First Division, Meeting Room.
"A Konso internship?"
"Such matters can be decided by Captain Soifon and Captain Aizen themselves."
The Captain-Commander sounded slightly surprised. Why was a mere matter regarding Shin'ō Academy graduates being brought up at the Captains' Council?
Lately, Soifon had been paying far too much attention to the affairs of the Shin'ō Academy, a stark contrast to her previous hands-off approach. Furthermore, it was Captain Aizen who had taken the initiative to bring it up.
Sōsuke Aizen handed the roster in his hand to the Captain-Commander. "This class is a bit special. You'll understand once you take a look, Captain-Commander."
Just how special could they be?
The Captain-Commander slowly picked up the resumes and began to flip through them.
From Shūhei Hisagi to Rukia, the Spiritual Rank of these five individuals ranged from the 10th to the 8th Rank. While they were decent prospects, they weren't worth excessive attention.
It wasn't until the Captain-Commander reached the final resume that his reading speed slowed down.
—Tōshirō Hitsugaya, a first-year student... 6th Spiritual Rank?!
And he had already been placed into a special class by Soifon, prepared for early graduation?
The Captain-Commander, who hadn't paid attention to the Academy in a long time, gave Soifon a meaningful look.
Once the Captain-Commander had finished reviewing the files, Aizen spoke once more:
"Captain-Commander, the casualty rate of the graduation internships in recent years has been abnormal. I believe something might have changed in the World of the Living."
"Therefore, I would like to volunteer to serve as the proctor for this graduation exam..."
Sōsuke Aizen's words were almost pleading, as if he truly were a diligent teacher who didn't want his outstanding students to meet with an accident.
It was common knowledge that Aizen's combat effectiveness, among the Captain-class, was quite lackluster. The polite way to put it was that he lacked direct combat capability; the blunt way was that he was at the bottom of the Captain tier.
Furthermore, any Shinigami at the Lieutenant level or above going to the World of the Living must be branded with a 'Gentei Reiin' (Limit Seal), meaning their Reiatsu in the World of the Living is restricted to only 20%.
Even so, Captain Aizen was still willing to brave the danger to protect his students in the World of the Living.
So, what about Captain Soifon, who was also their teacher?
Byakuya Kuchiki shot a teasing glance at Soifon.
'Fine, so this is where you were waiting for me, isn't it?'
Soifon inwardly rolled her eyes at Aizen but decided to take the bait.
"I'll go instead," Soifon interjected at the right moment. "My Shunpo is faster. Even if an accident does occur, I can provide immediate support."
Aizen flashed a humble smile. "If Captain Soifon serves as the proctor, then we can rest easy."
'Severely injure Soifon, lure out Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi, and then seize the Hōgyoku from their hands...'
The Captain-Commander pondered for a moment before making the final call. "Very well. It is decided then. Captain Soifon will serve as the proctor for this session."
Whether from the perspective of combat power or investigating anomalies, Soifon was an excellent choice.
Besides, if Soifon could establish a connection with Kisuke Urahara, it might be a good opportunity to investigate the Hollowfication Incident.
Having reviewed so many investigative reports, the Captain-Commander naturally didn't believe the one-sided claims of the Central 46. He felt there was more to the Hollowfication Incident than met the eye and that Kisuke Urahara might have been framed.
In short, with the Captain-Commander, Soifon, and Aizen each harboring their own hidden agendas, the matter was settled quite simply.
...
In front of the Senkaimon.
Soifon stood with four members of the Kidō Corps responsible for setting up the barriers. Behind her were the graduating students of this year, along with the six students who had skipped grades.
After the Gentei Reiin was engraved onto the back of her right hand, Soifon clipped a communication device to her chest and opened the Senkaimon.
A sixth-year graduate whispered to a classmate nearby:
"Why is Captain Soifon personally leading the team?"
"Probably because of what happened in previous years..."
"We're lucky. With Captain Soifon here, as long as we're careful, nothing should go wrong."
"But what's the deal with those juniors next to her?"
"...Geniuses, I guess."
"Sigh..."
With Soifon present, the atmosphere of this exam wasn't particularly tense, but the thought of fighting Hollows still left most of them feeling uncertain.
At the Shin'ō Academy, geniuses like those juniors typically graduated early.
Meanwhile, these students had endured until their sixth year to take the graduation exam. Even the top-ranked student among them had only managed to secure a spot as a low-seated officer. Their career paths were basically set in stone.
World of the Living, Karakura Town.
'So this is the World of the Living.'
Soifon stepped out of the Senkaimon. Modern buildings were beginning to take shape before her eyes, hinting at the future forest of skyscrapers.
The internship site was located in the suburbs of Karakura Town, where people were few and far between.
The Kidō Corps members had already gathered the Hollows required for the internship within a pre-set barrier. They only needed to wait for the personnel to arrive before opening the seals on the barrier to release the Hollows.
Every soul within the area had been provided with Kidō protection by the Kidō Corps, which would automatically trigger and destroy any Hollow that came too close.
"This Konso internship will last for seven days."
"You are required to find the souls hidden within the barrier and perform Konso on them."
"That is all!"
As Soifon finished speaking, the Kidō Corps members simultaneously performed hand seals, releasing the Hollows imprisoned within the area.
Swish, swish, swish—
Dozens of graduates scattered like petals in the wind, using Shunpo to vanish into the internship grounds.
The night wind in the World of the Living was chilly.
Soifon leaped into the air, hovering high above. Her spiritual sense detected no Hollows that exceeded the students' abilities.
She rubbed the Gentei Reiin on the back of her right hand and looked toward the unfamiliar Karakura Town. Finding Yoruichi would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
'Haven't you made your move yet, Aizen?'
...
In a forest several kilometers away, the three-man team clad in black cloaks appeared once again.
"I still feel that Captain Soifon might be a fellow traveler. Perhaps we could..."
Kaname Tōsen sounded somewhat conflicted. Soifon's voice questioning the Tsunayashiro Clan at the meeting that day made him hesitant to strike.
"This is part of the plan, Kaname."
Aizen held the Hōgyoku, continuously accelerating the maturation of the skeletal Adjuchas before him.
"That should be enough, Captain Aizen," Gin Ichimaru said with a smile. "Captain Soifon only has 20% of her Reiatsu right now. If you strengthen this Arrancar any further..."
After all, according to their intelligence, Soifon had always been an entry-level Captain with a 3rd Spiritual Rank, only possessing troublesome Hakuda, Shunpo, and Shikai abilities.
Add to that the fact that she had been teaching at the Academy for all these years and neglecting her training, her strength likely hadn't changed much.
Her Zanjutsu might be decent—otherwise, Zaraki Kenpachi wouldn't be so obsessed with fighting her—but that was the extent of it.
A battle between Shinigami was a battle of Reiatsu. Brute force was the deciding factor.
A mere 3rd Spiritual Rank, restricted to 20% Reiatsu by the Gentei Reiin, was effectively no more than a Lieutenant-level existence.
"It has reached its limit."
Aizen withdrew the Hōgyoku. This Arrancar had already been corroded by the Hōgyoku's power to the point of losing its sanity, recklessly forcing its Reiatsu to its absolute limit.
____
New Story: ZZZ: Mr. Ethereal Does Not Want to See a Tragedy
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