The training ground fell into a brief silence, captivated by the dreamlike vision unfolding before their eyes.
In the Soul Society — final resting place of the dead — there were no shifting seasons. The atmosphere remained constant year-round.
Such a pure and tragically beautiful snowfall was rare not just for the students present, but even for many seasoned seated officers who had never witnessed anything like it.
And at the center of this wintry scene stood a refined young nobleman.
His black shihakushō stood in stark contrast to the pale snow, and his delicate features, bathed in the soft glow of the icy fan in his hand, gave him an ethereal presence — like a figure who might vanish into the wind and snow at any moment.
"Ahhh…"
Kyōraku Shunsui was the first to come back to his senses. He adjusted his straw hat and spoke with a sigh of admiration.
"Such a scene… if only I had a warm bottle of sake to sip slowly — now that would be true elegance."
As he mused aloud, his gaze drifted to his future lieutenant standing beside him — only to find Yadōmaru Lisa standing ramrod straight, eyes locked on Shiki Mirai in the field, her lips silently moving at high speed, as if calculating something with intense urgency.
Kyōraku leaned in curiously, and finally caught her rapid-fire mutterings:
"I used to think the laid-back handsome older guy type was a good choice. High cost-performance ratio… But now, it's obvious — the ultimate answer is still the tragic and ethereal pretty boy! The older guy is already set in his ways, but the pretty boy has infinite growth potential! He could evolve into a brooding older type, a gentle senpai, even a domineering team captain! No matter what metric you use, investing in a pretty boy gives way more long-term happiness yield, damn it!"
Kyōraku's expression crumpled instantly. He pouted in wounded protest.
"Lisa-chan… you're going to break this old man's heart."
What was wrong with older guys, anyway? Older guys knew how to treat people right! That Shiki kid only cared about looking cool. When he fought Hiyori earlier, he didn't even hold back — left the poor girl covered in dirt and bruises. Didn't know the first thing about treating women gently!
Lisa snapped out of her trance, pushed up her glasses, and the lenses flashed coldly as she retorted without mercy:
"Shut it, you crusty old fossil."
"HUH?!"
Kyōraku recoiled like he'd been struck by lightning, clutching his chest and staggering a step back, disbelief all over his face.
Seriously?! She wasn't even officially his lieutenant yet and she was already defecting to His side?!
Nearby, Hirako Shinji's mouth twitched. He stared at the scene before him — so absurdly beautiful that no amount of sarcasm or snark could taint it.
Even with his nitpicky eyes, he had to admit: before a sight like this, any attempt to spoil it would only come off painfully petty.
Captain Hikifune Kirio stood with hands on her hips, her ample chest proudly out, eyes gleaming like she'd discovered a new dessert. She exclaimed without reservation:
"Oh my~! Truly worthy of being the 'Most Beautiful Zanpakutō in the Soul Society'! The blade is lovely, and the person even lovelier! That icy, aloof silhouette makes me want to whip up some elegant sweets, sit down, and admire him properly~"
Behind her, Sarugaki Hiyori stood with her mouth slightly open, eyes wide as saucers. She seemed frozen in place, mind blank except for the snowy vision before her — and the figure holding that fan.
And Aizen Sōsuke, the man who had orchestrated this entire scene, still wore his flawless, gentle smile.
Only… behind those lenses, a glimmer of something sharp flickered briefly in his eyes.
"It's truly an honor to witness something so beautiful in person," he said sincerely.
As his words faded, Shiki flicked his wrist. The snowy fan dissolved into shimmering Reishi particles, slowly reforming into an ordinary Zanpakutō, which he slid back into its sheath at his waist with a soft click.
The falling snow and the faint cold breeze vanished as if they had never been, like the whole thing had merely been a shared dream.
"Alright," Shiki said, gaze returning to calm as he looked at Aizen, "Now that you've seen what you wanted, let's get down to business."
He had deliberately revealed his Shikai in front of everyone for a reason.
Since all Shinigami agreed that a Zanpakutō was a reflection of the soul, presenting one that appeared beautiful but lacked overt offensive power should help dampen the excessive interest from sly foxes like Hirako and Kyōraku.
And honestly, today's visiting captains were already suspect.
Aside from Captain Hikifune, who was representing the Academy, why was it Kyōraku Shunsui, the 8th Division captain in charge of intelligence, and Hirako Shinji, the 5th Division captain known for dealing with emergencies and flexible maneuvering, who came?
Meanwhile, the understaffed 4th Division and the battle-hungry 11th Division didn't even show up.
Anyone who thought this wasn't arranged was fooling themselves.
His eyes conveyed a very clear message to Aizen: I've played along with your little show. Don't push it.
Aizen, ever cooperative, smiled and turned to Hirako Shinji. He offered a small bow.
"Thank you for your generous offer, Captain Hirako. I'd be honored to join the 5th Division."
Hirako scratched his ear lazily, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
"Sure, whatever. Let's go."
"Captain Hirako," Aizen asked casually, "aren't you planning to recruit any more graduates?"
Hirako shrugged and gestured broadly toward the field.
"Anyone else who wants to join the 5th can just sign up with the headmaster. I'll take them all."
With that, he shoved his hands in his pockets and strolled off without a backward glance.
Aizen turned to Shiki once more, offering a friendly smile as he departed.
"5th Seat Shiki, once I'm settled into the Division, I hope we can exchange insights sometime soon."
Shiki nodded expressionlessly.
Sure, go play your high-level psychological chess with Hirako somewhere else. Just leave me, a humble seat officer who wants to write and drink in peace, the hell alone.
He had just let out a sigh of relief when a flurry of footsteps approached—
"5th Seat Shiki! P-Please let me join the 9th Division!"
"Me too! I want to join the 9th as well!"
"Lord Shiki! Would you be willing to teach me Shunpo?"
"5th Seat-sama! Are you free this weekend for some tea?"
In an instant, five female graduates swarmed around him like butterflies drawn to a blooming flower. Their eyes sparkled with admiration, their voices overlapping as they pleaded to join his Division — one of them even boldly extended an invitation for a date.
A few of the male graduates took a more practical approach. Some hurried to show off before Captain Hikifune, while others glanced hesitantly at Kyōraku Shunsui.
But neither of those captains seemed inclined to recruit further. Instead, based on each graduate's strengths and aspirations, they redirected them to other Divisions better suited to their talents.
At last, the recruitment event came to a close.
…