"Ichigo! Let's go again! And this time, seriously, don't use your Soul Reaper powers."
Against the backdrop of the metallic screech of arrows clashing with blades, Ichigo's time flows on.
"Lord Ichigo, you received a C on this written exam. You'll have to retake the course."
A year passes by in a blur of all-nighters spent cramming for tests.
"Vice-Grandmaster Ichigo. I assume you've read the documents I gave you regarding Hirenkyaku. Next, we shall go over the records concerning the Soul King and the Three Worlds together—"
Another year slips away alongside newly forged bonds.
"I told you, I've never seen a Bankai myself... Why don't you try searching the archives with Soken?"
Meeting with Zangetsu remains as difficult as ever.
"I am changing the name of the Empire from Lichtreich to Wandenreich."
Change arrives swiftly to the empire shrouded in shadows.
"Ichigo. It’s time to begin."
And just like that, ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
.
.
.
"Huh? Begin what?"
"...Aren't you talking about the Sternritter recruitment?"
When Ichigo asked while sipping a bowl of warm soup, Bazzard, who was roughly chewing on a piece of bread beside him, replied.
"They've been using your face to advertise it for ten years. The Sternritter re-recruitment. I heard the application deadline was yesterday."
"Ah..."
Ichigo felt his mind go blank as he recalled seeing his own face every time he turned a corner inside Silbern.
Having his own face plastered everywhere along the paths he walked was more embarrassing than he could have imagined.
Hiding his reddened face, Ichigo gave a light shrug and grumbled to Haschwalth.
"Can't you just make Quilge do it? I don't really know who has talent and who doesn't."
Haschwalth swallowed a sigh before asking.
"...You didn't look closely at the posters, did you, Ichigo?"
"My face was drawn huge on them. Why would I want to look at that?"
"Hmm... Wait, are you talking about that? Dividing the ranks into 'Soldat' and 'Wörtlich'?"
Bazzard cut in, narrowing his eyes.
In the original Lichtreich, the Sternritter had fairly detailed role distinctions, including common members, Vice-Grandmasters, the Grandmaster, and Quilge Opie, who was in charge of training.
However, during the process of renaming the empire to the Wandenreich under Haschwalth's orders, the Sternritter positions were further reorganized.
They were now divided into the Soldat, the regular soldiers, and the Wörtlich, the executives.
"They say a Wörtlich will have authority equivalent to a Grandmaster from now on. Have you really had zero interest for the past ten years?"
"Um..."
As Ichigo awkwardly looked away and played dumb, Bazzard marveled with genuine sincerity.
"You really just erase things you're not interested in from your brain, don't you? I even told you about it myself once."
The year they had officially met was 1001.
It had taken fourteen years for him to realize the truth about Ichigo's unbelievable memory.
"Ugh, whatever! Anyway! What do the Wörtlich and Soldat have to do with me?"
"Because you are the Vice-Grandmaster. You will start as a Wörtlich from the beginning, Ichigo."
Haschwalth checked the clock hanging on the central pillar of the dining hall and added.
"Currently, the ones starting as Wörtlich are myself, as the Grandmaster; Quilge, as the instructor; and you, as the Vice-Grandmaster."
"W-wait! What about me?!"
Bazzard shouted in disbelief.
It was absurd and shocking to him that he, a powerhouse even among the Sternritter, was not a Wörtlich.
"Don't worry, Bazz-B. You'll have your chance. Ichigo, as a Wörtlich, you will participate in the upcoming examinations. You'll evaluate the applicants and assign them grades. Of course, there will be those who fail."
"Ooh... I'm an examiner? For Bazz-B?"
Ichigo grinned mischievously at Bazzard.
Startled, Bazzard grabbed Ichigo's hand.
"Hey, what are friends for? You're obviously going to slot me in as a Wörtlich, right?"
"I don't know about that. I don't recall slotting anyone in, but I do remember a certain someone who tried to slot a sword into my heart..."
"Hey, that was...!!"
".........."
Haschwalth, looking slightly pathetic at Bazzard being toyed with and Ichigo teasing him, settled the situation.
"We don't have time. It's starting soon."
"Got it. See you later, Bazz-B. I'll make sure to grade you fairly."
"Fine..."
As Ichigo shoved the rest of the soup into his mouth and stood up, Bazzard chewed and swallowed his bread irritably, as if giving up.
.
.
.
[Roster]
- Fail
- Soldat
- Fail
- Fail
- Pending
- Fail
- Soldat
...
..
.
"Hmm... Is this right? Why is there such a lack of talent?"
Ichigo sighed as he flipped through the screening documents.
In the giant city of Schatten Bereich, located not far from Silbern, quite a few civilian Quincies reside.
Though they were called 'civilian Quincies,' they were actually capable Quincies who could gather Reishi and handle Hollows on their own.
Furthermore, dozens of Quincy families existed in Schatten Bereich, and they were supposed to be composed of powerful individuals.
And yet, he couldn't see a single worthwhile prospect?
Could the Great Quincy Purge have affected things even here?
'...Should I be the one apologizing?'
Ichigo, the practical cause of the Great Quincy Purge, thought to himself with a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Don't worry, Ichigo. We have plenty of time anyway."
Haschwalth flipped
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register