章 220: The Choice

But… as Kitada Yōsuke reflected on his recent actions, he felt guilty. When had he strayed so far from his childhood dream?

Boom!

While Yōsuke was lost in thought, the Hollow finally noticed him lying on the ground. It slammed its fist down, sending a shockwave that ripped through Yōsuke's body, scattering his remains across the pavement. His eyes, once brimming with ambition, were now dull and lifeless.

Screech!

Having dispatched Yōsuke, the medium-sized Hollow turned its attention to Ailin, letting out a shrill cry as it leaped towards him.

"Another fool…" Ailin muttered, shaking his head.

"Hadō #54 - Haien!"

With a flick of his wrist, a crescent moon of yellow flames shot from his hand, striking the Hollow mid-air.

Before the creature could even land, it was engulfed in flames and reduced to ash.

After confirming the Hollow's demise, Ailin turned and walked away. Behind him, the dense forest bore witness to the battle's aftermath. Several towering trees had been snapped in half, their broken trunks surrounded by a swarm of buzzing insects.

…

In the end, less than twenty students survived the month-long ordeal, successfully completing the graduation exam. However, due to the unprecedented difficulty of the assessment, those who passed had all achieved a level of strength comparable to that of ordinary Shinigami. Within a decade or two of training within the Gotei 13, most of them would likely ascend to the rank of elite Shinigami.

Back in the Soul Society, within the Kuchiki Manor, Ailin's main body opened his eyes as his clone returned. He watched Rukia diligently practicing her swordsmanship beneath the cherry blossom tree, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.

Five years had passed, and Rukia had built a solid foundation in "Data Kendo." Moreover, during those five years, she had also successfully manifested her Zanpakutō, learned its name, and achieved the strength of a seated officer.

Unsurprisingly, Rukia's Zanpakutō was Sode no Shirayuki, renowned as the most beautiful Zanpakutō in the Soul Society.

"Rukia," Ailin called out.

Rukia, hearing her teacher's voice, sheathed her Zanpakutō and approached him respectfully.

"Teacher."

"Rukia, today is the day the sixth-year students of the Shin'ō Academy complete their graduation exams. Many divisions will be there to invite new recruits. If I'm not mistaken, this year's graduating class should be your peers from the academy.

Your current strength is more than enough to handle some danger. I was wondering if you would like to participate in this year's division selection alongside your peers? What do you think?"

Rukia was taken aback by Ailin's suggestion. Had so many years truly passed? She hardly knew anyone from her graduating class. The only person she cared about was her childhood friend, Renji Abarai, with whom she had spent over a decade in Rukongai.

"Teacher, how is Renji doing…?"

"Ah, that young man with a knack for combat. He's quite skilled. He placed in the top three during this year's graduation exam. If you decide to participate in the division selection, he might even be more popular than you."

"What? Why?"

Seeing Rukia's confusion, Ailin decided to be straightforward. "Typically, the Shinigami who attend the division selection are mostly elite Shinigami. Many of them are from Rukongai and naturally favor those who share similar backgrounds.

You didn't participate in the graduation exam, but you're joining the division selection midway. In their eyes, you're a privileged noble, using your family connections to secure a position within the Gotei 13.

Without sufficient strength, someone like that would face a lot of resistance from the other Shinigami."

While the nobles of the Soul Society generally possessed greater talent compared to those born in Rukongai, the Shin'ō Academy accepted students from all walks of life. With Rukongai's vast population, some exceptionally talented commoners inevitably emerged.

Over the past two thousand years, commoner Shinigami had gradually gained influence within the Gotei 13, rivaling the noble faction. Currently, five captains were of commoner origin: Gin Ichimaru of the 3rd Division, Sōsuke Aizen of the 5th Division (Ailin's clone), Sajin Komamura of the 7th Division, Kaname Tōsen of the 9th Division, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division.

In fact, most Shinigami didn't necessarily discriminate against noble Shinigami. After all, they had access to knowledge and techniques passed down through generations, knowledge that was unavailable to ordinary Shinigami.

Those nobles who chose to attend the Shin'ō Academy and train alongside commoners were quite popular. Who wouldn't welcome a friend willing to share training tips and combat techniques?

However, Rukia's situation was different. She hadn't attended the Shin'ō Academy but was attempting to join a division midway, seemingly cutting in line. This would undoubtedly draw resentment from those who had endured years of rigorous training.

In Ailin's memory, Rukia had been assigned to the 13th Division through Byakuya Kuchiki's influence. It was a division where she could gain combat experience without facing excessive danger. To ensure Rukia's safety, Byakuya had even forbidden her from becoming a seated officer. As a result, Rukia's primary duty had been to serve as a resident Shinigami in the World of the Living.

For over two hundred years, no major Hollows had appeared in the World of the Living. With Rukia's strength, she could easily handle small Hollows and most medium-sized ones. Serving as a resident Shinigami in the World of the Living would allow her to gain combat experience while remaining relatively safe.

However, Byakuya's arrangements had inadvertently painted Rukia as an incompetent noble, relying solely on her family connections to secure a position within the Gotei 13.

As a result, during her time in the 13th Division, Rukia had faced constant bullying from the other Shinigami. Of course, they wouldn't physically harm her, but they kept their distance, isolating her from the rest of the division.

It wasn't until Kaien Shiba, the lieutenant of the 13th Division, discovered Rukia's surname and, out of respect for the bond between the Four Great Noble Clans, extended a hand of friendship. He treated Rukia with kindness, allowing her to experience a brief period of happiness within the 13th Division.

"In the 6th and 11th Divisions, with me and Byakuya there, you won't face any mistreatment," Ailin assured Rukia. "But in the other divisions, it's a different story. Without someone to look after you, they'll do everything within the rules to make your life difficult, isolating you from the rest of the division.

So, Rukia, have you decided? Will you participate in the division selection with the graduating students, or will you use my and Byakuya's influence to join the 6th or 11th Division?"

"No, Teacher. I'll participate in the division selection. Those problems you mentioned only arise because of my lack of strength. Moreover, I'm actually looking forward to them trying to make things difficult for me."

"Oh?" Ailin raised an eyebrow, surprised by Rukia's statement. When had she become so eager to be challenged?

Seeing her teacher's surprised expression, Rukia blushed slightly. After all, this tactic of deliberately provoking others to gather information seemed a bit "devious" to her.

Fearing that Ailin would misunderstand her intentions, Rukia hurriedly explained, "Teacher, it's not what you think…

Through my training in 'Data Kendo,' I've come to realize that I need to gather more information if I want to improve further. I feel uncomfortable asking others to spar with me just so I can collect their data. But if they're actively trying to provoke me, I have no qualms about gathering their information."

The more Rukia trained in "Data Kendo," the more she understood its terrifying power. She had also learned that information itself could be a formidable weapon.

In Rukia's view, personal data was a private matter. Once she had gathered all the necessary information about an opponent, unless their strength significantly exceeded hers, they wouldn't stand a chance against her.

However, to further develop her "Data Kendo," she needed to collect a vast amount of information, using it to refine her swordsmanship.

"No, Rukia, you don't need to feel uncomfortable." Even without her explanation, Ailin understood Rukia's thought process.

After all, she was different from him.

Ailin, possessing the "Innate Domain: Unlimited Blade Works," was a walking database of countless swordsmanship techniques.

Comparing Rukia's "Data Kendo" to Ailin's was like comparing a child's counting sticks to a supercomputer.

"Data Kendo" relied heavily on information.

"The more information you gather, the stronger you become. When you can instantly analyze most of someone's information, your 'Data Kendo' will have reached a level of mastery."

"Yes, Teacher." Rukia nodded.

Unlike herself, who had joined their teacher later, Toshiro Hitsugaya had already been a member of the 10th Division for three years. He had even become the third seat of the division. Unlike most individuals who joined a division midway, Hitsugaya was quite popular within the 10th Division.

He was a mature young man with remarkable strength. As Ailin's disciple, he had lived up to everyone's expectations.