Chapter 227

"..."

Haruto thought for a moment.

"In that case..."

Finally, he uttered the suggestion he had been pondering for so long:

"If I leave the Thirteenth Division, it seems I can finally have a clear conscience."

"Um?"

Kaien's pupils dilated for a moment.

"Don't worry, don't worry, this isn't the fault of the two captains."

Haruto quickly waved his hand and added:

Just like Ayaka said--

"While I can fully understand the emotions involved, it would be incredibly cowardly to be bullied like this and not fight back."

"... You're going back to the Sixth Division?"

Kaien was well aware of Haruto's reasons for joining the Thirteenth Division: Captain Ukitake was simply a lucky find.

As for the unknown reason, it was Haruto's lingering attachment to the World of the Living and his secret wariness of Aizen.

Now.

Haruto has been in the World of the Living long enough.

On Aizen's side, with Shinji Hirako officially becoming the Fifth Division Captain, Haruto's concerns also lessened considerably.

"No."

Haruto shook his head.

Sixth Division?

Being in a noble squad naturally grants more say, and one's reputation and standing among nobles rise accordingly; for Soul Reaper aspire to become nobles or seek promotion, the Sixth Division is undoubtedly the best choice, bar none.

But.

Haruto has a hard time getting a chance to shine in the Sixth Division.

Not to mention that the captain, vice-captain, and even the third and fourth seats are all controlled by the Kuchiki Clan and their retainers, the seats further down the list are basically held by noble sons.

In this place where seniority (and family hierarchy) are paramount, to put Haruto, a Captain-level fighter, as... a lower- Seated Officer?

It's obviously impossible if you just think about it.

"I want to join the Second Division."

Haruto revealed his purpose.

"... You're planning to start with Stealth Force?"

"Captain Kaien is very perceptive."

Kaien quickly understood Haruto's purpose: based on his previous statements, if the goal was to teach the nobles, led by Tsunayashiro, a profound lesson, then the Stealth Force was undoubtedly the best place to go.

Furthermore, the Shihoin Clan is a natural ally of the Kuchiki Clan, so they are less likely to hold opposing views.

"Although I'm a little reluctant to part with it..."

"But if this is your judgment, I will definitely fully support it."

It's impossible to persuade them to stay.

They already possess Captain-level strength, and their continued presence here is out of friendship and a bit of opportune moment; Kaien couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

"Thank you, Captain Kaien."

Transferring teams.

This situation is quite rare in the Gotei 13.

Apart from the captain's recommendation for promotion, all other transfers require the consent of both captains or vice-captains: the captains (or vice-captains) of both the transferring and receiving squads must be present, and the process can only proceed with the witnessing of the First Division.

Therefore, Kaien's cooperation is definitely needed for this.

"Then I'll contact Yoruichi now..."

Team transfers are usually handled by the vice-captain.

However, given the affiliation between the Shiba Clan and Shihoin Clan, Kaien's ability to contact Yoruichi is likely faster than Ōmaeda's.

"No need."

I'll definitely visit Yoruichi later, but for now... there's no need to trouble my future boss.

"Shinichiraku!"

"Here we go!"

"Whoosh."

The only shop in the entire Seireitei that uses Shunpo) to deliver food is this one.

"Big brother should have heard most of my conversation with Captain Kaien, right?"

"... A little bit."

Shinichiraku Ōmaeda made no attempt to hide the fact that he had heard the news.

The Ōmaeda Clan's businesses throughout Seireitei also provided the Shihoin Clan with the most basic source of information.

"Could you please contact Brother Marechiyo Ōmaeda?"

OK!

This is the younger brother of Vice-Captain Ōmaeda.

Although I didn't join the Second Division because of differences in ideals with my older brother, it's still quite easy for me to help him get in touch with someone.

"What a rare combination."

The First Division Barracks, including the office area.

Genshirō Okikiba, a veteran who served as an assistant to the First Division alongside the Sasakibe, looked at the group that had arrived at the door with considerable surprise.

In terms of strength, he's just an ordinary vice-captain, but when it comes to seniority and professional competence, half the vice-captains of the Gotei 13 combined are not as strong as him.

"Third Seats for Chōjirō."

Kaien and Ōmaeda, who were walking in front, bowed at the same time.

Genshirō Okikiba is not only Captain-Commander Yamamoto's right-hand man, but also the head of the mid-ranking noble Okikiba Clan.

When dealing with matters related to nobility, such a noble status is required... This is simply the reason why Chōjirō became a nobleman.

This identity doesn't sound prestigious.

However, whenever it comes to the work of noble Soul Reaper, Chōjirō has the right to speak, even more so than the Sixth Division: he rarely offers his own opinions, but it's easy for his words to be interpreted as Captain-Commander Yamamoto's thoughts.

This caution and diligence is the reason he has remained in this position for a thousand years.

"Let me guess."

Genshirō Okikiba and Haruto exchanged a glance.

This was the first time the two had met since the Shin'ō Academy.

"Is Haruto- sama transferring teams?"

"... Nothing can escape your eyes."

After exchanging glances, the group sighed.

The members of the First Division are generally older, with the average age recently reaching an astonishing 500; as a result, the ability to see through people's ways is basically a standard skill for them.

Chōjirō, which has held a top -Third Seat for so many years, is undoubtedly one of the best.

While Sasakibe occasionally displays a slightly unconventional youthful spirit, Chōjirō's every move can be described as that of the Captain-Commander's Stand.

"Alright."

Genshirō Okikiba dipped his brush in ink and wrote something steadily on the white Xuan paper in front of him.

"The Seireitei has been quite noisy lately."

"Being a little quieter... that would improve work efficiency."

Haruto's thoughts were practically transparent to this old comrade, but fortunately, he didn't seem to be refusing him.

I agree.

Genshirō Okikiba picked up the sealed paper package on the table and handed it to Haruto.

"Take this and have Ōmaeda take you to Shihoin."

Genshirō Okikiba stood up.

Whether it's his hair, beard, or Zanpakuto, everything about him is meticulously groomed.

"This is quite a high-profile matter recently, so I need to report it to the Captain-Commander."

"... I'm sorry to Chōjirō, Mr. Chongya."

Haruto bowed very earnestly.

The transfer to another team was something that could have been simply recorded, but Chōjirō's personal involvement clearly had another purpose—he saw through Haruto's other objective: to proactively apply for a transfer to the Second Division, which meant he was indirectly rejecting the captain's decision.

It has to be said that experience truly matters; neither Kaien nor Ōmaeda had anticipated this at all.

You need to know.

This was proposed by the Captain-Commander in front of all the captains. Haruto's refusal on the spot could only be considered a form of humility. His current actions are what truly "defy" the Captain-Commander's wishes.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto is only qualified to make the nobility proposal.

However, he absolutely has the power to decide the appointment of the captains of the Gotei 13.

After the former was ruined by the Tsunayashiro Clan, it's hard to say whether the Captain-Commander also harbored resentment and was just waiting for this moment to vent it forcefully.

Haruto just walked right into the line of fire...

Genshirō Okikiba's actions were clearly intended to provide cover for him.

This favor must be repaid, no matter what.

Volume 1: Chapter 137, Shihoin

The Second Division's barracks were built with funds from the Shihoin Clan.

To put it more accurately, "The Second Division's barracks were built near the Shihoin Clan's villa, which was expanded with funds from the Ōmaeda Clan."

--That would be more appropriate.

Despite having a small Shihoin Clan family's residential area within the Seireitei is larger than that of the Tsunayashiro Clan and Kuchiki Clan combined: nearly half of the barracks used by the Gotei 13 belong to the Shihoin Clan.

So.

The Second Division headquarters was renovated to be magnificent...

If Yoruichi hadn't been so distrustful of her vice-captain's aesthetic sense, it would definitely have turned out like the one described above—this is actually the tradition of the Shihoin Clan's main branch, but Yoruichi herself particularly dislikes it.

That's all.

The Second Division became the largest division in terms of area but the simplest in architectural style among the Gotei 13.

Inside the team barracks, in the main hall before the meeting.

On the floor, devoid of any cushions or decorations, sat ten Second Division Seated Officers in neat rows: they were all wearing Stealth Force movement gear close to their Shihakushō, and their overly serious posture made them look more like retainers than subordinates.

Only the highest position matters.

The long purple hair I saw a few years ago has been cut short, making it look like a high-waisted version of Rukia's octopus head; the healthy black hair is completely exposed at the back, and the suspenders that cross over the shoulders and neck don't even completely cover the sides.

Unlike Soi Fon, who insisted on wearing the same style, resulting in a loose fit that revealed her skin tone, Yoruichi's outfit was simply stretched open because the front was too big.

A small black knot was tied around her slender neck, and she wore simple, long-sleeved gloves on her forearms.