Bleach: The Template System Chose Me, The Forgotten Kuchiki

"Spirit... Spirit Ball, it exploded!!"

The examiner's voice trembled as shards of the shattered spirit orb scattered like fragments of glass across the courtyard, his eyes widening with disbelief as he locked onto Shiraha, no longer able to conceal the awe building behind his professional facade. He wasn't just shocked by the result—he was forced to confront something far beyond the framework of what the test was designed to measure.

Created by the 12th Division's Research and Development Bureau, the spiritual power balls were precision instruments, engineered to cap Reiatsu measurements at the strength level of a standard Gotei 13 captain. Figures such as Ichimaru Gin of the 3rd Division or Hitsugaya Tōshirō of the 10th Division would comfortably fall within the measurement limit, their power considerable but still quantifiable within the sphere's constraints. At the time of the original entrance exams for the Spiritual Arts Academy, the best result ever achieved had been brushing up against that upper threshold—producing a ninth-class Reiatsu rating that represented the highest attainable result.

But what Shiraha had demonstrated defied those limits entirely.

He hadn't merely maxed out the orb's capacity or forced it to crack under pressure—he had reduced it to nothing, unleashing spiritual pressure so vast and focused that the orb had violently detonated in his hands.

Gasps erupted through the test grounds as silence transformed into collective astonishment, the gathered students, proctors, and low-ranking officers staring wordlessly as the magnitude of what they had witnessed set in. Disbelief clouded the air as dozens of gaping mouths and stunned eyes turned toward the white-robed youth now standing amidst the drifting remnants of spiritual debris.

They no longer saw a candidate standing there.

They saw a force.

"Kuchiki Rukia! Did you see that?" Renji blinked, not even needing to ask, as Rukia's astonishment had already erupted into uncontainable excitement, her voice high with emotion as she turned to him. "Nii-sama's Reiatsu... it's not just strong—it's overwhelming!"

Back when she had taken her own assessment, she had reached the seventh-class mark, which had already been considered outstanding for her class level, a result that surprised even her most experienced instructors. Yet that achievement, once a point of pride, now felt inconsequential when placed beside what Shiraha had just accomplished—obliterating the testing orb itself.

"Yeah," Renji replied quietly, the strength in his voice faltering as he attempted to form a proper response, though the astonishment weighing down his chest left him only with a helpless smile, one filled with a strange mix of admiration and resignation. "Brother Shiraha's spiritual pressure... it's terrifying."

Shiraha remained composed, unfazed by the whispers building around him, fully aware of the ripple effect his demonstration had caused. He knew what kind of waves power like that would generate among students and faculty alike, but he didn't regret it. As the legitimate heir to the Kuchiki clan, one of the Soul Society's Four Great Noble Houses, a touch of theatricality was not only acceptable—it was expected. There were moments in a noble's life when restraint could be misinterpreted as weakness, and this moment demanded clarity. Today, he made certain no one in the Academy mistook him for anything less than exceptional.

Glancing toward the stunned examiner, Shiraha stepped forward, his tone smooth and deliberate. "How did I do on the test?"

The question snapped the examiner out of his daze, his gaze darting from the destroyed orb to the composed young noble before him, realization dawning as he quickly straightened and offered a deep, formal bow.

"Master Kuchiki," he said solemnly, struggling to maintain composure as the implications of Shiraha's strength settled in. "The spiritual power ball is calibrated to measure up to captain-level Reiatsu, but your output clearly surpassed that benchmark. There's no need for you to take the written exam. You qualify for immediate entry into the Spiritual Arts Academy."

With ceremonial reverence, he presented Shiraha a polished wooden plaque bearing the kanji for nine—九—not simply a symbol of successful completion, but a unique emblem denoting direct entry, reserved for only the rarest of prodigies. Ordinarily, every applicant was issued a wooden plaque numbered according to the spiritual class they had achieved, which in turn determined their class placement within the Academy. But this was something else entirely—proof of someone who had exceeded expectations in every category.

There was a noticeable shift in the examiner's tone, the deferential cadence unmistakable, as he acknowledged not just Shiraha's lineage, but the sheer spiritual power the boy had displayed. The Academy may have accepted him as a student, but every man and woman in this courtyard knew they had just witnessed a future captain step forward.

Shiraha received the plaque with the composed grace of nobility, offering a slight nod before the examiner continued, gesturing toward the eastern corridor. "Bring this to the registration office. That will complete your enrollment and grant you your student status officially."

"Appreciated," Shiraha replied with a faint smile, his expression measured but not cold.

"Shall I arrange for an escort, Master Kuchiki?" the examiner offered quickly, his eagerness to serve almost palpable.

"No need," Shiraha replied casually, lifting one hand to dismiss the offer before calling over his shoulder. "Rukia, Renji. Let's go. It's finished."

Rukia and Renji rushed to his side, their expressions a combination of pride, shock, and admiration.

"Brother, that was beyond anything I imagined," Rukia breathed, her eyes shining as she spoke.

"I don't think anyone expected this," Renji added, still visibly processing what he had witnessed. "Your spiritual talent isn't just strong—it's historic."

Shiraha allowed a small chuckle to escape before glancing toward the registration hallway. "Then take me there."

This was the last step in his system's current task chain, and once he registered officially, the rewards promised by the system would unlock, including the next leap in template progress, which meant a direct upgrade to his personal strength and mastery.

Understanding the urgency, Rukia nodded and immediately turned to lead the way, Renji following closely behind while Shiraha moved with purpose through the Academy's central gate. Though he lacked conventional sight, his spiritual perception painted the surroundings with vivid clarity, enabling him to feel the weight of every gaze burning into his back as they passed.

Dozens of candidates and lower-ranked officers whispered feverishly in every corner.

"Did you see that? He didn't just push the limit—he destroyed the orb with Reiatsu alone!"

"That was Kuchiki Shiraha, wasn't it? And he just enrolled today?"

"Stronger than a lieutenant? He might even surpass some captains already."

"He's not human. He's a monster in noble robes..."

The rumors, heavy with awe and apprehension, followed the trio until they reached the large registration hall where a single Shinigami clerk waited behind the counter. Without hesitation, Shiraha presented his engraved wooden plaque.

The clerk examined the emblem and stiffened. His eyes traced upward, landing on Shiraha's attire, noting the insignia of the Kuchiki clan sewn into the fabric—an unmistakable symbol of nobility and legacy.

"So, you're of the Kuchiki house..." the clerk murmured under his breath, his fingers already moving to record the name.

After finalizing the registration, the clerk retrieved a set of official uniforms from a nearby shelf, handing them to Shiraha with care. The moment the uniform passed into his hands, a familiar mechanical chime echoed in Shiraha's consciousness.

> System Notification: Task Completed — Academy Registration Successful

Reward: Fujitora Template Progress +10%

Template Progress: 40%

> Abilities Unlocked:

– Advanced Observation Haki

– Intermediate Armament Haki

– Advanced Swordsman-Level Mastery

– Gravity Fruit Control: Intermediate (Enables up to 20x gravity manipulation within a 10,000-meter radius. Can channel gravitational force into weapons, amplifying strike potency and increasing tactical pressure in melee engagements.)

As the notification faded, Shiraha felt a deep and sudden surge of new information and instinctual movements coursing through him, his mastery of swordsmanship advancing sharply in both depth and nuance. Every motion of his body felt more precise, more controlled, more lethal.

Where once his Reiatsu would surge recklessly upon power acquisition, now it flowed within him like a river bounded by walls of tempered iron, responding to his will without resistance.

Drawing a long breath, Shiraha allowed the shift to settle within him, his body syncing effortlessly with the enhancement.

"So this is what it feels like to reach swordsman-level mastery..." he murmured, more to himself than to those around him.

This level of swordsmanship was not a mere boost to offensive technique—it was a philosophical elevation, a complete synthesis of instinct, clarity, and deadly intent. In the Gotei 13, Zanjutsu was only one quarter of a Shinigami's combat capability, yet Shiraha now stood on the verge of something far greater. His mastery had pierced through the spiritual ceiling recognized within Soul Society.

In contrast to the rigid forms taught within the Academy, the swordsmanship he now wielded bore the flavor of another world—a world where mastery meant slicing through steel, mountains, and even ideologies.

He now stood at the threshold of that realm.

"Brother? You've gone quiet again," Rukia said gently, tilting her head as she observed the contemplative expression frozen across his face.

"I'm fine," Shiraha answered, his voice low but steady. "Just... feeling the shift."

Rukia blinked, unsure what exactly he meant, but chose not to press further. With Shiraha's overwhelming spiritual pressure and noble blood, she supposed even a simple enrollment could be a significant personal milestone.

Renji, equally puzzled, remained silent, though his eyes lingered on Shiraha's calm demeanor.

They couldn't fully grasp what was happening.

This wasn't merely about entering the Academy or passing an entrance test.

This was about transcending boundaries.

About evolution.

About the ascent of a Shinigami into something more.

And Shiraha had already taken his next step.