"I didn't expect Captain Aizen to be such a genuinely good person..."
On their way to the cafeteria, Renji walked with his hands clasped behind his head, feeling the newfound energy coursing through his body. A sincere smile spread across his face as he spoke, his tone brimming with gratitude.
Rukia, walking beside him, chimed in casually, "It seems we underestimated Captain Aizen in the beginning..."
"That's right," Kira added with a sigh. "Captain Aizen helped us so much, and yet I acted so rudely before... I've decided—when I graduate, I'm joining the Fifth Division!"
"Tch! Don't think I don't see what you're up to!" Renji scoffed, throwing Kira a look of mock disdain.
"You must've heard Captain Aizen mention that Hinamori-senpai wants to join the Fifth Division after graduation. You're just following her!"
Caught red-handed, Kira's face reddened, and he shot back defensively, "So what if I am? What's it to you?!"
Their banter quickly escalated into playful shoving and bickering, and soon enough, even Rukia joined in, her laughter echoing in the hallway.
Among the group, Linlin stayed quiet, watching the three of them with an open mind, though a flicker of sadness passed through her eyes.
'Go on, bicker, you fools... You have no idea that you've all been marked by that cunning fox, Aizen.'
Ever since Aizen guided their spiritual pressure, Linlin had noticed something peculiar—a faint, mysterious spiritual presence embedded deep within her soul.
She didn't need to think hard to realize the truth.
'This must be Aizen's true objective in helping us awaken our spiritual pressure.'
The foreign spiritual energy was so well-hidden that had she not been exceptionally sensitive and trained by a dimensional merchant, she might never have noticed it.
She didn't know exactly what purpose this implanted spiritual energy served, but for someone like her—already wary of Aizen's secretive nature—it felt like a ticking time bomb lodged inside her soul.
Yet, she dared not voice her anger or concerns.
"Alas..."
Linlin sighed inwardly. 'I just hope this spiritual pressure doesn't have the ability to pry into the secrets of my soul. If it does, I'll be in big trouble.'
She prayed silently, hoping that when she earned enough points, she could use their power to deal with this spiritual presence without Aizen noticing.
Thankfully, the very fact that he had concealed this energy so meticulously suggested that he didn't intend to act on it right away. For now, this gave her some breathing room.
'At least for the time being, I can focus on recovering my strength and gathering resources here in the Shin'ō Academy.'
---
And so, with Aizen's spiritual presence lying dormant within her, Linlin began her life at the academy.
Lessons in spiritual pressure, the duties and history of the Shinigami, knowledge about Hollows, and training in the four major combat techniques—Zanpakutō, Hakuda, Shunpo, and Kidō—unfolded before her under the guidance of skilled instructors.
A grand, vibrant world gradually revealed itself to Linlin and her companions, each discovery more dazzling than the last.
While recovering her strength, Linlin threw herself into her studies, eagerly absorbing every ounce of knowledge about this new world.
Days turned into weeks, and before long, a month had passed.
During this time, Linlin and her group had fully adjusted to life at the Shin'ō Academy, quickly earning recognition among the incoming students.
After all, Renji and the others were natural talents—destined to become vice-captains of the Gotei 13 within just a century.
Although there are some glaring deviations from what might be considered "scientific progression," there are certain quirks among the group. For instance, Renji has yet to successfully execute a single Kidō spell, but his swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat skills are astonishingly strong.
Rukia, on the other hand, has been praised by her instructors as a rare Kidō prodigy, but her swordsmanship is painfully lackluster—so much so that she struggles to even reach the mid-level standard.
As for Kira, his performance across all areas is incredibly average. Unfortunately for him, this overwhelming mediocrity makes him the least remarkable among the four.
Of course, this lack of distinction applies only to his combat skills.
Thanks to his handsome features and princely blond hair, Kira has somehow managed to establish himself as a mid-level celebrity within the Shin'ō Academy, attracting admirers left and right.
As for Linlin...
To put it bluntly, her days have been anything but easy.
In just a month, her strength had already returned to level 50. With her concealed abilities—both Darkrai power and her mastery of the Soul Fruit—she could theoretically unleash enough strength to defeat even some weaker division captains.
But to avoid standing out, Linlin has been suppressing her true power.
During sparring sessions with her classmates, she constantly keeps her strength in check, always careful not to overpower her opponents and draw unnecessary attention.
So far, she has managed to set Rukia and Renji as her benchmarks, ensuring her Kidō skills and hand-to-hand combat levels are slightly below theirs. She aims to strike a balance: skilled enough to appear talented but not so much as to stand out too conspicuously.
The only unfortunate thing is...
In the past month, Linlin has yet to find a suitable trading partner, meaning she hasn't earned a single point.
That is, until—
"What did you just say?"
"The Kuchiki family, one of the Four Great Noble Families, wants to adopt you?"
Inside the cafeteria of the Shin'ō Academy, Renji froze mid-bite, his eyes bulging in shock as if he'd just eaten a spoonful of chili. He stared at Rukia in disbelief.
The petite Rukia, however, kept her gaze downcast, her hands idly stirring the miso soup in her bowl. She seemed to be using the repetitive motion to steady herself.
After a moment, she finally spoke, her voice quiet and hesitant.
"...I... I'm just as surprised as you are..."
"Yesterday, a member of the current Kuchiki family approached me. They said they wanted to adopt me... Apparently, I look very similar to the family head's late wife, and because of that, they want me to become his adopted sister."
Her hands tightened slightly around the spoon.
"I... I don't know if I should agree."
"Agree! Of course, you should agree!"
Renji leapt to his feet in excitement, abandoning his meal entirely. Leaning across the table toward her, his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
"That's the 'Kuchiki family'! One of the Four Great Noble Families!"
"Do you have any idea how privileged those noble brats are here at the academy? You can see how pampered and luxurious their lives are just by looking at them!"
"If you turn down the chance to gain noble status for free, how could you possibly justify calling yourself a product of Rukongai!?"
"It's not that simple, Renji."
Kira set down his bowl and chopsticks, shaking his head at Renji's outburst. Then, turning toward Rukia, he fixed her with a serious gaze.
"Rukia, I hope you'll carefully think this through."
"Joining a noble family—especially one of the Four Great Noble Families—will completely transform your identity and status. It's not an exaggeration to say you'll be like a phoenix rising from the ashes."
"When that happens, the resources and privileges you'll gain will be something the rest of us could never even dream of achieving in our lifetimes."
"But..."
"As far as I know, noble families usually have strict ancestral precepts and family rules," Kira began.
"Not to mention, once you become a noble, every word and action you take must protect the family's honor. Given you're from Rukongai, you might face criticism in the Kuchiki family—ostracism, even."
"Who knows if there's any factional strife within such powerful families..."
"It might not be a big deal for someone else."
"But if you were to become the step-sister of the Kuchiki family head, you'd automatically be considered part of his faction. That could make him a target for more attacks in the future."
"And the most important point is..."
At this, Kira paused. His eyes flickered slightly before he relaxed. After a moment, he continued:
"If you really join the Kuchiki family, one of the four great families, there's a chance you might not be able to remain friends with us commoners from Rukongai."
"Ah!? Why is that!?" Renji suddenly shouted, looking at Kira in confusion.
Kira sighed helplessly, meeting Renji's baffled expression. Patiently, he explained:
"It's simple."
"Once you become a noble, your friends—and even your marriage partners—are expected to be nobles."
"Can't you see it in the way our noble classmates behave?"
"Several times after class, they seemed interested in hanging out with us but ultimately left disappointed. Clearly, there's some unspoken rule preventing nobles from interacting too much with commoners."
"Maybe they think associating with us would taint their nobility."
"That's why I said Rukia joining the Kuchiki family might not necessarily be a good thing."
"Of course, overall, the advantages might outweigh the disadvantages."
"..."
Rukia's hand, stirring her spoon, suddenly stopped. Lowering her head, she sighed softly and said:
"As expected, I'd better refuse..."
"Refuse for what!?"
'Bang!'
A massive bowl slammed onto the table with a force that seemed to shake the entire cafeteria.
The bowl was so large, even a Kun couldn't fit into it.
Everyone froze for a moment, but quickly returned to their meals. After all, such a scene had become routine after a month.
The cafeteria Linlin stacked the empty giant bowl with others at her feet before placing a new one brimming with food in front of herself.
She turned to Rukia and, with a proud smile, said:
"Why refuse!?"
"Becoming a noble means access to better resources, food, and even spiritual nourishment that boosts your strength more quickly."
"You've all heard it in history class..."
"The life of a Shinigami is far from secure. Even with Seireitei's advanced systems for assigning missions based on strength, Shinigami still die at the hands of Hollows every year."
"If there's a faster way to grow stronger, why turn it down!?"
"Hey, Linlin Linlin, didn't you hear what Kira just said..."
Renji, still hesitant after hearing that Rukia might decline joining the Kuchiki family, quickly turned to Linlin when she voiced her support.
For a moment, this might've been the bravest thing Renji had done all month.
Glancing reluctantly at Rukia, Renji said,
"Honestly, I also think joining the Kuchiki family is the better choice..."
"But if she does, Rukia might never eat or walk with us again."
"Who knows if we could even stay friends..."
"So, Rukia, think this over carefully."
With Linlin's encouragement, Renji finally voiced his concerns for the first time.
To be honest, Renji was feeling very conflicted.
On one hand, he wished for Rukia to join the Kuchiki family, become a high-ranking noble, and lead a better life.
On the other hand, he couldn't bear the thought of losing Rukia as his... friend.
Yet, in the face of Renji's inner turmoil, Linlin's attitude remained steadfast. Her expression was bold, almost heroic.
"So what!?"
Her voice boomed, full of confidence and defiance.
"No matter how many rules the nobles have, they only bind the weak!"
"When the day comes that you have the strength of a captain—or even surpass a captain—do you think those rules can still restrain you?"
"Or imagine this: with the resources of the Kuchiki family, Rukia works hard and becomes more powerful than the head of the clan himself..."
"At that point, as a noble, she could use the family's resources to help us train. Do you think any of those pompous nobles would dare to object?"
"So what if you can't hang out with us for now?"
"In the end, aren't we the ones who'll reap the rewards, eating and drinking like royalty?"
"Honestly, you'd be a fool not to take advantage of this opportunity!"
"We'll take this noble title without hesitation!"
Perhaps it was her newfound confidence in her strength, but Linlin seemed utterly unshakable. Speaking loudly in the crowded cafeteria, she wasn't fazed by the curious or judgmental stares around her.
After all, in Seireitei, the four great families held a status second only to the Gotei 13.
It was even said that long ago, the Gotei 13 were simply the bodyguards of these families.
"Linlin, be careful!"
Noticing the growing attention from the crowd, Kira hurriedly stood up, grabbed Linlin's spoon, and shoved a large mouthful of rice into her mouth to quiet her.
Although Kira felt her words were bold and somewhat exaggerated, he couldn't help but feel, just for a moment, that nobles weren't as untouchable as they seemed.
But rationally, he knew what needed to be done.
Unexpectedly, however, Linlin's passionate speech had a much greater impact on Renji.
'Bang!'
Renji slammed his hand on the table with an intensity that made everyone jump, then stood up with fiery determination.
"That's right! Linlin is absolutely right!"
"Nobles are just people! I refuse to believe they'd stop me from talking to Rukia once I become a captain!"
"Rukia, it's decided—we're taking this noble status and making it ours!"
"..."
Rukia stared blankly at her three companions, completely overwhelmed by the sudden shift in their energy.
A stray lock of hair on her head curled upward as she finally replied in a faint voice:
"Mm."
---
A few days later.
Surprising news swept through the Seireitei, dominating the headlines of every major publication.
The hot topic of discussion during every meal? The "lucky girl" of the Kuchiki family—Rukia Kuchiki!
Just as Kira had speculated, Rukia's new noble status came with restrictions.
She moved out of the student dormitories and into the Kuchiki family's grand mansion.
For Rukia, life changed almost overnight.
Every morning, she was required to greet the head of the family before heading to school. After school, she had to return home immediately to do the same.
Family dinners were followed by rigorous aristocratic etiquette training sessions.
Her entire schedule was planned down to the minute.
From her travels to her appearance, everything was strictly supervised. Any behavior that could tarnish the family's traditions was strictly forbidden.
For Rukia, the glamorous life of a noble felt more suffocating than she could have ever imagined.
To be honest, if it weren't for the determination in her heart to grow stronger and benefit Renji and the others, Rukia might have doubted whether she was still herself—or if she had been replaced by some other "Rukia."
Gradually, she found herself restricted from even chatting with Renji and the others after school.
Her connections with Linlin and the rest were completely severed.
———
——
—
One day, after class, Renji couldn't help but sigh in frustration as he watched Rukia walk away.
With a stern expression, her posture upright and movements meticulous, she looked like a completely different person.
"Ah... I wonder if what I said back then in the heat of the moment was the right thing to do."
"What's there to wonder about? Of course, it was the right thing to do!"
Linlin gave Renji a firm pat on the shoulder, pushing him forward as she added,
"Class is over, so why aren't you hurrying to the cafeteria for dinner?"
"Or are you hoping that Rukia will adopt you into her noble family and make you one of them?"
"Hey, hey... don't push, don't push—I'm going, I'm going!"
Stumbling forward under Linlin's relentless shoves, Renji steadied himself and glanced one last time in Rukia's direction.
With a sigh of defeat, he turned away and began trudging toward the cafeteria.
But as he walked, a question popped into his mind:
'Why is it that Linlin always loses when sparring with me, yet when she pushes me, it feels like being hit by a collapsing mountain?!'
Baffled by this thought, Renji picked up his pace, Linlin still nudging him forward.
What he failed to notice, however, was the look on Linlin's face as she glanced back at Rukia, who had already exited the gates of the Shin'ō Academy.
A sly, knowing smile crept across Linlin's lips.
"It looks like my first 'trade' in my career is about to be sealed!"