"Show some respect for the other captains, too. Don't keep calling him Boss!"
"I called him Boss Duan Mu, not Captain Kyōraku."
"I'm talking about Captain Duan Mu."
Toshiro Hitsugaya paused before continuing, "Though it's only temporary, the Captain Commander has already ordered that, until the next 9th Division captain is chosen, Duan Mu will fulfill the duties of the 9th Division captain. Until this incident is over, he will also lead the 9th Division in repelling outside enemies."
As soon as he said this, the lieutenants around them turned their eyes toward Duan Mu.
Aside from Marechiyo Ōmaeda, Kotetsu Isane, Renji Abarai, Hinamori Momo, and the others who had some understanding of Duan Mu, the rest could not help but scrutinize him.
At the very back of the group, a young man who had remained silent the entire time raised his head and looked toward Duan Mu.
The young man had short black hair tinged with blue, and the characters "69" tattooed on his face. He was one of the lieutenants who had never had any contact with Duan Mu—the 9th Division lieutenant, Shuhei Hisagi.
"Boss Duan Mu became a captain?"
Matsumoto Rangiku froze for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "Shouldn't we celebrate? Let's go drinking!"
"..." Duan Mu.
"..."
Veins bulged across Toshiro Hitsugaya's forehead. "You idiot, did you understand anything I said?"
"There's nothing to celebrate."
Duan Mu smiled faintly. "Captain Hitsugaya didn't explain it clearly. It's actually just a commissioned task. The assignment is for me to temporarily assume the duties of the 9th Division captain until a successor is chosen. So it's only a temporary position. There's no need to treat me as a captain."
"Only temporary?"
Kyōraku Shunsui shook his head from the side. "If you hadn't refused, it probably would have