Promotion to Vice-Captain

Take Sōjun Kuchiki, the Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division. He was the heir to the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans, and the son of Ginrei Kuchiki, Captain of the Sixth Division. That was a deep enough background, wasn't it?

But how many people in the Sixth Division actually respected him?

Sōjun Kuchiki had considerable talent as a Soul Reaper. At a young age, he had already achieved the release of his Zanpakuto and possessed the combat strength of a Seat Officer.

However, Sōjun Kuchiki's physical condition severely held him back.

Plagued by illness, he could only bring out fifty or sixty percent of his full strength.

Of course, speaking of illness, Jūshirō Ukitake, Captain of the Thirteenth Division, was also constantly afflicted by disease and could not use his full strength most of the time.

But Jūshirō Ukitake's talent far surpassed Sōjun Kuchiki's.

Even without fighting at full strength, Jūshirō Ukitake possessed power beyond that of an ordinary captain.

That was something Sōjun Kuchiki could never compare to.

Now, through his battle with Marechiyo Ōmaeda, Ailin had proven to everyone in the Second Division that he possessed enough strength to become its Vice-Captain.

Especially Ailin's final strike. Aside from Shihoin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke, no one present was confident they could have survived that move.

Just look—even though Lord Yoruichi had shattered the follow-up slashes, three ravines over three meters deep and more than fifty meters long had been left behind on the training ground.

"My apologies, Vice-Captain Ōmaeda."

"It was my first time using that move, so I couldn't control it properly..."

Since Marechiyo Ōmaeda had already conceded, Ailin was naturally happy to put on a show of goodwill.

He immediately strode over to Marechiyo Ōmaeda and held out both hands. Green Healing Art light instantly enveloped Marechiyo Ōmaeda.

Under Ailin's Healing Art, Marechiyo Ōmaeda's injuries soon recovered for the most part.

After all, Berserk Drunkard had blocked a great deal of Wind Scar's power.

When he could no longer hold it back, Yoruichi had shattered Ailin's slash, while Urahara Kisuke had rescued him at once. Thus, Marechiyo Ōmaeda's injuries remained within Ailin's ability to treat.

In less than a minute, Ailin had completely healed Marechiyo Ōmaeda's injuries.

"Hahahaha! I once heard Captain Unohana say she wanted you to join the Fourth Division as Third Seat. At the time, I thought Captain Unohana had overestimated you, but now I think she underestimated you, Ailin."

Marechiyo Ōmaeda rose from the ground and moved his body around. Apart from his torn clothes and the blood still staining him, he felt completely recovered.

"Even Kiyōnosuke Yamada couldn't match Healing Art skills like yours."

Kiyōnosuke Yamada was currently the Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division. His Healing Art ability was second only to Retsu Unohana, Captain of the Fourth Division.

"You flatter me, Vice-Captain Ōmaeda. How could I compare to Vice-Captain Yamada?"

Ailin shook his head at Marechiyo Ōmaeda's praise, not taking it seriously.

Kiyōnosuke Yamada was the man who would create Hikone alongside Tokinada Tsunayashiro. Creating life was a field Ailin had yet to touch.

Of course, that was Kiyōnosuke Yamada a century later. The current Kiyōnosuke Yamada might not yet have reached that level.

"Heh, Ailin, you defeated me fair and square. How can you put yourself down like that?"

Rather than being pleased by Ailin's words, Marechiyo Ōmaeda became unhappy. "What? In your eyes, is the Vice-Captain of our Second Division inferior to the Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division?"

"Or are you saying our Second Division is inferior to the Fourth Division?"

"Well..."

Ailin froze for a moment, not expecting Marechiyo Ōmaeda to react so strongly.

But after thinking it over, Ailin realized that the Second Division's previous captain Shihoin Sennen, current captain Shihoin Yoruichi, and future captain Soifon probably still would not be enough to defeat Captain Unohana even if the three of them joined forces.

Captain Unohana was the Seireitei's First Kenpachi, one of the two great villains who stood alongside Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto a thousand years ago.

If Yoruichi developed Shunko: Raijin Senkei and Thunder Beast Combat Form, she might stand a chance. Without those two forms, all three of them would be nothing more than dishes on Captain Unohana's table.

But he was in the Second Division now. Even if he truly thought so, saying it aloud would be downright stupid.

"How could that be? Our Second Division is the strongest Secret Movement force. The Fourth Division is just a rescue unit; we aren't even on the same level..."

"Exactly, exactly..."

Shihoin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke exchanged a glance, and each could see the embarrassment in the other's eyes.

These two really were fearless through ignorance.

Afraid that they might say something even more shocking, Shihoin Yoruichi hurriedly interrupted Marechiyo Ōmaeda. She then walked up to Ailin, raised his hand high, and loudly announced to the watching Soul Reapers:

"Everyone, this Second Division Vice-Captain challenge has reached its conclusion under the witness of over four hundred division comrades, as well as myself, Shihoin Yoruichi, Captain of the Second Division."

"Now, in my capacity as Captain of the Second Division, I announce that the winner of this challenge is Ailin!"

"From this moment onward, Ailin will assume the position of Vice-Captain of the Second Division. Former Vice-Captain Marechiyo Ōmaeda will be exempted from the Seat Officer challenge and, together with Urahara Kisuke, become Third Seat of the Second Division."

"Does anyone object?"

"No!"

"Vice-Captain Ailin, Third Seat Ōmaeda..."

"Vice-Captain Ailin, Third Seat Ōmaeda..."

Before the witness of more than four hundred members of the Second Division and Shihoin Yoruichi, Ailin successfully defeated the former Vice-Captain, Marechiyo Ōmaeda, and became the Second Division's new captain.

Afterward, with Marechiyo Ōmaeda's assistance, Ailin gradually became familiar with some of the Second Division's affairs.

However, Ailin spent more of his time forging weapons in his Mindscape.

After meeting Shihoin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke, three more Zanpakuto appeared on Sword Hill within Ailin's Mindscape.

Two of them stood on the same level as Kisaragi Taiho's Zanpakuto, while the third was located on the lower half of the hill.

They were the Zanpakuto of Shihoin Yoruichi, Urahara Kisuke, and Marechiyo Ōmaeda.

After successfully forging those three Zanpakuto, Ailin's spiritual pressure greatly increased once more.

In particular, the two Zanpakuto belonging to Shihoin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke, both of whom had already achieved Bankai, tripled Ailin's spiritual pressure.

Ailin's spiritual pressure was now four times greater than that of Seat Officers who had just advanced to Sixth Seat Reiō.

In other words, if a Seat Officer's Zanpakuto could not increase their spiritual pressure by more than fourfold upon release, then even after Shikai, their spiritual pressure would still be weaker than Ailin's in his normal state.