Chapter 159: One Year Later...
Time flies like an arrow.
In the blink of an eye, fourteen months had passed.
First Division Barracks, the Captain Commander's residence.
Within that luxurious residence built near the East Great Holy Wall, Takeru woke from a deep sleep. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling that had accompanied him for over a year. After a long moment, he finally sat up.
The smooth, silken quilt slipped down, revealing a body honed to aesthetic perfection.
"..."
The sound of splashing water came from the bathroom.
He turned his head but saw no one.
Instead, on the empty right side of the bed, he saw a black pleated skirt, a sailor top, and underwear.
Every piece was wrinkled, as though it had been worn through intense exertion, soaked again and again, then dried again and again.
They were obviously unwearable until washed.
Takeru rose from the bed and walked to the window. He drew back the curtains and pushed the window open, letting in the warm breeze scented with cherry blossoms to refresh the room.
The sunlight was gentle rather than harsh, allowing him to leisurely look out over Shino Ward.
After more than a year of continuous reconstruction, the ruins outside Shino Ward had been reborn in an entirely new form.
Compared to the past, the rebuilt structures artfully blended the appearance of ancient architecture with modern reinforced concrete. Every stone slab and every tile carried the distinctive character of Seireitei.
There were also spires and suspension bridges, grand halls and lofty walls.
Scattered like stars and yet arranged in perfect order.
Simple, but solemn.
At a glance, the view was magnificent.
Just then, footsteps sounded behind him.
Takeru turned and saw Suì Fēng step into the bedroom in a white bathrobe, drying her still wet hair.
"You're awake? Then hurry up and get ready so we can head to work."
There was no trace of embarrassment between them over each other's appearances.
Their ease with one another had become as natural as breathing.
Takeru walked toward her.
Suì Fēng, who had been about to tidy up the room, immediately sensed danger. She pursed her lips and shot him a cold glare, trying to pressure him into stopping.
Unfortunately, her warning did nothing to deter him.
"I need a shower too. Help me scrub my back."
"...Stop joking around."
Takeru's gaze slid slowly downward, from the shoulder-length hair she had deliberately grown out, to her narrow lips, then lower still, over her smooth collarbone.
Suì Fēng's body trembled faintly, as if his gaze itself had touched her.
"Though the New Forty-Six Council officially took over several days ago and has already shared a large portion of the workload, the opening ceremony of the Spirit Arts Academy is still today. You have to give a speech on stage. If you're late, even you will be scolded to your face by Lord Genryūsai."
"Don't worry. I won't be late."
"Hey! Takeru, are you even listening? You're really going to be late!"
The face of the cold beauty who was suddenly slung over his shoulder turned bright red with shame and fury.
In a daze, she recalled a certain birthday night a year ago.
At the start, everything had been fine.
But once they entered the bathroom, everything had spiraled out of control. By the next morning, her waist had ached so badly it felt as if it were going to snap.
Ever since then, the number of times she had secretly stayed overnight here had steadily increased. If things continued like this, even she no longer had the confidence to guarantee they would never be discovered.
In the end, all of it was Yoruichi's fault.
"Damn Yoruichi... I'll never forgive you... ngh...!"
Beginning with a muffled groan, as if pierced through and pinned against a wall by a spear, Suì Fēng bit down on that long lock of hair. Her vision blurred beneath the torrent pouring from the showerhead, and little by little, she lost herself in a suffocating sensation like drowning.
9:00 a.m.
All the students had gathered inside the Great Auditorium of the Spirit Arts Academy, their eyes shining as they watched the black-haired young man step onto the podium.
The long-standing Spirit Arts Academy had produced countless talents for Soul Society.
It had known many glorious eras.
The first graduating class, represented by special talents like Kyōraku and Ukitake, both wielders of dual Zanpakutō, had beautifully taken up the burden and inherited the revival of the Gotei 13.
Flawless honor students like Shiba Kaien and Gin Ichimaru had displayed the astonishing educational depth of the Academy.
Renji, Kira, Hinamori Momo, Rukia, and even Shūhei together had shaped a golden generation.
And solitary prodigies like Tōshirō Hitsugaya, a genius said to appear once in a thousand years, had also left dazzling marks upon the Academy's history.
Then there were the "Twin Walls," who graduated early last year and in less than a single year rose to become Captains, with one even ascending to the rank of Captain Commander.
Their existence not only shattered all previous records, but even reached the point of accelerating the course of history itself.
It could be said that from the day they enrolled, the history of Soul Society had reached a major turning point.
And now, the one who had created that great feat stood upon the podium, emotionally recounting his experiences since becoming a Shinigami.
There was something faintly ironic about it.
Because most of the students before him were technically his seniors.
But those who knew his past couldn't laugh.
Nor could they gather the courage to chase after him or imitate him.
Even the most naive among them could sense that the gulf between them and him was utterly insurmountable.
And yet, at this moment, the spirits of the students were rising higher and higher.
Because there was no need to chase him.
No need to imitate him.
Even the clumsiest person, so long as they trained with both feet planted firmly on the ground, followed the radiant footsteps before them, and fought alongside the man on that stage, could still bask in that same brilliant glory.
Even if they were nothing more than an insignificant cog.
Even if one day they were crushed to pieces.
They would never be sacrificed for nothing.
Moved to the core, the students now wished only to begin training immediately, to graduate early, and to join the Gotei 13 as soon as possible.
"Still as persuasive as ever. I really don't know whether letting him come speak to these brats is a blessing or a curse, but the fact that their training enthusiasm has skyrocketed is undeniable."
Watching from below the stage, Headmaster Yamamoto Genryūsai nodded in satisfaction.
"What Lord Genryūsai says is entirely correct."
Standing nearby, Suì Fēng answered respectfully.
"He arrived a little late today. It seems division duties are still keeping him occupied. I originally intended to have him return here once every year, but now that I think about it, once every six years may be more appropriate."
"...Yes. That does sound appropriate."
Faced with Yamamoto Genryūsai's opinion, Suì Fēng's expression turned faintly unnatural for a moment.
It was unclear which word or phrase had made her react like that.
As the stirring speech came to an end, Takeru stepped down from the podium to thunderous applause.
Afterward, he followed Yamamoto Genryūsai to the headmaster's office for tea and a brief conversation.
"The number of enrolled students this year is more than double that of previous years. That is all thanks to you."
"You praise me too much."
Takeru shook his head.
"You were the one who personally persuaded the Werewolf Clan to join Seireitei, and the additional students will ultimately all be taught by you. I am merely enjoying the fruits of your labor. I really don't dare claim any credit."
Several of the manpower-replenishment orders issued over a year ago had now finally begun to bear fruit.
Back then, the moment Yamamoto Genryūsai received the news, he had personally made the trip into the mountains.
That old wolf, who had lived for an unknown length of time, had unsurprisingly bowed before the former Captain Commander's overwhelming authority.
Although the entire clan did not relocate, the Werewolf Clan, who lived even more poorly than mountain villagers, had eventually co-founded a mining company with the Golden Seal Chamber of Commerce. In exchange for yielding mining rights, they received a share of the profits, which they used to construct a fortified encampment deep in the mountains.
Under the Chamber's guidance, they also established much closer trade relations with the surrounding villages.
No longer struggling simply to survive, the Werewolf Clan came to feel genuine gratitude toward Seireitei. Coupled with Komamura's presence, they developed an even stronger yearning for the place, and so they sent their unmarried children to the Spirit Arts Academy without hesitation.
There were more than a hundred of them.
For a clan whose life had always been harsh, and whose numbers had never been able to expand, this was essentially the same as dedicating the next generation of their labor force directly to Seireitei.
And beyond the Werewolf Clan, there had been others.
Mochizuki and Amagai.
Aizen and Kyōraku.
The four of them, divided into two teams, had each handled different projects, but all with one shared target.
Rukongai.
As a result, Rukongai experienced a degree of upheaval it had never seen before.
Even remote areas now had Gotei 13 outposts that provided food and water, transmitted information, and searched for promising talent.
The once-mixed reputation of the Gotei 13 had improved tremendously.
In this way, even residents without spiritual power began to think that if their children ever showed talent, they should send them to the Spirit Arts Academy instead of letting that talent go to waste.
And as for those who already possessed spiritual power, many had been influenced directly by Aizen and the others. They crossed thousands of miles to make their way to the Academy in advance, waiting for the yearly enrollment.
This in turn caused the first districts in the four directions of Rukongai to experience a massive population boom.
Coupled with the simplified entry procedures for Seireitei and the Golden Seal Chamber of Commerce, which Kishinoshin had been tirelessly operating behind the scenes, economic circulation was stimulated, and the commercial market became increasingly mature.
As Seireitei itself prospered, the four major surrounding districts led by Junrinan also benefited, much like the cities of a greater metropolitan area in the Human World. By now, they had even developed night markets, noisy and bustling during summer, gradually turning into local attractions.
On the other hand, there were also those who bypassed the Academy entirely and were recruited directly.
Such as the New Forty-Six Council.
It had taken an entire year for that institution to be fully established.
And all of that time had been consumed by investigation and integration.
In addition, a considerable number of rougher types from Rukongai had also smoothly entered the Gotei 13 under the newly implemented Talent Introduction Regulations after undergoing strict screening and assessment.
Some of those people later used the Gotei 13 as a springboard to transfer into the Kidō Corps or the Onmitsukidō depending on their abilities and preferences.
So long as it wasn't the First Unit, the Punishment Corps, neither organization particularly cared whether their recruits had graduated from the Academy. But because of the nature of their duties, their entry examinations were correspondingly more difficult than those of ordinary divisions.
Now, if one included the more than three hundred Shinigami who had been revived through the Dead Demon Technique, the registered personnel of the Gotei 13, the Kidō Corps, and the Onmitsukidō had all together already exceeded six thousand.
And with the expansion of the Academy's student body beginning this year, that number would certainly pass ten thousand within six years.
Looking upon such a thriving scene, Yamamoto Genryūsai could not speak words of exaggerated praise.
But in his heart, he felt a deep and undeniable satisfaction.
"Have you seen the new textbooks I sent over? What do you think?"
The old man had clearly not been idle over the last year either.
Alongside his old comrades Tsubakabe and Okiga, he had somehow managed to complete a full revision of the new first through sixth year textbooks in only a single year.
A set had been delivered to the First Division several days earlier, partly for formal review, but also partly because the former Captain Commander had wished to hear the opinion of the greatest graduate the Academy had ever produced.
Whether there was a subtle element of showing off in that gesture was hard to say.
"I've seen them. They're excellent."
Takeru's praise was utterly sincere.
"If those textbooks had existed the year I enrolled, I would've needed another year to finish school."
If anyone else had said such a thing, Yamamoto Genryūsai would undoubtedly have cursed them out.
Another year?
What did they take his work for?
But this was Takeru.
The War God whose name had already spread throughout Soul Society.
A man said to be proficient in everything.
When it came to creating techniques of his own, he was practically comparable to the Technical Development Bureau itself.
So the weight carried by his evaluation was completely different.
However, more than that, Yamamoto Genryūsai had hoped to receive genuine suggestions.
"Suggestions? I don't think they're necessary. For the vast majority of students, this is already more than enough. What's missing isn't richer material, but simplification... though it can't be simplified too much either. Otherwise, they won't understand that strength is something hard-earned. And if they don't possess the heart to match that strength, then what use is rapid progress?"
Takeru answered frankly.
"In my view, the level of control in this teaching plan is already outstanding. It could never have been written without broad teaching experience and a transcendent understanding of Shinigami power. Even I would struggle to create something like it."
"If I had to offer one suggestion, then I'd say more practical content should be added outside the textbooks."
"To tell the truth, I plan to begin sending sixth-year students into the various divisions for field assignments starting this year."
"Like you, Kurosaki, and the child from the Shihōin Clan? That's a good idea."
As the originator of that system, Yamamoto Genryūsai naturally knew how effective it could be.
Though it was impossible to expect everyone to compare to Takeru and the others, having students rotate through the divisions would help them later pass their post-graduation recruitment examinations, while also supplying each squad with free labor in the meantime.
It was killing two birds with one stone.
"As for the first through fifth-year students, the practical curriculum can be improved too. For example, by using artificial Menos Grande from the Technical Development Bureau, or even just dropping them into Hueco Mundo for survival drills so they can feel battlefield pressure firsthand. The risk would be greater, but the training effect would be tremendous. One experience would stay with them for life and complete their mental transformation."
"Hmm... so long as a minimum degree of safety can be guaranteed, then it's not impossible."
The topic went on for more than ten minutes.
Only then did Takeru finally take Suì Fēng and bid farewell to Yamamoto Genryūsai.
Although the New Forty-Six Council had already taken over much of Seireitei's administration, the reports from the Gotei 13 still flew into the First Division like snowflakes every single day.
The earlier they dealt with those, the sooner he could turn his attention back to his own affairs.
It was the season of blooming cherry blossoms.
Whenever the wind rose, petals drifted and danced.
Takeru and Suì Fēng walked out of the Spirit Arts Academy under the fervent gazes of the students and reached a corner of the main road.
There, within a ten-square-meter area outlined in white and surrounded by objects that resembled charging pillars, the two of them stepped inside, activated their spiritual pressure, and focused on their destination.
In the next instant, they appeared directly before the main gate of the First Division barracks.
This...
...was also why they had not been late that morning.
"Transfer Piles."
A technological creation originally developed by Kisuke Urahara.
As the name suggested, they allowed instantaneous travel between fixed points.
Back then, Yamamoto Genryūsai had banned them outright with the simple reasoning of, "What if the enemy uses them against us?" and all finished models had been sealed away in a First Division warehouse.
But Takeru, who had long disliked how underdeveloped Seireitei's transportation was, had not forgotten his original frustration after becoming Captain Commander. He had thrown both the Transfer Piles and the Reitō Pillars straight at Mayuri Kurotsuchi and ordered him to develop fixed teleportation arrays.
Those arrays were then placed around major facilities and along Seireitei's primary roads.
As for the risk of enemy misuse, that was essentially nonexistent.
Because the arrays possessed spiritual-pressure recognition functions and operated according to different levels of preconfigured access authority. Some destinations even required formal application through a denreishinki before they could be used.
Overall, the result was far more convenient than the subway and bus networks Takeru had once imagined building.
Incidentally...
Mayuri Kurotsuchi had long since been using similar equipment for private purposes.
Nemu had also quietly contributed the technology to the Female Shinigami Association, making it easier for members to travel between secret bases.
Even Ōmaeda had spent an absurd amount of money purchasing one in secret from Mayuri.
One could only wonder what the former Captain Commander would've thought had he known.
First Division Barracks, office.
While Takeru was reviewing reports, Suì Fēng suddenly entered.
"News has come in from Hueco Mundo. A Vasto Lorde, apparently newly evolved, is leading a group of Hollows in an assault on Las Noches. The Technical Development Bureau's Hueco Mundo branch is requesting instructions."
"An Upper-level Hollow? That's rare. I thought they'd practically gone extinct. Does the Bureau have individual data on it?"
Takeru finally looked up.
"No."
"That's strange. Even if it evolved only recently, with the Technical Development Bureau's... or rather, Captain Kurotsuchi's... level of surveillance over the outskirts of Las Noches and the Forest of Menos, an individual capable of evolving into an Upper-level Hollow should not have gone unnoticed. Unless..."
"Unless it came from outside the monitored zones."
"I suspect the same. So... what should we do?"
Suì Fēng's expression was grave.
"Hmm..."
Takeru pondered a moment, then made his decision.
"No matter where it came from, there is no time for a slow investigation. It would be wasteful to abandon the branch. After all, it's only an Upper-level Hollow, not even an Arrancar."
"So... send Ashido to lead the Expeditionary Force and reinforce them."
"Kanō Ashido? With his strength, he might be able to hold it off, but... do we really not need to dispatch anyone else? Setting aside the Captains of the Gotei 13, even I can move at any moment."
"What are you talking about? With his strength, there is no possible way for that Upper-level Hollow to defeat him."
"...?"
Though startled, Suì Fēng still carried out the order with her usual efficiency.
...
[TL: Check out my newly Released fanfic]
[TITLE: Starting in One Piece with Vector Manipulation]