After the captains' meeting ended, Ukitake Jushiro returned to the barracks and explained the situation to Kaien. As Yoru Machi already knew, a special unit led by Hirako Shinji had been assembled and sent to investigate the site of the incident.
With three captains and three vice-captains in the lineup, everyone, including the Captain-Commander, believed this investigation was a sure thing.
Yet reality proved that, without much outside interference, the plot had not changed much. Hirako Shinji and the others were still wiped out, then framed by Aizen as traitors.
Because Urahara Kisuke, the smartest man in the Soul Society, had noticed something was wrong in advance, he used the Hogyoku to save Hirako Shinji and the others. However, he and Shihoin Yoruichi were also framed and fled to the Human World together.
Hirako Shinji and the others, who had undergone Hollowfication, formed the so-called Visoreds, while the Gotei 13 entered the weakest period in its history.
The Visoreds alone took away four captains and vice-captains. Adding Shihoin Yoruichi of the Second Division and Urahara Kisuke of the Twelfth Division, Shiba Isshin of the Tenth Division—later known as Kurosaki Isshin—would also be stationed in the Human World.
In other words, Aizen's little maneuver directly cost the Gotei 13 over half of its thirteen captains' fighting strength.
As Urahara Kisuke and the others fled to the Human World, the many vacant captain positions were quickly filled by fresh blood from the various divisions.
The Second Division was taken over by the flat-chested girl Soi Fon, the Hair Gel Boss finally joined the Fifth Division as desired, and the Development 01 Bureau of the Twelfth Division was handed over to its former deputy director, Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
As for the remaining divisions, Ichimaru Gin, Tousen Kaname, Kanemura Sajin, and the others lacked sufficient seniority, so they could not directly take over captain positions for the time being.
Inside Uchidan Hall, the barracks of the Thirteenth Division, Ukitake Jushiro and Yoru Machi sat facing each other.
Two years had passed. Due to his physical prowess, Ukitake had remained cooped up at home year-round, generally leaving division affairs to Kaien.
However, Ukitake had not completely ignored the division's affairs. He had seen all of Yoru Machi's performance and progress over the past two years.
Setting aside his strength for the moment, Yoru Machi's conduct and efficiency were clearly not those of a Rookie Soul Reaper who had only recently graduated from the Spirit Training Academy.
Kaien was a genius. As soon as he entered the Thirteenth Division, he became its Third Seat. Though Yoru Machi was not as outstanding as him, he had still worked his way up to Fifth Seat in the Thirteenth Division over the past two years.
Originally, he could have risen higher, but Yoru Machi had turned down promotions several times.
His reason was that the Third Seat and Fourth Seat in their division were both cute girls, and he did not want to take what they liked. In truth, Yoru Machi felt that the position of Fifth Seat suited his current identity perfectly.
A position that was too high made it easy to be treated as an experiment and draw the attention of certain big shots. But a position that was too low would also not do, since he could easily become cannon fodder. Thus, in Yoru Machi's view, Fifth Seat was just right.
"Yoru Machi, I believe you have heard about what has happened in the Gotei 13 recently.
"The Third Division, Fifth Division, Seventh Division, and Ninth Division all currently have a large number of vacancies.
"Setting captain positions aside for now, when the Captain-Commander asked whether other divisions had suitable candidates to serve as vice-captains or seated officers in those divisions, I thought of you. What do you think?"
"To become a vice-captain, one must at least have mastered Shikai and possess a certain level of spiritual pressure.
"But as far as I know, you should have met both requirements long ago, right? You and Kaien have often gone to Carp Mountain in West Rukongai to spar and train."
Only after hearing Captain Fujitora's words did Yoru Machi understand why he had called him in for such a serious talk today. So he was planning to recommend him as a vice-captain in another division!
Leaving the Seventh Division aside, could one just casually join the Third, Fifth, or Ninth Divisions?
"Captain, I only want to stay in the Thirteenth Division. That is my wish. Besides, I do not think my current strength is enough to handle the position of vice-captain."
What a joke. The reason Yoru Machi kept such a low profile was to avoid attracting the attention of the boss faction. Yet Ukitake was planning to shove him somewhere else—was he trying to force him to defect?
The Hair Gel Boss had charisma, and his eloquence was first-rate. He might not have treated his subordinates particularly well, but at least he was not heartless.
However, the issue was that his opponent was the famously overpowered Ichigo, who possessed the three bloodlines of Soul Reaper, Hollow, and Quincy. Whenever he could not win, he simply powered up. As the world's favored son, he fundamentally could not be judged by common sense.
"If you become a vice-captain, the benefits will be worlds apart from those of a seated officer. And with your talent, you may even become a captain one day."
"For Gotei 13 members, transferring divisions is not an easy matter. If this situation were not so special, there might not be another opportunity like this in the future. Have you really decided to give it up?"
Looking at Yoru Machi, who was handsome and had such a good personality, Ukitake was truly puzzled. Ordinary Soul Reapers joined the Gotei 13 and worked their way upward with the goal of becoming vice-captains or captains.
Yet the chance to become a vice-captain was right within his grasp, and Yoru Machi, sitting before him, kept refusing in every possible way.
Kaien had been the same before. If Ukitake had not personally invited him to become vice-captain, he would probably still be training bitterly on Carp Mountain in West Rukongai.
Could it be that the Thirteenth Division was destined to produce slackers? As captain, he had become a hands-off manager every day due to his physical condition. Had he ruined the division's atmosphere, leaving everyone without ambition and wanting only to lie flat in place every day?
"Since that is the case, we can discuss this matter another time. There is also something else I need to ask you to do.
"According to intelligence, a city in the Human World called Ukiyo Town has recently seen a large number of souls appear. The Development 01 Bureau detected through spiritual-pressure readings that a Hollow in that city may have devoured a great number of souls and evolved into a Menos Grande Gillian. I need you to deal with it."
Yoru Machi knew about what Ukitake was referring to. After all, he was also the Fifth Seat of the Thirteenth Division. But as far as he knew, someone had already been assigned to handle it, so he asked, "Wasn't the matter in Ukiyo Town assigned to the Third Seat? Why...?"
"Third Seat Reikawa is certainly strong, but he has no experience fighting Menos Grande. I believe it would be safer for you to go instead.
"Sending Kaien would have been safest, but Seireitei regulations state that, in order to avoid causing excessive damage to the Human World, those at vice-captain rank or above have their spiritual pressure restricted and sealed when passing through the Senkaimon, leaving them able to use only one-fifth of their spiritual pressure."
Hearing Ukitake's explanation, Yoru Machi was rather speechless. He understood that Kaien, as a vice-captain, could not casually go to the Human World, but if the Third Seat had no experience fighting Menos Grande, did he?
He had only graduated from the Spirit Training Academy two years ago. He was the genuine rookie here, okay!
Before you continue