"Alright!"
Seeing the squad members under his command arguing endlessly about these two prohibitions, Kyoya raised his hand, signaling everyone to quiet down.
"Regardless of the mindset behind the Central 46 issuing these prohibitions, everyone need not concern themselves with it."
"Don't forget, we are the combat division of the Gotei 13!"
"For us, combat is our mission."
"Everyone, carry your Zanpakuto freely. If anyone asks, say you are out executing a mission."
"If anyone dares to say more, I will take full responsibility!"
"Let's see if those nobles have the courage to come to me for answers."
"Therefore, these prohibitions only somewhat restrict everyone from freely releasing their Zanpakuto within the Seireitei."
"For members of other divisions, since most of their strength is tied to their Zanpakuto's abilities, not releasing their Zanpakuto greatly weakens their own power."
"But..."
Here, Kyoya swept his gaze over the division's members below.
"Our 11th Division, since I became Captain, has focused training on Zanjutsu."
"I believe all comrades of the 11th Division, even without releasing their Zanpakuto or relying on their Zanpakuto's abilities, possess strength not inferior to others."
"That's right, that's right."
With Kyoya's words, the gloom in the hearts of the 11th Division's members, if not completely dispelled, largely faded away.
Indeed, as Kyoya said, their 11th Division was the combat division.
Their inherent duty was to handle all combat inside and outside the Seireitei.
It could also be said that any incident involving combat fell within the 11th Division's purview.
The Shinigami of the 11th Division were either fighting or on their way to a fight.
Who could say they weren't carrying their Zanpakuto to execute combat missions?
Even if some noble truly wanted to use this point to pressure the 11th Division's Shinigami, hadn't Kyoya said he would shoulder the responsibility for them?
Presumably, those nobles wouldn't dare risk offending the [Kenpachi] to make things difficult for these ordinary Shinigami of the 11th Division.
Overall, these prohibitions had a greater impact on members of other divisions.
But for the 11th Division, the only significant effect was the prohibition against releasing their Zanpakuto.
After all, the Shinigami of the 11th Division were almost all battle maniacs.
If a fight escalated and they couldn't resolve it, it was hard to say whether they would even remember this prohibition.
However, Kyoya wasn't overly concerned about this aspect.
He was the Captain of the 11th Division. As long as he said his division's members hadn't released their Zanpakuto, who would dare punish an 11th Division's member for violating the prohibition?
Still, this was, after all, a 'prohibition' issued by the Central 46 and endorsed by the Captain-Commander.
The 11th Division leveraging their duties to ignore part of the prohibition already made Shinigami from other divisions envious.
If they flaunted this convenience too openly, it might provoke dissatisfaction among Shinigami from other divisions.
Since ancient times, the concern has never been poverty itself, but inequality.
Although Kyoya could protect the members of the 11th Division, he didn't want to spend excessive mental effort on this.
After Kyoya eventually defected from the Seireitei, an achievement would be granted, but there was still time until then.
Kyoya's own training, while less efficient than achievement rewards, benefited from his [Steel Balloon] physique.
As long as he remained in a high-gravity environment, his physique grew faster.
Currently, Kyoya's own physique was on par with Charlotte Linlin's during her Yonko era.
However, the Yonko-era Linlin had already given birth to over seventy children, significantly damaging her physical essence and preventing her physique from reaching greater heights.
Kyoya was different… he had the potential to grow the [Steel Balloon] Physique to its peak, even surpassing it.
By then, few in the Bleach World could harm Kyoya.
Of course, even now, only a handful could break through Kyoya's defense.
…
Habit is a terrifying thing.
Indeed, the prohibitions issued by the Central 46 were very unfamiliar to the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 at first.
But with the Captains tacitly accepting these prohibitions, a group of ordinary Shinigami couldn't stir up any major waves.
Over time, everyone grew accustomed to this arrangement and began to view the 11th Division's members, who could still freely carry their Zanpakuto within the Seireitei, as 'outsiders'.
Similarly, the 11th Division's members looked down upon these Shinigami who, accustomed to the prohibitions, saw them as 'outsiders'.
When faced with unfavorable external conditions, you might accept them due to force majeure, but you shouldn't, having accepted them, become a lackey defending those conditions and ostracize others who are still resisting.
It must be understood that without those resisting people, how could they enjoy such favorable conditions now?
A thousand years ago, before Yamamoto formed the Gotei 13, the nobles never treated commoners as 'people'.
Of course, while they thought this, the Shinigami of the 11th Division didn't do much more.
After all, they knew their ability to ignore those prohibitions was because Kyoya was backing them from above.
Without Kyoya's firm stance, they probably wouldn't be any different from those others.
Meanwhile, with the new Captains of several divisions gradually taking office, the Gotei 13 stabilized to some extent.
Captain of the 3rd Division: Ichimaru Gin.
Captain of the 7th Division: Komamura Sajin.
Captain of the 9th Division: Tosen Kaname.
Captain of the 12th Division: Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
Currently, only the position of Captain of the 2nd Division remained vacant.
However, it was said that the new head of the Feng Family, a subsidiary family of the Shihoin Clan, Sui-Feng, had gained the Shihoin Clan's recognition and was currently training for Bankai.
Once she completed her Zanpakuto's Bankai Training, the Shihoin Clan would use their influence to recommend Sui-Feng as Captain of the 2nd Division.
The 6th Division's situation was slightly better than the 2nd Division's.
Although Ginrei's health was declining day by day, he wasn't dead yet.
Furthermore, Byakuya was beginning to make a name for himself within the 6th Division, gaining recognition from many of its Shinigami.
Like Sui-Feng, as soon as Byakuya completed his Zanpakuto's Bankai training, Ginrei would immediately recommend him to become Captain of the 6th Division.
It seemed as if the Seireitei had returned to its long-standing peace.
Clack, clack, clack-
The sound coming from the 1st Division's barracks roused Kyoya from his training.
With a thought, Kyoya used his perception of light to instantly understand the purpose of this Captains' Meeting.
'It's already reached this point...'
Kyoya sighed softly.
Even though he had been mentally prepared, a trace of reluctance still arose in his heart.
"Sigh, I'm being foolish."
After a moment, Kyoya shook his head and smiled slightly.
"It's not a life-or-death separation, why am I feeling like this?"
"Besides, with my strength, who could stop me if I wanted to come to the Seireitei?"
Thinking this, Kyoya hesitated no longer. He stood up and immediately locked onto Zaraki's Reiatsu.
"Bakudo #77, Tenteikura!"
Kyoya pointed his fingertip at the empty space before him. Instantly, black Kido incantations flew from his fingertip, forming a square black frame in front of him.
"Zaraki, you will attend this Captains' Meeting with me."
After a pause, Kyoya added, "If things go smoothly, I will agree to fight you today."
"Hah?"
In the 11th Division's training ground, Zaraki had just sent a Shinigami flying with a single sword slash when Kyoya's voice reached his ears.
Zaraki was puzzled.
As the Lieutenant, during Captains' Meetings, he was supposed to go to the 1st Division and wait in the waiting room, ready to be summoned by the Captains at any time.
Zaraki had found it boring after going just once and had never attended another Captains' Meeting since.
Kyoya hadn't insisted.
But this time, Kyoya specifically naming him to come along made Zaraki curious.
The recent period of peace had made Zaraki feel like his body was rusting.
But the strength of these division's members was far from sufficient to get his blood pumping.
Hearing that Kyoya said there might be a Captain to fight him, Zaraki instantly sheathed his Zanpakuto, abandoning the division's members he was training with, and rushed towards Kyoya's location.
He felt that hesitating even a second would be disrespectful to Kyoya.
When they arrived at the 1st Division, Kyoya didn't send Zaraki to the waiting room for Lieutenants but had him wait right outside the meeting room doors.
"Captain Kyoya."
"Captain Kyoya."
"Hmph!"
As Kyoya entered the meeting room, Kyoraku, Ginrei, Gin, Aizen, and the others greeted him with smiles.
Only the 12th Division's Captain, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, snorted upon seeing Kyoya, turning his face away.
He still remembered how this guy had nearly beaten him to death in the 12th Division's barracks.
If the gap in their strength wasn't so vast, Mayuri would definitely have given Kyoya an unforgettable lesson.
However, this didn't mean Mayuri had given up on targeting Kyoya.
For revenge, Mayuri had abused his authority to create surveillance bacteria, collecting Kyoya's Reiatsu wherever he stayed, simultaneously gathering data on the 11th Division's swordsmanship, and even modifying his own body to eliminate fatal weaknesses...
Mayuri was confident that once he completed these researches, the next time he fought Kyoya, the situation would be completely reversed.
But until he achieved results, he needed to hide himself well to avoid being targeted by Kyoya.
"Captain-Commander."
After smiling and returning the greetings of the various captains, Kyoya bowed to Yamamoto and returned to his position.
"Everyone, Captain Kuchiki of the 6th Division recommends Kuchiki Byakuya, the Third Seat of the 6th Division, to become the Candidate Captain for the 6th Division."
"Captain Kyoraku Shunsui of the 8th Division and Captain Ukitake Jushiro of the 13th Division serve as co-recommenders."
"Do any Captains have objections?"
"If everyone approves of Byakuya becoming the Candidate Captain for the 6th Division, then we will proceed with Kuchiki Byakuya's captaincy assessment..."
Here, Yamamoto looked at the Captains below.
A Captain's nomination required recommendations from three Captains, this was the first hurdle for succession.
Among the remaining Captains, at least three needed to agree for one to become a Captain.
This was the second hurdle.
The final hurdle was for the Candidate Captain to demonstrate to the sitting Captains that they possessed the ability to become a Captain.
This could be by displaying their Bankai or by fighting the current Captains to gain their recognition of their strength.
"I approve."
As soon as Yamamoto's words fell, Kyoya spoke up.
"Ah, I've met Kuchiki Byakuya a few times. He does seem like someone who can inspire peace of mind."
Unohana also said with a smile.
"Indeed."
5th Division's Captain, Aizen, also nodded: "I've also heard about some of Young Master Kuchiki's actions. He is very popular with his subordinates."
"Gaining recognition from his subordinates, it seems Young Master Kuchiki possesses the qualifications to become a Captain."
"I also recognize that Young Master Kuchiki has the ability to become a Captain."
"Very well."
Although the other Captains hadn't spoken yet, having gained the approval of three Captains meant Byakuya could now be called the 'Candidate Captain of the 6th Division'.
"Wait a moment, Captain-Commander."
Just as Yamamoto was about to announce the next assessment, Kyoya stepped out from the ranks.
"Captain-Commander, I also believe that the 11th Division's Lieutenant, Zaraki, possesses the ability to become the Captain of the 11th Division."
"Therefore, I hereby recommend the 11th Division's Lieutenant, Zaraki, to become the Candidate Captain of the 11th Division."
"What?"
Hearing these words from Kyoya, the Captains in the 1st Division's meeting room looked at him with shock and confusion.
Ginrei recommending Byakuya to become the candidate captain was because he could no longer hold on and was stepping down to let Byakuya inherit the position.
But Kyoya was, even among the Captains, considered the youngest.
Barring accidents, Kyoya could likely remain Captain for at least another millennium.
Captain positions in the Gotei 13 were limited.
If the previous Captain didn't step down, even if one had Captain-level strength, they couldn't become a Captain.
The current Captain of the 11th Division was Kyoya. Him recommending Zaraki to become the Candidate Captain of the 11th Division… did he intend to resign from his position as Captain of the 11th Division?
"Not allowed!"
Contrary to Kyoya's expectations, the first to object wasn't Yamamoto, but the 4th Division's Captain, Unohana.
Unohana raised her head and looked at Kyoya: "Captain Kyoya, the captaincy of the 11th Division has always been transferred through [Kenpachi Challenge]."
"By recommending Zaraki to become the Candidate Captain of the 11th Division here, what place do you assign to the name [Kenpachi]?"