The entrance test concluded quickly, with fewer than ten students passing this time. The total number of students passing from the four major districts of Rukongai—east, south, west, and north—was probably less than fifty.
Led by the teachers, the students from the East District who passed the test traversed more than half of Seireitei, arriving behind the White Gate on the west side.
What greeted their eyes was a massive, ancient building, very much in the architectural style of an ancient private school in the Human World.
Inside the martial arts hall, a huge plaque hung on the gray-white wall, with the character 'Gen' outlined in a vigorous, flowing script.
The predecessor of the Central Spirit Arts Academy was the 'Genji cram school' of the 'Genryu' school. Its founder was the renowned Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who was also the Central Spirit Arts Academy's first Headmaster.
It's unclear if the current Headmaster is a devoted fan of Yamamoto; his gleaming bald head, reflecting the light, made Mahiru squint.
The bald Headmaster sat in the main seat, looking stern, and spoke with a booming voice:
'Welcome, everyone, to the Central Spirit Arts Academy. I hope that in the next six years of study, you will learn how to become excellent Shinigami.'
As he spoke, he seemingly casually observed Mahiru, Matsumoto Rangiku, and Ichimaru Gin below the stage.
These three were all geniuses; if nothing unexpected happened, they would make a name for themselves in the fiercely competitive Gotei 13 in the future.
Mahiru scanned the stage. The hall contained not only tattered students from Rukongai but also well-off students from Seireitei.
He also saw a familiar face.
Aizen Sōsuke, the Vice-Captain of the Fifth Divsion, also served as a special lecturer of calligraphy at the Central Spirit Arts Academy.
It was said that his classes were always overbooked, with some students even standing in the hallway to listen to Aizen's lectures.
His brown short hair formed bangs across his forehead, paired with loose death god robes and the white uniform of the Central Spirit Arts Academy underneath, giving him a refined and gentle appearance.
However, unlike the impression from the anime, Aizen was still relatively young at this time, appearing a bit more naive and less composed, but he already possessed the nascent charm of a villain.
As for Kuchiki Cangchún next to him... well, he had a feminine softness about him.
He sat there delicately, with proper posture, his slender frame making one fear that a slight breeze could knock him over. Yet, his noble demeanor was still evident.
Despite being only a few hundred years old, he exuded a 'frailty' typically seen in individuals nearing two thousand years, suggesting his constitution was somewhat weak.
They were all enviable individuals...
Mahiru felt a surge of emotion.
Kuchiki Cangchún was alright; although he was the legitimate son of the Kuchiki, one of the Four Great Noble Clans, and possessed the inherent talent of the Kuchiki, his weak constitution made him unsuitable for combat.
Aizen, however, was a true 'genius', a monstrous genius.
His talent was so high that he felt lonely because no one could compare to him, and deep down, he yearned to be an ordinary Shinigami.
Such talent was truly excessive.
It even made Mahiru feel envious.
He had painstakingly cultivated to Sixteenth Class Spiritual Pressure from the very bottom, while Aizen was already contemplating breaking the Shinigami's limits, meaning he should be at First Class Spiritual Pressure at this time.
Not to mention, he would truly succeed in breaking the Shinigami's limits in the future, surpassing Yamamoto, the strongest Shinigami, and reaching a higher level of existence.
It was truly beyond envy.
However, it was clear that Aizen at this point in time was still quite young, possessing a unique pride and innocence characteristic of youth.
He hid this pride and innocence very deeply, but they would inadvertently surface during his interactions with Mahiru.
Sensing Mahiru's gaze, Aizen maintained his signature gentle smile and playfully winked.
' Mahiru, we'll be living here from now on. It looks pretty good!'
Matsumoto Rangiku took the student uniform handed out by the teacher, spread it out, and felt the fabric.
This was a fabric unseen in Rukongai; the best clothing in Rukongai couldn't compare to this uniform, which every student received.
She laughed happily.
Why did the souls of Rukongai want to enter the Central Spirit Arts Academy? Was it to serve the nobles after becoming Shinigami?
Of course not, it was simply to secure a better life... a better future.
Even if one couldn't become a noble, being an ordinary Shinigami in Soul Society was still superior, with living conditions far exceeding those in Rukongai.
Aside from anything else, the dense spiritual particles in the atmosphere here were incomparable to Rukongai.
Unless you were a masochist who naturally enjoyed hardship, who would dislike living a better life?
Moreover, with a good environment and the professional guidance of the Central Spirit Arts Academy, cultivation could be even more efficient.
'That Aizen guy really didn't lie to me...' Mahiru muttered to himself.
'Are you satisfied with just this?'
He turned his head and laughed heartily:
'This isn't enough; it needs to be even better.'
His current goal was simple—participating in the Hōgyoku experiment was temporarily impossible. So, he aimed to achieve a good ranking in the Central Spirit Arts Academy's graduation exam, preferably directly becoming a seated officer, to elevate his social status and enjoy a good life.
He wouldn't be the boss of Rukongai anymore; what was the point of being a gangster when he was already a samurai-class individual?
If a Shinigami gave an order, would those gangsters dare not obey?
As for providing services to the noble ladies and madams...
He believed he didn't need to give that up.
'Next, class teachers, please take your students to your classrooms.'
The bald Headmaster's voice was resonant.
The martial arts hall instantly fell silent. The teachers sitting in the front row stood up, holding their rosters, and led their students towards the classrooms.
Once in the classroom, the teacher stood at the podium and explained the curriculum for the next six years to the students.
At this point in the timeline, the Central Spirit Arts Academy was well-established in all aspects, and the Shinigami training model was largely mature.
The most basic study content involved training in 'Zankensoki' and knowledge of Soul Reaping.
'Zan' refers to swordsmanship, the technique of Shinigami attacking enemies with their swords.
'Ken' refers to Hakuda, the technique of Shinigami attacking enemies bare-handed.
'So' refers to Shunpo, the footwork of Shinigami for rapid instantaneous movement.
'Ki' refers to Kido, the skill of Shinigami transforming spiritual power into various forms for attack.
'Soul Reaping' refers to the ritual where Shinigami send the souls of the deceased to Soul Society, which is also a basic duty of Shinigami.
Mahiru resolved to study diligently. Although 'Zankensoki' was fundamental to academy studies, it was crucial for improving a Shinigami's strength.
Having spiritual pressure alone wasn't enough; only by mastering various abilities could one become a true powerhouse.
Within fifteen minutes, Kuchiki Cangchún had finished introducing the academy's basic situation and curriculum to the students.
After most of the students had dispersed, Mahiru, Matsumoto Rangiku, and Ichimaru Gin, having finished their chat, rose and headed to the cafeteria.
The nobles of Soul Society were not short on money, so Mahiru, who sacrificed himself for wealth by being under the noble ladies and madams, could barely be considered a small tycoon.
Mahiru quickly selected luxurious sets for the three of them, filling a long table to the brim.
Matsumoto Rangiku displayed her hearty appetite, her cheeks quickly bulging with food, resembling small steamed buns.
In contrast, Ichimaru Gin was a bit shy. He only picked up his chopsticks after seeing Mahiru and Matsumoto Rangiku start eating, though his speed of eating was by no means slow.
'Do you mind if I sit here?' Kuchiki Cangchún walked up to their table. He looked at his ravenously eating students with gentle eyes and couldn't help but sigh