Enrollment Approaches

"By a second-level order of Central 46, bring Second Division Captain Soi Fon in for questioning."

Six members of the Central 46 Enforcement Corps, bearing Central 46's order, squeezed into the now-crowded Fourth Division Barracks and came face-to-face with the First Division members.

"By a first-level order from the Captain-Commander, the First Division will temporarily detain and supervise the Second Division Captain."

The enforcement captain glanced at Chōjirō Sasakibe and said no more.

The trial fifteen years ago had brought the conflict between the Shinigami and Central 46 to its peak.

Yamamoto had negotiated with Central 46 many times, and several captains had made sacrifices as well. In return, Central 46 had to restructure its authority to put Shinigami on trial.

An arrest order from the Captain-Commander was considered a first-level order, while an order from Central 46 was second-level.

Of course, this hierarchy applied only under ordinary circumstances.

In extraordinary cases, such as betrayal of Soul Society or infringement on noble interests, Central 46 could still intervene by force.

Soi Fon's offense was clearly not serious enough to reach that point, nor did it qualify for any other exception.

The enforcement captain looked away from Soi Fon, who was still receiving treatment, and fixed his eyes on Dōsan Hanyū.

"Dōsan Hanyū, you entered Seireitei without permission. You must stand trial."

Several of the surrounding squad members closed in around Dōsan.

Dōsan did not have much to say about it, since those were the Shinigami's rules. But he could hardly feel comfortable being taken away by an organization clearly separate from the Shinigami, and he lightly rested a hand on No Cause at his waist.

Unohana's eyelids fluttered, but before she could speak, Rangiku stepped forward. "I'm sorry, but have the sages of Central 46 issued an arrest warrant for Dōsan Hanyū?"

The enforcement captain first turned to Chōjirō Sasakibe. "Vice-Captain Sasakibe, you won't stand in my way when I arrest Dōsan Hanyū, will you?"

Chōjirō Sasakibe had always treated the Captain-Commander's will as his guiding principle. If the Captain-Commander had said nothing, then nothing was forbidden, and he had no reason to intervene.

"Wait."

The Central 46 Enforcement Squad looked toward Rangiku Matsumoto, who had spoken.

"My noble lord, don't forget that orders from the Thirteenth Division's captains and vice-captains are in the third tier. I am now applying to arrest Dōsan Hanyū in my capacity as vice-captain of the Tenth Division."

The enforcement captain showed neither surprise nor anger. He simply looked at Rangiku impassively. "Vice-Captain Matsumoto, are you sure you want to do this?"

He made no threats. As a member of Central 46's private army, a single sentence from him as enforcement captain itself represented a certain stance.

"Excuse me, Mr. Enforcer." Unohana calmly took over the conversation.

A captain had spoken, and even the enforcement captain respectfully returned the greeting.

"Didn't you notice? Dōsan Hanyū is wearing the Shiba Clan crest. Are you sure you're willing to make an enemy of him?"

The enforcement captain glanced over, and his pupils contracted. It was indeed the Shiba Clan crest.

He knew about Dōsan Hanyū's relationship with the Shiba Clan, but was a clan crest something they could just let an outsider wear?

The Shiba Clan, the shame of the nobility!

He looked over the captains and vice-captains before him. It seemed they were determined to protect this brat.

The enforcement captain hesitated. Recalling the order from his lord of the Tokinada Clan, he cursed himself for being foolish.

He had thought taking away a boy who was not even a Shinigami would be an easy way to do that lord a favor. He had not expected the matter to turn into a hot potato.

If he ended up a sacrifice in a struggle between the Tsunayashiro Clan and the Shiba Clan, it would hardly be worth it.

After watching the Central 46 Enforcement Squad leave, Unohana glanced at the still somewhat bewildered Dōsan and spoke to him in a heartwarmingly gentle voice:

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Dōsan, but the Fourth Division is a very important place. You may need to leave."

Dōsan was momentarily taken aback. Rangiku chimed in as well. "That's right. To keep you safe, I'll take you out."

Then, without waiting for Dōsan to respond, Rangiku asked Isane for help. "I'm taking little Dōsan out of Seireitei, so I may need to be away for a day—no, three days. Please ask our captain for leave for me, Isane."

Isane fidgeted with her hands as she watched Rangiku, who was already pushing Dōsan out. Was seeing someone off so tiring that she needed three days' leave?

Just like that, Dōsan was pulled away by Rangiku, utterly bewildered.

Chōjirō Sasakibe glanced at the Zanpakuto at Dōsan Hanyū's waist. According to the regulations, even Shinigami were not allowed to carry swords outside wartime.

But by the same token, Captain-Commander Yamamoto had said nothing about the matter, so Chōjirō Sasakibe could act as he pleased.

Chōjirō Sasakibe closed his eyes and said no more.

After watching the two figures in the distance, Unohana turned back to Soi Fon, who lay in the hospital bed, and could not help sighing.

Knowing how Soi Fon usually conducted herself, Unohana did not believe she would make such a serious mistake.

Besides, a captain's mistake in command resulting in casualties among her subordinates was not such a major issue, yet Central 46 had chosen this moment to intervene directly.

The Tsunayashiro Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Clans, was willing to back Central 46 and had worked hard to push the "Artificial Soul experiment" through.

All the signs indicated that Seireitei, which had been peaceful for fifteen years since the night of the defection, was once again in turmoil.

"It's still too early for you, Dōsan Hanyū."

When they returned to the Shiba residence, the entire Shiba Clan was in mourning.

A solitary grave had appeared in the rear courtyard, and Kūkaku and Ganju had set out a feast before it.

Ganju, in particular, was eating as he cried.

Dōsan's heart skipped a beat. Had one of Sister Kūkaku's relatives died?

"Brother Ganju, what happened?"

Ganju's mouth fell open, full of pickled vegetables. He had spent all night using every resource at his disposal without finding Dōsan Hanyū, yet here he was, appearing right in front of him.

The two of them nearly dropped their jaws.

Rangiku, muddled from drinking, scratched her head as she watched. What was with the grave? Could something have happened to Captain Isshin?

Did I have a chance to become captain for real?

Soi Fon's investigation did not last long, and the incident's damaging effects were ultimately contained within the Second Division.

Though the incident was strange in every respect, it was not enough to warrant severely punishing a captain.

Especially now, fifteen years after that incident, when the Thirteenth Division was short of talent.

Of course, although the matter had become an unsolved case, the Second Division's investigation did not seem likely to end anytime soon.

Yet, despite the seemingly peaceful ending that left everyone happy,

only a few captains noticed that the fifteen-year honeymoon between the Gotei 13 and the Central 46 Chambers, brought about by Kisuke Urahara and the others, was over, and relations between the two sides were cooling.

With Captain Soi Fon absent these past few days, Ōmaeda was the only one left among the Second Division's top ten Seated Officers.

As Third Seat, he was acting as captain, but Ōmaeda had not had an easy time these past few days, mainly because of the copy of Seireitei Communication in his hand.

Seireitei Communication had recently run another front-page lead. The front-page photo showed Captain Soi Fon nestled in Dōsan's arms, and there was no need to mention how sensational the contents were.

In any case, the Shinigami Women's Association had already added this front-page story to its collection. Supposedly, it would later be expanded into a two-hundred-thousand-word romance.

"Noble Big Brother, Love Me Once More"

Unlike the earlier ambiguous photo that left so much to the imagination, this one showed Dōsan Hanyū and Captain Soi Fon as clear as day.

Ōmaeda rubbed his face hard with his palm. He felt that before writing his will, he ought to make one more attempt to save himself.

"Come in." For the ever-proud Soi Fon, spending nearly three days lying in the Fourth Division Barracks was simply a disgrace.

Ōmaeda felt terribly guilty. He had no idea whether Captain Soi Fon had seen the latest issue of Seireitei Communication.

"What is it?" Soi Fon asked, puzzled.

Ōmaeda pursed his lips. "Well, the selection of Seated Officers for the Second Division is nearly over. Here's a list of five people for you to review."

Soi Fon took the list, glanced at it, and nodded slightly.

There was not much difficulty to this selection. These five were the only ones left who could release their Zanpakuto.

Leaving their actual strength aside, they were simply picking the tallest among the short.

"Anything else?"

"Mm, well." Ōmaeda weighed his words and hesitated. "The Second Division is short of talent. We urgently need a genius like Dōsan Hanyū to join us. I have a plan!"

Soi Fon's handsome eyes narrowed, and she involuntarily pulled at the quilt covering her. It was the height of summer, over thirty degrees above zero, yet she felt a chill.

Another important day was approaching—the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts enrollment day.

It was important in previous years too, but this time, First Division Captain Shigekuni Yamamoto had actually called a captains' meeting over a mere enrollment.

The Thirteenth Division's captains and vice-captains would attend at separate levels to discuss publicity for this enrollment at the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts.

This had never happened in the Thirteenth Division's history.

At the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts, the Shinigami did not beg people to enroll; it was the geniuses who fought tooth and nail to get in.

As for why this year was different, the Shinigami generally believed it was because a new genius had appeared in Rukongai.

Of course, Captain-Commander Yamamoto had never admitted it.

The Shinigami took the Captain-Commander at his word.

Still, before Dōsan Hanyū's rise to fame, the Captain-Commander had never once concerned himself with enrollment at the Shin'ō Academy of Spiritual Arts.

On this day,

a meeting of the Thirteenth Division's Captain-level officers was about to begin.

The recovered Soi Fon stood blocking a main thoroughfare.

"Sting All Enemies to Death, Suzumebachi!"

The Second Division Captain's Spiritual Pressure erupted, setting all of Seireitei ablaze in an instant. Standing directly before Second Division Captain Soi Fon was

Fifth Division Captain Sōsuke Aizen.