I might be making it sound too grim though. After all, conflict like that within the walls is only rarely encountered and by the time that happens, most people are ready to face it head-on. So don't be afraid to go up there and have fun with it, its certainly better than wasting your life in the run-down areas of some district while under the constant danger of being either devoured or struck dead because you accidentally found yourself in the middle of some struggle.
Anyway. Back to the main subject. So you graduated and suddenly found you've got nothing to do!! But, well... that's certainly not the end of the line. Depending on your area of expertise, your knowledge and abilities you, and having the appropriate sense of self you can start filling out applications for the Soul Army's divisions. Make sure you know what you're getting into when applying, however, as each Division specializes into a different area and each Division answers to its own Captain. That being said... some of the Captains may be less tolerable than others.
There are eleven Divisions in total, two of them serving in every Outer District's upper levels and one in the Tengoku. Of course this refers to where their bureau is located since most soldiers need to spread out in the whole of Shomonkai to properly execute their specially assigned duties. Let's move forward to have an insider look at the Divisions and their specialties, wouldn't you like that?
Normally, let's start from Division 1. This is the elite of the elite. It gathers together all the best and most promising soldiers from every possible specialty. Of course, it is all only natural, seeing how Division 1 is in charge of protecting the Tengoku at all times. While it's soldiers are most noble and kind, some people tend to look down on them as aloof and arrogant.
Division 2 is stationed at Guren's Upper level and is formed by extremely skilled soldiers, hand-picked for their over-average abilities and loyalty to the Shomonkai. They receive further special training on weapons and devices that DEUS develops for them and it is rumoured they are also taught a more than lethal technique to be used as a last resort in protecting the City. Division 2 troops are also used in tactical battles around the City and have very good knowledge of its structure and passages, which helps in limiting the time it takes them to move from one place to the next.
Division 3 is set to the east, on Hakuryuu's Upper level. Unlike the powerful guys from D2, the people in this Division limit their training of weapons and spells and devote themselves to sharpening their minds instead as they act as messengers, negotiators, tactical planners and all those literary things that only people from DEUS ever hope to understand. Division 3 members are often referred to as cowards even though they still participate in battles when the need arises and looked down upon as people who don't have the appropriate spirit to defend their City. People also tend to be excessively distrusting of them seeing how most people in Division 3 are good with words and concealing things and could be tricking anyone at anytime with their words.
Division 4 is located in Seiaku's Upper level and is probably the smallest Division in existence as the requirements for it include being able to harness an incredible amount of Reiki in order to restrain the oni this Division uses as mounts as well as be able to withstand the rigorous training that comes with it. The highest number of soldiers in D4 ever recorded is sixteen in total. Even so, actually managing to get in D4 is a great feat and soldiers of this Division are highly regarded for being an amazing help on the battlefield.
Division 5, stationed in Upper Ryokugen, prefers people that are able to Soul Track and are of high intellect as D5 specializes in investigation. Their job is to track movements, analyze situations, inspect crime scenes as well as investigate the way criminals act and help the members of the other Divisions secure their conviction. D5 also often finds itself taking care of the witnesses and even survivors of the cases they solve, though this is mostly dependant on the personality of the soldier investigator.
Division 6 of the Upper Kurohyou level, is made up by the most contrasting personalities. Its members are often soft and kind but many are also battle-hardened veterans. Members of the D6 do have one common ideal, however. The lives of others are always more valuable than their own and they'll help anyone that needs their services under any circumstances even if doing so will put their lives at stake. Enough said, D6's area of specialty is medicine and paramedics. They practice the teachings of Great Lord Mihara Tachibana, former DEUS member who discovered Soul Healing, only to die soon after while practicing it on the battlefield, in a battle against the oni. The basic requirement for joining Division 6 is being able to use Reiki for healing.
Division 7, located in Guren's Second level are basically the Soul Army's Covert Ops. Admittance here requires knowledge of high-level Reiki techniques that revolve around hiding its presence -such as Spirit Cloaking- and locating -Spirit Tracking-. Members of D7 are taught how to act as a single unit in order to bond closer and be able to henceforth use techniques such as Voice Linking to communicate without talking and sensing one another's Soul Print to tell their locations. They train long and hard to develop their abilities for silent fighting under many a condition as stealth for them is absolutely everything.
Division 8 makes its home in Hakuryuu's Second level and is located the closest to DEUS TD. HQ. The people of D8 are usually referred to as the 'Shomonkai Administrative Committee' and are in charge... of the paperwork mainly. Even though it sounds uncool, Shomonkai wouldn't be able to function without the help of this Division as they are the ones to keep track of everything, from assigning numbers and residences to the New Souls, keeping lists of the Division members, the Shomonkai funds, every and all events that occur everywhere and are detailed in the Division reports to Oni attacks, casualties from battles... and so on so forth. A smaller group formed from this Division is in charge of publishing the Soul Herald -Shomonkai's official newspaper- as well as the Grim Hipster Magazine.
Division 9 is located in Seiaku's Second Level and is arguably the second most powerful unit after Division 1. D9 specializes in close combat and is solely centered on Bushi. Members of this Division also form the Vanguard team in large scale operations where all Divisions take part and are the ones to lead the assault smashing their enemies with their unmatched strength. Many people from other Divisions -people from D3 mostly- look down on them as being unrefined and barbaric.
Division 10 of the Second Ryokugen level are in charge of keeping the Shomonkai looking good. That being said... they take care of all the cleaning and conditioning and can often be found roaming the streets. While it sounds all too menial and tiring, people from the D10 are often those who accidentally stumble across vital pieces of information or clues and often get to hear things that would otherwise remain unknown. For all their uses people from the D10 are always welcome and highly appreciated both among their peers as well as the people of the Shomonkai. Tsukimoto Kariya of Kariya & Co. used to work in D10 prior to retiring.
Division 11 stationed in the Second level of Kurohyou is the last of the eleven Divisions. They are the most 'basic' of all Divisions as they are in all actuality patrolmen that wander the streets and make sure everything is in order. D11 members are charged with the safety of the Shomonkai citizens and so are of the utmost importance in the Soul Army even though they aren't as strong as D9 members or as refined and powerful as D7. Both shugenja and bushi are found in this Divisions and the requirements to get in are pretty... not elaborate as wanting to be part of the force is all that is needed to become part of it.
In short and for your reference:
1: top tier everything
2: SWAT
3: negotiators
4: mounted forces
5: investigation
6: paramedics
7: covert OPS
8: Shomonkai administration
9: vanguard -close combat specialists
10: caretakers
11: patrolmen
And wait! Don't go just yet! This isn't all there is to it. There's MORE? Well, of course there is. After becoming a soldier you might want to aim for the higher ranks and maybe even become a Captain yourself. What? I'm not kidding so don't give me that look!!! But first you might want to start by ascending to an Officer's position. That's right, this means you have to be extremely good at what you do in order to be noticed by your current captain and receiving a 'seat', becoming a junior officer in other words. There are thirteen seats within every Division and climbing them up -one by one or many at a time- is the only way of taking hold of a higher rank. However, keep in mind that anyone can surpass you the same way you surpass others so you shouldn't let your guard down. An exception to the rule is that if you make it to the top four seats, your seat can no longer be taken and you cannot be replaced.
The fourth seat is called a 'Cadet' and they mainly overview the actions of non-seated soldiers. The third seat is called an 'Ensign'. Ensigns aren't commanding units and are often in charge of managing the Division's paperwork from soldier applications to Division reports. Ensigns are the people that get to work with the people from D8 the most. The second seat is called a 'lieutenant' but is also referred to as the 'vice captain'. Lieutenants are each Division's second-in-commands and get to take over when the Captain is away or missing. Lieutenants cannot become Captains in place of the Captain should the Captain's seat become empty for any reason. The second seat is the farthest a person can get by usual means. The first seat is, of course, the 'Captain'.
Ascending to become a Captain is quite difficult a process and can happen in any of three ways. The first way is passing a series of tests that determine how appropriate one is for that position. Various things are tested depending on the Division in question. Another way is being recommended by the Captain that retires or by another captain. However recommendation by a single Captain is not enough. One needs to gather the recommendations of four of the eleven Captains and be approved by at least three other members. The third way is proving yourself stronger than the Captain whose position you want in the battlefield and have this confirmed by at least eleven of the twelve remaining seats in that Captain's Division.
{chart showing the Division Placement in the Districts of Shomonkai. Click for a larger version}
