Chapter 4: The Potential of Renji and the Others
"Brother… how bad is it?"
"…It's bad," one boy muttered, clutching his head. "If I report him, he's going to tell everyone I cried during sparring practice last year!"
"That's nothing," another replied calmly. "You should turn the situation around."
"Oh? How?"
"Simple. Go to his place. Act normal. Then accidentally destroy something valuable. If no one finds out in time, he gets blamed."
The first boy's eyes widened.
"…That's genius."
Tobirama Shiba paused at the classroom entrance.
Then—
He smiled.
"…Kids really are the same everywhere."
He stepped inside.
The chatter instantly died down.
"Let's begin."
He didn't waste time.
Walking to the front, Tobirama tapped the board lightly.
"Today's topic—Reiryoku."
"Reiryoku is the foundation of all Shinigami techniques."
"It is the combination of your spiritual essence and will."
Most of the students straightened instinctively.
Unlike history—
This was something that directly affected their future.
As he spoke, Tobirama released small pulses of reiryoku into the air.
Gentle.
Controlled.
The students could feel it.
"To use it effectively, you must first understand it."
He didn't just lecture.
He demonstrated.
He joked.
He asked questions.
"What happens if you lose control of your reiryoku mid-technique?"
"It explodes?" one student guessed.
"Or worse," Tobirama replied lightly, "you embarrass yourself in front of your entire squad."
Laughter.
The atmosphere loosened.
Time passed quickly.
Near the end of the lesson, Tobirama casually activated his identification ability.
[Name: Renji Abarai][Reiryoku: 520][Potential: A]
[Name: Rukia Kuchiki][Reiryoku: 480][Potential: A+]
[Name: Gin Ichimaru][Reiryoku: 620][Potential: SS]
Tobirama's eyes flickered slightly.
"As expected…"
Then—
He scanned the rest.
Most fell between C and B.
Average.
Predictable.
Only a few stood out.
Gin remained the highest.
"…Still a monster."
But Tobirama didn't rush.
He only had a limited number of disciple slots.
One was already taken.
He needed to choose carefully.
Strength alone wasn't enough.
Potential had to align with value.
[Lesson Completed][Evaluation: A][Reward: Advanced Reiryoku Partitioning Technique]
Tobirama absorbed the knowledge instantly.
This one—
Was useful.
A technique that allowed him to divide and allocate reiryoku more efficiently.
"…Now this is practical."
With his current limitation being total reserves—
Efficiency mattered.
A lot.
After lunch—
The instructors gathered again.
"…You're overthinking it," one said.
"Just show up and don't say anything stupid."
"That's impossible," another replied flatly.
Tobirama entered quietly.
"Ah, Shiba-sensei!"
A female instructor waved.
"I passed by your class earlier—your students looked way too engaged for a first-time teacher."
Tobirama smiled lightly.
"I just kept them from falling asleep."
"Too humble," she laughed, tossing him a small snack.
Across the room—
Another instructor looked visibly jealous.
"…I've worked here for years and never get snacks."
Tobirama ignored it.
Sat down.
Pulled out a brush.
And began writing.
Calligraphy.
A habit from his past life.
One of the few things that remained unchanged.
Each stroke—
Precise.
Controlled.
Much like his reiryoku.
The bell rang again.
Afternoon class.
Tobirama arrived just as the students were settling in.
"…Wait, you're not our usual instructor," someone said.
"Correct."
Tobirama nodded.
"I'll be covering this session."
Just then—
The door slid open violently.
"Sorry I'm late!"
A red-haired boy rushed in—
breathing hard.
"I was helping someone in Rukongai—lost their way!"
Tobirama raised an eyebrow.
Renji Abarai
"…Take your seat."
Renji grinned sheepishly and rushed to his spot.
Tobirama didn't comment further.
Instead—
He activated identification.
[Name: Renji Abarai][Reiryoku: 520][Potential: A][Evaluation: High growth ceiling. Strong adaptability.]
Then—
[Name: Rukia Kuchiki][Reiryoku: 480][Potential: A+][Evaluation: Exceptional control. Noble lineage advantage.]
And finally—
[Name: Gin Ichimaru][Reiryoku: 620][Potential: SS][Evaluation: Extreme risk. Extreme reward.]
Tobirama's gaze lingered for half a second.
"…Three pillars in one room."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
He began teaching.
Compared to their usual instructor—
His style felt completely different.
More fluid.
More engaging.
"Sensei, you're way better than the others!" Renji declared halfway through.
"If you taught all the time, I'd definitely pass!"
Tobirama smiled faintly.
"I'll make sure to pass that message along."
A pause.
"Along with the fact that you were late."
Renji froze.
"…Wait—what?"
Laughter erupted.
As the class ended—
The energy remained high.
Students talked.
Debated.
Argued.
Tobirama stepped outside briefly.
His sensory field expanded.
No one nearby.
Good.
He turned back toward the classroom door.
"Renji."
"Rukia."
A pause.
"And Gin."
Three heads turned.
"Come with me."
The air shifted.
Something—
Was about to begin.
(End of Chapter 4)
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