"Masatsuki, I'm here."
Rangiku Matsumoto couldn't hide her excitement as she looked at the rising star of the Shin'ō Academy, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, hands constantly caressing his Zanpakutō. But soon, confusion clouded her expression.
Masatsuki had only obtained his Zanpakutō less than a day ago, yet the bond between them was unusually strong—so strong that it felt a little strange. She knew Masatsuki had always wanted a Zanpakutō, and she expected him to be attached to it once he finally got one.
But she never imagined Masatsuki would be completely enamored with it!
"Masatsuki, is this what you called me here to see? I'm going to be mad!" Rangiku pouted angrily and reached out to pat Masatsuki's face.
I'm standing right here! I may not be fully grown yet, but that's no excuse to be fawning over a sword!
As if to drive away the fox spirit that had suddenly appeared in Masatsuki's life, she deliberately settled herself onto his lap.
"My dear, it's me you like, isn't it?"
"...I really didn't expect that beneath Banshō Senran's pure face and modest clothing, such an exquisite figure would be hiding. Truly amazing... Ah, yes, Rangiku, it's you I like."
Masatsuki, who had been murmuring absentmindedly, suddenly snapped back to reality. His dazed gaze sharpened, and he wrapped his arms around Rangiku's slender waist.
"Masatsuki, you didn't do anything improper with your Zanpakutō, did you? A Zanpakutō is the extension of a Shinigami's soul—they are two beings with one heart!"
Rangiku shot him a look of disdain.
"Of course I know that, but Banshō Senran's situation is... unique."
"Unique? What's so unique about it? Isn't the bond between a Shinigami and their Zanpakutō always the same?"
"I don't know how to explain it... I can only say that she isn't me."
Rangiku couldn't accept such an explanation. It completely contradicted what she had learned from textbooks. She gritted her teeth and snapped,
"You're just trying to justify your weird behavior, aren't you? Don't think I don't know! You're full of lies. You told me you were going out to collect a debt, but you were actually sneaking off to visit the lady next door!"
"I swear I'm telling the truth this time! I have my limits, okay?" Masatsuki thumped his chest indignantly. "Besides, doing something like that to yourself—no matter how you look at it—would just be too weird."
Rangiku eyed him suspiciously, then suddenly froze as if realizing something.
An unbelievable thought surfaced in her mind...
If this Zanpakutō was independent, then could she really...
No way. A Zanpakutō without a physical form—what could it even do? And wouldn't Masatsuki feel pain?
Masatsuki reached out, tapped her forehead with two fingers, and reassured her,
"Alright, if you can't figure it out, don't think about it. Even I don't fully understand it. Just focus on your training. Look at you—lazy every day, never exercising. No wonder you're not growing."
Rangiku slowly leaned against Masatsuki, her small hands clinging tightly to him as their bodies pressed closely together.
A faint sense of urgency welled up inside her.
She suddenly wished this body would grow up faster.
Seeing the gradually serious expression on Rangiku's face, a chill crept through Masatsuki's heart.
Seireitei, 1st Division Headquarters.
The Headmaster of the Shin'ō Academy stood at the entrance, his heart filled with anticipation as he explained his purpose to the guards.
A Shinigami stepped into the headquarters to report his arrival, and before long, the Headmaster was invited inside.
Despite serving as Headmaster for centuries, the 1st Division Headquarters was not a place he could enter at will. Though Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had once been the chief instructor of the Academy and the founding Headmaster of Shin'ō Academy, the academy itself had long since become an independent educational institution, separate from the Gotei 13 and unaffiliated with the 1st Division.
As he walked toward the Captain's quarters, 1st Division Shinigami patrolled the area in every direction. Every now and then, messengers from the 2nd Division's 5th Unit would appear and vanish in an instant.
Whenever the Headmaster passed by, the Shinigami along the path would respectfully salute him, and he, in turn, would acknowledge them with a stern nod.
After all, nearly every member of the Gotei 13 was a graduate of Shin'ō Academy—they were all, in a way, his students.
Crossing the courtyard, he removed his shoes in front of a room and stepped onto the polished wooden floor. Approaching the entrance, he cleared his throat and called out in a steady voice,
"Captain-Commander, Headmaster of Shin'ō Academy, Keito Sato, requesting an audience."
A deep, resolute voice responded from within.
"Excuse my intrusion," the Headmaster said respectfully, bowing slightly as he slid open the door and stepped inside.
The room was small, its walls adorned with swords. At the center stood a wooden tea table, neatly arranged with an assortment of exquisite tea sets.
Seated behind the table was an elderly man with a composed yet subtly kind expression. His half-closed eyes barely revealed a slit, and his forehead bore two long scars. His hairstyle matched the Headmaster's, his Shihakushō draped beneath a large, flowing white haori lined with imperial purple.
A single, bold "一" (Ichi) was inscribed within a diamond-shaped black frame on the back of the haori.
This was none other than the Captain of the 1st Division, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, the strongest Shinigami of the past millennium—Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
The moment he laid eyes on the old man, the Headmaster did not hesitate—he dropped to one knee in respect.
Only someone of his age and experience could truly grasp the ruthlessness this seemingly kind elder had wielded in his youth.
"What brings you here?" Yamamoto asked.
"I have discovered a remarkable talent at Shin'ō Academy. A true genius. On his very first day, he achieved Shikai and reached the sixth level of Reiatsu classification."
The Headmaster emphasized the word genius as he withdrew a document from his sleeve and handed it over.
"His name is Masatsuki Aozaki. This is his profile."
As the pages turned, the Headmaster's heartbeat grew increasingly rapid.
"Is he willing to graduate early and join the Gotei 13?"
The question caught the Headmaster off guard.
Why would the Captain-Commander ask this?
Masatsuki Aozaki had only been enrolled for two days, and today was his first actual lesson. Despite his extraordinary talent, he had yet to undergo any formal training. It was far too soon for him to graduate.
Shin'ō Academy specialized in teaching techniques and knowledge—things that couldn't simply be mastered through high Reiatsu alone.
If Masatsuki were to graduate early, he would essentially be a blank slate, untrained in critical skills. Even within the Gotei 13, it would be difficult for him to acquire the necessary knowledge and techniques.
After all, at its core, the Gotei 13 was a military organization—a profession where every Shinigami had their own responsibilities. Unlike the academy, where instructors were dedicated to teaching, no division had the luxury of training recruits from the ground up.
Unless, of course, one was born into nobility. Those raised in elite households received extensive education in everything from managing a family estate to mastering Shinigami combat techniques and political maneuvering. For them, early graduation posed no real obstacle.
Fortunately, with centuries of experience as Headmaster, he had anticipated such concerns long before setting foot here. He had come prepared.