Soul Society.
This is the world where Soul Reapers and the souls of the dead from the living world coexist.
If one had to describe what kind of place this is, then the most accurate way would be to say—it's a world where social hierarchy runs deep.
It resembles the era when samurai still roamed freely, with an old-fashioned aesthetic. Buildings are traditional, streets are mostly dirt paths rather than paved with stone, and most people wear kimonos, giving the impression of a return to the Taisho era—or even further back in time.
Of course, that's just how it is for ordinary souls.
Soul Society is generally divided into two main areas: Seireitei, the central capital, and the Rukongai, which surrounds it.
Seireitei is where the Soul Reapers, nobles, and the ruling elite reside.Rukongai is where the ordinary souls live, divided into north, south, east, and west sectors—each further split into 80 districts.
District 1 is closest to Seireitei and has the best public order. District 80, being the farthest, is notorious for its lawlessness.
Any soul sent to Soul Society by a Soul Reaper is randomly placed in one of Rukongai's districts. They then seek out a suitable family and begin a new life.
Because of the system's randomness, even people who died together rarely end up in the same place. Thus, most families in Rukongai aren't blood-related, but makeshift households formed for survival.
Naturally, the farther you are from Seireitei, the poorer life becomes.
There's typically only one way to escape Rukongai and live in Seireitei—develop spiritual power and enroll in the only academy in Soul Society that nurtures such talents: Shin'ō Academy.
Founded a thousand years ago by Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the captain-commander of the Gotei 13, the academy serves to train future Soul Reapers, Kidō Corps, and the stealth-oriented Onmitsukidō.
The academy's doors are always open. Anyone from Rukongai can apply, and if they pass the entrance exam, they can study to become a Soul Reaper.
Most of the Soul Reapers from Rukongai graduated from here—those in the Gotei 13, Kidō Corps, or Onmitsukidō alike.
The registration site is located in the west sector of Rukongai—just a hundred meters south from the White Road Gate to Seireitei, then a right turn.
And today, an entrance exam is in full swing.
"Reiatsu Level: 21st Rank! Pass!"
"Reiatsu Level: 23rd Rank! Pass!"
"Below standard. Fail!"
"Fail!"
"Fail!"
In the chorus of announcements, the candidates—souls gathered to take the exam—displayed every color of human emotion. Some rejoiced, some despaired, some were anxious, and others remained composed.
A group of white-robed academy staff presided over the event.
The exam was simple: test one's spiritual pressure.
Known as Reiryoku, spiritual energy manifests as Reiatsu—the density of spiritual matter. The stronger the soul, the denser the Reiatsu.
The measurement used was Reiryoku Rank—a grading scale once used by noble families.
The stronger the Reiatsu, the higher the Reiryoku Rank. Those with high enough ranks could unleash tremendous spiritual energy. Control depended on individual skill, but power was potential.
The minimum threshold to enroll was 25th Rank. Anything below that was an automatic fail.
As the exam went on, no one had yet broken the 20th Rank mark—considered the standard strength of a regular seated Soul Reaper in the Gotei 13.
A 10th Rank candidate would be a prodigy—worthy of immediate attention. They were so rare, entire years could pass without even one appearing.
But today…
History was about to be made.
"ZzzzzzHHHHHNNNNG!"
A brilliant burst of light—so intense it resembled a solar flare—erupted from one of the testing instruments. The entire exam site fell into stunned silence.
A young man who appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen stood calmly with one hand resting on the device, his body bathed in light.
The white-robed academy staff beside him was momentarily blinded and speechless—then stammered out:
"R-Reiryoku… Second Rank!"
Second Rank.
The words rang in everyone's ears like thunder, blowing their minds into blankness.
And then—
An uproar exploded across the testing grounds.
—
Seireitei – Soul Society's Center
Compared to Rukongai, Seireitei was an entirely different world.
It was massive—over 400,000 square spiritual miles, with a radius of roughly 365 spirit miles. If someone were to walk its perimeter, it would take forty days.
Seireitei was beautiful. Gentle hills and vast grassy plains were scattered across its interior. Its buildings were primarily stone, with tiled roofs and elegant designs.
Rukongai, in comparison, was a slum.
The great walls surrounding Seireitei were made of Sekkiseki stone, capable of neutralizing spiritual energy. These walls generated spherical barriers that blocked entry from above and below, making it virtually impossible for average spirits to enter.
The wall itself symbolized the deep class divide.
And today, in this prestigious center of power, there was a buzz.
"Did you hear? Shin'ō Academy had a Second-Rank spiritual pressure candidate this year!"
"Apparently from Rukongai—one of the outer districts no less."
"No way! Second Rank?!"
"That's captain-class!"
"Why would someone from a backwater Rukongai district have that kind of power?"
"Some captains don't even reach Second Rank!"
"This has to be a joke."
"Nope, it's real. Word is the captains are all talking about it."
"Even the Head-Captain's office was alerted."
Groups of black-robed Soul Reapers wandered the streets or gathered inside buildings, talking about one thing.
Shock, disbelief, even unease spread.
Second Rank Reiatsu was that rare.
In the entire Gotei 13—the organization that defended Seireitei and maintained order in both the living world and Soul Society—only a handful of Reapers possessed such power.
The Gotei 13 consisted of 13 divisions. Each had one Captain, one Vice-Captain, several Seated Officers, and over 200 foot soldiers.
Normal squad members hovered around the 20th Rank.Officers held 10th Rank or higher.Vice-Captains usually hit 4th or 5th Rank.Captains? Only 3rd Rank.
Second Rank?
That was a monster.
A monster who had just enrolled.
Naturally, all of Seireitei was in an uproar. Even noble families had taken notice. Some had dispatched people to investigate firsthand.
And in the First Division headquarters, deep inside the captain-commander's room, an old man sat.
He was dignified and calm, yet carried an air of fierce solemnity.
His head was bald, his face deeply lined with age. A cross-shaped scar marked his forehead. Long silver eyebrows and a matching beard hung down to his waist, tied neatly with a purple cord. His posture was firm, and his presence—immense.
Before him sat a single dossier.
The name on it?
"Kaiser."
The old man stared silently at it.
Deep in thought.
—
(End of Chapter)