Gen Private School

Yamamoto Shigekuni and Sasakibe Chojiro strolled out of the 8th Division barracks. The lower-ranked Soul Reapers they passed hurried to make way and bowed in greeting.

"Master Genryūsai, do you really intend to take that Rukongai commoner as your apprentice? There are still some unanswered questions in his investigation. And it's suspicious no matter how you look at it that an ordinary soul could survive an encounter with Kenpachi...

"Besides, the mysterious person from the Menos Grande Invasion is still at large. What if Lin Nan is that person? If he's a Hueco Mundo spy or a pawn planted by the rebel nobles, deliberately approaching the Court Guard Squad to sabotage us from within..."

Sasakibe asked anxiously, following close at Yamamoto's side.

Yamamoto walked steadily, gazing at the distant horizon. He gently interrupted Sasakibe:

"I've examined him several times. There's no trace of a Hollow in his spiritual pressure. And even if he really is a rebel spy, keeping him by my side would be the safest option."

The Captain-Commander's answer eased Sasakibe's mind somewhat, but then another concern occurred to him. "Could Captain Katori be training Lin Nan in private because she wants to recruit him into the 8th Division? Has she given no thought to his identity?"

From an angle Sasakibe couldn't see, a hint of helplessness appeared in Yamamoto's eyes. He said nothing.

Sasakibe received no answer, and his anxiety grew harder to contain. He couldn't help adding urgently:

"The newly established Central 46 keeps making trouble for us, restricting the Court Guard Squad at every turn.

"Given the current situation, if Captain Katori's actions come to light, she'll certainly cause herself and you needless trouble! This..."

"Chōjirō..." Yamamoto's rough voice sounded softly, cutting Sasakibe off.

"You need to learn to look at things from a Captain-level perspective.

"The Court Guard Squad's greatest enemy right now isn't Hueco Mundo, but the old noble rebels in Rukongai. Who are they opposing? The autocratic rule of the Four Great Noble Houses and the new nobles in Seireitei—in other words, the Four Great Noble Houses and Central 46.

"And the first thing Central 46 did after seizing power was turn its suspicion on the Court Guard Squad, afraid our influence would grow too great and impede its own expansion.

"This is a vicious cycle. And in this cycle, the Court Guard Squad is the only loser."

Sasakibe said nothing, quietly waiting for him to continue. He knew the Captain-Commander was right.

Yamamoto deliberately kept his voice low enough for only the two of them to hear. "Years of war have steadily depleted the divisions. Now Central 46 controls the intake of students to the Shino Academy. If this continues, you know what will happen."

Sasakibe thought it over. "The Court Guard Squad will be taken over, and every one of us replaced by people from Central 46."

Yamamoto nodded slightly. His voice grew unusually heavy, as if he could already see the worst possible outcome:

"If that day comes, then the lives and honor bought by every Soul Reaper who has fallen since the Court Guard Squad was founded will have been for nothing. Their sacrifices will have been meaningless.

"Katori is trying to prevent that future. Lin Nan could be a planted spy, but it's more likely that he isn't. A spy with any sense wouldn't draw attention to himself like he does. He'd find another way to blend into the Court Guard Squad without being noticed.

"Remember, the Court Guard Squad's strength still rests primarily on its lieutenants and captains. That's why I intend to introduce the Seated Officer system—to improve our overall strength.

"And discovering a highly talented prodigy would also greatly benefit the Court Guard Squad's combat strength."

Sasakibe mulled over Yamamoto's words for a long while before tentatively asking, "Then... what if—just hypothetically—Lin Nan really is a rebel spy?"

Yamamoto hesitated mid-step, then said quietly, "If I find even the slightest proof that he's a spy or an enemy, I'll kill him with my own hands."

Four days later. Danzhao, South Rukon District 1.

Wearing a brand-new outfit and accompanied by Katori herself, Lin Nan arrived at the entrance to Gen Private School, located where South Rukon District 1 met District 2.

"So this is Gen Private School? It's a little too... out of the way, isn't it?"

Unlike the dignified, grand dojo he'd imagined, Gen Private School was just a plain, unadorned courtyard. Compared with the colorful, imposing buildings elsewhere in the district, its narrow entrance looked rather shabby.

"I told you Gen Style wasn't as good as my Cloud Style. Do you remember the techniques I taught you?" Katori barely glanced at Gen Private School, turning her attention to Lin Nan instead.

For the past four days, she'd held Lin Nan's head down and made him learn Cloud Style Hakuda.

"You only gave me four days. That's way too short," Lin Nan said, rolling his eyes as he tried to recall it. "I only managed to remember a move or two..."

Katori pounded her fist into her palm. "That's enough! I just wanted to get my techniques into your head before he taught you!

"That way, no matter how far you go, your first identity will always be a disciple of my Cloud Style!"

Remembering how Yamamoto had stolen Lin Nan away from her, Katori puffed out her cheeks in anger all over again.

"But you won't let me call you Master, so no one will know I'm a Cloud Style disciple. What's the point?"

"Oh, I told you already! Even if you only remember a move or two, that's fine. I just want to carve Cloud Style knowledge into your mind first! I won't let Gen Style get such a huge bargain for nothing!"

A thought drifted through Lin Nan's mind: That's it. I'm tainted...

Most people could only get a rough grasp of a Hakuda style in four days. But Lin Nan already had one point of Hakuda proficiency, so after four days of practice, he'd grasped roughly thirty percent of Cloud Style Hakuda's finer points.

Did that count as stealing a technique?

Of course not. I learned it fair and square by watching the footage over and over. When it came to martial arts, how could that be called stealing?

Lin Nan looked around the desolate street and said, disappointed, "Katori, our esteemed Captain-Commander's dojo isn't even in Seireitei. He set it up in the outskirts of Rukongai instead?"

Katori was still in a bad mood. She frowned at his question. "I'm more than three hundred years older than you. Who are you calling 'Katori' like I'm some young girl?"

"You won't let me call you Master, and you look so young. I can't exactly call you Grandma, can I?" After four days together, Lin Nan had long since stopped being afraid of her. He wore the air of someone who didn't care if he was thrown into boiling water.

"That would be fine too. I don't mind," Katori replied breezily, shooting him a sidelong glance.

Lin Nan was at a loss for words. His eyes drifted down her face, and he muttered, "Forget it. You look way too old for that."

Katori didn't catch his innuendo. She turned her gaze toward the main entrance of Gen Private School. "Before Yamamoto made a name for himself, he wasn't very well-off. It was only after Gen Style became famous that he could afford to rent a little courtyard in District 1, where every inch of land is precious. And opening a school in Seireitei was out of the question."

Then she changed the subject, speaking to Lin Nan in a sly, underhanded way:

"Cloud Style is much better in that regard. It's just as established as Gen Style, but our dojo is right in Western Rukon District 1. It's big and luxurious. Want to take a look?"

By now, the two of them had grown quite familiar. This wasn't the first time Katori had tried to poach him, nor was it the first time Lin Nan had shot her down.

"Thanks, but no. Western Rukon District is too far. I can't be bothered to walk there... Hey, shouldn't the Captain-Commander have at least a few privileges? Why not open his dojo in Seireitei?"

"The Captain-Commander doesn't get privileges like that. Central 46 is afraid we captains might become too powerful and threaten its position. Why would it let us take on disciples in Seireitei?"

Gen Private School didn't look very wide from the outside, but once they entered the courtyard, they realized how deep it was. The grounds were divided into three successive courtyards, which made it a reasonably spacious dojo.

As the two of them entered the first courtyard, they saw a simple dry garden.

Katori saw Lin Nan still looking around and seized the opportunity to say, "A little shabby, right? Want to check out my Cloud Dojo?"

Lin Nan turned around and happened to see Katori Batsunsai's pretty face peeking out from behind her round glasses. She was beaming at him. He couldn't help taking half a step back. "Boss, don't mess with me. That smile of yours is suddenly kind of creepy."

Katori's smile didn't waver. "What's creepy about it? I'm seriously inviting you."

Lin Nan shook his head slightly. Remembering the way she'd stood up to Yamamoto, he found this beautiful smile almost disillusioning.

"Those glasses make you look way too stupid. No matter how beautiful your smile is, it just makes people want to pity you for being intellectually challenged."

"I'll kill you!"

Lin Nan stopped teasing her and looked into her eyes seriously. "Since you didn't object to the Captain-Commander taking me in back then, why did you insist on teaching me Cloud Style afterward?"

Katori's round eyes shifted as she answered, "Because you're a once-in-a-century genius! Even Sister Retsu thinks highly of you, so of course I had to give my dojo a chance to win you over."

"If your eyes didn't keep darting around, I might believe you." Lin Nan's mouth twitched. "If you can't think of anything to say, you don't have to make something up."

"Hehe, I'm serious. I really am... hehe." Katori laughed awkwardly and followed Lin Nan toward the building in the courtyard. Then she suddenly remembered something and asked,

"Why do you keep using the term 'Gotei 13'?"

Lin Nan looked at her in surprise. "What's wrong with that?"

"There were thirteen divisions at the beginning, sure, but nobody's used that term in at least two hundred years..."

"Why not?" Lin Nan asked, puzzled.

Katori's brows drew together. A strange look appeared in her eyes, as if she couldn't understand his reaction:

"Because the Court Guard Squad has only had seven divisions for more than two hundred years!"