Promoted to Seated Officer

"Well..."

Gaoyu gave a mysterious smile and said softly, "Maybe I'm just talented in this area."

"Once I'm tired of serving in the division, I might become a teacher at the Spiritual Arts Academy."

Tōshirō gave Gaoyu a long look. He felt that Gaoyu wasn't telling the truth—and didn't even seem to be trying to.

There was something about Gaoyu that made him seem unfathomably deep. Tōshirō hadn't met many Soul Reapers—in fact, he could say he'd met very few—but Gaoyu still gave him a very unusual impression.

Still, no matter what, Gaoyu had guided him into becoming a Soul Reaper. He believed Gaoyu wasn't a bad person.

Maybe he just didn't want to stand out too much.

Tōshirō hadn't come here today to receive Gaoyu's instruction. He'd only wanted to thank him. But during their "evening study session," he'd been astonished to discover that Gaoyu's teaching had helped him make tremendous progress!

There were plenty of things he could learn as soon as Gaoyu taught them to him.

It was...

Terrifying.

This only strengthened his earlier suspicion: Gaoyu definitely wasn't just an ordinary Soul Reaper, as he seemed!

The other three hadn't thought that deeply about it. They simply focused on their training.

Gaoyu's favorability with them was also steadily increasing. He felt that if he spent a little more time with Renji, he'd be able to permanently obtain Renji's Star Chaser.

But after today, he wouldn't be able to teach the others through these private lessons anymore.

His Strict Teacher, Talented Student state was about to disappear. Without that ability, he had no way to teach anyone else.

That evening, Gaoyu saw the four of them off.

He wouldn't have to patrol Rukongai tomorrow, and he'd have some free time over the next while. He could focus on training in the division.

Oh, right. He should also get on good terms with Toru Tanimoto.

Toru Tanimoto's Destruction Death Ray was quite powerful. Gaoyu had used it earlier to destroy Metastacia's brain in an instant. It was an extremely offensive technique.

It was far more powerful than a Hollow's Cero.

And the more spiritual pressure he put into it, the more powerful Destruction Death Ray became. He really liked attacks that could grow stronger along with him.

The next day, he went to the Fifth Division Barracks early.

He couldn't wait to start training.

The Kirin Child ability lasted for three days each time he activated it. Then it needed a day to cool down before he could use it again.

A little inconvenient, but no matter. He could treat the day off as a rest day.

Aside from Zanpaku-tō, Kidō, Hakuda, and Shunpo, what he most urgently wanted to improve was his spiritual pressure. With Toshiro Hitsugaya's talent boosting him, he felt that he could absorb spiritual particles from the environment at an incredible speed.

He'd only been in this world for three days, but he felt he'd already reached seated-officer level.

Based on his current abilities, excluding his Soul Ability, he was probably around the eighth or ninth seat.

"Gaoyu, you're quite diligent."

As he was training, he suddenly heard Aizen's voice.

He hurriedly turned around and saw Aizen approaching with a kind smile, his glasses perched on his nose.

"Captain Aizen!"

Gaoyu bowed respectfully, then said, "I can't help it. The early bird catches the worm. I'm not very talented as a Soul Reaper, so I have to work harder than everyone else."

"Good. If every Soul Reaper in the Gotei 13 had the same determination as you, Seireitei would be invincible."

"I'm not worthy of such praise," Gaoyu said modestly. "I only want to restore my family's former glory. I don't have any lofty ambitions."

Aizen studied Gaoyu thoughtfully, then suddenly asked, "Would you be interested in becoming a seated officer?"

"Huh?" Gaoyu froze.

"A seated officer? But... the division..."

"Minamida was attacked by a Hollow yesterday." Aizen sighed sadly. "His position is now vacant."

Minamida, the Fifth Division's ninth seat, had been attacked by a Hollow?!

Why did Gaoyu get the feeling that Aizen himself had caused it?

Hey, hey, hey. Do you realize that one fewer seated officer means one fewer ability for me to get?

Oh, you don't? Never mind, then.

Although all sorts of thoughts raced through his mind, Gaoyu still put on a delighted expression and said, "Then I'm deeply grateful, Captain Aizen!"

"But with my current strength, am I really qualified to take the ninth seat?"

"That's all right," Aizen said gently. "I'm sure you'll work hard to become a worthy seated officer."

"I'll work twice as hard!" Gaoyu quickly declared.

Some of the Soul Reapers nearby looked at Gaoyu enviously. See? This was the benefit of making yourself stand out in front of your superiors.

Captain Aizen had arrived to find a Soul Reaper training hard. Then, just as it happened, a seated-officer position had opened up. Who else would he promote?

After Aizen left, some Soul Reapers came over, looking envious.

"Congratulations, Gaoyu! From now on, you'll be our ninth-seat officer!"

Gaoyu didn't think much of these little nobodies who had no Soul Abilities. Still, there was no telling whether they might grow strong enough to develop Soul Abilities one day.

So Gaoyu had set himself a life goal: "Make lots of friends and avoid making enemies!"

No matter who someone was, he'd befriend them. The more friends, the better!

Gaoyu said, "I still have to thank Captain Aizen for promoting me. How about I treat everyone to drinks tonight?"

"Ohhh!" The crowd erupted with excitement. After all, getting a free meal and drinks was a real benefit.

Some of the newly arrived seated officers had seen everyone in the division celebrating and wondered what had happened. When they asked around, they learned that Gaoyu had become the Fifth Division's ninth seat and was treating everyone to a meal. They were happy, too.

Before he'd transmigrated, Gaoyu's original self had been a kindhearted, easygoing man who'd gotten along well with everyone in the division.

Now that Gaoyu had become a seated officer, most people felt envious or pleased for him. Very few were jealous.

What was more, Gaoyu had said he'd treat everyone in the division to drinks.

That was no small expense!

The Gotei 13 had around six thousand members in total, so each division had an average of four or five hundred people. Even if some couldn't make it because they were busy or away on missions, at least a hundred people would show up.

Treating a hundred people to food and drinks was a huge expense. Unless Gaoyu's family had once been a fairly well-off lower-ranking noble family, even a high-ranking seated officer couldn't afford to foot such a large bill.

But if he could get on good terms with everyone, then spending a little money...

For Gaoyu, it was the best bargain imaginable.

Even now, he could already see many people's favorability toward him rising rapidly.