A Bet with a Foregone Conclusion
After a while, Shunsui Kyōraku chuckled and offered his opinion.
"If that Kuchiki student really is that strong..."
"I remember completing the Konsō practicum counts as graduating, doesn't it?"
Jūshirō Ukitake chimed in with a smile.
"Mm, it's about time we invited him to join a division."
Yoruichi Shihōin swung her legs, looking interested.
"I haven't seen him for a while, and that little brat has gotten so strong."
"It's time for me, his big sister, to teach him a few things about being an adult."
Hearing that, Retsu Unohana smiled gently and joined the discussion, her voice soft.
"Rather than have him join the Second Division, I'd prefer him to come to our Fourth Division. I'm very curious what sort of Kaidō a Kidō genius could create."
Hearing everyone speak, Kuchiki Ginrei could barely hold back his smile. He thought to himself:
Go on, talk. I'll just listen!
Kyōsuke will join the Sixth Division anyway. All you can do is dream!
"..."
Faced with such strength, whether they were joking or sincere,
the captains' curiosity about Kyōsuke Kuchiki had reached its peak.
Some were even beginning to think of pitting their strength against his!
Throughout the history of Soul Society, as for someone who had attracted the attention of so many captains before graduating,
Kyōsuke Kuchiki was probably the one and only!
Bang!
Just then, Kenpachi Kiganjō slammed his hand down on the table.
"That's enough!"
"A brat from a noble family killed a mere few dozen trash Hollows. What's there to discuss?"
"Someone like that probably couldn't even withstand one swing of my sword."
His expression was exceptionally ugly, and his voice was full of disdain and contempt.
"Calling a meeting over such a trivial matter, Kisuke Urahara? You really must be bored."
"What a waste of my time!"
"I'm leaving. You lot carry on!"
"..."
Kiganjō was somewhat annoyed. Did they really think he was easy to fool just because he wasn't well-read?
A brat who hadn't even grown all his hair could kill dozens of Gillians, and in an instant at that?
It was obviously a conspiracy by the nobles.
They were just trying to raise the Kuchiki Clan's prestige.
Hmph, a despicable little man who only knows how to use tricks to steal the limelight. Don't let me, Kiganjō, catch sight of you!
Chapter 34: A Bet with a Foregone Conclusion
The captains had little reaction as they watched Kenpachi Kiganjō rudely barge through the conference room doors and leave on his own.
Most people capable of becoming captains were a little unconventional.
Besides, unlike the other divisions, the 11th Division had always followed the principle that "the victor rises to the top."
As long as you were strong enough, whether you killed a division member or a Seated Officer, you could replace them directly and join the 11th Division!
Even the division captain was no exception.
Whoever killed and replaced the captain, regardless of birth or age, would receive the name Kenpachi and become the new captain of the 11th Division.
Under this system, the 11th Division's combat proficiency was indeed guaranteed.
But it also had its drawbacks...
Take this tenth Kenpachi, Kiganjō. He was a brute, plain and simple!
Never mind whether his brain was switched on; he didn't have a shred of emotional intelligence!
His usual rough, unruly behavior was one thing. Getting up and leaving a meeting at the slightest disagreement was only a minor issue. Even when dealing with his own men, he would draw his sword on them at the slightest displeasure.
Several Soul Reapers from the 11th Division had already been sent to the Fourth Division over time.
Moreover, he had repeatedly expressed his disdain for the other divisions in public, declaring, "The 11th Division is the strongest. The other divisions have no reason to exist, especially the Fourth Division, which is trash among trash."
All these things together had made this "Kenpachi" extremely unpopular.
As soon as he left, Kuchiki Ginrei frowned and gave a cold snort, but said nothing more.
Beside him, Shinji Hirako looked utterly speechless.
"Why let an idiot like that be a captain?"
"Ahem... there's no helping it. He killed the previous Kenpachi, after all. By the rules, he's the one who should be captain."
Jūshirō Ukitake gave a wry smile, his voice full of helplessness.
"That said, everyone here has seen what that guy can do."
"He's really nothing special. He might not even measure up to..."
At that point, Shunsui Kyōraku gave a mischievous grin and rubbed his chin.
"Weren't we just discussing that Kuchiki student?"
"With fighting strength like his, it'd be a shame if he didn't join the 11th Division."
"And the best part is, becoming captain in one go would be simple. All he'd have to do is..."
Shunsui Kyōraku jokingly drew a finger across his throat.
"Get rid of Captain Kiganjō, right?"
"..."
The entire conference room fell silent.
"Uh, I was only joking."
Scratching his head, Shunsui Kyōraku muttered awkwardly.
"Why did everyone go quiet?"
"A joke? No, I'm genuinely curious."
Kisuke Urahara raised an eyebrow, a note of excitement entering his voice.
"If I get the chance, I'd really like to see the two of them fight!"
"Which one should I bet on to win?"
Seeing the two of them like this, Genryūsai Shigekuni frowned.
He had always placed the greatest importance on rules and discipline, so naturally he disliked this sort of amusement that treated combat as a wager.
The others seemed to have had their interest piqued as well and looked ready to join in.
Genryūsai Shigekuni struck the floor hard with his cane and spoke in a deep voice.
"Kyōraku, Urahara, enough!"
"We're here for a meeting, not to fool around."
"Don't speak of such things again."
After hearing what Shunsui Kyōraku and Kisuke Urahara had said, Kuchiki Ginrei frowned, then relaxed and spoke frankly:
"Personally, I very much hope Kyōsuke will join the Sixth Division, but I think Kyō may have ideas of his own."
Unlike the simple-minded Byakuya Kuchiki, some of Kyōsuke Kuchiki's thoughts were beyond anyone's understanding or ability to see through.
Kuchiki Ginrei was still hesitating over whether to uphold tradition or respect Kyōsuke Kuchiki's choice.
"All right, all right, don't be so serious!"
The next moment, Love Aikawa, Captain of the Seventh Division, waved his hand, playing the peacemaker.
"We were just so curious about Kyōsuke's strength that we talked about it a little more."
"Captain-Commander, please don't be angry."
"Oh, there's one more thing."
As though remembering something, Kisuke Urahara continued:
"The number of Hollows undergoing various mutations has increased significantly lately."
"If any of you encounter one, please report the details to me if possible."
With that, he looked at Genryūsai Shigekuni and gave a slight nod.
"Captain-Commander, that's all I have to say."
"...Mm."
Genryūsai Shigekuni nodded.
"Meeting adjourned!"
"..."
As the Captain-Commander rose, the other captains followed him out one after another.
Just then, however, Retsu Unohana suddenly paused for a moment in front of Kisuke Urahara.
"Captain Urahara."
She looked at him quietly, the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.
Her expression held an indescribable mix of emotions: anticipation, envy, and longing.
"If I had to choose between Kiganjō and Kyōsuke Kuchiki, I would certainly choose Kyōsuke Kuchiki to win."
Hearing that, Kisuke Urahara was startled at first, then immediately realized what she meant.
She was responding to the wager he had mentioned earlier.
"...Ha!"
"Captain Unohana, are you that confident?"
"It seems you really do think highly of this genius from the Kuchiki Clan."
"What about the rest of you?"
Eager to stir things up, Shunsui Kyōraku turned his gaze to several of the other captains.
"I choose Kyōsuke Kuchiki to win too, because he's my adorable little brother," Yoruichi Shihōin said without reservation.
"Same here, because I hate Kiganjō!" Kensei Muguruma planted his hands on his hips, looking every bit the delinquent boss.
Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi and Love Aikawa made the same choice.
"Kiganjō wins! That guy's crude, but he's a captain. There's no reason he'd lose to a sixth-year student, right?"
"Kiganjō wins! That guy's got plenty of strength, at least."
When it was Kisuke Urahara's turn, the Twelfth Division captain shrugged and adjusted his hat.
"It's really hard to choose."
"Although I'd like to say the odds strongly favor Kiganjō, I keep feeling there's something very special about that young man."
"Then what about you, Captain Kyōraku? Who would you choose?"
Shunsui Kyōraku rubbed his chin and said casually:
"If you ask me, Kiganjō is certain to win."