Chapter 4: Rangiku's Test
Squad Ten Barracks.
"Captain, you're slacking off again."
As Matsumoto Rangiku entered the Captain's office, she was greeted by the scent of alcohol lingering in the air. The desk was haphazardly piled with documents, a few plates of snacks, and a liquor bottle.
Squad Ten Captain Shiba Isshin, the current Squad Ten Captain, was sound asleep on the floor beneath the desk.
Feeling helpless, Vice-Captain Matsumoto stepped forward and stomped on his face, which at the moment looked particularly annoying.
"Hmm?"
Shiba Isshin groggily opened his eyes to see the angry face of his beautiful Vice-Captain.
"Rangiku."
"Captain, have you finished yesterday's work?"
Shiba Isshin scratched his head and sat up: "Work, what was it again?"
"Captain!"
Shiba Isshin got up sheepishly, apologizing while saying he would handle it right away.
Matsumoto Rangiku sighed heavily and began to clean up the mess on the desk.
She suddenly noticed some documents on the desk that she hadn't seen before. She picked them up and examined them carefully: "What is this... Student Council?"
Shiba Isshin suddenly stood up and snatched the documents directly from her hand.
"Nothing."
Matsumoto Rangiku looked suspicious: "Captain, is there anything in the Squad that I, your Vice-Captain, shouldn't know?"
Shiba Isshin chuckled: "I said it's nothing, just some unimportant trivial matters."
Matsumoto Rangiku helplessly crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her ample bosom, "Anyway, hurry up and deal with your work."
Shiba Isshin did not put the documents in the drawer but tucked them directly into his embrace.
He suddenly thought of something and asked Matsumoto Rangiku: "What was the name of that Spiritual Arts Academy student you mentioned earlier, the one you wanted to recruit into our Squad?"
"Tachikawa Shin, Captain, can you please pay more attention to Squad matters? If all the talented people are snatched up by other Squads, there'll be no one left to share the Squad duties with you. Do you intend to work me to death?"
"Tachikawa Shin..." Shiba Isshin mumbled the name.
Seeing his sudden interest, Matsumoto Rangiku began to explain Tachikawa Shin's basic information to him.
"He comes from Zaraki District, Rukongai's 80th district. I met him during a mission once and found his spiritual pressure to be quite high among ordinary people, so I recommended him to enter the Spiritual Arts Academy to become a Shinigami."
"Zaraki District, huh." Shiba Isshin clicked his tongue, knowing full well what kind of place that was.
Rukongai is divided into 80 districts by number, surrounding Seireitei. However, the conditions of each district vary. District 1 is closest to Seireitei, with ideal public order, living environment, and abundant food. District 80, on the other hand, is the furthest from Seireitei; it's barren, plagued by famine, and even mutual killing for survival is common.
"What kind of person is he?" Shiba Isshin asked again.
Matsumoto Rangiku pondered for a moment and said: "A genius. He's currently a fourth-year student at the Spiritual Arts Academy. He scored full marks in all four subjects: swordplay, hand-to-hand combat, Shunpo, and Kido. Especially in swordplay, he defeated his swordplay teacher in his third year. But this guy is also a slippery one; I invited him to join our Tenth Division after graduation and even promised him the Twenty-Third Seat, but he refused."
"He's a guy even you can't handle?" Shiba Isshin was incredibly surprised. He glanced at his Vice-Captain's outstanding features, secretly wondering if this guy named Tachikawa Shin was a normal man...
Matsumoto Rangiku sensed what he was implying, and a vein throbbed on her forehead.
"Twenty-Third Seat..." Shiba Isshin only then remembered that his Squad's Twenty-Third Seat had just retired due to illness not long ago.
"Isn't that a bit low? You said he's a genius, Rangiku. Think about those geniuses from the past; their later achievements were extraordinary. At the very least, he should be given an Upper Seat officer position."
The so-called Upper Seat officers refer to those from the Third Seat to the Tenth Seat, who are elite Shinigami already able to access core Squad duties.
Matsumoto Rangiku was surprised by Shiba Isshin's emphasis on Tachikawa Shin and said: "But we don't have any vacancies within the top ten seats, and I've seen his file at the Spiritual Arts Academy; he doesn't even have his Zanpakuto yet."
Shiba Isshin waved his hand, unconcerned: "There's only so much taught in school. The vast majority of Shinigami only obtain their Zanpakuto after joining a Squad. Besides, didn't you say he's a slippery one? How can you be sure you know all his true capabilities?"
Matsumoto Rangiku also hesitated. After all, this kind of matter was up to the Captain.
"Then... which Seat?"
Shiba Isshin smiled: "You can go talk to him again and see what he wants. Isn't the Spiritual Arts Academy on holiday now? He should be quite free."
#
After the final exams, ungraduated Spiritual Arts Academy students have a relatively long holiday. However, considering that some students come from Rukongai, the school still provides food and lodging, and students can choose to stay or not.
During the holiday period, many classrooms and training grounds at the Spiritual Arts Academy are vacant and can be used by students. However, usage requires registration, and any damaged facilities during this time will be recorded and repaid slowly after the students graduate and become Shinigami.
Inside the empty Swordplay Classroom, there was currently a series of metallic clashes. Two figures moved swiftly, dodging and weaving, engaging in a fierce battle.
Though described as a fierce battle, a closer observation would reveal that one party was training the other.
"Too slow, too slow, Shūhei, do you know your entire body is full of openings?"
"With this little strength, you still have the nerve to say it's because of me that you didn't graduate early? Don't expect me to be grateful."
Hisagi Shuuhei, who was being mocked, gritted his teeth, tightly gripping the Asauchi in his hands, desperately trying to reach the figure in front of him.
But the opponent could always anticipate his next move, or rather, the difference in their reaction speeds allowed Shūhei's every strike to be easily parried by the opponent.
Another attack missed. Seeing his opponent's figure dart to his side, Hisagi Shuuhei, somewhat exhausted, swung horizontally at him.
Shin raised an eyebrow slightly. He didn't evade or parry this strike, but simply held his sword vertically.
Clang!
With a crisp metallic clang, Shūhei's Asauchi was directly vibrated out of his hand and flew away, his tiger's mouth trembling with intense pain.
He looked at the Asauchi lying on the wooden floor, dazed for a few seconds, then suddenly collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
Shin put away his Asauchi, slowly walked to the side, picked up a water bottle, and threw it over.
After a long drink, Hisagi Shuuhei's breathing finally calmed down a bit. He looked at Shin, who was standing there nonchalantly twirling his sword, and panted: "I truly regret it; I shouldn't have stayed at school for the holiday."
Shin glanced over, smiling: "You're the one who asked me to train with you. Can't you handle just this much Strike?"
Hisagi Shuuhei didn't know how to respond to that. He lay on his back on the floor. Losing to Shin, in his opinion, wasn't embarrassing at all; he had never once beaten Shin.
But what truly frustrated him was that no matter how hard he tried, he seemed unable to catch up. Forget about catching up, he still didn't know Shin's true level.
"Shin, just how strong are you?"
Shin replied: "It's no fun to just say it. You should discover it slowly yourself, Shūhei. If one day in the future you make me use my full strength, I'll be very happy and will give you my heartfelt praise."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a slow, rhythmic "clap, clap, clap" echoed through the quiet classroom.
"That was a really cool thing to say."
The classroom door had been pushed open at some point, and a figure was now leaning against the doorframe, half-turned, looking in. The sunlight streaming in from outside happened to fall on her shoulder, her golden hair shimmering like silk. Her graceful figure was like a work of art meticulously sculpted by a master, revealing both feminine softness and strength. Her deep V-neckline exposed her ample health and confidence.
Her beautiful face held a half-smile, charming but not seductive.
Miss Matsumoto...
Recognizing who it was, Hisagi Shuuhei shot up from the floor and stood awkwardly upright.
"Vice-Captain Matsumoto!"
When did Miss Matsumoto arrive? Did she see me in such a miserable defeat...?
Many thoughts flashed through Hisagi Shuuhei's mind. Then he suddenly realized something and looked at his good friend beside him.
She's here for this guy again, isn't she!
Matsumoto Rangiku took off her shoes at the door. Her steps were composed. The sleeve of her black soul reaper uniform bore the Tenth Division Vice-Captain's armband, a white silk ribbon was tied around her waist, and a Zanpakuto with a dark red scabbard was slung horizontally across her back.
"Miss Rangiku, what brings you to the Spiritual Arts Academy?"
Shin spoke with a look of surprise. Their last meeting had been a month ago.
He had lived a very peaceful month, normally passing the fourth-year Spiritual Arts Academy final exams. Many things might have happened in places he didn't know about.
"Just browsing, nothing in particular." Matsumoto Rangiku's beautiful eyes rested on Shin, and she suddenly placed a hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist, a bright smile on her face.
"I just saw your sparring, and it's made me a bit eager to try my hand. I wonder if you'd be willing to exchange a few moves with me?"
Hisagi Shuuhei, standing like a statue to the side, suddenly couldn't help but swallow, his gaze darting back and forth between Matsumoto Rangiku and Shin.
He knew Shin was strong. Had this Vice-Captain Matsumoto also discovered this and wanted to test Shin's true level?
Shin laughed: "Miss Rangiku, don't joke. You are the Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division. I'm just a Spiritual Arts Academy student. You can't bully me like this, can you?"
But Matsumoto Rangiku didn't give him a chance to refuse. She directly drew her sword and held it across her body: "It's just a spar, Shin-kun. It's a rare opportunity to fight a Vice-Captain, you know. You should really seize it."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Matsumoto Rangiku had already flown forward, her speed as swift as a ghost. Hisagi Shuuhei hadn't even seen how she moved, but he first heard the "clang" of metal striking metal.
Without time to marvel, he quickly retreated to the edge of the classroom, clearing the space.
Matsumoto Rangiku saw Shin block her swift strike and smiled brightly.
"Not bad."
She lightly leaped back, retreating to a position about three meters from Shin, her beautiful eyes fixed on him.
"Are you ready? I'm coming."
Seeing that refusal was futile, Shin sighed inwardly. He lightly raised the Asauchi in his hand. Matsumoto Rangiku's purpose in coming here was obvious, and it wasn't hard to understand why she suddenly made such a move.
Last time, Shiba Kaien asked him if he was willing to join the Tenth Division as the Third Seat. Squad Ten Captain Shiba Isshin is Shiba Kaien's uncle, and Matsumoto Rangiku is the Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division.
She was here to test his true capabilities.
A Shinigami's ultimate achievement is directly linked to his strength. No matter how extraordinary one's intellect, if one's strength is insufficient, one is destined not to go far.
How Shin's intellect was hard to confirm, but confirming his strength and talent was very simple.
The sword in his hand trembled lightly, and a white flash suddenly cut across his vision. His body remained still, yet this single sword strike perfectly blocked Matsumoto Rangiku's thrust.
Seeing her attack blocked, Matsumoto Rangiku's beautiful eyes narrowed. She thought to herself that this guy's reactions were quite fast.
Her white socks padded on the floor, making an almost inaudible sound as she shifted. The moment she planted her feet, her Zanpakuto swept across with a chilling aura, and where the cold gleam reached, swords clashed again.
Clang!
Blocking a strike in combat was common, but Rangiku always felt an indescribable discomfort.
She was the Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division, a Shinigami for decades. Her spiritual pressure, speed, and physical abilities were all beyond what Shin could match.
Shin's only advantage in front of her was his swordsmanship!
Matsumoto Rangiku, disbelieving, drew her sword again and delivered another heavy chop.
These sword techniques seemed rather unadorned, yet they contained speed and power that completely surpassed Shin's.
Shin didn't block this strike; he just retreated two steps, narrowly dodging it.
Matsumoto Rangiku, however, suddenly stopped in place, choosing not to continue her attack, her beautiful eyes flickering.
Shin's eyes subtly shifted, thinking to himself, did she discover it?
Matsumoto Rangiku suddenly grinned and said, "If you truly have the ability, why don't you directly show it?"
She had indeed noticed something was off. As a Vice-Captain, she had naturally experienced countless battles. Her speed was faster, but Shin was able to react even quicker.
Her sword techniques were completely seen through by Shin.
Shin's expression remained normal, noncommittal: "Miss Rangiku, if you can make me use my full strength, I will give you my heartfelt praise."
Matsumoto Rangiku's eyes deepened slightly.
Arrogant!
She moved again, faster than before, her sword technique even more aggressive, aiming directly for Shin's chest.
She didn't believe he could anticipate her attack this time, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to react in time.
Shin was just a Spiritual Arts Academy student, and for her, a Vice-Captain, to lower herself to spar with him and even use some of her true strength, seemed quite inappropriate upon reflection.
Perhaps it was because she was provoked by Shin just now, or perhaps she remembered her previous multiple attempts to invite him to join the Tenth Division, which were met with rejection.
Fortunately, Matsumoto Rangiku's strike was slightly held back, just in case she truly injured Shin.
"Clang!"
A piercing metallic clang.
The narrow blade in front of her once again blocked her sword, and also blocked her vision, reflecting her cheek and her slightly widened pupils.
The person hidden behind the blade seemed to have a faint curve at the corner of his mouth, his voice unhurried and casually languid.
"I've seen through you, Miss Rangiku."