"Is this the privilege of the captain?"
Urahara Kisuke couldn't help but think this from the bottom of his heart.
He was always a curious person. The older he grew and the more knowledge he gained, the more questions he had, because the history of the Soul Society was too vast, and the lifespan of Shinigami nearly eternal. Within such endless years, countless truths had been buried in fog.
Kisuke longed to uncover the truth of the world.
That was why, whenever he had free time, he read through ancient books. Yoruichi, who knew his preference well, would often sneak volumes out of the Shihouin family's collection for him.
The Shihouin clan, as one of the four great noble families, had a long heritage and countless secrets preserved within their archives. With the help of these books, Kisuke—originally a minor noble of lower status—was able to glimpse truths that few others of his standing could ever reach.
And now, from Gosuke Shigure, Kisuke had learned something new.
The status of a captain was more than just authority—it granted access to secrets hidden even from noble archives.
This thought stirred a dangerous spark in him.
For a brief moment, Urahara Kisuke considered it: perhaps he should aim to become a captain himself.
But almost as quickly, he dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. "How could someone like me possibly qualify to be a captain?"
The position wasn't so simple. It was the pinnacle of a Shinigami's career, and Kisuke didn't yet believe he had the strength or the right to claim it.
⸻
Gosuke Shigure and Urahara Kisuke continued to talk for a while longer before finally parting ways.
Though Kisuke had offered much to think about, Shigure still wasn't satisfied.
This Urahara Kisuke was undeniably brilliant, but not yet the man who would one day become the cunning, resourceful shopkeeper that Kurosaki Ichigo encountered in the original story. He was still young, still developing.
If it had been the Urahara of Ichigo's time, perhaps he could have solved Shigure's dilemma.
Now, it wasn't enough.
Shigure returned to the Eleventh Division, regret heavy in his mind.
For now, all he could do was limit his use of that power—to avoid exhausting it prematurely. At the same time, he continued cutting down Hollows, feeding their souls into his Zanpakutō spirit so it could endure longer.
⸻
Meanwhile, time in the Soul Society flowed onward.
At the Spiritual Arts Academy, the only academy in Seireitei that cultivated Shinigami, destinies shifted. For countless souls of Rukongai, passing the entrance exam meant escaping poverty and obscurity, transforming from commoners into future protectors of the Soul Society.
Nobles too studied there—not just relying on family tutors, but proving their worth under the Academy's system.
Among those who had just passed the entrance exam was Tousen Kaname.
For the first time, his heart was filled with excitement. Passing meant he was no longer just an ordinary soul—he was now a Shinigami candidate.
But joy quickly faded into solitude.
Because of his blindness, and because his appearance was often mocked, Tousen was excluded. Cruel words followed him: "What's a blind man doing here? He can't even see—how can he fight, or even read?"
Tousen had heard such ridicule countless times. By now, he no longer let it pierce his heart. He had not entered the Academy to make friends.
His purpose was singular: to become a Shinigami, to gain power, and to protect justice—justice that had been left behind by the death of his beloved.
With Ge Kuang's sword in his hands, he swore to uphold that justice, ensuring she continued to live through him.
Though he never intended to find companionship, fate had other plans.
He met Komamura Sajin, a man who hid his lupine face beneath a large helmet. Others rejected him for his concealed appearance, calling him strange and untrustworthy. Like Tousen, he was treated as an outcast.
Two men shunned by society met by chance, and from their mutual solitude, a friendship was born.
⸻
Elsewhere, changes stirred among the captains.
Though Urahara Kisuke doubted himself, his friend Shihouin Yoruichi was about to ascend.
Some time had passed since the incident involving the Tsunayashiro clan. Yoruichi's performance in Hueco Mundo had impressed her family greatly. Her father, Shihouin Kōetsu, believed she was ready to shoulder responsibility as both head of the Shihouin clan and captain of the Second Division.
Kōetsu submitted his resignation to Central 46. Of course, Yoruichi would need to pass the Captain's Proficiency Test before it could be approved.
And Yoruichi did not disappoint. With mastery of her unrivaled Shunpo, the "Flash Goddess" cleared the captain's assessment with ease.
Central 46 wasted no time. With Kōetsu's resignation accepted, Yoruichi was officially named Captain of the Second Division.
A Captain's Meeting was convened in the First Division's hall.
"Shihouin Yoruichi," Head-Captain Yamamoto declared, "from this day forward, you shall serve as Captain of the Second Division."
None of the captains were surprised. Yoruichi's talents were already legendary, her flash step technique unrivaled. Her appointment was the natural conclusion.
Yet as the meeting concluded, some captains cast subtle glances at Kuchiki Ginrei.
The Shihouin family's succession was secure. But what of the Kuchiki clan's heir? Ginrei's back seemed weighed down, his age more apparent than ever.
⸻
Later, in a quiet tavern following the meeting, three friends gathered: Gosuke Shigure, Urahara Kisuke, and the newly appointed Captain Yoruichi.
"Although I'm not surprised by the result," Shigure raised his cup toward Yoruichi, "I still want to congratulate you."