Venomous Snake and Ascension to Godhood

So he went to find Renji, who was currently talking with Kira. When Gaoyu walked over, Renji couldn't help but look his way.

"Senior Gaoyu, is there anything else you need to instruct?"

"Ah no, nothing really." Gaoyu thought for a moment, then said, "I think highly of you, especially when it comes to how you treat Rukia. Chasing stars in the sky and all that—isn't that kind of thing interesting?"

"Even though I'm just an ordinary Soul Reaper, I want to do my part in this sort of matter. How about coming to my place tonight?"

"Maybe I can teach you all a thing or two."

Renji exclaimed in surprise, "Huh?! Senior Gaoyu, you want to teach me training?!"

"Not you."

Gaoyu looked at Renji, then turned his gaze to Kira and Hinamori, saying, "The three of you. You're all together, right? Teaching just one of you alone would feel out of place."

"Us?" Hinamori pointed at herself in confusion, a hint of surprise in her voice. "I can come too?"

"Of course. You're the juniors Captain Aizen values," Gaoyu said kindly.

"To be honest, after you graduate, you'll all end up in the Fifth Division anyway. It's only natural for me to give my future subordinates some early guidance."

Kira, Hinamori, and Renji were all a bit puzzled about what Gaoyu could teach them. After all, Gaoyu was just an ordinary Soul Reaper. But since he was a senior, they figured it was worth checking out.

"In that case, we can't thank you enough. I'll bring Kira and Hinamori to your place tonight."

"Then I'll see you tonight."

Gaoyu waved his hand and turned to leave.

Gaoyu's family was a minor noble house, but both his parents had died in battle.

Still, he owned a house in the Seireitei, not far from the Fifth Division Barracks.

After finishing his patrol duties, he still hadn't clocked out, so Gaoyu had to head back to the Fifth Division.

On the way back, he checked his newly acquired 'Strict Teacher, Talented Student'.

This ability, once activated, lasted for three days. During those three days, Gaoyu would become the 'Ultimate Teacher', easily spotting where his students fell short, while the students themselves would gain a mysterious learning boost buff.

With this ability, teaching Renji and the other two would be no problem at all.

The only hassle was that he only had time to teach at night.

Because tomorrow he still had to go on patrol—and not in the Seireitei, but in the Rukongai.

So only the evenings were free for instruction.

Come to think of it, Soul Reapers in the Gotei 13 were basically civil servants, but they didn't get weekends off.

They had leave, sure, but most of it went to seated officers. Ordinary rank-and-file members had to work most of the time. When you thought about it, it was really tough.

Back at the Fifth Division, Gaoyu greeted his teammates and then spotted Gin Ichimaru wandering around outside.

Gin was currently the Vice-Captain of the Fifth Division, but he'd likely be transferring to the Third Division soon.

Not long before Renji and the others graduated, Gin would become Captain of the Third Division, and Byakuya Kuchiki would take over as Captain of the Sixth Division.

Of course, that had nothing to do with Gaoyu. Right now, Gaoyu really wanted to make friends with Gin Ichimaru!

Gin's ability was 'Venomous Snake'!

"Venomous Snake: You can transform into a venomous snake. In human form, your body can secrete a poison that melts cells, and you can also conceal your true strength."

Another attack-type ability, with a transformation and power-hiding feature on top. Gaoyu naturally wanted to get his hands on this ability.

A poison that melts cells—was that referring to the deadly venom Gin released when he used his Bankai? If so, that was incredibly powerful.

Gaoyu remembered that this poison could even dissolve Aizen's body fused with the Hogyoku, and even the Royal Guard's 'The Deathdealing' D would die from it before adapting.

Or did the poison's potency increase with his own Spiritual Power?

Without obtaining the ability first, Gaoyu couldn't get detailed information on it.

He checked—his affinity with Gin Ichimaru was far too low, only in the single digits. He wasn't even close to earning a temporary ability.

Though he really wanted to get on good terms with Gin, making friends with that guy wasn't easy. He'd have to shelve that for now.

Besides, casually approaching people like Gin Ichimaru and Aizen was dangerous. Until he had the means to protect himself, he should minimize contact with them.

So Gaoyu just glanced at Gin as usual and threw himself into his next round of training.

The Fifth Division was a relief squad. In peacetime, they didn't have heavy duties, so when not on patrol, members often spent their time training.

And Gaoyu, coincidentally, really wanted to get stronger. So he trained harder than he ever had before.

A Soul Reaper's training mainly covered the four arts: Zanpaku-tō, Kidō, Hakuda, and Shunpo—swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, Flash Step, and demon arts.

Among these four skills, the one Gaoyu most wanted to improve was Shunpo. In the martial world, speed was the ultimate key.

With speed, everything became easier.

Plus, Shunpo was a high-class ability. Think about it—when someone attacks you, your figure vanishes, and you instantly appear behind them, casually saying, 'Too slow.' Isn't that cool?

Or when an enemy tries to retreat, you suddenly appear in front of them, press a hand against their chest, and say, 'Distance between us means nothing at all'... 'Like this, if I wanted, I could easily pierce your heart.'

Isn't that just awesome?!

The training of Flash Step has three stages: Preparation Stance, Foot Lift, and Flash Step itself. What ordinary Soul Reapers refer to as Flash Step is only the final stage, but the first two stages are equally important.

He did not use the Star Chaser ability, because using it would only result in a situation of "virtue not matching position." He had become a seated officer, but in the end, he was still just an ordinary Soul Reaper.

Perhaps in terms of strength, he could barely qualify as a Tenth Seat, but that would hold no real meaning.

It was better to preserve the Star Chaser ability. As long as Star Chaser remained in his skill slot, he could keep storing its "passive"—the ability to break through his own limits.

If Renji's affinity could never reach eighty, then at least Star Chaser's limit-breaking effect would continue to work on him.

By the time afternoon arrived and the sky began to dim, Gaoyu had already met all the seated officers in the division and seen their abilities. But most importantly...

He had seen the Fifth Division's Captain, Sosuke Aizen!

And the name of his ability was also very simple—

"Ascension to Godhood."