Chapter 27: Kotetsu Isane’s Private Tutor

Chapter 27 - 27: Kotetsu Isane’s Private Tutor Kotetsu Ayane sat formally at the tea table, brewing tea with fluid, graceful movements that were a pleasure to watch. She poured the freshly brewed tea into a sharing pitcher to even out the flavor, then distributed it between two cups. "Katori-kun, please have some tea." "Thank you." Nanatsuki took the cup. Kotetsu Isane entered the tea room carrying a plate of neatly sliced fruits. She placed the tray in front of Katori Nanatsuki and then sat down beside her mother. "Katori-kun, this is my daughter whom I'd like you to tutor. Isane has reached the age where she should be laying her foundation. I hope you can help guide her," Kotetsu Ayane said with a warm smile. Nanatsuki had come today at Ayane's invitation to serve as Isane's private tutor. "Director Kotetsu, please don't worry. I'll make sure to guide her well," Nanatsuki replied, inhaling the aroma of the tea before taking a sip. Kotetsu Isane was an excellent candidate for a student, and he naturally had no reason to refuse. Although he didn't have an open disciple slot yet, this was a good opportunity to build rapport. Once a slot became available, he could take her in formally. "Isane, from now on you'll be training under Teacher Katori," Ayane said. Isane stood up quickly, a bit stiff with nerves, and bowed. "Teacher Katori, please take care of me." "No need to be so formal, Isane. I'll help you build a strong foundation," Nanatsuki said with a gentle smile. "Katori-kun already has to teach Murata-sensei's class and the Advanced Swordsmanship Class—it's a heavy workload. If I were better at teaching swordsmanship myself, I really wouldn't want to trouble you," said Ayane. "Now that the Katori-ryu Dojo has reopened, I've taken in three talented students from my class. Adding one more like Isane isn't any trouble," Nanatsuki replied. "You actually have three talented students? I remember most of your students are from Rukongai, aren't they?" Ayane was surprised; that was quite rare. "One of them is from the Chijō family. The other two are indeed from Rukongai," he said. "That's wonderful news. Sounds like the Katori-ryu Dojo has new blood at last." Ayane paused for a moment before adding, "In that case, Katori-kun, you might have a chance at competing for the Swordsmanship Department Head position. Asido-sensei will soon be returning to join the expedition to Hueco Mundo, and when that happens, the position will be vacant." "The Swordsmanship Department Head? I've heard about it, but I'm just a new instructor. Am I even eligible for that role?" Nanatsuki asked. Ayane replied, "The Department Head is also responsible for overseeing the Advanced Swordsmanship Class, so the position tends to go to teachers with a strong track record." "When Asido returns, the most qualified candidate would've been Murata-sensei. But he's quite old now and recently collapsed from illness. Given his condition, he might have to retire." "Danmu-sensei has more teaching experience, but he's rather lax and lacks the competence to lead the Advanced Class." "So in reality, your only competition is Tsunayashiro-sensei. He's also a new swordsmanship instructor this year." "If the students from your classes perform well in this year's and next year's evaluations..." "And you continue taking over Murata-sensei's class as well as the Advanced Class... then if those students perform well on their graduation evaluations, it will greatly strengthen your bid for the position." Nanatsuki asked, "So are the results based on the overall performance of the class, or only on the top-performing students?" Ayane replied, "Both overall class performance and individual rankings are factored in, but the latter carries more weight." The Shin'o Spiritual Arts Academy isn't an academic institution for general education in the World of the Living—it's a place to train Shinigami. They emphasize the cultivation of high-level combatants. Nanatsuki considered it. If individual rankings were prioritized, then his odds were quite good. He had strong faith in his three disciples. Even though Tsunayashiro-sensei's class had many students born in Seireitei, Nanatsuki's students were exceptionally gifted. With his instruction, they could definitely stand out from the rest of the cohort. After chatting for a bit longer, Nanatsuki went to the courtyard to guide Isane through her foundational training. He noticed right away that Isane's personality was quite different from the others—she was stiff and serious, following his instructions to the letter. Even when she had questions, she rarely asked them aloud. Kotetsu Ayane didn't interrupt. Instead, she personally went to prepare the meal. She had invited Nanatsuki to her home rather than taking Isane to the dojo precisely so she could express her thanks with a proper meal. ... The next day. Today, Nanatsuki had a class to teach for the Advanced Swordsmanship students. "Shihōin-san, I didn't expect you to be interested in swordsmanship," Nanatsuki said, surprised to see Shihōin Yoruichi in the class. "Not really. I'm actually not that interested in swordsmanship," Yoruichi shrugged. "It's just that if I joined the Shunpo or Hakuda Advanced Classes, it'd be a waste of time." Yoruichi had excellent talent in both Shunpo and Hakuda. Her current skill level already surpassed that of the average squad member in the Gotei 13. For someone like her, the academy's advanced courses in those areas weren't all that useful anymore. "You're very direct, Shihōin-san—saying you're not interested in swordsmanship, and even calling it a boring class, right to your sword instructor's face," Nanatsuki said with a wry smile. "Even if I'm not super into it, I'll still take it seriously. After all, as a Shinigami, Zanpakutō are pretty important," Yoruichi replied with a wave. Nanatsuki couldn't help but recall that he had absolutely no memory of Shihōin Yoruichi's Zanpakutō in the future. The future "Flash Goddess Yoruichi" would eventually abandon the Zanpakutō in battle altogether. There were fifteen students in this year's Advanced Swordsmanship Class, and all had arrived. "Hello everyone. Some of you already know me, but for those who don't—this is your first class with me, so let me start with a quick introduction..." Nanatsuki said, beginning his first-ever Advanced Swordsmanship lecture. After introducing himself, he conducted a skill assessment to gauge the students' proficiency in swordsmanship—mainly checking if they'd mastered the basics of Reiatsu control and could apply it in actual combat. Don't be misled by how quickly Chijō Kana and Muguruma Kensei grasped Reiatsu control—it was thanks to their exceptional talent, coupled with the specialized Flagfish Suburi training method. After testing them all, only about one-third of the students had grasped the basics of Reiatsu control. Nanatsuki then divided the students for tailored instruction. Those who hadn't yet learned Reiatsu control would continue training in it. The rest were guided through sparring, with Nanatsuki correcting their mistakes and weaknesses during practice. [Advanced Swordsmanship Class Lecture Completed. Rewards Calculated.] [You've received: 100 Swordsmanship EXP] [First Time Teaching Advanced Swordsmanship: Bonus Reward Granted] ...