Bleach: The Template System Chose Me, The Forgotten Kuchiki

"Teacher, please announce the results of the assessment," Shiraha said, his voice calm yet confident as he looked down at the invigilator, a subtle, almost amused smile lingering at the corners of his lips.

In a blur of movement, the invigilator reappeared beside him in a refined flicker of Shunpo, his expression caught between astonishment and admiration. Handing back the wooden practice blade with reverence, he spoke slowly and deliberately, as if still processing what he had just witnessed. "Kuchiki Shiraha… you are, without a doubt, a rare genius."

This was no hollow compliment. As a veteran instructor of the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy, the invigilator had watched prodigies rise and fall for decades, but never before had he encountered a student like Shiraha—one whose composure, spiritual pressure, and technical mastery surged beyond all norms of age or experience.

"By the authority vested in me, I hereby declare that Kuchiki Shiraha has passed the Special Advancement Examination. He is now officially qualified to graduate early and participate in the Soul Burial internship."

His eyes drifted across the charred and battered training grounds, where Omaeda Marechiyo and the remaining fifth-generation students staggered away in silence, their bodies bruised and their pride shattered. The test had not simply been passed; it had been conquered in such dramatic fashion that the entire Academy would be left talking for weeks—if not years.

From this moment forward, the name Kuchiki Shiraha would reverberate throughout the halls of the Academy, carried with awe and trepidation alike. His solo triumph over more than a hundred fifth-cycle returnees wouldn't merely be spoken of in rumor—it would be etched into official record, immortalized as a performance so staggering it defied precedent.

He hadn't just succeeded; he had dismantled the challenge with chilling precision. His blend of technique, mental acuity, and suffocating Reiryoku made it clear that he existed outside the frame of ordinary students. But what truly stunned the instructors and invigilators alike was the final act—summoning a chantless Danku, one of the highest forms of Bakudō, without hesitation or preparation, a feat that would leave even seated officers hesitant and most Vice-Captains unwilling to attempt.

"A first-year passed a test like that? That can't be real—it's like something out of a dream…"

"That wasn't a student. That was a monster in uniform pretending to be one of us."

"Did we actually just witness something that will go down in history?"

"With that level of strength, he could step into the Gotei 13 tomorrow and not a single soul would question it."

Even as the murmurs rippled across the onlookers, the remaining fifth-generation students cast uncertain gazes toward the slender figure standing unmoved at the center of the arena. Their initial silence crumbled beneath waves of frantic speculation. Every soul in that dojo—whether still on their feet or groaning in recovery—felt the unmistakable gravity of what had occurred. Shiraha's mastery of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Shunpo, and Kidō, combined with his overwhelming spiritual presence, placed him in a class that only seasoned seated officers approached.

Even if the captains of their respective squads had been stripped of their Zanpakutō, many still doubted whether any of them could have withstood what Shiraha had just walked through—and, more terrifyingly, what he had unleashed.

As the tension softened into stunned admiration, Renji, Kira, and Hinamori burst from the crowd, sprinting toward Shiraha with eyes gleaming and expressions caught somewhere between pride and disbelief.

"Brother Shiraha, I knew you'd pass! I kept telling Kira, but he wouldn't listen!" Renji crowed triumphantly, throwing a playful jab toward his friend.

"Hey… I didn't say he'd fail," Kira muttered, rubbing the back of his head with sheepish embarrassment. "I just… underestimated how insanely good he is with Kidō."

"It's amazing! Brother Shiraha, you'll be joining us for the Soul Burial internship now, right?" Hinamori Momo's voice brimmed with pure joy, her excitement uncontainable as she clapped her hands. "Maybe we'll even be in the same team!"

Shiraha gave a mild, steady smile in response. "It's very likely."

Though none of them knew it yet, that particular decision had already been made in the shadows. Not long ago, Kuchiki Ginrei, Head of the Kuchiki Clan and Commander of the First Division, had come to see Shiraha in person. With the full weight of the clan's influence, Ginrei had arranged for Shiraha's Soul Burial assignment to be in Karakura Town—a spiritually volatile zone notorious for its Hollow activity. Shiraha hadn't planned on missing the chance. The System had listed the Karakura post as his check-in location, and any deviation would've jeopardized both task progress and future templates.

Before anyone could speak again, a deep voice echoed through the training grounds. "All students participating in the Soul Burial internship, gather now and follow me."

The same invigilator led the chosen students toward a large, circular clearing just behind the primary combat field. Once they arrived, he turned without a word and disappeared into the corridor, his duty complete. His mission had been to confirm Shiraha's qualification and send the results to the Academy council—something he would now do personally.

By the time they arrived, dozens of fifth- and sixth-cycle students had already assembled, their uniforms neatly pressed and expressions solemn. At the heart of the clearing stood more than a dozen glowing Senkaimon, sealed and humming with contained Reiryoku, each linked directly to assigned regions in the Human World.

"That's him. Kuchiki Shiraha."

"That new guy who crushed over a hundred students? I didn't believe it, but seeing him here..."

"And they say he used chantless Danku. That's Captain-class level. How is he even still a student?"

"It's terrifying, honestly. No wonder he's graduating early."

As Shiraha stepped closer, conversation surged. Dozens of gazes followed his every movement. Words caught in throats and were whispered in fragmented awe. Each glance he received carried the same underlying emotion—fear masked by admiration, respect laced with unease. None of them regarded him as a fellow student anymore. He had become something else entirely.

A tall instructor stepped forward and addressed the gathering. "These Senkaimon were constructed by the Shin'ō Academy and serve as direct portals to the Human World. While they are stabilized and monitored by the 12th Division, anomalies in the Dangai are not entirely impossible. Proceed with caution."

A ripple of concern passed through the crowd. Some exchanged uneasy glances.

"Wait, the gate can be dangerous? I thought the 12th Division secured everything ahead of time?"

"Brother Shiraha… there's no chance something crazy happens to us during transit, right?" Renji leaned closer, trying to keep his voice low but not succeeding entirely.

As a second-year, Renji still lacked a full understanding of the Senkaimon's more intricate mechanics.

"Don't worry," Shiraha said with a quiet chuckle, brushing off the anxiety. "As long as everyone follows protocol and doesn't stray, there won't be any problems."

He wasn't bluffing. A full month before this moment, the Kuchiki clan had assigned someone from the 12th Division's Technological Development Bureau to explain the passage mechanics to him in detail. The only real threat was a Kōryū current or temporal distortion inside the Dangai, and such events were both rare and easy to avoid when proper scanning and scheduling were in place. As a precaution, every Soul Burial dispatch was pre-cleared by the Bureau, eliminating almost all risk.

"So long as you follow your assigned Hell Butterfly, you will transition safely to your destination in the Human World," the instructor assured them, his voice calming. "Additionally, each team will be assigned a leader from the Gotei 13—usually a seated officer from the 13th Division—who will act as your direct supervisor. As long as you follow orders and cooperate, no harm will come to you."

The list of assignments began. "The students dispatched to Karakura Town will be: Abarai Renji, Kira Izuru, Hinamori Momo… and Kuchiki Shiraha."

"All students, please proceed to the location indicated on your assignment and form teams accordingly."

The students obeyed without delay, filing into their designated areas in small groups, usually three to five members each.

Around Shiraha, only Renji, Kira, Hinamori, and twenty-four others remained in the clearing.

"Awesome! We're with you, Brother Shiraha!" Hinamori said, her eyes glowing with delight as she clutched her assignment slip.

"Standard formation applies," the instructor clarified, scanning the group. "Each deployment group must consist of one Kidō specialist, one close-quarters expert, and one reconnaissance-type."

Just as expected, Renji, Kira, and Hinamori were slotted together seamlessly, their skill sets complementing one another in typical field-training fashion.

The rest of the twenty-four students quickly found their matches and gathered into appropriate groups. When the final assignments were completed, only Shiraha remained standing alone.

The instructor frowned and took a step forward, his tone measured but concerned. "Student Shiraha, I strongly suggest reassigning you to another location. Going into the Human World unaccompanied, especially for someone of your rank, increases the probability of unforeseen danger. Even for you, the risk is substantial."

His offer wasn't a rebuke but a sincere attempt to shield one of the Academy's most valuable assets. Still, the response came immediately.

"That won't be necessary," Shiraha said, his voice quiet but resolute. "I prefer to go alone."

Though the instructor hesitated, weighing the Academy's protective instincts against the sheer power this student had demonstrated, there was little left to argue. Shiraha had made his decision, and nothing short of an order from the Captain-Commander would deter him now.

From the beginning, he had no interest in forming a team. His progress, both within the System and as a Shinigami, would only accelerate through solitary experience. And with his current strength, very little in the Human World could truly threaten him. If danger did come, he welcomed it—not as a trial, but as a proving ground.