"Didn't expect you to be such a good cook, Katori-kun! This is even better than the sukiyaki I've had at restaurants!" Kyōraku Shunsui said in surprise.
"This isn't sukiyaki, it's called hotpot," Nanatsuki replied, pouring a plate of beef slices into the pot. "With sukiyaki, most of the ingredients are stewed beforehand. Hotpot is all about dipping and cooking things on the spot."
There were a lot of people joining for dinner today, and since everyone returned from work pretty late, Nanatsuki went with hotpot and grilled meat—convenient and easy-to-prepare dishes.
Still, even something as simple as hotpot became a feast with Nanatsuki's seasoning, and everyone dug in heartily.
"So it's called hotpot, huh? No wonder it's a different method. Who would've thought tomato broth could taste this good," Kyōraku Shunsui marveled.
"So yummy!" Chijō Kana said, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster storing food.
"The swordsmanship test ended today, right? How did you all do?" Batsu'unsai lifted her sake bowl and took a sip.
He was drinking deer antler wine, brewed from a spiritual deer's antlers—known to slightly aid in restoring Reiatsu.
Chijō Kana held up two fingers. "I made it to the finals—came in second! Shinji also made it into the top four. Kensei wasn't so lucky—he went up against Kuchiki Sōjun in the first round. That guy's too strong… ended up winning the whole thing."
"Oh?" Batsu'unsai raised her brows in surprise. "Ayane told me that this year's freshmen have quite the foundation. It's impressive you all did so well."
"Probably because most of the strong ones didn't put all their focus into swordsmanship," Hirako Shinji said with a sigh. "If you add in Shunpo, Hakuda, and Kidō, the gap becomes pretty obvious."
For example, Chijō Kana's Shunpo and Hakuda were far superior to Shinji and Kensei's—she had trained under a private tutor for a while.
Unfortunately, the Chijō family didn't value martial training much, so after basic instruction, they never allowed her to pursue any advanced training.
"Still, that's great. I heard many of Tokitani's students come from battle-hardened families," Kyōraku said, refilling his cup.
"Captain Kyōraku, you know Tokitani-sensei?" Nanatsuki asked, his heart stirring slightly.
His memories from his previous life didn't recall much about Tsunayashiro Tokitani, but something about him felt off.
"Tsunayashiro Tokitani…" Kyōraku Shunsui raised his cup, a nostalgic look appearing on his face. "He was my classmate."
"He's your classmate?" Nanatsuki was surprised. With that kind of background, why is he just a regular teacher now? "But he just started as a new teacher this year—same as me."
"Ah, this is really good sake." Kyōraku finished his drink in one go, his cheeks lightly flushed. "That guy… Tokitani got locked up by his clan for a while after he murdered civilians in Rukongai for no reason."
"Don't upper nobles have the right of Rude Execution over Rukongai residents?" Shinji asked suddenly.
He remembered the time at Granny Jiang's izakaya, when they nearly clashed with a man in extravagant clothes. Lisa had tugged his sleeve, and the man's servant tried to cut off her hand.
After returning to the academy, he looked into the law—and shockingly, the noble's actions were legal!
Upper nobles did hold the right of Rude Execution over Rukongai residents. If a soul from Rukongai offended them, even killing them on the spot wouldn't incur punishment from Seireitei.
"Only if they're truly and unjustly provoked can they exercise that right," Kyōraku Shunsui shook his head. "You shouldn't think the laws of Seireitei are all that evil."
"Most of the souls in Rukongai are just ordinary spirits. Why would they go out of their way to provoke noble Shinigami?"
"As for Tokitani… that guy claimed a whole district had offended him. Said their 'looks' were offensive. Then he slaughtered everyone."
'What a twisted bastard…' Nanatsuki barely interacted with Tokitani—he rarely showed up to the office—but he never imagined the man would be this insane.
"Yeah, he's just that awful," Kyōraku said as he poured another drink. "So, Katori-kun, be careful."
"You mean… he might come after me?" Nanatsuki blinked.
"He's petty and vindictive. I heard he's aiming to become the Swordsmanship Department Head. Your disciples performed so well, it might interfere with his candidacy..." Kyōraku's voice turned cold. "If that happens, don't be surprised if you or your students run into a few 'accidents.'"
"How could he try something like that at the academy? Doesn't Seireitei care?" Muguruma Kensei said angrily.
"We can't exactly arrest him preemptively, right?" Kyōraku shrugged. "That's why you all need to stay alert."
"Thanks for the warning, Captain Kyōraku. We'll be careful," Nanatsuki said sincerely.
"I thought the academy would be a peaceful place," Batsu'unsai frowned. 'Should I take this chance while my injuries are suppressed and go cut down Tokitani myself?'
But that would definitely provoke retaliation from the Tsunayashiro family.
If she were gone, Nanatsuki alone wouldn't stand a chance against them.
"Urgh—" Kyōraku downed another cup and burped. "But hey, don't worry too much. I've got my eye on Tokitani too. I've got a bad feeling he's not done stirring up trouble."
…
Over the next few days, the exams for Kidō, Hakuda, and Shunpo took place.
Just as Shinji predicted, Class 1 students showed more balanced capabilities, most of them already having a solid foundation before admission. Class 2, however, had only started recently and performed poorly across the board.
After the tests ended, a two-day break followed.
"Sensei, the exams are over! Teach me a new sword technique!" Chijō Kana didn't sleep in during the holiday—she was up early and ready to train.
Some of Nanatsuki's students occasionally trained late into the night at the dojo, so he let them each pick a room to stay in whenever they didn't want to head home.
"Learning Shun Strike was your first step in mastering Reiatsu control," Nanatsuki said with a smile. "Now that you've gotten the hang of it, it's time for a new technique."
"But this one will require even finer Reiatsu control."
"And it comes with a very unique method of training."