Jinzo stood before the large wooden gates of the Seireitei. Five days had passed since he'd begun walking, non-stop, from the 79th district; The place he called his home and, for many years, his training grounds. His Zanpakuto was held unsheathed in his right hand, still blood-soaked from its most recent slaughter of criminal degenerates. His body was riddled with the scars of his past and fresh blood, both his own and that of his latest opponent. The air around him stilled as he raised his spiritual energy levels a little, searching out other forms of reiatsu. He found nothing, however.

Still, he maintained his position and raised his reiatsu even higher, causing a slight disturbance in the air surrounding him now. [b]"I am Jinzo Iaori!"[/b] He began to yell. [b]"I come here to join the ranks of the Gotei 13!"[/b] He raised his voice higher, followed by his spirit level. [b]"I wish to join the Seventh Squad and become the embodiment of Courage!"[/b] He raised both his voice and his energy one final time. [b]"Any and all who would test my resolve, step forward!"[/b]

Jinzo waited for his answer. It didn't matter how long it took, for the darkness had already shown him his path. Back in that wretched room, lying on a sacrificial alter, half-dead and about to be extinguished fully. When he had peered deep into the shadows after all hope was lost and craved to be wrapped within their empty embrace. When a voice had called out to him, ordered him to survive, to become something greater. And for the past thirteen years, he'd accomplished just that. He'd evolved into a ruthless killer, a beacon of hope for the weak and helpless, a nightmare for those that would prey on the less fortunate.

Now, though, it was time to evolve once more. To advance into the upper echelons of life within the Soul Society, to undertake the mantle of the feared and the fearless. Today, he was going to become a Shinigami.