Seeing the students' ashamed expressions, Ounabara nodded with satisfaction.
Class 1 was a special advancement class. Students who entered here had good talent, but precisely because of that, each one was somewhat proud and complacent. Using Toshiro to knock them down a peg and prevent excessive arrogance was a good thing.
Ounabara continued, "Moreover, after Hitsugaya Toshiro entered Shin'o Academy, he skipped grades to the sixth year in less than three months. Later, leading first-year students on field training in the Living World, he, with Lieutenant-level strength, slew a Captain-level Menos Grande that attacked the students, saving them all."
"Wha-?!"
The students were shocked again. A Captain-level Hollow! In Soul Society, probably only Gotei 13's Captains could deal with that, let alone someone at Lieutenant-level.
Seeing their shocked faces, Ounabara couldn't help but show a satisfied expression. He had been utterly shocked back then too.
"Not long after that, Hitsugaya Toshiro fought the 11th Division's Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi. Guess who won?" Ounabara asked all the students.
"It should be Captain Kenpachi, right? Although Hitsugaya Toshiro defeated a Captain-level Menos Grande, Captain Kenpachi is [Kenpachi]! Throughout history, [Kenpachi] has been called the strongest Captain of the Gotei 13," A well-informed student said.
Though Ounabara's expression suggested things weren't as simple as he thought, the student couldn't help but say it.
After all, if someone at Lieutenant-level could defeat a Captain-level Menos Grande, that was already exaggerated. In ordinary people's eyes, [Kenpachi] meant the strongest Captain aside from the Captain-Commander, so if even the 'strongest' Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi, lost, then Toshiro Hitsugaya would be monstrous beyond belief.
"Too bad. You guessed wrong. It's said that although Hitsugaya Toshiro fought very hard in that battle, he ultimately won," Ounabara said.
All the students couldn't help but open their mouths wide, wearing dumbfounded expressions.
As if feeling the students weren't shocked enough, Ounabara continued, "After fighting Captain Kenpachi, Hitsugaya Toshiro began Bankai Training. He mastered Bankai in less than a day, setting a new record in Soul Society. Then he dueled Captain Kenpachi again and won easily. Originally, after defeating Captain Kenpachi, according to Gotei 13's rules, Hitsugaya Toshiro could have become the new Captain of the 11th Division, but he refused. Finally, upon graduation, he joined the 10th Division as a third seat."
This time, the students didn't show shock. They were already numb from earlier shocks. Now, even hearing something more outrageous would seem natural.
"There are many more things about Hitsugaya Toshiro. For him, early graduation was simple. If graduation exams weren't held only once a year, perhaps he would have graduated from Shin'o Academy in less than half a year. There are also rumors that 6th Division's Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya was once defeated by Toshiro."
"Although Hitsugaya Toshiro graduated from Shin'o Academy several years ago, legends about him still circulate within the academy. I believe he will be our Shin'o Academy's most outstanding student."
Ounabara stated with certainty.
Although Ounabara only taught Toshiro for less than a month, he still regarded Toshiro as his best student.
"Wait, sensei! Don't say anymore! If you keep going, I'll be so demoralized I won't have the confidence to live!"
A student covered his face.
"I used to think I was a genius. Now I feel like trash," Another student said bitterly.
If Toshiro were only slightly better than these students, they might feel jealous or unconvinced. But Toshiro was so much stronger they couldn't even muster jealous.
Seeing the students sufficiently shocked, Ounabara stopped talking about Toshiro.
Hitting students a bit to prevent complacency was fine. But hitting too hard, causing them to become sluggish, wouldn't be good.
"Alright, no need to feel discouraged. If you study hard, even if you can't compare to Hitsugaya Toshiro, your future achievements won't be low. Now, let's continue class," Ounabara said.
Although Toshiro himself was unaware, within Shin'o Academy, the name Hitsugaya Toshiro had become a legend.
Whenever teachers educated students, they used Toshiro as a comparison. Toshiro had become 'that kid from another family'.
Thanks to this, although Toshiro graduated, few in Shin'o Academy didn't know of him.
It had a feeling of 'I'm not in the arena, but the arena circulates legends of me'.
…
10th Division.
After finishing patrol with Momo and several other members, Toshiro returned to the 10th Division, completely unaware that Ounabara and this year's freshmen were discussing him.
But even if he knew, Toshiro wouldn't care.
"Hitsugaya-sama, you're back."
"Hitsugaya-sama, hello."
Walking through the 10th Division, members greeted Toshiro one after another.
"Mm, hello," Toshiro nodded in response to each.
After sending the members who patrolled with him back, Toshiro and Momo headed towards the Captain's office.
Toshiro pushed the door open and walked in with Momo.
"Not here again, huh?"
Looking at the empty Captain's office, Toshiro couldn't help but sigh.
"I wonder where Captain and Rangiku ran off to play this time?"
Toshiro unceremoniously plopped onto Isshin's Captain's seat.
Momo obediently poured Toshiro a cup of tea.
Toshiro took a sip, then frowned deeply at the desk before him.
A thick stack of documents sat there. When Toshiro led the patrol out, he had processed some and left the rest for Isshin.
But now Toshiro found the mountain of paperwork not only hadn't decreased but had actually increased.
Just then, a member walked in carrying another stack of files. Seeing Toshiro sitting in the Captain's seat, he showed no surprise.
"Where did the Captain and Lieutenant go?" Toshiro asked the member.
"Oh, the Captain and Lieutenant? They went to attend a Captains' Meeting," the member said, putting down the files.
"Captains' Meeting?" Toshiro said, somewhat surprised.
He thought they had just gone somewhere to slack off again.
"A Captains' Meeting? Wonder what happened this time?" Toshiro murmured.
Aside from Division's Captains reporting routine work to the Captain-Commander, Captains' Meetings were only held when major events occurred.
But report times were fixed. Today wasn't the scheduled reporting time. So something must have happened.