"Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy."
Nanatsuki looked up at the plaque hanging on the wall.
The Academy was the institution in Soul Society responsible for training Shinigami. Graduates would be assigned to one of the thirteen squads and officially become Shinigami.
However, Nanatsuki had never attended this academy. He had been directly brought into Squad Eight by Batsu'unsai, who personally trained him.
"Stop right there!"
A petite Shinigami stood at the gatehouse. She had cute features, shoulder-length wavy brown hair, and radiated cheerful energy.
"This is Shin'ō Academy! You can't just enter—eh?"
As she stepped forward, she tripped over the threshold with a thud and landed flat on the ground.
"—Ouch!"
"Miss, are you alright?" Nanatsuki scratched his cheek.
There was no need to be so formal with greetings.
The petite Shinigami scrambled to her feet, rubbing her forehead.
"I'm okay... Huh? You look kinda familiar." She tilted her head, trying to remember where she'd seen him before.
"I'm Katori Nanatsuki. I'm here to apply for the swordsmanship instructor position," Nanatsuki said gently.
With a thought, a semi-transparent panel visible only to him appeared in his sight.
[Shirai Riko]
[Talent: C]
[Spiritual Pressure: Lv20]
[Reputation: Stranger]
[Status: Dizzy (Ow ow ow!!!)]
Ever since Nanatsuki had activated the Teacher System, he could view panels like this for himself and others. He'd gotten into the habit of checking every new face he met.
From his observation, C-grade talent was the most common among Shinigami.
Anyone with talent lower than C likely couldn't become a Shinigami at all.
Nanatsuki casually opened his own panel.
[Katori Nanatsuki]
[Base Attributes: Spiritual Pressure Lv5, Swordsmanship Lv50, Kido Lv20, Hand-to-Hand Combat Lv10, Shunpo Lv20]
[Sword Techniques: Instant Strike (Mastered), Flowlight (Skilled), Thousand Petal Shedding (Beginner), Shunpo Iai (Beginner), Blade Catch (Beginner)...]
[Kido: Healing Kido (Skilled), Hado #1: Thrust (Beginner), Bakudo #1: Restrain (Beginner)...]
[Disciples: None (Apprentice system not yet activated)]
His own panel showed more details than others'—including the techniques he had learned in swordsmanship and Kido.
Among his base stats, swordsmanship was clearly his strongest.
But in everything else, he was quite average.
His spiritual pressure, in particular, was a glaring weakness—only level 5.
In Soul Society terms, that equated to the twentieth spiritual rank—a level typical of ordinary foot soldiers.
"Katori Nanatsuki? Oh—now I remember!" the petite Shinigami exclaimed, clenching her tiny fists. "I've heard Squad Eight Shinigami mention that Captain Katori has a younger brother! No wonder you looked familiar—you look just like her!"
"We do look a little alike." Nanatsuki held up two fingers in a playful "fingertip universe" gesture.
Not many Shinigami knew him by name.
Although Nanatsuki technically belonged to Squad Eight, Batsu'unsai had never assigned him any duties. Instead, she had him train full-time at the dojo.
After Batsu'unsai stepped down due to illness, the new captain, Kyōraku Shunsui, had given Nanatsuki a long-term mission: take care of the ailing former captain.
"You said you're here to apply for the swordsmanship instructor role?" the petite Shinigami asked as she picked up a pen.
"Yes. Could you tell me where the headmistress's office is?" Nanatsuki nodded.
"Oh, sure! Headmistress Kotetsu's office is on the second floor of that building, second room from the stairs," she said while registering his name and pointing the way.
"Thanks."
Following her directions, Nanatsuki soon found the headmistress's office.
Seated at the desk inside was a silver-haired woman—Kotetsu Ayane, the head of the Academy.
She wore her long hair with straight-cut bangs, with two small braids along her right cheek and a pair of red bar-shaped earrings.
Rather than the standard black Shinigami uniform, she wore a simple white kimono that gave her a graceful and dignified air.
Kotetsu Ayane bore a striking resemblance to future Squad Four captain Kotetsu Isane.
That wasn't surprising—she was Isane's mother.
Though she appeared only in her twenties, she was actually a widowed mother of two.
"I'm here to apply for the swordsmanship instructor position, Headmistress Kotetsu," Nanatsuki said.
He instinctively opened her panel as well.
[Kotetsu Ayane]
[Talent: S-]
[Spiritual Pressure: Lv89]
[Reputation: Friendly]
[Status: Spiritual pressure at lieutenant-level peak, with minor room for growth]
Her spiritual pressure was overwhelming—the highest Nanatsuki had encountered so far.
"No need to be so formal, Katori-kun. Please, have a seat."
Kotetsu Ayane lit a kettle and prepared tea.
"How is Captain Katori doing?" she asked with concern as she poured him a cup. "She still seemed very weak last time I visited—has her condition worsened?"
"Thank you." Nanatsuki took the tea and replied solemnly, "It took thirty-two days for her condition to stabilize this time. Captain Unohana told me things aren't looking good…"
"Try to visit her more often while you still can," Kotetsu Ayane sighed inwardly. She knew Batsu'unsai Katori likely didn't have much time left.
Even if Captain Unohana couldn't help, there was little anyone else could do.
"I've heard about your swordsmanship skills. You're more than qualified to teach here," she continued. "We have a large incoming class this term. I'd like you to take charge of one class—not just as their sword instructor, but also as their homeroom teacher."
She flipped through a class roster.
It was a tradition for new teachers to be assigned a class of freshmen. Starting from their third term, students would take part in a combat practicum, led by their homeroom teacher, to simulate real Shinigami missions.
"Hmm… Kuchiki… Kasumioji… Ōmaeda… Amanome…" Kotetsu Ayane frowned. "The promising ones have already been assigned. There's still someone from the Chijō family left, but… their clan's been in decline lately."
"I wanted to assign you a class that would be easier to manage," she added, "but Vice-Headmaster Kōmyōdai has already finalized the roster. Based on experience, students born in Seireitei are usually easier to teach."
She didn't normally handle class assignments—that was the vice-headmaster's job.
Unfortunately, all the "good seedlings" had already been taken.
Generally, students from noble families or with Shinigami parents already had a foundation, making them easier to train.
Students from Rukongai often had to start from scratch.
The only class left without a sword instructor was composed almost entirely of students from Rukongai.
"That's fine. I'll teach them well, no matter where they're from," Nanatsuki said confidently, sipping his tea.
Since activating the Teacher System, he'd been eager to begin teaching. This position was a must.
Kotetsu Ayane smiled. She liked his confidence.
In swordsmanship, the heart must be trained first. Those who are hesitant rarely find success with the blade.
"Then this class is yours." She picked up a pen and wrote Katori Nanatsuki's name into the class roster. "From now on, we're colleagues, Katori-kun."
[Appointed as Swordsmanship Instructor at Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy]
[Teaching students will yield feedback rewards]
[Apprentice system activated. Guiding disciples will grant the teacher feedback rewards]
[Apprentices must acknowledge you of their own will]