Quite some time had passed since Hitsugaya and Rangiku arrived in the Human World, yet neither of them had gone to visit their former captain.
Whether they should was a surprisingly awkward question.
Hitsugaya had been wrestling with it for days.
Ever since Aizen's betrayal, Soul Society had stopped issuing active pursuit orders for Hirako Shinji and the other Visoreds, but their names had never been formally cleared either.
To make matters even more complicated, Central 46 still hadn't been reestablished.
That left people like Hirako Shinji and Shiba Isshin in a rather uncomfortable position.
"Rangiku."
Hitsugaya finally turned toward his notoriously unreliable lieutenant.
"Do you think we should visit Captain Shiba?"
Since he couldn't settle the matter himself, he decided to dump the problem on Rangiku and see whether she had anything useful to say.
"Hey, hey! You're the captain here!"
Sure enough, Rangiku immediately kicked the problem right back at him.
"Why are you dumping the difficult decisions on me?"
Hitsugaya was already preparing to complain when she continued,
"Though… if you're asking me whether we should visit Captain Shiba, doesn't that mean you've already decided you want to go?"
Hitsugaya paused.
The words he'd been about to say died in his throat.
She was right.
The moment he asked the question, he'd already known the answer.
"Then we should get ready and go."
Having finally made up his mind, Hitsugaya nodded.
"It's been more than twenty years since we last saw Captain Shiba. I wonder how he's been doing all this time."
Whatever his current official status, Shiba Isshin had once been captain of the Tenth Division.
Hitsugaya and Rangiku had both served under him.
Going to see their former superior was only natural.
As for whatever rumors might spread afterward?
They could simply pretend not to hear them.
"Yo! If it isn't Captain Hitsugaya."
A familiar yet completely unexpected voice suddenly interrupted them.
"You two heading somewhere?"
Hitsugaya and Rangiku both froze.
Standing right in front of them was Kazuma.
Their eyes widened.
For days, they'd mobilized a ridiculous number of people to search for this man, only to find absolutely nothing.
And now the person everyone had been desperately looking for had simply appeared in front of them out of nowhere.
Worse, he looked perfectly fine.
Energetic.
Healthy.
Practically glowing.
Was this some kind of joke?
If they'd known Kazuma was simply going to wander back by himself, then what had been the point of all the exhausting searches and days spent stationed here?
"You two carry on. I'm heading back to Soul Society."
Before Hitsugaya could even properly greet him, Kazuma opened a Senkaimon.
Then he walked through.
And left.
Just like that.
Hitsugaya and Rangiku stood there in stunned silence, watching the Senkaimon slowly disappear.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Then Hitsugaya's eye twitched.
"That bastard…"
His anger suddenly exploded.
"We spent all this time searching for him, and he couldn't even bother saying hello properly? Not even a thank-you?! He just walks off like none of this has anything to do with him!"
Was this simply the fate of anyone unfortunate enough to be a working subordinate?
Was there no justice left in the world?
The more Hitsugaya thought about it, the angrier he became.
Unfortunately, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
"Captain…"
Rangiku hesitated.
"Are we still going to visit Captain Shiba?"
She glanced toward where Kazuma had disappeared.
"Our original assignment was to find Captain Kazuma, and now he's already returned to Soul Society. Shouldn't we head back too?"
"We're going."
Hitsugaya answered after only a moment's thought.
"Of course we're going."
He'd finally made up his mind, and he refused to let one irritating interruption ruin the plan.
"It won't take that long anyway."
He paused.
"But send a message to Momo and Kira first. Tell them Captain Kazuma has returned and they can head back to Soul Society."
...
First Division Tea Room
A dark figure silently appeared inside the room like a ghost.
Yamamoto, who'd been leisurely drinking tea while indulging in increasingly pleasant fantasies about retirement, nearly jumped out of his seat.
His teacup almost slipped from his hand.
Then he saw who had arrived.
His surprise instantly transformed into delight.
Kazuma was back!
The wonderful future Yamamoto had been imagining suddenly felt close enough to touch.
Once this brat took over as Captain-Commander, Yamamoto could finally retire.
No endless meetings.
No mountains of paperwork.
No cleaning up other people's disasters.
Just peace, quiet, tea, and sweet potatoes.
His beautiful dream was becoming reality far sooner than expected.
"Brat!"
Yamamoto slammed a hand against the table and shot to his feet.
"From this moment onward, you are the new Captain-Commander!"
"Huh?"
Kazuma stared at him.
Before he could even ask what the hell the old man was talking about, Yamamoto slapped a yellowed sheet of paper onto the tea table.
Kazuma blinked.
Then blinked again.
New Captain-Commander?
Him?
What kind of joke was this?
Had the old man been drinking counterfeit sake?
Had someone poisoned him?
Why else would he suddenly start spouting nonsense?
Kazuma cautiously lowered his gaze toward the document.
Then he started reading.
The farther he got, the faster his heart began beating.
His breathing grew heavier.
By the time he reached the bottom, he felt as though he might genuinely suffer a heart attack.
The agreement read:
Following friendly negotiations between both parties, the following agreement has been reached: upon former Seventh Division Captain Kazuma's return to Soul Society, he shall assume the position of Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. In exchange, current Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni shall voluntarily pay two-thirds of his post-retirement salary to Katori Batsu'unsai as compensation.
Contracting Parties: Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, Katori Batsu'unsai.
Kazuma stared at the document.
His brain stopped working.
It felt as though someone had struck him across the back of the skull with a club.
His thoughts dissolved into static.
His wife… had sold him.
She had actually sold him!
And for two-thirds of Yamamoto's retirement salary!
A nameless fury erupted from his chest and shot straight into his head.
'She didn't even ask me!'
How the hell had Batsu'unsai dared agree to this without his permission?!
He hadn't signed anything.
He hadn't even been present!
As far as Kazuma was concerned, this so-called contract was worthless.
Less than worthless.
It wasn't worth wiping his ass with.
By this point, rational thought had completely abandoned him.
Only one idea remained.
Destroy the evidence.
Kazuma's eyes locked onto the agreement.
Then, driven by desperation and criminal inspiration, he lunged forward, intending to stuff the entire sheet into his mouth and swallow it.
No paper.
No contract.
No problem.
"You dare!"
Yamamoto roared.
His hand moved instantly.
Before Kazuma could get his teeth anywhere near the document, the Captain-Commander snatched it away and clutched it tightly against his chest.
His expression darkened dangerously.
Did this brat seriously think he could destroy the evidence right in front of him?
What did Kazuma take him for?
Furniture?