"Goodbye then, Sōgo ~"
Senjumaru Shutara gave Sōgo a faint smile, then rode the Tenchūren with the Big-Eyed Monk and disappeared into Seireitei, heading towards the 'sacred' Soul King Palace.
Goodbye~ I'll come visit you, sister, sometime!
Sōgo waved his right hand toward the sky, with Yoruichi, Shaoling Fon, and... Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, captain of the First Division of the Gotei 13 and captain -Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.
Yes, only a few people attended Senjumaru Shutara's promotion ceremony. Originally, only Captain-Commander Old Man Yama was supposed to attend. The presence of Sōgo, Yoruichi, Shaoling Fon was against the rules, but rules are meant to be broken by Sōgo.
"Hey! Old man~"
After smilingly seeing Senjumaru Shutara off, Sōgo changed to a fierce expression, turned to the side and smirked at Yamamoto.
"..."
The Old Man Yama looked at Sōgo with a smile, without saying a word.
"Old man, it's because you won't let me graduate early, you bastard~" (tongue clicks)
Sōgo, like a delinquent youth, spoke to the Old Man Yama.
"..."
The Old Man Yama continued to look at Sōgo with a smile, his gaze like that of a kind, elderly principal looking at a very rebellious child in a school. If it weren't for the other people around, the Old Man Yama might have said something like, "Back in my day, a thousand or two thousand years ago, I was just as rebellious. Youth is wonderful!"
"Hey! Old man, are you deaf? Or are you mute?"
Sōgo yelled at the Old Man Yama.
"Sougo- Lord Sōgo... what are you saying?!"
"This, this, this is His Excellency the Captain-Commander..."
Shaoling Fon, Sōgo completely dumbfounded by what she saw. This was the first time in her life that she had ever seen anyone dare to speak to the strongest Soul Reaper of the millennium Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, like that. Her legs went weak and trembled uncontrollably.
" Captain Shihoin, don't forget the Captains' Meeting this afternoon."
After a long silence Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto ignored the noisy Sōgo and smiled slightly at Yoruichi.
"Yes, Captain-Commander- in-Chief."
Yoruichi nodded slightly after hearing what Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, indicating that she understood.
"Um!"
After hearing Yoruichi's reply, the Old Man Yama nodded slightly in satisfaction, then smiled and nodded gently at Shaoling Fon before turning and leaving.
"Goodbye, Captain-Commander!"
As Shaoling Fon watched the departing Old Man Yama, she subconsciously bowed in farewell.
"Ah..."
That damn old man completely ignores me.
"Did he just completely ignore me?"
Sōgo Shihoin watched the Old Man Yama away, knowing that the other man had no intention of answering his question, so he simply ignored him.
" The Little Fon is gone!"
"We remember we have some realistic combat training against fakes tomorrow, so let's get some rest early tonight."
"Sister, I'm going home now~"
Sōgo patted Shaoling Fon on the shoulder, then waved goodbye to his older sister.
"Okay, go back and get some rest."
"Hang in there for two more years and you'll graduate. Remember to come to the Second Division then."
Yoruichi Shihōin Sōgo.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Sōgo nodded to Yoruichi, then strode away.
Goodbye Lady Yoruichi!
Shaoling Fon bowed deeply to Yoruichi, then ran after Sōgo.
"Ah!!"
"I have a meeting this afternoon, so annoying~"
After Shaoling Fon and Sōgo left, Yoruichi yawned and walked wearily toward the Second Division barracks. Anyway, the meeting wasn't until the afternoon, so she wanted to take a nap first.
The next day, the teachers from the Shin'ō Academy led the fourth-year students to the outskirts of Rukongai, where Hollows often appeared and lingered.
"For this year's entrance exam, you will be divided into teams of six. Simply kill one Hollow of any level to meet the requirements for advancement. Next year you will be fifth-grade students preparing for your graduation. Remember to act within your capabilities; your lives are the most precious thing!"
A teacher from the Shin'ō Academy, dressed in a Shihakusho and with Zanpakuto at his waist, addressed the hundreds of students below him.
"Learn!"
The fourth-grade students put their hands behind their backs, nodded to the teacher who was speaking, and said in unison.
"Very good, you can form your own groups... then dismiss!"
The teacher nodded in satisfaction and then gave the order to dismiss the class.
" Lord Sōgo, have you found someone to team up with?"
Just after the teacher gave the order, Yumiko Saeki, the noble lady who had persisted for four years without giving up, immediately came to Sōgo's side and asked.
"Got it, I'll team up with Little Fon."
Sōgo nodded slightly and pulled Shaoling Fon to his side to begin his sermon.
"Forehead..."
"But the teacher said we have to be in groups of six."
Yumiko Saeki's face instantly turned awkward, but she still didn't give up.
"Really? Six people in a group is such a hassle."
So, do you have any good teammate options?
Sōgo asked Yumiko Saeki.
"Of course, while this might sound a bit like me recommending myself, I believe my Kidō skills are top-notch in the entire academy, so if Lord Sōgo doesn't mind, you could take me along..."
Yumiko Saeki, as well as Sōgo.
"Hmm, in that case, we're still short three people."
Sōgo nodded slightly and continued to ask.
"And then Sumida, Fukui, and Ise —they're all top students in their grade!"
Yumiko Saeki introduced her three sycophantic followers to Sōgo.
"I see!"
"Oh well!"
After hearing Yumiko's words, Sōgo nodded slightly, agreeing to her request.
" Lord Sōgo, have you agreed?"
When Yumiko heard that Sōgo had agreed to her request, her eyes lit up, and she instinctively reached for Sōgo's arm.
"Certainly."
Sōgo flashed past, causing Yumiko to miss her target. She then appeared beside Shaoling Fon, put her arm around Shaoling Fon's shoulder, and turned her head to reveal a scumbag-like smile.
" Yumiko- san, then I'll leave the task of slaying the Hollow to you and your elite trio! I'm going to the neighborhood with Little Fon for a bit~ By the way, I don't want to repeat a year, so you know what I mean, right?! Yumiko ~"
Sōgo tilted his head and laughed like a school bully.
"I... I understand."
Yumiko felt a sharp pain in her heart and felt incredibly wronged.
"Hahaha..."
Sōgo laughed loudly and pulled Shaoling Fon along as they walked into the distance.
" Sōgo! No matter what, you've gone too far."
Even if you don't like Yumiko, you shouldn't bully her like this.
Once they were in a secluded spot, Shaoling Fon stopped calling Sōgo "Sōgo Sōgo " and began addressing him by his name in a more intimate manner, her expression clearly showing displeasure.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!"
Watch your words, Little Fon!
"I didn't mean to bully her. I just felt sorry for the three boys next to her, so I wanted to create more opportunities for the four of them to spend time together. Besides, I have no feelings for her, just no feelings... If I accepted her without any feelings, wouldn't that make me a player?"
Sōgo touched his chin and said very seriously.
(End of this chapter)