Noticing Satoru had stopped, Marenoshin Ōmaeda followed his line of sight.
"Interested in the Onmitsukidō training, Satoru?"
Satoru watched the boys and girls training. "Not exactly interested, just a little moved."
"These kids aren't even old enough to enroll in Shin'ō, yet they're already undergoing training."
Hearing this, Marenoshin shook his head with a sigh. "Satoru, you're mistaken about one thing."
"These children aren't just starting their training."
"What you're seeing now are the elites of the Onmitsukidō's main corps."
"Most of them have been in the Onmitsukidō for over ten years."
"In other words, they've been training like this since they were even younger."
Satoru couldn't help but look surprised at Marenoshin's words.
Training for over ten years… How old could these kids have been back then?
Even with Shinigami's long lifespans and stretched timelines, it was hard to accept.
Satoru shook his head slightly.
Truly fitting for Soul Society's alignment with ancient Japan—when it came to inhumanity, it rarely disappointed.
As he pondered this, Marenoshin suddenly spotted something.
He grinned. "Satoru, I just said most here have been in the corps for about ten years."
"But not all of them… See that kid over there? The shorter one."
"She's a real prodigy. Though nowhere near your level, she still shocked us old-timers."
"That kid's only been in the Onmitsukidō for six years, yet she's already mastered all the knowledge and techniques."
"Barring any surprises, she'll be promoted to the corps commander's personal guard next year."
"Before her, no one under ten years of service had ever made it!"
With that, Marenoshin took a few steps toward the training group.
"Soi Fon! Come here for a sec!"
At his call, the short Onmitsukidō member paused mid-training.
Seeing Omaeda Kichinoshin, she flashed forward and knelt on one knee before him.
"Vice-Captain!"
Marenoshin nodded, his expression steady and solemn, completely devoid of his usual carefree demeanor.
"Bee, how is the progress on the training regimen for the Onmitsukidō?"
Without hesitation, the girl replied, "Report, Vice-Captain! All tasks have been completed!"
Marenoshin turned slightly, flashing Satoru a smug grin from an angle the girl couldn't see.
Satoru: "..."
He had no idea what the Onmitsukidō's training even entailed—what was there to brag about?
As if sensing his thoughts, Marenoshin chuckled and was about to say something when—
Suddenly, a black-clad, masked figure shunpo'd beside him.
The figure knelt on one knee. "Vice-Captain Ōmaeda! Patrol reports suspected rebel activity in District 6 of South Rukongai—requesting reinforcements!"
Marenoshin's expression hardened.
"Dispatch a squad to investigate... No, I'll go myself!"
If it were one of the lower-numbered districts (50s or 60s), he wouldn't hesitate to send subordinates.
But District 6 was a prosperous area—many noble families had businesses there. If something went wrong, he didn't want to shoulder the blame.
Once the messenger left, Satoru asked, "Need help?"
"No." Marenoshin shook his head. "You're not officially enlisted yet. Matters of the 2nd Division must be handled by the 2nd Division."
For once, there was no trace of his usual laid-back attitude.
Watching him, Satoru gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Though often unserious, Marenoshin Ōmaeda was reliable when it came to duty.
Future "Ōmaeda-sama," take a good look at your old man's work ethic!
Meanwhile, after declaring he'd go personally, Marenoshin belatedly remembered he was still acting as Satoru's "tour guide."
Leaving now was a bit awkward.
After a moment's thought, inspiration struck.
"Bee, I have to leave for a bit. From now on, you'll take over guiding Satoru here around the division."
"Anywhere except the Nest of Maggots is fine."
"He'll soon be joining the 2nd Division in a key position—treat him with utmost respect!"
Then he turned to Satoru.
"Satoru, this is Squad Member Soi Fon. She knows the division inside out. Look around with her for now—I'll throw you a proper welcome banquet when I get back!"
With that, Marenoshin hurried off toward Rukongai.
Once he was gone, the black-clad, masked girl immediately snapped to attention and saluted Satoru.
"Special Forces Commander, Soi Fon, awaiting orders!"
Satoru studied her.
Her face had seemed familiar at first glance.
Hearing "Soi Fon" confirmed it—this reserved girl was the future Captain of the 2nd Division, Suì-Fēng.
Though the girl's features still held a trace of youthful innocence and her demeanor was somewhat unrefined, one could faintly glimpse the shadow of the woman she would become.
If it were an ordinary girl, being silently stared at for so long would have surely provoked anger by now.
But Soi Fon paid it no mind.
Seeing that Satoru remained silent, she continued, "May I ask where you'd like to go first?"
Satoru snapped out of his thoughts.
He shook his head. "I don't mind. Just pick some places you like and show me around."
The girl blinked, giving him a slightly puzzled look.
Places she liked… As a member of the Onmitsukidō, her only concern was training to grow stronger. What places could she possibly like?
After a moment's thought, she nodded and led Satoru onward.
Less than two minutes later, they arrived at their destination.
Staring at the training ground before him, Satoru couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Isn't this just another training ground? What's the difference from the last one?"
The girl replied earnestly, "This is Training Ground One. The equipment here is the newest, and the grounds are maintained daily. It offers the highest training efficiency."
"Moreover, those who train here are the direct subordinates of the Corps Commander—the most skilled members of the Onmitsukidō. Training here means you can always find a worthy opponent!"
Satoru: "…"
After a brief silence, he nodded. "Alright, then. Aside from training grounds, where else do you like to go?"
The girl froze for a moment before quickly adopting a resolute expression and leading Satoru to their next stop.
Soon, they arrived in front of a building.
"This is the Corps Commander's office. My hope is that one day, I can serve the Corps Commander here and contribute my strength."
As she spoke, her eyes shimmered with admiration.
Satoru mentally applauded.
If he didn't already know who Soi Fon was, he'd have thought this kid was born to climb the ranks.
That was some top-tier diplomacy right there…
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