"Yo, Hitsugaya! It's you. What a coincidence."
Zaraki greeted Toshiro with familiarity.
However, Toshiro didn't give him a pleasant expression.
After their battle years ago, Zaraki, under the pretext of washing away the shame of defeat, frequently came to challenge Toshiro.
At first, Toshiro was quite pleased. After all, fighting an expert like Zaraki helped him gain combat experience and improve his strength.
But this guy Zaraki showed up every few days, starting fights without a word. Eventually, Toshiro couldn't stand him anymore.
"Shiro-chan, Shiro-chan, long time no see!"
Yachiru jumped down from Zaraki's shoulder and shouted loudly.
Hearing Yachiru's address, Toshiro couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows.
But he held it in. Arguing with Yachiru about how she addressed him would only make her more enthusiastic.
Zaraki turned his neck, looking around. "Hitsugaya, where are the Hollows? I heard there were over twenty, including Menos Grande."
Zaraki received a report about Hollows appearing in large numbers, including Menos Grande, so he immediately rushed over with his pack of battle-crazy 11th Division's members.
"You're too late. I've already dealt with the Hollows."
Toshiro said flatly.
Hearing Toshiro's words, the excited expression Zaraki had upon learning about the Hollows instantly vanished.
Thwack!
Zaraki slapped Toshiro on the shoulder, displeased. "Hey, Hitsugaya, that's not cool! You made me come all this way for nothing. Messing with me? And this is overstepping your authority, you know? Your 10th Division is only responsible for patrols. Combat should be left to us, the 11th Division!"
Toshiro rubbed his shoulder, still sore from Zaraki's slap.
'This guy really had no sense of restraint, an ordinary person might have been killed by that slap.'
Then, Toshiro looked back disapprovingly at Takezoe and the others. It was just some Hollows… he could handle it himself. There was no need to notify those troublesome guys from the 11th Division.
Seeing Toshiro's look, Takezoe hurriedly asked his subordinates, "Hey, which one of you notified the 11th Division? I said I'd already notified Third Seat Hitsugaya."
A young Shinigami stepped forward meekly. "Sorry, 10th Seat Takezoe. When I first spotted the Hollows, I instinctively notified the 11th Division."
The 10th Division's main duties were patrol and maintaining order. Generally, upon discovering Hollows, unless the situation was too critical to wait for the 11th Division, they would immediately notify the 11th Division and let the combat-specialized 11th Division handle it.
This wasn't wrong per se. It's just that Toshiro happened to be nearby and arrived faster than Zaraki.
Toshiro pushed Zaraki's hand away. "Hey, Zaraki, I was just patrolling nearby this time, and the situation was urgent, so I didn't wait for you guys."
"I don't care about that stuff! Since it's already dealt with, then you come spar with me!"
For Zaraki, as long as he could fight, it didn't matter if it was Hollows or Shinigami.
Moreover, after losing to Toshiro, Zaraki had been honing himself to avenge his defeat.
Toshiro knew meeting this guy would turn out like this. He said somewhat helplessly, "Sorry, I have things to do."
Zaraki grabbed Toshiro's shoulder. "That won't do, Hitsugaya! You stole my prey. How can you just leave like that?"
Seeing Zaraki's determined, relentless expression, Toshiro said with a headache, "Alright, I really have something today. Next time. Next time, I promise to fight you as much as you want, okay?"
"Tch! So boring. Fine, next time then."
Zaraki said, still displeased.
"Whew!"
Relieved that Zaraki finally agreed, Toshiro quickly used Shunpo to leave.
If it were an ordinary day with nothing to do, beating up Zaraki a bit to gain combat experience wouldn't be bad.
But Toshiro genuinely had matters to attend to.
Today was the graduation day for Momo, Renji, Kira, and Rukia from the Shin'o Academy.
…
Shin'o Academy.
The graduation exams had just ended. Momo, Renji, and Kira were sitting under a tree talking.
Momo stretched lazily. "I'm exhausted. But it's finally over. Renji, Izuru, how did you two do?"
Kira said calmly, "Shouldn't be a problem. The exam content was quite simple."
Momo said somewhat dissatisfied, "Hmph, of course it's simple for you. You've been the top student all along."
Momo had put in great effort to pass the graduation exams. Seeing Kira so nonchalant immediately annoyed her.
Renji also said irritably, "Tch, Izuru, you know what? You just now looked exactly like Toshiro did back in school. Just as pretentious."
Seeing both of them criticizing him, Kira quickly raised his hands. "Okay, okay, I surrender. My bad."
"By the way, Renji, you haven't said how you did yet."
Momo looked at Renji.
"Well, should be okay, I guess..."
Renji said somewhat hesitantly.
Momo frowned. "What do you mean 'should be'? Don't you know yourself if it was good or bad?"
Renji said somewhat unconfidently, "Aside from theoretical knowledge and Kido, I did well in other areas, especially in swordsmanship. I've always been first in that."
Although Renji was always first in swordsmanship, this time he seemed lacking in confidence about the graduation exams.
Kira said, looking speechless, "The exams are just theory, plus Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, Kido… five subjects total. And you're not confident about two of them?"
"Actually, it's nothing. Graduating isn't that hard. Generally, just excelling in one subject is enough."
Momo said casually.
The Shin'o Academy's graduation exams indeed weren't difficult. They didn't demand you be an all-around talent, and excelling in one area was sufficient.
Those excellent in Hoho could go to the 2nd Division. Those with medical-type Zanpakuto or skilled in healing Kido could go to the 4th Division. Those outstanding in swordsmanship could go to the 11th Division.
In short, as long as you had a specialty.
Of course, if you had no specialty at all, sorry, but you'd need to retrain.
If you were an all-around talent, you'd receive better treatment and have more options.
Meanwhile, in the 5th Division.
After finishing his official duties, Aizen adjusted his old-fashioned black-framed glasses and murmured to himself, "Today is the Shin'o Academy's graduation exam, isn't it? Those little ones should be graduating..."