Duties

A few days later, Shin'ō Hall.

A new face sat in the Tenth Division's seat. Wearing a white captain's haori and with gentle features, he looked less like a Soul Reaper than a scholar.

Shiba Ichisegawa.

Shuichi did not know him, but with Shutara as precedent, he guessed this was probably another person they all knew. After all, he had only been here for so long.

"Today, there are two matters."

Yamamoto's voice was not loud, but everyone present heard it clearly. "First, the introduction of a new captain."

He looked toward the Tenth Division's seat.

"Shiba Ichisegawa will serve as captain of the Tenth Division from today onward."

Danjiro Obana spoke in a lazy, just-woken-up sort of tone. "Ichisegawa, you're becoming a captain. Buy me a drink tonight, same place."

Ichisegawa looked at him. "You drunkard, don't drink yourself to death tonight."

Obana burst into laughter.

Then Nobutsuna Shigyo's voice carried over. "Count me in."

Ichisegawa looked at him and nodded once.

Furoufushi Saito immediately raised her hand. "Me too! Me too!"

Ichisegawa glanced at her. "Anyone can come."

Saito smiled faintly.

Bakuzan Katori finally could not hold back and cut in. "Is this a meeting or are you making drinking plans?"

Obana tilted his head at him. "Are you coming or not?"

Katori thought about it. "...I'm coming."

Entetsu Kumenoi shook his head beside them, though it was unclear whether he was helpless or amused.

Yamamoto did not stop the brief exchange. Only after the voices naturally died down did he speak of the second matter. "The duties of the Second Division and Eleventh Division have already been decided. Today, the duties of the other divisions will also be established."

His gaze swept across the captains on both sides.

"The Third Division and Fourth Division: combat support units."

Yan Yuan's expression did not change, while Chikiri Shijima nodded expressionlessly.

"The Fifth Division: combat rescue unit." Danjiro Obana's brow twitched.

"The Sixth Division: noble management unit."

Furoufushi Saito's eyes widened. She leaned forward and pointed at herself with her index finger. "I'm supposed to manage nobles? Are you kidding me?!"

No one answered her. Yamamoto continued reading.

"The Seventh Division: Seireitei inner court patrol unit."

Nobutsuna Shigyo nodded.

Furoufushi Saito stomped her foot. "Hey, hey, Old Man Yama!"

"The Eighth Division: intelligence-gathering unit."

Bakuzan Katori nodded.

Furoufushi Saito folded her arms and said irritably, "Then don't expect me to do a good job."

"The Ninth Division: prison management and public order."

Entetsu Kumenoi frowned slightly. Prison management and public order did not sound so simple.

"The Tenth Division: Rukongai patrol."

Ichisegawa did not nod.

"The Twelfth Division: Reishi Research Institute."

Senjumaru Shutara did not so much as lift an eyelid.

"The Thirteenth Division: World of the Living purification unit."

Shuichi knew what that meant. Hollow purification, the cycle of souls—what the Thirteenth Division was responsible for was Soul Society's oldest, most fundamental, and least error-tolerant work.

Yamamoto finished reading.

Furoufushi Saito's voice rang out again, carrying an emotion that was hard to tell whether it was helplessness or irritation. "Old Man Yama, I'm going to manage nobles?"

Yamamoto looked at her. "Is there a problem?"

Saito wanted to say many things, such as, "Why should nobles let me manage them?" Or, "I'm a combat unit, not a housekeeper." Or even, "Just seeing those people annoys me." But as she looked into Yamamoto's eyes, she did not say a single one of those words. "...No problem."

After the meeting, the other captains gradually left Shin'ō Hall.

Shuichi was also preparing to leave when Yamamoto's voice came from behind him.

"Shuichi."

Shuichi stopped and turned around.

"The purification unit's scope of responsibility is broad," Yamamoto said.

"The extermination of Hollows in the World of the Living and the soul burials of spirits both fall under the Thirteenth Division's duties. These two matters are the foundation of Soul Society. If Hollows are not cleared out, the World of the Living will fall into chaos; if soul burials are not carried out, reincarnation will be severed."

Shuichi nodded. He knew how important they were.

"Next, I will prioritize reinforcing the Thirteenth Division."

Shuichi raised his head.

Yamamoto's tone did not fluctuate in the slightest, as though he were stating something already decided.

"Every division is short on personnel, but the Thirteenth Division takes highest priority. Purification work cannot stop, nor can it be delayed. Report however many people you need. The First Division will coordinate with the other divisions and prioritize meeting the Thirteenth Division's needs."

Chojiro Sasakibe pulled a blank form from the documents, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Shuichi.

Shuichi looked at the form but did not take it immediately.

"Captain-Commander, what are the standards for reinforcements?"

Yamamoto looked at him.

"You decide."

Shuichi fell silent for a moment, then reached out and picked up the form. He did not say anything like "Thank you, Captain-Commander" or "I will not disappoint your expectations." He merely folded the form and placed it inside his robes.

"Submit it as soon as possible," Yamamoto said.

"Yes."

Shuichi turned and left.