"Hmph!"
Seeing Kyoya soften his stance, Yamamoto snorted coldly but said nothing more, leaning on his cane as he returned to his seat.
Since Kyoya and the others had spoken loudly, all the Captains present naturally overheard the content of their argument with the Captain-Commander.
They were well aware of the darkness lurking within Seireitei.
However, as the pinnacle of Seireitei's power, the corruption of the nobility never reached them, so they paid it no mind.
As long as it didn't affect them, they were content to let things be.
But now, among them stood Kyoya, someone who might actually take action against these injustices, earning him a newfound respect from many of the Captains.
Particularly among those who had risen from Rukongai, such as Hirako Shinji and Muguruma Kensei, their admiration for Kyoya grew rapidly.
However, they also understood that the true shield protecting these nobles was none other than Yamamoto himself.
All for the sake of Seireitei!
This was Yamamoto's unwavering conviction.
Any attempt to overturn Seireitei would inevitably face his wrath.
They didn't hold much hope for Kyoya's success.
Yet, that didn't stop them from believing that Kyoya could bring about positive change to the current state of Seireitei.
From the looks of it, Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Ginrei were all standing on Kyoya's side.
Even Yamamoto, despite his earlier stern demeanor, had clearly shown favor toward Kyoya.
Otherwise, anyone else daring to speak like that might have already been reduced to ashes by the old man's flames.
But Yamamoto had merely issued a warning to Kyoya, directing most of his anger toward Kyoraku instead, which is proof enough of his fondness for Kyoya.
Perhaps Yamamoto also desired change but, for him, the stability of Seireitei took precedence. Maybe he was placing his hopes for reforming the Soul Society on Kyoya's shoulders?
Kyoya shook his head, dismissing the thought.
Whatever Yamamoto's intentions might be, Kyoya would act according to his own will.
Even if it meant eventually standing against Yamamoto, so be it.
The conflict among the captains had little impact on the other Shinigami.
All they saw was Yamamoto briefly leaving his seat to exchange a few words with Kyoraku, Ukitake, Kyoya, and Ginrei before returning.
They had no idea that, just moments ago, a battle among Captains had nearly erupted.
As time passed, the Shinigami taking the stage grew increasingly stronger.
Now, those stepping onto the ring were seated officers from various divisions… Shinigami capable of releasing their Zanpakuto.
Their battles finally managed to pique the Captains' interest.
Though their techniques still seemed crude in the eyes of the Captains, the diverse abilities of their Zanpakuto provided plenty of spectacle.
Similarly, whether a Shinigami could fully utilize their Zanpakuto's power depended on their combat experience and instincts.
Among those with Reiryoku below the 6th-class, Shinigami who hadn't achieved Shikai, the 11th Division dominated, with nearly every member defeating at least three opponents.
But at the level of seated officers, while the 11th Division still held an advantage, the gap was no longer as vast as it had been among the rank-and-file.
In fact, some seated officers from the 11th Division were defeated without securing a single victory.
This was inevitable.
Most of the 11th Division's seated officers possessed Zanpakuto with direct-combat abilities… enhancing physical power but lacking flashy techniques.
This trait allowed them to end battles quickly against seated officers from other divisions. However, if they encountered an ability that countered theirs, they would quickly find themselves at a disadvantage and lose.
Compared to the earlier battles among lower-ranked Shinigami, the seated officers' matches were far fewer in number.
After all, each division had, at most, twenty seated officers, and some divisions even had vacancies.
Very few divisions had more than twenty Shinigami capable of releasing their Zanpakuto.
At this moment, when a slender figure stepped onto the ring, Kyoya's eyes lit up.
Gin had taken the stage.
Without any surprises, the prodigious Gin defeated the 11th Division's fifth seat without even releasing his Zanpakuto.
'As expected, Captain Kyoya was right. This guy does have strength comparable to third seat Ichinose.'
Though defeated, the 11th Division's fifth seat wasn't surprised.
Three months ago, when Gin and Aizen had visited the 11th Division, Kyoya had already told them that Gin, despite being a fifth Seat, possessed strength rivaling that of their division's third seat, Ichinose.
After three months of rigorous training, the fifth seat had indeed grown stronger, but he still didn't believe he had reached Ichinose's level.
However, he hadn't even managed to force Gin to release his Zanpakuto, which is proof of the vast gap between them.
Gin wasn't surprised that Kyoya knew his strength.
After all, during the assessment he had conducted on Kyoya, Gin had released his Zanpakuto.
Though he had held back some power, someone of Kyoya's current strength could easily gauge his approximate level.
However, what puzzled Gin was-
'Were the 11th Division's seated officers really this weak?'
After all, if he recalled correctly, this third seat had once been the 11th Division's Lieutenant before Kyoya joined.
Such strength didn't seem fitting for a combat-focused division…
"Captain Hirako..."
After witnessing Gin's victory, Kyoya leaned forward slightly, his gaze shifting toward Shinji, who sat in the third seat to the left of Yamamoto.
Hearing Kyoya call his name, Shinji raised an eyebrow.
"Captain Kyoya, you're not about to be a sore loser, are you?"
This exchange battle had been arranged between Shinji's 5th Division and Kyoya's 11th Division to foster better understanding between their forces.
Before Gin stepped in, the 5th Division's Shinigami had barely managed to gain any advantage over the 11th Division's members.
This had left Shinji visibly frustrated.
As the support division, he had originally intended to lend Kyoya a hand, ensuring that the 11th Division wouldn't suffer heavy casualties and face disciplinary consequences.
But to his surprise, the combat prowess of Kyoya's subordinates far exceeded his expectations.
Thankfully, Gin's appearance had salvaged some of Shinji's pride.
Otherwise, what kind of relief squad would they be if the ones meant to provide backup were weaker than the team they were supposed to assist?
Would they just be delivering themselves as easy prey?
Now that Gin had defeated multiple seated officers from the 11th Division in succession, Shinji wondered if Kyoya was calling him out of sheer frustration.
Though this was merely an exchange with no official rewards for victory or defeat, for the Captains, personal pride was the greatest prize.
"Not at all..."
Kyoya chuckled lightly.
Shinji was a straightforward man… someone Kyoya could trust to watch his back if they became allies.
"It's just that I've noticed the 5th Division is overflowing with talent, while my 11th Division lost many strong fighters due to the previous Captain's... circumstances."
"Right now, the 11th Division is in dire need of capable Shinigami who can hold their own."
"I think your fifth Seat, Ichimaru Gin, shows great promise. I'd like to ask you for a favor."
"Oh?" Hirako's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression turning serious, "You want to recruit fifth Seat Ichimaru into the 11th Division?"
*"Yes. Currently, the position of Lieutenant in the 11th Division is vacant. I believe Ichimaru Gin has what it takes to fill that role."
"Lieutenant..."
Shinji was genuinely surprised.
Kyoya was certainly generous with his offer.
"Captain Kyoya, you'll have to discuss that with fifth Seat Ichimaru himself."
"Though I am their Captain, I don't have the authority to make decisions for them."
"But I can promise you this… if he agrees, I won't stand in the way. Once this exchange battle concludes, you can take him with you immediately."
"Thank you very much."
Kyoya nodded in gratitude before turning his attention back to the ring.
At this moment, Gin was facing off against the 11th Division's third Seat, Ichinose Maki.
Both had unleashed their true strength, releasing their Zanpakuto as their Reiatsu surged, their bodies radiating brilliant spiritual light.
In the early stages of the battle, Ichinose had managed to suppress Gin using his Zanpakuto's abilities.
But once Gin adapted to Ichinose's techniques, his invisibility no longer posed a threat.
Gin's Shikai, Shinso, could extend dozens of meters in an instant. With a single flick of his wrist, he could cover the entire ring, forcing Ichinose into direct combat.
The ever-changing length of his blade made Gin's attacks unpredictable, leaving Ichinose no choice but to focus entirely on defense.
A single misstep would mean instant defeat.
In the end, Ichinose was overwhelmed.
"Clap clap clap..."
"Well fought. That was an excellent match."
Seeing that the victor had been decided, Kyoya couldn't help but clap his hands.
"My apologies, Captain Kyoya... I've failed you."
Ichinose knelt on one knee, bowing his head in shame.
As the former Lieutenant of the 11th Division, losing to the 5th Division's fifth Seat was nothing short of disgraceful.
"No need for that, Ichinose."
Kyoya waved his hand dismissively: "Losing to fifth seat Ichimaru is nothing to be ashamed of."
"After all, not long ago, I myself was defeated by him."
"As long as you've grown stronger than you were yesterday, you haven't truly lost."
After reassuring Ichinose, Kyoya turned his gaze to Gin.
"Ichimaru Gin … come to the 11th Division."
"I'll make you my Lieutenant!"