Third-Class Reiatsu

Back at his quarters, Seiya began his nightly routine—washing up and preparing for rest.

Sui-Feng had already left, leaving behind the ointment she had reluctantly applied to his injuries.

The Shihōin family's medicines were indeed extraordinary.

Even with just a thin layer applied to his burns, the sharp pain that had been lingering all day quickly faded into nothingness.

"I guess Yoruichi and Yūshirō must've suffered plenty during their training too…"

Mastering Shunkō was clearly no easy feat.

With a sigh, Seiya sat down at his desk and began sorting through the letters he'd received in recent days.

Living at the Shihōin estate and training with the Second Division meant enduring strict and isolated routines. The regimented training left little time to interact with the outside world.

In short, it was worse than prison.

Even the all-boarding Shinigami Academy allowed students occasional breaks to leave campus and decompress.

But here? The Shihōin family's reputation for harsh discipline was well-earned.

With such a demanding schedule, Seiya had no choice but to rely on letters to maintain communication with his friends.

And, to his surprise, his growing network of connections meant his incoming mail pile was getting larger by the day.

Looking at the stack of letters, Seiya couldn't help but marvel.

"Who'd have thought I'd ever be this popular?"

Smiling to himself, he picked up the letter at the bottom of the stack—it was from Tōsen Kaname.

Despite being blind, Tōsen had mastered Braille and devised ways to write letters independently, though it clearly took considerable effort.

Seiya skimmed the letter's contents.

As expected, Tōsen—who was a year ahead—had already completed his credits within a month of the new semester and started his internship at the Ninth Division.

Tōsen's writing was, as always, concise. In just a few sentences, he described his new role at the Ninth Division, offering Seiya a glimpse into his current life.

"I see…"

Despite its nickname as the "prison division," the Ninth Division's duties extended beyond simply guarding cells.

Their responsibilities even included psychological care for prisoners to prevent rebellious behavior during incarceration.

"So even Soul Society is this humane? Well, I guess it makes sense…"

Not every prisoner was sentenced to eternal confinement. For most, life after release needed consideration.

It seemed that the once-blood-soaked Gotei 13 was evolving, adopting a softer and more progressive approach over time.

Tōsen also mentioned Captain Muguruma Kensei, who, contrary to his stern exterior, turned out to be surprisingly approachable.

"So the infamous 'unit of measurement' Captain is actually a pretty decent guy."

At the end of the letter, Tōsen left Seiya with a heartfelt message:

"Mastery must be accompanied by resolve. Take care of yourself."

The words touched Seiya more than he expected.

"Tōsen, you're more sentimental than I thought…"

With a small smile, Seiya carefully folded the letter and resolved to write back—this time in Braille.

"Can't let him rely on others to read my letters. That'd just embarrass him…"

Setting the letter aside, Seiya opened the next one—this one from Aizen Sōsuke.

Immediately, Seiya's expression grew serious.

Aizen rarely wrote unless something significant was at hand.

The letter began with light pleasantries before delving into the current state of Aizen's experiments.

Progress had been made in his Hollowfication research, but the lack of suitable test subjects had led to a frustrating bottleneck.

"He's getting impatient…"

Seiya could sense Aizen's growing frustration even through the carefully worded letter.

For someone like Aizen—arrogant and disdainful of others—having his work delayed by circumstances outside his control was undoubtedly infuriating.

"With the pressure mounting and his patience wearing thin… it's only a matter of time before he makes a move against the others."

The thought unsettled Seiya.

What could he do to prepare for the inevitable?

Seiya frowned, deep in thought.

Without the strength of a Captain-class Shinigami, there was little he could do to intervene directly.

And when Aizen finally turned on the other captains, they wouldn't even be at full strength due to the effects of his Hollowfication experiments.

"I need to get stronger—fast."

Resolving to make achieving Third-Class Reiatsu his immediate goal, Seiya set the letter aside and began drafting a reply.

The next few letters were from familiar names: Sasakibe Chōjirō and Akon.

Chōjirō, as always, was venting about how "unyouthful" his colleagues in the First Division were and how much he appreciated Seiya's fresh perspective.

Akon, on the other hand, complained about the chaos in the Twelfth Division.

Between Kurotsuchi Mayuri's mad experiments and Nemu's inability to handle administrative tasks, Akon had essentially become the division's unofficial manager.

"Honestly, I might've been the only normal one in that madhouse…"

Finally, Seiya opened a letter from Kyōraku Shunsui.

Kyōraku casually informed Seiya that Ise Nanao had officially joined the Eighth Division, following the trajectory that fans of the original story would expect.

At the bottom of the letter, however, Kyōraku couldn't resist inviting Seiya out for drinks.

"This guy never changes… oh well, someone else will give him an earful for it."

With a smirk, Seiya ignored the invitation and moved on to the next letter—this one from Isane Kotetsu.

She confessed that her time in the Fourth Division had been far more stressful than she anticipated.

Despite Captain Unohana's kind demeanor, her expectations were overwhelming, and Isane often found herself second-guessing her every move.

The pressure had even started affecting her sleep, and she admitted to having recurring dreams about fish cakes—whatever that meant.

"She's really not having an easy time…"

In his reply, Seiya promised to take her out for sweets and a shopping trip, hoping it would lift her spirits.

As he thought about the Fourth Division, Seiya considered the possibility of training with Captain Unohana someday.

Her unparalleled mastery of swordsmanship would undoubtedly benefit him.

But…

"What if she 'rediscovers' her love for combat during training and goes berserk?"

The thought of accidentally unleashing the beast within Unohana made him hesitate.

For now, the Fourth Division would remain on his "future goals" list.

After finishing his letters and tidying his desk, Seiya lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling in thought.

Time had flown by since he first arrived in this world.

Despite everything, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of excitement.

"This is only the beginning."

As sleep took him, Seiya dreamed of familiar faces: Kiganjō, Sāgara Ryū, and even the crossroads he'd seen in past dreams.

But this time, every path was blocked.

No matter where he turned, he felt trapped—like a rat in a cage, suffocating.

Then, just as the dream's pressure became unbearable, a surge of power lifted him into the air, accompanied by Sāgara Ryū's voice.

He awoke with a start, staring at his hands in the faint morning light.

"I need to move faster."

Fueled by this resolve, Seiya dove into his training with renewed determination.

That day, while practicing Shunkō with Yūshirō, everything finally clicked.

For the first time, Seiya successfully condensed Kidō energy on his back without it exploding.

"Perfect! That's it, Seiya!" Yūshirō cheered.

Following his instructions, Seiya guided the energy through his limbs, unleashing it in a controlled punch that sent a burst of power rippling through the air.

A notification appeared in Seiya's mind:

[You have learned the Shihōin family's secret technique, Shunkō. You have successfully fused Kidō and Hakuda, mastering an advanced technique.]

[Kidō +10 | Hakuda +10]

[Sword: 65 | Hakuda: 75 | Shunpo: 60 | Kidō: 70]

For a moment, Seiya stood frozen, feeling the surge of spiritual energy coursing through his body.

The energy on his back coalesced into a vivid, tangible force, creating a gravitational pull that distorted the space around him.

Nearby, Yūshirō staggered back, overwhelmed by the oppressive aura.

"Seiya…?" Yūshirō's voice trembled.

Seiya quickly reined in his power and turned to his friend with a smile.

"Sorry to worry you, Yūshirō."

In that moment, Seiya realized he had finally done it.

He had achieved Third-Class Reiatsu—the strength of a Captain.

"I've finally reached it."

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Powerstones?

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