Inside the Tenth Division barracks, a small boy and a mature-looking woman were in the middle of a fierce argument, their voices filling the entire room.
"Rangiku! What nonsense are you talking about? Do you think mastering Bankai in three months is something easy? If you're so capable, why don't you try it yourself?" the boy shouted furiously.
Rangiku Matsumoto leisurely took a sip of sake before answering with a bright smile.
"Third Seat Shirō-chan, you're a genius Soul Society only sees once every hundred years. Learning Bankai in a mere three months should be child's play for you. I believe you can definitely do it."
Hearing that, the boy's expression darkened even further.
Gritting his teeth, he snapped back, "Damn it! Call me Third Seat Hitsugaya! And you're making Bankai sound far too simple. I really don't know what the Captain-Commander is thinking, asking me to master Bankai in only three months."
After saying that, he muttered under his breath, clearly very dissatisfied with the task.
Rangiku straightened her expression slightly and said, "There's no helping it. Who could have known something like this would happen?"
Kazuma's betrayal of Soul Society and the murder of Tenth Division Captain Isshin Shiba had been a bolt from the blue for both of them.
Although Rangiku's friendship with Kazuma could not be called especially deep, they had still drunk together before.
As for Tōshirō, he had not been particularly close to Kazuma.
Kazuma had merely been the person who guided him into the Gotei 13.
Even so, Rangiku found it difficult to accept that the captain who had always seemed lazy and addicted to drinking had actually betrayed Soul Society and personally cut down their captain.
She could not imagine how such a thing could happen to a former drinking companion.
And yet, the facts were right in front of her. There was no avoiding them.
Tōshirō was equally shocked, but he did not draw conclusions so easily.
He knew very little about Kazuma, so he chose to remain silent.
"Captain Shiba is dead now, so the Tenth Division can only count on you. Who told you to be Soul Society's genius boy?" Rangiku said, looking at Tōshirō Hitsugaya with a teasing expression.
"Why me? Rangiku, you're the lieutenant, aren't you? No matter how you look at it, you should be the one learning Bankai as soon as possible and taking over as captain," Tōshirō said angrily.
"Shirō-chan, you think far too highly of me. Bankai? I'll never learn that in my lifetime. And what's wrong with being Third Seat? Before Captain Komamura of the Seventh Division was promoted, he was only Fifth Seat."
Rangiku shrugged indifferently.
"But…"
Tōshirō still wanted to say something, but Rangiku interrupted him.
"All right, no more buts. You're Soul Society's once-in-a-century genius. Learning Bankai in just three months definitely won't be a problem for you."
She patted Tōshirō on the shoulder with a smile.
Tōshirō looked at her and sighed helplessly.
He knew there was no longer any point arguing about it.
"I'll do my best," Tōshirō said softly.
Rangiku smiled.
She believed Tōshirō would definitely succeed.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Little Shirō."
Tōshirō nodded, then turned and left.
According to the original plan, after the incident with Isshin Shiba, Kazuma should have personally taught Tōshirō how to learn Bankai.
However, because of the unexpected changes in the middle of everything, Tōshirō could only comprehend Bankai on his own.
Tōshirō decided to enter seclusion and begin Jinzen.
He understood very well that three months was an extremely short amount of time.
He had to master Bankai as quickly as possible.
...
During his days of seclusion, he fought Hyōrinmaru day and night without rest.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
Rangiku had originally thought that Tōshirō had failed.
But just then, a powerful reiatsu, accompanied by a bone-piercing chill, surged out from his room.
The reiatsu was so strong that even the air itself seemed to freeze, filling anyone who sensed it with awe.
A look of surprise and joy appeared on Rangiku's face.
"Looks like Shirō-chan succeeded! I knew he could do it!"
Tōshirō had already been part of the Gotei 13 for quite some time, but he had never managed to comprehend Bankai.
Perhaps it was precisely because Isshin Shiba had always been there to shelter him from the storm that he had never truly realized how urgent it was to learn Bankai.
But now, Isshin Shiba was dead, and the strict order from Captain-Commander Yamamoto had placed enormous pressure on Tōshirō.
That pressure finally pushed him past himself and allowed him to successfully grasp Bankai.
Tōshirō walked out of the room.
Rangiku could clearly feel that his reiatsu had already far surpassed the level of a lieutenant.
"Shirō-chan, hurry! Let me see your Bankai."
Rangiku could hardly wait.
Tōshirō took a deep breath and poured his spiritual power into his Zanpakutō.
In an instant, Hyōrinmaru released a brilliant radiance, and cold air spread in every direction.
"Daiguren Hyōrinmaru."
Tōshirō spoke in a low voice.
As his words fell, a powerful reiatsu erupted from his body.
The surrounding space seemed to freeze over, and everything fell into a deathly silence.
Rangiku's eyes widened as she stared at the scene before her, shock filling her heart.
She knew that Tōshirō had released his Bankai.
Daiguren Hyōrinmaru.
After Hyōrinmaru entered Bankai, it released a vast field of frigid air.
An ice dragon formed behind Tōshirō, its enormous icy wings extending from the wrist of the hand holding his sword.
Behind him, three great lotus-like petals also appeared, each lotus formed from four small ice crystals.
The ice dragon let out a furious roar. With one sweep of its wings, it stirred up a violent gale that sent the surrounding ice flying in all directions.
Tōshirō stood with Hyōrinmaru in hand, gazing ahead.
He looked much more impressive now.
Unfortunately, he still had not grown any taller.
However, if Kazuma had been present, he would definitely have shaken his head in dissatisfaction.
He knew that although Tōshirō's Bankai was powerful, this state was still not perfect.
The three lotus flowers behind him were the clearest proof.
Once those lotus flowers completely disappeared, his Bankai would end.
By Kazuma's standard, Bankai meant fully controlling one's Zanpakutō and drawing out its complete power.
At present, Tōshirō had only achieved an initial mastery of Bankai. That was why this incomplete form appeared.
Even so, reaching this level after only three short months was already an astonishing achievement. His growth speed was truly pleasing to see.
After all, controlling Bankai was no simple matter. It required relentless training and constant refinement.
Tōshirō took a deep breath and slowly released his Bankai.
With a sense of relief, he said, "I finally met the Captain-Commander's requirement…"
"Shirō-chan, now you can officially take over as captain of the Tenth Division."
Hearing that, Tōshirō frowned in displeasure and retorted, "Rangiku, stop calling me Shirō-chan! And you'll soon have to change that to Captain Hitsugaya!"
Matsumoto Rangiku said without the slightest concern, "My, my. But Shirō-chan, you haven't officially taken over as captain yet, have you?"