"Taichi..." Momo Hinamori, who had been captivated by "Captain Aizen's elegance" since their last encounter, hesitated... But it was clear she only held back from stating her wish outright due to her friendship with Fūjin Taichi.
"Taichi, my father has always hoped I could restore our family's former glory, so—"
Kira Izuru clenched his fists and spoke from the heart, but before he could finish, he was interrupted.
"I know. That's why I said I hoped, not demanded, that you wouldn't go."
As he spoke, Taichi finished filling out his division application.
"Just follow your own heart."
"Hm? You're not writing down a few more choices?"
Abarai Renji asked, glancing up.
"Most of the other Divisions are full of weirdos and perverts. I'm scared."
"Huh?! I have no idea what nonsense you're talking about!"
After finishing his own 'Application to Join 13th Division', Renji pulled out two more forms and wrote '11th Division' and '9th Division' on them.
"..."
Hinamori and Kira didn't even know how to comment. They could only sit there stiffly, watching Renji pull out even more application forms…
On the other side, as Taichi prepared to leave the classroom, he happened to pass by Tsunayashiro Tokio and Kasumiōji Hoko. Seeing several Division Invitation Letters laid out on their desks, he couldn't help but offer some advice.
"Tokio, you're a high-born noble. You don't even need to take graduation exams or Division tests—what's there to hesitate about?
Just pick the Division with the best prospects and join it.
Personally, I think 3rd Division, 5th Division, and 9th Division are all great. Their captains are talented, pleasant to talk to, and would suit you perfectly!"
Taichi knew there was friction between Tokio and himself. To keep him from straying down the wrong path, he deliberately tried to provoke him with his words.
"Hmph…"
Tokio ignored Taichi, flipping through the invitation letters in his hand, then deliberately laying them out on the desk one by one.
Seven invitations in total.
"Hoko, you're a noble too—why bother choosing? Just go to one of the noble-exclusive divisions."
"Why?"
Kasumiōji Hoko put down the 5th Division invitation and looked up.
"Because you're nobles! There's no need to compete with low-tier Shinigami like us for Division slots!"
Taichi made up an excuse on the spot. As for the real reason—he wouldn't dare say it even if beaten to death.
"Then where are you going?"
Hoko suddenly asked.
"Division Thirteen."
"Heh. Because of Kuchiki Rukia?"
"Of course not! I'm just drawn to assignments stationed in the Human World!"
Taichi had no idea why she'd ask that and found it deeply puzzling.
"Hmph…"
Hoko snorted inwardly.
You've been glued to Kuchiki Rukia for six years straight—who would believe you have no feelings?
And besides… Rukia herself didn't even go to 6th Division. Yet now you're telling us nobles we should only go to noble Divisions? Isn't that double-standard much?
"Forget it. I won't repeat myself."
Taichi waved it off.
"Do as you see fit."
He had only offered the warning—for the sake of what little friendship remained—hoping to keep Tokio and Hoko from joining 5th Division.
But Taichi wasn't omnipotent, nor did he possess some kingly aura that made people kneel at first sight. A few words were never going to change someone else's resolve.
"Tokio, what do you think?"
After Taichi left, Hoko turned to ask.
"Tch. Fūjin is sticking his nose where it doesn't belong," Tokio muttered, still brooding over Taichi's past teasing.
So, deliberately excluding 3rd, 5th, and 9th Divisions, he randomly drew one from the remaining invitations without even looking.
"This one."
"Huh? 8th Division?
Captain Kyōraku's 8th Division?!"
Hoko exclaimed in surprise.
"What about it?"
"N-Nothing! I just suddenly feel cold!"
Hoko brushed off the goosebumps on her arms—she'd always heard 8th Division was particularly unfriendly to women…
After some thought, she took out the 5th Division invitation and smiled.
"Then I'll go to 5th Division after all.
Maybe I'll even get a chance to discuss calligraphy with Captain Aizen!"
"Tch… suit yourself."
Tokio said indifferently, though his gaze drifted out the window, past the thick clouds, and into the depths of the sky…
....
Seven days later, Shin'ō Academy held its graduation ceremony.
All qualified sixth-year students flooded into Dojo No. 1, a vast sea of people—over a thousand in total.
As the homeroom teacher of the Special Advancement Class, Ōunabara Gengorō took the stage first, gave a speech, then opened the roster and began announcing grades and Division assignments.
"Chōzuka Hiroe — Hakuda 86, Swordsmanship 87, Kidō 88, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to 4th Division!"
"Tsukimitsu Senpū — Hakuda 85, Swordsmanship 80, Kidō 82, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to 7th Division!"
"..."
"Gin Miyu — Hakuda 87, Swordsmanship 85, Kidō 89, Shunpo good.
Assigned to 6th Division, 9th Seat!"
"Shimada Genzō — Hakuda 85, Swordsmanship 83, Kidō 87, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to 10th Division!"
"..."
"Koitachi — Hakuda 91, Swordsmanship 95, Kidō 87, Shunpo good.
Assigned to 2nd Division!"
"Itō Jungo — Hakuda 89, Swordsmanship 87, Kidō 89, Shunpo good.
Assigned to 9th Division!!"
"..."
"Hinamori Momo — Hakuda 86, Swordsmanship 85, Kidō 97, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to 5th Division, 19th Seat!"
"Ryōmiya Han— Hakuda 90, Swordsmanship 89, Kidō 80, Shunpo good.
Assigned to 11th Division!!"
"..."
"Matsumoto Kogorō — Hakuda 88, Swordsmanship 88, Kidō 88, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to 12th Division!"
"Tanaka Musashi — Hakuda 87, Swordsmanship 85, Kidō 80, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to 3rd Division!!"
"..."
"Fūjin Taichi — Hakuda 80, Swordsmanship 99, Kidō 96, Shunpo good.
Assigned to 13th Division!"
"Abarai Renji — Hakuda 91, Swordsmanship 93, Kidō 80, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to 11th Division, 16th Seat!!"
"..."
"Kira Izuru — Hakuda 85, Swordsmanship 86, Kidō 95, Shunpo good.
Assigned to 5th Division, 17th Seat!"
"..."
"Yuushui— Hakuda 89, Swordsmanship 89, Kidō 89, Shunpo passed.
Assigned to the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force!"
"And finally—Kasumiōji Hoko!
Hakuda 95, Swordsmanship 91, Kidō 97, Shunpo good.
Assigned to…"
At this point, Ōunabara Gengorō deliberately paused. After all eyes in the hall turned toward him, he declared solemnly:
"Vice-Captain of 5th Division!!"
"WHAA—!!"
Every sixth-year student at Shin'ō Academy was stunned by that final announcement.
It was said that since the founding of Shin'ō Academy, only Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō of the very first class had become vice-captains immediately upon graduation.
This was the first time in hundreds of years that such a thing had happened again!!
"Ahem!"
Ōunabara Gengorō cleared his throat and added:
"In addition, Kuchiki Rukia and Tsunayashiro Tokio of this class, due to their outstanding performance at the academy, have been specially recruited by 13th and 8th Divisions respectively as Special Advancement Students. This is hereby announced!"
"Ohhh—"
Nearly a thousand people in the audience let out a strange, unified sound, packed with mixed emotions:
Perhaps envy.
Perhaps jealousy.
Perhaps disdain.
Perhaps resentment.
But when decisions were made by those at the top—who would dare question them?
"Heh… if there wasn't any behind-the-scenes manipulation in these Division assignments, I'd be shocked,"
Fūjin Taichi thought to himself.
A Shinigami with connections—even with mediocre grades—can still snag a seated officer position.
Someone like me, a 'backgroundless' nobody… even if my scores go through the roof, I still can't squeeze into the top twenty seats.
As for Abarai Renji, Hinamori Momo, and Kira Izuru securing seated officer ranks—
that was clearly because 11th Division followed the rule of strength above all else.
They didn't care about your background or reputation.
If you had the strength, you could even yank the captain down and take his place!
As for the latter two in 5th Division, the reason was even simpler:
Aizen had ulterior motives—he was merely arranging a few loyal chess pieces for himself.