CH 22: SHUHEI HISAGI
"Becoming a captain, huh."
If he had to be honest, the position of captain didn't particularly attract him in any way.
It was simply too much responsibility.
Back then on earth, the reasons he fought to become one of the higher ups was to put a stop to the rampant corruption of those old bastards entrenched in their own way and usher a new wave by grooming talented individuals.
With students such as Yuta and Yuji, two students with the potential to reach a level near his own, he could be said to have perfectly succeeded in his life goal.
Currently though,
"Heh, thinking too much is useless. Gotta do what I gotta do."
Closing the book in his hand, he stood up and belatedly realized that the sun was setting down. As such, after putting his glasses on, he placed the book back in its place and left.
Nanao and Toshiro had long since left the library and the library girl this time wasn't Hotaru, so he simply decided to leave.
As a vice-captain, Nanao was extremely busy and could only spare some time to meet him from time to time and help him. He was really grateful for all the help she had given him.
As for Toshiro, he had to go to the Zanjutsu class.
As he had thought, Toshiro was really a genius and his Asauchi was already beginning to show individual traits.
At this rate, it wouldn't take more than a few months for him to get the name of his zanpakuto and reach the Shikai, a level that nearly 90% of shinigami never reached.
Gojo on the other hand despite all his talent was currently unable to enter in contact with the soul of his sword.
The way for a shinigami to contact his/her sword was to go through a special kind of meditation called Jinzen.
But despite all his tries, even though he could feel the soul of his sword, he was simply unable to communicate with it.
Gojo understood his problem and was simply helpless toward it.
It wasn't a question of talent. But his own disposition.
He knew that deep down, he was rejecting the sword.
A Zanpakuto was supposed to be a partner. A friend. The closest and most reliable companion a shinigami could have in its entire life.
But Satoru Gojo did not need to have a companion.
In his entire life, there was only one man he could call as such.
Suguru Geto.
His best friend and a man he had to personally put down once he went to the dark side.
Since then, no one could ever catch up to his footsteps.
He was the strongest sorcerer. The one who stood at the top.
This was his pride. This was his deepest conviction. Even after dying and coming into this world, he still held the same conviction.
That was why his heart stayed closed off from his Zanpakuto.
But, even though he knew the source of the problem, there was nothing he could do about this.
"Sigh, being stumped because of some bullshit like emotions is truly a pain."
Scratching his hair, he walked alone in the deserted alley before stopping as he looked at four men, wearing the standard uniform of the academy, standing in front of him.
"Yo! What might be the matter? Just so you know, I am not interested in men."
The four men seemed ticked at his nonchalance, "Satoru Gojo, is this how you talk to your senpai!?"
"Heh? Am I perhaps about to be bullied? Ohhh, I must say, this is really a new experience. So, my dear little Senpai, for what do I owe you the pleasure of this visit?"
"You...!"
"Stop. No need to enter his game."
The most rash one was stopped by a slender black-haired man with the number 69 on his left cheek.
Then, facing Gojo he continued, "My name is Shuhei Hisagi. A 6th-year student from class 1. While I do admit that the way we appeared might have seemed a little misleading and for that I apologize, I also believe that your disrespectful words were unwarranted. Could you please apologize as well?"
Gojo could see that the man was really sincere.
'Ah, I really hate this type.'
He could already see that despite his punk-like appearance, this guy was the noble type. Not noble in terms of bloodline, but in terms of actions and way of thinking.
They were the kind of people who believed that there were no genuinely evil people and all that bullshit of this kind.
Gojo tended to call this kind of people, kind hypocrites.
He didn't hate them per se, but the problem with kind hypocrites was that once their beliefs were broken, they tended to become… let's say, slightly extreme.
He understood more than anyone. After all, Geto had also been this type. The type of man that said words like protecting the weak, following their duties, and all that righteous bullshit.
And in the end? It was the same man who decided that the world could only be saved by exterminating all non-sorcerers.
Even at his very last moment, before Satoru killed him, Geto could simply lament at how much he could not support the world.
'The world will always be an unkind place for the righteous.'
Thinking about his dead friend once again, his good mood vanished, and simply nodded, "Sorry, sorry. You guys are truly sensitive, can't even take a joke, sigh!"
"I see. Well, I guess I will take this apology."
As Gojo thought, despite how his appearance suggested otherwise, Shuhei was truly a pacific man that hated conflict and bloodshed.
Knowing that forcing the issue for a normal apology would only worsen the situation, he simply backed off and entered the heart of the issue,
"Satoru Gojo. If we stand here in front of you, it's because your actions have severely disturbed the peace of the academy. Many students have to complain about your… Let's say, slightly troublesome attitude, and some males students also complained about your, *Cough* your amorous habits."
At this part, Shuhei coughed to hide his embarrassment.
Seeing this, Gojo couldn't help but snicker. Aside from ditching class, Gojo wasn't idle when it came to wooing girls.
After all, he couldn't simply study all the time, right? In fact, he even thought he was pretty tame compared to most university students back on earth.
"So?"
Shuhei managed to calm down, and continued, "I understand that it's your freedom to act as you wish. For the second issue, no one here is a child. As such, while I personally find this practice deplorable, I have neither the right nor the intention to stop it as long as the concerned parties gave their consent."
There he becomes even more serious, "But about the main issue. Your comportment is without a doubt setting a bad example for the students. You may perhaps not need those classes, but for the normal students, seeing someone succeed without putting any effort while they give their all is disheartening and affects their studies."
"So in short, a bunch of whining bastards couldn't face reality and came to complain so that I will become a model student and at least heal their wounded egos while giving them the illusion that they aren't just useless trash… Is that it?"
Shuhei's face twitched.
Even though the words used by Gojo were extremely harsh, the truth was as he depicted.
What's more, most of the students complaining were nobles who couldn't accept that someone from the rukongai could surpass them so much without even trying.
Shuhei didn't come here without doing his research on Gojo.
He even knew about the short fight against the Hakuda and shunpo instructor, and such, understood that judging Satoru with their standards was simply stupid.
He could not understand the use of such jealousy. If you felt inferior, wouldn't it be better to double, triple, or even quadruple the amount of effort you put in so that you could reach your goal?
Ever since he had been saved from a hollow attack all those years ago by the ex-captain of the 9th division, Kensei Muguruma, Shuhei had never ceased to put in the effort necessary to reach his idol.
He even went as far as tattooing the same number 69 on his body, though on his cheek rather than his chest.
Even the fact that Kensei was now considered a traitor and a fugitive alongside many other captains didn't change his admiration.
This was why he could not understand people who used excuses to hide their own mediocrity.
But even so, "I understand your frustration. But please, for the sake of the academy, stop your conduct." While saying that, he gave a deep bow.
Watching him like this, Gojo lowered his glasses before giving his smirk, "Shuhei Hisagi was it? Hehe~! Did you know? If a bow was all that was necessary to make any requests, the world would truly be a different place."
Putting back his glasses on, he put his hands in his pockets and swaggered past the bowing Hisagi without any care in the world.
Before turning in the corner, he gave some last words,
"I respect your words and your way of thinking. But I will never force myself for the sake of people I do not recognize. Trust me, It isn't worth it."
This was his creed.
He wasn't a hero. Nor was he even a good person.
He didn't fight for something illusory like justice, nor did he wish to become an example for anyone.
He simply lived his life as he wished, uncaring to anyone else.
----
(AN: Shuhei currently doesn't have scars on the face. In canon, he got it when he faced a group of hollows with the other students during the outing. As for the Geto Satoru killed and the Geto anime only fans saw. Yeaahh, let's just say that the stitches on his forehead aren't just for making a cool character design.)