That night, everyoayed over at Haruki's pce.

  By the time they woke up the day, the others had already left.

  The previous night, Aizen had mentioned giving him another day off today, sidering he had drunk the most st night. Today would be a day to sober up.

  Look at that, isn't that siderate?

  This is my captain, Aizen, the leader of the 5th Division. Do you have a captain like this?

  No wonder everyone ih Division respects Aizen so much. Even after Aizen openly betrayed them, some still remember his kindness.

  Haruki finally uood—if he were a member of the 5th Division in the inal story, he would have been a die-hard fan of Aizen too!

  Lying in bed, Haruki yawned as he stared at the ceiling.

  Holy, he had drunk quite a bit st night, and his head still hurt a little.

  Haruki got out of bed and poured himself a cup of hot water.

  After finishing his m routine, he took a sip of the hot water to quench his thirst.

  inally, he had po go to work today, but now he could enjoy a leisurely nap. How fortable.

  But then again...

  Fet it, how could he waste such a good day sleeping?

  Time to go and boost some favorability.

  Haruki thought about it. He had already identified several abilities he wanted.

  However, he couldn't rush with some people's favorability. If he tried to force it, he might end up annoying them instead.

  After some sideration, he decided to focus on acquiring the "Strict Teacher, Taleudent" ability first.

  Since he finally had a day off, he wouldn't bother trying to boost favorability with the Gotei 13 members. After all, he was on vacation, but they were still w!

  So, Haruki tidied up and headed toward the Shin'ō Academy.

  "Teacher!"

  Ihe Shin'ō Academy, Haruki made his way to ōnabara Genryūsai's office with ease, just as the teacher was reading a book.

  "Haruki?!" ōnabara Genryūsai was momentarily stuhen a look of joy spread across his face. He quickly stood up and said, "You're quite the celebrity in the Soul Society now. What brings you here?"

  Look at this. Back when he was just a lowly Shinigami, he would never have received such treatment.

  Now, even his teacher was smiling at him.

  Ah, hmatic people could be.

  When he was just a small-time Shinigami, no one paid him any attention. But now that he's a vice-captain, everyone's all smiles.

  "Captain Aizen gave me a day off, and I thought I'd e visit you since I had nothing else to do."

  With that, Haruki pced a bag of fruits oable.

  ōnabara Genryūsai chuckled, "You didn't have t anything."

  "Teacher, you helped me so much back then. How could I fet your kindness?" Haruki replied with a smile.

  He loved saying hings now. After all, it didn't cost him anything, and it made people happy. Why not use it to boost their likeability?

  "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have bee a vice-captain."

  "With your hard work, being a vice-captain was only a matter of time," ōnabara Genryūsai said.

  Though, to be ho, that was a bit of a stretch.

  Back then, Haruki had indeed worked hard, but hard work alone wasn't enough. If effort alone could make someone a vice-captain, the Soul Society would have hundreds of them by now.

  It all came down to talent!

  Without talent, no matter how hard you worked, you'd only ever be a small-time Shinigami.

  ōnabara Genryūsai had initially thought that Haruki might, at best, bee a 7th or 8th seat.

  He had higher hopes for Hisagi Shūhei to bee a vice-captain.

  But who would have thought that just a few years after graduation, Haruki had already risen to the rank of vice-captain?

  Now, this was big news in the Soul Society, and Haruki was the ter of attention.

  ōnabara Genryūsai couldn't help but reflect that a person's future wasn't just about hard work and talent—luck pyed a signifit role too.

  Just half a year ago, Haruki had been an ordinary Shinigami. Yet, in just six months, he had climbed the ranks and bee a vice-captain.

  Haruki, of course, uood this as well.

  As they walked out of the office, Haruki asked about Hitsugaya Tōshirō.

  ōnabara Genryūsai mentiohat Hitsugaya was a rare genius. In just half a year, he had nearly pleted the entire Shin'ō Academy curriculum.

  However, after evaluation, the academy felt that Hitsugaya wasn't quite ready to graduate. Even if he wao graduate early, they were sideriing him do so the following year.

  He was still too young, and rushing into the Gotei 13 wouldn't be wise.

  At the academy, he had time to grow.

  If he joihe Gotei 13 and something happened during a mission, what then?

  He had immeential, so there was o rush like the other students.

  After all, there would always be a squad willing to take him.

  "That's true. It's for the best," Haruki nodded in agreement. "Hitsugaya is still just a kid. If I were his teacher, I'd want him to plete the full six-year course so he could joiei 13 with the ability to protect himself."

  "Exactly," ōnabara Genryūsai sighed. "I feel the same way. Besides, it's also good for your 5th Division."

  "Oh?" Haruki smiled. "How so?"

  "Well, think about it. year, almost all the top students from our css will be joining the 5th Division."

  "If we let someone like Hitsugaya join as well, the other divisions wouldn't be able to accept it."

  Today was already December 26th, which meant the New Year was just around the er. Ohe New Year arrived, a new batch of students would graduate, and the 5th Division had already set their sights on three highly taleudents: Kira Izuru, Abarai Renji, and Hinamori Momo.

  If they added someone like Hitsugaya Tōshirō to the mix, how could the other divisions accept that?

  It would be like hogging all the good stuff for themselves.

  "Haha," Haruki couldn't help but ugh. "There's nothing we do about it. Our division is just too appealing. But you're right, it's better not to bee the target of everyone's envy."

  Haruki agreed with ōnabara Genryūsai's point, and after boosting his sympathy by a couple of points, he bid farewell a.

  , he headed to the White Gate, where he chatted with Jidanbō for a while.

  Jidanbō was a simple-minded giant, and just by casually chatting with him, Haruki's favorability shot up.

  Although it hadn't reached 60 yet, Haruki felt it would be close the ime he visited.

  And just like that, his day off came to an end.

  After that, Haruki returo his usual routine—work, training, drinking, and boosting favorability during his days off.

  In the blink of ahe year arrived.