"This is the last Plus," the Thirteenth Division Shinigami leading the group announced with a faint smile, glancing toward the distant ruins. "You've observed enough along the way. Now, combine everything you've learned so far—this one's yours to handle."
The students stiffened with anticipation.
At last, the real test had come.
They exchanged glances, nodded silently, and began creeping toward the ruins with careful steps.
Before attempting contact, they needed to understand the Plus's situation. Rushing in blindly could cause panic. After all, thirty armed trainees surrounding a single spirit—any normal person would be terrified.
So they stopped near the edge of the ruins, watching a small boy huddled in a corner. Their goal was twofold: assess his mental state, and observe the surroundings—because sometimes, the key to fulfilling a spirit's lingering wish could lie in the smallest details.
Ichirō was also observing, but unlike the others… he was doing something.
From time to time, he bent down to pick up pale stones and bits of iron scattered among the debris, dropping them into a small pouch at his waist. Within minutes, it was nearly full.
The other students couldn't help twitching their lips at the sight.
Really? He'd been away from the Human World for decades, and now he was collecting souvenirs?
Besides, physical matter can't even be brought back into the Soul Society!
Did he not think this through?
"Hm? Why are you staring at me?" Ichirō asked, slipping another iron shard into his pouch. "Carry on with your task."
He sighed as he spoke. Iron was scarce in this era, and for someone who practiced Iron-based Alchemy, that was troublesome. The iron in the Soul Society couldn't be used in his transmutations, which only added to his irritation.
"Uh… Tenshin-san," asked a noble-born student wearing a silver hair clamp shaped like a star chain, his brow furrowing slightly, "do you… have some kind of plan?"
"I do," Ichirō replied casually, "though it's not one you'd want to use."
"Oh? What kind of plan?"
"Turn him into a Hollow," Ichirō said flatly, "then purify him with a Zanpakutō. Same result."
"Are you insane!?"
"Keep your voice down—you'll scare him off. That's why I said you wouldn't use my method. Anyway, don't bother asking me for moral advice. I don't have the patience for sentimental children. If you need help, just call me."
And with that, he crouched again, rummaging through rubble like a scavenger.
Urahara and Yoruichi exchanged a knowing look and quietly smiled, then joined him, showing where their loyalties lay.
After several days of practical study, the trio already understood what this exercise truly was—a test organized by the Thirteenth Division.
Yoruichi and Urahara's futures were practically set: both were destined for the Second Division, perhaps even to lead it one day.
Ichirō, on the other hand, had his sights on the Fourth Division, where his alchemy-related research could advance under the guise of medical study.
For them, this wasn't an exam to worry about—it was just routine.
The rest of the class knew this too. Still, most didn't have the privilege of choosing their division. Those who did—especially the nobles—had reputations to maintain. They couldn't risk unconventional behavior. Not everyone could get away with what a Shihōin could.
Eventually, the others gathered to discuss strategy.
After some debate, they decided that a gentle approach would work best, sending a bespectacled girl with braided hair to make contact. With limited Kidō proficiency, empathy was their strongest tool—and women tended to excel in that.
Meanwhile, Ichirō let out a small sound of satisfaction as he unearthed a rusted metal plate.
In this time period, iron was practically a treasure.
Urahara crouched beside him, chin resting on his hand. "So, your ability works on physical matter in the Human World too?"
"Of course," Ichirō replied. "It's a power I mastered when I was alive. But…" He frowned. "In the Soul Society, I have to rebuild everything from scratch. The reishi here doesn't behave the same way."
"Oh~ so that's why you were looking forward to this Soul Burial exercise—you wanted real-world data to calibrate your transmutations, huh?"
"Exactly. Though, shouldn't you two be helping with the actual task?"
Urahara shrugged. "Not really interested. Yoruichi and I won't be joining the Thirteenth Division anyway. We'll never deal with regular Konso work, and if we do, we'll handle it with… unconventional methods. So yeah, doesn't matter to us."
Yoruichi chuckled softly, and Ichirō gave up trying to persuade them.
He explained what he needed for his research instead.
And thus, the Shin'ō Academy Human World Scavenging Squad was born.
---
From afar, the supervising Thirteenth Division officer frowned at the three misfits.
He knew Urahara and Yoruichi's identities—noble-born prodigies, future leaders of the Second Division. Their arrogance, while irritating, was understandable.
But Ichirō?
That one left a bad impression—and not just on him.
Most instructors at Shin'ō Academy felt the same way.
Following his gaze, the supervising teacher smiled wryly and offered an explanation:
"That's Tenshin Ichirō. He's… focused. A bit withdrawn. Anything outside his personal goals rarely holds his attention. But don't be fooled—he's exceptional."
The teacher spoke with a mix of pride and exasperation.
Among the Academy staff, the trio's reputation as "problem students" was well-known.
Their skills were extraordinary—yet none of them chose to skip grades, no matter how many instructors tried persuading them.
Even when noble families like the Shihōin Clan intervened, the three simply refused, insisting on proceeding at their own pace.
It was frustrating.
If all three geniuses graduated early, the Academy would receive major funding from the Seireitei budget.
But persuasion, rewards, and pressure all failed.
Eventually, when faculty saw that their progress remained unhindered despite their defiance, they gave up trying.
Instead, the trio was quietly added to the Academy's observation list—especially Tenshin Ichirō, to ensure he wouldn't be targeted due to his non-noble background.
That was one reason this particular teacher had volunteered to lead their class—to keep an eye on him.
—
Hearing the teacher's words, the Thirteenth Division officer blinked in surprise.
"Tenshin? He's from the Tenshin Clan?"
"No," the teacher laughed softly. "He's from the Human World—just happens to share the surname. But I've heard the real Tenshin Clan is considering adopting him. Oh, and by the way—Ichirō recently applied for a Fourth Division internship. So, let's give him some leeway for this assessment."
"No problem," the officer replied, raising an eyebrow. "Still… he's only a second-year, right? And he can already apply for a Fourth Division post?"
The teacher nodded. "That's right. Otherwise, he wouldn't have that kind of confidence."
"Ha. Well, geniuses are entitled to their quirks."
With that, they both turned their attention away from the scavenging trio and focused instead on the rest of the students—
who, by now, had begun their first cautious conversation with the little boy.
The true Soul Burial test had begun.