Bleach: The Fifth Division Captain

Carrying his belongings, arms laden with bags, Seiya Arima stood in front of the First Division barracks. He bowed respectfully and called out loudly:

"Thank you all for taking care of me during this time!"

Chojiro Sasakibe, arms crossed, nodded calmly with a faint smile.

"Seiya-kun, safe travels."

Sasakibe stroked his short mustache with a relaxed expression.

"When you graduate, consider joining the First Division, will you?"

Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni stood steadfast at the center, his wooden staff planted firmly in the ground. Like a towering boulder, he remained unmoving.

"Do not forget the lessons you've learned during this time."

Even at the moment of parting, the old man's words were rigid and formal—a trait unmistakably Yamamoto.

Seiya's emotions were mixed: excitement, like someone freed after years in prison, tempered by bittersweet nostalgia.

Despite the exhaustion and countless injuries, his time in the First Division had yielded more than just blood and sweat.

It had given him the opportunity to break past his limits and find clarity in his path forward.

Words of gratitude filled his heart, yet he didn't know where to begin.

After hesitating briefly, he took a deep breath and called out loudly:

"When I have time, I'll come back and visit!"

Chojiro and Sasakibe exchanged soft smiles.

"I'll bring gifts next time!"

Yamamoto had already closed his eyes.

"So until then, take care of yourselves."

Seiya stepped back, raising his right hand in a parting wave.

"Goodbye for now!"

As he turned to leave, Yamamoto's low, steady voice echoed behind him.

"Go forth and uphold the name of the Gotei."

And so, Seiya Arima's months-long internship with the First Division came to an end.

He returned to the academy with his head held high.

Back at the Academy

"So, because your internship was with the First Division, you not only got full credits but also had your exam grades automatically marked as 'excellent'?!"

"What?! That's so unfair!"

Across the cafeteria table, Isane Kotetsu glared at Seiya, her expression one of pure indignation.

Seiya chuckled mischievously at her reaction.

The two were meeting for the first time in a long while.

"Well, that's because Captain Unohana isn't all that interested in liaising with the academy. This sort of thing just takes a quick confirmation letter to sort out—it's not that big of a deal."

Isane pouted, stabbing her spoon into her soup, her thick eyebrows scrunched tightly together.

"Really? That's all it takes?"

"Yep. According to Vice-Captain Sasakibe, as long as it's arranged beforehand, internship experience can substitute for grades. Unohana-taichō's priorities just lie elsewhere, so it's understandable."

The First Division had a strong focus on administrative tasks. Though Seiya wasn't particularly interested in such work, he'd still spent months shadowing Sasakibe and learning about it.

His understanding of procedures and paperwork far exceeded that of an average student.

"If you want, you can still apply retroactively. If Captain Unohana is too busy, you could always have Vice-Captain Yamada handle it instead."

Considering that Unohana Retsu wasn't a conventional "academic," it made sense that she might overlook such details. Asking Kiyone Yamada to take charge seemed like a viable solution.

At the mention of Kiyone Yamada, however, Isane's expression became troubled.

"Oh, you mean Vice-Captain Yamada…?"

The shift in her tone didn't go unnoticed.

Seiya raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Not exactly… It's just that Vice-Captain Yamada was reassigned a couple of days ago, so the Fourth Division doesn't currently have a vice-captain."

"Ah, I see."

Seiya nodded thoughtfully, taking a bite of fried chicken.

"Well, it's a kind of promotion, isn't it? There's no need to be so upset about it."

Isane slumped in her seat like a wilted flower, her voice tinged with frustration.

"But… he's someone I'd just gotten used to working with. The thought of having to adapt to a new vice-captain is… nerve-wracking."

Here we go again—another bout of Isane's social anxiety.

Seiya couldn't help but think to himself, I wonder when she'll grow into the confident, capable person we see in the original timeline…

Still, her current demeanor was endearing in its own way.

"Who knows, maybe you'll be the next vice-captain?"

Isane's face immediately turned red. She stammered for a moment before lowering her head and muttering,

"There's no way that'd happen… I'm not good enough. I'd just be a burden to Captain Unohana."

"Not good enough? Isane, your healing abilities are already exceptional! Didn't your last simulation results rank among the top in the Fourth Division?"

Isane froze, her eyes wide in surprise.

"W-Wait… how do you know about that?!"

Seiya laughed, setting down his chopsticks with a playful grin.

"Come on, Isane. First Division's administrative work is thorough! It's not hard to find that kind of information if you know where to look."

"You… you sneaky little…!"

"Okay, okay! Don't get mad! I didn't dig through everything! Just a tiny bit… I promise."

Isane glared at him for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh.

"Fine… I'll let it slide this time."

So easy to appease, Seiya thought with amusement.

"Seiya, are you planning to intern with another division soon?"

"Not right now. I gained so much from my time with the First Division that I want to take some time to process it all. I probably won't go anywhere else until this academic year ends."

Given that it was already late autumn, there were only a few months left before the year concluded.

"I see. That's a relief…"

Isane's expression softened, a trace of her earlier tension easing. It was as though confirming this information had allowed her to finally relax.

"What's with the look of relief?"

"Oh… it's just that a lot's been happening recently."

Isane glanced around the cafeteria, lowering her voice as she continued.

"You probably don't know this, but recently, the current Sixth Division Captain, Ginrei Kuchiki's son—Kuchiki Sojun—died in action…"

"...What?"

Seiya blinked, his mind struggling to process the news.

Kuchiki Sojun—the father of the future Sixth Division Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya.

Though his role in the original story had been relatively minor, his name was still familiar.

To think something like this would happen…

Seiya's expression turned somber.

"Do you know any details?"

Isane hesitated, her lips pressed tightly together. Though she looked hesitant to speak, her worry was clear.

Seiya reached out and gently placed his hand over hers.

"It's okay. Take your time."

Encouraged by his words, Isane took a deep breath and began to recount what she knew.

Four days prior, Kuchiki Sojun had been severely injured during a mission. Despite Ginrei Kuchiki personally bringing him back and Captain Unohana's intervention, his injuries proved fatal.

"When I saw him… he looked so peaceful, like he was just sleeping."

Her voice wavered as she described the scene, tears welling up in her eyes.

Seiya stayed silent, allowing her to speak without interruption.

"Even Captain Ginrei… someone so strong and dignified… looked utterly heartbroken."

Isane's hands trembled as she continued.

"It's terrifying, Seiya. If someone as powerful as Kuchiki Sojun can die like that… what chance do people like us have?"

Seiya didn't respond immediately.

Instead, he reached out and gently wiped the tears from Isane's cheeks.

When her sobs only grew louder, Seiya stood, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace.

Isane buried her face against his chest, her quiet sniffles gradually fading.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "I'm not someone who's easy to kill."

Though the promise was simple, the weight behind it was undeniable.

That night, Seiya returned to his dorm, his thoughts heavy.

Placing his hand on the hilt of his blade, he murmured to himself:

"To protect what's important, we have to keep moving forward."

With renewed determination, he stepped outside, ready to train once more.

Another day, another effort to grow stronger.

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Powerstones?

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