Chapter 2: Dragon's Blood of Fairy Tales
Soul Society, West Rukongai District 1, Junrinan.
Shimiya Takeru opened his eyes and stared blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling for a while. Then he climbed out of bed, changed into a clean, simple yukata, and stepped out of his room.
"You are up early, Brother Kurosaki."
As soon as he went into the courtyard, he saw the orange haired boy washing up by the well.
"Because I barely slept."
Ichigo tossed the towel over his shoulder. Up close, the bloodshot veins in his eyes were obvious.
"That is a waste of the elder's good intentions."
Shimiya Takeru stretched lazily.
The sunlight pouring down from the sky was a little dazzling.
He had no idea where that sun was actually hanging. Was it beyond the edge of the sky, somewhere out in space, or in some other unknown place entirely?
He narrowed his eyes slightly, fixing the vast sky of this other world deep in his heart.
The air that filled his lungs carried no trace of industrial pollution, only a thick, natural freshness. Combined with the rows of old fashioned Japanese longhouses all around them, it felt like he had stepped straight into the real Edo period.
This was the Soul Society, land of the dead.
All thanks to Rukia.
She had arranged for them to be sent to the safest district.
With the help of the respected elder who ran things here, not only were they not ostracized by the locals, they had also been given free temporary lodging, clean clothes, and regular meals.
They had safely gotten through their first day in the Soul Society.
"Let me say this first, I am not complaining about the living conditions here."
Ichigo made that clear on purpose.
"Is it because you are worried about failing?"
"Shut up."
That reaction already answered the question.
"Relax. You definitely will not fail twice in a row like Shuhei Hisagi. Besides, he is basically captain class now. That is a very inspirational success story."
Yesterday, through the elder, they had gone over all the basic common sense of the Soul Society.
After experiencing Rukia's power with his own eyes, Ichigo had already planted the seed of longing to become a Shinigami. That seed had grown into a strong interest in the profession.
Thankfully, this year's enrollment period for the Spirit Arts Academy had not yet closed.
As long as they signed up now, they would still make it.
So the choice was obvious.
Shinigami did not have the best reputation in Rukongai, but the elder had a very open and generous attitude. Once he knew they both intended to apply to the Spirit Arts Academy, he gave them some targeted advice.
He even mentioned a certain vice captain who had failed the entrance exam more than once in the past and yet now held a high position.
Takeru was sure the elder's intention had been to encourage them.
Even if they failed, they should not give up. The freshmen who passed on their first try were not necessarily better, and there was always the option to try again, and so on.
Unfortunately, that message did not seem to have reached Ichigo.
"If I can help it, I do not want to wait another year or even longer. It is not that I do not have patience, it is just..."
Ichigo's voice got weaker and weaker. It was like he wanted to say something but could not find the right words and ended up choking on them.
His brows were drawn tight. It felt like they had never relaxed since the moment he died.
Shimiya Takeru walked over with his own towel, patted Ichigo's shoulder, nudged him aside, and started washing up at the well.
"There are all kinds of people in Rukongai. If the exam included a political background review, it would not be surprising for someone to get screened out. But we are different. We have received modern education, we have proper qualifications, clean records, we obey laws and regulations, our character is flawless, and we never cause trouble. We are basically model citizens."
"The only downside is that people like us are easy to bully."
"Cough... you are right. If I get eliminated this time, I will try another path. The elder said some divisions have their own special recruitment channels. As long as you have a Zanpakuto and enough strength, you can get in. But if I use a sword I picked up outside and outshine a real Shinigami, will they end up hating me for it?"
Ichigo found his fighting spirit again almost instantly.
Takeru was about to answer when a line of characters, like strokes of dark ink washed across paper, suddenly appeared in front of his eyes.
[System: As a great Transmigrator, you have participated in the murder of the son of destiny and protagonist of this era upon arrival. The machine soul is greatly pleased.]
Who? Who are you accusing of murdering Ichigo?
Takeru kept his face perfectly calm, but inwardly he was furious.
Even if you are a cheat, you cannot just make that kind of judgment. That is pure slander.
[System: Your bold performance has earned the world's respect. A welcome gift is available. Do you accept?]
"..."
Accept.
[System: You have obtained Fairy Tale Dragon: Cinderella's Blood. Your physical abilities have greatly increased, and your growth potential is plus one thousand percent.]
Thump.
A strange heartbeat echoed in his chest.
It sounded no different from before.
But Takeru could clearly feel a new force pouring into his body, twining itself around the spiritual power that was already there, then merging with it and growing stronger.
His wrists felt more solid. His breathing grew deeper and more powerful. Lifting a full bucket suddenly felt no different from picking up a handful of sand.
This was not the physical enhancement that came from a soul, rich in spiritual power, gradually learning to control itself through training.
It was much closer to a natural born talent.
Only Hollows with highly compressed souls could compare to it.
As for that plus one thousand percent growth potential...
According to Takeru's understanding, that probably meant that whenever he trained his body, his improvement speed would be ten times faster than before.
This was also the kind of gift that defined true geniuses. They did not just have amazing potential, they could also realize that potential quickly.
"By the way, did I become a dragon or a dragon afflicted?"
In this world, there was another organization in Europe that stood in opposition to the Soul Society. Dragons and dragon afflicted were products of that side.
Though, the dragon in Takeru's memory did not seem all that strong.
Even so, in this world, hybrid beings were always the correct answer.
The average Hollow, Shinigami, Quincy, or Fullbringer was not necessarily any stronger.
The real difference lay in the nature of their power.
Each group broke through the limits placed on the soul in their own way.
They escaped the chains the world wrapped around lifeforms, pushing beyond those limits, and ultimately transcended everything to stand above creation itself.
That was the path Aizen had chosen.
And it might be the path he would walk too.
"..."
Takeru bent down, dipped his towel into the water, and washed his face, hiding his expression.
When he finished, the cool well water slid down his cheeks, and a few strands of hair stuck to his damp, elegant face.
His eyes shone like mirrors polished to a brilliant lustre.
Right now there was only one thing that mattered.
Get into the Spirit Arts Academy and become a Shinigami.
"I wish you good luck on the exam."
"Thanks."
After breakfast, they said goodbye to the elder and a few enthusiastic children.
Shimiya Takeru and Ichigo officially stepped into Seireitei and, using the entry passes they had received at registration, arrived at the main gate of the Spirit Arts Academy.
Looking up at the ancient plaque, whose history no one could clearly date, both of them felt their hearts stir.
"Brother Kurosaki."
"Hm?"
"See? I told you so."
"What are you talking about?"
"Getting hit by a dump truck is protagonist treatment. Then a goddess sends you to another world."
"I will admit you got that part right, but that person did not look anything like a goddess."
"Want to hear the rest?"
"The rest?"
"You gain great power in this other world, protect a kingdom as its hero, defeat the demon lord, marry the princess, and then happy end."
"That is a game scenario. I am not some chuunibyou, and I have zero interest in being a hero or defeating demon lords or marrying princesses. But I do not mind the rest."
"Then let us go. Time to start our school life in another world."
"I never thought I would still have to go to school after dying. In a sense, I really did come to hell."
Despite his words, both of them walked through the academy gate with clear anticipation.
The confidence hidden between their lines and gestures made it obvious that, in their hearts, admission was already guaranteed.