The Visored
"Is this really the Hiyori we know?"
Every captain-level Shinigami present exchanged bewildered glances. For so long, Hiyori had been known for her fiery temper, the type to fight at the slightest provocation, embodying the persona of the ultimate "big sister"—uncompromising and headstrong. Now, to see her jealous over someone like Saikyō was nothing short of unbelievable.
Oh my god! The whole Soul Society must be about to turn upside down!
Of all the people, the most shocked was Hirako Shinji, who had just been on the receiving end of Hiyori's brutal kicks. Shinji, as the captain of the Fifth Division, had been constantly bullied by Hiyori for decades, his nose often bruised and his face swollen after each encounter. The psychological scars ran deep. He had even developed a subconscious fear of her.
And now, to hear that the very same Hiyori—who had mercilessly beaten him time and time again—was acting jealous because of a mere academy student, treating him like a little crush? What in the actual world?
WTF?
Not even a scriptwriter would dare come up with something like this!
---
"Beaten half to death and now forced to watch this? Why is life so unfair!" Hirako Shinji groaned inwardly.
His gaze flicked toward Saikyō. It wasn't just Hiyori who seemed to have taken a liking to the young genius. Even Yadoumaru Lisa and Kuna Mashiro appeared to be showing interest in him. This shocked Shinji even further.
What does this kid have that I don't? Shinji thought, feeling an unexpected tinge of envy.
"Baldy, are you muttering something over there? Do you want another beating?" Hiyori snapped, catching wind of Shinji's mumbling.
"Huh? But everyone else was talking too!" Shinji said, bewildered.
"Oh? So you're talking back now?" Hiyori shot him a deadly glare.
"No... no, no! Not at all!" Shinji waved his hands frantically.
"I don't care! I just don't like your face!" Without any justification, Hiyori leaped into the air and delivered another direct kick to Shinji's head.
---
"Why am I always the one who suffers!" Hirako Shinji howled as he flew backward, spinning several times before hitting the ground in a humiliating heap. The slipper-shaped imprint on his face was more pronounced than ever.
The rest of the captains wisely stayed silent, wisely avoiding any confrontation with Hiyori.
---
"Alright, enough with the comedy," Hiyori declared, trying to restore some semblance of order. "The reason I brought Saikyō here today was to introduce him to all of you. But more than that—"
"More than that?" Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō (also known as Rose), who was sporting his signature long, wavy hair, glanced over at Saikyō. "Hiyori, based on what I know of you, you're hoping we'll help train him, aren't you?"
"Captain Rose, you read me like a book," Hiyori said, nodding with a hint of pride.
Hiyori didn't even try to hide her ulterior motive. While she genuinely liked Saikyō for his potential, the truth was that his talent exceeded her capacity as an instructor. As a vice-captain, Hiyori felt limited in what she could teach him, especially given that Saikyō had already been receiving private tutoring from Urahara Kisuke, and had touched the threshold of high-level Kidō.
In short, Hiyori knew she wasn't enough.
That's why she was calling on the help of her fellow captain-level Shinigami—individuals who were more qualified to guide someone of Saikyō's caliber.
---
"Ah, I see. So that's what this is about," Hirako Shinji said with a lazy grin, casually picking at his ear. "Well, Hiyori, since it's you, I guess we have no choice but to agree."
"Excuse me? Reluctantly agree?" Hiyori glared again, her foot itching for another kick.
"I mean... we're more than happy to help! Super thrilled, even!" Shinji corrected himself with a nervous smile.
---
And just like that, the arrangement was set.
Under Hiyori's guidance, the captains and lieutenants of the future Visoreds all agreed to help Saikyō with special training. Of course, their busy schedules meant that the training wouldn't be long or frequent, but for someone like Saikyō, it would be more than enough.
After all, these weren't just ordinary sparring partners—these were four captains and three vice-captains.
The kind of intensive training Saikyō would receive would be enough to stir up the entire Soul Society!
---
As the night carried on, and with the initial chaos settled, Saikyō joined in the dinner with the group. As the youngest and newest addition to their ranks, it was only fitting that he toasted each of the captains with a glass of sake.
After a few rounds of drinking, Saikyō started to feel the effects of the alcohol, and before long, he was slightly tipsy, causing everyone to chuckle at his youthful inexperience with alcohol.
"He's such a little kid when he's drunk. I can see why you've taken a liking to him," Kuna Mashiro teased, leaning in closer to Saikyō and inspecting his handsome features.
"Stop it, Mashiro! He's just a kid!" Hiyori barked, trying to hide her flustered expression.
"Kid or not, I can wait ten years if I have to!" Mashiro laughed, completely unbothered by Hiyori's protests.
"Ah, you're drunk, Mashiro! If Captain Yoruichi hears about this, it won't be pretty..." Lisa remarked, smirking knowingly.
---
Because of Saikyō, the atmosphere soon turned playful, with Lisa, Mashiro, and Hiyori subtly competing for his attention. No one, not even the toughest of Shinigami, could resist the charm of this promising young genius.
---
Three Days Later
As promised, Saikyō's special training with the Visoreds was about to begin.
The location was a secluded forest on the outskirts of Seireitei. With Hiyori pushing them forward, all the key members of the future Masked Legion had gathered.
With the exception of Hachigen, the large and gentle giant who had to sit this session out, everyone else was present and ready to assist with Saikyō's training.
---
"Hiyori, why are we out here in the middle of nowhere? We have perfectly good training grounds back at the team barracks," Hirako Shinji complained.
"You idiot! Do you want us all to be arrested? Having several captains training together in the barracks would raise suspicions. Even if the Captain-Commander turned a blind eye, Central 46 would come down on us. Do you want to spend the next century rotting in Muken?" Hiyori snapped.
"Alright, alright. I'd rather deal with some rough conditions than go through that hellhole." Shinji shuddered at the thought.
With everyone present, they got down to business. The night was quiet, and the cool air of the forest set the perfect stage for intense training.
"Has the barrier been set up?" Hiyori asked.
"Triple-layer barrier, strong enough to last until dawn," Rose confirmed.
---
The group assembled inside the barrier. Hirako Shinji, Sarugaki Hiyori, Yadoumaru Lisa, Muguruma Kensei, Love Aikawa, Kuna Mashiro, and Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō—all stood around, ready for the special training to begin.
And at the center of it all was Saikyō, standing tall and calm, ready to face whatever came his way.
"There are seven hours until dawn. That's more than enough time to put Saikyō through his paces!" Hiyori clapped her hands, eager to get started.
"Who wants to go first?"
"I'll take the first crack at him!" Hirako Shinji stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.
"As the first genius of the academy and the future head of the Shihouin clan, there won't be many chances like this to test him out properly!" Hirako said with a mischievous grin as he walked into the barrier.
---
"Hirako, don't underestimate him. He's stronger than you think," Hiyori warned, her voice unusually serious.
"Yeah, right. He's just a kid. I'm a captain-class Shinigami, remember?" Hirako Shinji brushed off her warning.
"Ugh, you bald fool. Don't come crying to me later!" Hiyori muttered, as if already predicting the outcome.