"He dropped out of school," a girl from the back row answered, raising her hand. "I heard something unexpected happened at home…"
The girl shivered slightly, as if recalling something frightening, as she spoke: "My neighbor told me there was a fire at their house a few days ago. Asuka's parents died in the fire."
A murmur spread through the dōjō, and Arata knocked on the blackboard to quiet the class.
He remembered that kid from the Asuka family. When he enrolled in the academy, his spiritual energy was measured at level twelve. He was considered a rather outstanding student, and his swordsmanship talent was also quite good.
"Where does Asuka-san live?" he suddenly asked.
"Teacher Saito, I know!" another boy answered, raising his hand. "In eastern Rukongai, in the seventy-ninth district."
In the eightieth district, where the Bakkōtō appeared, a fire suddenly breaks out in the neighboring seventy-ninth.
What a coincidence.
His intuition told him there had to be a connection between the two.
Arata chalked today's topic on the board, "Progressive Application of Lethal Techniques in Real Combat," while white dust fell at his feet.
Perhaps he should ask someone to check recent records of resident relocations from Rukongai…
————
"A Kendō tournament?" Arata raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at the people in the principal's office, each wearing a different expression.
He had just finished a kendō class when an administrative professor rushed over to tell him that Director Yamamoto was urgently calling him to the office.
When he arrived, he found that the heads of the other teaching departments were already present.
Among them were, including old Yamamoto, Soi Fong, Aizen, and Unohana Retsu.
Once again, he arrived last.
As soon as he stepped through the door, old Yamamoto got straight to the point and explained the reason they had been gathered.
It turned out that about an hour earlier, an attendant of the Kasumioji family, Kumoi, visited Yamamoto Genryūsai and offered a generous donation for the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy to host the All-Soul Society Kendō Tournament.
The Kasumioji family showed tremendous sincerity, the prize money for first place alone was twenty million ryo!
And they had already prepared a full tournament proposal.
Yamamoto Genryūsai pushed a pile of documents sealed with a golden stamp to the center of the long table. The papers rustled on the heavy wood. "The Kasumioji family's proposal is quite thorough. They even considered the differences in skill levels between students of various years."
Soi Fong picked up the document and skimmed through it quickly, the surprise on her face becoming more evident. "There's a student group and a formal group… and even team competitions? They even designed the format."
"And the prize pool is ridiculously generous." Aizen adjusted his glasses, the reflection on the lenses hiding his eyes. "Besides the huge sum of money, the champion's prize includes an internship opportunity at a noble house."
Arata tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. In terms of completeness, this plan truly was flawless.
One could even say, too perfect.
"The problem is motivation." Unohana Retsu suddenly spoke, her braid slipping down her white haori. "Why would the Kasumioji family, one of the upper noble houses, suddenly become so eager to invest in student training?"
A moment of silence fell over the office. Through the window, the shouts of students practicing Kidō could be heard, sharply contrasting the solemn atmosphere inside.
"Mr. Kumoi mentioned…" Yamamoto recalled, stroking his beard. "That it was suggested by the current heiress, Kasumioji Rurichiyo. Apparently, the child was impressed by Saito-kun's performance in practical classes."
At those words, Soi Fong raised an eyebrow and cast a meaningful glance at Arata.
He, however, was staring thoughtfully at the family crest on the last page of the document. On the edge of the gilded vine pattern, faint lines could barely be discerned, similar to the ones on that metal fragment from earlier.
"I suggest we accept this." Arata suddenly closed the document. "But I believe we should add two more rules to the tournament."
He drew a brush from its holder and wrote bold characters in the empty space.
"First, all participating weapons must undergo dual testing, both by the medical team of the 4th Division and the Technology Department of the 12th Division."
"Second, the final jury must include at least three active captains of the Gotei 13."
A glint flashed across Aizen's lenses. "Saito-sensei is very cautious."
"After all, we have to ensure fairness. You never know what means noble children might use to win a title." Arata slid the amended document back to Yamamoto. "If the Kasumioji family agrees to these terms…"
The old voice of Yamamoto Genryūsai echoed through the hall as he tapped his staff on the floor. "Then it's settled. Captain Soi Fong will be responsible for tournament security, Captain Unohana will gather the medical team for the competition, and Captain Aizen will coordinate the selection of judges from each division."
Arata was the last to leave, holding the preliminary participant registration for the kendō tournament.
The news that Asuka had dropped out of school was like a thorn in his heart.
A fire in the 79th district, the Bakkōtō, and a tournament sponsored by the Kasumioji family…
There must be a connection among these fragments.
Moreover, since the course of the story had already diverged entirely from the original series, Arata, who had always been confident, was now forced to become much more cautious.
————
The next morning, nearly all teachers at Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy announced the kendō tournament to their students in class.
"Dear students, I have good news for you. Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy will soon host the first Soul Society Kendō Tournament." Arata stood in front of the lectern, tapping his fingers on the registration sheets he had just handed out.
"The student group is open to those below the sixth year, while the official group is open to sixth-year students and ordinary Gotei 13 members."
"Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that even captains might participate~"
The dōjō instantly exploded into murmurs, the students' chatter bubbling like boiling water.
"The prize for first place is ten million ryo?" Kusaka Sojiro suddenly leapt to his feet, his long hair nearly poking the student behind him in the face. "How many bowls of ramen could I buy with that?"
"Idiot, is that the point?" Tōshirō involuntarily rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help sneaking a glance at the special conditions at the bottom of the registration sheet, "The winner earns the right to intern at a noble residence."
Meanwhile, in Class 2-A, where Rangiku studied, things were just as lively.
She knocked on the board, and the chalk left a mark on the lesson plan.
"Alright, everyone settle down. Besides the cash prize... " Rangiku deliberately stretched the words, watching as the students' "ears perked up" immediately, "the champion of the youth division will get to spar with the captains~"
"Maybe Saito-sensei will be one of the candidates~"
That sentence was more convincing than any reward.
"What?!"
Abarai Renji's pencil clattered to the floor with a soft thud, and even the usually composed Kira gasped audibly.
"I have to sign up!"
Sparring with Senpai Arata was a precious opportunity longed for even by many officers and vice-captains.
"Alright, alright~ Let's start the registrations now." Rangiku handed the list to Hinamori Momo in the front row.
"Students who want to sign up, come up one by one!"
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