graduates would demonstrate their power while Captains introduced their division's philosophy. But for geniuses who had been watched for years, skipping the formalities was a common privilege.
For the average student, however, there was no such luxury; they would be grateful just to be accepted by any division. Becoming a Shinigami was a "golden ticket" to a stable life. Those who failed to make the cut would either have to seek work as private guards for noble families or fend for themselves in the Rukongai, their futures full of uncertainty.
The second person to step forward was Hiyori Sarugaki.
She walked right past the smiling Shunsui and Shinji, heading straight for Kirio Hikifune. Kirio's smile remained gentle. "In the 12th Division, we all treat each other like family~"
Hiyori didn't respond to the sentiment. Instead, she suddenly leaned forward, pointing a finger past Kirio at Mirai, who was standing in the back. She demanded loudly:
"Hey! Why is there a 5th Seat standing there?! Are you looking down on us graduates?!"
Mirai looked genuinely confused.
What's the deal? This girl is clearly interested in the 12th Division, so why is she suddenly turning her guns on me? Did I offend her? Impossible!
"Oh ho?" Shunsui added with a lazy, mischievous lilt. "Mirai-kun looks down on graduates? That's not a good look~"
"Hmph. The idiot Mirai has always been arrogant," Shinji added flatly, throwing a metaphorical stone at him while he was down.
Mirai's eyes widened. Wait! How did I suddenly become an "arrogant elitist who hates graduates"?! You two old foxes, stop fanning the flames!
Captain Hikifune smiled and gracefully stepped aside, exposing Mirai to the full view of the crowd. "5th Seat Yandera," she prompted softly.
Mirai sighed inwardly, knowing he couldn't hide anymore. He walked forward with a calm face and stood before the aggressive, blonde girl. Looking down at her, he spoke in a clear, steady voice:
"So, why should a 5th Seat like me look up to a bunch of fresh graduates... like you?"
Silence fell over the training grounds.
Since he had been pushed into the spotlight, Mirai decided he would have to give these "prodigies" a proper lesson. Otherwise, when he got back to the barracks, his fellow seated officers would never let him hear the end of it.
___________
"What?!"
Hiyori Sarugaki exploded instantly, her face turning bright red with rage. Without a second thought, she drew her katana, the snowy edge pointing straight at Mirai.
Beside them, the three Captains—Shunsui, Shinji, and Kirio—shared a knowing look. Grinning, they stepped back in unison, giving the two in the center plenty of space. None of them showed any intention of stopping the fight.
Mirai's face was like stone, his voice cold and echoing across the field.
"First, a Zanpakuto is a Shinigami's most important partner. It is a blade meant to strike down enemies." His voice grew icier. "It is also a shield meant to protect your comrades. Drawing your blade against a fellow Shinigami is an act of extreme stupidity and irrationality. It means you have turned the very person you should protect into an enemy."
"I'm not a formal Shinigami yet!" Hiyori barked back, gripping her hilt.
Mirai's eyes remained indifferent. "Then, the moment you decide to draw that blade, you must be prepared... to be cut down by your opponent."
As he spoke, he slowly raised his right hand, pointing his index finger toward Hiyori's forehead. The gesture was the height of contempt.
"That's... that's too arrogant!"
"He's just a 5th Seat..."
"Hiyori, show him what's what!"
A chorus of indignant whispers broke out among the graduates. Hiyori bared her teeth, her sharp fangs showing, and roared:
"I know that already, you baldy!"
"B-Baldy...?" Mirai's expression went blank for a second.
The entire field fell into a strange, heavy silence.
"Pfft... Pwa-hahaha!" Shunsui was the first to lose it, clutching his stomach. "Mirai-kun... getting called a baldy... hahaha!"
"Hahaha! Well said! This guy is just a pretentious baldy!" Shinji slapped his thigh, laughing without a shred of dignity.
In the Gotei 13, Mirai was actually known for his looks. With his refined features and his black hair tied neatly in a ponytail, he carried the aura of a wandering noble. Female Shinigami often blushed when he walked by. To be publicly called "baldy" by a girl was a first-time experience.
A visible "cross vein" popped on Mirai's forehead, but he took a deep breath and maintained his cold persona. "Since you understand the stakes but still choose to draw your blade, prepare to face the consequences."
"Hmph! Too much talking! Just fight me!"
Hiyori gripped her sword with both hands, her eyes locked onto that annoying finger. She let out a low, predatory growl. The first strike is taking that finger off!
"Fight you?" Mirai spoke as if he'd heard a joke. "Against you, this one finger is more than enough."
"You!" Hiyori felt the blood rush to her head. She could no longer hold back. She raised her katana high and swung down with every ounce of her strength toward his finger. "DIEEE!!"
Mirai simply shifted his body an inch. The blade whistled past him, missing his sleeve entirely.
"Not bad. At least you know to use your full strength once the blade is drawn," Mirai's voice drifted into her ear like a phantom. "But... you say you understand, yet your heart knows nothing. When facing an enemy, you must possess the will to kill. Do you think combat is a game? Or just another practice session from the Academy?"
"Shut up! Baldy! Baldy! Baldy!" Hiyori's ears were ringing, and her rage had completely drowned out her reason.
She swung her katana frantically—slashing, stabbing, hacking in a relentless storm. Yet Mirai's body was like a willow leaf, drifting effortlessly with the wind of her strikes, avoiding every blow with minimal movement.
What truly drove Hiyori mad was that his finger remained steady, pointing directly at her forehead the entire time—a permanent mark of mockery.
"So... so fast..."
"She can't even touch him..."
"Is this the power of a seated officer?"
The graduates watched, stunned. Their indignation was slowly being replaced by awe. They had thought Hiyori was strong, but against a true seated officer, she seemed utterly powerless.
Lisa Yadomaru adjusted her glasses, her eyes wide with shock. As Hiyori's friend, she knew the girl's swordsmanship and spiritual power were already at the level of a seated officer. And yet, she couldn't even graze his clothes?
Are seated officers really this powerful? Lisa thought. Perhaps I was being too arrogant...
Shunsui Kyoraku glanced at Lisa's tensed lips and whispered: "Lisa-chan, don't take it to heart. You are already exceptional. While you might not have the strength of a Vice-Captain yet, you are more than qualified for a 5th Seat position. So is Hiyori."
Lisa looked up at him, confused.
Shunsui smiled. "It's just that Mirai... he already possesses the power of a Vice-Captain. Simple as that. In fact, he's quite strong even among Vice-Captains. Watch his movements; it will be good for you."
Lisa turned her focus back to the fight with newfound intensity.
Nearby, Shinji Hirako snorted inwardly. Is this brat really just Vice-Captain level? He glanced at the brown-haired youth, Sosuke Aizen, who was still smiling. Aizen gave him a feeling of danger—a feeling he hadn't even felt when facing a Menos Grande. And Mirai...
Anyone who could get that close to a dangerous guy like Aizen couldn't be simple. Pity, Shinji thought. Hiyori isn't going to be enough to force his true hand.
On the field, Hiyori's movements were becoming erratic, her breathing labored. Mirai sensed the opening and let his words sting like ice:
"What's wrong? Tired already? If this is all you have, you have no right to act so big in the Gotei 13."
"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP, BALDY!!"
Hiyori let out a roar. She gripped her hilt with both hands, and a violent burst of Reiatsu erupted from her petite frame! The spiritual pressure turned into a whirlwind, whipping the robes of the nearby graduates.
"That... that Reiatsu!?"
"Is Hiyori going to use Shikai?!"
"She's one of the only three in our class who can do it!"
Hiyori sank into a low stance, her legs coiled like springs. She launched herself into the air, her spiritual power reaching its peak. The form of her katana began to shift, transforming into a large, jagged cleaver that looked like the teeth of a wild beast, radiating feral power.
"Rip him apart—Kubikiri Orochi!"
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