You're Serious?!

Twenty minutes later, at the 8th Division training grounds. Every member of the 8th Division who wasn't away on a mission had assembled and lined up in neat formation.

Lin Nan stood at the edge of the field, unsure what to do. After making Katori Batsunsai storm off earlier, he'd considered making a run for it. But someone was guarding the barracks entrance, so he couldn't slip out; and the walls were too high to climb.

"Then let's begin." Katori walked over to the edge of the field and stopped beside Lin Nan, announcing in a low voice.

At that moment, she radiated an overwhelming authority. She seemed like a completely different person from the one who'd been with Lin Nan yesterday.

Under her powerful pressure, all the squad members shrank back in fear. The captain was in a bad mood today. It looked like some poor fool was about to have a rough time.

Katori Batsunsai turned to Lin Nan and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "You're up, you little punk."

Lin Nan frowned, sensing trouble. He looked at Katori with an especially clear-eyed, innocent expression. "What exactly are we doing here?"

"Testing your soul strength."

"Testing... how?"

"Fight them, one at a time. We'll see how long you can last. Don't worry, they won't kill you."

What? I haven't even taken off the bandages, and you're throwing me in front of a hundred people to get beaten up? What kind of person does that? This is obviously revenge, isn't it?!

Lin Nan cautiously raised a few objections to the plan.

"Soul Reapers aren't human to begin with. Isn't it normal for them to lack humanity?" Katori shrugged, looking unconcerned. "If you don't want to fight, you can leave right now. But I should remind you, the 11th Division has people waiting outside my door, just hoping you'll come out so their captain can cut you down. The choice is yours."

When she finished, she looked at Lin Nan, her eyes full of smugness. That'll teach you to eavesdrop on my private conversation and deny it. Let's see if you'll behave now.

Lin Nan saw the sly look in Katori's eyes, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't argue with her, either.

This was a blatant threat! She was making me choose between an elite dungeon and a regular dungeon!

He tried to make his eyes look more sincere as he gazed at Katori, then blinked.

A-Lu, you're serious? Are you trying to get me killed?

Katori gave no answer. She only raised her pretty eyebrows in response.

Having made her point, she strolled onto the training ground and spoke, her lips parting slightly. "Today's training objective is to use Hakuda to take down the young man beside me. The only restriction is that you must not kill him. Just subdue him.

"The three fastest will have their results considered in next year's Seated Officer selection."

Seated Officers assisted the captain and lieutenant. They were unquestionably part of the management, and the goal most ordinary Soul Reapers strove for.

At her words, the squad members' eyes lit up with longing.

With no way out, Lin Nan hesitated for a moment, then strode onto the training ground. As he passed Katori, he shot her a fierce glare.

Katori met his gaze with one even more defiant.

The moment Lin Nan stepped onto the stone-paved training ground, several hostile gazes fixed on him from all directions.

"I'm first!"

"I'm second!"

"If you win, you might become a Seated Officer. Don't think you're going to hog the chance for yourself!"

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

Lured by the chance to jump straight to Seated Officer, three Soul Reapers darted onto the training ground at once.

Another squad member, standing closest to Lin Nan and Katori, tried to join them, but a more perceptive comrade hurriedly grabbed him.

The squad member who'd tried to join in looked confused. His comrade quickly leaned close to his ear and whispered:

"Are you blind? Didn't you see the captain and that kid exchanging looks? This training isn't testing us. It's testing him!"

The first man understood at once, took a quick step back, and obediently went to watch.

Though the two had lowered their voices, they were simply too close. Lin Nan and Katori had both heard every word.

Katori Batsunsai kept a straight face, but anyone watching closely would have noticed her eye twitch slightly. Her glance at Lin Nan carried a hint of murderous intent.

Lin Nan met her gaze and smiled, looking a little awkward and apologetic. Being misunderstood was embarrassing, but if you were planning to beat me to death, I figured that made us even, right?

Katori silently turned her gaze back to the training ground. "Restrictions lifted. You can hit him hard, but no killing. Whoever gets him first will be promoted to Seated Officer."

Lin Nan's mouth twitched. His brief twinge of guilt vanished without a trace.

A few more people immediately stood up. Before long, more than ten people were lined up in front of Lin Nan.

Lin Nan frowned. "Damn it, do you think I'm Ip Man?"

Katori turned to look at him, a hint of triumph in her eyes. So what if I don't let them use blades? If they hurt you, I can just bandage you up again!

At that moment, the Soul Reapers on the field exchanged glances and swarmed him!

Facing the Soul Reapers closing in from all sides, Lin Nan had no time to deal with Katori's taunts. His eyes flew wide, and his aura suddenly surged as he attacked the weakest part of the encirclement before it could close.

It wasn't like I'd never fought more than a dozen people at once. You think you can push me around?

When outnumbered like this, he had to seize an opening and break through the weakest point. If he just kept retreating, they could easily surround him and put him on the defensive!

He slipped nimbly between them, dodging attacks from every direction and countering whenever he spotted an opening.

In less than two minutes, four of the weaker Soul Reapers had been struck and sent flying.

"I didn't expect him to be pretty good!" Katori's eyes lit up. A smile had barely touched her lips when she forced it down and shouted, "Have none of you eaten today? How can you be getting beaten up by a rookie?!"

Then she casually picked out five more squad members. "You five, get in there! We're deciding the ultimate winner today!"

Lin Nan, busy fighting, was speechless. He stole a glance at Katori and gritted his teeth. What is this woman doing? Is she really trying to get me killed here?

Katori noticed his look and glared right back. Who told you to pick on me?

For some reason, she couldn't shake the urge to make Lin Nan give in. But the little punk was so smooth-talking, he just wouldn't back down.

The Soul Reaper who'd been stopped by his comrade earlier stole a glance at the captain's expression and couldn't help whispering, "You called it! This is the first time I've seen the captain blush while watching a Hakuda training session..."

Katori was watching the field intently when someone suddenly announced, "Reporting to the captain! The 3rd Division lieutenant requests an audience!"

Katori looked puzzled and returned to the edge of the field. "What's the 3rd Division here for?"

The 3rd Division lieutenant was escorted onto the training ground and leaned over to whisper a few words beside Captain Katori.

Katori furrowed her brows and replied casually, "Fine. Tell him I understand."

The 3rd Division lieutenant looked troubled. "But, Captain Katori, you're..."

Katori grew impatient. "Isn't your job to deliver the message? You've delivered it, so why are you still here?"

The 3rd Division lieutenant had no choice. She bowed deeply and withdrew.

Katori turned her gaze back to the field, just about to speak, when another announcement came from behind her. "Captain, the captains of the 7th Division and 9th Division are here to see you. They say they have important business."

Katori's frown deepened. She asked in surprise, "Why are those two back already? They only left a little while ago.

"Take them to the captain's office. I'll be there shortly."

The Soul Reaper who'd delivered the message withdrew, and Katori's attention returned to the field.

The sounds of fighting continued without pause, until a sudden voice rang out at the edge of the training ground. "Everyone, stop!"

The squad members were startled, and the fighting stopped at once.

Lin Nan followed the voice and saw a stern-faced man with short white hair standing outside the training ground. He hadn't noticed when the man arrived.

The 1st Division lieutenant, Sasakibe Chojiro.

"What now? What's he here for this time..." Katori recognized him, rolled her eyes, and muttered under her breath.

Chojiro walked forward and said in a low voice, "Captain Katori, the Captain-Commander has arrived at the 8th Division captain's office. He's ordered you to stop what you're doing immediately and bring that Rukongai commoner to the office at once!"

Katori Batsunsai sighed softly, got up, and complained, "Chōjirō, when are you going to stop being so serious? Just from your tone, you sound older than the Captain-Commander!"

"The Captain-Commander has learned about that Rukongai resident and knows what happened here on the training ground. He isn't particularly pleased with how you've handled things... so please prepare yourself."

Chojiro remained unmoved, his expression still stern.

"He's unhappy with me? Sister Retsu nearly cut the man to pieces, and he didn't say a thing. At least I rescued him and bandaged him up!" Katori said nonchalantly. "Why should he be unhappy with me?"

Chojiro seemed to suddenly recall something unusual. A slightly awkward expression crossed his face.

"Um, the Captain-Commander did just give Unohana Kenpachi a scolding, too..."

Katori's indignant expression froze for half a second. Then she broke into a delighted grin. "Really? Sister Retsu got scolded? I can't miss this!"

Chojiro said in surprise, "Um, but Kenpachi isn't here right now..."

Katori acted as if she hadn't heard him. Smiling, she waved Lin Nan over. "Come on, we're done fighting!"

Lin Nan hadn't heard what the two of them had said, but if she was suddenly calling him over, it had to mean something.

After all, she'd said earlier that she'd keep him hidden as a member of the division. Why was she openly letting him appear in front of another lieutenant now?

"What's going on?" He walked over to Katori and asked nonchalantly.

Katori didn't answer. She grabbed Lin Nan by the sleeve and started walking. "Come on, let's go watch Kenpachi get scolded!"

Lin Nan wasn't ready for it. Katori yanked him along so hard he nearly went flying. "...!? What does that have to do with anything?

"Hey, take it easy! My wound's splitting open!!"