"So at that time, that old fox Kinoshita thought I was exhausted and, overjoyed, mustered all his strength to defeat me."
"But little did he know, I used my family's secret technique to explosively release all the spiritual pressure I'd accumulated daily, gaining unimaginable power!"
"With this god-defying move, I sent Kinoshita flying with a single sword strike, winning the match!"
"From my experience, what lessons do you all think we can learn?"
As Satoru eloquently spoke from atop the teacher's desk, an enthusiastic student tentatively offered:
"...When facing difficulties, don't give up easily?"
Another student shook his head: "No, it's about making thorough preparations in daily life so you can turn the tables at critical moments!"
A third student slightly raised his chin: "You're both wrong. What Satoru really wants to say is how important family resources are for a Shinigami!"
Amid the students' discussion, Satoru slapped his thigh.
"Wrong, all wrong!"
"This story tells us that Kinoshita's era is ending! As long as we unite, we can overthrow his tyranny and restore justice to Class Seven!"
Hearing this, the students were momentarily stunned.
Was that really the intended interpretation?
In the third row, Sōjun nodded slightly.
"Satoru's approach is clever—using humor to obscure his true capabilities."
"Normally accumulating spiritual pressure, then releasing it all at a critical moment... To ordinary people, this explanation would seem much more credible."
"This way, the spread of rumors should slow down somewhat."
Hearing this, Seinosuke chuckled.
"Young Master Kuchiki, you're overthinking it. In my opinion, Satoru was just casually boasting as usual."
Sōjun instinctively wanted to argue, but the words caught in his throat.
Indeed... given Satoru's personality, it really might have been just random nonsense.
He turned to Aizen: "Sōsuke, what do you think?"
"I'd rather not think about it..."
Aizen massaged his temples.
The thought that the guy sitting on the teacher's desk possessed talent on par with his own gave him an unreal feeling.
It was hard to stomach.
Fortunately, Satoru's little gang didn't get to act up for long before Kinoshita entered the classroom with teaching materials.
Seeing Satoru sitting on the desk, Kinoshita roared and charged forward, scattering the group like startled birds.
Standing at the podium, Kinoshita gave Satoru a complicated look.
Who would have thought this troublemaker who caused chaos everywhere was hiding such depths?
Even more unbelievable was how this guy had somehow caught the attention of the Captain-Commander and been taken as a disciple.
Whenever Kinoshita thought about this, he couldn't help but marvel at how truly bizarre fate could be.
...
As morning classes ended, Satoru and his friends headed to the cafeteria together.
Thanks to Sōjun's generous sponsorship, all four enjoyed a lavish lunch.
During the meal, Seinosuke's quick reflexes allowed him to snatch one more tempura shrimp than Satoru, much to the latter's regret.
After eating, Sōjun set down his chopsticks and looked at Satoru.
"Satoru, you were summoned by the Captain-Commander yesterday?"
Hearing this, Seinosuke gasped and turned to Satoru in surprise.
Aizen also looked over.
Satoru blinked, then understanding dawned as he remembered Sōjun's status.
Under their gazes, he nodded: "Yeah, the Captain-Commander wants me to study with him one day each week from now on."
This declaration shocked not just Sōjun and Seinosuke, but even Aizen couldn't hide his surprise.
Seinosuke excitedly asked: "You mean Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni has taken you as his disciple?!"
Satoru shook his head: "Not exactly a disciple, just weekly lessons... If I had to compare it, it's more like cram school."
"Cram school?" Seinosuke looked puzzled at the unfamiliar term.
But he quickly dismissed it: "Idiot, this is practically the same as being taken as a disciple! Even with your strength, you're nowhere near that man's level. One lesson per week is probably all you can handle!"
"Damn, you're so lucky to have caught the Captain-Commander's attention!"
Then his expression turned conflicted.
"Well... maybe not just luck. How many people in Soul Society's entire history have matched your training speed?"
"You might be the only one."
Satoru shook his head: "Not really. Sōsuke's just as strong as me."
"What?"
Seinosuke stared at Aizen in astonishment.
Aizen paused briefly before responding helplessly, "Don't listen to Satoru's nonsense. If I had that kind of power, why wouldn't I use it?"
Seinosuke looked skeptical. "Normally, that would make sense, but considering Satoru hid his strength all this time—and you're often around him—it's entirely possible you're hiding something too..."
Aizen: "..."
As a refined, virtuous, and idealistic young man with depth, being compared to Satoru in terms of character felt somewhat insulting.
Sōjun pondered for a moment before nodding slightly. "I see. The Captain-Commander must be using this method to protect you."
"With him standing behind you, the nobles can only attempt to win you over with goodwill rather than coercion."
"After all, as things stand, the Captain-Commander has no intention of personally involving himself in this power struggle. But if something were to happen to his newly accepted student, that could change."
He turned to Satoru with a genuine smile.
"That's wonderful, Satoru. Now you won't have to worry about external interference and can focus on your studies and training in peace."
Bathed in Sōjun's almost saintly radiance, Satoru felt a rare pang of unworthiness.
Was someone like him really fit to be friends with someone as pure and flawless as Sōjun-sensei?
But then he glanced at the two sitting beside him—one a sly old fox, the other a sharp-tongued cynic—and suddenly felt a bit better about himself.
...
...
Back in the classroom, Satoru followed his usual routine, preparing the afternoon's teaching materials and placing them on his desk.
Today's lesson was on Kaidō, the healing Kidō.
Most students in the class had little interest in Kaidō, as only those aiming for the Fourth Division—often dismissed as "soft"—would bother mastering it.
Of course, as a disciplined and diligent student, Satoru still paid attention, even if Kaidō wasn't his forte.
But after waiting for a while, Instructor Kinoshita still hadn't arrived.
Just as Satoru began to suspect that Kinoshita had eaten something bad for lunch and was now battling it out in the restroom, a figure slowly entered the classroom.
At first, Satoru blinked in surprise.
Then his eyes widened in shock!
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