"Um..." She cleared her throat, trying to hide her awkwardness. "This ramen is delicious. How did you find this place?"
"The chef and I go way back," Hasumi Ren said simply. "If you like it, feel free to come back whenever you want. Give them my name and you'll get a twenty percent discount."
"Really?" Kukaku's eyes lit up. "It's a promise then!"
After leaving the ramen shop, Kukaku walked along the streets of Rukongai with Ren.
"By the way, Kaien is incredibly talented."
Kukaku nodded, a proud smile spreading across her face.
"Big brother will be just fine. With his skills, he might even be able to skip a few grades."
The two chatted as they walked, soon reaching a fork in the road.
"Let's stop here," Ren said, coming to a halt. "Thanks for your help today."
Kukaku waved him off, then hesitated for a moment.
"Um... can I come find you again? I mean, if I ever have a craving for ramen..."
"Of course."
Watching the flustered Kukaku, Ren replied with a smile.
"I spend most of my time at the Academy, but I come out on the weekends sometimes. If you're looking for me, just have your brother let me know."
"Okay! I'll come find you again!"
Kukaku smiled brightly. She turned to leave, but after a few steps, she looked back and waved at Ren.
Ren watched her disappear into the distance before turning back toward the Seireitei.
After quite some time, he finally returned to the familiar campus environment, and Ren's mood relaxed slightly.
But he knew that some things had already changed.
From now on, he had to be more cautious.
Hide his strength and keep a low profile.
At least until he had enough power to protect himself, that was the only logical path.
...
Outside the window, the setting sun slowly sank below the horizon, and the lights of the Seireitei flickered to life once more.
Inside the Squad 5 barracks, Aizen Sosuke sat at his desk, processing the day's paperwork.
His movements suddenly paused.
A list from the Shino Academy lay on his desk.
Aizen's finger slowly traced over a name on the list.
'Hasumi Ren... Fifth-year, elite class student. Grades are above average across the board, no record of exceptional performance.'
He adjusted his glasses, a barely perceptible curve touching the corner of his mouth.
Aizen set the list aside and continued processing his documents.
It was as if that brief pause had been nothing more than a routine break from his work.
The night deepened, and the Seireitei fell into silence.
The next morning, Ren headed to the library as usual.
Not much time had passed since he last visited the training grounds to collect fragments, so he planned to wait a few more days.
The entrance exams for new students were drawing to a close, and a new school year was about to begin.
In a corner of the library, the petite figure of Ise Nanao sat in her usual spot.
Today, Nanao wore her neat Academy uniform, her short black hair shimmering softly in the morning light.
She was focused on leafing through a heavy tome, but for some reason, her eyes behind her glasses seemed distracted, frequently glancing toward the entrance.
It wasn't until her peripheral vision caught that familiar figure that a flash of joy crossed her eyes, though she quickly turned her head away.
Ren softened his footsteps as he walked over and sat down across from her.
"Morning, Nanao."
Nanao didn't even look up, merely offering a soft grunt of acknowledgment as she continued flipping through pages.
Ren sensed something was off; the girl's reaction today seemed a bit cold.
"What's wrong?" Ren asked tentatively. "Didn't sleep well last night?"
"It's nothing."
Nanao's reply was curt, though her movements as she turned the page were a bit more forceful than usual.
Ren blinked and pulled out the souvenir he had brought back from yesterday's trip from his bag, gently sliding it toward Nanao.
"I found some nice sweets while I was in Rukongai yesterday. I brought some back for you to try."
Nanao's gaze finally drifted from the pages to the sweets.
She pushed up her glasses, her tone calm.
"Did you buy these with that girl from the Shiba family?"
'Oh, boy...'
Ren thought to himself that this was bad, but he kept his expression neutral.
"What are you talking about? I only bought these specifically for you."
"Really?"
Nanao eyed Ren suspiciously.
"Why would I lie to you?" Ren smiled as he picked up a pastry. "Try one. You should like it."
Nanao stared at the pastry for a moment before finally reaching out to take it.
She took a small bite, the rich milky aroma melting in her mouth. It was sweet and delicious without being overpowering, exceptionally tasty.
"It tastes good... thank you."
Nanao ate in small bites, her tone finally softening.
She paused, looking at Ren. "Was the trip successful?"
"Well... there were a few minor incidents, but it went smoothly enough. I didn't really find anything, though."
"I see."
Seeing that Ren wasn't inclined to go into detail, Nanao lowered her head and went back to her book.
The library was quiet for a moment, save for the sound of pages turning.
"By the way," Nanao suddenly said, her voice returning to its usual calm, "the schedule for the start-of-term assessments has been released."
"Oh? When is it?"
"Next Wednesday."
Every major school assessment was an opportunity for Ren to collect fragments on a large scale.
Unfortunately, as his level increased, the efficiency of gaining experience continued to drop.
Nevertheless, it was still good news for Ren.
Nanao pulled a notice from her bag and pushed it toward Ren.
"This assessment is as important as ever. It will determine the roster adjustments for the elite class, and..."
She paused, her voice dropping lower.
"Supposedly, those with exceptional performance have a chance to apply for early graduation exams. But apparently, no one has achieved that in recent years."
"Maybe someone will achieve it within the next year or two. That Shiba Kaien kid definitely won't stick around for the full six years with his talent."
Ren took the notice and skimmed it quickly.
The start-of-term test was divided into two parts: a theoretical assessment and a practical assessment.
The theoretical portion included written tests on Konso in the World of the Living, the history of the Soul Society, the characteristics of Hollows, and various cultural subjects.
The practical portion was a comprehensive evaluation of the four basic Shinigami combat skills: Zankensoki.
"My Asauchi still hasn't changed at all."
Nanao said softly.
Despite her Kido talent being among the best in the entire Academy and her practical grades consistently being ranked first...
...she was indeed stuck when it came to awakening her Zanpakuto.
"I've been thinking about it. Next year, I'm planning to apply for the Kido Corps."
Ren looked at Nanao, who had a hint of melancholy between her brows.
"Don't worry," Ren said seriously. "A Zanpakuto is important, but it's not everything. Your Kido talent is so strong that even without one, you're more than capable of becoming an excellent Soul Reaper."
"But..."
Nanao bit her lip.
"Alright, don't overthink it."
Ren picked up a pastry and held it to Nanao's lips.
"There are still a few days before the assessment. Focus on preparing for now. If you need, I can train with you."
Nanao looked at the pastry in front of her, her face turning slightly red. She instinctively wanted to open her mouth but hesitated.
She glanced around discreetly, and after seeing that no one was paying attention, she gently took a bite.
"Mhm."
The two chatted for a while longer about the specifics of the assessment, going over potential exam questions in advance.
Ren watched her focused profile and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
'This girl... acting jealous and moody at such a young age.'
'Imagine what she'll be like when she grows up.'