Chapter 102: Yamamoto Genryūsai's Choice for Captain Commander (
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
As October drew to a close, the weather grew steadily colder. At night, the evening wind slipped into the First Division office without resistance, only to be tamed by the old man's naturally emanating spiritual pressure. The chill became docile, as if it remembered its place.
Bright candles lined the corridor and filled the room with warm light.
Bathed in that glow, Yamamoto Genryūsai remained absorbed in his work.
After two months, the disappearance of the Central 46 and the chain reactions caused by the captains' betrayal and the resulting power shifts had finally settled. For him, quietly reviewing the work reports submitted by each division was a kind of relaxation.
Because through the written word, he could feel everyone's resilience. Their vitality.
The Gotei 13. The Seireitei. Soul Society.
All order and peace were built upon everyone's collective effort.
Even so, order and peace were never eternal.
There were always ambitious people who wanted to tear apart what others had bled to build.
Yamamoto Genryūsai's thoughts turned to the coming expedition.
There was not much time left until January of next year.
This battle was inevitable.
The rebels' situation remained unknown. Not a single scout sent out had returned alive. Clearly, the enemy was prepared for war as well.
In a situation like this, the side that moved first would inevitably carry greater risk.
To put it bluntly, someone was destined to step into enemy territory, fall into an ambush, and, through a tragic sacrifice, warn the comrades behind them.
Anyone could die.
Even Yamamoto Genryūsai himself was no exception.
He had already made all necessary preparations.
And precisely because of that, before the army set off, one issue had to be settled.
The question of the next Captain Commander.
"…"
Yamamoto Genryūsai stared at the blank sheet of paper before him.
It was an ordinary page. But once ink touched it, once it was sealed in an envelope, it could become a formal letter.
Or it could become a letter of appointment.
He intended to write the appointment for the next Captain Commander in advance and store it in a secret location. If he died in battle, that letter would appear in the hands of the successor, allowing the Gotei 13 to restore stability as quickly as possible.
This way, no matter what happened, hope would remain.
But who could succeed him and shoulder such weight?
His brows tightened. His face carried true distress.
"Second Division… no. Suì Fēng has ferocity, but not enough strength. Her loyalty is beyond question, but she is not suited to command the whole."
"Third Division… no one."
"Fourth Division… could be included among the candidates."
"Fifth Division… could also be included."
"Sixth Division… Kuchiki Byakuya is too young. He has grown, but he cannot yet bear such a burden. Perhaps… he could be considered as the third successor."
"Seventh Division… similar to the Second."
"Eighth Division…"
Thinking of his disciple, Yamamoto Genryūsai's brows loosened slightly. The heaviness in his expression eased.
"Although Shunsui appears frivolous, he is steady at the core. Sharp enough to see through chaos. He often makes unexpected moves."
"And his strength, experience, and love for the Gotei 13 are all impeccable… He is the ideal candidate to carry responsibility in a time of crisis."
The old man nodded faintly to himself.
In his mind, Kyōraku Shunsui now held the highest priority.
After him came Retsu Unohana.
Then Aizen.
Finally, Byakuya.
Yet when his thoughts reached the Ninth Division, the order shifted again.
"Ninth Division…"
In Yamamoto Genryūsai's mind, an image formed of a black haired young man. In his ears, he almost heard that voice again, hot and fierce like a dragon's breath.
In a thousand years, he had never seen anyone more outstanding.
That young man possessed a vision that always seemed to stand one step ahead of the future. His temperament looked fierce, yet his heart was delicate and perceptive.
No matter the scale of the matter, he could hold the whole picture in his grasp. Then, based on the reality before him, he would choose a reasonable and efficient method to resolve it.
More often than not, it was a method that earned broad support.
But that was not what Yamamoto Genryūsai valued most.
What he truly valued was the inner spirit that matched such strength, and the burning fighting spirit that yearned for change.
"…If there were no war, he would be the most suitable leader for the Gotei 13."
Yamamoto Genryūsai shook his head, regret rising like ash.
If Kyōraku was the ideal candidate in crisis, then Shimiya Takeru was the ideal candidate in peacetime.
Unfortunately, war was imminent.
There was no time for him to mature, and this burden could not be placed on a young man now.
So the old man silently placed Takeru's priority behind his beloved disciple.
His intent was clear.
He wanted Kyōraku to shoulder the crisis, lead the Gotei 13 through the storm, return them to peace, and then, once Takeru had matured, pass the torch.
"Tenth Division… Hitsugaya. He holds the strongest ice type Zanpakuto. As a candidate for Captain Commander in a more distant future, it is justifiable. But for now, we will not consider it."
Yamamoto Genryūsai, who wielded the strongest fire type Zanpakuto, understood deeply that Hitsugaya would need even more time to grow than Takeru.
Without hesitation, he placed Hitsugaya's priority behind Byakuya.
"Eleventh Division… skipped."
"Twelfth Division… skipped."
"Thirteenth Division… skipped."
When his thoughts reached Ukitake, Yamamoto Genryūsai hesitated, not because he was tempted, but because he regretted his disciple's condition.
Ukitake was kind hearted. Exceptionally strong. His spiritual pressure was immense, even surpassing Kyōraku's.
In peacetime, he would have been suitable to succeed as Captain Commander.
But his body was ravaged by lung disease. He was already on the verge of retirement.
Fortunately, an excellent successor had been found.
"Kurosaki Ichigo…"
The old man murmured a name that did not belong among the captains.
Even without a captain's haori, Yamamoto Genryūsai would never underestimate this young man.
Alongside his second ranked candidate, he was known as the Sōkyoku of the Spirit Arts Academy, possessing combat power that surpassed the true Sōkyoku itself.
His potential was unfathomable. His background, complex.
If Shimiya Takeru was light, then Kurosaki Ichigo was shadow.
Together, they resembled the cycle of life and death.
Once they grew and unleashed their full potential, it was impossible to imagine anyone stopping them.
Therefore…
"As long as the two of you gain something from this expedition, the Gotei 13 will be invincible."
Yamamoto Genryūsai had witnessed their combined strength with his own eyes. His confidence was firm.
Just as he was about to begin drafting the letter of appointment, the candlelight on his desk suddenly flickered.
A strange spiritual pressure intruded on his senses.
"?"
Yamamoto Genryūsai looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly, and turned his head.
With a whoosh, Chōjirō Sasakibe appeared beside the desk. He drew his Zanpakuto and moved toward the corridor, his expression wary.
In the next instant, lightning flashed from his Zanpakuto. It surged along his arm and through his body.
"Ah!"
The terrifying lightning, powerful enough to affect the weather itself, struck him down in an instant. Sasakibe was grievously injured.
"Chōjirō…?"
Yamamoto Genryūsai's pupils tightened.
Anyone would be shocked.
Because Sasakibe had been ambushed and defeated by his own Zanpakuto.
"Wait… this ability… could it be…"
Yamamoto Genryūsai suddenly recalled something. His expression shifted sharply.
He did not even have time to tend to Sasakibe. He flashed away from the First Division barracks at once.
A figure stepped out from the corridor's shadows.
"As expected of the Captain Commander. Quick to react, and you guessed it was me immediately…"
Muramasa's gaze was cold.
"Should we pursue him?"
The materialized form of Gonryōmaru appeared beside the injured Sasakibe.
He looked like a wandering monk, gripping a long staff, a small house strapped to his back.
"Of course," Muramasa said, voice flat. "I have no reason to let him go."
As the materialized form of Kuchiki Kōga's Zanpakuto, sealed by Yamamoto Genryūsai centuries ago, Muramasa's reason for reappearing was obvious.
To break the seal.
To rescue his master.
To accomplish that, he needed to use his terrifying illusionary abilities to dig into Yamamoto Genryūsai's mind.
Only then could he unearth the location of the seal and the method to undo it from the old man's memories.
"It's a pity the ambush failed," Muramasa muttered. "Ryūjin Jakka did not respond to my call. Otherwise, Yamamoto Genryūsai would never have escaped."
"Even so, it cannot resist my call forever. As long as I touch it… everything will be over. The sword and the memories will fall into my hands."
Muramasa's thoughts moved swiftly.
"Yamamoto Genryūsai knew that. That's why he sealed his heart and relocated."
"But where can he run?"
The corners of Muramasa's mouth curled upward.
In the vast Seireitei, every Shinigami's Zanpakuto could become his subordinate, his eyes, his ears, at any time.
Ambushes had already been set across the First Division's surroundings.
Katen Kyōkotsu, Sōgyo no Kotowari, and Mīto Shizuku, the materialized Zanpakuto of three veteran captains, each possessed spiritual power equivalent to their masters.
The moment they discovered Yamamoto Genryūsai, they pursued him. If they could obstruct him for even an instant…
"Where is he?"
Muramasa caught up quickly.
But strangely, in this forest under the Fifth Division's jurisdiction, only Katen Kyōkotsu, Sōgyo no Kotowari, and Mīto Shizuku stood waiting.
Yamamoto Genryūsai was nowhere to be seen.
"Who knows?" Katen Kyōkotsu said, shrugging with a charming smile. "We chased him here, and then we saw him seal himself with a barrier and vanish."
"How could he simply disappear…?"
Muramasa refused to believe it. He searched again and again.
Yamamoto Genryūsai's spiritual pressure traces truly stopped here.
"Is it hide and seek?"
"It must be hide and seek."
Sōgyo no Kotowari, a pair of twins dressed like shrine maidens, smiled innocently, as if eager for a game with the vanished old man.
"Spatial transfer?" Muramasa's eyes narrowed. "But there was no spiritual pressure reaction tied to it…"
He clicked his tongue, then spoke coldly.
"Never mind. You all remain here and keep watch."
"And you?" Katen Kyōkotsu asked.
Sōgyo no Kotowari were children, and Mīto Shizuku was a faceless man in a yellow robe.
Only Katen Kyōkotsu could communicate normally with Muramasa.
"What I need to do is simple," Muramasa said, staring into the dark emptiness ahead. "Grant more Zanpakuto freedom."
"Since Yamamoto Genryūsai wants to hide, I will lead the Zanpakuto to conquer the Seireitei."
He spoke with chilling certainty.
"I will make the Shinigami receive the Zanpakuto's judgment on Sōkyoku Hill, a place that holds another meaning in Soul Society."
"I want to see if he will appear when faced with the Seireitei's fall and the Gotei 13's demise."
His voice carried into the night wind.
There was no response.
Muramasa's expression did not change. He turned and left.
He wanted the other party to understand.
He was not joking.
Research and Development Institute, Director's Office.
Night had fallen, yet for scientists who did not distinguish day from night, the day had only just begun.
Takeru was now a qualified scientist himself.
By day, he handled squad duties.
By night, he came to the Research and Development Institute to work with Mayuri Kurotsuchi on building the spirit time house.
"The progress is already fifty percent," Mayuri said, sinking deep into a large chair. "At this rate, it should be finished by the end of next month. I didn't expect it to go so smoothly."
Days of continuous work had not made him look tired. If anything, he looked intoxicated with excitement, like someone who had found a new drug and was already planning the next dose.
He wished he could finish immediately and then build his own spirit time research lab.
"Whose credit do you think that is?" Takeru asked, rubbing his slightly throbbing temples.
As the person in charge of the entire project, for many reasons, he had to oversee almost everything personally to feel at ease.
Even with his capability and energy, a month of high load work still brought a faint headache.
His tone turned a touch sharper.
Mayuri did not care in the slightest. Instead, he praised him in a way that felt almost unnatural coming from him.
"It's thanks to your overall planning that things went this smoothly," Mayuri said with rare sincerity. "Even I have to admit your contribution is the greatest."
"You made me experience, for the first time, what it feels like to focus only on research and not worry about anything else. It's wonderful."
He leaned forward slightly, voice bright with interest.
"By the way, how's your research going? If you hit any difficulties, feel free to come to me. I would love to help."
"…It's fine. I don't need your help for now," Takeru said calmly.
No matter how enthusiastic Mayuri sounded, he never helped anyone for free.
Takeru understood that better than anyone.
The Bount Variant Reishi Potion being developed by the Ninth Division, led by Rando, was progressing smoothly.
Because it was for personal use, meant to accelerate Bankai evolution and be used alongside the spirit time house, it had been designed from the start around his soul, creating artificial souls as experimental subjects.
It was highly targeted.
Like a drug custom made for a single patient.
It would not apply to others.
That made it even more important that information tied to his soul never leaked.
Especially not to a scientist like Mayuri.
In a sense, the privacy of the Ninth Division's research lab was even more extreme than that of the spirit time house.
The entire development team consisted of only Rando.
"Are you really sure you don't need my help?" Mayuri asked, as if casually. "I heard you have two research projects going on over there."
"…"
Takeru raised an eyebrow. His gaze, sharp enough to feel like it could peel skin, swept across Mayuri's face.
"Are you talking about the research on separating Mebari's Zanpakuto?"
"Yes." Mayuri's eyes narrowed with interest. "I'm very curious about Shinigami bodies that have gone through such experiences."
"…That makes sense," Takeru said. "After all, you became a captain by modifying Zanpakuto."
He did not bother hiding his bluntness.
"I might as well tell you. There is almost no progress. Aside from manpower, the technical gap is the real problem."
"The fusion and separation of a Zanpakuto has already exceeded the current limits of Seireitei science."
"Oh?" Mayuri's lips lifted slightly. "For you to judge it that way, it must be far beyond ordinary difficulty."
Takeru did not answer, but his expression made his agreement obvious.
The difficulty was far greater than average.
And it was becoming a real problem.
The spirit time house was nearing completion.
The Reishi potion meant to assist Bankai evolution was also close to being unveiled.
Yet the experiment to separate the Zanpakuto had hit a wall.
According to his plan, he intended to first find a method to separate from his Zanpakuto, break the giant dragon armor of his Bankai, then use the potion and the special environment of the spirit time house to undergo a transformation within a year.
Finally, he would join the Hueco Mundo expedition at his peak, like someone reborn.
Unexpectedly, of the three steps, the last two were smooth.
But the first step had stalled completely.
If it continued like this, he would have to find another route.
Or, more accurately, rely on his own abilities.
"Hm?"
A Hell Butterfly fluttered into the Director's office, interrupting the air.
Both Takeru and Mayuri's attention snapped to it.
Mayuri read the message, and his face darkened.
"An order from the First Division… telling captains and vice captains to gather at Sōkyoku Hill?" He tapped the paper with clear irritation. "What kind of joke is this? Look at the time. How utterly bizarre."
"It is bizarre," Takeru said, eyes narrowing. "And why Sōkyoku Hill of all places? That isn't the Captain Commander's style."
A strange light flashed in his eyes, and his voice carried near certainty.
"Are you implying…"
Mayuri's expression shifted into surprise, uncertainty flashing across his features.
"If I'm not mistaken," Takeru said slowly, rising to his feet, "something has happened to the First Division."
The fatigue on his face vanished as if blown away by wind.
His eyes became sharp and bright, filled with a crushing, focused power.
.....
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