As it turned out, the Seireitei really did have a ritual—or, more accurately, a special spiritual art—known as Person-Blade Fusion.
However, it was a forbidden art among forbidden arts, and a Shinigami simply couldn't use it.
Someone had used this forbidden art in the history of the Seireitei, but that had been three hundred and fifty years ago.
Back then, a member of the Gotei 13 named Umebari had used Person-Blade Fusion to merge his Zanpakuto with his soul. But the power was too great for a Shinigami's soul to withstand.
Driven mad by the intense pain, Umebari had killed sixty-three of his comrades, including the Vice-Captain!
The Gotei 13 had immediately sent several Captains to capture him, but he killed two of them. In the end, the remaining Captains had to work together to seal him away.
That was what happened when someone recklessly used a forbidden art!
Person-Blade Fusion was a realm that Shinigami could never reach. If they tried to force their way into it, their bodies wouldn't be able to bear the strain, and they'd eventually go mad!
But with Isshin Shiba's ability, Gaoyu could step into that realm directly.
However, this ability would only work if he raised Isshin Shiba's affection to eighty. If it was any lower, using it would consume all of his Spiritual Power.
Just like Ichigo Kurosaki, who'd become an ordinary person after defeating Aizen.
Gaoyu didn't want that to happen to him.
So it was crucial that he get along with Isshin Shiba.
"Hey, Gaoyu!"
Rangiku greeted him as soon as she saw him. "You really became a Vice-Captain! That's amazing!"
"Not really. Captain Aizen just thinks highly of me," Gaoyu said with a smile. "I'm still nowhere near Vice-Captain level."
Isshin Shiba, standing beside Rangiku, rubbed his chin and studied Gaoyu with interest. "So you're Gaoyu Kouun. Rangiku's been telling me about you lately. And you're the mastermind behind solving the soul disappearance cases, too. You certainly look the part."
"You flatter me, Captain Shiba," Gaoyu said quickly, trying to be modest. "You come from a distinguished family, and you became a Captain long ago. I can't compare to you."
"Too much modesty turns into arrogance." Isshin Shiba laughed, then turned to Aizen. "Sosuke, congratulations on discovering another genius."
Aizen smiled and nodded. "Gaoyu-kun really is a genius."
With those two singing his praises, Gaoyu was starting to feel a little embarrassed. He followed them without saying much, while Rangiku chatted away beside them about this and that.
At last, Sosuke Aizen and Isshin Shiba entered the First Division's meeting room. The Vice-Captains were to wait in the room next door.
Gaoyu and Rangiku went in and saw that several people were already there.
Judging by the armbands on their sleeves, they were the Vice-Captains of the First, Fourth, and Sixth Divisions. They must have arrived pretty early.
The First Division's Vice-Captain was named Chōjirō Sasakibe. He was two or three thousand years old, and had been at Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's side since before the Gotei 13 was established.
Chōjirō Sasakibe's Soul Ability was Permanent Scar.
Permanent Scar: Unleash an attack that leaves a permanent scar on the enemy.
Heh. As expected of the ultimate background character. His Soul Ability was based on Captain-Commander Yamamoto's scar.
One of the two crossed scars on Yamamoto's head had been left by Chōjirō Sasakibe.
So that's where Soul Abilities come from?
That's pretty ridiculous, honestly.
The Fourth Division's Vice-Captain, Yūne Kotetsu, had the Soul Ability No More Growing, as mentioned before. The Sixth Division's Vice-Captain was currently named Ginjiro, and his Soul Ability was Glasses Designer.
Glasses Designer: Design glasses in all sorts of styles. By infusing them with different spiritual pressures and abilities, the glasses can be given corresponding properties.
Ginjiro had been the Sixth Division's Vice-Captain before Renji, and he was one of the rare members of the Gotei 13 who had managed to "retire."
The Gotei 13 was an organization that didn't allow members to leave. Any Shinigami who left would be arrested by the Punishment Force and thrown into prison.
However, once a Shinigami reached Captain-level, their status rose dramatically. They were practically worlds apart from ordinary Shinigami.
Just because ordinary Shinigami couldn't do something didn't mean Captain-level Shinigami couldn't. Retiring was no big deal, as long as they handed over their Zanpakuto.
There was a reason some people fought tooth and nail to climb the ranks. The lower ranks were stuck as commoners for life, unable even to escape that fate.
At this point in time, the members of the various divisions of the Gotei 13 weren't very familiar with one another, so the room was quiet, with hardly anyone speaking.
Gaoyu and Rangiku broke the silence when they came in, but Gaoyu didn't want to flout the "rules" as soon as he arrived.
He'd only just taken up his post today. Better not to make a bold move right away. He could start by getting people used to seeing him.
Even Rangiku, who was usually so outgoing, wasn't saying much.
A little while later, all the Vice-Captains had arrived.
The Thirteenth Division's Vice-Captain was Shiba Kaien, whose Soul Ability was Similar Appearance.
Similar Appearance: Choose a person, then transform into someone resembling them. Your spiritual pressure and abilities change as well.
That was what Gaoyu had expected. After all, Shiba Kaien's most distinctive feature was his face, which looked almost exactly like the protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki.
The Twelfth Division's Vice-Captain was Nemu Kurotsuchi, whose Soul Ability was Gikon Kaizō.
Gikon Kaizō: Permanently reduce a portion of your own soul to permanently enhance a part of your body.
That suited Nemu Kurotsuchi's physical nature. She was an "artificial soul" created by the Twelfth Division's Captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and the most perfect creation of the Nem Plan.
The Eleventh Division's Vice-Captain was Yachiru Kusajishi, and her Soul Ability was Zanpakuto Incarnation.
Zanpakuto Incarnation: Split your Bankai off from yourself and give it a name to grant it a physical form.
Note: If your affection level is below eighty, the split-off Bankai cannot be recovered.
Well, Yachiru Kusajishi had originally been split off from Kenpachi Zaraki's Bankai, so it made sense that she had a Soul Ability like that.
The Second Division's Vice-Captain was Marechiyo Ōmaeda, and his Soul Ability was Special Assignment Force.
Special Assignment Force: When used, you can break the fourth wall and see high-dimensional comments. You can also accomplish one thing that the high-dimensional comments boast you can do.
"?"
Gaoyu admitted that he was completely baffled for a moment when he saw this ability.
Then he was struck with shock.
Th-this...
What the hell kind of ability is that?!
Before you continue