REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!Chapter 76: Isshin
The induction ceremony concluded without incident.
However, unlike Suoh, with Kuchiki Rukia's credentials she could only become an ordinary squad member.
Having no entry examination also meant she couldn't demonstrate her abilities.
In the following days, Suoh didn't worry about Kuchiki Rukia's situation.
Kuchiki Rukia had already become utterly captivated by Shiba Miyako's gentle consideration, her gaze toward her full of admiration and respect.
Shiba Miyako was also delighted to have gained a well-behaved, adorable younger sister in the division.
The friendship between the two women grew daily, their relationship extremely harmonious and close.
Suoh was happy to see this develop, and gained some leisure for his own training and work.
Only occasionally watching Kuchiki Rukia arrive at the division in the morning looking dejected and wilted, regaining her spirits by noon, then leaving at evening with the serious expression of a noble young lady.
Her day-after-day sequential switching between these three states struck him as somewhat amusing.
Time came to the morning of the fifteenth day, after breakfast.
Suoh held a wooden box in his hands as he arrived at the barracks entrance.
He happened to encounter Kuchiki Rukia arriving at the barracks with fatigue on her face.
"Good morning, Suoh 3rd Seat. Where are you heading?"
She stopped to greet him. Her form of address remained unchanged, but her words had long shed the unfamiliarity from half a month ago.
"Morning, Rukia. I have business outside today."
"As for you, shouldn't you have a proper talk with your elder brother? I don't think this daily running around is sustainable."
Suoh's gaze swept across her listless expression. He ultimately couldn't help offering a suggestion.
The Seireitei on screen didn't look large, but its actual area was frighteningly vast.
The Thirteenth Division barracks sat near the Seireitei's edge. The noble district lay at the core area's center, surrounding the First Division.
And Suoh understood Kuchiki Rukia's shunpo level.
By his estimate, roughly when he woke for morning practice, she had to depart from the Kuchiki estate.
Training truly could improve one's shunpo level. But exhausting was also genuinely exhausting.
'Could this also be part of Kuchiki Byakuya's considerations!'
Suoh's mind suddenly flashed with inspiration. In the early original story, Kuchiki Byakuya had feared his sister getting hurt—could this arrangement also contain such considerations!
He didn't point this out. Other families' affairs weren't for outsiders like him to meddle in.
"This—I'd better not."
Kuchiki Rukia pondered briefly before giving up, her fingertips unconsciously twisting her sleeve hem.
She didn't have the courage to bring this up.
Half a month ago, after returning home from her induction, that night's scene still lingered vividly before her eyes.
When she'd reported to her elder brother that she hadn't received a seated officer position, that figure with his back to her had offered nothing but cold "Is that so" and "You may withdraw," not even sparing half a glance.
"Alright, your call. I'm off."
"Take care."
Suoh hefted the wooden box in his arms, raised his hand in farewell with a smile on his face, and his figure disappeared from the spot.
Tenth Division barracks entrance.
As Thirteenth Division 3rd Seat, Suoh now stood at the Tenth Division barracks entrance.
Personnel from different divisions visiting each other was quite rare normally. The barracks were too far apart—ordinary squad members found the journey quite taxing.
Each division could be nearly self-sufficient in daily work. Unless major cross-departmental events occurred, frequent cooperation and communication with other divisions wasn't necessary.
Aside from lieutenants and captains attending regular meetings at the First Division, subordinate squad members had few opportunities for daily interaction.
This was also why in the original story, Kuchiki Rukia hadn't recognized Shiba Isshin in the World of the Living. Though their relationship networks both included Shiba Kaien, the gap in their statuses meant they'd never truly met face to face.
Not only due to distance—each division, under their captain's long-term leadership, had formed distinctly different division atmospheres.
The most typical example was the Eleventh Division squad members, who revered martial prowess, unilaterally disdaining Fourth and Twelfth Division members.
Though limited inter-division exchange was normal, under specific circumstances this barrier would break down.
For instance, the Eighth and Thirteenth—due to centuries of friendship between their captains, some ordinary squad members had grown quite familiar through organized social activities, with cases even existing of members from different divisions marrying.
Suoh's sudden visit immediately drew the attention of the squad member on duty at the gate, who stepped forward to inquire.
"Pardon me, may I ask who you are?"
"Thirteenth Division 3rd Seat, Suoh Tsukasa. I'm here to visit your division's captain. Please help notify him."
The guard's gaze swept between his face and the wooden box in his arms for a moment before crisply returning the salute.
"Please wait a moment."
He then left Suoh alone outside the division gate.
After a moment, the guard quickly returned, several degrees more solemn in expression.
"Suoh 3rd Seat, this way please."
Suoh followed the squad member through the tidy courtyard.
Though the barracks layout differed slightly, the overall atmospheres of the Tenth and Thirteenth Divisions were quite similar.
The Tenth had an additional measure of vitality. The Thirteenth had an additional measure of tranquility.
Precisely because of this subtle similarity, the Tenth Division squad members encountered along the way made no attempt to hide their scrutinizing gazes at this completely new face.
"Captain, the Thirteenth Division 3rd Seat has arrived."
At the captain's office doorway, the guard bowed to report.
"Come in!"
The wooden door stood ajar. A booming male voice came from inside.
"Please enter."
"Thank you!"
The guard bowed in gesture. Suoh nodded in acknowledgment and slowly pushed open the door.
Upon opening, at the long table before the floor window piled high with scattered documents and files, a middle-aged man wearing a captain's haori joyfully raised his head from buried work.
Seeing the visitor, his eyes brightened. He strode forward quickly, his white captain's haori rustling and billowing with his movements.
"You're Suoh Tsukasa!? Welcome, welcome!"
"Kaien is my nephew. I'll just call you Tsukasa directly, alright?"
"I'm Shiba Isshin. You can just call me Uncle—don't be polite!"
Shiba Isshin's appearance didn't entirely match Shiba Kaien's, but his smile and tone carried the Shiba family's characteristic heartiness.
He enthusiastically patted Suoh's shoulder, his eyes brimming with the joy of meeting a younger family member.
However, his features were somewhat more rugged—calling him bold and forthright would be more accurate. His bearing also matched their Tenth Division's narcissus emblem meaning of "self."
Shiba Isshin and Shiba Kaien held an uncle-nephew relationship between branch and main families.
Though the families had separated years ago, they still maintained close exchanges during festivals and main family memorial services.
The personalities of both family heads also determined they wouldn't grow distant due to the family separation. Shiba Isshin took pride in his nephew, and Shiba Kaien felt the same.
Given Suoh and Shiba Kaien's friendship, calling him uncle barely worked.
"Captain Isshin, pleased to meet you. Please take care of me."
Though Suoh's personality leaned extroverted, he hadn't reached this superhuman degree.
This was their first meeting. Immediately calling someone uncle, though not particularly problematic, felt somewhat strange.
Meeting this future savior's father, his face carried a trace of helplessness as he smiled and offered salutations.
"Haha, Tsukasa, no need to be formal. Have a seat."
Shiba Isshin, having his uncle title politely declined by Suoh, showed no irritation. He laughed heartily, draping his arm around Suoh's shoulders.
"Kaien and Miyako have praised you to the heavens. Finally meeting you in person today!"
"Now that you're at the Tenth Division, don't be polite. Make yourself at home—our division doesn't have so many rules!"
Shiba Isshin pulled Suoh to sit in a guest chair, casually taking his own seat and gesturing.
His enthusiasm surged like relentless waves, one after another, nearly drowning a person.
***
40+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces