Compared to the Shinigami who were incorporated into the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, those Shinigami who managed to join the Gotei 13 were considered geniuses.
However, their future limits would likely only reach around the seventh or eighth level of Reiatsu.
Those who could achieve the sixth level of Reiatsu and complete their Zanpakuto's Shikai to become seated officers were geniuses among geniuses.
Out of a hundred, there might not even be one.
Yet, even such geniuses were merely stepping stones to those who were even more extraordinary.
On the other hand, Kyoya's age also played a role.
Yes, this might sound contradictory, but it was logically consistent.
They looked down on Kyoya because of his young age, believing that even if he had talent, he couldn't be that strong yet.
But at the same time, they also recognized Kyoya's potential, given that he had passed the Shin'o Academy's exams and joined the Gotei 13 at such a young age.
At the very least, they weren't arrogant enough to assume that Kyoya would never surpass them in the future.
If they bullied Kyoya now, once he grew stronger, they would suffer the consequences.
Villains weren't stupid.
On the contrary, they were often smarter than ordinary people, knowing exactly who they could afford to mess with and who they couldn't.
Of course, in this case, Kyoya didn't think these two seniors were necessarily bad people.
It was just that, whether in the One Piece World or Bleach World, one couldn't simply define a person as purely 'good or 'evil'.
"The current captain of the 11th Division is Kiganjo-sama..."
"As for the lieutenant, it's Ichinose Maki-sama."
"Kiganjo and Ichinose Maki?"
Kyoya nodded in understanding.
'Good… the best possible starting point for me!'
The ninth Kenpachi, Gosuke Kenpachi, was the weakest Captain in the history of the 11th Division… no, in the entire Gotei 13's history.
He didn't even possess Captain-level strength. Though he became Captain due to the 11th Division's unique traditions, the other division's Captains looked down on him. Even Kyoraku Shunsui didn't bother mentioning Gosuke's name when talking about him.
The fact that Kiganjo could hold the position of Captain in the 11th Division for a while meant he must have achieved Bankai.
Kyoya estimated that Kiganjo's strength was probably similar to Madarame Ikkaku's… barely reaching the threshold of Captain-level.
With that level of strength, Kyoya believed that once he obtained Lieutenant's position and unlocked the rewards from the One Piece Achievement System, defeating Kiganjo wouldn't be too difficult.
Once Kyoya became the captain of the 11th Division, he would undoubtedly earn the [Marine Admiral] gold-tier achievement.
At that point, his strength would receive another significant boost, allowing him to stand firm among the captains.
Even if Zaraki showed up later, Kyoya might still have a chance at defeating him.
As for whether he could defeat Ichinose Maki, Kyoya had no doubt about it.
Ichinose's Zanpakuto is the light-type [Nijigasumi], which could use light refraction to conceal himself and also condense light into blades for attack.
In the future, after Kiganjo was killed by Zaraki, Ichinose, unable to accept this, defected from the Seireitei and later became a subordinate of the Bount's leader, Kariya Jin.
Even at that time, Ichinose hadn't achieved Bankai.
Clearly, his limit was only Lieutenant-level.
Coincidentally, Kyoya's Zanpakuto, the Pika Pika no Mi, was the strongest light-type Zanpakuto, making it a perfect counter to Ichinose's Zanpakuto's abilities.
It can be said that even though Kyoya's Reiryoku has not yet reached the 5th-class, which is the Lieutenant-level, his chances of defeating Ichinose in a fight were still high.
As Kyoya pondered this, the battle on the training ground was nearing its end.
"Kill!"
With their respective shouts, the two combatants unleashed their full Reiatsu, staking their lives on this final clash.
Boom!
As the dust from the violent collision settled, the two figures on the training ground stood drenched in blood, gasping heavily.
"Damn it-"
The Shinigami on the left seemed to want to say something, but the moment he opened his mouth, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. After swaying unsteadily for a few moments, he collapsed face-first onto the ground.
"This battle… is my victory!"
Only then did the standing Shinigami raise his Zanpakuto high and roar in triumph.
"Ohhhhhhhhh!!!"
The surrounding members of the 11th Division erupted in cheers, raising their fists in celebration of the victor.
Even Kyoya found himself swept up in their fervor.
There was no denying it… the Shinigami of the 11th Division were a straightforward bunch.
They revered strength. They followed strength.
"Hahahaha! Well done."
A booming voice suddenly cut through the cheers, nearly drowning them out entirely.
"Hojo! As Captain of the 11th Division, I acknowledge the validity of your challenge."
Hearing this, Kyoya turned toward the source of the voice, but due to his height, all he could see were the backs of the other Shinigami.
Sighing inwardly, Kyoya gathered Reishi beneath his feet, gently lifting himself just enough to rise above the crowd.
Then, Kyoya saw the person who was speaking-
He is a man nearly three meters tall, his body so massive and muscular it seemed inhuman. His barrel-like belly, his brutish face, his spiky black hair jutting out like a sea urchin's spines, and his thick, wild beard only amplified his ferocious appearance.
The current captain of the 11th Division, the tenth-generation Kenpachi, Kiganjo Kenpachi!
The title of Kenpachi belonged to the strongest Shinigami in the Seireitei.
The previous holders of the name had lived up to that legacy.
Unfortunately, ever since the eighth Kenpachi, Azashiro Kenpachi, was imprisoned in Muken, the reigns of Gosen Kenpachi and Kiganjo had tarnished the title's prestige.
"Now then… while we're at it, does anyone else wish to challenge a seated officer?"
After ordering some men to carry the victor away for treatment, Kiganjo grinned, his expression twisting into something even more savage.
"Or… perhaps one of you would like to challenge me?"
In the 11th Division, as long as you had the strength, you could challenge anyone of higher rank-
However, such challenges couldn't be issued at any time.
To challenge the Captain, it needs the witness of at least two hundred division's members to be valid.
To challenge the chief officer, more than one hundred division's members are needed to witness it.
Because of this, whenever a challenge occurred in the 11th Division, nearly every available member would gather to watch.
For one, observing the battles of their strongest fighters could provide valuable insight for their own growth.
Secondly, knowing the strength of their comrades meant that in life-or-death missions, they'd know exactly who to call for backup.
And finally… they were there to serve as official witnesses.
Right now, the crowd surrounding the training ground numbered well over 200, which has met the requirements for challenging the Captain.
This is also the reason why Kiganjo asked this.