"Team Leader Shimizu ~!"
"Come in!"
There was a knock at the door. Chun was processing the intelligence reports coming in from below. By this time, the Expedition force, under Chun's management over the past few centuries, had grown into a massive organization of 746 people.
Of course, there were many things to do with more than 700 people. In order not to arouse suspicion in the Soul Society, Chun did not reveal his Sōdō. Therefore, although there were more than 700 people, the Expedition team's camp was still a bunch of tents, and no buildings were constructed.
Jun once submitted a construction application to Soul Society, requesting assistance from the Twelfth Division or the Kidō Corps, but was refused. The reasons given are no longer relevant and need not be speculated upon.
Entering was Jun's adjutant, Shūsuke Amagai, who was also the boss in the original Bakkōtō Arc. Jun had immediately recruited him as his adjutant when he first discovered him, deliberately grooming him as a talent.
"What is it, Shūsuke Amagai?" Jun didn't even look up; after all, he was a long-time subordinate, and she knew who it was just by the voice.
"Team leader, this is a transfer order from Soul Society."
Shūsuke Amagai's voice was hesitant, which Jun could tell; he seemed reluctant for Jun to leave.
"Transfer order? Let me see it."
Jun took the transfer order and glanced at it. Skipping over the long string of elegant phrases, he finally got to the important part: Jun was to return and succeed as the captain of the Tenth Division. Jun smiled slightly, thinking, "Has this finally happened?"
Has anything happened recently?
"No"
"Well, there's no reason this time. Okay, I'll go back then."
"Team leader!"
"What?"
"Uh," Shūsuke Amagai hesitated for a moment, but in the end he said nothing, "Take care, and congratulations on your promotion to captain."
"Thank you so much, Shūsuke Amagai! You've been my adjutant for so many years, and you know the Expedition team best. After I leave, you'll be the leader. Good luck!"
"Yes"
"Hmm," Jun patted Shūsuke Amagai on the shoulder. Despite his old-looking appearance, Jun had aged into a middle-aged man over the past few hundred years. "Then you can continue processing these documents now. I have some business to attend to in the Forest of Menos."
No one will stop Jun from going to the Forest of Menos alone. Everyone knows that Jun is an extremely affectionate person; he sometimes even spends many days mourning his deceased wife, and sometimes he even slaughters Hollows in the Forest of Menos. In short, if Jun wants to go to the Forest of Menos, just don't stop him.
Jun had walked this route thousands of times. No one stipulated that one could only pay respects to his deceased wife once a year. Jun arrived at the tree where Isuzu had died, and there, a figure exactly like Isuzu was waiting.
"Thank you for your hard work, Empty Aspect ~"
"It's not hard work at all~, it's the Lord who's working hard."
"Change back into a sword, and come back with me."
"Yes"
After retrieving the Empty Aspect, Jun returned to Soul Society with the three swords. Since Thunder Charge had always been with Jun, and it had Shikai its Thunder Charge release, it had no further value for Jun to retrieve. Soul Society agreed to keep it.
Passing through the Senkaimon, I went straight home. That's the advantage of having my own home; otherwise, after so many years Expedition leader, my team's quarters would definitely have been taken back.
However, after nearly three hundred years, Chun returned home for the first time. Standing at the door, Chun didn't dare to push it open, reaching out his hand several times but pulling it back each time. Finally, he drew the Empty Aspect.
Come on over.
Empty Aspect possesses the ability to materialize; her original ability, as Jun intended, was to absorb the humanity of souls and retain that person's appearance. Empty Aspect is Isuzu. At first, Jun felt satisfied, but gradually she let go of many things. However, upon reaching her doorstep, Jun realized that she hadn't completely let go.
Empty Aspect pushed open the door, but Chun had vanished. She stood there, staring at the spot where Chun had disappeared, her face somewhat somber. Then she went inside and began cleaning what she considered her own home.
Jun turned and went to the First Division. He was led to the lounge by the welcoming team members because Jun was about to take over as captain, which required the witnessing and verification of all the captains.
Chun could sense people flying around outside. Soon, everyone arrived, and the Vice-Captain Sasakibe came over and led Junichi over.
"Jun Shimizu greets the Captain-Commander, it's been a long time!"
"Eh, it has indeed been a long time. Shimizu, are you ready?"
Hi~
"In that case, demonstrate your solution right here and now."
The reason for this item is that Jun didn't hold an evaluation meeting after unlocking the Zanpakuto, nor did he let others know. He only finally revealed his unlock during the Expedition. In fact, with Clear Rain's unlock, Jun's research on Zanpakuto became increasingly thorough.
After Clear Rain's explanation, Jun announced that he had gained the understanding. Then came the Visored incident 98 years ago, where Aizen went too far. At that time, Soul Society wanted Jun to return, but Jun didn't want to. So he had Starrk and the others create a large number of Hollows to attack, and Jun stayed in Hueco Mundo.
The reason Jun came back this time was because he didn't want Tōshirō to become the captain. Hehehe, Jun felt that this little Vice-Captain could be trained a bit.
"May all demons and monsters be cleansed! May the Clear Rain Eradicates Sins!"
At the very moment of pure release, an incredibly powerful Reiatsu descended. This was pure Reiatsu, falling along with the Reiatsu. Each raindrop was pure Spiritual Power, a true sea of Reiatsu, seemingly comparable to Shunsui Kyōraku's powerful Spiritual Pool.
A group of rookie captains were feeling uncomfortable from the Reiatsu, so they canceled their release and sat back down.
"So? Does anyone have the Underbelly to Jun Shimizu becoming the captain of the Tenth Division?"
No one spoke, so the Captain-Commander announced, "Therefore, Soul Reaper Jun Shimizu, the Shinigami, shall assume the position of the new Captain of the Tenth Division, effective immediately."
"Thank you so much!" Jun also expressed his gratitude, and the ceremony concluded.
Jun received the captain's cloak. The inner lining of the Tenth Division's captain's cloak was a dark, almost blackish green, which Jun didn't particularly like.
It purely altered the world line, but not by much. Even though the Soul Society, thanks to the efforts of Kakyō and Tōsen, gave more people the opportunity to become Soul Reaper, geniuses are geniuses after all. Those who aren't geniuses find it difficult to replace them, such as these captains.
However, there are differences. The captain of the 11th Division is still Sōya Azashiro Aozumi. I learned this from the couple, Kōga and Sou, that Zaraki in the 11th Division, but he currently has no intention of challenging Sōya Azashiro. Zaraki's strength is indeed extremely high, but it depends on who he's compared to.
Do you think Zaraki has the ambition to be captain or Kenpachi? He definitely does, but his strength is no match for Sōya Azashiro. So, unlike the awesome Zaraki in the original work, the current Zaraki is learning Zanjutsu from his teammate, Tachikawa Reihei.
Tachikawa Reihei, the eldest son of the Tachikawa branch family and the son of Kakyō TACHIKAWA, a saint of Soul Society. After his uncle Tachikawa Zan, grew old, he had a falling out with his father and joined the 11th Division, currently serving as the 8th Seat.
Zaraki is the Third Seat, because the Vice-Captain has always been the Gosuke, and that has never changed.
Then, Ikkaku Madarame currently holds the twelfth seat, Yumichika Ayasegawa currently holds the Jūshirō seat, Yachiru Kusajishi is in a worse situation, holding the forty-second seat—a child! Everyone knows she's Zaraki's little follower.
And it's not just the 11th Division that's changed; the captain of the Sixth Division is now Sōjun Kuchiki. This young master isn't dead, so how can Byakuya be the captain? Byakuya is still young.
Of course, he wasn't that young either. In the original work, Byakuya became a captain not long after Aizen caused trouble, but this wasn't the case in this timeline.
Furthermore, Byakuya's personality differs somewhat from the original work. In the original, Byakuya was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. The current Byakuya has both parents alive, a loving aunt and uncle, and a great-grandmother, Yoruichi Shihōin (though Yoruichi is no longer with us).
So, beneath Byakuya's calm exterior, he actually has the air of a spoiled young master and isn't very obedient; he's the kind of kid who's extremely stubborn. Although he's an adult, he still retains some childishness.
Kuchiki Ginrei did indeed step down. As for Sōjun Kuchiki, the information he received from Aozumi indicated that he wanted to retire because his health was indeed poor. However, Byakuya was still too inexperienced, so there was no other way.
So Byakuya caused trouble. More than thirty years ago, Byakuya married a woman from Rukongai named Hisana, which even brought out the then-retired Kuchiki Ginrei.
But no amount of persuasion could change his mind. Byakuya almost turned against his own family for the sake of this dancer. In the end, Aozumi and Kōga mediated between the two sides. So now Byakuya lives in Rukongai and doesn't hold a position in the Sixth Division.
This is the biggest change, but today, twenty years before the original storyline, Byakuya is a mature man. Hisana Kuchiki didn't die because of Chun's advanced medical technology; Aozumi saved Hisana.
However, Hisana remained unconscious and might never wake up, but Byakuya didn't care. He continued to care for Hisana every day and search for Hisana's sister.
However, in this timeline, Byakuya doesn't have the Sixth Division; he hasn't even joined the Gotei 13, so he doesn't have that ability. But he has a good aunt and a good uncle, and he still managed to find Rukia Kuchiki.
So Rukia Kuchiki met her brother-in-law, a super-rich young master living in Rukongai, and her sister, who was fast asleep. In the original work, Hisana died, so Byakuya, following Hisana's last wish, never told Rukia about Hisana's past.
But now that Hisana is still alive, Byakuya hopes that Rukia can visit her sister more often, and as a husband, he wants to kneel down and apologize for his wife's past mistakes.
When Hisana was extradited to Soul Society, she brought her younger sister Rukia, who had died with her, with her; Rukia was just an infant at the time. Hisana had previously mentioned that the residents of Rukongai needed to eat because this form of Reishi exchange was their only means of survival.
So Hisana had no choice but to abandon Rukia. After becoming Lady Kuchiki, she didn't try to get rid of her servants and husband to find her sister because she felt she should atone for her past sins. Then, her health deteriorated until she was on her deathbed, and in the end, she reluctantly told Byakuya her last wish.
Now that Byakuya is kneeling and apologizing, Rukia doesn't dare accept it. Rukia was picked up by an elderly couple and taken in to raise her. Over the years, Rukia has been taught to be grateful. Although the elderly couple has passed away, Rukia is their legacy.
So Rukia forgave her sister and brother-in-law, and would visit Byakuya every few days to see her sister and talk to the unconscious Hisana.
The biggest difference lies in the Captain-level. The differences between Vice-Captains and the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth seats are even more pronounced, but we'll discuss that later. Now we've come to the last point of difference.
Jun pushed open the door to the Tenth Division and walked in. All the members of the Tenth Division looked at this stranger and then bowed to him, because he was wearing the cloak symbolizing the captain of the Tenth Division.
From now on, Jun is the captain of the Tenth Division.