Yoriichi Tsugikuni fell silent for a moment.
This sudden appointment filled him with questions.
After all, no matter how one looked at it, this punishment seemed a bit too severe.
Although the members of the Forty-Six Chambers held esteemed positions, this was only in comparison to the Gotei 13.
They could certainly command ordinary Shinigami at will, but they still had to exercise some discretion with the Captain-Commander.
This was like an king, even if he disliked a general with heavy military power, would not openly order his execution.
What's more, there were also the general's close allies in the court, some nobles from the Kuchiki Clan.
What was the situation now?
Yamamoto Genryusai seemed to perceive Yoriichi's confusion; he coughed lightly twice and slowly said,
"There's no need to feel sorry for this old man's predicament."
"Actually, even if yesterday's incident hadn't occurred, I wouldn't have stayed much longer."
"Because I am old; they are merely using this as an excuse."
"Tsugikuni, you should also be aware of their cautious nature; where there is one, there will be two, and where there are two, there will be three."
"This precedent set by this old man must absolutely not be allowed."
"Previously, it was because this old man was the strongest in Seireitei that they repeatedly tolerated it, but now it's different."
Yamamoto Genryusai sighed, "At some point, this old man also became a dim moon, irrelevant under the sunlight."
"Kyōraku, Ukitake, the two of you are the same, so there's no need to be doubtful."
"I have no doubts, Old Man Yama."
Kyōraku Shunsui sighed softly.
He lowered his eyes slightly and pressed down on his straw hat, trying to conceal the complex emotions in his eyes:
"I also agree with Yoriichi becoming the Captain-Commander; after all, his strength is evident."
"There's just one thing I'd like to ask: where will you go after you retire?"
"Also, were the words that Choojiro-senpai said among the captains yesterday also instructed by you?"
Kyōraku Shunsui raised these questions not for any other reason.
He had simply keenly noticed some clues and considered a certain possibility, wishing to verify some of the conjectures in his heart.
After all, saying those things on the eve of retirement made it hard not to draw many associations.
Yamamoto Genryusai pondered for a while, then gave an expected answer:
"Yes. What, Kyōraku, do you have other thoughts? Do you think this old man did something wrong?"
"How could I? You are my teacher; if I am wrong, you will never be wrong."
Kyōraku Shunsui smiled casually, a hint of nonchalance in his smile, but his slightly flickering eyes held a touch of understanding.
He understood everything now.
Jūshirō Ukitake, standing nearby, hesitated to speak. He desperately wanted to ask what exactly happened yesterday, why he completely didn't understand the things they were talking about?
All of this was too strange, even though he had anticipated Yoriichi succeeding the Captain-Commander position decades ago.
However, the anticipated scenario was after the Wandenreich's defeat; now, it had suddenly been brought forward by decades… so quickly that he felt a bit caught off guard.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni scanned the varying expressions on their faces, understood a few things in his heart, and nodded slightly:
"Hmm… I vaguely heard about those things yesterday. It seems, Teacher, you had already prepared for today's matter yesterday, didn't you?"
"Ukitake-shishō, you don't need to be confused."
"Chojiro-senpai didn't tell you, probably because he didn't want you to worry."
"With your intelligence, you'll surely deduce Teacher's purpose very soon… I accept."
He pondered for a moment, then looked at Yamamoto Genryusai again,
"Since you have already paved the way for me, it would be too unreasonable for me to ignore it."
"When is the inauguration ceremony?"
"In a week. Before that, let Chojiro take you to familiarize yourself with the 1st Division's environment."
Yamamoto Genryusai leaned on the chair, his hands gently exerting force, and slowly stood up.
His face wore a smile, full of gratification, seemingly very pleased with Yoriichi's answer.
It was not in vain for the sacrifices he had made.
"Chojiro."
Yamamoto Genryusai called out, and Chōjirō Sasakibe immediately responded, then respectfully led Yoriichi Tsugikuni out of the room to begin touring the 1st Division.
Jūshirō Ukitake remained in the room, listening as Kyōraku Shunsui slowly recounted the events of yesterday.
After listening, Jūshirō Ukitake's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
He had never imagined that Nemu Kurotsuchi's challenge would lead to the Captain-Commander's retirement…
It was truly incredible, but upon closer thought, it was also reasonable.
Compared to Yamamoto Genryusai, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was undoubtedly more suited to the current situation.
Those nobles had been dissatisfied with Yamamoto's barbaric style for a long time.
… …
The process of familiarizing himself with the 1st Division ended quickly, as the appointment and resignation required time, so not many people knew about it yet.
Yoriichi only told Uta about this news.
Upon hearing it, Uta's eyes suddenly widened, her face full of disbelief.
"Captain-Commander? Yoriichi, you're going to become the Captain-Commander?"
Although she no longer served in the Fourth Division, she deeply understood the significance of the Captain-Commander position.
One could say that, combined with Yoriichi's noble status and strength, he was essentially in a position above ten thousand people.
Below one person? No, below the Soul King.
Seeing Uta's surprised expression, Yoriichi sighed, a hint of helplessness and emotion on his face:
"Yes, I didn't expect it either. It's very sudden, but the appointment has already been issued."
"Initially, I just wanted to live a simple life with you and Rukia."
"Becoming a captain was just to let you and Rukia live a better life."
"But now…"
Yoriichi hesitated to speak.
To be honest, if Yamamoto Genryusai hadn't made those moves, he might have refused.
Because he was not a person who liked trouble.
But unfortunately, in Yamamoto Genryusai's eyes, no one was more suitable than himself.
And so, to make his inauguration process smoother, and for the future peace of Seireitei, he bore many things on his own.
With such immense sacrifice, if he were to refuse again, he would truly be unworthy of the name Shinigami.
Although Uta didn't know the reason, seeing Yoriichi's melancholic look, a pang of heartache arose within her, and she instinctively comforted him:
"There's nothing to 'but' about. Rukia and I are very happy now, and so is Rangiku."
"Captain-Commander is Captain-Commander, there's nothing bad about it."
She gently held Yoriichi's hand, trying to give him strength,
"It's not like becoming the Captain-Commander means you can't come home. Isn't Chojiro-senpai helping you?"
"Speaking of which, is the 1st Division's work very busy?"
Yoriichi pondered for a moment, then looked up and replied:
"It's not busy, but I need to issue commands frequently, and therefore, I need to live in the barracks often."
After speaking, Yoriichi suddenly realized something.
It seemed that Yamamoto Genryusai had never been anywhere else besides the barracks.
He had previously thought that Yamamoto Genryusai had no other properties in Seireitei, but now it seemed that even if he had properties, he couldn't live in them.
This wouldn't do; he wasn't old enough to lose enthusiasm for life yet.
Yoriichi deliberated for a moment, then looked at Uta, changing the subject and suggesting:
"How has that child Renji been doing lately?"
"If his relationship with Rukia still hasn't made any progress, then let me take care of him first."
"Life in the Thirteenth Division can certainly broaden his horizons, but his self-confidence… I think the 1st Division is more suitable for him."
Suddenly hearing Yoriichi change the subject, Uta was stunned for two seconds.
Coming back to her senses, she thought for a moment, and a smile slowly spread across her lips:
"Self-confidence? That's a really good suggestion."
"Indeed, from my observation, that child really lacks some confidence."
"He's so close to Rukia, yet he can't say a single word."
"If I leave him to you, Yoriichi, I can feel more at ease."
Uta tilted her head slightly, a hint of inquiry in her eyes,
"Are you planning to train him as your successor?"
"No." Yoriichi shook his head and expressed his thoughts, "I just want to spend more time with you."
"Bringing Renji to the 1st Division can both train his interpersonal skills and let Rukia see who is the person who cares about her the most."
"The relationship between these two is too delicate; if they don't separate for a while, they might never realize each other's feelings…"
"Especially Rukia."
Yoriichi sighed,
"Even now, Rukia still thinks Renji liking her is her imagination."
"As a girl, she's very reserved, and Renji can't speak due to his inferiority, so their relationship has just been stuck like this."
"Of course, if Renji could master Bankai, the situation would undoubtedly be much better, but unfortunately, 'if' is just 'if'."
Yoriichi gently shook his head, his fingers clasped together. After a moment of silence, he stated the solution,
"Therefore, to solve this problem, we can only take an unconventional approach."
"For example, since Renji is self-conscious, then let him no longer be self-conscious."
"If he's by my side, I can occasionally give him pointers, his Bankai training will accelerate, and I can also train an assistant, solving multiple problems."
Uta nodded, a flicker of emotion in her eyes, probably understanding Yoriichi's intentions.
While not neglecting work, he also didn't forget to spend time with her, and at the same time, he could help lovers find their happy ending…
This was truly a good captain, a good husband, a good brother. No wonder the former Captain-Commander valued him so much.
She hadn't chosen the wrong person back then either.
She felt somewhat fortunate that she had gone to catch tadpoles due to excessive sadness back then, otherwise, she wouldn't have met Yoriichi, and her future days would certainly have been completely different…
"Yoriichi…" Uta said softly, recalling something, her voice as gentle as a breeze.
She looked around, found that Ai was not nearby, and so she mustered her courage to express her true thoughts at the moment:
"Since there are still seven days until you assume the Captain-Commander position… it will probably be very busy after seven days, right?"
"After all, training Renji will take time."
"Before that, can you spend more time with me? Let's… let's have a few more children."
Uta's cheeks flushed slightly, with a hint of shyness and anticipation,
"If Rukia and Renji get together, then they will definitely move out."
"I remember Rangiku also has the desire to move out."
"I heard that under her relentless pursuit, that child named Ichimaru Gin is already subtly losing his composure."
"At that time, it will only be me and Ai at home, and it will definitely be very lonely."
At this point, Uta gently pursed her lips,
"Since it's a family, I think it definitely can't be just me and Ai."
"Yoriichi…"
She looked up, her eyes twinkling, "Do you still remember what I told you before?"
"That was the first time I went to the Fourth Division, and then came back."
"We have too few people in the family. Let's give Ai a few more siblings."
"We can't lose to Rukia and the others, can we?"
"…"
Yoriichi remained silent. He really hadn't expected that Uta would still remember such an old matter so clearly.
Uta had indeed said back then that they shouldn't have fewer than two children, because the days ahead were long, and they could support each other and walk through life's journey together…
In Yoriichi's view at the time, this was probably a psychological need for compensation.
And it was also a form of solace for herself.
He had thought it would gradually fade with the passage of time.
But who would have thought that due to Rukia and Rangiku's growth and departure, and Hisana's marriage, the house returned to loneliness, and she remembered it again.
Sighing, Yoriichi reached out and stroked Uta's beautiful hair, letting her strands slip through his fingers. He softly said:
"Is that okay? While more people certainly make things lively, educating them would be extremely troublesome, wouldn't it?"
"Furthermore, there are safety concerns. Because of my identity, I believe that once the children are born, they will definitely aim to catch up to me."
"If they are too impulsive… Uta, I don't want to see a parent burying their child. I think Ai alone is enough."
In Yoriichi's eyes, more people weren't necessarily better. With more, there would inevitably be several problems, in addition to safety, there was also the issue of succession.
Yoriichi hadn't brought this up yet, because the Tsugikuni family hadn't developed to that extent, but as time went on, it would eventually come.
At that time, if not handled well, a split would be disastrous.
Just like the system most noble families currently use—the main family and branch families.
While this system distinguished the status of family members to a certain extent, it also easily led to internal conflicts and disputes.
Instead of using main and branch families to distinguish status, it would be better to uphold the concept of a unified Tsugikuni family.
Of course, Yoriichi could understand Uta's thoughts.
Seeing Uta subtly having the urge to refute, to ease the atmosphere, Yoriichi quickly added a few more sentences:
"Don't rush. It's not that I don't trust the children, it's just that you've seen the situation with other nobles."
"Whether it's the Shiba Clan, the Shihouin Clan, or the Kuchiki Clan, there are no more than three direct descendants of the same generation."
"But we don't even have three in our family," Uta pursed her lips and spoke subconsciously.
"I know what you're worried about, Yoriichi. It's nothing more than not wanting to see the children argue over things."
"But arguing requires at least two people, right?"
"Even with Nemu, there are only two people in the family now, not to mention she's so gentle…"
"Yoriichi…"
Uta suddenly looked up, her eyes burning, "Be honest with me, are you saying that because you're afraid of hurting me?"
"Don't worry about me, my body is very healthy."
She patted her chest, making thumping sounds.
"Although I can't compare to you, after secretly practicing these past few years, I can maintain my Breathing Technique for several hours or more."
"Situations like inexplicably falling asleep before are impossible."
That wasn't actually falling asleep, but… never mind.
Yoriichi sighed inwardly. He knew Uta's persistence and understood her feelings.
Since Uta had said so, he had no way to refuse.
He just hoped everything would go smoothly.
A few hours of Breathing Technique should be enough. Being too physically strong really isn't a good thing…
…
…
The next day, at the Ninth Division, Yoriichi needed to return there for some matters.
Leaving home, he recalled his time with Uta last night and realized that Uta had truly grown.
If everything went as usual, the birth of the next child should be much smoother, though he didn't know how many years it would be.
Let's see…
He sighed softly. As soon as he entered the Ninth Division barracks, he suddenly saw a flash of sword light shoot into his eyes.
—It was Zaraki Kenpachi.
Yoriichi dodged to the side, calmly drew his Zanpakuto, and with a light swing, easily blocked the subsequent horizontal slash.
Clang!
Sparks flew everywhere.
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, you bastard!"
Zaraki Kenpachi's rough and resentful voice suddenly rang out in the courtyard.
"Annoying! So annoying! I haven't even defeated you, and you're leaving without a word, damn it!"
"Let's fight, fight all day!"
One could hear the strong fighting intent in his words. As he spoke, he swung his sword again.
This time, his attack was more ferocious, faster, and stronger.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni watched him, suddenly remembering that Zaraki Kenpachi had been this impulsive decades ago.
Clang!
Amidst the harsh clang of metal, Yoriichi parried and said frankly:
"Sorry, although I'd like to fulfill your wish, I have things to do next."
"Let's set it for half an hour for now."
"During this half an hour, you can unleash your power to your heart's content and vent your emotions as you please."
"It's also a good opportunity for me to see how much progress you've made in swordsmanship over these past few decades."
Karakura bared his teeth: "Ah, you're as arrogant as ever, but I like it!"
"Only fighting strong opponents like you is interesting. Everyone in the division is useless."
"Half an hour it is, then. I'll definitely open your eyes, Tsugikuni!"
"More words are useless." Yoriichi shook his head, his expression calm.
Not far away, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa, who had come out upon hearing the commotion, were momentarily dazzled by the sight.
No matter when, the battles between these two were always so thrilling and sharp, with clashing sparks full of power.
As Zaraki Kenpachi vented his power, half an hour passed in a flash.
Seeing that he couldn't break through and time was up, Zaraki Kenpachi scoffed and casually threw his Zanpakuto aside.
Yachiru picked it up: "Kenpachi, don't throw a tantrum. This sword is me in a sense."
"Shut up, it's it, you're you, don't confuse the two. I hate it the most."
Zaraki Kenpachi said irritably,
"If it wasn't so weak, how could I have worked hard for decades and still not catch up to Tsugikuni's shadow?"
Although he said that, Zaraki Kenpachi still honestly took the Zanpakuto Yachiru handed him, and the two gradually walked away.
Watching their retreating figures, Yoriichi shook his head helplessly.
Tsundere? At such an old age, he still refuses to speak his mind…
To be honest, Zaraki Kenpachi's current strength was already very formidable.
At least in swordsmanship, he was comparable to Yamamoto Genryusai when he first met him.
Sighing softly, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, facing the awed gazes of those around him, slowly walked up to Ikkaku Madarame.
The purpose of his return to the Ninth Division this time was for Ikkaku Madarame.
Because…
…
"Bankai?"
"Really?!" Beside him, Yumichika Ayasegawa's eyes widened suddenly as he overheard the conversation between Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Ikkaku Madarame.
"When did this happen? How come I don't know?"
Why would you know? Your voice is too loud, can't you be quieter?
Ikkaku Madarame's mouth twitched. He looked at the gazes of everyone around him, his composure somewhat breaking.
He had intended to keep it a secret, which was why he had quietly contacted Captain Tsugikuni, but he hadn't expected…
Never mind, it couldn't be kept secret anyway.
He motioned for Yoriichi to go inside to talk.
Once inside, Ikkaku Madarame slowly recounted what had happened to him.
"I probably awakened my Bankai last night."
"Didn't you secure a spot for me to train in the Second Division, Captain? I went."
"I learned some hand-to-hand combat there, and then… I inexplicably mastered it."
"It's called Ryumon Hozukimaru, a direct attack type. It can change forms, similar to a set, and can accumulate power to increase strength when attacking enemies."
"Captain, do you happen to have any fist techniques that specifically increase attack speed?"
"Hmm… I plan to first accumulate and stack power, and then transform it into a sword for a finishing blow. What do you think of this idea, Captain?"
The forms of Bankai were bizarre and varied, so Yoriichi wasn't overly surprised.
Because according to the true reflection of Ikkaku Madarame's innermost self, his Bankai should indeed look like this.
It could be seen from Hozukimaru's initial form.
Three-section staff, spear, polearm, sword—he pursued a versatile fighting style.
Yoriichi nodded: "Not bad. I thought your Bankai would be a singular direct attack type."
"After all, if you were solely focused on chasing Zaraki Kenpachi, you would inevitably be influenced by power. It seems sending you to train in the Second Division was the right choice."
"Fist techniques… I have a few here, given to me by Captain Kyōraku back then."
"You can study them. I'll have someone send them over later. That's it. Anything else?"
"If not, I'll report the news of your Bankai mastery."
"Your sister may not be able to become a captain, but you definitely can. I hope to see that day come."
Ikkaku Madarame scratched his head. Being praised like this so suddenly made him a bit embarrassed.
However, he didn't show a modest side and spoke frankly:
"Then report it. Thank you, Captain Tsugikuni, for taking care of my sister all these years. No… I should call you Captain-Commander."
"My apologies."
It was only then that Ikkaku Madarame realized his oversight in wording and quickly apologized.
But Yoriichi didn't mind and left after a few more casual remarks.
Yumichika Ayasegawa watched this scene with complex emotions, feeling a bit sour inside. To say he wasn't envious would be a lie.
When would he be able to master Bankai?
He had already accepted the existence of Ruri'iro Kujaku…
…
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day Yoriichi Tsugikuni was to assume the position of Captain-Commander.
And on that very same day, news of Hollowfication inadvertently reached the Forty-Six Chambers.
The Forty-Six Chambers were furious, with thumping sounds echoing continuously. They immediately drafted an arrest warrant for Yamamoto Genryusai.
However, coincidentally, before the arrest warrant could be issued, Yoriichi Tsugikuni appeared outside the Forty-Six Chambers, draped in the Captain-Commander's haori.
He listened to the faint sounds of reprimand coming from within.
Seeing some guards Surround approach, he calmly straightened his attire, his gaze serene, and made the same choice as Yamamoto Genryusai had at that time.
Bang!
The doors of the Forty-Six Chambers burst open, and the meeting immediately came to an end.