Chapter 254

A few days later, Wang Xun submitted his report.

Wang Xun was unclear about how Yamamoto had negotiated with those people, and in the end, even the Central 46 withdrew its summons to Wang Xun.

The Sasakibe arrived at the 11th Division and placed the approval document on the table.

"The Captain-Commander said that this matter is over, and the Central 46 will not use this incident as a pretext again."

"Please thank the Captain-Commander for me."

Sasakibe bowed slightly and withdrew.

Wang Xun put the approval document into the drawer, stood up, and walked to the window.

Outside, on the 11th Division's training ground, many members were shirtless, hacking and slashing at each other. The wooden swords made a cracking sound as they struck flesh, while many others squatted nearby, shouting encouragement.

The 11th Division's operations are not as complicated as the Fourth Division's.

Combat squads have few documents and few rules; their main daily activity is fighting.

What's annoying is that during Kiganjō's tenure, the team members he trained developed many bad habits.

Some people like to extort money and bribes from the residents of Rukongai when they go on missions, some set up gambling dens in the team barracks, and some have bad tempers and often bully other team members by relying on their strength.

Wang Xun spent several months correcting these flaws one by one.

Many troublesome team members treated Wang Xun like a mouse seeing a cat.

The experience of being so severely injured that you would die at any moment, but being Kaidō by a masterful recovery technique, is something few people would want to go through a second time.

After this rectification campaign, the discipline of the 11th Division has visibly improved, and the members have a better understanding of Wang Xun's methods.

At the very least, if I get injured in battle in the future, I won't have to wait for the Fourth Division anymore. With Captain Wang by my side, it'll be hard for me to die.

Wang Xun also put a lot of effort into enhancing team cohesion.

Ichiraku Ramen has already opened three branches in the Noble Street area, and has become a famous brand in Rukongai, with various branches springing up like mushrooms after rain.

At that time, the production-increasing and value-added technologies left behind by Kisuke Urahara were also being widely implemented in Rukongai.

Financial resources are no longer something Wang Xun needs to worry about.

With a small meal every three days and a large feast every five days, along with various rewards, subsidies, and improved benefits, they are now rivaling the Sixth Division of Ginrei Kuchiki, the Noble Commander's Squad.

Using a combination of harsh measures and incentives, Wang Xun quickly replaced Kiganjō as the leader, establishing a new sense of cohesion within the team.

Power and high prestige.

After all, the meat you eat and the money you earn are real.

After dealing with the issues with the 11th Division, Wang Xun would go to the underground of Sōkyoku Hill in his spare time.

Unohana would occasionally wait for him there, and the two would practice swordsmanship, just like before.

The difference is that Unohana now needs to be wary of Wang Xun's knife; if she's not careful, she too will get wounds.

At other times, Soi Fon would occasionally sneak out to meet up with Wang Xun.

Soi Fon is making rapid progress; the duration of her Shunkō has doubled compared to a few months ago, and her control over Bankai is also gradually improving.

After finishing their practice, the two sat down to rest and chatted for a while. They talked until the next morning, when Wang Xun rubbed his sore lower back and left unsteadily.

Life has returned to a long-awaited period of stability.

That afternoon, Wang Xun was reviewing the day's patrol reports in the captain's office when there was a knock on the door.

The door opened, and a member of the 11th Division poked half his head in.

This guy is called Aramaki. He's a veteran member of the 11th Division. He has a scar on his brow bone and looks fierce, but he's quite efficient at his work.

"Captain, there's a short guy at the door looking for you."

"Wearing small glasses, looking like he just graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy, and claiming to be from the Eighth Division."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xun put down his pen; he already knew who it was.

Wang Xun put on his haori and went outside, and sure enough, he saw Nanao Ise standing on the stone path at the entrance of the courtyard.

She was already surrounded by members of the 11th Division.

These guys had just finished training, and they were all shirtless and carrying knives, which was quite intimidating.

They weren't trying to scare anyone; they were just curious. The 11th Division rarely gets any visitors throughout the year, and it's even rarer for someone to specifically ask for the new captain.

What are the Eighth Division doing here?

"I don't know, he looks quite young, and they said they were looking for the team leader."

"Alright, keep your voice down, don't scare them."

"Huh? I was already speaking very softly."

These people were shouting at the top of their lungs and shoving each other.

Nanao stood in the middle of the crowd, her face calm and her back ramrod straight.

From her appearance, she seemed neither humble nor arrogant, as if she didn't take these fierce-looking 11th Division members seriously at all.

But those who pay close attention can see her occasionally darting eyes and the way she swallows from time to time, proving that she is still somewhat nervous.

The captain Hollowfication; the Quincy war.

When these major events came crashing down one after another, Nanao was still in her final year of classes at the Spiritual Arts Academy.

When the news reached the Spiritual Arts Academy, it caused an immediate uproar.

Some people said that Wang Xun, the vice-captain of the Fourth Division, killed Kiganjō and became the new Kenpachi. She didn't believe it at the time, thinking that it was impossible.

But as more and more news spread, Wang Xun led his team to break into the Wandenreich, Wang Xun killed his Schutzstaffel, and Wang Xun was named by the Central 46.

Each piece of news was more outrageous than the last, forcing Nanao to consider the truth behind these seemingly absurd events.

But at the same time, Nanao also discovered it.

The guy who used to take classes with her at the Spiritual Arts Academy is now on a completely different level.

When it came time for job assignments after graduation, she filled in "Kidō Corps".

But when the notice came down, she was assigned to the Eighth Division.

On the day she met Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, Nanao actually understood that she had seen Shunsui Kyōraku talking with her mother when she was very young.

Today, she came to deliver documents.

After learning that there was a coordination document for a joint patrol between the Eighth Division and 11th Division to be handed over, Nanao volunteered to take on the task from Shunsui Kyōraku, hoping to check on Wang Xun along the way to see if he had really become Kenpachi.

She carried the documents for half a block, her heart beating faster as she got closer to the 11th Division.

When she reached the door, she saw the menacing-looking soldiers and stopped in her tracks.

The members of the 11th Division were just as she had imagined, no, even more exaggerated than she had imagined.

But she did not back down. She stepped into the 11th Division's barracks and said she wanted to see Wang Xun.

The report was sent out, and soon a figure wearing a Captain's Haori walked out.

The surrounding team members who had been watching the spectacle immediately fell silent and stood at attention.

"Good morning, Captain!"

Dozens of voices roared at the same time, shaking so much that a layer of dust fell from the lintel.

Nanao stood there, stunned.

She saw Wang Xun.

But this person, standing amidst this group of burly men, receiving their uniform salutes, with the haori on his shoulders fluttering slightly in the wind, was somewhat different from the Wang Xun she remembered.

Wang Xun is currently the team leader.

She was just an ordinary member who had just joined the team.

Nanao's fingers pinched a crease along the edge of the document.

She instinctively looked away, avoiding Wang Xun's gaze, and stared at the new straw sandals on her feet.

Until, a hand was placed on top of her head.

His palm was warm, and he patted her head twice, just like he did at the Spiritual Arts Academy.

"I'm sorry, I've been quite busy lately and haven't had time to visit you."

Wang Xun's voice was full of apology, and Nanao looked up at him.

Wang Xun has matured a bit since a few years ago, and his features are more defined, but his smile is still the same as before.

He has changed, yet he hasn't changed at all.

Wang Xun patted Nanao on the shoulder.

"Come on, let me show you what the 11th Division under Captain Wang's leadership is like."

Wang Xun straightened up and turned to face the group of soldiers who were still standing at attention at the door.

His voice rose, no longer the gentle tone from before, but a rougher and louder one.

"My little ones!"

"Have!"

"The guys are in a good mood today, so the whole team is heading out tonight to Ichiraku Yakitori Shop the noble street, and we're going all out..."

He paused for a moment, then pointed his thumb to his chest.

"Captain Wang, the bill's on!"

Upon hearing this, the members of the 11th Division stood at attention in unison and shouted excitedly.

"Loyalty!"

Soon, the surroundings became lively, and some people even whistled behind them.

Wang Xun reached out and put his arm around Nanao's shoulder, pushing her forward a step.

"Look closely at this face. Little Nanao is under my protection. From now on, if you see her in Seireitei, just treat her as if you're seeing me, understand?"

"Knew!"

"Dismissed! Spread the word, pack up, and let's go to Noble Street!"

The soldiers cheered and dispersed. The news spread quickly, and in no time, the entire barracks was abuzz with excitement.

Nanao stood there, stunned, still not having recovered her senses.

A burly, bald man walked past her, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and bowed to her at a ninety-degree angle.

"Hello, Sister Nanao!"

Nanao, Nana took a half-step back, her glasses nearly slipping off her nose.

She adjusted her glasses, watching the burly man straighten up, grin at her, then turn and run away.

What... what is all this about...?

Nanao were scattered in the wind.

Then, she turned and glared at Wang Xun, the culprit.

Wang Xun winked at her, grinning mischievously.

Nanao raised her hand and punched him in the lower back.

She pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but couldn't get the words out.

Looking at the absurd yet realistic scene around her, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

Finally, she smiled, a smile spreading from behind her glasses, washing away all the tension on her face.

"Haha, you're still the same as before, not like a captain at all."

This shows that I haven't forgotten my original aspiration.

Wang Xun rubbed his lower back as he walked towards the barracks.

"Let's go, rest for a bit and then we'll go eat."

Nanao followed behind Wang Xun. Several team members who hadn't gone far saw them and waved to them from a distance.

This time, Nanao was not intimidated and nodded slightly in return to the group.

"Your team members are quite different from what's been said."

What are the rumors about the 11th Division like?

"Lawless, tyrannical, the Seireitei's mobile natural disaster."

"That's a pretty accurate forecast."

Wang Xun pushed open the door to the captain's office.

"But that was during the time of Kiganjō; now they're at most just mobile noise from Seireitei."

The captain's office was simply furnished, with several stacks of documents piled on the table. The top one was a patrol report that Wang Xun had just finished approving, and the ink had already dried.

Nanao sat down in the chair and placed the stack of Eighth Division documents on the corner of the table.

"This is a joint patrol coordination document that the Captain Kyōraku asked me to deliver. It needs your signature."

Wang Xun picked up the document, flipped through it, took out a brush from the pen holder, signed his name, and pushed the document back.

"How's it going in the Eighth Division?"

"Not bad. Although the Captain Kyōraku seems a bit unreliable, the band is running smoothly."

"I often hear him say that if Vice- Lisa Yadōmaru were still here, I would get along well with her, and she also loves reading."

"Unfortunately, she's not in the team right now. The team affairs are basically handled by the Captain Kyōraku himself. My workload isn't heavy; it mainly involves organizing intelligence and filing documents."

"That's great, it suits you."

What about you?

Nanao glanced around the captain's room, still appearing somewhat restrained.

What's it like to be the team captain?

There's a lot to do.

Wang Xun leaned back in his chair, looking rather lazy.

"So many documents to approve, relationships with other squads to coordinate, and I need to keep those overly energetic guys out of the Seireitei from causing trouble."

"However, as a combat division, the 11th Division actually has less paperwork than when I was the vice-captain of the Fourth Division, and we are more frequently sent out on combat missions."

At this moment, Nanao asked curiously.

Haven't you thought about finding a vice-captain to help you with miscellaneous tasks?

Wang Xun paused for a moment.

The vice-captain certainly has that authority.

After Kenpachi's position changed hands, the position of vice-captain of the 11th Division remained vacant.

Kiganjō had not originally appointed a vice-captain. After Wang Xun took over, he was busy reorganizing the team's affairs and did not have time to promote a vice-captain.

"We do need an assistant, but who should we ask?"

He looked at Nanao.

Nanao blinked, and after a moment she pointed to herself incredulously.

You don't want me to be your vice-captain, do you?

"Would you like to come? You'll be a regular office worker, helping me with paperwork. No fieldwork required, and our team offers great benefits."

Nanao's expression was complicated.

Her lips moved, as if she was seriously considering the matter.

Then she lowered her head and sighed deeply.

To be honest, she was indeed tempted.

Unfortunately, she currently lacks both the strength and the ability to do so.

"My current qualifications aren't good enough. My Reiatsu isn't high enough to meet the eligibility requirements, and I don't have Zanpakuto. Besides, I just graduated. Even if you nominated me, the Command & Consortium wouldn't approve it."

That's true. The standards for vice-captain are set, and it's not like the captain can just nominate anyone he wants.

"Moreover, the Captain Kyōraku probably won't release them, and arguing with him will be quite a hassle."

Wang Xun added a sentence.

"Never mind, we'll talk about it later. I don't want to think about it today."

He stood up.

"Let's go eat."

Tonight, the 11th Division has booked out the Ichiraku Yakitori Main Store in the aristocratic district.

When the chefs peeked out from the kitchen and saw Wang Xun leading a large group of soldiers in, their expressions were as if they had seen a locust swarm passing by.

Without saying a word, he lit all the ovens in the shop, borrowed a lot of raw materials from the shop next door, rolled up his sleeves, and started working.

Soon, the 11th Division members filled the entire store, both inside and out.

Some people pushed the tables together, while others squatted down on the steps by the door to eat.

Wang Xun and Nanao sat in a corner by the window, where it was a little quieter.

Nanao picked up a skewer of braised chicken drumsticks with scallions with her chopsticks, blew on it twice, and carefully bit off a piece.

The sauce clung to the meat, and the slightly charred scallions glistened with oil.

She chewed twice, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Delicious, meow."

Upon hearing this eerie sound, Nanao opened her eyes wide in disbelief.

She then looked towards the source of the sound, Wang Xun.