Chapter 135: Pushback
Isshin's teasing words had barely landed when Rangiku's body reacted faster than her mind, instinctively stepping back.
Her physical response expressed complete rejection of training.
This kind of instinctive reaction revealed someone's true nature best.
Her reaction was too fast, too decisive.
Like she'd seen something unspeakable...
Isshin spoke up, half-joking, half-helpless, tapping the desk.
"You, girl."
"You've got talent. Good foundation too."
"When you joined, your record was the best of that whole batch."
"But look at you now—where has your mind gone?"
"Whenever you have free time, it's shopping, drinking, or those beauty magazines and romance guides!"
He shook his head.
As Tenth Division lieutenant, Rangiku was someone he'd personally trained and promoted. He'd invested considerable effort, and they shared deep bonds.
But once she'd reached this position, she'd seemed to lose all drive, getting absorbed in other things instead.
If someone lacked internal motivation, there was only so much a captain could do.
Training was deeply personal, after all.
Usually, he could only do this—seize small opportunities to half-joke, half-seriously prod her a bit.
But external pressure could never replace internal drive.
He glanced toward Suoh, who looked thrilled after receiving the secret technique, and at Hitsugaya, who'd immediately dove back into paperwork after organizing the medicine bottles.
These two had joined less than a year ago, yet both carried this constant drive to grow.
And their strength improved so fast even he as captain couldn't ignore it.
He also knew Rangiku had recently joined their training group.
So he'd had an idea—use these two as mirrors to reignite her buried drive.
He continued his verbal output.
Gesturing toward the other two in the room, his voice carried more emotion.
"Look at Tsukasa and Hitsugaya—how much later did they join than you? And how incredibly fast is their progress?"
"I'm not saying you need to be as serious about training and work as them, but... you're living way too comfortably!"
He pointed at her desk covered with personal items, various cosmetics and magazines.
Her desk situation had improved from before, but compared to Hitsugaya's clean, orderly workspace next door, it looked chaotic.
At that moment, Rangiku, who'd been quietly listening, felt embarrassed. She glanced instinctively at Suoh beside her.
He looked back. Their gazes met.
Suoh's expression remained calm, returning an ordinary smile.
His eyes held peace, none of the contempt or mockery she'd imagined.
Somehow that gave her courage.
Rangiku suddenly raised her voice, hands on hips, that earlier discomfort replaced by fierce defiance.
"Talk! Talk! Talk! Have you said enough?!"
"Before, with Tsukasa here, I gave you face, Captain!"
"But today I can't take it anymore! What's wrong with being lieutenant? What's wrong with reading magazines?!"
"I worked hard before, okay? What's wrong with taking it easy now?"
"I don't slack on actual work!"
Her words came rapid-fire, golden hair swaying with her agitation.
"You want me to work hard? Fine! Let's all work hard together! I'll become captain, you become Captain-Commander!"
"That hard enough for you?!"
She stared at Isshin, speaking each word emphatically.
Clearly, words couldn't fully vent her current agitation.
She got angrier the more she talked.
So she took action.
BANG BANG—
Several solid punches landed on Isshin.
"Ow! Stop! That hurts!"
Caught off-guard, Isshin winced, quickly raising his hands to block, dodging while begging for mercy.
"I got carried away! Sorry!"
He covered an eye that got accidentally grazed, expression exaggeratedly contorted.
His large frame looked rather pathetic now. That elder's lecturing momentum completely gone.
Letting it all out felt satisfying.
But the backlash came quick too.
Rangiku angrily landed two more punches on his arm, still fuming.
Seeing this, Isshin regretted it a bit. He'd definitely gone too far.
After several awkward seconds.
Suoh decided he needed to play peacemaker, give them both an out.
Having accepted favors, he owed them.
Priority now was resolving this small conflict.
Seeing Rangiku had vented enough, Suoh smiled brightly.
"Isshin-ojisan, maybe Rangiku just hasn't found her reason to push forward yet."
"Actually, she has made some progress recently. It's just not as obvious."
"Wanting to live more comfortably isn't bad. Being happy is most important."
"Besides, you still have me, Hitsugaya, and yourself."
He spoke naturally.
Truth was, he and Rangiku were the same type of person.
Both understood and habitually lived as comfortably and interestingly as possible within their abilities—pleasure-seekers.
Comfort had always been humanity's most primitive desire.
Their driving forces just differed slightly.
If future enemies weren't so powerful, with lieutenant-level strength, he could coast too.
Seireitei seemed vast with countless Shinigami.
But those who truly reached lieutenant or captain level all required talent, effort, and opportunity—none could be missing.
For her age and strength, Rangiku had already achieved something remarkable in Seireitei.
Especially considering she'd been robbed of the Spirit King fingertip fragment mixed in her soul during Aizen's Hogyoku experiments.
Though she hadn't lost spiritual power potential, it had definitely affected her somewhat.
Based on Suoh's current understanding, her soul showed no rumored deficiencies.
What she'd lost was likely the Fullbringer-like power the Spirit King remnant provided.
But who could really say how this unknown loss affected her growth ceiling?
This was the Shinigami world, after all. The more mixed a soul's power essence, the closer to accessing primal power.
Suoh turned, continuing.
"Also, Rangiku, don't be angry. I support your thinking."
"It's just—you're the lieutenant Isshin-ojisan values. He hopes you can go higher and farther."
"As captain, he has his own concerns. If Hitsugaya's strength surpasses yours too much someday, the seat relationship between you gets awkward."
"Squad members might not say anything outwardly, but over time, there'll inevitably be talk. Some unfavorable rumors about you might spread."
With Hitsugaya's current talent and strength, by year's end he could challenge for lieutenant position.
And Hitsugaya would never do that, even decades from now. But others might not think so.
Why does Third Seat have to rank under Lieutenant when he's so strong?
There must be something between Lieutenant and Captain!
"Tsukasa, your mouth... you're better at talking than me... and bolder."
"Rangiku, that's how it is. You have your path. I won't lecture you anymore."
Isshin hadn't expected his deepest concern to be laid bare. He sighed emotionally.
Some gossip had reached his ears before. He'd just suppressed it.
But as captain, he couldn't say these things directly without seeming to play favorites.
He didn't want Rangiku humiliated in the future, nor did he want Tenth Division developing internal rifts over this.
This needed someone suitable from outside to point it out. Suoh was exactly that person.