Fantasy Library, Ch 226-230

Chapter 226 The Day of Standing Beside

Division 3 Barracks, Captain’s Office.

At this moment, Kaiser was sitting in front of his desk, looking at the girl standing in front of him, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

Momo Hinamori was standing in front of Kaiser, looking at Kaiser, who was wearing a sleeveless white Haori, whose appearance was no different from before, and who still showed a familiar smile, and her inner excitement could not be suppressed.

But she still tried hard to control herself, making a serious and solemn appearance, and saluted Kaiser.

"New member of Division 3, Momo Hinamori, reporting for duty!"

The girl, with a crisp voice tinged with a bit of childishness, very formally reported to Kaiser.

She had already changed into a Shihakushō, with a Zanpakutō hanging at her waist. Although her figure was petite and her appearance overly cute, to the point of lacking any authority, her serious and earnest demeanor was quite proper, and with her hair tied into a bun and her gaze becoming much more determined than before, her formerly weak aura faded considerably, no longer looking like an inexperienced Academy Student.

"Welcome to Division 3, Hinamori."

Kaiser did not change his attitude because of Momo Hinamori’s overly formal etiquette and still greeted her with a smile, just like before.

"I didn’t expect you to come to our squad. I thought you would join Division 5 as you used to say."

This was indeed something Momo Hinamori had said before.

When Sōsuke Aizen first visited Shin'ō Academy for an inspection, this girl had expressed that she somewhat wanted to join Division 5 after graduation, so Kaiser truly thought she would, just like in the original story, run off to join Division 5.

Who would have thought that she would choose Division 3 and come before him?

"I-I didn’t say I really wanted to join Division 5, did I?"

Momo Hinamori couldn’t help muttering, but her voice didn’t sound very confident, presumably recalling what she had said before.

"I heard that Captain Aizen contacted you even before you graduated, intending to invite you to join Division 5, right?" Kaiser deliberately asked, "Why didn’t you agree?"

Upon hearing this, Momo Hinamori couldn’t help but recall that time.

Captain of Division 5, Sōsuke Aizen, was a man who left a deep impression on Momo Hinamori.

He was obviously a being standing at the pinnacle of the Soul Society, a Captain, and by reason should not have paid special attention to an “ordinary” Academy Student like her. Yet before her graduation, this lofty Captain personally came to her and extended an invitation, hoping she would join Division 5.

To be honest, at that time, Momo Hinamori was indeed very moved, or rather, very touched.

Although many squads had extended olive branches to her at that time, and even the Kidō Corps had sent people to contact her, a Captain personally coming to recruit her was an immense honor, making Momo Hinamori deeply feel the sincerity and importance the other party placed on her.

Moreover, that Captain had always been gentle, with a mild attitude, never once treating her with an air of superiority, unlike some Academy Students from noble families who always acted high and mighty. At that time, Momo Hinamori was truly moved and almost agreed.

However, whenever she seriously considered which squad to join, a certain scene would always surface in her mind.

The figure standing before her, blocking the vicious claw that swung toward her with just one hand — Momo Hinamori could never forget that.

Thus, in the end, Momo Hinamori politely declined Sōsuke Aizen’s invitation, as well as the others, including those from the Kidō Corps, and agreed to Chikane Iba’s solicitation.

Now, she had finally come to Division 3, once again seeing the owner of that figure, and being gazed at with a smile by him, made Momo Hinamori feel that her decision was correct.

That smile was not as gentle as Captain Aizen’s, but it felt within reach. Even though he was now a Captain, he didn’t seem distant.

His attitude wasn’t particularly gentle either, but that casual and lazy demeanor made Momo feel intimate and nostalgic.

Thinking back to the past at Shin'ō Academy, Kaiser had always been like this — carefree and nonchalant, as if nothing in the world could trouble him, always seeming indifferent and acting on his own whims.

Now, even after becoming a lofty Captain, he was still the same, completely unchanged.

This made Momo feel a kind of joy and happiness she could not explain.

However, facing Kaiser’s teasing question, Momo still felt a bit embarrassed.

"Um… are you mad, Kai-kun?"

Momo asked timidly, unconsciously using her old form of address.

"Not at all. On the contrary, I’m quite happy." Kaiser didn’t expect Momo to answer with a question. While sighing inwardly that girls truly mastered this kind of thing naturally, he answered honestly, "Renji and Izuru have both gone to other squads, and even Shūhei Hisagi, whom I only met once, went to Division 9. If you had also gone to Division 5, then the few friends I have in the Soul Society would have all run away."

"So, I’m actually quite happy that you came to Division 3."

This was Kaiser’s true feeling.

Although he had never deliberately intended to pull all the good seedlings into his squad — after all, he didn’t particularly lack people under his command — having someone familiar join his squad naturally made him happy.

He had even thought about whether Renji Abarai would, because of his relationship with him, choose to join Division 3. Who knew that after Kaiser informed him about Rukia Kuchiki’s situation, the guy vanished and then directly chose Division 11? Kaiser really wanted to drag that guy back and give him a good Zanjutsu lesson to remind him of the fear of being dominated.

As for others, Kaiser hadn’t really thought they would join Division 3.

Shūhei Hisagi had originally intended to join Division 9, and they had only met once, with no further interactions afterward, so Kaiser never thought he would come to Division 3.

The relationships with Izuru Kira and Momo Hinamori were not particularly close either, merely classmates and acquaintances, so Kaiser didn’t expect them to choose Division 3 because of him.

As a result, Izuru Kira indeed didn’t choose Division 3, but Momo Hinamori did, which still surprised Kaiser.

"Is—is that so?"

Hearing Kaiser say that, Momo became even more embarrassed, but her heart was even happier and more excited, her cute cheeks flushing red.

After finishing catching up, Kaiser began to inquire about Momo Hinamori’s abilities.

"I heard you achieved excellent results upon graduation, especially in Kidō. Even Lieutenant Iba praised you." Kaiser asked with a smile, "I guess you can already use high-level Kidō now, right?"

"Yes." Momo nodded repeatedly and said, "Teachers from the Kidō Corps taught me high-level Kidō, and some seniors also gifted me some Kidō books."

"To what extent have you reached?" Kaiser asked curiously, "For Hadō and Bakudō, up to which number can you use?"

"If it’s just casting, Kidō below number eighty shouldn’t be a problem." Momo said a bit uncertainly, "But if it's about using them skillfully in battle, only some Kidō below number seventy would do."

"What about discarding Incantations?" Kaiser continued to ask, "Can you discard Incantations for high-level Kidō?"

"No way." Momo smiled bitterly and said, "That’s high-level Kidō, you know? Even among the Kidō Corps there aren’t many who can do that. How could a newly graduated Academy Student like me possibly manage?"

Speaking of this, Momo once again recalled the past Kaiser.

During that incident, Kaiser had been able to skillfully use many high-level Kidō without Incantations.

And at that time, he had only been enrolled for half a year, right?

Thinking of this, Momo felt a little depressed.

"Already very impressive."

Kaiser, however, gave a great affirmation.

A freshly graduated Academy Student, being able to use high-level Kidō, and even casting Kidō under number eighty successfully — even most Lieutenants and Captains not specializing in Kidō couldn’t manage that.

In this respect, Momo Hinamori indeed had exceptional talent in Kidō. In the future, even solely relying on Kidō, she could reach Vice-Captain level.

"And your Zanpakutō?" Kaiser thought and asked, "Have you achieved Shikai?"

"N-no, not yet." Momo said somewhat embarrassedly, "Although I can hear its voice, I still can’t quite catch the name."

Clearly, Momo Hinamori had spent less effort on her Zanpakutō than on Kidō, so like most Academy Students or Division Members, she had yet to achieve Shikai.

Of course, that was normal. Those who could achieve Shikai during Academy days were all rare prodigies, destined to become Captain-class Shinigami in the future.

"Izuru-kun seems close to hearing his Zanpakutō’s name, and Renji-kun has already mastered Shikai," Momo said in a small voice, "I probably still need some more time…"

"It’s okay, no need to rush," Kaiser shook his head and said, "Just follow your own pace. As long as your ability is enough, you will naturally hear your Zanpakutō’s name."

Compared to those who had yet to achieve Shikai even after so long, Momo Hinamori was already quite good.

Kaiser believed that with a little more time, she would reach Shikai and officially become a Seated Officer-class Shinigami.

With a bit more tempering, it wouldn’t take long before she could succeed Chikane Iba and become Kaiser’s proud Lieutenant.

Thus, Kaiser smiled and said to Momo:

"Do your best. I’m looking forward to the day when you’re standing beside me, my future Lieutenant."

Upon hearing this, a flush rose on Momo's face.

"Yes! Captain!"

Chapter 227 A Good Show to Watch

Momo Hinamori’s joining the squad, for the entire Gotei 13, was just a small matter.

A future Lieutenant, it sounded impressive, but placed within the entire Gotei 13, it really wasn’t anything big.

Unless the one joining was a future Captain, only then would it be worthy of the Gotei 13’s full attention. Otherwise, to put it bluntly, a Lieutenant was just that — at most, other squads would inquire a few words out of curiosity, but besides that, there would be no more attention.

However, for Division 3, this matter was not small.

After all, this was their squad’s future Lieutenant. Although Chikane Iba didn’t say it explicitly, it was already reflected in all aspects.

The evidence was that after Momo Hinamori joined the squad, Chikane Iba personally guided her, helping her become familiar with the squad’s various affairs.

Sometimes, Chikane Iba would even hand over some of her own tasks for Momo Hinamori to do. On the surface, it seemed like she was helping to share the workload, but anyone with eyes could tell that she was cultivating her, letting her quickly familiarize herself with the work of a Lieutenant.

With Chikane Iba’s tacit approval, Momo Hinamori also accompanied Kaiser on many missions, and the opportunities to stay by Kaiser’s side became many, letting many people frequently see that behind the usually solitary Division 3 Captain, there was now always a girl following, handling various miscellaneous tasks for him.

This was clearly the work a Lieutenant should be doing, originally belonging to Chikane Iba, yet now it was being done by Momo Hinamori. What it represented, anyone not foolish could see.

Thanks to this, Momo Hinamori indeed attracted quite a bit of attention, including some Captains and some past acquaintances.

Like Renji Abarai and Izuru Kira — when they heard about this, they were first stunned and then became envious.

"Hinamori is going to be promoted to Lieutenant, huh?"

"Hinamori-san is going to become Kai-kun’s... no, Captain Kaiser's Lieutenant?"

After secretly sighing and feeling envious for a while, the two immediately threw themselves into work with renewed motivation.

Their two companions — one had already become a Captain early on, and the other was now about to become a Lieutenant. If they still didn’t work hard, wouldn’t that be quite embarrassing?

"At the very least, I must become a Lieutenant like Hinamori."

Thus, the two set such a goal — one began constantly training himself and challenging the strong within his squad, and the other was dispatched to the World of the Living to carry out Hollow purification duties.

It was worth mentioning that Rukia Kuchiki also joined Division 13, becoming Izuru Kira’s teammate.

After learning about this, Renji Abarai seemed to frequently visit Division 13’s barracks, under the pretext of visiting Izuru Kira, though everyone knew his real intention was not that.

Even Kaiser found it amusing.

"Truly a straightforward man."

Kaiser often commented like this about Renji Abarai, leaving Momo beside him hesitant to speak.

"You think so too, right?"

Kaiser would sometimes ask Momo when he caught her hesitating.

"Y-yes..."

What could Momo say? She could only laugh dryly.

Unfortunately, Kaiser didn’t notice the subtle thoughts in the girl’s heart. After paying some attention to Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, and Rukia Kuchiki for a while, he no longer concerned himself with them and continued doing his own things.

Sometimes going on missions, sometimes training in the barracks, sometimes cultivating Momo Hinamori with Chikane Iba, sometimes checking in on old acquaintances — this was how Kaiser’s life in the Soul Society was: plain, ordinary, and peaceful.

However, Kaiser would occasionally feel something was off.

"...There’s something nearby, isn’t there?"

It was a feeling that would arise from time to time ever since the battle with Byakuya Kuchiki.

After that incident, Kaiser often felt as if someone was watching him nearby.

Especially when he held his Zanpakutō, this sense of incongruity would become particularly distinct — or rather, only when he held his Zanpakutō would he notice it.

When he wasn’t holding his Zanpakutō, Kaiser felt nothing, as if everything was perfectly normal.

But when holding the Zanpakutō, although it didn’t happen every time, he would sometimes have the feeling of being spied upon, as if the Zanpakutō itself was trying to tell him something, causing Kaiser to frequently frown.

"Could it be..."

Kaiser had a guess but did not show it. Instead, he pretended to know nothing and continued living his life as usual.

Only, whenever he wanted to do something he didn’t want others to know about, he would first casually touch his Zanpakutō, and only after confirming there was no sensation of being watched, no sense of incongruity, would he proceed. Otherwise, he would suppress the matter temporarily and wait until the feeling disappeared before acting.

Under such circumstances, days passed one after another, and within the Gotei 13, some changes were quietly taking place.

First was Momo Hinamori. After mastering Shikai and being able to release her Zanpakutō, she was finally promoted by Kaiser to the position of Division 3 Lieutenant, while Chikane Iba retired with honor.

After that, Izuru Kira, through diligent work in Hollow purification and with significant achievements and rapid growth in strength, was promoted by Jūshirō Ukitake to the position of Division 13 Lieutenant, filling the vacancy left by the former Division 13 Lieutenant who had recently been killed by a Hollow.

Renji Abarai thrived in Division 11, climbing to the Sixth Seat through constant challenges and later even reaching Fourth Seat. However, the Third Seat and Lieutenant positions of Division 11 remained beyond his grasp, and in the end, just like in the original story, he transferred to Division 6 and became their Lieutenant.

Additionally, Shūhei Hisagi was promoted by Kaname Tōsen, Captain of Division 9, to become Division 9’s Lieutenant. Thus, Kaiser’s contemporaries and seniors all successfully rose to high positions within the Gotei 13, becoming Lieutenant-level figures one after another.

During this period, another genius not inferior to Kaiser entered Shin'ō Academy, mastered Shikai in just one year, applied for early graduation, and joined Division 10 as the Third Seat.

This person was also Momo's childhood friend, and their relationship was very close, which greatly surprised Momo. When he had just enrolled in Shin'ō Academy, she even rushed to visit him, but unfortunately, she couldn’t recruit him to Division 3, leaving her a bit regretful.

When Kaiser learned of this, he paid attention to the person for a while but had no intention of poaching him.

Still the same — his squad didn’t particularly lack people, nor did he intend to gather all the geniuses from the original story into his squad. So after observing for a while, he stopped paying attention.

At present, the Soul Society was still relatively peaceful, and the original story's plot had yet to formally begin. Therefore, Kaiser didn’t intend to stir up too much, simply focusing on quietly improving himself, striving to exert enough influence during the major future events.

This was also to mislead the being secretly watching him, making it harder for the other side to judge his true strength.

Otherwise, being schemed against by such an entity, even for Kaiser, would be a real hassle.

Thus, another stretch of peaceful days passed until one event shattered the calm.

That event was — Captain of Division 10, Isshin Kurosaki, mysteriously disappeared.

After the incident, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto urgently summoned all Captains for a Captain’s meeting and explained the events before Isshin Kurosaki’s disappearance.

Reportedly, after learning that stationed Shinigamis in the World of the Living were being attacked and killed by unknown entities, Isshin Kurosaki personally went to the World of the Living to investigate. He encountered powerful Hollow attacks, returned to report the findings to Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, and then suddenly went back to the World of the Living again — after which he vanished without a trace.

As a result, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto issued orders to Divisions 2, 5, and 8, sending them together to the World of the Living to investigate and find Isshin Kurosaki.

Unfortunately, after arriving, no matter how much they investigated, the squads couldn’t find any clues about Isshin Kurosaki’s whereabouts, as if he had evaporated into thin air — completely disappearing, very strange.

After confirming that Isshin Kurosaki could not be found, although Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto did not rescind the search order, he tacitly acknowledged Isshin Kurosaki’s leave of absence and decided to appoint a new Captain for Division 10.

Two candidates eventually emerged for the position.

One was Gin Ichimaru, the former Lieutenant of Division 5 recommended by Sōsuke Aizen.

The other was Tōshirō Hitsugaya, the Third Seat of Division 10.

The former had been recommended by Sōsuke Aizen a long time ago, while the latter was precisely Momo Hinamori’s childhood friend — the genius who had graduated from Shin'ō Academy in just one year.

After verification, it was found that both had achieved Bankai and possessed the capability to become Captains.

Thus, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto designated both as candidates for Division 10’s Captaincy and planned to choose one.

When Kaiser learned of this, his expression was strange.

"Goodness, Gin Ichimaru is going to become Division 10’s Captain?"

If Kaiser’s memory served him right, the Lieutenant of Division 10 should be Rangiku Matsumoto, correct?

And Rangiku Matsumoto... seemed to be Gin Ichimaru’s childhood friend?

Not only that, but Gin Ichimaru had joined the Gotei 13 and stayed close to Sōsuke Aizen largely because of Rangiku Matsumoto, right?

Moreover, the two hadn’t even properly reunited yet.

Now, Gin Ichimaru was about to become Division 10’s Captain, and Rangiku Matsumoto would be his Lieutenant?

...It felt like a good show was about to unfold.

Chapter 228 Let Me Look Forward to It

Just as Kaiser thought, a good show indeed began.

Only, this good show did not happen between Gin Ichimaru and Rangiku Matsumoto, but between Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

"The Captain of Division 10 will be decided by whoever has the stronger ability."

"Just like when Captain Kaiser of Division 3 became a Captain, the two Captain candidates must engage in a battle."

"The winner shall become the Captain of Division 10."

In the Captain’s meeting room of Division 1, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto announced this decision to Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya in front of all the Captains.

"Any objections?"

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto asked for formality.

"Mm... none for now."

Gin Ichimaru stood before Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, glanced sideways at Sōsuke Aizen, and answered with a smiling squint.

"I have no objections either."

Following immediately after was a boy shorter than even Momo Hinamori, looking just like an elementary school student.

The boy had silver hair and turquoise eyes, wore a Shihakushō, with a green shoulder strap bearing a metallic crest, and his Zanpakutō was carried on his back, appearing very dignified and imposing.

He was Tōshirō Hitsugaya, reputed to be second only to Kaiser, or even on par with Kaiser, as a genius.

His real age was actually much older than Kaiser’s, yet his appearance was even younger, something very noteworthy in the Soul Society.

Because the stronger a Soul’s Reiryoku, the slower they aged, and Tōshirō Hitsugaya, though older than Kaiser in actual age, still looked like a child, which indicated his slow aging and powerful Reiryoku.

Perhaps it was because of this that he was hailed as a genius on par with Kaiser.

And when this genius graduated in only a year, quickly became a Third Seat after joining the Gotei 13, and now had even achieved Bankai, this reputation was firmly established, making his fame comparable to Kaiser’s.

If he could become a Captain now, he would be the youngest Captain in history besides Kaiser.

Unfortunately, for Tōshirō Hitsugaya to become Captain, he still had to overcome the towering wall that was Gin Ichimaru.

"The battlefield will still be prepared by Captain Kurotsuchi of Division 12, correct?"

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto looked toward the second-to-last Captain on his right.

"Fine." Mayuri Kurotsuchi, though uninterested, nodded and said, "The arena used for Captain Kaiser and Captain Zaraki’s battle is still vacant. We’ll just reuse it."

Hearing this, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto nodded.

"I’ll give you some time to prepare."

"One hour later, gather at Division 12’s barracks."

"For now, meeting dismissed."

After speaking, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto turned and left first, and the other Captains followed one after another out of the Captain’s meeting room.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya also exited the room — a room generally only Captains could enter — and walked along the corridor outside, falling into deep thought.

"Shiro-chan!"

At this moment, a voice called him, making Tōshirō Hitsugaya stop in his tracks.

Turning his head, he saw two figures approaching from the other side of the corridor.

The voice had come from the one walking behind.

A petite figure, a delicate expression, hair tied into a bun — who else could it be but Momo Hinamori?

And walking in front of Momo Hinamori was, naturally, Kaiser.

"Captain Kaiser."

Tōshirō Hitsugaya immediately saluted Kaiser with a very proper demeanor.

"Shiro-chan!"

Momo Hinamori, who was walking behind Kaiser, called out discontentedly.

"I was the one calling you, you know. Why are you ignoring me?"

Facing his childhood friend, Momo Hinamori acted a bit more spoiled and childish than usual, not as serious as she typically was.

"Idiot." Tōshirō Hitsugaya looked at his disgruntled childhood friend and said irritably, "Since Captain Kaiser is present, of course I have to greet the Captain first. Don’t you even understand basic manners?"

Of course, Momo understood — she was just displeased by Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s attitude.

"I'm also a Lieutenant. Shouldn’t you salute me too?"

Usually disliking to flaunt her status, Momo Hinamori surprisingly said this, making Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s eye twitch.

"Listen, I’m about to become a Captain, you know. When that happens, you’ll be the one saluting me, Bedwetting Momo."

With just one sentence, Tōshirō Hitsugaya made Momo Hinamori break down.

"W-what Bedwetting Momo! Idiot Shiro-chan!" Momo Hinamori’s face turned bright red with shame. She glanced nervously at Kaiser while glaring angrily at Tōshirō Hitsugaya, shouting, "How could you say that in front of the Captain? Idiot!"

"You were the one calling me by a nickname first, weren’t you?" Tōshirō Hitsugaya said with an innocent face, "If you don’t want me to call you that, please address me properly as Third Seat Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Hinamori."

"I..." Momo Hinamori was so angry she was about to explode.

Watching the scene, Kaiser found it refreshing.

Because Momo Hinamori was usually hardworking and serious, Kaiser rarely saw her flustered and angry like this. It was like watching Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki back in the day, resembling bickering sweethearts.

Only, unlike the vaguely ambiguous Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki, Momo Hinamori and Tōshirō Hitsugaya seemed to be purely childhood friends without any romantic implications.

At least, judging from Momo Hinamori’s behavior, she likely only saw Tōshirō Hitsugaya as a childhood friend, or perhaps a younger brother who would never grow up, without any feelings of man-woman affection.

Seeing the two about to quarrel openly, Kaiser shook his head with a laugh and spoke to stop them.

"Alright, this is Division 1’s barracks. Don’t bicker here." Kaiser flicked Momo Hinamori’s forehead and said, "Also, you were obviously very worried about Third Seat Hitsugaya. What’s with starting an argument with him now?"

Hearing this, both of them felt a little embarrassed.

Especially Momo Hinamori, who covered her forehead and spoke shyly.

"I-I didn’t wet the bed! Captain, please don’t listen to Shiro-chan’s nonsense!"

This was absolutely drawing attention to the matter.

"If you hadn’t explained, it would have been fine. Now your explanation just makes it seem true," Tōshirō Hitsugaya reminded her exasperatedly, making Momo Hinamori grit her teeth in anger and feel utterly miserable.

My image... it’s ruined...

Stupid Shiro-chan! It’s bad enough you’re teasing me, but it had to be in front of the Captain — in front of Kai-kun! How am I supposed to face him now?!

Momo was nearly in tears.

Kaiser, watching Momo Hinamori’s teary eyes, found it quite amusing before turning to Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

"How about it? Nervous?"

Kaiser asked.

"Even if I am nervous, it’s useless, right?" Tōshirō Hitsugaya returned to a serious demeanor, appearing rather mature as he calmly said, "Since the Captain Commander has decided we must duel, it’s going to happen no matter what."

"I can only do my best and give it a try."

Hearing this, Momo Hinamori momentarily forgot her embarrassment and hurriedly asked:

"Shiro-chan, do you have confidence?"

"To be honest, no," Tōshirō Hitsugaya shook his head, looking solemn, "Lieutenant of Division 5, Gin Ichimaru — I’ve heard from Rangiku that he’s also an extraordinary genius."

"He graduated from Shin'ō Academy after just one year, like me, and quickly became a Lieutenant, holding the position for at least fifty years."

"With his talent, if he was already a Lieutenant fifty years ago, then now he can only be stronger."

"I believe he definitely has the ability to become the Captain of Division 10."

Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s analysis made Momo Hinamori even more worried.

"But haven’t you achieved Bankai too?"

Speaking of this, Momo Hinamori still felt amazed.

Clearly, she had entered Shin'ō Academy first, became a Shinigami first, even achieved Shikai while her childhood friend was still in Rukongai, yet now, he had grown rapidly to surpass her and even achieved Bankai — such a dramatic development.

Not knowing what Momo Hinamori was thinking, Tōshirō Hitsugaya just shook his head, maintaining his serious face.

"I just recently achieved Bankai. I haven’t fully mastered its power yet — it’s hard to say how much strength I can unleash," Tōshirō Hitsugaya said. "On the other hand, Lieutenant Ichimaru must have achieved Bankai much earlier than I did and may have already completely mastered it."

From this perspective, Gin Ichimaru indeed held the advantage.

"But your Zanpakutō is strong. Even an incomplete Bankai shouldn’t lose to an ordinary Bankai, right?"

Kaiser interjected from the side.

Only, when mentioning Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s Zanpakutō, Kaiser’s eyes flickered slightly, as if recalling something amusing, making his expression subtly strange.

"My Zanpakutō is strong, but precisely because of its power, it’s hard to control." Tōshirō Hitsugaya didn’t notice Kaiser’s expression and sighed, "Anyway, I’ll do my best and see what happens."

Kaiser nodded, said a few encouraging words to Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and then looked into the distance.

There, Gin Ichimaru was following Sōsuke Aizen, leaving Division 1’s barracks, seemingly heading toward Division 12.

Kaiser narrowed his eyes, smiled slightly, then withdrew his gaze.

Right now, he was truly curious about the clash between these two geniuses, Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya — who would win, who would lose.

"Let me look forward to it."

Chapter 229 The Norm of Soul Society Residents

An hour later, in the underground experimental site of Division 12, the Captains gathered once again.

The last time they came here, it had been for the duel between Kaiser and Kenpachi Zaraki, but this time, the two had already donned white Captain’s Haori, becoming part of their ranks.

"It’s really quite nostalgic," Shunsui Kyōraku said while pressing down his Straw Hat, smiling at Kaiser who stood beside him, "How many years have passed since then? Captain Kaiser is no longer the Academy Student who just walked out of Shin'ō Academy."

The other Captains all glanced at Kaiser, and compared to back then, their mindsets had undoubtedly undergone great changes.

At that time, in their eyes, Kaiser was just a fledgling kid, not even a proper brat yet — just a naturally gifted genius.

But now, Kaiser had been the Captain of Division 3 for quite a long time, and had always been active since taking up the position, no longer that green genius who had just ascended to Captaincy.

Over these years, no matter what kind of difficult tasks or thorny issues he faced, Kaiser had always dealt with them fearlessly and decisively, with a bold, unrestrained attitude.

Even when facing the Noble Clans in Seireitei, when provoked by the Great Noble Houses, he could suppress them head-on without fear, to the extent that many lawless nobles now feared him and dared not provoke him lightly.

Now, Kaiser’s prestige in the Soul Society might not yet match Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto — the very cornerstone of the Shinigami — but compared to any other Captain, he was in no way inferior.

Many commoners in Rukongai might not recognize all the Captains of the Gotei 13, but they would absolutely recognize Kaiser, showing how famous and renowned he had become.

There was no helping it. Kaiser was simply too active, unlike other Captains who remained within Seireitei. His figure had even appeared in the various corners of Rukongai. It was hard not to be famous.

Added to that were his outstanding performances and unique traits in all aspects thus far. Although the other Captains didn’t openly speak of it, in their hearts, they had already placed this youngest Captain in history at a very high position — almost on par with Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

"It feels like a very long time has passed." Kaiser stood among the Captains, arms crossed, and muttered, "Although I haven’t counted carefully, the days I’ve spent in the Soul Society probably already exceed the years I lived before, right?"

To be honest, Kaiser didn’t have much sense of reality about it.

He knew he had stayed in the Soul Society for a very long time, but perhaps because his Reiryoku was too strong, causing his body to age too slowly, he always felt like he was still that Academy Student at Shin'ō Academy — still that soul who had just arrived in this world.

His mind and spirit also felt as if they hadn’t matured; he hadn’t grown particularly old or felt especially weary. His mindset seemed to always stay young, full of energy, only with a broader perspective when viewing things.

"Maybe this is the norm for residents of the Soul Society?"

Because they were Souls, their mental state might change along with the aging of their bodies?

If there was no aging, then the mental state would remain youthful just like the outward appearance?

Kaiser wasn’t sure if that was the case, but at least for himself and those around him, it was true.

The best example was Momo Hinamori. It had already been quite a long time since she joined Division 3 and became a Lieutenant, yet her nature was still so gentle and fragile that she would sometimes cry when anxious — she didn’t resemble someone who had lived for at least a century at all.

"So, after becoming the Librarian of the Fantasy Library, did I also gain a similar trait?"

Kaiser pondered this.

After becoming the Librarian of the Fantasy Library, Kaiser’s own time was essentially frozen at the moment he entered the Library. His outward appearance and age thereafter were entirely determined by the background of the life experience he selected when entering the Fantasy Worlds.

If the background set him as a child, then he would be a child.

If the background set him as an old man, then he would be an old man.

Given this, was his mental age also forever frozen at the day he entered the Fantasy Library? Or would it change along with the aging of his body in the Fantasy Worlds?

"...I feel it’s probably the former."

That was Kaiser’s personal feeling.

After all, a human’s mental age grows along with the passage of years, but a non-human existence does not.

Gods, with their near-eternal lifespan, do not change their selves no matter whether they live for thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of millions of years. They always remain as they were.

The Shinigami of this world were not true deities, but they showed signs in that direction. Unless their external age truly changed, their psychological states would not shift much.

And as the Librarian of the Fantasy Library, similar to a god, once his external age froze at the day he entered the Library, his self would hardly change thereafter.

Kaiser, being both a Librarian of the Fantasy Library and a Captain-class Shinigami, still maintained the same appearance as when he first arrived in this world, without any change, resulting in his psychological age and spirit state remaining youthful, not turning into the sort of unpleasant adult or elder others might expect.

"Fortunately, when I entered the Fantasy Library, I wasn’t at the stage of being the most naive, pure, and foolish version of myself."

On this point, Kaiser felt quite lucky.

When he entered the Fantasy Library, he was already at an age where he had struggled and suffered in society, fully tasted the hardships of independence, and deeply understood the difficulties and realities of the world. Thus, he was rational and genuine, but not yet worn smooth by life.

Kaiser believed that this period of his life was his best — not naïve like youth, nor compromised like old age. He understood the world’s pain, but had not yet resigned himself to it; he still had dreams and the drive to fight.

He was very satisfied with this version of himself.

"Could it be that the Fantasy Library deliberately chose to recruit me at the period when I felt my best?"

Kaiser had this kind of speculation.

Unfortunately, it was just a speculation. What the truth was no longer mattered.

Unaware of the emotions Kaiser was sorting through in his heart, Kenpachi Zaraki suddenly spoke.

"Since then, I’ve gotten a lot stronger too, Kaiser. Wanna have a fight for old times’ sake?"

Kenpachi Zaraki grinned at Kaiser.

Originally, he had already been a little restless because of the upcoming duel between Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya, itching to take the stage himself. Now that he had returned to the place where he once fought Kaiser, he was even more unable to suppress his desire to draw his sword and battle.

Hearing the conversation between Kaiser and Shunsui Kyōraku, Kenpachi Zaraki immediately became eager, his hand pressing onto the hilt of his Zanpakutō.

However, before Kaiser could even respond, the other Captains spoke up one after another.

"Don’t cause trouble, Kenpachi."

Jūshirō Ukitake was the first to speak.

Last time, due to his health, he missed witnessing Kaiser and Kenpachi Zaraki’s duel, but this time, he was present and would be a witness.

"Meaningless fights just waste time."

"The demon within you can’t be suppressed anymore, Kenpachi?"

Sajin Komamura and Kaname Tōsen spoke up consecutively.

"My trusted Lieutenant’s promotion is at stake. Captain Kenpachi, please don’t create trouble."

Sōsuke Aizen advised gently.

"Anyway, your fighting is just as crude as ever — like a tasteless beast. I have no interest in collecting your battle data again."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi sneered in his usual sharp, cutting tone.

"Captain Kenpachi, you don't want to end up in the General Relief Station again, do you?"

Retsu Unohana said the most ruthless words with the gentlest voice.

"If anyone acts out again, even if it’s a Captain, I’ll personally send him to the Special Detention Building."

Even Suì-Fēng spoke coldly.

Byakuya Kuchiki said nothing at all, as if he had no interest in Kenpachi Zaraki, but his eyes did glance at Kaiser from the corner, seemingly recalling the battle he once had with him.

If Kenpachi Zaraki wanted to make a move, he would have to get past him first.

After all, he too wished to duel Kaiser once again.

"Bang!"

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto knocked his wooden staff to the floor at the right time, stopping the verbal onslaught against Kenpachi Zaraki.

"It’s about time to begin."

At Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto’s words, all the Captains turned their heads toward the front.

In the distant wilderness, two figures stood facing each other, just like Kaiser and Kenpachi Zaraki had back then.

"Forgive me, Lieutenant Ichimaru."

Tōshirō Hitsugaya had already drawn the Zanpakutō from his back, holding it in a two-handed mid-level stance, pointing it at Gin Ichimaru.

Even though he had spoken dejected words earlier to Kaiser and Momo Hinamori, now facing Gin Ichimaru, Tōshirō Hitsugaya appeared extremely calm, showing no sign of his previous uncertainty.

"...It should be me saying that, Third Seat Hitsugaya."

Gin Ichimaru also drew his Zanpakutō, adopting the same stance, but the usual smiling expression was absent from his face.

He couldn’t help it. Just thinking that if he won, he would have to become Captain of Division 10 — Gin Ichimaru couldn’t lift his mood.

He didn’t really mind becoming a Captain, since it was Sōsuke Aizen’s order.

But... why Division 10 of all places?

A certain girl’s figure flashed through his mind, and Gin Ichimaru’s expression subtly darkened.

Why did it have to be the squad where she was?

Could it be... this too was part of Captain Aizen’s plans?

Gin Ichimaru’s heart wavered unusually.

If he weren’t worried about revealing flaws, he would have truly wanted to simply lose to Tōshirō Hitsugaya.\

Chapter 230 The All-Rounder Shinigami

Gin Ichimaru’s thoughts, naturally, were not known by anyone.

Oh no, Kaiser still knew, and perhaps Sōsuke Aizen also knew a little, but definitely not as clearly as he did.

Seeing Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya both draw their Zanpakutō, Kaiser glanced at Sōsuke Aizen next to him, but only saw him smiling at the front, as if very confident in his subordinate, presenting the appearance of a good superior who trusts his subordinate.

Kaiser did not pay attention to him and looked forward again.

Around them, the Captains all stopped speaking and began watching.

In such circumstances, Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya, as if by prior agreement, simultaneously released their Reiatsu.

In an instant, the Reiatsu seemed to turn into visible air currents, rising from Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya, causing the atmosphere to stir.

The waves of wind formed by Reiatsu surged while lifting dust around them, bringing immense pressure to the space.

Feeling that Reiatsu, the gathered Captains raised their eyebrows.

"This Reiatsu... undoubtedly Captain-class."

"Truly surprising. I thought they would need to use Bankai to reach Captain-level Reiatsu, but they haven't even used Shikai yet and already have Captain-class pressure?"

"Those two are worthy of being geniuses who graduated from Shin'ō Academy in just one year. Though still not on par with Captain Kaiser, they already have the qualifications to be Captains."

"It’s not surprising that Lieutenant Ichimaru is this strong, but for Third Seat Hitsugaya to also possess Captain-level Reiatsu — that’s truly unexpected."

"Indeed, he’s too young."

"...Is anyone here younger than him?"

The Captains each commented, and in the end, all looked at Kaiser together, though they did not attract his attention.

"Captain-class Reiatsu, huh?"

Kaiser simply watched the two who were releasing astonishing Reiatsu, the corner of his mouth slightly rising.

"As expected, it’s worth looking forward to."

Under Kaiser’s anticipation, Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya each raised their Reiatsu to the peak.

At such a level, their Reiatsu could affect Lieutenant-class individuals.

Fortunately, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had anticipated this and did not allow the Captains to bring their Lieutenants to watch.

In this atmosphere, the two figures simultaneously kicked forward and charged at each other.

"Clang!!!"

The next moment, the sound of Zanpakutō blades colliding echoed like iron striking iron.

Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya clashed violently, swinging their Zanpakutō at each other, their blades grinding and clashing, sparks bursting fiercely.

"Clang—clang—clang—clang—clang—"

The two instantly engaged in fierce battle, making the sound of clashing blades resound continuously.

It was an extremely brilliant exchange of offense and defense, with both sides demonstrating superb swordsmanship, their Zanpakutō carrying tremendous Reiatsu, weaving a dazzling display of flashing blades.

"Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!"...

As the battle continued, they began to use Shunpo, their figures sometimes disappearing, sometimes reappearing, sometimes pulling distance, sometimes suddenly colliding, making the clashes of sword light even more frequent and brilliant.

Both of them were genuine prodigies, extremely proficient in both Zanjutsu and Shunpo, and even evaluated at Captain-level, there was little to criticize.

"Truly exquisite Zanjutsu and Shunpo."

Jūshirō Ukitake couldn’t help but praise.

"Those two seem to be all-rounders, right?"

Shunsui Kyōraku stroked his chin and said this.

The so-called all-rounder referred to a Shinigami proficient in Zanpakutō, Hakuda, Shunpo, and Kidō — able to skillfully use the power of Zanpakutō and possessing no real weaknesses.

In the Gotei 13, such Shinigami were not many, but neither were they rare.

For example, Byakuya Kuchiki was an all-rounder, proficient in all aspects of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Shunpo, and Kidō, without shortcomings.

Kaiser could also be considered an all-rounder; whether it was Zanjutsu, Shunpo, or Kidō, he would not lose to anyone. Even in Hakuda, though not particularly specialized, he still had some knowledge — not enough to call mastery, but not ignorant either.

Among the present Captains, there were several all-rounders, though many others were specialists.

For instance, Kenpachi Zaraki didn’t know Kidō, didn’t use Hakuda, rarely even used Shunpo, and treated his Zanpakutō merely as a battle tool — to the point where he hadn’t even achieved Shikai — completely a monster who relied solely on swordsmanship, hacking his way up to Captain rank.

In Division 11, such monsters were everywhere. They hardly used Kidō, few employed Hakuda, and every Division Member was a battle maniac specializing in Zanjutsu and Zanpakutō, sometimes touching upon Shunpo, but all-rounders could hardly be seen in that squad.

Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya — one from Division 5, the other from Division 10 — were both geniuses. Shunsui Kyōraku was very curious whether these two were true all-rounders.

"Gin is indeed proficient in all combat techniques. Whether it’s Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Shunpo, or Kidō, he has achieved a certain level of mastery," Sōsuke Aizen said with a slight smile, seeming to show off, "Having him merely as my Lieutenant is truly a waste of talent, which is why I recommended him for Captain."

"And what about Third Seat Hitsugaya?" Sajin Komamura turned and asked, "Is he also an all-rounder?"

"He should be," Retsu Unohana placed her hands folded before her and said, "I’ve heard Lieutenant Matsumoto from Division 10 mention this. She once said that Third Seat Hitsugaya is a true genius. If not counting Captain Kaiser, then in pure talent, he would be the strongest currently in the Soul Society."

"But it seems neither of them intends to use Hakuda or Kidō in this battle," Kaname Tōsen suddenly added, "The sound of their swords clashing is getting fiercer. In such an intense exchange, there’s no chance to chant Kidō, nor any reason to abandon their swords."

Just as Kaname Tōsen said, Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya had fully entered the heat of battle, their fierce clash of sword light growing even more magnificent.

"Haha! That’s how it should be!" Kenpachi Zaraki watched excitedly, laughing wildly, "A real fight means cutting into the enemy’s body with a sword! Or being cut into! That’s what fighting is!"

This idiot had completely forgotten that Gin Ichimaru and Tōshirō Hitsugaya weren’t fighting to the death.

This was a duel watched over by Captains, supervised carefully to prevent anyone from dying — meant to select the Captain of Division 10, not for them to kill each other.

In view of this, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto kept his gaze firmly fixed on the field, without relaxing for a moment. Suì-Fēng maintained a stance ready to strike at any time, Byakuya Kuchiki stood facing the wind, poised to step out with Shunpo, while Mayuri Kurotsuchi maintained an indifferent attitude, annoying to everyone.

As for Kaiser, he looked very relaxed.

Because he knew — this battle had only just begun.

"It should be about time."

At the moment this whisper fell, in the arena, Tōshirō Hitsugaya was the first to act.

"Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens..."

The astonishing Reiatsu radiating from Tōshirō Hitsugaya suddenly changed.

It became cold.

It became icy.

"Rumble..."

The sky above the site seemed disturbed by an invisible force, suddenly filling with heavy dark clouds, as if a blizzard was about to descend, exuding a terrifying chill.

Tōshirō Hitsugaya leaped into the air, raising his Zanpakutō high.

Behind the hilt of the Zanpakutō, a crescent-shaped chain suddenly grew, resembling a dragon’s tail, releasing immense Reiatsu that froze the air. A dragon of ice and water roared into existence around Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

"Hyōrinmaru!"

Tōshirō Hitsugaya called out the name of his Zanpakutō, releasing it.

Yes...

"That’s the strongest Ice/Snow-type Zanpakutō... Hyōrinmaru?"

Suì-Fēng slightly widened her eyes, and even Kaiser’s eyes flashed with a strange light.

Within Kaiser’s body, a Zanpakutō identical to the one in Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s hand — still in an unreleased state — suddenly vibrated violently.

The appearance of a power from the same root and origin triggered an intense reaction.

Hyōrinmaru, the strongest Ice/Snow-type Zanpakutō, whose original owner was Tōshirō Hitsugaya.

"Haahhh!"

Tōshirō Hitsugaya’s Reiatsu surged upward, exuding terrifying cold. The dragon of ice and water circling him roared and rushed downward toward Gin Ichimaru.

Facing this terrifying spectacle, Gin Ichimaru, like a tiny human facing an ice dragon, showed no fear on his face.

"Shoot to Kill..."

Gin Ichimaru pointed the tip of his Zanpakutō at the diving dragon and whispered softly.

"Shinsō!"

At once, Gin Ichimaru’s Zanpakutō was released.

"Clang!"

A flash of cold light shot forth from Gin Ichimaru’s hand, and his Zanpakutō extended at incredible speed, its blade tearing through the air, shooting toward the diving ice-and-water dragon.

Shinsō, Gin Ichimaru’s Zanpakutō — its ability was free extension and contraction, capable of extending the blade’s length dramatically, and upon release, it enhanced both attack speed and power, with a maximum length extending up to 100 times its original size.

The suddenly elongated blade turned into a flash of cold light, easily piercing through the diving ice-and-water dragon, shattering countless chunks of ice into fragments falling from the dragon’s body.

"Boom!"

The ice-and-water dragon exploded in midair, turning into countless shards of ice, scattering across the ground.

(End of this chapter)