For a moment, Yamamoto felt that the image of this young man before him overlapped with that of Shunsui Kyōraku when he first became his disciple centuries ago.
His heart, usually as calm as still water from years of calligraphy practice, was now rippling with disturbance.
The Gotei 13 already had one Shunsui Kyōraku—that was embarrassing enough.
If in the future there were to be another vice-captain or even captain with a similar personality to Kyoraku...
Just imagining that scene made Yamamoto feel heartache.
Then, he focused on the key point in Satoru's words.
"...So the reason for your refusal is that you don't want to serve in the First Division, not because of anything else."
Yamamoto's voice was calm, as if none of the thoughts that had just flashed through his mind existed.
"Exactly. This is my motivation to strive and the goal of my life," Satoru nodded seriously.
Yamamoto took a deep breath, trying to clear the unpleasant memories that resurfaced in his mind.
Looking at Satoru standing before him, he spoke again, "Do you know the identity of the Thirteenth Division's captain?"
Satoru was slightly taken aback. "Jūshirō Ukitake, one of the most veteran captains in Soul Society."
He was puzzled by Yamamoto's question.
Could it be that Jūshirō Ukitake had another identity?
Oh... now that he thought about it, he did. He'd heard that in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, this guy became something like the Soul King's right hand.
Before crossing over, Satoru hadn't read much of the Blood War arc manga.
At the beginning of the arc, he had followed it enthusiastically for a while, but soon lost interest due to the drawn-out battles that felt like an old woman's foot-binding cloth and dropped it.
So although he'd heard that Jūshirō Ukitake was the Soul King's right hand, he didn't know what exactly this "right hand" did.
Could it be that every so often, Ukitake had to go to the Soul King Palace to help the Soul King with some... indescribable handiwork?
This is weird.
Just as Satoru was imagining some strange scenarios, Yamamoto suddenly spoke up. "The Ukitake family is a lower-ranking noble house in the Seireitei, and in this turmoil, they stand with the Gotei faction."
"If you actively apply to join the 13th Division, it would mean declaring your stance."
"Satoru Mikami, have you... truly prepared yourself for this?"
Hearing this, Satoru finally understood what Yamamoto's long-winded questioning was about.
No wonder Sōjun had come to warn him earlier, telling him to be wary of getting caught in the whirlpool of power struggles.
Even someone as transcendent as Yamamoto had been dragged into it—this civil strife must be on a massive scale.
Under Yamamoto's gaze, he shrugged.
"Captain-Commander, if you're worried I'll get involved in the nobles' scheming, you don't need to be."
"I'm not bragging, but my greatest virtue is that I hate trouble."
"Power struggles? To me, they're scarier than Teacher Kinoshita. I'd stay as far away as possible—I wouldn't touch that mess even if you beat me to death."
Kneeling on one knee beside him, Kinoshita felt his blood pressure spike at those words.
A flicker of surprise passed through Yamamoto's eyes.
He truly hadn't expected such an answer from this young student.
After a moment of thought, he slowly said, "So you plan to stay completely uninvolved?"
Satoru instinctively started to nod—but halfway through, he paused.
After a few seconds of contemplation, he replied, "Under normal circumstances, I'd definitely stay out of it."
"But... I have a friend. Sōjun Kuchiki, the eldest son of the Kuchiki family. Given his status, he'll probably get dragged into this sooner or later."
"If there ever comes a day when he's in danger and no one else can save him... I'll step in."
He chuckled and added, "That said, realistically, that day probably won't come. His father is the captain of the 6th Division, one of the strongest Shinigami in the Soul Society. How could he ever let his son fall into danger?"
Yamamoto stared at Satoru for a long time, silent, as if deep in thought.
Satoru glanced at Kinoshita, silently asking if they could leave now.
Kinoshita glared at him.
The Captain-Commander hasn't dismissed you yet, brat. If you dare leave, I'll break your legs when we get back!
Though it was just a look, Satoru instantly understood the message.
People from the Edo period are so barbaric. Ugh!
Just as Satoru began to wonder if Yamamoto had fallen asleep, the old man suddenly spoke again.
"Satoru Mikami, from now on, you will come to the 1st Division barracks once a week. I will personally teach you combat-related knowledge."
"The specific time will be relayed to you by the Onmitsukidō."
"You may leave."
With that, Yamamoto slowly turned back to face the calligraphy hanging on the wall, falling silent once more.
Satoru blinked in surprise, then instinctively looked at Kinoshita again.
Kinoshita, meanwhile, looked like he'd just seen a ghost.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto... is taking Satoru as his disciple?!
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Kinoshita nearly gasped aloud.
Since the founding of the Shin'ō Academy, Yamamoto had only ever taught one class—and even then, only as the headmaster, offering occasional guidance.
For hundreds of years, he had not taken on a single disciple.
And now... he was personally going to instruct Satoru?!
Kinoshita excitedly looked at Satoru. If not for the inappropriate setting, he would have jumped up and cheered.
Yet what he saw was Satoru's conflicted expression—an obvious look of reluctance as he considered whether to refuse.
Kinoshita shuddered in fright.
He quickly stood up, grabbed Satoru, and with lowered head and bent back, shuffled backward out of the room in small, hurried steps.
Once outside the door, he knelt down and slowly slid the paper door shut.
Only after completing these actions did he finally exhale in relief, glaring fiercely at Satoru before dragging him away.
It wasn't until they were several hundred meters away from Yamamoto's residence that he finally lowered his voice and angrily hissed, "Idiot! What were you thinking just now? Were you really about to refuse Captain-Commander Yamamoto's kindness?!"
Satoru replied helplessly, "No, I wasn't."
"Bullshit! I've been teaching you for half a year—do you think I can't tell what you're thinking?"
Kinoshita was so furious he felt physically ill.
Receiving personal instruction from Captain-Commander Yamamoto was an honor most Shinigami wouldn't dare dream of, yet this brat actually considered refusing!
The thought of his student potentially becoming Yamamoto's personal disciple made him grin uncontrollably.
But then, he suddenly froze.
Wait... something didn't seem right.
If Satoru really became Yamamoto's disciple, then in the future when he achieved greatness, people would only remember him as Yamamoto's student.
At this realization, Kinoshita's entire being seemed to turn gray.
Why had he stopped him earlier?!
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