Fantasy Library, Ch 186-190

Chapter 186: Several Decades? Are You Kidding Me?

In this first Kidō class, the instructor taught a total of three Kidō.

These three Kidō were two Hadō and one Bakudō.

Among the two Hadō, aside from #1: Shō, there was also #4: Byakurai.

This is a Hadō that releases a bolt of lightning from the fingertip. Though its power isn’t great, its piercing ability is high, and it can cause the target’s body to enter a paralyzed state. Though still considered a low-level Hadō, it already possesses real threat potential and can be used in combat.

The Bakudō was #1: Sai, which forces the opponent’s arms behind their back, restraining their movement—just like #1: Shō, it is the most basic, introductory-level Bakudō.

All three Kidō had very low learning difficulty. Every student, including Kaiser, successfully learned them—though some were more proficient than others.

Through this Kidō class, Kaiser came to a general understanding.

“To learn Kidō well, one must first master Incantation, and second, have strong control over Reiryoku.”

These two are the foundation. As long as they’re not lacking, one can basically learn Kidō well.

Especially Reiryoku—only with sufficient Reiryoku can one support the casting and release of Kidō. In fact, as long as the Reiryoku is strong enough, even high-level Kidō can be learned.

Those lacking talent in Kidō either have insufficient Reiryoku or poor control over it.

As for Incantation—so long as one practices diligently, even rote memorization will do.

Coincidentally, Kaiser’s Reiryoku was strong, and his control over it was not inferior to anyone.

Back in the Asterisk War world, in order to prevent his power from spiraling out of control due to rapid growth, Kaiser had put in considerable effort to refine and stabilize it. After converting his power system through Authority, and bringing over his mastery along with it, his control over Reiryoku became quite impressive as well.

Thus, Kaiser’s process of learning Kidō could be described as smooth sailing—aside from a few hiccups caused by his overly strong Reiryoku, there were basically no difficulties.

The Kidō instructor also said that, following Class One’s learning pace, it would take only about half a year to teach everyone up to around the 30s in mid-level Kidō.

Of course, this referred only to Hadō and Bakudō, not Kaidō.

Kaidō is a very special form of Kidō—it has no numbering, and unlike Hadō or Bakudō which come in various colorful forms, it essentially serves one purpose: healing and recovery.

The best way to learn Kaidō is to join Division 4 of the Gotei 13 after graduation.

Division 4 is responsible for medical care. As long as one joins, they will be able to learn Kaidō.

Shin'ō Academy rarely includes Kaidō in its curriculum. In fact, it barely touches on high-level Kidō above #60. Truly powerful Kidō is either in the hands of the Gotei 13 or the Kidō Corps. The academy, after all, is merely a place for training reserve Shinigami. Naturally, it doesn’t offer high-end techniques.

Kaiser, however, wasn’t disappointed.

Because he wasn’t in a rush.

It was just the beginning, after all.

Hadō and Bakudō together number nearly two hundred. Even if the academy doesn’t cover high-level Kidō, there are still over a hundred to learn.

He had only learned three so far—why be in a hurry to get to the rest?

Anyway, he was only a first-year. Graduation was still a long six years away. There was no need to rush.

So taking it slow was fine.

The Kidō class wrapped up around noon, and the students of Class One left the training field.

Lunch was eaten in the dorms of Shin'ō Academy.

Shin'ō Academy doesn’t charge newly admitted students any money. In fact, it fully covers food and lodging—especially the latter.

Why? Because every student of Shin'ō Academy is a soul with Reiryoku.

Reiryoku means the need to eat. Outside Seireitei, food shortages are common. Many can’t even afford to eat. If Shin'ō Academy didn’t provide meals, most students wouldn’t be able to focus on their studies—they’d be too busy trying to survive.

With the academy supplying food, students could enjoy a worry-free learning life, and focus on serious study and training.

Though the academy’s meals weren’t luxurious feasts, calling them hearty was absolutely reasonable.

Kaiser, for one, found the meal quite satisfying.

“Definitely better than those lousy hard bread and rice balls in Zaraki.”

After lunch, following about an hour of rest, the afternoon Kendō class began.

In this class, Kaiser’s performance could be summed up in two words—

Complete domination.

“Wham!”

The light wooden sword sliced through the air, falling like a hammer onto a hastily raised wooden sword, producing a heavy thud.

“Gwah!”

The male student who tried to block was struck with such overwhelming force that he was knocked flying, sliding a good distance across the Kendō field’s floor before coming to a stop.

“I-I give up!”

The fallen student quickly cried out his surrender.

“Well fought.”

Kaiser, holding a wooden sword, stood there with a relaxed expression, showing no sign of strain—making it hard to believe that such a powerful strike was delivered one-handed by him.

Around him, the students of Class One had gathered, all watching this scene in amazement.

“How many is that now?”

“I think that was number seventeen?”

“So he’s won seventeen matches in a row?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s insane...”

The spectators were full of admiration, and their gazes toward Kaiser were filled with reverence and awe.

It had only been half an hour since Kendō class began, and already this rising star had defeated seventeen first-year students in a row, completely dominating the training field.

All seventeen who had fought so far hadn’t even made him break a sweat. From start to finish, he remained calm and composed—sometimes even his eyes wandered, clearly showing he hadn’t gotten serious.

Such a display not only left the students astonished—even the Kendō instructor was sweating a bit.

“This is someone who came from District 80 of North Rukongai?” the Kendō instructor said with a bitter smile. “That level of swordsmanship... it’s probably far beyond even the regular Squad Members or Seated Officers of the Gotei 13.”

What was he even doing here?

What could he possibly teach?

Forget teaching—if he got up there himself, he probably wouldn’t fare any better than that student who got smacked flying with one hit.

What the hell is there left to teach!?

“Anyone else want to step up?”

Kaiser ignored the Kendō instructor’s thoughts and turned to the crowd, his gaze sweeping across the students.

“N-Nope!”

“Count me out!”

“No way I can beat that!”

“You guys go ahead—I’m definitely not going.”

“Same here.”

The crowd all panicked and started making excuses, no one daring to go up against Kaiser.

You’ve got to be kidding—seventeen straight wins, and all of them looked so easy and casual. Who would dare challenge that?

Even those who were confident in their sword skills and had wanted to take down the record-breaking genius gave up on their reckless thoughts and chose to back off quietly.

“Really? No one?” Kaiser didn’t seem to care. He glanced at a few students who had looked eager before but were now shrinking away, and said with a half-smile, “This is your best chance to beat me. Once I get stronger, it’ll be even harder. You’ll regret not taking your shot now.”

Hearing that, everyone internally cursed.

What, as if it’s easy to beat you now?

If you were even slightly out of breath when you said that, it might be more convincing!

Is this what they call baiting your opponent into a trap!?

Who would fall for that!?

As the crowd was collectively grumbling in their minds, a voice rang out.

“I’ll do it!”

With that shout, a boy jumped out.

Everyone was stunned.

“There’s actually a fool who took the bait!?”

Someone couldn’t help blurting out what was on their mind, and was immediately glared at by the one who stepped forward.

“You’re the fool, dumbass!”

The one shouting in such indignation was a boy with fiery red hair tied back with a headband, looking a bit rough, a bit aggressive, and exuding a delinquent-like aura.

It was the same boy who had a rougher time in Kidō class earlier than everyone else.

“You are...?”

Looking at the boy’s bright red hair, Kaiser felt more and more like he looked familiar.

…Could this be someone like Rias’s little brother crossing worlds or something?

As Kaiser’s thoughts began to drift, the red-haired boy hoisted his wooden sword and stared at him like a tiger eyeing prey, then loudly introduced himself.

“I’m Abarai. Renji Abarai.”

Renji Abarai!

That name struck Kaiser’s mind like lightning, instantly bringing all his memories to the surface.

“You’re Renji Abarai?”

Kaiser looked at him in surprise.

“You know me?”

Renji Abarai clearly didn’t expect such a response from Kaiser and was momentarily stunned.

“...No, I don’t.”

Kaiser scratched his face while answering, sighing internally.

“At least in this world, we shouldn’t know each other yet.”

Now that he knew the boy in front of him was Renji Abarai—and that they were both first-year Academy Students at the same time—Kaiser finally realized where in the timeline he was.

“Renji Abarai is still studying at Shin'ō Academy—and he’s in the same year as me?”

“Then doesn’t that mean the main story hasn’t started yet—there’s still several decades to go?”

“Are you kidding me?”

Kaiser was speechless.

On the other hand, Renji Abarai wore a fearless smile.

“It’s fine if you don’t know me now. You will soon.”

“After I defeat you.”

Chapter 187: Future Lieutenant

“Defeat me?”

Kaiser, who had just been sulking, immediately perked up with interest upon hearing Renji Abarai’s words.

Forget him—even the surrounding onlookers looked at Renji Abarai in astonishment, all thinking this guy was way too confident, way too arrogant.

The guy over there had seventeen consecutive wins and wasn’t even out of breath!

Defeat him?

You’re dreaming!

While the crowd dismissed it with contempt, Kaiser wasn’t thinking much of it.

He knew that Renji Abarai’s future accomplishments weren’t minor. Not long after graduation, he entered Division 11 and became one of its members.

And one should know, Division 11 was the combat squad among the Gotei 13, full of battle maniacs. Their Squad Members were generally stronger than those of the other twelve squads. Especially their Captain—Kenpachi Zaraki—who, like Kaiser, was born in District 80 of North Rukongai. His potential was terrifying. In terms of potential alone, he could be considered second only to the original protagonist, with limitless prospects.

That Renji Abarai could join Division 11 was enough to prove his combat ability. Not to mention, he later transferred to Division 6, became its Lieutenant, and eventually gained Captain-level strength, becoming one of the top individuals in Soul Society.

His poor performance in Kidō class was simply because he wasn’t good at it.

But when it came to Kendō—it was a different story.

Barring any surprises, in terms of swordsmanship, Renji Abarai should be the strongest among this year’s new students.

Unfortunately, as mentioned before—Kaiser was a cheat character.

“Here I come!”

Renji Abarai let out a loud shout, gripping the wooden sword in a middle stance, then suddenly charged at Kaiser.

His footwork was fast, and his raw strength wasn’t bad. As his wooden sword slashed down, the whistling wind was so sharp it nearly tore the air, startling quite a few people.

“Clack!”

Kaiser didn’t move from where he stood. Holding his wooden sword in one hand, he casually swung it, and with a crisp clash, he deflected Renji Abarai’s heavy downward strike in one motion.

“I’m not done yet!”

Renji Abarai wasn’t discouraged. With a low growl, he charged in again, swinging his sword in fierce gusts.

“Clack!” “Clack!” “Clack!” “Clack!”...

Crisp clashes rang out nonstop as the sounds of wooden swords striking each other echoed throughout the Kendō field.

Renji Abarai, with astonishing momentum, launched a relentless assault, swinging his sword with fierce energy from all angles, fast and furious, dazzling the eyes of the onlookers.

But in the face of this rapid and fierce barrage, Kaiser merely stood still, calmly waving his wooden sword with one hand, deflecting every strike with ease. Not a single blow penetrated his defense to touch his body.

“Damn it!”

Renji Abarai’s strength was considerable, but his patience was clearly lacking. Seeing that his attacks had no effect, an anxious look appeared on his face. His swings grew faster, and his attacks more intense.

However, seeing this, Kaiser only shook his head.

“You lose your cool too easily.”

Casually batting away a slash aimed at his forehead, Kaiser spoke slowly.

“Though your attacks are stronger now, once you’re agitated, your blade becomes easier to read, your intent more obvious, and it also leads to excessive stamina consumption. That’s not a good habit in battle.”

As he spoke, Kaiser began to counterattack.

With one step forward, he closed the distance between him and Renji Abarai. His wooden sword sliced sharply through the air, striking Renji’s downward swing mid-motion in a rising diagonal arc.

“Clack!”

A single, crisp clash echoed—not a series this time, but one loud and clear.

Renji Abarai’s sword, stopped mid-swing, was forcefully knocked aside, nearly flying from his grip.

The force of the strike caused his body to lurch backward. His guard was completely broken—his sword flung high behind him, impossible to retrieve in time.

“Crap...!?”

Renji Abarai’s face twisted in alarm.

Kaiser’s sword, following the path of the reverse upward slash, came down again in a proper downward diagonal slash—hitting Renji Abarai squarely on the shoulder.

“Ugh!”

Renji Abarai immediately dropped into a crouch from the pain, and his wooden sword fell from his hand to the ground.

He instinctively raised his head, and what met his eyes was Kaiser, standing calmly before him, wooden sword pointed at him—its tip less than twenty centimeters from his face.

“Well fought.”

Kaiser smiled faintly and said the same line he had already said seventeen times before.

“...I lost.”

Renji Abarai stayed dazed for a long while before he finally bowed his head and, in a dispirited tone, admitted defeat.

The surrounding students finally exhaled and began murmuring.

“So he lost after all.”

“That’s eighteen straight wins now.”

“Scared me—I thought he was really gonna win for a second.”

“No way. Didn’t you see how that super-genius didn’t even move his feet and still blocked all his attacks?”

“Yeah, anyone with eyes could see that guy never stood a chance.”

“But he’s still strong though. No one else lasted more than ten seconds—he lasted almost a full minute.”

“Wasn’t he the one who did the worst in Kidō class? Didn’t expect him to be this good at Kendō...”

“Yeah, turns out he wasn’t weak—we’re just dealing with a super-genius who’s too damn strong.”

The students whispered among themselves. Their gazes toward Renji Abarai were no longer dismissive, but held a measure of recognition.

Unfortunately, Renji Abarai didn’t notice that. He remained buried in frustration.

……

Shin'ō Academy, central courtyard.

After the afternoon Kendō class ended, Renji Abarai came here, found a corner, and started furiously swinging his sword at a tree.

“Clack!” “Clack!” “Clack!” “Clack!”...

The sound of a wooden sword slamming against the tree rang out continuously. Renji Abarai only swung harder and faster, peeling the bark off the trunk, sending wood chips flying.

“Damn it!”

With one final strike slamming into the now-bare trunk, Renji Abarai cursed aloud.

At that moment, a stern voice rang out behind him.

“What are you doing out here, you idiot Renji?!”

Hearing the voice, Renji Abarai snapped out of his thoughts and turned around.

There, a petite girl had appeared at some unknown point.

She had short black hair tied at the ends, with a fringe falling across her forehead. Her face had a doll-like look to it—round and young—but it was full of seriousness, wearing a stiff expression.

“...What are you doing here, Rukia?”

Renji Abarai asked with some annoyance.

“That’s my line! Don’t answer a question with a question!”

The girl named Rukia scowled, hands on her hips, her stern face full of displeasure.

If it were anyone else speaking to Renji Abarai like that, he’d have been irritated long ago.

But this girl was different.

Rukia—his childhood friend.

The two had known each other for many years, growing up together in District 78 of South Rukongai: Inuzuri—a place plagued by disorder. They were companions and family, living together to this day.

To seek a better life, they decided to come to Seireitei together, enroll at Shin'ō Academy, and become Shinigami.

So although they were both first-years at Shin'ō Academy, they were not just newly acquainted classmates—their bond was far deeper.

Now, facing Rukia’s scolding, Renji Abarai didn’t reply. He simply stayed silent.

“What’s with you lately?” Rukia furrowed her brow further. “Don’t tell me someone’s been bullying you?”

“Me? Bullied?” Renji Abarai scoffed. “Those guys? Not a chance.”

“Then why are you here sulking alone?” Rukia demanded. “You got into Class One—what’s there to be unhappy about?”

Though they had enrolled together, due to differences in aptitude, Renji Abarai had been placed into the elite Class One, while Rukia had entered Class Two—they were separated.

Not that Rukia lacked talent. In fact, her Reiryoku was very high—possibly even higher than Renji’s. But in combat talent, especially Kendō, Renji surpassed her. Rukia was considered lacking in swordsmanship talent, so she missed out on Class One and entered Class Two.

She herself was unhappy about it.

After all, she had always been the leader among their childhood friends. Renji had just been her follower. Now, her “little brother” had entered the elite class, while she hadn’t—that was pretty embarrassing.

But Renji was her partner. Rukia still worried about him, even if she didn’t show it directly. She could only ask in a roundabout way like this.

“...What’s there to be happy about?”

Renji Abarai didn’t seem to notice her concern. He replied sulkily.

“I sucked in Kidō class. Anyone in class did better than me. Then in Kendō class, I got my ass handed to me. What the hell’s there to be happy about?”

Hearing that, Rukia was taken aback.

“You lost in Kendō class?” Rukia asked in surprise. “To who? Must’ve been strong.”

“Who else?” Renji Abarai continued swinging at the tree, speaking as he struck. “That so-called super-genius.”

Rukia froze again, eyes widening.

“Him?” Rukia exclaimed. “You actually fought him?”

“Yeah.” Renji Abarai replied bitterly. “He’s insanely strong. I couldn’t even touch him.”

Rukia fell silent.

Chapter 188: “Shunpo”

When it came to Kaiser, even someone not in Class One like Rukia couldn’t possibly not know about him.

In fact, not knowing who Kaiser was by now would be the strange thing—at least within Seireitei.

A newly enrolled Shin'ō Academy student possessing Spiritual Pressure Level Two—who would believe such a thing?

Rukia had heard the rumors. Even among those monster-like Captains in the Gotei 13, not all had reached Level Two.

It was said that Spiritual Pressure Level Three was already considered Captain-level. Level Two was something only a few of the very top Captains could claim.

And Kaiser?

He had just entered Shin'ō Academy, not yet joined the Gotei 13, and still had six full years until graduation—yet already possessed Reiatsu rivaling the elite Captains. It was simply unbelievable.

Rukia had heard it from countless people: that Kaiser was the greatest genius since the founding of Shin'ō Academy. Not only had he broken the thousand-year-old entrance exam record, it was predicted that he’d break the graduation record too—because no one had ever graduated with Spiritual Pressure Level Two.

Even putting aside the ancient past, at least within the last thousand years of Soul Society’s history, Kaiser was undoubtedly the most dazzling genius—unparalleled by any.

Previously, Rukia didn’t have a strong sense of this. But ever since entering Shin'ō Academy, with everyone around her constantly talking about it, she gradually came to understand just how extraordinary that person really was.

But Spiritual Pressure is one thing, actual strength is another. Rukia had originally thought Kaiser merely had high Reiryoku, strong Reiatsu, outstanding talent, and a bright future—that was all. She didn’t expect him to also be that strong.

To make Renji this unwilling to accept defeat—the gap must have been truly huge, right?

Rukia had some understanding of Renji Abarai’s swordsmanship. So seeing him this frustrated, she could imagine just how strong the other person had to be.

“So you’re hiding here, swinging your wooden sword, training to get stronger—just to challenge him again?”

Rukia seemed to understand what Renji Abarai was thinking.

“...I don’t know,” Renji Abarai didn’t nod or admit it directly. He just kept swinging his sword as he said with focus, “But I really can’t accept losing that easily—especially to that guy.”

“I heard he’s also from Rukongai. From District 80, no less.”

“You should know very well, Rukia—what kind of place that is.”

Rukia fell silent again.

Every District 80 of the Rukongai regions was the furthest from Seireitei, and also the most lawless and dangerous.

She and Renji Abarai came from District 78 of South Rukongai—already close to District 80. The conditions there were harsh, and survival was extremely difficult.

Just to get enough to eat, she and Renji Abarai had endured countless hardships, suffering more than she could remember, just to survive until today. And that was only in District 78. The conditions in District 80 were surely even worse.

“Someone who had it even harder than us has already made it this far—how can I just sit still and accept where I am?”

Renji Abarai didn’t turn to look at Rukia. He just focused on swinging his wooden sword, speaking word by word with conviction.

“Back then, I came to Seireitei and entered Shin'ō Academy because I wanted a better life.”

“But now, I want to become stronger.”

“At the very least—I can’t fall too far behind someone like him.”

In the end, though Renji Abarai was frustrated, he wasn’t resentful.

Kaiser had defeated him head-on—cleanly and without controversy. Though Renji didn’t say it aloud, deep down he was convinced and accepted the loss.

But just thinking about how he tried to show off and was casually dealt with in a matter of moments, and how Kaiser won so effortlessly and with such composure—Renji couldn’t help feeling furious.

He wasn’t mad at anything else—just at his own weakness.

“Clack!” “Clack!” “Clack!” “Clack!”...

Renji Abarai said no more and continued swinging his sword, devoting himself fully to training.

Rukia didn’t speak again either. She simply looked at him, thinking silently of how he had been selected for Class One, while she had not—and she too felt a bit down.

The two of them each harbored their own thoughts. One was immersed in training, the other in contemplation.

Soon, dusk fell. The sky gradually darkened, announcing the arrival of night.

That night, many people drifted to sleep with thoughts weighing on their minds.

But the days of student life at Shin'ō Academy—had only just begun.

……

Time passed day by day.

As the buzz around the new student enrollment settled down, Kaiser, though still a prominent figure at Shin'ō Academy, no longer caused a sensation simply by showing up.

His academy life began to stabilize. Every day was filled with classes, or walks to class—a fairly fulfilling routine.

Kidō class, Kendō class, Hakuda class, Shunpo class... All the classes teaching the four fundamental techniques of the Shinigami, Kaiser attended on time without fail each day, steadily learning various skills and absorbing knowledge.

And honestly, some of these classes were actually quite fun—at least Kaiser thought so.

To be able to properly learn a supernatural power—that was something he had never truly experienced before. So he was very interested in it.

Kendō class was fine. This subject was basically useless for Kaiser. He didn’t need to study swordsmanship—so long as he had a weapon in hand, he could instinctively use techniques that brought out the weapon’s full potential. There was no need for grueling training.

Others, however, trained diligently—especially Renji Abarai. Ever since losing to Kaiser, he had been practicing seriously. Every time there was free practice during Kendō class, he would challenge Kaiser with passionate determination.

Unfortunately, he had never managed to defeat Kaiser even once. Even when Kaiser only wielded a wooden sword, even though drawing out 100% of its power didn’t require any particularly advanced technique—his physical strength alone was more than enough to completely suppress Renji Abarai.

When using Authority to convert power systems, the only thing not converted was physical strength. However strong it was, it remained.

And Kaiser’s physical strength... well, those who knew, knew.

A Genestella’s physical strength was already far beyond ordinary humans. On top of that, Kaiser had absorbed vast amounts of Manadyte and Urm-Manadyte, and had undergone secondary body refinement through the power of two Sacred Gears, unlocking hidden potential. Under such conditions, he could easily crush High-Class Devils with just brute strength—let alone a group of ungraduated students.

If Kaiser didn’t hold back, just swinging a wooden sword with full force would break it instantly.

Only by suppressing the majority of his strength could Kaiser even spar with others without snapping the training sword.

For Renji Abarai to beat Kaiser in this state—not just now, but even after becoming a Lieutenant in the future—wouldn’t necessarily be possible.

Because of this, Kaiser made basically no progress in Kendō class. Even the instructor had nothing left to teach him.

The same went for Hakuda class. Though it taught unarmed combat techniques, it offered little help to Kaiser.

Because he would never be without a weapon—nor without the ability to use one. Situations requiring hand-to-hand combat were exceedingly rare. Even if he mastered Hakuda, so what?

At most, it would just be icing on the cake.

On the other hand, Kidō and Shunpo classes were genuinely beneficial to Kaiser.

Kidō, of course, needed no elaboration. Even without Kaidō, just learning Hadō and Bakudō, Kaiser gained a great deal—he didn’t even know how many spells he had mastered.

He was often privately tutored by his Kidō instructor and other faculty. The teachers who saw promise in him invested heavily. Even the headmaster had met him several times and taught him quite a few special techniques in private.

Shin'ō Academy’s Kidō curriculum didn’t normally cover high-level spells—but these teachers and the headmaster knew them.

Kaiser had learned a lot of powerful spells from them, enriching both his combat and support capabilities.

Then there was Shunpo class...

“Shup!”

On the rooftop of a building in Shin'ō Academy, a figure darted across at astonishing speed.

“Shup!” “Shup!” “Shup!” “Shup!”...

The figure sprinted along the rooftops. As it ran, it would vanish suddenly—only to reappear on the roof of another building farther away. Then it would disappear again and reappear even farther, leaving a trail of faint afterimages across the rooftops.

The figure wasn’t just fast—it moved like it was teleporting. Sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right. Sometimes it disappeared entirely, only to reappear ghost-like and elusive.

Running like that, the figure eventually flashed out of Shin'ō Academy and appeared outside.

Only then did the figure stop, landing on the ground and revealing its full appearance.

It was Kaiser.

“After so much training, I’ve finally fully mastered Shunpo.”

Kaiser exhaled and smiled.

“That was not easy. Who would’ve thought—Kendō didn’t stump me, Kidō didn’t stump me—but Shunpo gave me a hard time for a while.”

Kendō and Hakuda were either unnecessary or merely supplemental for Kaiser, so he hadn’t paid much attention to them.

Kidō, on the other hand, he learned rapidly and smoothly thanks to his powerful Reiryoku and excellent control. He was never held back.

Only Shunpo had stumped him at the start. He just couldn’t grasp it and struggled to even get started.

This technique, which allowed for high-speed or even instantaneous movement, really tested flexibility and natural aptitude. And in that area, Kaiser didn’t have any cheats to rely on—so he wasted quite a bit of time.

But now, at last, he had learned Shunpo.

“Zan, Ken, Sō, Ki—now I’ve mastered them all.”

Chapter 189: The Sudden Visitors

Having mastered Shunpo, Kaiser was honestly quite pleased.

He didn’t need to study Zanjutsu, Hakuda was just icing on the cake for him, and Kidō came to him with ease. For these three core combat arts, Kaiser basically didn’t need to spend much thought—just a bit of time on Kidō was enough. Zanjutsu and Hakuda required almost no effort at all.

But Shunpo—that was the one technique that would noticeably enhance his overall combat ability.

After all, whether it was the three Sacred Gears or the two Orga Lux weapons, using them required close-range combat.

And a high-speed movement technique like Shunpo obviously provided tremendous support in close-quarters battles. The more proficient, the better.

Once he became a Shinigami, fighting with a Zanpakutō would become the norm, so mastering Shunpo was absolutely necessary.

As long as your speed was high enough, you could gain an overwhelming advantage in battle.

Speed gave you the edge when you had the upper hand, and the ability to escape when you didn’t. It basically handed you complete control over the flow of a fight.

If you were fast enough to completely outpace your opponent—defeating them in an instant was hardly difficult.

With that in mind, Kaiser had already decided to make Shunpo his primary training focus moving forward.

After all, it wasn’t like he had anything else that demanded his full attention, right?

“Right now, Renji Abarai is still a newly enrolled student at Shin'ō Academy. That means the actual events of the original story are still decades away.”

“After entering a fantasy world, you can only return to the Fantasy Library once you’ve reached a major timeline milestone within that world.”

“If nothing goes wrong, that key moment should be sometime after the main plot officially begins.”

In other words, for this life experience, Kaiser would very likely have to remain in this world for several decades.

Decades...

He hadn’t even lived for thirty years in total up until now.

He might be stuck in this world for a period longer than his entire life so far. How could he not find something meaningful to do?

“The Soul Society is also quite backward. Even with the existence of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, technological development is basically nonexistent.”

“No phones, no computers, no internet—barely even any televisions. There’s practically nothing in terms of entertainment.”

“To spend decades here, I really do need to find something to keep myself occupied.”

Shin'ō Academy had a six-year curriculum. Even if he spent the full six years here, he’d still have several decades left to kill.

“Alright then. My primary focus will be Shunpo. Secondary focus will be Kidō. As for Hakuda... I’ll go easy on that one.”

Kaiser finished his mental plan.

“Shup!”

The next second, Kaiser activated Shunpo. His figure vanished, reappearing atop a building within Shin'ō Academy like he had teleported.

“Shup!” “Shup!” “Shup!”...

With each use of Shunpo, Kaiser’s entire body seemed to shift instantaneously, flashing forward.

“Hm?”

Suddenly, Kaiser halted his steps, landing in a courtyard.

“What’s going on?”

He was surprised to find some commotion within Shin'ō Academy.

One student after another emerged from various corners and places, looking excited. They were running in the same direction, noisily chattering amongst themselves, saying who-knows-what.

“Let’s go see.”

Instead of using Shunpo again, Kaiser followed in the direction those students were heading, strolling forward.

Before long, Kaiser arrived at the main gate of Shin'ō Academy.

There was already a massive gathering of students—not just new first-years, but students from the other five grade levels as well.

They were whispering to each other, huddled in groups before the gate. The crowd grew larger and larger, and the atmosphere became increasingly lively and bustling.

“What exactly is going on?”

Kaiser muttered to himself—then spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

That bright red hair stood out even among the masses—it was impossible not to notice.

So Kaiser walked directly over.

“Hey, Abarai.”

He patted the other boy on the shoulder, prompting him to turn around.

“Who—?”

Renji Abarai had been in the middle of chatting with someone and seemed a little annoyed at being interrupted. He turned around, then froze.

“It’s you?”

“A-Ah, Kaiser-kun!?”

The one who exclaimed in surprise wasn’t Renji Abarai, of course.

It was the person Renji had just been talking with.

A boy and girl, standing side by side.

The boy had yellow hair, with the left side grown long enough to cover one eye. His visible right eye was blue. His entire presence gave off a gloomy, melancholic aura.

The girl was petite, with big brown eyes and a lovely, delicate face—she looked rather frail.

As soon as the two saw Kaiser, they both displayed a mix of shock and tension. It was as if a celebrity had suddenly appeared on the street and spoken to them—completely unexpected.

“You two are... Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori, right?”

Only then did Kaiser realize that the two people standing beside Renji were also familiar faces.

Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori—like him and Renji Abarai, they were outstanding first-year students who had been selected for Class One at the beginning of the term.

In other words, these two were also his classmates.

Back during the first Kidō class, those two familiar-looking students—one blond-haired boy, one black-haired girl—they had been these two.

Moreover, like Renji Abarai, they were destined to join the Gotei 13 and become Lieutenants in the future.

“You were chatting?” Kaiser looked at the three of them and said, “Sorry, I didn’t notice. Hope I didn’t interrupt.”

Hearing that, Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori seemed a little overwhelmed.

“No, not at all! We were just casually talking.”

“Y-Yeah! It wasn’t anything that couldn’t be interrupted!”

The two of them spoke to Kaiser with exaggerated politeness—perhaps even a bit of awe. Their behavior was so tense, they seemed to be walking on eggshells.

No helping it. The one standing before them was the famed prodigy—the student with the highest Spiritual Pressure in the entire history of Shin'ō Academy, believed to be a future Captain-level powerhouse, someone destined to shoulder the future of the Soul Society.

Even though they were classmates, neither of them had ever spoken with Kaiser before—not even been this close to him. And now he suddenly approached them of his own accord. Naturally, they were nervous.

“What’re you guys so nervous for?” Kaiser laughed. “Relax, I’m just a new student like you. I’m from Rukongai too—not one of those Seireitei nobles. No need to be so tense.”

“Yeah, Kira, Hinamori—why are you so nervous?” Renji Abarai finally snapped out of it and acted more normally, his tone a bit brash. “It’s not like the guy’s got three arms or two heads—why’re you freaking out?”

Hearing that, Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori let out slightly embarrassed laughs.

They might say that, but this was the most talked-about figure in the entire school—even the instructors wouldn’t dare scold him. They were always smiling and accommodating around him. Even the headmaster had checked on him several times in public. How could they not be nervous?

Only Renji Abarai, who had repeatedly challenged Kaiser and repeatedly lost during Kendō class, could treat him with such casualness.

“Anyway.” Kaiser saw that the two weren’t responding further, so he stopped pressing and returned to the main topic. “So what’s going on here? Why is it so crowded?”

He pointed to the ever-growing crowd ahead. People were still arriving from all directions, joining the assembly.

Unfortunately, he’d asked the wrong people.

“How would I know? I just got here too!”

Renji Abarai answered.

“Me too. Just arrived,” Izuru Kira added.

Only Momo Hinamori seemed to have been here for a while already. When she saw Kaiser look her way, she quickly said, “I asked someone already—they said a Captain from the Gotei 13 is coming to inspect Shin'ō Academy!”

As soon as she said this, Kaiser narrowed his eyes.

“A Captain from the Gotei 13... here to inspect?”

In his mind, memories of the original storyline flashed by—and so did the image of a certain individual.

“————”

In that instant, the entire crowd suddenly went silent.

Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Momo Hinamori all turned to look toward the academy gates, simultaneously holding their breath.

Kaiser lifted his gaze and looked over.

“Tock...”

A faint footstep echoed—crisp and clear in the sudden stillness.

Two Shinigami entered from outside Shin'ō Academy, stepping into everyone’s field of vision.

One walked in front, the other followed from behind at a slight distance, trailing respectfully.

The man in front had short brown hair, matching brown eyes, a gentle appearance and warm, sunlit eyes. A soft smile rested on his lips, and he wore black-rimmed glasses. Draped over his shoulders was a white Haori with the number “5” stitched on the back.

The one behind had short pale purple hair and thin, nearly closed eyes that made his pupils invisible. A bizarre smile stretched across his face. He was tall and thin, with sunken facial features and a skeletal frame. His left arm bore the Lieutenant's Badge of Division 5.

The moment these two appeared, they instantly dominated the atmosphere and drew the attention of every eye as they walked forward calmly under everyone’s gaze.

Seeing them, Kaiser’s narrowed eyes gleamed with sharp brilliance.

He had felt it almost immediately.

Felt a pressure that no one else around him could quite detect.

That was... Reiatsu!

Chapter 190: More Complicated Than It Seems

“A clash between Shinigami... is a clash of Reiatsu.”

This was a very famous line from the original work.

Reiatsu is the density of a soul, and whether it is strong or weak naturally represents the strength of that soul.

It affects the power, duration, number of uses, and consumption of combat techniques. It can surge dramatically due to full spiritual output, imminent danger, or intense emotion, and it can diminish from casting techniques, fatigue, or being absorbed by the enemy. It is directly linked to one’s overall combat power.

A Soul's control over their Reiatsu also determines their ability to sense it. If a Soul emits Reiatsu clearly stronger than those around them, the others will be overwhelmed, unable to move.

If the gap in Reiatsu between individuals is too great, the one with the weaker Reiatsu tolerance may faint—or even die on the spot—unable to endure the other’s overwhelming pressure.

Thus, the strength of one’s Reiatsu is directly tied to their combat strength. For this reason, the Spiritual Pressure used to measure the upper and lower limits of Reiatsu is considered extremely important.

At this moment, Kaiser was sensing Reiatsu from the two people walking slowly in front of him.

Even though they were clearly suppressing their Reiatsu, to the point where no one else present could feel it, Kaiser—who had excellent control over his Reiryoku and Reiatsu and held a high Spiritual Pressure—was still able to vaguely perceive the concealed pressure emanating from them.

Even sensing only a portion of it, the presence of that Reiatsu was enough to make Kaiser fully aware of just how powerful those two really were.

Especially the man in the white Haori walking in front—just feeling a thread of his Reiatsu made Kaiser feel a chill down his spine.

“So that’s him...”

Kaiser stared intently at the man, his expression unreadable.

Next to him, Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Momo Hinamori were also unconsciously drawn in, their eyes falling upon that man as if entranced. They murmured absentmindedly.

“That’s... the Captain.”

Perhaps attracted by the murmuring voices, the man who had been walking slowly suddenly turned his head to look this way.

Kaiser’s brow twitched slightly.

Because the man’s gaze fell directly on him in the very first instant.

“He’s coming over.”

Kaiser had that thought.

Sure enough, the man who had been walking slowly stopped in his tracks—and then began walking directly toward them.

“Eh?”

“H-He’s...?”

“He’s coming over!”

Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Momo Hinamori were all startled.

The surrounding crowd reacted even more dramatically, quickly parting to the sides.

By the time the man reached Kaiser, only Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Momo Hinamori remained at his side—everyone else had already scattered.

Kaiser and the man faced each other—one calm and expressionless, the other wearing a gentle smile.

Neither of them spoke right away. They simply stared at each other, and the air between them grew increasingly tense.

Just as Renji and the others were starting to feel nervous, the man finally spoke.

“It seems... you must be the rumored holder of the Second-Class Spiritual Rank.”

The man’s face carried a gentle smile. His eyes, behind black-rimmed glasses, were soft and benevolent. His voice was magnetic and gentle, soothing to hear.

“Hello.” Kaiser was still looking at him, as if silently conveying something, or perhaps trying to see through him. He slightly bowed his head, speaking calmly. “I’m Kaiser, a first-year student at Shin'ō Academy.”

That composed demeanor stunned many of the onlookers.

“Thank you for your politeness, Kaiser-kun.” The man seemed quite pleased by this. “I am Sōsuke Aizen, Captain of the Gotei 13’s Fifth Division.”

The Fifth Division was the division within the Gotei 13 responsible for rescue missions.

When Shinigami from other squads encountered crises or unexpected events requiring intervention, the Fifth Division would act—handling such operations.

The man before him was the Fifth Division’s Captain, one of the thirteen (sometimes even fewer) Captains that made up the Gotei 13.

Of course, Kaiser recognized him.

After all, that famous line about Reiatsu had come from this very man—Sōsuke Aizen, the seemingly gentle Captain hiding unimaginable secrets beneath the surface.

“Greetings, Captain Aizen.”

Kaiser subtly sized him up, then gave a slight bow.

“No need to be so formal,” Aizen replied with that same warmth, his voice still gentle. “With your talent, it’s only a matter of time before you become someone equal to me.”

“I’ve been wanting to meet you for some time, but it seems the Captain Commander doesn’t want us ‘idle bystanders’ disturbing you.”

“Luckily, I come to inspect or lecture at Shin'ō Academy often, so I finally found an excuse to drop by and meet you.”

Every line Aizen spoke expressed admiration and high regard for Kaiser.

Had it been someone else, they would likely have been overwhelmed with gratitude by now, honored by the attention of a Gotei 13 Captain.

But Kaiser remained calm—so calm it was almost amusing.

“You flatter me, Captain Aizen. I’m just a humble Rukongai native—not worthy of such attention from someone of your stature.” Kaiser smiled faintly, hiding his inner thoughts. “Since Captain Aizen must have important matters to attend to during your inspection, I won’t take up more of your time.”

He made to step away.

“Wait.” Aizen called out to him. “Don’t be in such a hurry. I’d really like to know how you’ve been doing in the Academy. Have you encountered any difficulties? Anything you need help with?”

“If there’s anything troubling you, don’t hesitate to tell me.”

He spoke like a kind elder deeply concerned for an outstanding junior.

But Kaiser simply smiled and shook his head.

“I haven’t run into any problems. But thank you, Captain Aizen, for your concern.”

“Is that so? What about your coursework—any difficulties there?”

“None at all. The instructors have been very patient and thorough.”

“So your studies are going smoothly, then?”

“Yes.”

“Good to hear.”

Kaiser and Aizen conversed for a while—one always calm and smiling, the other perpetually warm and gentle—easing the tense atmosphere quite a bit.

The surrounding students didn’t even dare to breathe loudly, afraid to interrupt their conversation.

Especially Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Momo Hinamori, who stood there stiff as boards, deeply admiring how Kaiser could speak so casually with a Captain.

After a bit of small talk, Aizen finally chose to end the conversation.

“Since you’re doing well, I’m relieved.” Aizen smiled. “If you ever have the time, come visit the Fifth Division’s barracks. Though I’m only modestly capable, I do consider myself somewhat knowledgeable. If you ever run into questions in your studies, feel free to talk to me—I’d be happy to help.”

As soon as he said this, everyone around looked at Kaiser with envy.

This was a personal offer of mentorship from a Captain!

Wasn’t Aizen basically saying Kaiser could consult him anytime?

That was far more valuable than even the most renowned instructors at Shin'ō Academy!

“I will.”

Kaiser acted as if he hadn’t noticed everyone else’s reactions, remaining perfectly composed.

Only then did Sōsuke Aizen smile again, turning to leave with his Lieutenant following behind.

The crowd of students glanced at each other—then surged forward like a tidal wave, following behind the Captain.

Only Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Momo Hinamori remained, as if finally able to breathe again, visibly relaxing.

“That scared the life out of me. I didn’t think a Gotei 13 Captain would actually show up.”

Izuru Kira looked visibly shaken.

“Seriously—I nearly lost all feeling in my legs,” Momo Hinamori sighed, then brightened. “So that was the Fifth Division's Captain? He felt so kind! Nothing like the scary stories people tell!”

At Shin'ō Academy, the Captains of the Gotei 13 were always portrayed as awe-inspiring, powerful, and full of authority—causing many students to regard them with fear and respect.

“Yeah, Captain Aizen looked so gentle. He probably gets along really well with people.”

Izuru Kira seemed equally charmed.

“I’m already thinking about joining the Fifth Division after graduation.”

Momo Hinamori even said that out loud.

“Just don’t know if he’s really as terrifyingly strong as the instructors say,” Renji Abarai mused, then looked at Kaiser. “You... you get to learn from a Captain whenever you want. That’s seriously enviable.”

Hearing this, Kaiser glanced at Renji—then at Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori—and said:

“You know... sometimes, you can’t just look at things on the surface.”

That seemingly cryptic remark caused all three of them to blink in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Renji asked.

“Exactly what I said.” Kaiser tilted his head slightly. “Just wanted to remind you that the Soul Society is far more complex—and far more cruel—than you think.”

“So don’t let surface appearances blind you.”

“Otherwise... you might not even know how you died in the end.”

With that, Kaiser turned and walked away.

“What was that about...?”

The three of them stared after him, puzzled and filled with lingering confusion.

(End of Chapter)

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Author's Note: If you read this book back when I first posted it, you might remember—I originally named the MC Aizen, xD.