Soul Society.
Eastern Administrative District.
"Boom—!"
Flames erupted.
Thick smoke rolled through the air.
Crowds scattered in disorder.
Whenever these three elements appeared together, it meant only one thing—
The Seireitei's annual "routine explosion" had begun once again.
The disturbance originated from the Shin'ō Academy, the institution responsible for training members of the Gotei 13, the Kidō Corps, and the Stealth Force.
Here, students learned not only the core combat disciplines of a Soul Reaper—Zanpakutō combat, hand-to-hand techniques, Shunpo, and Kidō—but also knowledge of the World of the Living, Hueco Mundo, and even Hell.
As for the explosion just now—
No seated officer of the Gotei 13 would dare cause such chaos within the Seireitei.
Scenes like this could only be found on the academy's training grounds, where students risked everything to earn better evaluations.
The fifth-year advancement examinations were currently underway.
Unfortunately, aside from the examinees themselves, there were few spectators.
Most lower-year students were gathered in the Shin'ō Academy's Grand Auditorium, watching graduation placement selections. There, they might encounter official Soul Reapers—or, with enough luck, even a captain of the Gotei 13.
After all, even an ordinary seated officer was selected from countless souls.
Roughly one in six thousand.
Honestly speaking—
Fewer spectators was not necessarily a bad thing.
While the so-called "senior elites" lost opportunities to show off and attract junior admirers, the reduced attention also eased the pressure on those currently being tested.
After yet another wave of chaos subsided—
"Ruler of the skies!"
"Mask of flesh and blood, all creation, beating wings, bear the name of humanity!"
The incantations rang out without pause.
Following the examiner's instructions, the students assumed identical stances: right palm extended forward, left hand bracing the fingers.
In front of each palm, blazing heat and light gathered as vivid crimson flames condensed into spheres.
"Scorching heat and strife, surge southward across the sea, advance without hesitation!"
"Hadō Number Thirty-One—Red Fire Cannon!"
A dozen fireballs streaked toward the targets.
"Boom!"
Hitting the target consistently with Red Fire Cannon was far from easy.
Excelling in Kidō required far more than raw power and speed. Precision mattered most—after all, no Soul Reaper wanted a teammate's Kidō exploding behind them.
A certain red-haired brawler with unruly eyebrows would later serve as a textbook example of what not to do.
When the smoke cleared—
"Grade B."
"Grade B."
The examiners recorded results calmly. Most of them were seated officers from the Gotei 13; judging Kidō proficiency was trivial for them.
Incidentally, the current head of the Shin'ō Academy was merely a Fourth Seat of a certain division.
"Grade A—Nanao Ise."
That announcement immediately drew attention.
"An Ise?"
"That noble lady?"
Even after five years of shared study, students rarely paid attention to those outside their class. Still, some names carried weight, and Nanao Ise was one of them.
"Wasn't she from a shrine family?"
"That still makes her nobility."
"Not like us souls from Rukongai."
Nanao steadied her breathing as she exited the field.
She had long grown accustomed to such stares. Bearing the name of the Ise family ensured scrutiny—even among nobles.
Though she appeared no more than seven or eight years old, and was no longer part of the main family, she had passed the final assessment of Zanpakutō, Hakuda, Shunpo, and Kidō.
She had earned advancement.
Just as she stepped outside—
"Hey."
A gentle, familiar voice greeted her.
Before she could respond, a broad palm pressed lightly against her forehead, forcing her to tilt her head up.
"Grade A in Kidō."
"Why the long face?"
"With those thick glasses already hiding your looks, frowning all day is just a waste of a good face."
The tone was as nagging as a concerned parent.
"My neck's going to snap!"
The girl grabbed his wrist, trying to push his hand away.
"Ah—sorry."
The tall man quickly withdrew.
Standing at nearly one hundred eighty-seven centimeters, Ling Qing towered over her.
"Congratulations on advancing. And… an apology gift."
A neatly wrapped box was pressed into her hands before she could refuse.
The sweet aroma reached her senses instantly.
"…Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
"Not going to open it?"
"I want to share it with my uncle at home. Is that okay?"
"Of course. It's yours."
The gift came from the World of the Living—a famous confectionery known as Kozukeya.
Even seated officers needed special arrangements to obtain such items.
"Thank you, Aqing."
"That's the second time. You really don't need to thank me."
Ling Qing replied with his usual gentle smile.
"Next examinees, prepare to enter."
"That's me."
Ling Qing heard his name.
He bent slightly and patted Nanao's head with careful gentleness.
"No need to wait here."
"The Kidō exam isn't difficult for me. You know that best."
"But—"
"No buts."
"Go to the auditorium. The Eighth Division is there today."
"If you miss this chance, it might be a long time before you see Vice-Captain Yadōmaru Lisa again."
After watching her disappear into the crowd, Ling Qing's smile faded.
He exhaled softly.
Only his name truly belonged to this place.
At the arena entrance, Ling Qing drew attention even among the crowd.
Not only because of his height—but because a student from remote Rukongai walked openly among nobles.
His grades were excellent, yet his reputation among certain groups was terrible.
"Not my fault," he thought.
"I just happen to be close to nobles."
"Teacher."
"Oh?"
The examiner smiled brightly.
"Good draw."
The woman before him wore a standard shihakushō. Her appearance alone was striking—but her presence left little room for distraction.
"Mutsuki Shōkaku," Fifth Division, Seventh Seat.
Also the homeroom teacher of Class One.
"You're really not using Red Fire Cannon?"
"It's not that I'm bad at mid-level Hadō."
"Care to swear on it?"
"…."
She laughed and patted his shoulder.
"Keep improving."
Her fingers, carrying a faint floral scent, withdrew.
"So—still choosing White Lightning?"
"Yes."
"You've used it every year since your first."
"You never forget."
"Flattery won't help."
Her tone sharpened.
"White Lightning is basic Hadō. Don't expect me to go easy."
"I understand."
"But I picked up a few tricks from a certain young noble."
"…You mean?"
"Yes."
She sighed.
"Very well. Just be sure you know what you're doing."
"I will.