Faced with Suō Tsukasa's firm insistence, Yuuki Shinnosuke could not force the issue, nor would he try to make him change his mind.
"Very well."
"You are still young, and you have plenty of time. You can slowly cultivate your strength before choosing your future path."
Young people always had a Squad they longed for, and Yuuki Shinnosuke merely replied with a smile.
"What a pity."
This sigh was not spoken aloud, nor did Suō Tsukasa detect his feeling of regret.
Yuuki Shinnosuke's heart was far from as calm as his facial expression suggested. Suō Tsukasa's performance in class today completely exceeded his expectations.
Not only his self-learning ability, but also his physical fitness and comprehension were the most outstanding he had ever witnessed.
If this gem could be sent to the 1st Division for further guidance, it wouldn't take much time for him to completely surpass himself.
However, he wasn't particularly disappointed. The 1st Division, as the Head Squad of the Gotei 13, already had a tradition of drawing elites from other Squads.
Even if Suō Tsukasa chose the 13th Division now, it would be an easy matter to transfer into the 1st Division through the selection process if he changed his mind a few years later.
A decade or so is but a brief moment in the long life of a Shinigami.
Thinking of this, he suddenly recalled something and spoke with a solemn and serious expression.
"Oh, right. In a couple of days, you should have your first Soul Burial practical training."
"Be careful then. Don't let the peaceful environment of the Living World blind you, and always maintain vigilance."
"Although Kamiki probably told you, I must emphasize it again."
Soul Burial is short for the Soul Burial Ritual. The name sounds intimidating, but it is actually a simple operational procedure.
You only need to point the base of the Asauchi's handle at the soul's forehead, press it, and maintain steady contact while imprinting the spiritual mark with Reiryoku.
Then, by distributing a Seireitei pass, the wandering soul in the Living World can be guided to the Soul Society.
Over the centuries, the Shin'ō Academy has held countless Soul Burial practices. There were times when students were attacked by Hollows, but at most, it was only a serious injury.
There has never been an incident as devastating as a few years ago, when so many elite class students died—it was an extremely serious accident.
Of course, this incident also hinted at something strange and suspicious. A group of large Hollows suddenly appeared at the practice site during the incident.
Even stranger, neither the stationed Shinigami of the concerned local Squad nor the members of the 12th Division's Department of Research and Development, who were also responsible for monitoring the Living World, issued any warnings.
"The elite class a few terms ago had an accident where many people died. Fortunately, the Captain and Vice-Captain of the 5th Division happened to be there, or the entire group might have been wiped out."
"Although the same thing hasn't happened in the practices over the last few years, you still need to be very careful!"
Yuuki Shinnosuke's tone carried obvious gravity. Since the incident only happened a few years ago, no one could guarantee that the same thing wouldn't happen again.
He was actually quite confident in Suō Tsukasa's ability and character, but out of concern for his favorite student, he gave him this special warning.
"Understood, Teacher."
Suō Tsukasa straightened his back and replied with a solemn nod. He could feel the teacher's sincere goodwill in his words.
As for Suō Tsukasa, hearing him bring it up didn't cause any sense of nervousness or worry.
The more he learned, the more he understood about this world, and he had a decent grasp of his own abilities.
Suō Tsukasa wasn't particularly afraid of large Hollows; in fact, he was a little curious. After all, he hadn't even seen a small Hollow yet and wanted to try his hand.
As for the person who might come to save him, he felt a little bit of anticipation and a tiny bit of apprehension.
Because Suō Tsukasa wasn't sure if he could properly face Aizen.
However, based on some key information in Yuuki Shinnosuke's words, his expectation of encountering Aizen during this Soul Burial practice had dropped significantly.
After all, when a Captain or Vice-Captain of the Gotei 13 comes to the Living World, they must have a Restriction Seal placed on a part of their body to prevent their powerful Reiatsu from causing unnecessary harm to people in the Living World.
Therefore, ordinary Shinigami are usually dispatched to the Living World to execute missions; it's not the turn of Captains and Vice-Captains to personally go to the Living World to execute tasks.
In many matters, the first time can be an accident, but the second time is an undisguised certainty.
"Good, just remember that."
"We'll stop here for today. Rest well for the next two days and prepare, so you'll be ready for anything."
Yuuki Shinnosuke laughed softly, seeing his earnest look, and his expression eased as he patted his shoulder.
"Yes."
After bowing and saying goodbye, Suō Tsukasa pushed open the door and stepped out of the inner room, returning to the training ground.
The sound of the class bell and the subsequent conversation had delayed them for a while.
The training ground had been cleaned spotlessly by the students, and no one was in sight.
As Suō Tsukasa stepped out of the training ground door, he saw a familiar figure by the wall.
Tōshirō was leaning against the wall by the door. Hearing the footsteps, he glanced at Suō Tsukasa and said with a knowing smile:
"Tsukasa, you're here."
"It looks like you had a big harvest today. Congratulations."
He was no longer the ignorant newcomer he was when he first enrolled, and the person standing before him was his closest friend, Suō Tsukasa.
Even the slightest change in his demeanor or subtle difference in his walking gait could be easily detected, and he immediately saw the difference between before and after class.
The coordinated feeling emanating from Suō Tsukasa, similar to that of Yuuki Shinnosuke, further confirmed one fact—
Suō Tsukasa had become stronger again.
"Thank you."
"After class, the teacher talked to me again about choosing a Squad, as well as the Soul Burial practice in two days."
"It took up some time, sorry for the wait."
Suō Tsukasa walked up to him and walked out side-by-side with him, apologizing.
"It's nothing."
"Which Squad are you planning to choose?"
Hearing this, Tōshirō shook his head uncaringly and asked.
There were no secrets that could be kept within the Shin'ō Academy. When Suō Tsukasa went to the faculty office to ask his homeroom teacher for the application form, many other teachers were present.
The news that he wanted to apply for early graduation naturally spread quickly, and Tōshirō took the opportunity today to ask the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.
"The 13th Division."
Suō Tsukasa replied.
"I see..."
Tōshirō opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing more. His expression showed a rare hint of obvious disappointment and hesitation.
Just like Suō Tsukasa, he also had a Squad he had chosen in his heart, but unlike his friend, it was the 10th Division.
If Matsumoto Rangiku hadn't warned him that day, he would have nearly committed a great mistake in ignorance, harming his only living relative, and he wouldn't have even met Suō Tsukasa upon enrollment.
On one side was his friend with whom he walked side-by-side, and on the other was a debt of gratitude he had to repay.
Standing at the ends of the scales, Tōshirō felt for the first time in his life just how difficult a choice could be.
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