Two days later, at the gate of the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy.
The students participating in the soul burial practice gathered early that morning.
Since it was their first field practice, the faces of the first-year students were filled with excitement and enthusiasm.
"I've trained so long for this! This time I'll show my skills and impress those noble kids!"
"Renji, keep your voice down. Everyone's looking at us."
"Kira, you're too shy! This is the perfect chance to stand out!"
"Stupid Renji, you never change..."
"…"
Seeing the energetic expressions of the younger students, Hisagi Shūhei and the other senior students leading the group couldn't help but smile. Even the usually cold Kanisawa Hotaru showed a rare smile.
Aoga's face was filled with nostalgia. "Ah, how time flies… feels like I just entered the Academy yesterday, and now I'm already one of the seniors."
"Your 'nostalgia' looks more like you're ogling the female students," Kanisawa remarked with a smirk while flipping through the book in her hands.
"You two, calm down already," said Shūhei, patting them on the shoulders. "Take Arata as an example. A senior should act like a senior."
Arata, the one mentioned, sat leaning back with his eyes closed, completely calm, as if nothing from the outside world could reach him.
"Arata, didn't you rest? You look pretty bad."
Aoga was one of the few sixth-year students skilled in Kaidō. Over the past two years, he had often talked with members of the Fourth Division, learning many healing techniques not taught at the Academy.
From experience, he could judge someone's condition at a glance.
Although Arata's skin was naturally darker, Aoga could clearly see something was off.
Dark circles were visible under his eyes, and his once vibrant purple hair looked dry and weary.
He resembled the spoiled noble kids Aoga often saw in the Fourth Division's infirmary.
Maybe... he hadn't slept at all these past two days.
Arata opened his eyes and said quietly,
"I'm fine. I just overtrained. I just need some rest."
That wasn't a lie. No one knew what kind of hell he had been through in the past two days.
His training with Unohana Retsu never stopped until he reached the very limits of his abilities. With the medicine from the small blue vial constantly restoring his strength, he had been moving endlessly between life and death.
A day has only 24 hours, and apart from two hours for meals and short rest, the rest of the time belonged to Unohana and her brutal training.
No normal person could endure that.
No matter how exceptional Unohana's Kaidō was, not even the strongest medicine could ease his mental exhaustion.
Two days without sleep. He had only managed to doze off briefly before having to appear at the Academy assembly again.
"Please rest when you return from practice," Unohana had said with a gentle smile as she saw him off.
Though she looked like a kind and serene woman, Arata knew the truth, behind that smile was a demon relentlessly pushing him toward perfection.
"If you say you're fine, then rest afterward," added Aoga. "We can take over the team leader's role."
Kanisawa nodded in agreement.
In the past two days, she had studied many reports from previous soul burial practices. She knew their task was to lead a group of younger students to assist in freeing and purifying souls while facing several simulated Hollows.
These simulations were prepared by the Technology Development Bureau, which would set up a barrier at a designated place in the human world and generate fake Hollows inside it for training.
The simulated Hollows were very weak and under strict control of the Bureau, therefore, with three experienced senior students, there should be no problems.
After drawing team assignments, the technicians activated the instruments and opened the passage to the human world.
Arata's four-member team received communication devices made by the Bureau, which transmitted information through spiritual particles.
"If you encounter anything unusual, contact us immediately," said Morita Seiji, the leader of the barrier team.
"The practice lasts three days. After three days, the portal will reopen at your starting point."
"Understood," said Shūhei, giving the signal for the team to move out.
Upon entering through the gate between worlds, they arrived in the human world, in an abandoned city full of ruins.
There were no living people anywhere, only rows of deserted buildings, making it a perfect place for training without risk to civilians.
After assigning tasks to the younger students, the four of them climbed to the roof of the tallest building. From there, they could oversee everything.
Shūhei checked the situation through the device and sighed with relief when he saw everything was under control.
"The practice is going smoothly. Some teams have already started the simulation," he said.
"That's Renji's team," added Aoga. "They're the best of this generation."
Thanks to the device's radar function, they could monitor all the teams in real time.
"This class is really impressive," said Aoga. "Renji and Kira have improved tremendously, their control of spiritual energy and swordsmanship skills are on a high level."
"If I'm not mistaken," Kanisawa said thoughtfully, "both of them had eighth-level spiritual power when they entered the Academy."
"That level is outstanding, even among seated officers," added Shūhei with a slightly envious tone.
His current strength wasn't low, but it had taken him six years of hard work. This new generation was already reaching his level after only one year.
Such incredible talent... eighth-level spiritual power.
Although his eyes were closed, Arata could feel his emotion.
"Shūhei, don't underestimate yourself," he said softly. "In the future, you won't be weaker than anyone else."
Those weren't empty words. Arata knew, one day, Shūhei would awaken his Bankai and become a true warrior, ready for one-on-one battle.
"You really think so?" Shūhei was surprised.
Arata only nodded and in the next moment, suddenly opened his eyes.
His Zanpakutō gleamed as he swiftly drew it from its sheath, a sharp surge of energy cutting just past Kanisawa.
Hiss!
The water tank behind her was sliced in half, and a massive Hollow fell to the ground, split cleanly from top to bottom.
Only when the Hollow's body began to dissolve into spiritual particles did the others realize what had just happened.
No one except Arata had even noticed its presence.
That Hollow not only concealed its body but completely blocked the sense of spiritual pressure.
That... was no ordinary simulation.
Cold sweat ran down Kanisawa's back. Had Arata not reacted within a second, she would already be dead.
Aoga immediately checked to see if she was injured, fortunately, there were no serious wounds.
Shūhei leaned over the Hollow's vanishing remains and noticed something troubling.
"There's no Bureau mark..." he said darkly.
Then he turned to the others.
"This isn't a simulation."
"This is a real Hollow!"