Shūhei's Black Sun

As he passed a small tavern, Gaoyu stopped.

He had suddenly spotted a Soul Ability.

Great Replenishing Pill!

Wasn't that Rangiku's ability?

Gaoyu thought of what he had said to Rangiku earlier. They had agreed to get a drink together when they had time, but he hadn't expected to run into her so soon.

He walked over and saw that Rangiku was indeed drinking inside. And besides her, Shūhei, whom he had been looking for, was there too.

He took a look at Shūhei's Soul Ability and his eyes widened.

Black Sun: Stores Spiritual Power under normal circumstances, then releases it as a black sun to attack when necessary.

This ability... was pretty interesting.

Did this ability have something to do with the Bankai Shūhei would develop in the future?

Shūhei's Bankai was Wind Death Binding Rope. Its ability connected him to his opponent, tying their states together. If one of them was injured, it would absorb the other's power to heal them—a lethal move that brought both sides down together.

The ability manifested as chains binding him and his enemy together, with a black sun forming overhead.

The black sun absorbed both sides' Spiritual Power through the chains, allowing them to "share their lives."

Of course, Gaoyu couldn't directly obtain someone else's Bankai ability. Soul Abilities and Bankai were very different.

Soul Ability: Black Sun was a purely offensive skill. According to its description, he could pour Spiritual Power into it and store it there as he went about his daily life, then release the black sun when he needed it.

That way, the Black Sun would release all the Spiritual Power he had accumulated in an instant, turning it into a black sun that attacked his enemies.

This ability...

Was great too!

He could get another offensive skill!

Gaoyu had now obtained a one-time-use Black Sun, since Hizaki Shūhei's affection for him was also above sixty.

After obtaining the Black Sun ability, Gaoyu cheerfully greeted Rangiku and Shūhei.

"Miss Rangiku, Shūhei, what a coincidence. Are you two having drinks here too?"

Rangiku and Shūhei looked over from their drinks. Rangiku's eyes lit up.

"Gaoyu! Come on over. Didn't you say you were busy these past few days?"

Gaoyu walked over casually and took a seat.

"I've been busy because I have patrol duty, but I still come back at night. I was going to sleep, but I just couldn't, so I thought I'd come out for a drink."

Shūhei looked surprised by their conversation and asked, "Gaoyu, do you know Miss Rangiku?"

Matsumoto Rangiku immediately tapped him on the head.

"What, are you the only one allowed to know Gaoyu? Oh, right—how do you know each other?"

Shūhei winced in pain, while Gaoyu replied, "Shūhei and I go way back. We graduated in the same class."

"Huh? You were both in the 2061 class? You're both younger than me." Rangiku looked surprised.

"It'd be strange if we were older than you!" Shūhei said, eyes wide. "How could you possibly think Gaoyu was older than you?"

"Gaoyu looks a lot more dependable than you."

"That hurts, you know."

Shūhei looked at Gaoyu and continued, "I remember you're in... the Fifth Division now, right?"

"Yeah." Gaoyu sounded a little wistful. "I'm still just a low-ranking grunt in the Fifth Division. Nothing like you, a seated officer in the Ninth Division."

"That doesn't matter. With your ability, you'll make seated officer sooner or later."

There was nothing wrong with that. Gaoyu couldn't compare with the most talented people, but he had a good chance of becoming a seated officer.

"Let's talk about that another time." Gaoyu filled his glass from the bottle and downed it in one go.

"Ah, that hits the spot."

Gaoyu had a pretty good tolerance. The liquor was strong, but it barely affected him.

"By the way... Gaoyu, are you taking that kid to Shino Academy tomorrow?" Rangiku snatched the bottle from him, poured herself a drink, and asked.

"Yeah. He didn't agree right away, but I'm sure he'll be waiting for me at the White Road Gate tomorrow like a good boy."

"Hehe." Rangiku rubbed her chin with a mischievous look. "What do you think would happen if I went and took him away first? I think he'd be a great fit for our division."

"Come on, don't steal my credit," Gaoyu said. "Even if he's going to the Tenth Division, he should spend some time in our Fifth Division first!"

"Hm?" Shūhei, who had no idea what they were talking about, asked, "Are you two discussing something I don't know about?"

"Gaoyu found an incredible genius, but he wants to keep him all to himself!" Rangiku immediately accused him.

"Shūhei, get Gaoyu drunk today, and tomorrow I'll take that kid to the Seireitei. He can spend some time in your Ninth Division, then the rest in our Tenth!"

"Hey, hey, don't drag me into this." Shūhei hurriedly waved his hands.

"Besides, I've met plenty of geniuses."

Gaoyu smiled faintly at that. Tōshirō wasn't an ordinary genius, but of course, he didn't say so.

He had planned to catch up with Shūhei and then leave, but since Shūhei and Rangiku happened to be drinking together, Gaoyu decided to join them.

Rangiku was a seasoned drinker and a master at ducking the bill. Once they had drunk their fill, she claimed she needed the bathroom and then vanished in a flash.

When Rangiku was late coming back, Shūhei knew she must have run off. He fumed, "Damn it, Miss Rangiku did it again!"

Gaoyu's mouth twitched too. Rangiku was the Vice-Captain of the Tenth Division, and her salary was higher than his and Shūhei's combined. And she had still skipped out on the bill?!

Gaoyu made a little under two hundred thousand a month. It was enough to support himself, but not a family.

Fortunately, he was the only one in his household. His family had also been a minor noble house with some savings, so he wasn't exactly short of money.

As Vice-Captain, Rangiku earned seven hundred thousand a month. Where did all that money go?

Had she spent every last bit of it on alcohol? How much could she possibly drink?

Well, a woman would buy clothes too. Prices in the Seireitei were pretty high. If she bought pretty clothes and drank every day, seven hundred thousand a month might not even be enough.

"Never mind."

Gaoyu stood up and said, "I only dropped in on your drinking session at the last minute anyway. This one's on me."

Shūhei's eyes widened, and he said with a moved expression, "Gaoyu... you really are the best!"

Shūhei hadn't been in the Gotei 13 for long. He was already a seated officer, but he still had plenty of expenses every month.

He was a guitar and motorcycle enthusiast, after all, and most of his paycheck was gone as soon as he got it.