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"Silence!"
With a sharp shout from Commander Yamamoto, silence once again fell over the conference hall.
Commander Yamamoto glanced at Ishikawa, then withdrew his gaze to Ichimaru Gin, awaiting his reply.
"I…"
Ichimaru Gin still wore his enigmatic smile, hands tucked into his sleeves, and said, "I have nothing to say."
"Oh?"
"This is my dereliction of duty; there's nothing to dispute. I will accept any punishment with equanimity."
At these words, surprise flickered across the eyes of many in the hall.
If Ichimaru Gin had tried to argue, while they wouldn't have believed him, they could at least have used it to infer why he let the traveler go.
But Ichimaru Gin's response was unexpected for everyone.
Not only did he not explain, but he openly admitted his mistake, giving the impression that he had deliberately let the traveler escape.
"Ichimaru Gin, you…"
Aizen frowned deeply, his gaze on Ichimaru Gin filled with suspicion, as if he was extremely wary of him.
Keep acting, you two.
Ishikawa suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, showing no outward reaction, but inwardly, he couldn't help but grumble.
"In that case, your punishment will be discussed later."
Commander Yamamoto nodded, his gaze suddenly shifting to Ishikawa at the end of the line: "Next is the matter of Ishikawa's handling."
"Hmm?"
Ishikawa frowned slightly. Is this it?
Although he knew Commander Yamamoto wouldn't call him here just to be an observer, he had thought for a long time and still couldn't figure out the Commander's purpose in summoning him.
"Your forceful entry into Central 46, though for a reason, violated the most fundamental rules."
Commander Yamamoto's tone was quite stern, making Ishikawa's heart skip a beat. Is he going to hold me accountable now?
In some respects, Soi Fon was similar to Commander Yamamoto; both placed extreme importance on discipline and regulations.
However, the discipline and regulations in their eyes were fundamentally very different.
Soi Fon's discipline and regulations honored the supremacy of rules and strict self-discipline, characterized by her cold arrogance and decisive actions, with a principle of never tolerating traitors and killing all enemies.
As for Commander Yamamoto…
The discipline and regulations he valued were not for the purpose of regulating someone or self-discipline like Soi Fon's, but rather to maintain the overall order of Soul Society and loyalty to the Royal Family.
Anyone who dared to challenge the discipline of Soul Society, even his most favored disciple, he would not hesitate to draw his sword against.
To achieve his goals, he could even be described as 'unscrupulous.' It is said that in the past, he would even use his subordinates as cannon fodder to pursue victory. Although he has changed somewhat now, it doesn't mean… he has become the kind old man next door.
It should be said, quite the opposite; this old man is not only ruthless but also has a dark heart!
"Some rules absolutely cannot be broken, no matter the reason."
Commander Yamamoto's wrinkled eyelids slowly opened, and his eyes, though aged, were extremely sharp as they fixed on Ishikawa.
At these words, not only Ishikawa but even the Captains present showed surprise on their faces.
Because…
Commander Yamamoto's words seemed to imply that even if one knew Central 46 was in danger, one could not break the rules that had existed since the inception of the Gotei 13. To forcefully enter and save Central 46 would lead to Central 46 and the Gotei 13 losing all their dignity.
Central 46 is the highest authority in Soul Society, and it must remain the highest authority.
Their symbolic significance, all their rulings, are necessary for Soul Society. But this 'they' refers to Central 46 as a whole, not a specific… or certain members. Even if all members die, Central 46 will not disappear; once re-established, they will still be the highest authority!
This is the meaning of Central 46's existence.
Ishikawa slowly raised his head, meeting Commander Yamamoto's gaze.
Indeed…
No matter when, I can never truly like Seireitei as a whole.
Because Ishikawa knew very well that no matter how Seireitei changed, even if a different Commander took over, its fundamental nature would not change. All sacrifices were necessary means to maintain balance; everything prioritized 'balance'!
More strictly speaking, it's not that it won't change, but rather…
It cannot change!
That's why Ishikawa had always been extremely resistant to becoming a Shinigami, because he didn't want to become a so-called 'sacrifice' for balance.
And Ishikawa also sensed something else in that statement.
Exclusion!
You, who are not a Shinigami, must not interfere with the affairs of the Gotei 13 without authorization.
In those aged eyes, it seemed as if this sentence was being constantly emphasized.
But it also revealed a deeper meaning.
"My apologies."
Ishikawa showed a faint smile and said softly, "The incident I caused this time was indeed due to my oversight when accepting the commission, coupled with the fact that a dear friend's family was in danger, which brought so much trouble to everyone in Seireitei."
"Although I am not a member of the Shinigami, it is true that I caused trouble for the Shinigami of Seireitei, so I am willing to accept any punishment from your side."
After Ishikawa finished speaking, he bowed slightly to Commander Yamamoto at the head of the table.
Though he didn't explicitly say it, he believed Commander Yamamoto would understand his meaning.
Upon hearing this, Commander Yamamoto took a deep look at Ishikawa, his wrinkled eyelids gradually closing.
"Very well."
Commander Yamamoto lightly tapped his staff on the ground: "This old man declares that while Ishikawa's actions were for a reason, his unauthorized movement and disruption of discipline, and his offense to the dignity of Central 46, are equally true; Kaname Tōsen is indeed guilty, but in this period of external invasion, the loss of a Captain-level combatant cannot be compensated for in a short time."
"Therefore…"
"Until a new Squad 9 Captain is chosen, Ishikawa of the Everything Store is temporarily entrusted with the duties of the Squad 9 Captain. This commission cannot be refused, and the remuneration will be the Captain's salary."
"Yes."
Ishikawa was not surprised by this and accepted the commission without hesitation.
There was no other way…
Ishikawa was certain that if he didn't accept, he would very likely be kept here permanently.
As Commander Yamamoto said, at this time of external invasion, before understanding the enemy's origins and strength, the Gotei 13 must make all preparations and gather the strongest forces to meet the external enemy.
And unstable forces that cannot be brought under their control must be dealt with.
If they can be brought under control, that's best. But if they cannot, then to prevent this unstable force from siding with the enemy, they must…
Be eliminated!!
To put it bluntly…
To repel external threats, one must first stabilize internally.
If Ishikawa had hesitated for even a moment, he would have been physically reduced to ashes by the old man on the platform, leaving not even a speck.
Soi Fon frowned: "Commander, isn't this against the rules?"
She didn't think Ishikawa lacked the strength to be a Captain, because saying such a thing would be… tantamount to slapping Komamura Sajin in the face.
But according to the usual rules, a person could only become a Captain through three methods.
The first was to pass the Captain's examination witnessed by three Captains, including the Commander.
The second was to be recommended by six Captains, and then gain the approval of at least three of the remaining six Captains.
The third was to defeat a current Captain in a duel witnessed by two hundred Squad members to succeed as Captain.
And now, the Commander had directly made Ishikawa the Captain of Squad 9.
"He is not the Squad 9 Captain, but merely, as compensation, fulfilling the Captain's duties that are missing because of him." Commander Yamamoto shook his head: "This is a commission I issued to Ishikawa's Everything Store on behalf of the Gotei 13, simply not allowing him to refuse due to the trouble he caused."
Soi Fon's tightly furrowed brows relaxed upon hearing this. After a moment of contemplation, she did not continue to object.
The rest of the crowd remained silent in unison.
"Next, regarding Ichimaru Gin's disposition…"
Commander Yamamoto changed the subject, turning to Ichimaru Gin.
All the Captains also turned their gaze to Ichimaru Gin, and Aizen even stepped forward, as if to say something.
And just then.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang…
An urgent wooden board alarm sounded.
"Emergency alert! Emergency alert!"
The sudden alarm made everyone frown.
They didn't understand what had happened.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri tilted his head, tapping the strange ornament on his ear, as if listening to something, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"There are intruders within Seireitei. All Squads, please hold your positions."
"Repeating!"
"…"
The sounding of the alarm immediately caused an uproar within Seireitei.
Inside the conference room, the Captains exchanged glances.
Aizen muttered with a grim expression, "Intruders? Weren't those travelers stopped outside the Seireitei's barrier?"
"Hahahahaha—"
Just then, accompanied by wild laughter, a figure shot out with a whoosh.
Upon seeing that figure, Aizen subconsciously called out, "Wait, Zaraki! You haven't…" Before he could finish his sentence, Zaraki had already rushed out of the conference room, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Ishikawa didn't speak, but carefully observed everyone's reactions.
Because he knew very well that there were no intruders inside Seireitei.
When he left the Everything Store this morning, Ichigo and the others had just arrived at the Shiba residence. Firing the Kukaku cannon would take at least a day of preparation, meaning they wouldn't be able to invade Seireitei until tomorrow morning.
Moreover, judging from Kurotsuchi Mayuri's reaction, although this emergency alert was issued by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, if there were no accidents, it should have been a direct order from Central 46 or the Image Hall to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, rather than the Shinigami Research and Development Institute members discovering something.
"No choice…"
Commander Yamamoto spoke: "The Captains' meeting can only end here for now. As for Ichimaru Gin's disposition, it will be announced later. All Captains, immediately return to your respective districts to take charge."
After speaking, he looked at Ishikawa and said, "Including you, until this incident is over, you cannot leave the area of Squad 9. You are responsible for capturing any invading enemies, and even if you encounter an enemy you cannot defeat, you must try your best to hold them off and wait for reinforcements."
"Yes."
Ishikawa responded, then turned and walked out with the crowd.
"The alarm…"
As he passed by Aizen and Ichimaru Gin, the 'actor' was still there, amusing himself by teasing the young ones.
"It rang very timely, didn't it?"
"What do you want to say?" Ichimaru Gin narrowed his eyes and smiled: "I don't understand."
"Do you think you can get away with this?"
Aizen snorted coldly: "You must not underestimate me."
Ishikawa didn't stop, quickly walking out, while glancing at Tōshirō Hitsugaya, who was standing still, eavesdropping. He couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.
He really didn't know what Aizen was thinking. Did he find it fun to mess with this white-haired kid?
Hmm…
No, that's not right.
Although Captain Hitsugaya looked about ten years old, and was even slightly less than 1 cm shorter than Soi Fon, his actual age was not young. After all, he was considered one of the "strongest generation" along with Rukia, Renji, Hinamori Momo, and others!
But no matter what, Aizen's mischievousness was truly a bit outrageous.
With the thought of 'out of sight, out of mind,' Ishikawa quickened his steps, catching up with the group of Captains ahead.
"Oh my, Ishikawa-sama."
Kyōraku Shunsui, walking ahead, turned his head and chuckled: "We'll be colleagues from now on. After this incident, let's go for a drink together."
"Captain Kyōraku, you're too kind. I'm just a small businessman; I don't have the qualifications to be your colleague."
Ishikawa chuckled: "Of course, it would be my honor if Captain Kyōraku is willing to invite me for a drink, and I certainly won't refuse."
"Captains."
Seeing the Captains emerge from the conference hall, the Vice-Captains waiting in the side hall all came forward to greet them.
When they saw Ishikawa walking among the group, they all paused in surprise.
"Ishikawa-sama!"
Matsumoto Rangiku, wearing her Vice-Captain armband, ran happily, waving at Ishikawa: "I think I heard you say 'drinking.' When are we going? Take me with you!!"
This one's ears were quite sharp; from such a distance, she actually heard Ishikawa say "drinking."
"Definitely!"
Upon seeing this, Ishikawa immediately showed a warm smile, then turned to look at Ise Nanao, who was quietly following behind Kyōraku Shunsui: "Vice-Captain Ise, would you like to come along?" He didn't call Ise Nanao 'Vice-President' because the Women's Soul Reaper Association had a rule that association titles could only be used during gatherings.
"Hahaha, little Nanao won't come drinking with us. In fact, with her supervising, drinking with Captain Kyōraku isn't much fun." Matsumoto Rangiku ran to Ishikawa's side, puffing out her ample chest, subtly revealing its undulations, which made Ishikawa turn his head away.
"Matsumoto."
A voice suddenly interjected. Turning his head, he saw Tōshirō Hitsugaya glaring at Matsumoto Rangiku with a dark expression: "Drinking? Do you even remember how much work you have piled up that you haven't dealt with?"
"Well, well, well, I'll definitely deal with it after we drink."
"Hey!!"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya's mouth twitched slightly. He looked at the Vice-Captains of other Squads, who all followed their Captains as soon as they came out.
Then he looked at his own Vice-Captain…
She abandoned her Captain, ran off to invite others for a drink, and dumped all her work on him.
"Hey, hey, hey, Ishikawa-sama, let's go drink now."
"You, have you drunk yourself silly? The current situation doesn't allow you to go out drinking."
Tōshirō Hitsugaya took a few quick steps, came up to them, and said testily: "Otherwise, don't blame me for using my Captain's authority to deal with you."
Matsumoto Rangiku didn't continue to fool around, but muttered with some disappointment:
"Tch, how stingy."
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