Chapter 5: You Look Like Your Face is Very Pale
Two days later, at the entrance of Shin'ō Academy.
The students participating in the Konsō Internship had gathered here early.
As it was their first internship, the first-year students' faces were filled with excitement and enthusiasm.
"I've trained so hard for this, and finally have a chance to show my skills! This time I'll definitely make those noble class guys look at me differently!"
"Abarai, keep your voice down. Everyone is staring at us."
"Kira, you're just too introverted. This is clearly the perfect time for us to shine!"
"That's just how that idiot Renji is. Don't mind him."
"..."
Seeing the vibrant and energetic underclassmen, the seniors leading the team, including Shūhei, were infected by this mood. Even the usually stern Kanisawa rarely showed a faint smile.
Aoga looked nostalgic. "How nostalgic. It feels like just yesterday we entered the academy, but in the blink of an eye, we've become everyone's seniors."
"Your nostalgia means leering at the cute underclassmen, right?" Kanisawa flipped through the book in hand, not stopping the sarcastic remarks.
"You two, still bickering even when we're about to start the mission." Shūhei patted their shoulders, signaling them to stop. "Learn from Kisei. Seniors should act like seniors."
The mentioned Kisei was currently resting with his eyes closed, as if nothing from the outside world could disturb him.
"Kisei, didn't you rest well? You look pale."
Aoga was one of the few sixth-year students skilled in Kaidō. Over the past two years, he had frequently engaged in deep exchanges with the female members of the Fourth Division, learning many Kaidō techniques not taught at Shin'ō Academy.
This included the skill of judging a person's health condition by their appearance.
Even with Kisei's darker complexion, he noticed some unusual details.
Slightly puffy eye bags, and his usually neat purple hair appeared somewhat dry.
It closely resembled those noble students he had seen at the Fourth Division who had indulged excessively.
Could it be that he had been out these past two days...
Kisei opened his eyes, his voice somewhat low and weary. "It's nothing, just overtraining. I'll be fine after some rest."
This was the truth. No one knew how he had endured these past two days.
Battles that wouldn't stop until pushed to the limit, combined with potent restorative meals enhanced with small blue bottles, made him repeatedly dance between life and death.
There were only 24 hours in a day. Excluding two hours for meals and breaks, the remaining time was all for Unohana Retsu to drill him.
No one could withstand this!
No matter how exquisite Unohana's Kaidō was or how potent the small blue bottles were, they could only heal his physical injuries, not restore his mental fatigue.
It was as if he hadn't slept for two days. He only managed to nap briefly after the final training session ended at dawn, then rushed back to Shin'ō Academy just in time for the assembly.
"Make sure to come back after the internship mission ends~~"
Kisei's mind was clearly imprinted with Unohana's expression and tone as she saw him off.
Outwardly, she appeared to be a gentle, smiling mature woman.
In reality, she was a female demon who wanted to devour him completely!
"Is that so? Then you should rest more later. Leave the internship leadership to us."
Aoga patted his chest, full of confidence.
Kanisawa nodded in agreement.
She had done quite a bit of preparation over the past two days, reviewing mission reports from previous years' Konsō Internships. Essentially, it involved guiding first-year students in performing Konsō on a few Plus souls, with the additional task of eliminating a few simulated Hollows before concluding.
The so-called Konsō Internship was actually the Technical Development Bureau setting up a barrier in a specific location in the human world where Plus souls existed, then deploying a few simulated Hollows as additional combat targets for the students.
The simulated Hollows were weak—any first-year student who had undergone systematic training could easily take them down in a group, especially since they were under the constant surveillance and control of the Technical Development Bureau.
With the three of them present, it was unlikely any accidents would occur.
After assigning teams through a lottery, the barrier team used specialized equipment to open the Senkaimon.
The four team leaders, including Kisei, each received a Denreishinki—a communication device developed by the Technical Development Bureau that transmitted information via Reishi particles.
"If you encounter any special circumstances, use this to notify us," said Seiji Morita, the leader of the barrier team, pointing to the Denreishinki in everyone's hands.
"This internship will last three days. After three days, the Senkaimon will reopen at your landing point."
"We'll leave it to you, then," Shūhei said, storing his Denreishinki and directing the teams to set off.
Upon passing through the Senkaimon, everyone quickly arrived in the human world.
This internship's location was a deserted town. As far as the eye could see, aside from rows of buildings, there were almost no signs of life. Even if they had to battle Hollows, it wouldn't affect any humans in the human world.
After assigning tasks to the first-year students, the four of them gathered on a rooftop.
The view here was expansive; even on a cloudy night, they could clearly observe the situation of each team.
Shūhei took out his Denreishinki to confirm the situation with the barrier team. After receiving feedback that everything was normal, he relaxed.
"The internship is proceeding smoothly. Some first-year students have already started engaging the simulated Hollows."
"It's Abarai's team. As expected of this year's top students—they're really fast."
The Denreishinki was equipped with a radar function, allowing them to monitor everyone's status through the screen.
"This year's juniors are much stronger than we were back then," Aoga remarked, sighing inwardly as she looked at the data on the screen. "Especially that Abarai Renji and Kira Izuru—their swordsmanship and Kidō skills are both solid."
Kanisawa seemed thoughtful. "If I remember correctly, both of them had eighth-class Reiatsu levels upon enrollment."
"No wonder. At that level, they'd be outstanding even among seated officers."
Shūhei suddenly understood, his tone tinged with envy.
Although his current strength wasn't inferior to that of an ordinary seated officer, it was the result of six years of hard training at the academy. He hadn't expected these juniors to nearly catch up to him so soon after enrollment.
What enviable talent—eighth-class Reiatsu...
Though Kisei had been resting with his eyes closed, he noticed Shūhei's emotional fluctuation.
"Shūhei, don't underestimate yourself. In the future, you won't be weaker than anyone," Kisei said. This wasn't just empty comfort—Shūhei truly had that potential.
Especially after he mastered Kazeshini's Bankai in the future, he would evolve into a "guaranteed one-for-one" mechanism monster.
"Eh? Kisei, are you serious?" Shūhei asked in surprise.
He hadn't expected Kisei to hold such high expectations for him.
Kisei had no intention of explaining further, merely nodding in response.
The next second, his eyes snapped open. The Asauchi hanging at his waist abruptly left its sheath, a sharp sword aura instantly grazing past Kanisawa.
Rip!
The sword energy violently pierced through the water tank behind her, cleanly bisecting a massive Hollow from top to bottom. It collapsed directly less than half a meter behind Kanisawa.
Only when they watched the Hollow gradually dissolve into spiritual particles vanishing in the air did the other three finally comprehend what had happened.
Aside from Kisei, none of them had detected this Hollow's approach.
Not only could it become invisible, but it also could shield itself from Reiatsu perception.
Was this really the appropriate strength for a simulated Hollow??
Kanisawa, who had just brushed with death, broke out in a cold sweat. If not for Kisei's timely strike, she likely would have been killed on the spot.
Aoga hurried over to check if Kanisawa was injured, fortunately finding her unharmed.
Shūhei also regained his composure, walking over to examine the Hollow's remains, his brow furrowing increasingly deeper.
"There's no marking from the Barrier Team. This isn't a simulated Hollow, but..."
"A real Hollow!"