Fellow Trainees

"Everyone, assemble!"

"Quit dawdling! Stay sharp!"

"You've finally got the chance to visit the World of the Living for a soul burial training mission…!"

"If you mess up and embarrass yourselves now, this entire batch of trainees will be a disgrace!"

The instructor's voice was loud, almost deafening, to the point of being outright obnoxious.

Which is why—

"If only that guy would shut up for a bit first."

The one speaking was a tall young man with crimson-red hair.

His hair was tied up into a high ponytail, emphasizing a wild, untamed aura.

A thick black tattoo stretched across his forehead, making his already fierce expression even more intimidating.

If someone caught his glare on the street, they'd probably assume he was nothing but trouble.

Abarai Renji—that was his name.

"Well, the supervisor is just looking out for everyone's safety. We should just take it as idle chatter and deal with it."

Unlike Renji's blunt attitude, the one speaking had a much calmer tone.

He had a slim build, shoulder-length pale blond hair, and light blue eyes partially covered by his bangs.

His complexion was unnaturally pale, and his expression carried the perpetual look of a kind-hearted person.

"If the instructor hears you, you'll definitely get chewed out. So maybe tone it down a little, Renji."

"Eh…"

Renji wasn't completely convinced, but it made sense.

"Alright, I'll listen to you, Izuru."

Kira Izuru—that was the other young man's name.

The two weren't childhood friends or anything, but they had met by chance before entering the academy.

Since they got along well, they had become close friends.

And now, participating in this field training together felt like another twist of fate.

Despite his brash nature, Renji was perceptive and valued their friendship deeply.

"By the way, this is my first time in the World of the Living…"

Adjusting his goggles, Renji floated in midair using spiritual energy, scanning the surroundings with curiosity.

"I didn't expect this place to be so much more developed than Soul Society."

Izuru smiled at the comment, about to respond—

But another voice interrupted from behind them.

"What are you talking about? The World of the Living is way more advanced than you guys think."

Both Renji and Izuru turned their heads.

A short-haired man stood not far away, lazily observing them.

Hisagi Shūhei.

His features were sharp and refined, but when taken together, there was a faint shadow behind his gaze.

As if he carried some unknown burden.

More than that—

The "69" tattooed on his cheek was the most striking thing about him.

Sure, Renji had tattoos too.

But even he found it hard to understand why someone would ink something like that on their face.

Of course, the truth was simple—Shūhei had been saved by Muguruma Kensei years ago during a Hollow attack and had gotten the tattoo as a mark of gratitude.

But that wasn't something he openly talked about.

So, over time, other students just saw him as the "weird guy with the face tattoo."

Not that Shūhei cared.

"You two, come over here for a sec."

Renji and Izuru exchanged glances before stepping forward.

"Got something to say, senpai?"

Shūhei wasn't from their class.

He was here as an upperclassman to help supervise the new trainees on their first field mission.

This kind of thing wasn't unusual—it was a tradition at Shin'ō Academy.

Older students guiding the newer ones. Nothing strange about that.

"Not really 'guidance,' just a heads-up since you two don't seem to have a third teammate yet."

There was a teasing look in Shūhei's eyes as he casually pointed forward.

"This mission requires squads of three. But from the looks of it… you two still don't have a third, do you?"

The two looked at each other in silence.

"…?"

"Did you know about this, Izuru?"

"No… I was at the Third Division's recruitment seminar that day, so I missed the briefing. But Renji, didn't you go to class?"

"Uh… I overslept."

"What?!"

Watching them argue, Shūhei rubbed the back of his head in exasperation.

Why did this year's trainees seem so unreliable?

Still, it wasn't a huge problem. And since he had noticed it—

Might as well fix it.

Scanning the group, Shūhei quickly spotted a lone figure standing off to the side.

"Hey, you there, mind if I bother you for a moment?"

The person he called out to turned around in surprise.

"Eh? Me?"

She had a round face, large eyes, and a petite frame.

Her hair was tied up into a bun, and her expression had an uncertain, almost nervous quality.

At first glance, she looked like a small rodent—harmless and unassuming.

Could someone like her really survive in the Gotei 13?

The thought crossed Shūhei's mind, making his words come out a bit awkwardly.

"Uh… yeah, you."

The situation felt oddly uncomfortable.

Shūhei wasn't great at dealing with women to begin with.

He needed to change the subject quickly before this got any more awkward.

Gesturing toward Renji and Izuru, he said in a serious tone,

"Those two idiots aren't properly prepared for this mission. You're alone, right? If you don't mind, would you consider teaming up with them?"

He knew it wasn't the best request.

Teaming up with complete strangers wasn't exactly practical.

Without knowing each other's fighting styles, movements, or teamwork, they might even slow each other down.

But—fortunately—

The girl's eyes lit up in recognition.

"Oh! Renji and Izuru!"

Shūhei raised an eyebrow.

"You know each other?"

She nodded immediately, her tone bright and cheerful.

"Yep! We're all from the same class. We've worked together a few times already."

That made things much easier.

Relieved, Shūhei allowed himself a smile.

As an upperclassman, he wasn't here to make life difficult for them—seeing the next generation grow stronger was just as rewarding.

"What's your name?"

The girl touched her cheek, her smile shy but warm.

"I'm Hinamori Momo."

…

Not long after, the three classmates were reunited.

They had all been close during their training.

But after the academy restructured its curriculum, they hadn't seen much of each other outside of class.

Now, crossing paths again—

It was a nostalgic feeling.

Renji, ever the expressive one, grinned widely, his voice full of energy.

"Didn't expect to run into you guys during this mission! Looks like my luck isn't too bad!"

Izuru casually brushed his bangs aside, his tone calm but equally sentimental.

"Well, now that we're in our third year, we can start connecting with the divisions we're interested in."

Momo folded her hands together, glancing around with excitement.

"Yeah! At first, the system seemed weird, but now that we've tried it, it really makes sense!"

A six-year academy course was just enough to train a competent Shinigami.

But for those with real talent, the traditional structure could feel bloated.

With the revised system, students could use their extra time to build relationships with potential divisions.

It was basically an internship system.

"So, have you decided which division you want to join, Izuru?"

"For now… I don't have a strong preference. But the Third Division seems like a good fit for me."

"A support role, huh? Yeah, that sounds like you. What about you, Momo?"

"Eh?! M-Me? Uh… Haha, well, for now, I think the Fourth Division suits me best."

"That makes sense. Your Kido skills are outstanding. You'd definitely shine there."

At that moment, Izuru suddenly spoke up.

"But, Momo… you're also one of the top scorers in the new Kido classes, right? If you go by that, wouldn't the Fifth Division actually be the best choice for you?"

The new Kido techniques—

A system developed and introduced by Seiya, now a core subject at the academy.

The fact that a single person had created an entirely new discipline was enough to inspire deep respect.

But Momo simply gave a shy smile, waving her hands dismissively.

"Me? No way. The competition in the Fifth Division is way too intense… Someone like me wouldn't even stand a chance."

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Powerstones?

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