Urahara Kisuke had a way of surprising people without even trying.
The idea he had proposed — using an artificial vessel to force a Zanpakutō spirit into physical form, thereby accelerating the path to Bankai — sounded outrageous on the surface. Yet Shigure knew enough of the man's future achievements to understand: Kisuke wasn't simply chasing dreams. He would one day succeed.
"Unbelievable as it sounds," Shigure finally said, "I can't deny it's a stroke of genius. Kisuke, you should pursue it. If you need resources, say the word."
Though Shigure himself had already mastered Bankai, even he could see the potential. If Kisuke's concept of a Tenshintai — a Divine Transfer Body — could be developed, the implications for the Gotei 13 were immense.
Shigure's mind drifted. In one possible future, he remembered, the Wandenreich had returned and unleashed the Sternritter upon Soul Society. In mere days, countless Shinigami were slaughtered. Even captains, the strongest defenders of Seireitei, had been stripped of their Bankai and brought low.
The thought left a cold weight in his chest. If more Shinigami could access Bankai before such a war… perhaps the balance of that bloody conflict would have shifted.
Of course, the Tenshintai was no miracle. Only three had truly taken advantage of it in the records Shigure recalled: Urahara Kisuke himself, Kurosaki Ichigo during his desperate training, and Abarai Renji — whose "Bankai" at the time had been incomplete because Zabimaru had never revealed its true name. Still, the method had proven its worth.
If the device had been widely adopted, the Gotei 13's strength might have grown considerably. But Kisuke's fate as a future exile ensured his inventions never spread far within Seireitei. Most of his genius remained hidden in shadows.
Shigure exhaled slowly. Even so, vigilance against the Quincy threat must begin long before the war to come.
Yoruichi's voice broke the silence. "The teacher's right, Kisuke. If you're serious about this, tell me what you need. I'm a captain now — I can make arrangements and cover for you if necessary."
Her blunt favoritism earned a faint smirk from Shigure. That was Yoruichi: unashamed when it came to those she trusted.
But soon his gaze shifted toward her, and the weight of expectation fell squarely back onto her shoulders.
"Kisuke has a path forward," Shigure said. "What about you, Yoruichi? How's your progress with Shunkō?"
At once, Yoruichi's confident air faltered, her expression souring. "Honestly? Not much progress."
She let out a small sigh before continuing. "My Kidō skills aren't weak, but fusing Kidō with Hakuda is another matter entirely. Every time I try, I lose control of the energy and end up injuring myself. Still… compared to when I had no idea where to even begin, I've made some headway. The more I test it, the more I believe your theory is achievable, teacher."
Her words carried both frustration and reluctant admiration.
Shigure, however, remained calm, showing no pride. These aren't my achievements, he reminded himself. I only nudged her toward the path she was destined to tread.
The art of Shunkō — surrounding one's body in high-level Kidō while fusing it with Hakuda techniques — was something Yoruichi would one day perfect on her own. It was only a matter of time.
For now, he could only watch her progress unfold.
⸻
Time passed, and soon the annual graduation season arrived at the Shin'ō Academy.
The Academy followed a six-year course on paper, but its system was flexible: students with exceptional talent could accelerate, some even graduating within a single year. Of course, such prodigies were vanishingly rare in Soul Society's long history.
Graduation marked the point at which students entered official service — most commonly into the Gotei 13. A few were recruited into other branches such as the Kidō Corps or the Onmitsukidō, but these were exceptions. For most graduates, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were the natural path.
Recruitment was a two-way process: students submitted applications to squads of their choice, while captains reviewed and selected candidates. Standards varied greatly. The Fourth Division, responsible for medical and relief work, traditionally had the lowest entry requirements, but precisely because of that, fewer students sought it out. Healing lacked the prestige of combat.
One afternoon, Shigure sat in his office reviewing reports when a knock came.
"Asido, Third Seat of the Eleventh Division, reporting," came the voice. Moments later, Asido Kano stepped inside and placed a folder onto the desk.
"Captain, this is the list of this year's Academy graduates."
Shigure took it with a nod. Asido had proven himself ever since their expedition to Hueco Mundo, where he had survived battles most men would not. Upon their return, the former third seat had voluntarily stepped down, yielding the position to him.
Shigure glanced toward the desk beside his own — vacant, as usual. "You handled this instead of the lieutenant?"
Asido gave a wry smile. They both knew the answer. Zaraki Kenpachi might wear the badge of lieutenant, but expecting him to manage paperwork was a joke.
Shigure chuckled under his breath. "Of course. Better the third seat handle it than leave important matters to a man who only cares about fighting."
With that, he began leafing through the pages , names of fresh graduates, each soon to be tested by the crucible of Seireitei.
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