"Senior Haruki, what are you spag out for?"

  Suddenly, a voice called out.

  Haruki turned his head to look and saw a red-haired man dressed in a bck outfit resembling a kimono, with a sword strapped to his waist.

  A sword?!

  Haruki's pupils dited. It wasn't just this red-haired man who carried a sword—almost everyone around him had one. No, every single person had a sword hanging from their waist!

  This...

  Have I time-traveled? Traveled to a Japan? Otherwise, how could there be such strafits and everyone carrying a sword?

  In his shock, Haruki also noticed something on the red-haired man's chest, right around where his heart—or perhaps his soul—would be. There was a line of text:

  "Star Chaser: Chasing the stars above, you transd css and limits."

  ?

  What is this?

  For a moment, an overwhelming amount of information and memories surged into Haruki's mind.

  It was only then that he uood what had happened.

  He had actually time-traveled?

  Traveled into the world of Bleach, arriving in the Soul Society and being a Shinigami, forty years before the main plot began. At this point, Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai hadn't even graduated yet!

  That's right. His current identity was Haruki Murakami, an ordinary Shinigami of Squad Five. And the red-haired mao him was her than Renji Abarai, the future lieutenant of Squad Six!

  Renji was currently in his fifth year at the Shin'ō Academy, with just one year left until graduation.

  Since he student and had caught the attention of Captain Sōsuke Aizen of Squad Five, he was already destio joiei 13 as a Shinigami, even befraduation.

  As a result, the academy would occasionally send students like him to the squads for "internships" when there was a manpower she.

  For example, right now, Renji atrolling the Soul Society alongside Haruki.

  After crossing over, Haruki discovered that he had a cheat ability: the "Superpower System." This system allowed Haruki to gain superpowers.

  The method of acquiring these superpowers was straightforward—make friends. Each person represented a unique superpower.

  These superpowers weren't reted to their Zanpakutō abilities but stemmed from their individual traits, past experiences, and even future potential.

  For example, Renji Abarai's representative ability was "Star Chaser," symbolizing his desire to transd social css and pursue Rukia, who had bee a noble.

  It also represented his determination to grow stroep by step, rising from a stray dog to someone capable of standing on equal footing with the nobility.

  If Renji's favorability toward Haruki reached 60, Haruki could use this ability once. If the favorability reached 80, he could use the ability without restri.

  A favorability of 60 meant friendship, while 80 represented a close bond. At 100...

  Their retionship would transd all limits!

  Haruki checked and saw that Renji's favorability toward him was already over 60, meaning he could use "Star Chaser" once.

  That's great.

  Information about this ability surged into Haruki's mind. As he browsed through it, he kept pace with Renji.

  "Senior Haruki, you've been graduated for almost five years nht?" Renji suddenly asked.

  Haruki recalled the memories in his mind and nodded. "Yeah, when you were in your first year, I was already in my sixth."

  He hat he had graduated from the same css as Hisagi Shūhei. After graduating, he joined Squad Five and had been there for four years now.

  Because his inal self cked outstanding talent as a Shinigami, even after more than four years, he remained an ordinary member without any special skills.

  At this rate, it seemed uhat his status would ge, even after another decade.

  Thinking about it, he felt a bit mencholic.

  Shinigami like this were doomed to be on fodder ihousand-Year Blood War, the kind that wouldn't even slow the enemy down.

  Thankfully, he had his cheat ability. Without it, he'd have to pn on sneaking away when the war started.

  While the Gotei 13 forbade desertion, in the chaos of war, sneaking away might just go unnoticed.

  But now, with his cheat ability, things were looking up.

  "Four years, and you still 't even bee a seated officer?" Renji sounded both disappointed and fired up, g his fists tightly.

  "What's that supposed to mean?" Haruki eechless. Wasn't this just calling him useless?

  Still, he reassured Renji, "It's me, not you, who hasn't made it in four years. With your talent, being a lieutenant is well within reach."

  "Eh?"

  Renji was startled, looking at Haruki in surprise. "Seriously? A lieutenant?"

  "Are you scared of just being a lieutenant?" Haruki patted Renji on the shoulder.

  "If you want to see Rukia again, you'll need more resolve than that."

  Uedly, Renji's face turned bright red. He reacted strongly, staring at Haruki.

  "Who—who said I want to see Rukia?!"

  "Who told you that?"

  "Huh?" Haruki was stuhen he realized that when Rukia ted by the Kuchiki family, he had already graduated. Renji hadn't mentioned Rukia to him since.

  But Haruki quickly replied with a knowing tone, "Renji, do you think I don't have my own sources of information?"

  "I graduated from the Shin'ō Academy too. Knowing what goes on there is only natural. Besides..."

  "You've been brooding all the time tely. Even without any info, anyone could tell you're thinking about someone."

  "Brooding? Am I that obvious?" Renji poi himself in surprise. "I always thought Kira was the gloomy one. He wasn't like that before…"

  "After entering the academy, entering a world pletely different from Rukongai, ges are only natural," Haruki said as they tinued walking.

  "If you adapt to this enviro, with your talent, you'll soon bee a powerful Shinigami. Just don't fet to look out for me when that happens, haha."

  By this point, they were nearing the Shin'ō Academy. After exging a few more words, they both fell silent, pretending to be serious about their patrol as they returo the academy.

  Renji, of course, headed back to the dorms, while Haruki o report to the instructor to grade Renji's "internship."