"Is Rukia finally coming back? That's not bad."
Inside the 1st Division, Yoriichi Tsugikuni gazed at Rukia's transfer application, a relaxed expression of scrutiny on his face.
Her leaving the Thirteenth Division was something Yoriichi had long anticipated.
The Thirteenth Division was merely a stepping stone, intended to broaden Rukia's horizons and temper her skills.
Now that her knowledge and understanding had expanded sufficiently, she would naturally return to add new colors to her life.
Transferring to the 1st Division was likely the final contact and evaluation for Renji.
Thinking of this, Yoriichi frowned slightly, recalling his past assessment of Renji,
"His character is good, his strength is hard to say, but good character is enough."
"As for his background… Rukia and I were both from Rukongai, so there's no need to worry about that."
"After all, he's an orphan…"
"It depends on his performance."
Yoriichi stopped thinking, exhaled, found the official seal, and approved Rukia's application.
Immediately after, before he could even inform Rukia of these developments, a corner of a document quietly appeared below.
Yoriichi quickly scanned it; even just a few lines of text were enough to tell him it was another significant piece of news.
…
"Nani? Some kid wants to challenge me?"
In the Fifth Division, Hirako Shinji's eyes widened slightly, surprised by this sudden challenge.
In his opinion, he was an established Captain after all, so even if someone wanted to become a Captain or challenge one, they shouldn't choose him.
After all, the Fifth Division wasn't a popular division.
And he, though low-key in his actions, held a certain prestige among Shinigami due to his unique position.
Did they think he was a pushover?
In front of the mirror, Hirako Shinji quickly composed his surprised expression. As he combed his hair, a playful smile curled at the corner of his mouth:
"Interesting, truly interesting. Kids these days are getting more and more arrogant."
"I'd like to see if the guy who's challenging me truly has the strength of a Captain."
"Hiyori, thank you for telling me this news. Do you know that kid's name?"
Hirako Shinji turned to look at Hiyori behind him.
Although he feared no challenge, it concerned his position as Captain, so he had to know himself and his opponent to ensure victory.
Hiyori pouted, quite displeased with Hirako Shinji's cautious attitude.
With her arms crossed, she said grumpily:
"Baldy, what are you talking about? It's already good enough that I, Lady Hiyori, am willing to tell you this news."
"His name? Can't you go find out yourself? I'll tell you one more thing, that kid is very troublesome."
"I heard he's one of Captain-Commander's favorite disciples."
"If you get taken down…"
"Wait, which Captain-Commander are you talking about?" Hirako Shinji interrupted, a hint of seriousness flashing across his face.
In his memory, both former Captain-Commanders had favorite disciples, and the former even nurtured the current Captain-Commander.
If it was the former, then Hirako Shinji would have to be even more cautious.
If it was the latter… a bunch of undeveloped brats…
Honestly, Hirako Shinji felt his Shikai alone could deal with a whole bunch of them.
"Of course, it's Captain-Commander Tsugikuni's disciple! What are you thinking, Baldy!"
Hiyori was short-tempered and quite annoyed that Hirako Shinji had interrupted her.
She stomped her foot and loudly said:
"I'm telling you, don't be careless! If you embarrass us old-timers, when you come back, I absolutely won't let you off!"
"I know, I know." Hirako Shinji waved his hand dismissively, accustomed to Hiyori's rude attitude.
Under non-essential circumstances, he also didn't want to lose face.
This was not just a battle for Captaincy, but a battle between new and old Shinigami.
If the opponent won, it would mean that they, the seniors, would gradually have to withdraw from the stage of the Seireitei.
Just thinking about it felt pathetic.
"Very good, that's the spirit we old-timers should have. Go for it, Hirako."
Hiyori rarely offered encouragement, and then, showing her fangs,
"If you lose, I'll shave your head inch by inch, making you wear a wig for the rest of your life."
"Don't doubt whether I can do it, Urahara will help me."
"For your hair, Hirako, you should know what to do."
Hirako Shinji felt a chill run down his spine… This fellow.
Hiyori was still so lawless, even daring to threaten a Captain.
But who could blame her when her backer was Miss Hikifune?
It wasn't much before, but once computers were developed,
Hiyori became completely fearless.
As long as it wasn't life-threatening and just a joke, no matter what trouble Hiyori caused, Hikifune Kirio would help her resolve it.
Shaving his head was clearly one of those jokes.
Sighing, there was nothing he could do. For the sake of his hair, Hirako Shinji could only go all out.
He hoped his Sakanade could restrain the opponent's Zanpakuto.
He should go investigate first.
…
On the day of the challenge, the sun shone brightly.
Fifth Division training ground.
Hirako Shinji looked at the silver-haired boy in front of him, and his eye twitched involuntarily.
Why was this guy even younger than he imagined?
Was he fifty years old?
Although youth might just be an illusion, as Hiyori also looked very young but was actually over three hundred years old.
But no matter what, losing to such a person would become a major blemish in his career.
People wouldn't remember how strong Tōshirō Hitsugaya was; they would only remember that Hirako Shinji couldn't even beat a child.
"Hey, can you tell me why you're challenging me?"
Hirako Shinji, holding Sakanade, suddenly spoke.
His voice attracted the surrounding squad members who were watching.
They also wanted to know why the Captain was being challenged.
Toushiro was startled by the question, then said:
"No particular reason, I just feel that the Fifth Division suits me. If I'm not mistaken, the Fifth Division is a rescue squad, right?"
"It's responsible for rescuing Shinigami who encounter danger in the Human World or the Soul Society, and coincidentally, I like helping others."
At these words, Hirako Shinji scoffed, "Tch."
Hypocrite.
While liking to help others might be true, challenging him simply because it "suited" him…
In his opinion, this was absolutely impossible.
Unless this Tōshirō Hitsugaya was confident he could defeat any Captain.
Otherwise, why would he not even have a choice?
"Fine, whether what you say is true or not, challenging me is already a given. Kid, I hope you don't regret it."
Hirako Shinji drew Sakanade, and as usual, he delivered a harsh warning, attempting to disrupt Toushiro's composure.
Toushiro was unconcerned: "I won't regret it, Captain Hirako. Come on."
He also drew Hyōrinmaru, and his overflowing spiritual pressure instantly expanded, like tangible waves of air bursting out in circles.
At the edge of the training ground, Yoriichi Tsugikuni watched the two confront each other, a hint of relief in his expression.
Hinamori Momo was beside him, her face filled with worry.
Because Toushiro challenging a Captain was something she had no idea about beforehand.
Too impulsive.
Why challenge an established Captain? There were so many newly appointed Captains he could have chosen.
"No need to worry, Hinamori."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni noticed Hinamori Momo's expression. He gently comforted her while signaling her not to fret,
"Ultimately, even if he fails the challenge, there won't be any casualties. Toushiro is still young, and he'll have many more opportunities in the future."
"If he saw you looking so dispirited right now…"
He paused slightly, a hint of a smile in his eyes,
"I'm afraid it might affect his fighting spirit, wouldn't it?"
"What do you think?"
Yoriichi's words were not without basis, simply because Hiyori, behind Hirako Shinji, was almost shouting herself hoarse.
"Hirako, go! Beat that kid to a pulp!"
Such shouts.
Conversely,
Toushiro's side had nothing.
Seeing this, Hinamori Momo immediately reacted.
She raised her eyes, met Yoriichi Tsugikuni's gaze, then took a deep breath, nodded firmly, and also began to cheer for Toushiro.
Of course, her voice wasn't as loud as Hiyori's, but Hiyori still heard it and glared fiercely at her.
However, upon seeing Yoriichi Tsugikuni next to Hinamori Momo, Hiyori was like a mouse seeing a cat, decisively retracting her gaze and slowly lowering her voice.
My throat can't take it anymore, damn it.
If Hirako Shinji failed her efforts, not just the hair on his head, but all the hair on his body, she would remove it one by one.
…
On the field.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya heard Hinamori Momo's cheering, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
His mood also lifted slightly.
Hirako Shinji looked over, a slight sneer on his lips: "That's nice. Is that girl your girlfriend?"
"I just feel like she doesn't quite suit your cold personality."
"Thank you for the compliment, but Momo is not my girlfriend." Toushiro tightened his grip on Hyōrinmaru slightly. His expression returned to calm due to his concentration, and his voice was cool and clear,
"She and I are just childhood friends who grew up together."
Since Yoriichi Tsugikuni had not yet announced the start, this time was for them to observe each other's weaknesses and devise tactics.
If there were no weaknesses, they could naturally create them through words, as this was a real battle.
Toushiro's gaze passed over Hirako Shinji, looking at Hiyori behind him, and he casually said:
"Don't you have one too? She seems even more enthusiastic than Momo, the Vice-Captain of the Twelfth Division…"
"Your relationship must be very good, otherwise she wouldn't be trying so hard."
"Enthusiastic, very good?" Hirako Shinji's mouth twitched. Why did those words sound so strange coming from the other person's mouth?
This wasn't enthusiasm; it was clearly coercion and surveillance.
Thankfully, the first thing she'd do if he lost was shave his head bald!
However, he didn't refute the idea of a good relationship, as they had indeed been friends for several hundred years.
If they weren't friends, they wouldn't do such things.
Sighing deeply, Hirako Shinji tightened his grip on Sakanade and stopped speaking.
He was afraid Hiyori would hear him. With her personality, if she knew he was talking about her, there was no telling what she might do.
Unfortunately, the moment Toushiro blurted it out, it was already too late.
Creak—
Hiyori gritted her teeth. To clearly see their battle and gather information, she had specifically brought a pair of glasses from the Twelfth Division.
These glasses allowed her to read their lips even from tens or hundreds of meters away.
Because of this, she clearly heard their conversation.
She had actually become Hirako Shinji's childhood sweetheart? By extension, his girlfriend?
When did that happen?
This hateful brat really dared to speak such things.
"Beat him up! Hirako!"
Hiyori blurted out the words without hesitation, her voice filled with gunpowder, clearly furious to the extreme.
Hirako Shinji was stunned when he heard that, then shook his head helplessly.
Got it.
She really did hear it, otherwise, her temper wouldn't have become so explosive all of a sudden.
"Yes, yes, yes."
He agreed while raising Sakanade high, indicating that he would go all out.
Toushiro, on the other hand, was completely bewildered, not understanding what was wrong with the woman opposite him.
Did he say something wrong?
Never mind.
The battle was about to begin, so he would ignore her for now.
He took a deep breath, temporarily pushing aside distracting thoughts.
As the preparation time ended, the Reiryoku diffused in the field gradually converged, like the calm before a storm.
Immediately after.
Bang!
A large cloud of dust rose from the ground, and witnessed by two hundred Shinigami, Tōshirō Hitsugaya charged forward like a gust of wind.
…
"Who will win?"
In the stands, Renji squinted, observing the two's battle.
Having obtained some information beforehand, he had a good understanding of both their Shikais.
Under normal circumstances, Tōshirō Hitsugaya couldn't possibly be Hirako Shinji's opponent.
Because there was a gap in Reiryoku, a third-class against a second-class was as powerless as a Vice-Captain against a Captain.
However, this seemingly insurmountable chasm was not absolute; the Zanpakuto's attribute could, to some extent, bridge this gap.
Coincidentally, Hirako Shinji's Zanpakuto was not good at fighting elemental types.
Sakanade was a hallucination type, capable of releasing an illusory fragrance that inverted others' five senses.
This illusory fragrance had no offensive power; it could only prevent the opponent from swinging their sword to defend.
For example, when an enemy thought their opponent was in front, they were actually behind; when they felt an injured part was on the left, it was actually on the right.
With senses and vision completely disordered, most people, once encountering this ability, could only wait for death in place.
But precisely, this was useless against Toushiro.
When attacked, he only needed to protect his surroundings with ice, completely eliminating the need to swing his sword for defense.
At the same time, with this ability, he could directly determine Hirako Shinji's position.
Because to win, he had to injure him, and to injure him, he had to break through the ice.
The ice contained Reiryoku.
The perception of Reiryoku, or spiritual sense, was not within Sakanade's influence.
Therefore, in terms of Zanpakuto, Toushiro completely countered Hirako Shinji.
"Each has an advantage; it's really hard to determine the winner, but if it were the Captain-Commander, he should be able to tell directly."
Renji sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and emotion,
"Indeed, my eyesight still needs improvement."
He felt a bit guilty, as eyesight was not just an observational ability, but a crucial part of strength.
Only by reaching a certain level in this aspect could one anticipate opportunities in battle and be invincible.
Unfortunately, he had just entered this field, and there was still a long way to go before reaching the passing line.
His thoughts were a tangled mess, but Renji's eyes remained fixed on the field.
The intense and spectacular battle between the two was dazzling to behold.
…
On the other side.
Rukia gracefully walked to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's side.
She first glanced at Hinamori Momo, greeted her, then slightly bowed and respectfully greeted Yoriichi:
"Greetings, Captain-Commander."
It's worth mentioning that Hinamori Momo also joined the 1st Division after Yoriichi Tsugikuni left.
So it wasn't out of place for her to stand beside Yoriichi. At this moment, hearing the voice, Hinamori Momo's worried thoughts gradually converged.
Then.
She heard Yoriichi and Rukia conversing.
"How is it? How is life in the Human World? Are you back now because you've thought it through?"
"Yes." Rukia nodded, her voice unusually firm, carrying an undeniable resolve.
However, she deliberately lowered her voice, not letting it carry far,
"I've thought it through. As a member of the Tsugikuni Clan, I cannot bring shame to the Tsugikuni Clan."
"Therefore, the husband I seek must absolutely not be a good-for-nothing."
"I know you, Big Brother, don't want to interfere with my life, and I understand that you think it doesn't matter who I marry as long as I'm happy."
"But…"
She paused slightly, a complex expression flashing in her eyes,
"My surname is Tsugikuni Clan."
The current Rukia was no longer the Rukia of the past; she had responsibility and accountability, no longer a child spoiled by her older brother.
Firstly, there were very few Shinigami suitable for her, and she disliked emotionless arranged marriages, so the other party would inevitably need to marry into her family.
And marrying into the family was akin to being dependent on others; if her personality wasn't strong enough, her future husband might be bullied, which was something she absolutely refused to see.
Secondly, her elder sister married so well; her husband was Kuchiki Byakuya, the head of one of the Five Great Noble Families.
If the husband she sought wasn't outstanding enough, she would certainly be gossiped about by some jealous nobles behind her back.
At that time, it would be the entire Tsugikuni Clan's face that was lost.
This was something she could never accept.
Considering everything, in terms of relationships, she knew her personality had to become stronger.
Therefore, she could no longer wait for Renji's slow attitude.
If it wasn't suitable, then she would cut ties directly; remaining single wasn't so bad either.
If it was suitable… she would deal with it then.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni listened quietly to Rukia's words, discerning the resolve and profound meaning in her speech, and looked deeply at her:
"Oh? Is that what you think? Not bad, it seems living in the Human World has indeed matured you."
"In that case, you can do whatever you want next, as long as you don't harm him. I trust your judgment."
"Yes." Rukia nodded solemnly, Yoriichi's trust filling her heart with warmth, making her very happy.
Immediately after, she flashed, moving swiftly and decisively towards Renji's direction.
A moment later.
"Eh!?"
A slightly surprised exclamation appeared and then vanished.
Renji, who had been watching the battle, was nowhere to be seen.
"Captain-Commander…"
Behind him.
Hinamori Momo took in Rukia's actions, her voice very soft, like a mosquito's whisper, mixed with envy and hesitation.
She was envious that Rukia's courage had grown so much at some point.
She clearly remembered that Rukia used to be similar to her, both having shy personalities that dared not express love.
She hesitated, wondering if she could be as brave as Rukia.
To be honest, she admired the Captain-Commander from the bottom of her heart; otherwise, she wouldn't have changed divisions so quickly and without hesitation.
But she also knew that admiration, reverence, and love were different…
Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. As she was thinking, Yoriichi heard Hinamori Momo's soft murmur and gently responded to her:
"Is something wrong?"
Hinamori Momo snapped back to reality, pondered for a while, struggling internally, but ultimately suppressed these complex thoughts and shook her head gently, saying, "No, nothing…"
"I'm just worried about Rukia…"
"No need to worry, she's doing very well, better than ever before. To be honest, I didn't expect the change in living environment to have such a great impact on her."
Yoriichi's gaze was fixed on the field, his tone deep and lingering, as if recalling past moments.
"Everyone has grown up. You, Toushiro, Hisana, Rukia, and Rangiku, your personalities are completely different from when you were children. This is normal."
"I always looked at her with my old perspective; it was my oversight. Perhaps it's the change that occurred after Hisana got married."
Yoriichi sighed slightly. Since the matter had already happened, reminiscing would only add to his sorrow, so he decided to skip this topic.
"Let's not talk about this. After Toushiro wins, where do you plan to go? Do you want to go to the Fifth Division?"
Hinamori Momo hesitated for a while, a fierce internal struggle raging within her. She didn't answer the question directly, but instead asked with a hint of doubt:
"Win? Captain-Commander, do you think Toushiro will be the victor in this battle?"
"Why?"
Although she believed Toushiro would win deep down, it was too early to tell.
The battle between them had only been going on for less than a minute, and they hadn't even used Shikai yet.
Yoriichi turned his head, his gaze gently falling on her, and replied, "Nothing, just experience talking."
He withdrew his gaze, looking back at the field, his voice unhurriedly sounding,
"While a Shinigami's battle is essentially a battle of Reiryoku, the positioning between different types can greatly narrow the gap between opponents."
"Hallucination type has no additional abilities; it can only affect others' senses."
"He cannot get close to Toushiro. Although Toushiro cannot break through his defense due to the Reiryoku difference, the ice-snow type is not limited to just attacking the body surface."
"Do you remember the blizzard we encountered during our trip to the Human World?"
"Water can turn into snow, and naturally, it can also turn into ice. Ice is even more powerful than snow."
"Unless Hirako Shinji doesn't use Bankai and only uses fire-type Kido for defense, no matter how he resists, his body will gradually collapse under Hyōrinmaru's influence."
"And only using fire-type Kido will lead to another problem."
"That is, once Toushiro uses Bankai, his Reiryoku will become stronger than Hirako Shinji's in his normal state and Shikai."
"At that point, his fire-type Kido will become ineffective, and he will ultimately be unable to escape defeat."
Hinamori Momo frowned, trying to digest this information, vaguely understanding the key points.
However… a light flashed in her mind, and she hurriedly asked:
"What if Captain Hirako uses both Bankai and Kido?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Yoriichi's gaze fall upon her, a strange look in his eyes, tinged with a hint of pity.
Instantly, she understood.
In Bankai state, Reiryoku would be rapidly consumed, and using fire-type Kido would undoubtedly accelerate self-destruction.
Although that fire-type Kido could harm Toushiro, Toushiro wasn't foolish either.
He could fly.
As long as he endured that period, Captain Hirako would undoubtedly lose.
She exhaled, Hinamori Momo stopped speaking, pondering silently in her heart which division she would go to if Toushiro won.
Although she really wanted to go to the Fifth Division, she felt that the 1st Division was more suitable for her.
Because there was no pressure, and being by the Captain-Commander's side gave her a strange sense of security.
It was similar to having a hundred lives in a game, as if she would absolutely never die.
She didn't have any grand dreams; she just wanted to live and take care of her grandmother until she died of old age.