"Kensei Kenzuru, for now, I will not pursue your attempt to deceive me." Yamamoto, with his back to Kensei, looked out the window. "But I want you to tell me the full truth. As long as what you are doing does not harm the Soul Society... I..."
Yamamoto's voice paused, carrying a sigh that bordered on compromise.
"...I will feign ignorance."
This was the greatest concession Yamamoto could make. Though Kensei was usually irresponsible, lazy, disrespectful to his elders, and not the sharpest tool in the shed... he was a good student.
If he truly wanted to destroy the Soul Society, why would he have risked crippling his own hands to eliminate Kishita and Shirakura?
Kensei, kneeling on the floor, clenched his hands. This stubborn old man, who valued rules above all, was willing to make an exception for him. To say he wasn't touched would be a lie. The old man had always treated him well and taught him everything without holding back.
"Alright... Meizen was killed by me and Yoruichi."
Kensei scratched his head and told Yamamoto the truth. Kensei's philosophy was to treat others as they treated him. He hardly ever lied to those he considered close.
"Impossible. With just you and Yoruichi, you wouldn't have escaped without a scratch."
"Alright, fine. That mysterious person from the earlier report was there too."
A millennium-old Soul Reaper is different, Kensei thought. He can easily pick out the hidden information in my words.
"Where is Meizen's body?"
"Taken by that mysterious person."
Yamamoto frowned slightly. Ukitake's report had said this mysterious figure only targeted rebel forces. Why would they go after Meizen?
"Do you know this mysterious person?"
"Well... you could say that."
That explained it. Since Meizen had absorbed the spiritual pressure of many Soul Reapers, he might have harmed this mysterious person's interests. It was likely that Kensei and Yoruichi came across the two fighting and helped their acquaintance finish off Meizen.
Yamamoto felt he had discerned the truth, but it also made him weary. This disciple is hard to manage…
"Keep an eye on that mysterious person. Ensure they don't do anything excessive."
Yamamoto uttered these words calmly, retracting the immense pressure he had been radiating, reverting to an ordinary old man.
"Teacher, you're not going to ask anything else?"
Kensei had been wondering how to explain further, but Yamamoto had simply stopped asking.
"Hmph." Yamamoto snorted coldly, picking up his brush to write on the paper again. "Didn't you say I was a poor judge of character? Then let me see if your friend also harbors ill intent. If he does, don't blame me for being ruthless when the time comes."
"Don't worry, Old Man Yama. I can't vouch for much, but in judging people, I'm definitely better than you."
Kensei patted his chest in guarantee. He'd seen the anime, making him practically half-omniscient. How could he be worse than the old man?
"Mm. My shoulders are stiff."
Understanding the hint, Kensei immediately stepped behind Yamamoto and began kneading his shoulders with just the right amount of pressure.
"Aren't you afraid I'm lying to you, teacher?"
"If you had the brains for that, I wouldn't have seen through you today."
Yamamoto continued writing without looking up, making Kensei feel the old man was looking down on his excellent intellect.
"Aren't you going to ask what we're working on?"
Kensei was just contrary. When Yamamoto asked, he wanted him to shut up. Now that Yamamoto had stopped asking, he desperately wanted him to continue.
"However excessive the things you're researching may be, can they withstand a single stroke of my blade?"
Yamamoto possessed absolute confidence in himself. The title of the strongest Soul Reaper in a millennium wasn't for show; it was earned through real battles fought long ago.
"However, if you want me to turn a blind eye, you must agree to a few conditions."
"My good teacher, why talk about conditions with your own student! Just name them, I absolutely won't refuse!"
Kensei's hands grew even more diligent, and his face was plastered with a smile.
"First, you previously said the Captains I selected were lacking. Since that's the case, I give you two weeks to find candidates to fill the three currently vacant Captain positions. We will hold a unified Captain proficiency test for them."
"Second, I require you to train diligently during this period. Either achieve your Zanpakutō's release or develop a new technique that satisfies me. Fail this, and my agreement to turn a blind eye is void."
"Third, your application for early graduation has been approved. I've decided you will undergo your test on the same day as the Captain exams, to save me further trouble."
"Fourth, as you know, I have few hobbies—only calligraphy and tasting tea. I heard Captain Unohana recently discovered a new floral tea. I've given up on those two disgraceful disciples, Kyōraku and Ukitake. I wonder if the disciple who claims to be the most filial every day can satisfy this old man."
After hearing Old Man Yama's conditions, Kensei's hands stopped moving. He wished he could go back one minute and slap his past self who had said "absolutely won't refuse."
Incredible. Old Man Yama is treating me like a pack mule! A moment ago, he thought Yamamoto was a good teacher who wouldn't make unreasonable demands. Now? Pah! Just a stinky old man, no wonder he loses an arm later.
"If you cannot accomplish these..."
"Leave it to me! I guarantee I'll complete them splendidly! If I fail, I'll fall on my sword and return to the heavens!"
Kensei suddenly straightened his back, wearing an expression of heroic determination. The first three weren't that hard for him. But having to go find Sister Unohana... Sōsuke, I'm making a huge sacrifice for you!
"Nonsense! Don't use your life as a guarantee!" Yamamoto glared at Kensei in annoyance, waving his hand as if shooing away a fly. "Enough, get out of here. Just seeing you annoys me."
Without turning to look at Kensei's crestfallen departure, Yamamoto gazed with satisfaction at the newly written character "磨" polish on the paper.
Heh. Young people still need more tempering... Kensei Kenzuru, I hope you can give me a satisfactory answer.
"Chōjirō."
Yamamoto called out softly. The familiar, Western-suited figure of Chōjirō Sasakibe emerged from the shadows, kneeling on one knee to await his orders.
"Go to this location in the Rukongai and clean up the scene. Best not to leave any loose ends from the youngsters' actions."
"As you command." Chōjirō bowed his head. "However, what explanation shall we give publicly?"
"Inform the other Captains that the 'mysterious person' was actually Captain Meizen of the 7th Division in disguise. After harming his comrades and absorbing their spiritual pressure for his own use, his crimes were exposed, and he used a special method to flee to Hueco Mundo." After a moment's thought, Yamamoto added, "Also, notify all Captains that the new Captain proficiency tests will commence in two weeks. This time, all Captains, barring special circumstances, are required to attend in person."
Chōjirō understood perfectly. Having all Captains attend the tests was surely the Captain-Commander's way of showing off his student's abilities before them.
After Chōjirō left to carry out the orders, Yamamoto's fingertips brushed over the character he had just written.
Youth is a good thing. Kyōraku and Ukitake were like this, and so was Kensei—all making their own plans behind his back.
But it was precisely such ambitious young people who could inject new vitality into the Soul Society. As for the major troubles they stirred up... he would just have to cover for them for now.
Being a teacher is a fate of endless toil...
***
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