Chapter 4 – Reiatsu
Inside the great hall of Shin'ō Academy, where new students from East Rukongai District 11 had gathered, the second phase of the entrance exam had officially begun.
At the center of the hall stood a large, crystal orb. It shimmered faintly with a soft glow, mounted atop an ornate pedestal. Students were being called up one by one to place their palm on the orb to measure their Spiritual Pressure—their Reiatsu.
This clear crystal orb was a specialized measuring device developed by the 12th Division, created specifically to assess the innate spiritual pressure of a soul.
Once touched, the orb would glow with an intensity that reflected the user's spiritual strength. The brighter the light, the higher the Reiatsu. The device was calibrated to measure up to the level of a Vice-Captain.
In Soul Society's system, Reiatsu was divided into twenty-five distinct levels.
Regular foot soldiers of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads—Gotei 13—typically sat around Level 20. Seat Officers generally fell somewhere between Level 15 and Level 10, while high-ranking officers landed around Levels 9 through 6.
Vice-Captains hovered between Levels 5 and 4, with only a rare few ever reaching Level 3.
That Level 3 mark was a crucial threshold—the minimum needed to unlock the final form of one's Zanpakutō: the Bankai.
Of course, Bankai wasn't something that could be achieved through sheer power alone. It also required a deep spiritual connection with the Zanpakutō and mastery over its Shikai, or initial release.
But as a rule, without reaching Level 3 Reiatsu, Bankai was considered impossible.
Among the Shinigami, those who managed to break through that threshold—the Captains—were revered as true Bankai users.
It was a title earned by few and remembered by all. Just mastering Bankai was enough to carve one's name into the history of Soul Society.
And yet… there were exceptions.
Some Vice-Captains with extraordinary talent managed to awaken Bankai while still serving under their Captains. Notable examples included Sasakibe Chōjirō of the 1st Division, and future 11th Division Vice-Captain Madarame Ikkaku.
Then there was Aizen Sōsuke.
Tachibana Kyūjō had his suspicions. He figured that at this point in the timeline, Aizen hadn't yet revealed the full extent of his terrifying potential.
If his memory served him right, Aizen should be around two hundred years old by now—about halfway through his lifespan of nearly four centuries. He was currently the Vice-Captain of the 5th Division, serving under Hirako Shinji.
And according to the manga, Aizen's talent and Reiatsu were some of the highest ever recorded in Soul Society's history.
Could it be possible that Aizen hadn't awakened his Bankai yet?
Unlikely.
Kyūjō figured that, even now, Aizen had already achieved it.
Just how powerful that Bankai was… remained a mystery.
— — —
Meanwhile, a black-robed academy instructor stood by the crystal orb, carefully observing it as it remained dim and inactive beneath the hand of the current student.
After several moments of silence, the instructor scribbled notes with his reishi pen.
"Takita Tsunayoshi. Spiritual Pressure: Level 24. Recommended placement: Class 9, Tier D."
Takita stood awkwardly, his body stiff. As quiet chuckles and half-suppressed laughter broke out among some of the other students, he lowered his head in shame and stepped off the platform.
The instructor looked back at the roster and called out the next name.
"Next, from Residence No. 7896, East Rukongai District 11… Tachibana Kyūjō."
Kyūjō heard his name loud and clear. Calmly, he stepped forward and walked to the center stage.
Just like the others, he placed his palm on the surface of the orb.
The moment his skin touched the glass—
"Zzzhhmm—!"
A burst of blinding white light exploded from the crystal.
It shot through the entire hall, filling the space with searing brilliance. Reflexively, everyone shielded their eyes.
Kyūjō narrowed his gaze as he noticed faint cracks beginning to form on the surface of the orb. He immediately pulled his hand back.
The light dimmed, flickering once more before fading completely.
'Is this thing really that fragile…? Did I just break it?' Kyūjō thought to himself, mildly annoyed.
But before he could dwell on it, the black-robed instructor suddenly clapped a hand on his shoulder, his face lit up with excitement.
"Amazing! Level 4 Spiritual Pressure! Tachibana Kyūjō, you've scored Level 4!"
His voice rang out, full of awe and disbelief.
And understandably so.
In all of Shin'ō Academy's long history, there had only ever been a handful of freshmen who had entered with such high Reiatsu. It was a record-worthy achievement.
Even the instructor himself only possessed Level 8 Spiritual Pressure—about the equivalent of a mid-ranking officer in one of the divisions.
But Kyūjō… had just entered, and already measured at Level 4.
That was the typical level of a Vice-Captain.
And if Kyūjō progressed even slightly during his six years of study here, he could be a potential candidate for Captain class.
When that day came, the name Tachibana Kyūjō would undoubtedly be etched into the annals of Soul Society.
The instructor was practically glowing with admiration.
Kyūjō, on the other hand, remained unfazed.
He had expected this outcome.
With a faint, polite smile, he nodded to the instructor and quietly stepped back.
This was still only his "incomplete" state.
His soul had yet to fully recover.
If he ever returned to the full height of his former life's power… in terms of this world's system, his Reiatsu might very well surpass even the Soul King.
— — —
"Tachibana Kyūjō-san," the instructor said, stepping closer, "Shin'ō Academy has four class tiers: A, B, C, and D. With your results, you'll naturally be placed into Class 1-A."
"My name is Hori Kuniyama. I teach Kidō here. I won't be your main instructor, but if you ever want to ask anything about Kidō, please don't hesitate to come find me!"
"Thank you very much, Hori-sensei." Kyūjō bowed slightly and walked back toward the group.
But as he passed the crowd, the reaction was immediate.
The sea of students parted for him instinctively, stepping out of his way without a word. Some even bowed their heads as he walked past, unable to meet his gaze.
That same evening, rumors of a prodigy emerging at Shin'ō Academy spread like wildfire across Seireitei.
Even Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai was said to have heard of it.
But Kyūjō wasn't the only star that day.
The eldest son of one of the Four Great Noble Families—the Kuchiki Clan—had also enrolled at Shin'ō Academy.
Kuchiki Byakuya.
And his Reiatsu?
Level 4 as well.
Hearing that name, Kyūjō blinked in mild surprise.
At last, a familiar face.
The first character from the original Bleach story he'd heard about since arriving in this world.
He hadn't expected it, but it made sense.
Of course, the first one to appear would be that cold, tsundere noble with the quiet heart of gold—Byakuya.
— — —
A week had passed since the entrance exam.
That morning, Tachibana Kyūjō quietly stepped out of his private dorm, fully dressed in the pristine white uniform of Shin'ō Academy. His footsteps were calm and unhurried as he made his way toward Class A-1.
This single-person dormitory wasn't something just anyone could enjoy—it was a privilege reserved exclusively for students of Class A-1.
Other Class A students shared rooms in pairs, while students in B, C, and D had to cram into communal dormitories. The lower your class rank, the worse the living conditions.
Kyūjō had already grown accustomed to life in the Spiritual Arts Academy.
Compared to Rukongai, this place was peaceful—almost too quiet—but far more comfortable.
Even the food in the cafeteria wasn't bad. Meals rich in spirit particles—Reishi—were served daily. Not that it meant much to Kyūjō; his body hardly benefited from them.
Still, it wasn't a bad place to settle down for a while.
In fact, he had already begun considering the idea of becoming an instructor here after graduation.
Eventually, he arrived at the classroom.
Without greeting anyone, Kyūjō walked straight to his seat and sat down with a distant expression, as though lost in thought.
But that wasn't the case.
He was actually using his power—Infinity—to internally analyze the Kidō techniques he'd been learning over the past few days.
After spending so long traveling alone in the ninja world, he had gotten used to keeping to himself. The idea of forming friendships with these "new classmates" held little appeal.
Maybe it was just who he had become… someone who had lived too long in solitude.
Meanwhile, the other students of Class A-1 kept stealing glances in his direction, even as they chatted amongst themselves.
You couldn't really blame them. Someone like him naturally drew attention wherever he went.
Entering the academy with Level 4 Spiritual Pressure? That alone was record-breaking, even in Shin'ō Academy's long history.
Fortunately, there was another student in their class who had reached the same level—otherwise, the spotlight on Kyūjō would've been overwhelming.
Then there was his face…
Long white hair. Lightning-like eyes. A faintly glowing blue pattern on his forehead that pulsed with otherworldly energy.
All of it came together in a flawless, almost surreal beauty that could stop hearts.
Not just teenage girls—even grown women of all ages might fall for someone like him.
Even Kuchiki Byakuya—heir to a noble clan, whose dignified presence and refined features usually made him the center of attention—looked like a mere background character next to Kyūjō.
Not just in this classroom. Maybe even in the entire academy.
— — —
But Kyūjō wasn't fazed by the stares. He remained focused in his silence, continuing his inner study of Kidō.
Come to think of it, among the four main subjects taught at Shin'ō Academy—Zanjutsu (Swordsmanship), Hakuda (Hand-to-Hand Combat), Hohō (Shinigami Movement Techniques), and Kidō (Demon Arts)—he didn't really need to study most of them.
Zanjutsu? He was confident.
When it came to swordsmanship, Kyūjō was sure he could rival anyone in Soul Society.
Even the Captain-Commander of the 1st Division, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, or the fearsome 4th Division Captain, Retsu Unohana.
Hakuda? The martial arts of Soul Society? He had mastered it long ago.
Compared to the academy instructors, their techniques were far too shallow. They had nothing left to teach him.
Hohō—the art of movement. Shinigami used this to traverse space at high speeds, commonly known as Shunpo.
He had studied how to manipulate Reishi beneath his feet for acceleration.
But in terms of style, Kyūjō still preferred his own original creation: Air Step.
In other words, he had already mastered three of the four disciplines.
Kidō was the only one that still piqued his interest.
If not for that, he might've just grabbed a Zanpakutō and applied for early graduation.
Kidō, in essence, was a high-level magic exclusive to Shinigami.
It consisted of three primary types: Hadō (Way of Destruction), Bakudō (Way of Binding), and Kaidō (Healing Arts).
Hadō focused on raw offensive techniques.
Bakudō dealt with defense, capture, and battlefield control.
Kaidō, of course, was Soul Society's healing technique—used to treat injuries with spiritual energy.
It was fascinating. In many ways, it resembled Ninjutsu from the ninja world. By channeling Reishi from one's body or surroundings and reciting specific incantations, a vast array of techniques could be unleashed.
Thanks to his abilities, Kyūjō picked it up quickly.
In just a week, he had already mastered the three basic Kidō spells taught to freshmen:
Hadō No.1: Shō (Thrust).
Hadō No.4: Byakurai (White Lightning).
Bakudō No.1: Sai (Restrain).
And more impressively, he could already cast them silently—without chants or delay.
For low-tier spells like those, his Level 4 Spiritual Pressure barely took a hit.
Unfortunately, the Kidō he was most interested in—Kaidō—wasn't being taught at this stage of the curriculum.
But he wasn't in a rush.
This was only the beginning. There was still plenty of time.
— — —
Suddenly, the classroom atmosphere shifted.
All the idle chatter stopped.
Kyūjō didn't even need to look.
He could tell—Kuchiki Byakuya had arrived.
As the heir of the esteemed Kuchiki Clan, Byakuya didn't live in the dorms.
The Kuchiki estate was located nearby, and every day after class, he simply returned home.
The moment he entered the room, his gaze went straight to Kyūjō's seat.
To be honest, Byakuya hadn't been very invested in Shin'ō Academy at first. Not even the top classes had managed to catch his interest.
But a few days ago, his grandfather—Kuchiki Ginrei—had mentioned something intriguing.
Apparently, another student had entered the academy with Level 4 Spiritual Pressure, just like him.
That was enough to stir Byakuya's curiosity.
Who could possibly stand shoulder to shoulder with him, Kuchiki Byakuya?
But after a few days of observing Kyūjō… he had only grown more confused.
This young man from Rukongai wasn't what he expected.
In an entire week of classes, he hadn't seen Kyūjō talk to anyone. Not once.
Then again, Byakuya wasn't much of a conversationalist either…
Still, every time he glanced over, Kyūjō looked like he was zoning out in the middle of class.
Staring blankly into space—was this laziness?
It didn't make sense. Someone with that level of spiritual pressure couldn't possibly be slacking off.
But the more he tried to understand Kyūjō, the less he understood.
And that—more than anything else—made him even more curious about Tachibana Kyūjō.
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