The new semester began, and for the first time, Kurotsuki Renya was separated from Abarame Suiren — his usual training partner — and assigned to the Fourth-Year Class of Shin'ō Academy.
When Renya stepped into the classroom, conversation stopped. The students inside turned to stare. His youthful face and small frame — he looked no older than eleven — stood out among the seasoned students here, most of whom had been in the Academy for decades.
A tall, broad-shouldered young man rose from his seat, looking down at him.
"Hey, kid. You sure you're in the right place?"
Renya met his gaze calmly. "Yes. The instructor told me I belong in the fourth year."
A girl with a sleek black ponytail leaned forward from her desk, studying him with curious eyes. "Little brother… how old are you?"
"Thirteen," Renya answered honestly.
"Thirteen?" The tall young man's eyes widened. "You're telling me you've got Fourth-Class spiritual pressure at thirteen?"
Renya shook his head. "No. I'm not Fourth-Class."
The man smirked knowingly. "Figures. You're so small, there's no way you—"
"I'm Fifth-Class," Renya said, smiling faintly.
The man froze. The entire row of students turned toward him, disbelief written on their faces.
In the Fourth-Year classes, even the strongest students rarely reached Fifth-Class spiritual pressure. Every one of them here was over a hundred years old — and yet this boy, barely into his teens, had already surpassed them.
At Shin'ō Academy, many students graduated without ever reaching Fifth-Class. Only a select few attained it before learning their Shikai, and those individuals were immediately scouted for seated positions in the Gotei 13.
A Fifth-Class spiritual pressure at thirteen was almost unheard of in Academy history. For most, even Sixth-Class took a century to achieve.
The tall man chuckled in disbelief. "Thirteen years old… Fifth-Class. That's unreal."
The ponytail girl smiled faintly. "Maybe the only one who can compare is Hisa—" She caught herself and corrected, "—our senior from the 4th-year, Hisagi Shūhei."
The man nodded, glancing toward the far corner. "Yeah… Hisagi's Fifth-Class too. Lucky guy."
Renya followed their gaze. There, sitting quietly with short black hair, a cool expression, and the number 69 tattooed on his left cheek, was Hisagi Shūhei.
Renya recognized him instantly — the future lieutenant of the 9th Division, one of the most reliable officers in the Gotei 13, who would one day stand alongside Tōsen Kaname's replacement and help defend Soul Society. Hisagi wasn't on the same level of natural genius as Shiba Kaien or Gin Ichimaru, but his drive and combat skill made him one of the rare talents of his era.
Renya knew Hisagi's story: as a child, he had been saved from a Hollow attack by the then-Captain of Squad 9. In honor of that rescue, he bore the number 69 — a tribute to the 6th Seat of Squad 9 at the time.
That Renya and Hisagi now shared a class only reinforced to him how small the Gotei 13's world could be.
Renya found an empty seat and sat down. His arrival sent ripples not only through this class, but through all of the Fourth-Year classes — even into the Fifth and Sixth-Year ranks. A thirteen-year-old Fifth-Class student meant a high probability of great achievements ahead, possibly equal to or beyond those of Hisagi himself.
The instructors noticed as well. Some captains had already heard the whispers.
But for all the attention, Renya knew spiritual pressure alone wasn't enough to draw a division's serious interest. The most decisive factors in recruitment were mastery of Zanpakutō, Shunpo, Kidō, and Hakuda.
If a Fourth-Year student obtained a temporary Asauchi (unreleased Zanpakutō) and achieved Shikai within a year, even with only Fourth-Class pressure, they'd immediately be pursued by the Gotei 13. Swordsmanship and tactical skill were just as critical.
Renya's high reiatsu and strong academic record were promising, but his other skills had yet to be revealed. For now, most watched him from a distance.
⸻
Three days later came the long-anticipated Temporary Zanpakutō Loan Ceremony.
Inside the Academy auditorium, Renya stood in line, barely able to contain his excitement. The Fourth-Year marked the beginning of formal Zanpakutō training, and receiving an Asauchi was the first step toward true strength.
When his name was called — "Kurotsuki Renya!" — he stepped forward. He could feel the eyes of both students and instructors following him.
At fourteen years old, Renya was now the youngest student in living memory to stand at this stage with a Fifth-Class reiatsu. His mere presence seemed to dim the light of his peers.
(Three years from now, he knew, a boy even younger — prodigiously gifted — would shake Soul Society to its core. But that was still in the future.)
He climbed the steps to the podium. An instructor handed him the sheathed weapon with a formal bow.
"This Asauchi is loaned to you. Upon your induction into a division, it will be officially granted."
Renya accepted it reverently. The scabbard was plain black — standard Academy issue, designed more for safety than style. Most Shinigami abandoned their scabbards after achieving Shikai, their Zanpakutō too unique in form for the simple casing.
He drew the blade slowly. The steel gleamed — a black-and-white reflection danced along its edge. The sword measured two shaku, two sun in length — a katana.
In the Soul Society, nearly all Asauchi took this form. They resembled the katana of the human world, though the arc of the blade and mounting could vary. Worn edge-up at the waist, they were designed for speed and precision.
Renya gazed at it, feeling a quiet joy. This would be his Zanpakutō — his partner for life, if he could learn its name.
After the ceremony ended, Renya returned to his dormitory.
The moment he stepped in, Madarame Ikkaku — still a second-year — spotted the sword and lit up. "Whoa! You got your Zanpakutō already? Lemme see!"
Renya handed it over without hesitation. Ikkaku unsheathed it, testing its weight, then swung it in a clean downward cut, stirring the air.
"Yeah… this is the real deal," he said, a mix of awe and envy in his voice.
"I'm sure you'll have yours soon," Renya told him.
"Not for two more years," Ikkaku sighed. "I'll just have to wait till Fourth-Year. Not like I can skip ahead — my Kidō scores drag me down."
Beside him, Ayasegawa Yumichika and another classmate peered at the weapon with obvious envy.
"How long before you go to Rukongai for fieldwork?" Ikkaku asked.
"Half a year," Renya replied. "First, we study advanced combat theory and Hollow burial rites. Then comes the internship. I'm hoping to shadow one of the Sixth Division officers — learn more about real-world combat operations."
Ikkaku grinned. "Then you better train hard. When you get your Shikai, we're sparring."
Renya nodded firmly. "Count on it."