Fired? Great! / Captain of the Eighth Division, Shunsui Kyōraku

"Yamabuki! Just do your best, don't put too much pressure on yourself," Captain Commander Yamamoto suddenly said.

"Yes, I will do my best." Yamabuki Chidori put on her surgical gown and went into the operating room.

Katoru Hatsunoya was already lying here quietly, waiting.

"Should we use anesthesia?" Yamabuki Chidori suddenly asked, "But anyway, the surgery shouldn't be too painful."

"Thank you, but please give me anesthesia! The thought of having my brain cut open makes me tremble." Katoru Hatsunoya was not afraid at all, even though she had deduced from Yamabuki Chidori's previous words that the probability of the surgery being successful was not high.

"Yamabuki..." Katoru Hatsunoya hesitated, then remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "If I die, please don't blame yourself."

"I will never let you die," Yamabuki Chidori said firmly. "Give me anesthesia and prepare for surgery."

This anesthetic was developed by Tenjirō Kirinji a few years ago. Once injected, even if one is subjected to Death by a Thousand Cuts on the spot, one will not feel anything.

Yamabuki Chidori didn't know if the Spirit Particle Threads would cause pain after entering the brain, but just to be on the safe side, she decided to use anesthesia first, in case the pain caused her to struggle and affect her operation.

After being injected with anesthesia, Katoru Hatsunoya quickly fell into a deep sleep, the kind that wouldn't wake him even if you tickled his feet.

Unohana served as her assistant.

Yamabuki Chidori gently pressed Katoru Hatsunoya's head with her hand. The Spirit Particle Threads seeped into her brain through her skin. After much hardship, she finally found the hematoma in her brain. The next step was to remove the hematoma bit by bit, using Reishi as units. This was a very long process.

The surgery began at 9:00 AM and was only a quarter complete by noon. The pace quickened in the afternoon, and the surgery finally came to an end at midnight.

Even with her formidable strength and extraordinary mental power, Yamabuki Chidori still felt her head throbbing after working continuously for fifteen hours under such a highly precise surgical procedure.

"How about... we take a break for now?" Unohana said with great concern.

"No, we've finally reached the last step and successfully suppressed the spread of cancer cells. If we remove the Spirit Particle Threads now, who knows what will happen? Give me a little more time... just a little bit more time!"

It went on until 3 a. m.

The last small piece of hematoma cells was finally removed from the Yamabuki Chidori, and the surgery was officially completed.

After eighteen hours of intense work, Yamabuki Chidori felt like her head was about to explode. She had never been this tired, not even when she fought Yhwach to the death.

However, when he left the operating room, he found that no one had left. Captain Commander Yamamoto was sitting in a chair with his eyes closed, resting. Shunsui Kyōraku looked somewhat haggard, and the members of the Fourth Division were all there waiting for the results.

If successful, this would be a milestone in the history of medicine in Soul Society.

When everyone saw Yamabuki Chidori walk out with a smile on her face, they finally felt relieved.

"Don't worry, the surgery was a success. All you need to do now is some rehabilitation training. Ah, I'm starving! I haven't eaten all day. Old Man, how about you treat me to dinner tonight?" Seeing the Captain Commander Captain Commander, Yamabuki Chidori naturally wanted to find a way to get him to treat her to a meal.

As it turned out, this stingy Old Man actually pretended to be asleep with his eyes closed.

Yamabuki Chidori cautiously leaned closer and whispered in the Captain Commander's ear, "If you treat me to dinner, I have a way to make your hair grow back, how about it?"

Then the Captain Commander opened one eye and whispered, "You're not allowed to lie to me, or I'll beat you up!"

"Hurry up! My stomach is rumbling! The Captain Commander's on the tab tonight, let's all party!"

Chapter 193: Expelled? Yay!

Katoru Hatsunoya consciousness at 10:00 AM the next day.

Upon discovering he was still alive, Katoru Hatsunoya knew the surgery must have been successful; otherwise, he would already be reporting to Hell.

"Captain Katori, is there anything wrong with your body? Can you speak now?" The nurse from the Fourth Division asked with great concern when she saw that Katoru Hatsunoya had woken up.

"It seems... I'm fine!" Katoru Hatsunoya gently clenched her fist, feeling that she was in a similar state to before the attack. Then she gently touched her head, expecting to touch a wound, but found that her head was completely unharmed.

What time is it now?

"Ten o'clock in the morning," the nurse replied.

"So only an hour has passed?" Katoru Hatsunoya looked puzzled. Could it be that the surgery hadn't even taken place?

"No, it's already 10 a. m. on the second day. You've been unconscious for a full 25 hours," the nurse said. "The surgery lasted from 9 a. m. yesterday until 3 a. m. this morning, a total of 18 hours. The Chief Strategist and the Captain have both gone home to rest."

The reason these two were so relieved to go home and sleep was because they knew that Katoru Hatsunoya's illness had been completely cured.

They will recover very quickly and be just like a normal person, requiring no excessive care at all.

"Wasn't it supposed to be brain surgery? They didn't pry my head open, did they?" Katoru Hatsunoya asked.

"According to the Chief Strategist, this is a surgical technique he invented. We don't quite understand the specific principles behind it. After the surgery, we examined your body, and the hematoma has indeed disappeared. After a period of rehabilitation training, your body will soon be fully recovered," the nurse said with a smile.

Not only is human history progressing, but death itself is also advancing.

After the surgery was completed last night, the Captain Commander treated everyone to dinner, and everyone drank until after 7 a. m. the next morning before leaving.

Yamabuki Chidori and Unohana are catching up on sleep at home.

If anyone dares to wake them up at this moment, those two will definitely draw their swords and attack.

It wasn't until the morning of the next day that Yamabuki Chidori arrived at the Fourth Division, clutching her head. The long-term extreme fatigue combined with excessive drinking made her feel worse than death, so Unohana chose to rest at home before coming over.

"How are you feeling?" Yamabuki Chidori asked as she walked up to Katoru Hatsunoya, clutching her head.

"I feel much better now that I've had this brain problem," Katoru Hatsunoya with a gentle smile.

"That's good. Hmph, after this surgery, I've completely cemented my reputation as the number one doctor in Soul Society. You didn't even see the look Tenjirō Kirinji gave me yesterday! Sigh! Fame brings trouble, let them be envious and jealous!" Yamabuki Chidori was very proud.

When Katoru Hatsunoya learned what technique the other party had used in the surgery, he felt a chill run down his spine. The thought of hundreds of threads churning inside his brain made his scalp tingle.

"You really are reckless. You only figured out a technique three days ago and you dare to use it on me? Did you already book a direct ticket to Hell for me?" Katoru Hatsunoya asked weakly.

"With me here? Want to Hell? Is that even possible? I'll brag about this for the rest of my life! Alright, let me examine you and see if you have any other ailments. If you do, I'll cure them all while I'm at it! Young lady, I feel there might be a problem with your chest, probably edema. Take off your outer garment so I can take a good look at it!" Yamabuki Chidori said, staring intently at Katoru Hatsunoya's chest.

Katoru Hatsunoya swung the pillow behind him.

That bastard, he's already acting so unruly the moment the crisis was over!

Even when they get old, they will definitely still be disrespectful to their elders.

"How is the 8th Division doing now? Although Shunsui Kyōraku is mature in his dealings with people, he has never been Captain before, and I'm afraid he won't be able to handle some things!" Katoru Hatsunoya said with some concern.

"You're overthinking it. These kids might not be any less capable than us. Didn't we just form the Gotei 13 without knowing anything back then? Looking back, it's actually quite amusing—we acted on impulse and just went for it!" Yamabuki Chidori laughed. "I'd like to ask you, do you want to take this opportunity to retire from the front lines? If so, I can help you. After all, we'll have to make way for the younger generation sooner or later."

Katoru Hatsunoya's eyes lit up. "It would be great if I could give up my position Captain. Also, I've already promised Senbu that I'd take her to the beach after I recover. I know the Staff Department is very busy, but her resignation will be submitted soon. Please approve it."

"This is absolutely unacceptable. Do you know how short-staffed our Staff Department is? Besides, it would be good for Senbu to have a job that she can rely on. You can't spoil her forever," Yamabuki Chidori said.

"My family is rich, so what if I spoil her for the rest of my life?" Katoru Hatsunoya said calmly.

As the saying goes, money gives heroes courage. The Katori Family is High-Ranking Noble with a very strong foundation. In recent years, in addition to joining hands with Yamabuki Chidori to do business, the family has so much money that it can hardly be contained.

This might be the problem of being rich.

"Nothing you say will do!" Yamabuki Chidori insisted firmly.

"Ouch! My head hurts, my head hurts, my head hurts! It hurts, it hurts! Will you agree or not? If you don't agree, I'll keep hurting!" Katoru Hatsunoya used the most shameless method to coerce Yamabuki Chidori into expelling her sister.

Is Yamabuki Chidori at her wit's end? Why does she always seem to run into people like this?

Do you even know how difficult our job is? Sister, please don't make things worse for me!

Senbu was secretly peeking inside, silently cheering for her sister.

"Fine, fine! Really, I can't afford to mess with you two! I've really been wronged by you two sisters in my life!" Yamabuki Chidori said, her face full of helplessness.

Katoru Hatsunoya immediately stopped complaining of a headache.

"So, does that mean I've been fired?" Senbu rushed into the ward excitedly.

"Watch your attitude. You were fired, so why are you so happy?" Yamabuki Chidori asked.

"Finally, I don't have to go to work anymore! Isn't that something to be happy about? No more getting up early and working late every day, no more struggling with documents every day, no more facing you, you the Vampire, every day! I'm so happy!" Senbu boldly reached out and pinched Yamabuki Chidori's cheek.

This is probably what every working person feels about their boss.

"I regret it so much now! If I had known you would have this attitude, I should have worked overtime like crazy while you were working, and worked you to death!" Yamabuki Chidori said through gritted teeth.

"Too late! Freedom! Here I come!"

Chapter 194: Captain of the 8th Division, Shunsui Kyōraku

Seeing Senbu run away like a crazy girl, both Yamabuki Chidori and Katoru Hatsunoya gave a helpless smile.

"If there's nothing else, you should get some rest! Leave everything else to me! Starting today, anyone visiting you will have to hide. If you don't like that, I'll do my best to keep them away!" Yamabuki Chidori said.

Having worked together for hundreds of years, Yamabuki Chidori knew Katoru Hatsunoya very well; this woman preferred a quiet environment.

A week has passed in the blink of an eye.

In the 8th Division Barracks, Shunsui Kyōraku was handling his work, while simultaneously complaining, "Why does the Captain have to deal with so much work every day?"

Originally, as the Lieutenant Shunsui Kyōraku could freely slack off, but just a week ago, the 8th Division Lieutenant Captain, Katoru Hatsunoya, was hospitalized due to a serious illness. All the work of the 8th Division had to fall on his shoulders. After finishing his work, Shunsui Kyōraku rubbed his shoulders, which felt stiff from sitting for so long. He thought he'd go to the Fourth Division later to flirt with the cute girls there and check on the Captain's condition.

Without hesitation, Shunsui Kyōraku prepared a gift and arrived at the Fourth Division. He first greeted the familiar nurse, then went to the place where Katoru Hatsunoya recuperating. Shunsui Kyōraku cautiously asked, "Captain? Are you awake? I'm coming in!"

Shunsui Kyōraku knocked gently on the door, but there was no sound from inside. Shunsui Kyōraku quietly opened the door to the ward a crack, only to find that the bed was empty.

"Huh? Where did the Captain go?" Shunsui Kyōraku looked at the empty hospital bed with a puzzled expression, somewhat at a loss.

"Lieutenant Kyoraku? Are you here to see Captain Katori? She's gone for rehabilitation training and probably won't be back until noon," a nurse behind me said.

"So that's how it is! Rehabilitation training? Indeed, brain surgery, such advanced procedures, used to sound incredibly far-fetched! I'm afraid it will take a very long time to recover, right?" Shunsui Kyōraku felt a little worried about his Captain's health. He could already picture his Captain, supported by others, persevering through the training in order to stand up and walk again. His Captain had always been a very strong-willed person; she must be suffering terribly right now.

"By the way, where are the rehabilitation training rooms? Could you show me? I promise I won't disturb the patients' rehabilitation training," Shunsui Kyōraku said with a smile.

Soon, the nurse led Shunsui Kyōraku to a place far from the Fourth Division, almost at the edge of Seireitei. The scenery here was quite beautiful, and the environment was peaceful, suitable for recuperation. If Ukitake sick again, he can come here to rest.

Further ahead is a building that gives off a very heavy feeling, standing out from the surrounding natural scenery.

"Is the Captain recuperating here? If I suddenly go in, will I disturb the Captain's rehabilitation training? If I suddenly see an embarrassing scene, will the Captain be furious?" Shunsui Kyōraku was still thinking about these questions, but the next second, two extremely powerful Reiatsu erupted from the building in front of him.

Even Shunsui Kyōraku felt a pang of heart palpitation; the storm generated by his Reiatsu caused the surrounding petals to scatter.

Shunsui Kyōraku's straw hat was nearly blown off, startling him so much that he quickly reached out to hold it down and hurriedly asked the nurse beside him, "What's going on? Wasn't the patient supposed to be doing rehabilitation training? How could there be such a large fluctuation in Reiatsu!"

The nurse was also completely bewildered; she didn't know why this had happened either. She and Shunsui Kyōraku hurriedly entered the room.

Inside the room, two people were engaged in combat.

One of them was none other than the current Captain of the 8th Division, Katoru Hatsunoya. Katoru Hatsunoya clenched his fists and attacked rapidly. Each collision with the enemy generated a huge Reiatsu fluctuation. His speed was so fast that Shunsui Kyōraku's eyes could hardly keep up.

Meanwhile, another person held his own against this relentless onslaught, none other than the former Sixth Division Captain Saitō Fubōfu.

Shunsui Kyōraku stiffly turned to the nurse beside him and asked, "Are you sure this is the patient's rehabilitation training? This is supposed to be rehabilitation training?!"

Judging by the Captain's energy, it's not impossible for him to pin Vastolorde to the ground and beat him up. After all, that was brain surgery! And he's recovered like this in just one week!

As Saito saw Shunsui Kyōraku approaching, he was about to reach out to greet her when Katoru Hatsunoya Shunsui Kyōraku seized the opportunity and kicked her in the stomach. Saito spun like a windmill and crashed into Shunsui Kyōraku.

A light sheen of sweat appeared on Katoru Hatsunoya's forehead. "Kyoraku's here? Come and sit down!"

"You launched a sneak attack!" Saitō Fubōfu was extremely displeased.

"Don't be angry, how about I treat you to dinner later? And Kyoraku, let's go together too," Katoru Hatsunoya with a smile.

You can tell from her energy and spirit that she has recovered very well; you can't see that kind of energy and spirit in a healthy person when they are seriously ill.

Shunsui Kyōraku asked cautiously, "Captain, have you recovered enough?"

"Yes, indeed, he has recovered quite well," said Katoru Hatsunoya, nodding.

"So, does that mean you'll be able to go back to being the Captain soon?" Shunsui Kyōraku asked expectantly.

Working every day, sometimes even with unpaid overtime, this kind of working environment is really unbearable for most people. No wonder so many Captain choose to run away.

Katoru Hatsunoya's cute, smiling face suddenly froze. How could he have forgotten about that?

"Ouch! My head hurts! Take me back to the hospital quickly, I can't take it anymore!" Katoru Hatsunoya cried out, clutching his head.

Shunsui Kyōraku looked at his Captain with a bitter expression. "Could your acting be any more fake?"

With no other option, after sending Katoru Hatsunoya back to the hospital, Shunsui Kyōraku could only go to Yamabuki Chidori.

"Teacher, is our Captain leader almost fully recovered? Please let her get back to work as soon as possible!" Shunsui Kyōraku complained, otherwise all the work would have to be done by him alone.

Yamabuki Chidori said earnestly, "Shunsui! I know Katoru Hatsunoya's health better than anyone. Don't let her energetic appearance fool you; if she's in a stressful work environment for too long, her old illness might relapse! That's why she can no longer serve as the Captain."

Shunsui Kyōraku immediately became alert. "You mean...?"

Yamabuki Chidori produced a letter of recommendation. "We, the entire Gotei 13, believe that you are the most suitable candidate for Captain of the 8th Division. By the way, your good brother Ukitake wholeheartedly agrees! So, kid, the 8th Division Captain is none other than you! Go for it, I believe in you!"

Chapter 1: Rebirth, Aizen Sōsuke

Time flies like an arrow, and the days slip by like a shuttle.