To the Academy

Early in morning

In the outskirts of the Zaraki

Shinji got out of the old wooden house which has not much change , since he first came here. Shinji himself has not change that much except that now he has waist-length red hair with two chest-length bangs on each side of his head. He was also wearing only a torn garment which with the effects of time could barely cover his lower parts now. He has a slender body without too much of muscles. He then checked his surroundings with his red eyes.

[inhaling and exhaling]

" My time here is up... I have to move towards the Seireitei, the capital of Soul Society for the entrance exam.... From the information that is currently circulating in Zaraki, it will be held in four days from now in front of the Northern Gate of the Seireitei..... So, I can take it easy and rest well, if I depart right now as I decided.... But I can't live traces of my presence here.... Hadō #54. Haien(Abolishing Flames). "

He fires a purple oblong blast of energy from his hand and disappear in thin air as if teleporting, while the wooden house completely incenarate as soon as it make contact with the energy blast. After a few seconds, no thing was left of the wooden house but a bare piece of land.

Meanwhile, In a dark alley of the 78th North district of the Rukongai

Shinji reappeared. He has wrapped an old piece of cloth all over his body and looked just like those poor souls that lives here. Here, life was similar to the 79th North district and 80th North district, Zaraki, the only redeeming factor was that compared to the other two, murder is less common here.

' I'm still very far from the capital, but I can't just use shunpo to cover the distance.... This will only increase the probability of blowing my cover, since security will increase from now on as there will be Shinigami in those seventy-seven districts between me and my goal..... *sigh*... Since nothing can be done about it..... let's just relax and do some sightseeing... Because as soon as I enter the academy things will change... '

Just like predicted the security drastically increased in the other district and Shinji took his sweet time to travel through those districts. Around the 25th North districts, he had to steal clothes as the ones he wore, were bringing unnecessary attention on him. Things got back to normal after he changed into his new outfits. He was now wearing blue two piece garments and had tied his hair into a ponytail, with his two bangs. This made him look very handsome. He reached the 10th North district on the third day since his departure from Zaraki and he showed no signs of fatigue at all. He didn't take any break as he reach this district and keep in moving forward, just like he has done during all the journey, stopping only at night to sleep. Hunger and thirst was his only two companion but he has easily subdued them, compared to the first years of his eighty years of training.

Shinji reached the border of the 1st north district on the fourth and was very excited. But the excitement died down as he saw the crowd of about one hundred people waiting to be tested in front of a tent of the size of a room. Two Shinigami was standing at each side of the entrance of the tent, allowing one person at a time to enter. Behind the tent, standing proudly was a giant Shinigami with dark complexion and white bushy eyebrows, that Shinji immediately recognized as the Guardian of the Northern Gate of the Seireitei, also known as the Guardian of the black ridge gate, Danzōmaru. One of the four mastodonic gatekeepers and elite soul reaper (Shinigami) of the Soul Society, that his savior and master told him about. His sole presence instill fear in the hearts of many of those present.

Under the attentive eyes of those three Shinigami, many crowd slowly becomes thinner and thinner while many leave the scene in tears and disappointment and some walk toward the gatekeeper where they seem to have been told to wait for further notice, with a great smile on their faces. As for many becoming a Soul reaper, means leaving poverty for a better life and future. After one hour and a half, it is the turn of Shinji to enter the tent. He rapidly enter the tent and pause for moments as saw a middle aged man who was sitting on a wooden chair behind a desk with a pen and two sheet of paper meticulously position in front of him. The man signal him to come close which he does.

" Young man.... Since you're today, I assume you know how you will be assessed.... But in case, you don't know, you will have to concentrate you Reiryoku (spiritual power) in the palm of one of your hands..... Until you form a sphere of Reiryoku (spiritual power).... Like this. "

Then, suddenly a pale blue sphere appear on the palm of his right hand and he let it swell until it reach a radius of about twenty centimeters.

" You will be considered to have pass, if you are able to make a sphere of Reiatsu as big as mine.....

Before you start, you also have to know that this same exercise will determine whether you enter the elite class or average classes... For entering the average classes, it's simple you just have to pass as for the elite class you have to make a sphere at least twice the size of mine..... Here, a little tips for you, this exercise represents the fundamentals of a Shinigami fighting style... You may start."

This exercise was a piece of cake for a man that has been training for as long as Shinji but he hand to make it look difficult for the sake of not attracting attention.

'This should be over soon.... But I should do a little bit of acting to make him think that I can barely make it... Let's see.... Hmmmmm... Let show an expression like 'am forcing a lot' on my face....'

[exhaling following by sigh of relief]

'This should do it..'

"How is my result.. Sir, I pass right....."

He said those words by looking at the Shinigami with pleading eyes.

"Yes.... You've pass go wait beside Danzōmaru with the other future cadets...."

"Yes... Sir..."

Shinji leaves the tent with a childish smile on his face and heads to where the other candidates that passed, are.

An hour later, the examiners came out of the tent and signal the two Shinigami at the entrance that the examination is over. He the ln walk toward the group of future cadets, while the two Shinigami start to dismantle the tent and pack everything up. The group of future cadets were merrily talking with each other about various things under the attentive eye of Danzōmaru, while Shinji has blend perfectly in the group that he was nearly invisible. Then, they al remain silent and stop chatting as soon as the examiners stood before them.

"You're attention, everyone... Now that the examination is over..... I want to firstly congratulate all of you.... You can be proud of yourself as even for those that may never achieve the grade of seated officers after graduation, their future will still be bright..... As for those ten ladies and gentlemen of this group of fifty, that has manage to stand out by obtaining a seat in the elite class of the academy, they have higher possibilities of reaching the ranks of vice-captain or higher in their lifetime than other Shinigami... You should be very proud of you..... Now, let me explain to you, how we will proceed from now on..... Also please be extremely attentive as this can lead to you demise.... Danzōmaru, here, will open the gate and let us in..... But you will have to follow me closely as I head to the Academy... For those that fail to do so, will be severely pushed.... Let go.... "

After those words, Danzōmaru lifted the massive gate to open it and everyone entered. As soon as the gate was closed, the latter and the slabs that consist the wall of the Seireitei disappear. Hence, allowing them to look at the Rukongai, one last time before they graduate.