Chapter 5: The Slick One

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See through?
Rangiku Matsumoto lowered her gaze without a word, wielding her blade to strike again. The sharp edge flashed several times, swift and fierce, making it difficult to discern which strike was genuine—or if every one of them was real.
Shin’s reflexes were equally sharp, blocking each attack. The clashing of sword against blade sparked brilliant flashes.
Matsumoto felt increasingly uneasy. Shin appeared subdued, unable to counterattack, yet he restrained her so that she could only keep pressing forward. Did Shin see through all her attacks? But due to his slower speed, he could only defend. What if she stopped attacking?
Gritting her teeth, Matsumoto suddenly drew her blade back. In that instant, a cold gleam flickered before her eyes as a simple yet cunning strike pierced through at an extremely tricky angle, skimming dangerously close to her cheek.
Missed?
Or did she dodge? Still shaken, she caught a glimpse of a strand of golden hair drifting onto the blade in front of her.
Swallowing hard, Matsumoto froze in place.
Shin slowly withdrew his sword and took a step back.
“Miss Matsumoto?”
“….”
She seemed still stunned by that single strike, unsure if she had heard Shin’s soft call.
Shūhei Hisagi had witnessed the entire exchange, watching Rangiku, who had dominated Shin throughout, suddenly seem defeated by a single blow.
Miss Matsumoto lost?
Impossible...
Matsumoto exhaled deeply and sheathed her zanpakutō.
“Is this how you defeated your teacher back then?” she asked.
Shin replied, “Master Nanada was much weaker than you.”
In their duel, both had used wooden swords, and Shin had cut through Nanada’s weapon directly.
Matsumoto suddenly smiled, though she didn’t really want to; she didn’t know what expression else to show at the moment.
Had she really lost like this?
A proud lieutenant captain, defeated by a student who hadn’t even graduated from the Academy!
Only in swordsmanship, perhaps.
Even with that excuse, Matsumoto found it hard to accept.
She recalled the first time she saw Shin—in a dilapidated building in the Rukongai district, a slender boy holding a sword stood over several corpses.

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She had completely forgotten that.
This kid was far more than just a slick talker.
“I have business with you,” Matsumoto finally said, glancing at Hisagi beside her.
Hisagi immediately said, “I have something to do, so I’ll leave you two to talk.”
The kendo training room fell silent again. Shin stepped aside and took a sip from a water bottle.
Matsumoto pondered for a moment, then asked, “Did the thirteenth division’s lieutenant captain Shiba invite you too?”
“Yes.”
“How many seats did he offer you?”
Shin tilted his head and said, “Miss Matsumoto, you hold me in too high regard. The thirteenth division’s officers aren’t just random cabbages by the roadside.”
Matsumoto thought: So you know that too, huh?
“How many seats do you want in the future?”
Shin said leisurely, “I haven’t decided yet. I still have some time before graduation, so no rush.”
Matsumoto then said, “If you’re willing to join the tenth division, you can start directly as an officer. Which seat depends on your abilities.”
Shin laughed, “Miss Matsumoto is very kind to me, but that’s a long way off. I’ll think about it after I graduate.”
Matsumoto felt frustrated. She had shown such sincerity, yet this kid really treated her like a pushover. Did he think she regarded him as some extraordinary genius?
But thinking carefully, judging by his swordsmanship just now, it was indeed beyond ordinary.
The tenth division was the patrol and guard squad. The officers’ work wasn’t overly dangerous, but busy every day. Their captain was lazy, so much of the squad’s duties fell on her alone.
Matsumoto hoped someone could come to share some of the burden.
In terms of skill, Shin Tachikawa would be capable of a high-ranking officer position after graduation. Even starting at the tenth seat, his talent would allow rapid promotion.
The third seat was the vice officer, assisting the captain.
Shin reaching that position in the tenth division wouldn’t take long.
Recalling the captain’s advice before coming, Matsumoto chose to yield a bit more: “Why don’t you set your own conditions? Which seat do you want?”
Seeing Matsumoto pressing him like this, Shin didn’t want to seem too immature, so he said, “Miss Matsumoto, I will prioritize the tenth division after graduation. Lieutenant Captain Shiba also told me I won’t be joining the thirteenth division.”
Matsumoto doubted, “Really?”
“Really!”

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Shin first nodded seriously, then smiled warmly: “I also hope to see Miss Matsumoto every day.”
Matsumoto just gave him a teasing glare, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and thought of the golden hair that had just been sliced off by Shin’s blade.
Too bad she hadn’t tested this kid’s true strength.
She wasn’t about to unleash her full power against an ungraduated Academy student in a duel.
After a brief chat, Matsumoto left the Academy and returned to the tenth division barracks to report.
“This kid really is slick,”
Shiba Isshin laughed heartily after hearing Matsumoto’s report.
“No wonder he came up with that idea. He’s not someone to underestimate. Matsumoto, if you expect him to be your assistant and share your duties, I doubt it.”
Matsumoto pouted, about to say something, but suddenly paused.
“I never said I want him as the third seat, captain. And what idea did you mean just now?”
Shiba said, “Apart from the third seat, there’s nothing else that suits him in our squad. Maybe he won’t even want the third seat.”
“Captain, that’s too much. That kid can’t be aiming for lieutenant captain, right? And who becomes lieutenant captain right after graduation? Even if he is strong, he wouldn’t handle the duties well. Your nephew also started from the third seat.” Matsumoto responded.
Shiba chuckled, “Before Hayate, no one expected anyone to become third seat right after graduation. A so-called genius must accomplish what is beyond ordinary expectations. Otherwise, the title ‘genius’ would be too cheap.”
Matsumoto frowned, silent.
Shiba continued, “Let’s leave it at that for now. If Shin Tachikawa wants to join the tenth division, he will. If not, even if we force it from above, it’s meaningless. Thanks for your effort, Matsumoto.”
But Matsumoto said, “No, captain, you must be hiding something from me.”
Shiba lightly shook his head, “There’s something not ready to disclose yet, but you’ll know soon enough.”
“…”
Matsumoto was baffled. She sensed something had occurred between the captain and Shin Tachikawa that she didn’t know about.
But they shouldn’t have had contact.
What exactly did that kid do…?