The Straightforward 9th Division

In the 9th Division, Shūhei Hisagi was in a bit of a headache. His captain Kaname Tōsen, and the Third Division Captain, Gin Ichimaru, had gone to capture the Ryoka, and no one could help him.

A hundred years ago, because Kaname Tōsen bring modern printing technology back to Soul Society, Seireitei took the opportunity to establish the Seireitei Communication.

Logically, this kind of mission should be handled by the 8th Division, the intelligence team. They are the most well-informed and know many inside stories that ordinary people don't.

As a result, the captain of the 8th Division, Shunsui Kyōraku, declined the task of publishing the Seireitei Communication, citing the need for information security and the heavy workload. However, the work still needed to be done. After some consideration, the Gotei 13 handed over the task of publishing the Seireitei Communication to the 9th Division, because it was brought back by Tōsen from the printing technology department, and therefore the 9th Division would be responsible for it.

Therefore, Kaname Tōsen was always in charge of the Seireitei Communication, serving as the editor-in-chief and responsible for the entire newspaper's editing and compilation.

But for some reason, Kaname Tōsen suddenly handed this task over to Shūhei Hisagi these past two days. Kaname Tōsen told Shūhei Hisagi that he would be very busy during the days of the Ryoka invasion, so Shūhei Hisagi should take on more responsibilities, and that the Seireitei Communication would be managed by Shūhei Hisagi in the future.

Shūhei Hisagi was quite troubled. In the past, he only needed to report various rumors about Seireitei to Kaname Tōsen. Now that it was his turn to write and edit, he didn't know where to start.

After a period of deep thought, Shūhei Hisagi concluded that the Seireitei Communication were reports of recent events within the Seireitei, and therefore the Ryoka invasion was a good starting point.

Shūhei Hisagi believed that the invasion of the Ryoka in Seireitei was excellent material. It was said that these Ryoka were powerful, and some Hollows had also joined in. Even someone as strong as their 9th Division Captain Kaname Tōsen, was defeated in a single encounter.

Because of this defeat, Captain Kaname Tōsen and Captain Gin Ichimaru had to work together to deal with the Ryoka incident.

The invasion of the Ryoka was undoubtedly a major event that shocked the Seireitei. Even if the Seireitei Communication didn't report it, it would certainly have been a hot topic of discussion among the Bleach afterward.

However, things went wrong as soon as he started Shūhei Hisagi. He had only seen two Ryoka from beginning to end: one was the unconscious Yasutora Sado, and the other was the imposing Sawada Tsunayoshi.

On Shūhei Hisagi's desk, the unconscious Chad and the towering Tsuna appeared on two separate sheets of paper. Fortunately, he had excellent sketching skills and was able to accurately depict the figures he saw.

Having completed this stage of the work, Shūhei Hisagi should now begin editing the text. After combining the two portraits with the article, the first issue of the Seireitei Communication will be published.

However, Shūhei Hisagi was in a dilemma. He had only seen the images of Tsuna and Chad, and had not seen the process of the battle at all, only the result. Should he report that his captain had been instantly Ryoka, and warn the Bleach in Seireitei to be careful?

That's utter nonsense. The First Division has already given orders that only the Vice-Captain can fight the Ryoka together. Such a report would only embarrass the 9th Division and damage the morale of the Seireitei.

Actually, what Shūhei Hisagi really wanted to interview were those Ryoka monsters who invaded Seireitei. That guy with the brown spiky hair didn't seem like a difficult person to get along with; he only injured the captain and didn't really kill them.

Shūhei Hisagi stretched and shook his head dejectedly. He decided to wait until after the Seireitei Communication Ryoka was over before reporting on it. He figured he could interview the captains who fought against them and get some information.

Shūhei Hisagi had also heard that the Ryoka were after Rukia, so his squad had strengthened the management of the Sokyoku Hill overnight. Tomorrow was the execution day, and he figured everything would end tomorrow.

Shūhei Hisagi glanced at the sunlight. Seireitei Communication was impossible, he decided to go to the Sokyoku Hill to help the soldiers there; they were all familiar comrades.

Shūhei Hisagi didn't expect that as soon as he stepped outside, he would hear a noisy voice above him, and there was a familiar name in the voice.

"Kensei, Kensei, what are we doing in the 9th Division? It's so boring!"

It was clearly a coquettish female voice. Shūhei Hisagi looked up and saw a man and a woman sitting idly on the roof of his barracks. The girl was pretty and cute, and the boy was all muscle. Most importantly, the figure overlapped with the back of the person Shūhei Hisagi remembered.

"Muguruma... Kensei... sir?"

Unconsciously, a tear slid down Shūhei Hisagi's face. Before becoming the Bleach, he had fantasized countless times about serving Kensei, because Kensei saved his life in his most helpless moment. From that day on, he decided that Kensei was the idol he would follow for the rest of his life. For this reason, he even tattooed the number 69 on his face, symbolizing Kensei.

Unfortunately, Shūhei Hisagi's talent was mediocre. He failed the entrance exam for the Shino Academy twice. When he finally graduated and arrived at the 9th Division, which he had always longed for, he found that the captain had already been replaced, and the captain he admired Kensei, had defected because of the Hollowfication Incident.

No matter how much Shūhei Hisagi thought about it, he never imagined that he would encounter Kensei again in the 9th Division.

Unlike Shūhei Hisagi's happiness, Kuna Hak didn't think so. She hid behind Kensei, peeked out at Shūhei Hisagi, and muttered, "Kensei, it's all your fault! How could you not be discovered on the rooftop!"

Listening to Kuna Hak's complaints, Kensei was also very troubled. Unlike Hirako, he was not cunning enough to set up any secret rooms in his barracks. There was absolutely no such thing in his 9th Division.

However, not just any place can be visited in Seireitei now. Kensei's idea to go back to the 9th Division was indeed to check on things. He knew that there wouldn't be anyone in the 9th Division at this time, but he didn't expect to be discovered by Shūhei Hisagi so soon after returning.

Just as Kensei was about to run away, the unfamiliar person below, who looked like the Vice-Captain based on the armband, recognized him and seemed quite respectful in his tone.

Since Shūhei Hisagi had already asked, Kensei couldn't very well not reply, so he awkwardly forced a question, "Who are you?"

Unexpectedly, Shūhei Hisagi bowed to him very respectfully and said earnestly, "Kensei, I didn't know you were back. Please come inside for a chat."

At this point, Shūhei Hisagi didn't care whether Kensei was a wanted criminal or not; he just wanted to see his idol.

Seeing Shūhei Hisagi's enthusiasm, Kensei felt embarrassed to refuse. At Shūhei Hisagi's invitation, Kensei led Kuna Hak into Shūhei Hisagi's office while inspecting the place.

As soon as she entered, Kuna Hak exclaimed in dissatisfaction, "Ugh!!! How did my room become like this?"

As expected, Shūhei Hisagi used the same room that Kuna Hak used to live in. Kuna Hak used to fill the room with all sorts of cute decorations, but now the room is extremely minimalist, with a desk, filing cabinets, a meeting table...

The past has completely vanished, how could Kuna Hak not be angry?

After pouring two glasses of water for his idol, Shūhei Hisagi recognized the former Vice-Captain and said somewhat awkwardly, "I didn't throw away some of my old belongings; I packed them up and put them in the warehouse."

Upon hearing Shūhei Hisagi's words, Kuna Hak rushed out without saying a word. Unlike Hirako, who was fickle and easily bored, every item in the room was his treasure.

Just as Shūhei Hisagi was about to chase after her, he heard Kensei say, "Don't worry about her, she knows the way."

"Shūhei Hisagi, right?" Shūhei Hisagi had already briefly introduced himself when he entered. Kensei looked at him and said, "You've worked hard all these years."

"No, it wasn't hard work at all. It was all what I should do. I'm very grateful to you for saving me back then and leading me down the path of Bleach!"

Shūhei Hisagi didn't know was that Kensei's tone of voice towards him had become somewhat like that of his superior; only the obtuse Shūhei Hisagi couldn't sense it.

In Kensei's view, Kaname Tōsen openly Aizen, the crime would be even more serious than what they committed back then. He might not be able to return to the 9th Division, but someone who openly rebelled in front of the Captain-Commander would definitely not be able to return.

After hearing Shūhei Hisagi's words and seeing the tattoo on his face, Kensei belatedly realized that such a thing had happened. He had saved too many residents of Rukongai back then, and he never expected to have this good karma.

"I noticed you looked troubled earlier. Is there anything I can do to help you? Consider this a token of my gratitude for the tea," Kensei said.

Shūhei Hisagi was overjoyed upon hearing this, "Yes, absolutely! With your experience, Lord Kensei, you can definitely help me!"

In Shūhei Hisagi's view, Muguruma Kensei, as the former Captain of the Ninth Division, was already familiar with the basic work of the 9th Division and could definitely provide him with some guidance.

Upon hearing that Shūhei Hisagi was preparing to draft Seireitei Communication, Kensei gave a wry smile, "Only a greenhorn like you could do this kind of work."

In this brief encounter, Kensei noticed Shūhei Hisagi's straightforward and unassuming nature, a personality he would have definitely recruited into the squad if he had been a captain.

Shūhei Hisagi hadn't expected Kensei to give such a evaluation. "Please enlighten me, Lord Kensei."

"These so-called real-time publications are easy to offend people. Can you write bad things about Seireitei? The Central 46 alone could tear you to shreds. But things don't always go smoothly for Seireitei. Take this Ryoka incident, for example. The longer it drags on, the more it's a blow to Seireitei's reputation and the Captain-Commander's reputation," Kensei said. "Therefore, the editors of these publications need to be both tactful and firm. Their reporting needs to be truthful, but they also need to know how to select what to include and what to omit."

"Smooth yet resolute?" Shūhei Hisagi muttered to himself. He didn't consider himself a smooth person, so the reason Kaname Tōsen chose him must be his resoluteness. "I will do my best to complete it, even if it's just one issue!"

Kensei smiled. It was good that the 9th Division had Vice-Captain like this; he was instantly fired up. He then asked, "So what kind of report do you want to make? Writing some rumors and interesting stories shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

Shūhei Hisagi looked unconvinced. Kensei was no longer part of their squad, so he wasn't surprised he wasn't putting in his best effort. "Since it's called Seireitei, of course we should focus on major events in Seireitei. I want to report on this Ryoka invasion!"

Shūhei Hisagi's fighting spirit, which had just been ignited, immediately waned. "But I have no idea what happened during this invasion of the Ryoka. I only saw the captains being defeated. I wanted to describe the harm caused by the Ryoka, but I was powerless to do so. I can only wait until the Ryoka incident is over and then visit each of the captains in person."

"Ryoka incident?"

"That's right, the Ryoka Incident. Unfortunately, I only drew two portraits of the Ryoka, and I don't know the specifics." As he spoke, Shūhei Hisagi took two portraits from his desk. Kensei took a closer look and recognized the two people as very familiar.

"Tsuna, Chad?" Kensei exclaimed in surprise. He wasn't surprised by the appearance of his two friends, but rather by Shūhei Hisagi's drawing skills, which allowed Kensei to see through the original body at a glance.

"Lord Kensei, do you know them? Can I interview one of them...?" Shūhei Hisagi's excitement came to an abrupt halt. If Kensei knew the Ryoka, then there was only one possibility. "Lord Kensei, are you also one of the Ryoka this time?"

"Well, strictly speaking, you could say that," Kensei said after a moment's thought. Although they hadn't destroyed anything in Seireitei, they had still invaded Seireitei just like Tsuna and his group.

Shūhei Hisagi suppressed his anger and clenched his fists. He never expected that the Muguruma Kensei, would turn out like this, actually going so far as to collude with the Ryoka.

"Lord Kensei, take your companions and leave quickly. I can pretend I didn't see you." Shūhei Hisagi's gaze was complex, a mixture of admiration and responsibility, revealing a hint of reluctance on his face. "Otherwise, when Captain Tōsen returns, you won't be so lucky!"

To reiterate, in Shūhei Hisagi's view, Kaname Tōsen's Bankai is invincible in a one-on-one fight; as for Tsuna's incident, that was merely an accident.

Kensei took in Shūhei Hisagi's eyes completely, sighed, and gently put down his teacup. "Shūhei Hisagi, do you know? Your captain, Kaname Tōsen, will never return to the 9th Division."

Upon hearing this, Shūhei Hisagi was stunned. What did this mean? Was Captain Tōsen going to be promoted to the Zero Squad? How come he hadn't received any news about it?

Shūhei Hisagi's personality was very similar to Kensei's. Seeing Shūhei Hisagi's strange and complicated expression, he couldn't bear to deceive Shūhei Hisagi and slowly said, "Kaname Tōsen has betrayed us!"