Sasakibe was somewhat surprised. "You….intend to reopen the Genji Academy?"
The Captain-Commander shook his head. "Of course not. At my age, I don't have the luxury of time to teach full courses. However, as the Headmaster of Shin'ō Academy, I can take over a few classes now and then."
Although it wasn't about reopening the old Genji Academy, the Captain-Commander's response still left Sasakibe astonished. He hadn't expected the Captain-Commander to show such interest.
At that moment, the sparring match in the training ground had concluded. Despite being slower overall compared to Yoruichi, the victor of this hand-to-hand combat session was Ren.
"Interesting. The young lady from the Shihōin Clan didn't lose because of her hakuda skills," the Captain-Commander commented. "She lost because of her judgment."
"Judgment?" Sasakibe, who hadn't paid much attention to the details of the match, asked curiously.
"Combat is much like answering a series of multiple-choice questions. How you dismantle your opponent's technique, and what you do next—these are choices you must make with each exchange," the Captain-Commander explained. "Tell me, Chōjirō, how do you make decisions during a fight?"
Sasakibe pondered for a moment before replying, "Combat scenarios are complex. If we break down the process, then every move is a form of strategy. Personally, I rely on straightforward responses—reacting to attacks as they come. For instance, if my opponent strikes me head-on and I determine I can't counter in time, I retract my blade to defend. If my sword can reach my opponent first, I aim for a vital spot…"
He paused briefly and added, "If we liken combat to answering questions, there are simply too many variables. Opponents have their own choices, and every decision shifts the flow of battle. It's difficult to predict everything. When I think about it, most of my decisions are made subconsciously."
"Subconsciously, you say?"
The Captain-Commander looked at Sasakibe, his expression inscrutable, making Sasakibe slightly uneasy.
Sasakibe quickly clarified, "To summarize, daily training is crucial. Many decisions in battle come from muscle memory. So, saying it's subconscious….is also correct."
"You're neither entirely right nor entirely wrong," the Captain-Commander nodded. "A competent Shinigami must train diligently every day. Techniques etched into one's very bones can save their life in a fight to the death. But…"
Sasakibe immediately straightened, sensing the Captain-Commander was about to impart something profound.
"…Chōjirō, some fighters make their decisions not through honed techniques or muscle memory, but through… pure instinct."
The Captain-Commander's aged eyes narrowed further as he looked at Ren, who was wiping away sweat with a towel below. "With every move he makes, he instinctively chooses the optimal solution. That's why, even though the Shihōin girl had the upper hand in speed, he still emerged victorious."
"Instinct…" Sasakibe mulled over the word. Reflecting on his own battles, he realized he rarely had the luxury to overthink. Even if there was a strategy in mind, it was more overarching than tied to individual exchanges.
In the instant where blades crossed, there was no time for excessive thought. What guided one's actions seemed to be instinct—or perhaps, as he mentioned earlier, the subconscious decision-making factors of the mind.
He glanced solemnly at Ren. If this young man truly possessed the instinct to consistently make the best decisions in battle, wouldn't that mean, under equal spiritual pressure, he was essentially unbeatable?
According to the Captain-Commander, combat prowess and decision-making ability were distinct qualities.
To simplify: if Yoruichi could kill ten Hollows with a single punch, while Ren could only manage eight, then Yoruichi's hakuda skills would be superior.
However, the ability to decide whether to punch or kick in a fight determines decision-making capability. If Yoruichi made a poor choice and missed, while Ren made the correct one, even if his attack lacked the same strength, he'd deal effective damage while avoiding harm.
Thus, decision-making in battle might even surpass technical skill in importance.
Instinct huh...
"Let's go. We'll return in a few days."
The Captain-Commander's words signalled the end of the lesson. He planned to return for the next hakuda class to teach that arrogant boy a lesson.
------
"Why do I feel a bit cold? Did I not eat enough at lunch?"
Ren shivered briefly, feeling as though some terrifying presence had locked onto him. Yet, when he turned to look around, he saw no one particularly menacing.
"Ren-kun, let's go. The next class is Zanpakutō resonance."
Aizen's voice snapped Ren out of his thoughts. In the two months they'd spent together, they had grown closer.
Aizen had to admit that aside from spiritual pressure, Ren's talent in other areas was entirely on par with, if not greater than, his own.
What frustrated Aizen to no end, though, was Ren's apparent apathy toward spiritual pressure training.
From Aizen's perspective, Ren clearly possessed the aptitude to excel in it. Yet, over the past two months, Ren had been lazy, often skipping their late-night sessions.
It's all Captain Unohana's fault…
Aizen couldn't understand why Ren was so obsessed with healing Kido. To him, it was far better to strengthen oneself to the point of overwhelming opponents rather than rely on techniques meant for recovery after injury.
And yet, Ren's fixation on improving his kaidō was undeniable.
He also noticed that Ren had a strong determination to become stronger, which made it even more baffling why he was slacking off on spiritual pressure training, the most direct path to power.
Though 'slacking off' was not the right word, since he never skipped the three weekly spiritual pressure lessons. But Ren's refusal to train at night had left Aizen puzzled. The reason? Ren always seemed exhausted.
Whatever he was doing with Captain Unohana left him returning to the dorms pale and weak-kneed, collapsing into bed and drifting to sleep mid-conversation. [T/N - Ayooo]
Was he that obsessed with Kaidō? Or could it be… Ren-kun's fallen for Unohana-sensei?
Aizen felt he might have uncovered the truth.
Otherwise, there was simply no way to explain how someone as reckless and battle-obsessed as Ren would focus solely on kaidō every day instead of training his spiritual pressure.
With that thought in mind, Aizen couldn't help but say, "Ren-kun, don't you think you should start showing some restraint?"
"Huh? Restraint in what?"
Ren looked completely baffled, not understanding what Aizen was getting at.
After carefully choosing his words, Aizen replied, "Look, I understand that Captain Unohana is incredibly charming, and conducting… forbidden experiments with a beautiful teacher can be quite thrilling. But if you keep exhausting yourself like this every day, when do you plan to unlock your Shikai?"
Ren: ???
Since Captain Unohana had strictly instructed him to keep her after-class guidance confidential, Ren had never mentioned to Aizen that he was spending every evening getting slashed.
Aizen Sōsuke, how exactly do you know that I've been conducting forbidden experiments with Captain Unohana every day?
Also… are you misunderstanding something here? I'm not some weirdo with a bizarre kink! Why on earth would getting slashed excite me?