I lay on the platform, trying to catch my breath.
Golden, as I will call her until I find out her real name, finally gave me time to breathe.
She, however, didn’t seem tired in the slightest.
There wasn’t a single detail that could indicate it.
Her back was perfectly straight, her breathing was steady, her hands weren’t shaking…
and even her clothes weren’t wrinkled.
A real killing machine.
“It’s nice to know that you value my skills so highly, Master,” she unexpectedly answered my thoughts.
Damn, I just can’t get used to that.
“Hey, how was the workout?” called out Cobalt, darting about the current level of the archive.
She looked through book after book, but for some reason they were all (ironic, right?) empty.
The white-eyed girl even gave one a theatrical shake, as if searching for a hidden stash.
In response to her question, I simply raised my fist with the thumb up and hummed the “Terminator” theme as I lowered it.
There was no other way to describe my state.
“Well, if you can crack jokes, then everything’s fine,” Hollow said, putting the book back with a look of boredom.
“I could train you a bit, but I’m afraid we wouldn’t like the consequences.
Out in the real world, though, you won’t get rid of me so easily.
I can’t believe you’re using your powers of Fullbring in the most basic way possible…
It’s so-o boring.”
“I’ll be able to hear your voice even when you’re sealed away?” I asked in surprise.
“Only my power is sealed, not me.
Nothing stops my consciousness from wandering around here, as you can see,” she said, spreading her arms and spinning around on her heels.
“Nothing prevents me from speaking inside your head, either.
Plus, knowing exactly what we are gives you a decent level of understanding and acceptance, so there won’t be any issues with internal barriers, either.”
I have a feeling I’ll be just like Azashiro…
asking my Zanpakuto to be quiet every five minutes.
“Oh, come on.
I’m not that talkative,” she said, catching the skeptical looks Golden and I were giving her, and then shouted out.
“You two are just too quiet!
I have to make up for it somehow.”
I simply shook my head and brushed away the hair sticking to my face.
Let her scream.
I was in no mood whatsoever to calm the Hollow down.
“By the way, I was just thinking…”
“Yes, Master?” Golden eagerly picked up the conversation.
I’d wager she would look incredibly cute with dog ears and a wagging tail.
“Don’t get sidetracked, Master.
You wanted to ask something,” she said, ignoring my thoughts and Cobalt’s burst of laughter, as if nothing had happened.
Amazing composure.
“So…
I have two swords.
Can you teach me to fight with both at once?”
She fell silent for a few seconds…
Then came the answer.
“No, not at a satisfactory level,” Golden said, bowing her head apologetically.
“But that doesn’t mean I can’t learn alongside you in battle and practice our skills.”
“Fair enough.
I suppose that makes sense.
After all, your dual nature isn’t exactly natural,” I said, shrugging as I lay on the platform.
“Just like with all the other dual-Zanpakuto wielders, come to think of it.
In Kyoraku’s case, his Katen deliberately created Kyōkotsu to hide that sword…
what was it called again?” I had finally recalled Nanao Ise and her role in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, yet I kept forgetting the name of the sword itself.
Information Note: The sword’s name is Shinken Hakkyoken.
“Yes, thank you.
Shinken Hakkyōken.
And Ukitake has those twin children because of Mimihagi in his body, one of the severed arms of the Soul King.
It kind of reflects the duality of his soul.
Ichigo’s dual Zanpakutō came from the Quincy’s powers after it was reforged.
And we, from the division of Hollow and Shinigami powers into different swords.
In theory, only Ukitake’s Zanpakutō could have ingrained the Zanpakutō with the inherent knowledge of dual-sword combat.
He awakened his Zanpakutō long after he became possessed by Mimihagi,” I muttered out loud, cataloging my knowledge.
Suddenly, the platform jerked and continued its procession toward the heavens.
“Hey!
Wait for me,” Cobalt instantly materialized beside us from beyond the platform’s edge.
“Our time-dilation limit in the inner world has run out, Master.
We could continue training in real-time if you wish, but then you wouldn’t get enough sleep.”
“You know, I think that’s enough for the first time,” I said, rising to my feet.
“I’m really glad I got to see the two of you.
After all, we’ll be together for the foreseeable eternity.”
“Likewise,” Hollow waved lazily, while the masked Zanpakuto simply bowed in farewell.
After waking up, I went to have a snack in the dining room on the first floor of the hotel, where young Ushoda Hachigen was already sitting.
Even though I say “young,” every look at him reminded me of how time can age a shinigami.
I hope I can stay somewhere in my thirties, like Unohana or Kyōraku.
Alas, but no, I don’t want to be a powerful old man like Yamamoto or Ginrei.
`You’re unexpectedly optimistic about living to old age, Hero,` Hollow’s voice rang out near my ear.
Startled, I jerked my chopsticks and dropped the noodles onto the table.
She picked a “fine” time to speak up.
“Is everything all right, Kaoru-san?” For such a big man, he was strikingly polite and gentle.
And I simply couldn’t break Hachigen of the habit of using honorifics with me.
I may have lived in modern Japan for a while, but I still have no memory of it, so it’s quite unusual to react to them so quickly.
Back in Zaraki, nobody used them at all, except for the sycophantic thugs
“Yeah, yeah, I just felt a sharp twinge in my head,” I said, waving it off.
“Probably just didn’t get enough sleep.”
“Don’t overdo it in training, You’re already quite strong for an academy applicant.”
“You can never have too much strength,” I muttered.
`Coyote Starrk would argue with you.
And Lilynette would just stomp you into the ground,` Cobalt giggled in my head.
Did you want something specific from me or just chatting?
`No, just checking the connection.
It’s really boring here, you know.`
There was nothing I could do to help Cobalt, so I decided to let her indulge herself a little.
Provided she didn’t distract me at critical moments.
After we finished eating, we went our separate ways.
Ushoda headed for the library, and I followed him.
I hadn’t seen a book in ten years, an eternity for an avid reader.
The first one I picked up was a brand-new edition about the Academy of Spiritual Arts.
Just for the record, reading turned out to be harder than I’d expected, after all, the language in daily use here is an archaic form of Japanese.
Something I hadn’t even fully adjusted to in spoken conversation.
I really ought to find a language textbook and flip through it.
On the bright side, I managed to learn quite a bit.
For instance, Yamamoto Shigekuni is not only the Academy’s founding father but also its official headmaster.
He is even one of the instructors.
That’s hardly surprising, considering he supposedly took Kyoraku and Ukitake on as personal apprentices around this time.
It would be great to study under him, provided I haven’t already missed the boat.
Assuming the timing isn’t off by centuries.
Let’s hope that option is still on the table.
But back to other interesting details.
The entrance exam consists of a Reiatsu level test, a general written test, and, if you want to get into a more prestigious class, at least some knowledge of the four main disciplines: zanjutsu, hakuda, hoho, and kido.
And when I say “at least some”, I mean the bar is set quite low, as Hachigen told me.
The admissions committee primarily looks at Reiatsu levels and basic literacy and numeracy skills.
To get into Class #1, you simply need to impress the examiner in at least one of those four disciplines.
“Kaoru-san, you’re sure to impress everyone with the level of your spiritual power.
Not every seated officer possesses that kind of strength.”
“And you, I take it, plan to impress them with your Kidō?
So, are we heading to Class #1?”
“I’d certainly like to,” he nodded.
“Even if I don’t make it, it’s still not a bad outcome.
Worst-case scenario, I’ll just try again next year.
There’s no limit on the number of attempts.”
“Don’t be such a pessimist; I’m sure we’re among the best of the non-clan members.
By the way—if you don’t mind me asking—how do you know all this?”
Ushoda seemed like an amazing fount of knowledge to someone like me, coming from the outskirts of Soul Society with no basic understanding of how civilized souls lived.
“I lived in the Third District.
It’s not that far from Seireitei, so none of the interesting rumors slip past us unnoticed,” he said with a smile.
“And what interesting gossip has been going around lately?”
“In terms of major news…
Not long ago, the Ryōdoji clan was stripped of its status as a minor noble family and banished from the Soul Society for some crime.
Now, they are referred to only as the Fallen House of Ryōdoji .”
It feels vaguely significant.
Note, can you help me out?
Information Note: The Ryōdoji Family is The Dark Ones clan from the first feature film, “Bleach: Memories of Nobody”.
The plot of this film tells the story of Senna, the Rosary of Memory, who…
Oh, I remember now.
I closed the Note window without finishing it.
I remembered the first movie well.
The second was about two wielders of the same Zanpakutō.
It involved Toshiro with his Hyōrinmaru and another guy.
The third was about Hollows who wiped the memories of the entire Soul Society, and the fourth was about Ichigo saving his sisters from Hell.
And that’s where a bit of a problem arises.
I have worryingly little information about this world’s version of Hell.
Back when I was still alive, a new “No Breaths From Hell” manga one-shot came out, kicking off a new story arc.
I didn’t delve too deeply into it.
We were simply hit with the revelation that captains who are too powerful can’t just die and be reincarnated.
No, their Reishi density is too great for that, welcome to Hell forever.
And also about the fact that Hell Butterflies are not just slow carriers of voice messages and guides through Dangai, but something more.
Well, since I remembered this, I declare a new “bare minimum plan” – not to go to Hell until I become strong enough to hack through their chains.
Nodding to myself, I rummaged around a bit more in search of interesting books.
A language textbook, I’ll find it useful, and something about the history of the clans.
I was curious to read about the Five Great Noble Families, the Lower and Lesser Noble Families.
After all, we all live under the same sun.
In that context, reviewing the legal code was crucial.
Did you know that ordinary souls aren’t allowed to attack Shinigami, even in self-defense?
Conversely, regular Shinigami have no right to take action against members of the Five Great Noble Families.
Unless it’s proven that their actions pose a direct threat to Soul Society.
You can push around the Lesser or Lower Nobles, though.
While Shinigami aren’t exactly on equal footing with them, the gap isn’t all that wide.
That’s just the order of things established by the Central 46, nothing to be done about it.
Oh, and by the way, acquiring Hollow powers or modifying souls is forbidden, too.
Yeah, Cobalt and I were cracking up like idiots when we found that out.
“So, when do you plan to go to the admissions office?
There’s just over three weeks left before it closes,” I thought, counting the days since the beginning of August.
“I think I’ll set aside another two weeks for preparation, Kaoru-san,” he said, lowering his head.
“You really don’t have to wait for me.”
“Oh, come on.
It’s more fun together, and I can see you could use some moral support,” I said, brushing off his objection.
“By the way, I decided to improve my writing a little before the test.
Could you explain me a few things?
I can pay you for the tutoring.”
He tried to refuse the money, but we settled on me owing him a small favor.
The next couple of hours took their toll on my brain, but the results were good.
Mainly because my system remembered a lot and displayed it as a reference.
It even corrected my mistakes, Isn’t that amazing?
Of course, you can’t master a “new-old” language in two weeks, not even with the Diary.
But I’d pick up enough basic rules to avoid looking like a totally illiterate lout writing gibberish that only vaguely resembled actual words.
On top of that, I thanked the gods that, for some reason, I possessed brush-writing skills.
Had I been into calligraphy back in Gensei?
It is quite possible that the past me viewed calligraphy as a way of meditation.
“Are you going to practice today?” I suggested a couple of hours later, as soon as I got bored of reading and studying.
It turned out I missed crappy Asian novels, not stuffy texts in an ancient language.
“No, I think I’ll skip today.”
“It’s up to you,” I shrugged and headed toward the nearest patch of woods.
It wasn’t particularly large.
A few hours’ walk would be enough to cross it and reach the borders of the First District of East Rukongai.
Granted, getting to the Eastern Gate itself would take another couple of days or even a week.
But if I traveled along the edge, using Bringer Light at full power, I could reach the Fortieth Districts in under two hours.
To my favorite clearing, which had turned into a patch of land striped by explosions.
It would be possible to move further away, but then again, I am sure that their current “science department” is incapable of tracking anyone without Urahara or Mayuri.
Seriously, nobody here likes scientists.
Take, for example, Ran’Tao or Oko Yushima, whose fate is not to be envied.
“You were planning to teach me something, weren’t you?”
`I was starting to think you wouldn’t ask!` replied the Hollow in my head.
And then level up after level up began!
And I’m only half-joking.
The levels of Spiritual Energy Control and Soul Matter Manipulation really grew at a wild pace for their ranks.
Who would have guessed that trying to use Fullbring to thicken the air itself would be harder than using it on a solid object to shove yourself in the right direction?
And all that time, I’d been racking my brain over how to actually train that Control thing!
Alas, Shinigami don’t get standard exercises involving leaves, followed by walking on trees and water.
For now, I started small.
I didn’t even attempt to pass through solid objects.
It’s not the risk of a bump on the head that scares me, but the prospect of fusing with a tree.
Especially since a tree is technically a living being, and controlling one’s soul is exponentially more difficult.
The example of Azashiro, even though our mechanics for using abilities were different, perfectly demonstrated what would happen if you merged with a living being.
`Multiple internal injuries!`
The joy those words bring you scares me, Cobalt.
`You’ll get used to it.`
What choice did I have?
Meanwhile, she turned out to be an excellent teacher.
She is quite creative, sometimes even too much.
Yet, I couldn’t help but notice how often she complained about boredom, there was something odd about that.
Could that really be my Aspect of Death?
Boredom.
It didn’t exactly seem impressive.
How was that supposed to work?
Was I so bored being an ordinary Fullbringer back in Gensai that I started experimenting with Hollow energy inside myself, accidentally turned into a Hollow, and got purified by some patrolling Shinigami?
`That sounds exactly like something I’d do.`
And the realism of that version is painfully upsetting.
Let’s agree that our past is a mysterious secret that has been erased from existence itself?
`Sounds nonsensical, but dramatic.
I’m in.`
Also, since I’d been thinking about Aura Michibane, I wondered if I could use Fullbring to force my own body to heal.
I had to cut myself using the blade belonging to the indifferent Cobalt, since Golden flatly refused to take part in it.
Long story short, nothing worked for the moment, but I did manage to raise my ordinary Regeneration by a couple of levels, which isn’t too bad.
Still mulling over my Fullbring powers, I finally came to the conclusion that I would hide them whenever possible.
Or pretend they were one of my Zanpakuto’s Shikai abilities.
Golden didn’t like the news, but she could understand my reasoning.
The Academy would introduce plenty of new things to learn, but it would be foolish to cut myself off from leveling up my existing skills for six years.
Or so I assumed at that moment.