Inside the Kidō Corps headquarters, Kaito Yanagawa finished his work for the day and leaned back comfortably in his reclining chair.
Reaching for the flask beside him, he poured a cup of the Soul Society’s distinct sake and savored it unhurriedly.
*Ah, this is what life is supposed to be like.*
The Kidō Corps’ duties naturally leaned toward logistics and support, dealing exclusively with non-combat Kidō applications.
Tasks such as opening the Senkaimon connecting the realms, maintaining defensive barriers throughout the Seireitei, or placing seals on designated items and areas.
Although the work demanded meticulous precision, its pace was nowhere near as tense or frantic as that of the combat divisions.
Ever since Grand Kidō Chief Tessai Tsukabishi and Lieutenant Kidō Chief Hachigen Ushōda departed all those years ago, the Kidō Corps had produced no standout figures of comparable caliber.
Even to this day, those two highest positions remained vacant.
As a result, the Kidō Corps had gradually become known across the Seireitei as a haven of idle comfort.
Any Shin’ō Academy graduates with an ounce of brilliance aspired to join the Gotei 13.
Almost nobody wanted to “waste” their talent here.
Ten years ago, however, when Kaito Yanagawa graduated from the Shin’ō Academy at the very top of his class with an eye-popping record, he defied all expectations by choosing to join the Kidō Corps.
No one knew the reason behind his choice.
They didn’t know that Yanagawa wasn’t a soul native to this world.
In his previous life, he had been a prodigal mage living in an era of dwindling magic, who suffered an unexpected mishap at a critical juncture while researching a piece of super-magic.
By the time he regained consciousness, his spiritual body was already drifting in this unfamiliar realm known as the “Soul Society.”
At first, he hadn’t known what kind of world this was.
Yet as a mage keenly attuned to energy, he immediately sensed the difference—the air here was saturated with an energy far richer and denser than in his mana-depleted past life.
Later, he learned that in this world, it was called “Reishi.” Living beings in the Soul Society simply had to breathe to absorb it.
Taking ambient Reishi into their bodies, they converted it into “Reiryoku,” the spiritual power driving their abilities, embarking on a path of ever-increasing strength.
For Yanagawa, this place was nothing short of paradise.
Armed with his extraordinary comprehension and the vast reservoir of knowledge accumulated from his past life, he adapted swiftly and entered the Shin’ō Academy with astonishing talent.
As for why he chose the Kidō Corps over the prestigious Gotei 13 after graduating, the reason was simple: it was quiet.
Given a second chance at life, he intended to follow his own desires.
Besides, the abundance of free time allowed him to immerse himself in researching this world’s unique system of Kidō.
It was a fascinating art that structured and wielded spiritual power through incantations and hand seals—bearing striking similarities to the magic he had once commanded.
Yanagawa had a faint hunch that the ultimate heights of sorcery, once rendered unattainable by the barren environment of his past life, might just be within reach here along this new path.
Just then, a figure stepped forward, blocking the slant of sunlight filtering into the room.
The newcomer wore the standard black Shihakushō beneath an overgarment bearing the emblem of Squad 1, his upper lip sporting a meticulously groomed mustache.
He stood with a composed air of discipline and restraint honed over centuries, utterly out of place amidst the relaxed, languid atmosphere of the Kidō Corps.
It was none other than the Lieutenant of the Gotei 13’s Squad 1—Chōjirō Sasakibe.
“Yanagawa of the Kidō Corps,” Sasakibe addressed him in a formal, businesslike tone.
“Forgive the intrusion.
By order of the Captain-Commander, you are to report to the Squad 1 barracks at once for an audience.”
In the Soul Society, being granted an “audience” by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto rather than being “summoned” was an extraordinary signal in itself.
Not to mention that this message was personally delivered by his closest aide.
Yanagawa sat up, though his posture remained relaxed, betraying none of the nervous fluster of someone overcome by sudden honor.
“An audience with the Captain-Commander?” he asked mildly, feigning just the right amount of surprise.
“May I ask what this is regarding?
Would Lieutenant Sasakibe happen to know anything?”
Chōjirō Sasakibe gave a slight shake of his head.
“The Captain-Commander gave no explanation.
My orders are simply to bring you to him.”
Yanagawa brushed off an imaginary speck of dust from his sleeve and stood from the reclining chair.
“In that case, please lead the way, Lieutenant.”
Sasakibe offered no further words.
Turning on his heel, he led the way as the two figures departed the Kidō Corps headquarters, one after the other.
The architecture of the Seireitei drifted slowly past them, but Yanagawa’s thoughts lingered nowhere near the scenery along the path.
A summons from Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was indeed intriguing.
Yanagawa sifted through his memories, reviewing his limited interactions with the revered Captain-Commander.
Back at the Shin’ō Academy, Yamamoto, serving as both Captain-Commander and headmaster, would occasionally make an appearance during major ceremonies or assessments.
At the time, Yanagawa had been just another student in the crowd, never going out of his way to draw attention.
At most, on account of his outstanding academic performance, he had briefly exchanged a glance with the imposing old man atop the high platform during graduation.
Other than that, there had been no contact whatsoever.
Ever since choosing the Kidō Corps a decade ago, Yanagawa had practically placed himself outside the purview of the Gotei 13’s mainstream hierarchy.
The Kidō Corps was an independent entity operating on its own system.
While they cooperated with the combat squads, it was almost always in the capacity of technical support; there was virtually never a need to face a figure sitting at the very pinnacle of power like the Captain-Commander.
For all these years, he had been like a single drop of water blending seamlessly into the calm lake of the Kidō Corps, creating not the slightest ripple.
*Why would a Kidō Corps member who has long stayed away from the combat ranks and focused entirely on auxiliary operations suddenly catch the Captain-Commander’s eye?*
Yanagawa ran through the possibilities in his mind.
It couldn’t be routine duty—that followed rigid protocols and would never warrant Sasakibe coming in person.
Nor was it a normal commendation or inquiry; the atmosphere wasn’t right.
Had his choice from ten years ago suddenly been re-evaluated?
Or had his clandestine Kidō experiments over the years drawn unwanted attention?
He recalled the subtle Reishi fluctuations he had occasionally triggered deep inside the Kidō Corps testing grounds while attempting to restructure Kidō incantations with magical theory from his past life.
*Could it be that?*
No, it was too early to jump to conclusions.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was an existence who had lived for over a millennium, ruling the Gotei 13 with absolute might and unbending will.
For now, reading the old man’s intentions was impossible.