Patter… patter… patter…
Two days later, under the skies of Soul Society, a long-absent heavy rain finally fell.
Raindrops as plump as yellow soybeans poured down in sheets, crashing against the earth with crisp, echoing sounds…
"How strange,"
Shiba Kaien muttered as he stood under the eaves outside the 1st Division conference hall, sheltering from the rain while looking up at the thick storm clouds rolling across the sky.
"What's strange, Kaien?"
Tetsuzaemon Iba, vice-captain of the 7th Division, asked as he lifted his head from where he was leaning against a pillar.
"It's raining today,"
Kaien said with a sigh.
After all, today was the day the Gotei 13 held their Captains' Meeting.
For such a fine day to suddenly turn into a downpour inevitably made people uneasy.
"Tch… nonsense,"
Ōmaeda Marechiyo, vice-captain of the 2nd Division, snorted coldly while hugging a huge bag of fried rice crackers, stuffing handfuls of the thin, crispy snacks into his mouth.
However, the repeated crunch crunch sounds of his chewing were especially grating amid the patter of rain, drawing irritated looks from the other vice-captains.
"Hey, Ōmaeda! Could you keep it down?!"
Hisagi Shūhei, vice-captain of the 9th Division, frowned and snapped.
"Huh?"
Ōmaeda loosened his greasy grip on the crackers and shot Hisagi a sideways glance.
"Hisagi—someone of your status dares to lecture me?"
"..."
Hisagi said nothing, turning his head away, though inwardly he scoffed at Ōmaeda's words.
"Enough!"
Kasumioji Hoko, vice-captain of the 5th Division, scolded in a low voice.
"We're all vice-captains of Seireitei—comrades who share both fortune and misfortune. Do we really have to make things this tense every time we meet?"
"Hoko, mind your position,"
Gin Ginjiro, vice-captain of the 6th Division, said firmly. Though elderly, his voice remained strong and authoritative.
"…Yes,"
Kasumioji Hoko pressed her lips together and fell silent.
After all, like Ōmaeda, she also belonged to the noble class.
"Whoosh—"
Gin Ginjiro's words acted like a dividing line, splitting the eleven vice-captains into distinct factions:
The noble faction, led by Gin Ginjiro of the 6th Division
The commoner faction, led by Hisagi Shūhei of the 9th Division
And the silent, unaligned faction, led by Shiba Kaien of the 13th Division…
"That's enough. Quiet down,"
Sasakibe Chōjirō, the steady and dignified vice-captain of the 1st Division, said solemnly.
"The captains are still in session inside."
"..."
The vice-captains fell silent, each harboring their own thoughts as they clustered together in low whispers.
"Someone's coming,"
Ise Nanao, vice-captain of the 8th Division, adjusted her glasses and pointed toward a figure emerging from the rain.
Several vice-captains turned to look.
From the curtain of rain walked a blonde, well-endowed woman wearing a straw raincoat and a conical hat.
Her cheeks were flushed, and she swayed slightly as she walked—clearly still suffering from a hangover.
"Ah… that person is—"
Kira Izuru scratched the back of his head helplessly.
"Big Sis Rangiku…"
"Ahhh…"
Matsumoto Rangiku, vice-captain of the 10th Division, let out a drunken hiccup and squinted at Kira.
"Huh? Kira? What are you doing here?"
"Ahaha…"
Kira laughed awkwardly, lifting his arm to show the vice-captain insignia on his sleeve.
"Big Sis Rangiku, I've been promoted to vice-captain."
"Oh, right! 3rd Division… Gin's division,"
Rangiku said, reeking of alcohol as she staggered over to Ise Nanao, waggling her eyebrows.
"Oho Little Nanao you've filled out quite a bit, haven't you?"
"Big Sis, you're late again!!"
Nanao instinctively raised both hands to cover her flat chest, protesting indignantly.
"It's fine, Nanao,"
Rangiku stretched lazily.
"The Captains' Meeting is the captains' business. It doesn't have much to do with us vice-captains anyway."
"Heh…"
Almost all the vice-captains thought at the same time:
That's only because the 10thDivision shamelessly dumps all its work on the Third Seat!
"Huh?"
Rangiku removed her hat and raincoat, looking around curiously.
"Hey? Where's Yachiru?"
"She…"
Nanao pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed deeply.
"She and Captain Kenpachi are likely lost somewhere in the Seireitei again."
"Oh…"
Rangiku gazed at the pouring rain with sympathy.
"Then… Captain Zaraki must be having a really rough time right now, huh?"
"Whoosh—"
As Rangiku finished speaking, the rain outside seemed to intensify, pounding against the ground with sharp crackling sounds…
…
"And that concludes my report,"
Shiba Isshin said after finishing his weekly briefing, then lifted his gaze forward.
Standing before him was an elderly man, not particularly tall, yet radiating overwhelming authority—
his piercing eyes fixed firmly upon Isshin.
The old man's beard and hair were completely white.
On the right side of his bald head was a cross-shaped scar, as if someone had deliberately carved a slanted "X" into his scalp.
His pair of eyes, sharp and piercing like a tiger's, gleamed with intimidating brilliance, as though they could see straight into a person's heart—forcing everyone present to avert their gaze rather than meet them directly.
Furthermore, from his weathered chin hung a long silver-white beard that reached all the way to his waist, bound tightly with a purple cord—
Across all of Soul Society, only Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, Captain-Commander of the 1st Division and the Gotei 13 as a whole, possessed such overwhelming presence.
He merely stood there, yet it was as if a massive mountain had risen upon a vast plain, his entire being radiating an aura of authority that required no anger to inspire awe!
"Hm… I understand,"
Yamamoto Genryūsai narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Shiba Isshin and spoke slowly.
"Although launching a private operation constitutes a violation of regulations—
you acted decisively, minimized casualties among your subordinates, and kept the damage inflicted upon the Human World within acceptable limits.
Therefore, the 10th Division captain's violation of squad rules in this matter will not be pursued."
Yahoo—this is great!
Isshin rejoiced inwardly, then immediately realized it was inappropriate and hurriedly bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much, Captain-Commander!"
"Tch… You're blatantly playing favorites with Captain Shiba again,"
a captain with yellow eyes and a black-and-white mask muttered under his breath.
"Heh… Captain Kurotsuchi, don't be so harsh,"
said a captain on the left, wearing a straw hat and a pink haori embroidered with floral patterns, softly trying to placate him.
"After all, Isshin did turn over the remains of that 'mysterious Hollow' to your Research and Development Institute."
"Hmph… That's precisely why Captain Shiba deserves to be sent to the gallows!"
the two-toned masked captain snorted.
"He ruined such a valuable 'mysterious Hollow.' I'd love nothing more than to crack open his skull myself and see whether there's actually a brain inside!"
"Haha… we're all comrades here—Captain Kurotsuchi, let's take it down a notch,"
the pink-clad captain laughed awkwardly, then shifted his gaze forward again.
Yamamoto Genryūsai nodded slightly and continued:
"Additionally, the report only mentioned abnormalities concerning the Hollow, and…"
He paused for several seconds, glanced at Shiba Isshin, then resumed:
"…that it was slain by 13th Division member Fūjin Taichi."
"That is correct!"
Isshin replied seriously.
"When I sensed the anomaly in the Human World and rushed there, that unidentified entity had already been defeated by Fūjin Taichi."
"Hm…"
Yamamoto acknowledged, then folded up the paper report in his hand.
"Then aside from what is written in the report, is there anything else that was omitted?"
"No!"
Isshin answered loudly, though inwardly he thought:
Shinigami still harbor deep hostility toward Quincy.
If Miss Quincy—Kurosaki Masaki—were to be targeted by Soul Society because of me, that would be disastrous!
So… sorry, Taichi. I can only push you into the spotlight.
If this causes you trouble, please endure and overcome it… yes—thank you.
"Very well. Then I shall assume there is nothing further requiring special record."
Yamamoto Genryūsai slammed his gnarled wooden cane heavily against the floor and declared in a deep voice:
"Given that former 13th Division officer Fūjin Taichi has eliminated an extremely malevolent Hollow that plagued the Human World for many years—
and given that, after yesterday's rigorous evaluation by the Central Command, it has been confirmed that he possesses the qualifications of a vice-captain—
therefore… this old man hereby issues the following commendation:
Fūjin Taichi is exceptionally promoted to the position of Vice-Captain of the 1st Division, effective immediately!!!"