The only player in the world of Bleach

So in what ways can this so-called fun be manifested?

However, Nozomi also understood his boss's temperament... Yoruichi Shihouin never spoke without reason.

What is she foreshadowing?

Think, be silent, until you suddenly realize.

"You mean...?"

"Oh, that's a quick reaction, hope Zhijin."

She crossed her arms over her chest, a playful glint in her smile.

"This mission is not two degraded Hollows, but an enhanced Hollow that has already devoured more than twenty people, and a special individual that is showing signs of an insatiable appetite."

In other words.

"Even if a lesser-ranking official were to take the field, they might still lose their life on the spot."

016: A well-deserved genius

"……Why?"

Ōmaeda Kinosugu felt as if something in his mind had paused for a moment.

He took several seconds to process and try to understand before finally asking with some confusion.

"You...you're not joking, are you?"

Yoruichi Shihouin did not respond directly, but simply smiled and turned her head slightly, speaking in a rather teasing tone.

"Do I seem like the kind of person who would joke around with people?"

That means it's broken!

hope Zhijin suddenly stood up, his expression becoming extremely anxious.

"Lord Yoruichi! Shouldn't a task of this difficulty be assigned to an intern? A task like this, where even a high-ranking official could be in danger, shouldn't it be handled by someone more professional?!"

"hope Zhijin, I never expected you to be such a caring person. I've never seen you so excited before."

You can tell that this grumpy guy with the pompadour hairstyle wants to swear.

But standing opposite him were the superior nobles whom his family had served for generations, so no matter what... he couldn't bring himself to say those words.

In the end, he could only swallow his pride and speak cautiously.

"I'm not concerned about those things; I'm concerned about our squad's casualty figures!"

That's right, it's the casualty index.

The Gotei 13's duty is to defend and attack, just as Matsushita Yusuke had envisioned. As part of a criminal organization, conflict is inevitable.

When carrying out missions and exorcising souls, it is only natural to draw blood and get wounded.

However, this is by no means a reason to allow subordinates to act recklessly... In fact, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni had already issued relevant guidelines many years ago.

"Large-scale casualties in peacetime are in themselves a sign of inadequate leadership."

There was no room for argument, so the Gotei 13 generally followed this rule.

"Although our Second Division has more lenient quotas due to the special tasks we need to handle... this mission also falls within our purview, and if too many people die at once..."

I can't continue speaking.

Because Yoruichi Shihouin is one of the four noble families, even Yamamoto would give her some face and wouldn't say anything too outrageous.

There has to be someone to assign responsibility, right?

If the team leader can't take responsibility, then what about you, the vice-team leader?

While Ōmaeda is a respectable surname, when it comes to weighing the pros and cons openly...

hope Zhijin didn't think he had any chance of turning the tables.

They might be pushed out as a target, becoming, in the literal sense, the "target of public criticism."

So, boss.

You're pushing me into a fire pit!

Of course, despite muttering a long string of thoughts to himself, Xi Zhijin managed to maintain a relatively tense expression.

This is also one of hope Zhijin's rare talents.

"Lord Yoruichi, I urge you to reconsider..."

"Haha! hope Zhijin, you're probably already cursing me in your heart, aren't you?"

"Don't dare, don't dare..."

"There's nothing in this world that you, hope Zhijin, wouldn't dare to dream of!"

Jokes should be kept within limits.

After quickly composing herself and becoming serious again, Yoruichi Shihouin pondered for a moment before speaking softly.

"Of course I understand what you're worried about, but actually these are all unnecessary worries. After all... I'm right here, aren't I?"

Yoruichi Shihouin raised her right hand and waved it gently in front of her. Her haori fluttered in the wind, just like the passionate tone of her voice.

"As the head of the Four Maple Institution, I am standing here, how could I possibly let these students suffer?"

That's definitely true...

hope Zhijin hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but whisper.

"So who exactly are you...?"

What exactly am I planning?

Ye Yi laughed arrogantly.

"Of course, it's for the sake of the future of Soul Society."

Combat is no child's play, and so-called simulated training is a joke to her.

"How can these students understand the meaning of their future work if they haven't personally experienced danger and witnessed the ugliness of these evil souls?"

Real-world application.

For Yoruichi Shihouin, this is the only standard by which talent and strength are measured.

"The reason I chose to conceal the truth this time was to make an attempt. Of course... now that I'm already here, I must have the ability to back it up."

As for things like the casualty index...

"Of course I can understand your predicament, Xi Zhijin. Over the years, it is thanks to your help that I have not been under so much pressure and burden."

If he had been somewhat indignant before, after hearing Yoruichi Shihouin's heartfelt words, all of his resentment vanished.

It's always best if a leader can understand and empathize with their subordinates.

"You flatter me..."

"Alright, now that things are settled, Xi Zhijin! I'd like to test you."

Yoruichi crossed her arms and looked down at this desolate, almost 'uncivilized' remote border region, speaking in a subtle tone.

"Do you think... a genius might appear this time, and solve all the problems without me having to intervene..."

"Impossible, nonexistent, please don't even dream about it."

A triple denial!

hope Zhijin's tone was firm, and his attitude was exceptionally resolute!

The reason is simple.

"The enhanced offensive capabilities of Hollows are beyond the capabilities of normal spirits. Even Shinigami typically need sufficient combat experience to master the art of battle..."

This is a data accumulation that fits the typical pattern.

For example, they are not afraid of the enemy and do not retreat. Even when injured, they can maintain a strong fighting spirit and seize fleeting opportunities, etc.

There is too much information to refer to.

And these things can only be understood through the trials of life and death.

Even though it might sound a bit too modest, hope Zhijin was quite frank at this moment.

"Although I am also the vice captain, compared to some of my more capable colleagues, I am not a particularly outstanding person at all."

They might feel fear, they might hesitate. They might feel despair at the increasingly dire situation...

For reasons like these, the barriers they built are chasms that ordinary spirits find difficult to cross.

of course.

When reporting to your superiors, you shouldn't only report bad news and not good news.

After all, it is also necessary to take care of the feelings of those in higher positions.

As his thoughts raced, hope Zhijin reversed these reasons and put them in reverse order... which also holds true.

"If we could achieve the level that Yoruichi described, even with such innate deficiencies,..."

So……

"That newcomer must be a true genius."

017: The Second Virtual

"Gentlemen, our mission is reconnaissance and notification. Based on the tasks assigned to us by Senior Ōmaeda, from now on we will focus our attention on this aspect..."

The team leader was a sixth-year college student.

The other person seemed to be quite popular among his peers, with more than half of the team agreeing with his command.

Yusuke Matsushita himself had no intention of becoming a leader, so he naturally went along with the suggestion.

He'll do whatever everyone wants him to do!

"Then let's not delay. Based on the areas we were previously assigned, let's start gathering information now."

He clasped his hands together, as if giving a signal, and said with a relaxed expression.

"For us at this stage, being able to find traces of the fake and report them... should earn us a good impression."

The people who had been surrounding him were all filled with emotion.

"Really? Is it that easy to improve one's impression score?!"

"I'm sure Matsui-senpai is right... He's supposedly already been accepted into the Ninth Division!"

"I'm so lucky to be in the same squad as Matsui-senpai!"

Only Matsushita Yusuke overheard the gist of it, but his mind was still somewhat muddled.

Impression score? What's that?

He spent about half a minute trying to understand the other person's words and content.

Finally, it dawned on me that I understood.

—This refers to the person in charge of the 13th Division, and their overall impression and understanding of the students.

In fact, this is not an officially certified scoring system.

Rather, it was simply a concept proposed by some students.

For example, you might have your name remembered by a squad leader or vice-captain, or you might have had a conversation with someone during a mission...

Such things would become the students' 'confidence,' thereby increasing their chances of being accepted into a specific squad.

of course.

The things mentioned above are basically just wishful thinking on the part of these students.

As for whether it can affect the admission results, that's basically irrelevant...

After figuring out the logic behind it, Matsushita Yusuke's expression couldn't help but show a touch of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and reflection).

I felt a little sorry for them.

After all, unlike the exceptionally talented Ichigo Kurosaki, for a normal soul, simply being accepted as a Shinigami is an incredibly difficult feat.

As for improving oneself, learning, and earning a position through one's own abilities, that's pure fantasy.