Lights shining through the window, wind chimes sounding in the air, Lei emerged from another lengthy meditation.
And squinted from the rising sun.
Ah, it's morning already? Has it been so many hours already?
He let out a soft chuckle. Ever since he realized that he could access Super Smash from his Zanpakuto meditation, he has been slightly degenerate, spending most nights "meditating". Honestly, if not for the limitations of his spirit, it would probably not be limited to the current 8 hours.
Of course, not all of the hours were spent gaming; a decent portion of the time was spent conversing and determining the next steps with his Zanpakuto. Groaning, he stood up and began to reflect over the conclusion they had arrived at after lengthy discussion: lay low.
Though he could technically apply for early graduation now that he had Shikai, it wasn't an appealing prospect. Joining the Gotei 13 would mean more scrutiny from high-ranking officers, and Lei had no intention of drawing attention from captain-level combatants, especially Aizen. Not to mention, the demands of active service would leave little time for his Kido research.
No, staying at the academy was the smarter move. Here, Lei could maintain a facade of mediocrity while quietly advancing his abilities. With his beginner gains buff at an end, this was the perfect time to consolidate his foundation as well as determine his true rate of progress in an isolated environment.
Reaching for the door, preparing to start the new day, Lei returned to a constantly recurring thought from these last couple weeks.
And how is he so good? We've played at least a thousand games so far… how have I not even won one?
—
Five years passed, the river of time running swiftly.
Now, strolling towards his own graduation, heart beating at a relaxed pace, Lei's mind wandered as he thought about the past. Everyone he knew had already graduated, and he was the last one remaining.
Toshiro Hitsugaya was expected. In the original story, Toshiro had graduated in the first year, and he had done so in this timeline as well. The boy's genius was too much for the Soul Academy, and Lei suspected that the hollow event only further inspired his desire to spread his wings.
Momo Hinamori graduating also in the first year, however, was surprising. Bleach was a story of heroes and villains, and Momo, as much as Lei recalls, was a second-tier side character, her brilliance paling in comparison to her younger brother. And yet. Somehow she had ascended to the ranks of geniuses with her first year Zanpakuto awakening and graduation.
Before she left, she had a meeting with Lei to give her regards and say goodbye.
"Take care of yourself, Lei," Giving a short hug, her warm smile was tinged with a small sadness at parting with her friend.
Toshiro was there too of course. His parting glance—a cold, unfriendly stare—left Lei sighing in exasperation.
"I'll never understand why he hates me so much…"
Perhaps the most shocking to Lei though was Renji Abari and Izuru Kira. Momo awakening and graduating in the first year could somewhat be explained through her close relationship with Toshiro. Competitiveness with Toshiro had spurred her development. Sibling rivalry, particularly older to younger sibling rivalry, Lei could understand. What was hard to understand, however, was how Renji and Izuru had somehow found it in themselves to also achieve Shikai and graduate in the first year.
Hah. The butterfly effect truly strikes again. I guess it is true that competition creates heroes. Lei found himself sighing a lot recently. Plot changes were weary for the heart.
The four of them, along with Rukia Kuchiki, who had graduated unofficially in her first year, came to be known as the Golden Generation. Within the academy, the phrase "3 dragons, 2 phoenixes, and 1 monkey" also became a popular way to describe the cohort. The dragons represented the raw power and prodigious talent of Toshiro, Renji, and Izuru. The phoenixes symbolized the grace and brilliance of Rukia and Momo. And the monkey?
That was Lei.
Monkey, huh? Could be worse. Thinking about the moniker, a slight smile on his face, Lei chuckled.
When he thought about it, it felt a little deserved. Out of the "Golden Generation", he did have the biggest splash at the intro. The nickname stung at first, but Lei couldn't entirely blame them. His stocky build and initially meteoric rise followed by his apparent decline in prominence made him an easy target for the comparison.
There were also whispers of the phrase being a reference to his occasional giant and disconcerting smile.
Of course, the biggest reason why he didn't mind?
He thought about his Zanpakuto name and his favorite Smash character.
Well, I guess it's surprisingly accurate.
"Lei. Please step up to the podium!" A shout distracted him from his recollections, and he realized it was his turn to demonstrate his capabilities. Graduates from the Soul Academy needed to demonstrate some level of competence in order to determine their placings and future assignments.
Stance confident, heart steady, he raised a hand, and, almost anticlimactically, short-casted Bakudo #63.
Ripples ran through the crowd, surprise evident at the proficient Kido display.
"Hm. That was a perfect cast. He would be a great candidate for the Kido corps."
"Wasn't he supposed to be average? Someone point me to who said that so that I can understand what average is supposed to be."
"That. Was. Genius."
Genius? The last praise caught his attention, and he inwardly shook his head.
The last five years had been a reminder in his own mortal talents. In comparison to his skyrocketing progress in his first year, his progress in the last five years was at a snail's pace. Only his Shunpo managed to increase in ability with his efforts. And even that seemed to be because his large reiyokru reserves allowed him to brute force a lot of the repetitions.
As they say, if I'm not a genius, I just have to work 10x harder.
—--
After the ceremony, Lei formally applied to join the Kido Corps. With his graduating display, his application was swiftly approved, and Lei found himself standing before the imposing headquarters of the Kido Corps.
"New recruits over here!" A woman dressed in the stereotypical white garbs of the Kido corps waved him over.
"It's good to see fresh blood! You made the right choice choosing to come to the Kido corps!" Waving her hands in an exaggerated manner, the women cheerfully greeted him.
"It's not as prestigious as the Gotei 13, but it's much more relaxed. We do need to apprehend criminals sometimes, and definitely pay attention to the instructions of your corps leader for safety."
Nodding along, Lei resolved himself to use his time wisely and productively to prepare for the coming ordeals. As the woman continued describing the position however, a feeling of incongruity rose up inside Lei.
"But after your first 10 years of mandatory service, you can switch and apply to one of the cushy jobs such as handling the Senkaimon. At that point, all you need to do is wake up and work your designated hours while the remaining time is free. For example, I work 9-5 and have the remaining hours to myself!"
How come I isekai'd and still have a salaried life?