The Headmaster of Shin'ō Academy wasn't anyone particularly powerful or prestigious in Seireitei.
Take one of his successors for example—merely a 3rd Seat from the 5th Division who transferred into the role.
The current Head was a retired officer from the 1st Division, a pragmatic man who had dedicated his entire life in service, yet never once received recognition or even a glimpse of the spotlight.
And Soul Society was full of Shinigami like him.
Especially since, in the not-so-distant future, he and most of the Academy's faculty would perish at the hands of the Sternritter while defending their students—never once shining, never once glorified.
But this tough old man, upholding the ideals of the Genryū spirit, didn't care.
All he wanted was for Shin'ō Academy to produce more outstanding students, to contribute in turn to the great cause of protecting Soul Society and maintaining the balance of the Three Worlds.
That was why, every year without fail, the Headmaster personally oversaw the entrance examinations from start to finish.
"Ahh… ever since Captain Hitsugaya graduated, the quality of applicants has gone downhill every single year. How am I supposed to face Captain Yamamoto like this?"
He tried to treat all students fairly.
But he also knew: true prodigies like Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake with their twin Zanpakutō, pure geniuses like Kaien Shiba or Gin Ichimaru, and once-in-a-millennium super talents like Tōshirō Hitsugaya—those were rare exceptions.
This current mediocrity was the norm.
Yet the Headmaster still felt dissatisfied. Not with the students, but with the Academy's methods of teaching.
To him, work should be like swordsmanship: relentless and forward-driving. The moment you stopped advancing meant you'd gone astray—or hit a dead end.
Those rare geniuses were proof enough that the Academy hadn't reached the limits of what it could achieve. Somewhere out there, undiscovered talents still waited to be found.
The Academy needed reform. It needed to innovate and bring those hidden seedlings under its roof.
That way, the strength of the Gotei 13 would grow visibly.
But for all his courage, Shin'ō Academy was ultimately still under the Central 46. As Headmaster, he had no authority to change the rules.
That helplessness weighed on him.
Seeing this, Genjirō Ōkido, the elite instructor accompanying him, offered comfort:
"Don't be discouraged, Headmaster. This year we've already got two new students with Spirit Class(Reii) 7, plus heirs from noble houses like the Shihōin family. Compared to other years, the quality's much stronger."
"You don't understand. That's only temporary glory. It doesn't change anything. Nobles don't count—they're supposed to excel. The Academy can't teach them much anyway."
The Headmaster shook his head.
"Those two new students may not be as outstanding as our famous graduates in the past, and they're unbalanced in their abilities—problem children, honestly—but between them and nobles, I'd pick them without hesitation."
"Speaking of nobles, isn't that Kuchiki girl stationed in the Living World now?"
"Seems so."
"She was from Rukongai, placed in Class 2 back then. A lot of people doubt her now, but I trust Captain Ukitake's eye. She's the best candidate to succeed as lieutenant."
"Her? Lieutenant?"
Ōkido clearly didn't agree, but with the Kuchiki family backing her, it wasn't impossible.
Still, she was destined to be outshone by her peers—Renji Abarai and the like, who were already vice-captains.
Even this year's freshmen, Akari Koyanagi and Atae Rindō, had the potential to graduate straight into officer ranks and aim for lieutenant positions with sheer ability.
Compared to them, the Kuchiki girl looked less promising.
They dropped the topic of nobles.
As they toured the exam grounds, they saw several applicants eliminated for illiteracy—unable to read, write, or handle basic cultural knowledge.
Cases like these appeared every year.
Even in the modern world, not everyone could afford education. And in Rukongai, where resources were scarce, it was even more normal.
Souls born from other souls might have higher chances of possessing spiritual power, but in terms of education, they were at a disadvantage.
Shin'ō Academy wouldn't lower its standards for them.
The curriculum spanned six years, and even that was barely enough to teach the fundamentals of Shinigami skills.
If time had to be diverted for remedial literacy, the battle training schedule would suffer, dragging down the overall combat readiness of graduates.
That would endanger the Gotei 13.
For the sake of Soul Reaper safety, such candidates had to be cut.
The Headmaster had no objections to that policy.
The exam wasn't impossibly hard, but it wasn't easy either.
First, candidates needed both spiritual aptitude and basic literacy. That was non-negotiable.
Then their physical ability, sensitivity to Kidō, and other combat-related talents were scored. The top few dozen were admitted into Class 1 and Class 2. The rest were cut.
Those eliminated had only themselves to blame for lacking the skill. In a sense, failing was better for them.
Illiterate candidates too—if they couldn't even write, how could they possibly cast Kidō?
The Headmaster wanted reform, yes, but never lowering the bar. In that, he firmly agreed with the Central 46.
"Still, I'll admit—the new diagnostic devices from the Shinigami Research and Development Institute are a lot more efficient than the old ways," he sighed.
"Just have the candidate sit in the chair, and all the data comes out. Saves manpower, and there's no risk of human error."
It was thanks to such science and technology that he still had hope for reform. Too bad the Central 46 didn't see it that way.
"They're good, yeah. Just way too expensive."
Ōkido muttered darkly, suspecting the Institute had inflated prices to bleed the Academy dry.
"…Wait. That face looks familiar."
They were in the diagnostics room now, watching the examinees through the glass.
The Headmaster stroked his chin as he stared at a boy with orange hair.
Suddenly, the examiner exclaimed:
"Spirit Class 4?! Potential growth unquantifiable—unable to evaluate?!"
The Headmaster and Ōkido froze, then exchanged glances, both catching the same spark of joy in the other's eyes.
And the surprises weren't over.
The next candidate stepped in—
"Spirit Class 4… Potential growth unquantifiable… unable to evaluate as well…"
The examiner swallowed nervously, glancing at the Headmaster for direction.
The Headmaster stood stunned for several seconds before finally regaining his composure, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
"Have the background checks on these two been completed?"
"Yes, sir. Both are newly arrived Plus souls, brought to Soul Society yesterday and placed in Junrinan. Their sponsor was a local elder. All their passes and documentation are in order."
"As long as there's no problem… as long as there's no problem…"
The Headmaster muttered, trying to sound calm. But Ōkido shot him a look.
No problem?!
They weren't Rukongai natives, much less nobles.
Just freshly dead human souls. And yet their Reiryoku was this dense? That was normal?
Spirit Class 5 or 4 was typically the level of a vice-captain.
These two didn't even have Zanpakutō yet, hadn't even trained as Shinigami—and they already rivaled vice-captains? That was normal?!
What did that say about men like Abarai, who had struggled for decades to reach lieutenant level?
Ōkido's feelings were tangled.
On the one hand, bitterness that his proud students were now overshadowed by "mere" humans.
On the other, excitement that these two monsters would definitely enter Class 1, destined to become his most glorious pupils.
"…But, Headmaster…"
The examiner hesitated, troubled.
"What is it?"
The Headmaster frowned.
"Take a look yourself."
The report was handed over. The Headmaster skimmed it; Ōkido leaned in curiously.
"'Ichigo Kurosaki…' Kurosaki? Not a surname I know. Guess the resemblance was coincidence. Spirit Class 4. Overall rating: Excellent."
"'Soma Kiryu. Spirit Class 4. Overall rating: Excellent.'"
"All their points docked in Kidō… but compared to other freshmen, they're still far ahead. No one's perfect. I believe that when they one day reach captaincy, they'll be flawless."
But then—!
At the bottom of Ichigo Kurosaki's report was a note: 'Cultural literacy: Failed.'
The Headmaster's eyes widened.
Ōkido adjusted his glasses, equally stunned.
"…What…"
In an instant, their joy flipped to gloom.
"Wasn't the modern world supposed to be advanced…?"
"Headmaster, Professor Ōkido," the examiner said cautiously, "perhaps language has shifted a little. Rapid development might've caused minor differences in grammar."
"Then why wasn't the other one affected?"
"…Well, perhaps their levels of cultural education… differ slightly."
"Do they?" the Headmaster asked, suspicious.
"…."
The examiner blinked, lost.
"Ahem. Headmaster, you have keen insight. These two differ in age by three years. Naturally their levels of knowledge differ, just as a boy cannot be compared to a grown man—the latter has more life experience."
Ōkido explained solemnly.
"But Shin'ō Academy exists to teach. You can't reject someone for lacking experience. If anything, that's the point."
"Besides, their Shinigami aptitude is unmatched. And prodigies catch up quickly—this gap will close in no time."
"Exactly! We can't let prejudice or formalism cause us to throw away talent. That would betray Head Captain Yamamoto's vision for this Academy."
The Headmaster calmly slipped the report into his robes.
"File their scores directly. And as for remarks like this—don't mention them again. Otherwise, I may need to reconsider your position."
"…Yes, Headmaster."
The examiner wanted to protest—but you just pocketed the report yourself!—yet the warning at the end shut him up instantly.
…
"Why the hell do you know classical Japanese?!"
In the corridor outside the exam hall, candidates chatted about the tests and their performances—a common sight.
And finding out your roommate was secretly a genius? Naturally infuriating.
"I'm a cultured man," Soma replied shamelessly to Ichigo's disbelief.
"What, I'm not? I was top of my class back home!"
"But I was on track to be a folklorist. Tokyo University's Department of Literature, Archaeology Lab—they were already waiting for me."
"…Yeah, okay, I got nothing."
Ichigo had to admit defeat.
"Still… I really hope I didn't bomb the test. I answered a bunch of those questions purely on instinct."
"Instinct's fine. Trust me, your gut won't steer you wrong. And if there's a problem, that's Shin'ō Academy's problem. Let them sort it out."
"…I hope so. I don't wanna end up in 11th Division. Dealing with maniacs who live for fighting? No thanks. I hate brawling."
"Exactly. We're both honest men. And the Academy's leadership are surely noble educators, holding the rod of wisdom with lofty morals. They'll surely open doors for good, honest folk like us."
Soma nodded with absolute conviction.