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Fate In Bleach (326)
🕑 Added 2024-10-24 17:00:04 +0000 UTCChapter 326 - Refusal
“Very well.”
The captains couldn’t refute Ailin’s words. However, this left them with only two captain candidates.
They looked towards Head-Captain Yamamoto.
They believed that, no matter what the problem, Yamamoto would have a solution.
He had earned their trust over a thousand years.
As expected, Yamamoto didn’t disappoint them.
“Excellent. Ukitake, inform Lieutenant Shiba and Third Seat Kuchiki to prepare for the captain’s exam. Once they pass, they will immediately assume their positions.”
“Yes, Head-Captain.”
Ukitake bowed to Yamamoto and left the meeting chamber. He headed towards the First Division’s waiting room.
He had brought Kaien and Rukia with him when he came to the meeting.
Now, all he had to do was inform them and have them prepare for the exam.
“Captains, Sōsuke Aizen has betrayed the Seireitei and fled to Hueco Mundo. Based on his parting words, we know that war between the Seireitei and Hueco Mundo is inevitable.
To better prepare for Hueco Mundo’s attack, I intend to recall a legion commander from the Expeditionary Force to serve as a captain of the Gotei 13.”
“Do you have any objections?”
“Oh? A legion commander from the Expeditionary Force?”
Shunsui Kyoraku stroked his chin and nodded.
“I agree with this proposal. Besides Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen, our enemies will be the Menos Grande of Hueco Mundo.
Having a legion commander from the Expeditionary Force will undoubtedly give us a better understanding of them.”
“This will prevent us from being caught off guard.”
The captains agreed with Shunsui’s assessment.
Typically, the captains of the Gotei 13 had an overwhelming advantage against the Hollows of Hueco Mundo.
In terms of spiritual pressure, Gillian possessed captain-level reiatsu.
Adjuchas possessed the reiatsu of a “century captain.”
Vasto Lorde even possessed the reiatsu of a Shinigami who had reached their limits.
However, because Shinigami possessed the four combat skills—swordsmanship, Shunpo, Kidō, and Hakuda—and their cheat-like weapons, Zanpakutō, they could overcome the difference in spiritual pressure.
Seated officers and lieutenants could kill Gillian.
Captains could easily kill Adjuchas.
Even Vasto Lorde, despite their superior spiritual pressure, weren't a match for century captains.
It could be said that the Gotei 13’s strength was on a higher level than Hueco Mundo’s.
The only Hollow who had surpassed Vasto Lorde, the ancient Hollow King, had been defeated by Ichibei Hyōsube after attempting to devour the Soul King and invade the Soul King Palace. He was then transformed into a Zanpakutō.
Of course, this was before Aizen’s arrival in Hueco Mundo.
With the Hōgyoku, which could grant Hollows Shinigami powers, in Aizen’s possession, who knew what kind of terrifying creatures he might create?
Therefore, having a legion commander from the Expeditionary Force, who was familiar with Hueco Mundo’s Hollows, was undoubtedly beneficial.
“I have no objections.”
“I agree.”
“No objections here.”
With the captains’ approval, the Third Division captain candidate was decided. It would be one of the legion commanders from the Expeditionary Force.
To become a legion commander, one’s strength had to have reached captain-level.
Otherwise, the Shinigami of the Expeditionary Force wouldn’t obey them.
And the Third Division was the support unit. The captains didn’t believe that a legion commander, who could manage an entire legion, would be incapable of handling the Third Division’s duties.
Thus, the three vacant captain positions had been filled.
However, things didn't always go as planned.
…
“What? Kaien, do you even realize what you’re saying?”
Ukitake stared at Kaien Shiba in disbelief within the First Division’s waiting room.
The other lieutenants present were also dumbfounded.
If they hadn’t heard Kaien repeat his words, they would have assumed they were hallucinating.
“Lieutenant Shiba…”
Rukia looked at Kaien, her eyes filled with confusion. “Lieutenant Shiba, even if you don’t want to be a captain, you can still remain as the lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division… Why would you choose to retire?”
Indeed.
Ukitake had just entered the waiting room and informed them that he had nominated Kaien and Rukia for the Fifth and Ninth Division captaincies, respectively.
To everyone’s shock, not only did Kaien refuse the nomination, but he also requested to retire from the Gotei 13.
Since the Gotei 13’s establishment, few Shinigami chose to retire in their prime.
Most retired only after their strength declined with age, making them unable to keep up with the younger generation.
Being a Shinigami was a dangerous profession.
Many fought until death, unwilling to retire.
In all these years, Kaien Shiba was the only one who, having become a lieutenant at a young age and even nominated for captaincy, chose to retire.
Ginjirō Shirogane, the former lieutenant of the Sixth Division, had also retired at a young age. However, that was because he had reached his limits.
Lieutenant was his peak.
Instead of being surpassed by his juniors and becoming a stepping stone for them, he had chosen to retire at his peak, leaving behind a good reputation.
“Captain Ukitake, Rukia…”
A warm smile appeared on Kaien’s face.
Both Ukitake and Rukia were stunned.
How many years had it been since they had seen such a smile on his face?
Ever since Miyako’s death, it seemed that he had never smiled.
He had become a shadow of his former self.
However, seeing that smile again, both Ukitake and Rukia had a sudden realization.
The burden in Kaien’s heart had lifted.
“Captain Ukitake, Rukia, I assume you both know about the Shiba Clan’s situation.”
A flicker of hesitation crossed Ukitake’s face, but he nodded.
Rukia, however, didn’t think much of it. “Yes, Teacher Ailin told me that the Shiba Clan was one of the five great noble families.
Moreover, he said that, among the five great noble families, only the Shiba Clan was truly worthy of the title “Great Noble. The other four families, even the Kuchiki Clan, are nothing but a group of villains.”
“What?!”
Rukia’s words were like a bomb exploding in the waiting room.
The lieutenants stared at her in shock. They couldn’t believe that such words, which practically insulted the entire Seireitei’s nobles, had come from her mouth.
Of course, they knew that she was simply repeating what Ailin had said. But it also meant that she agreed with Ailin. Otherwise, with Rukia’s personality, she wouldn’t have said such a thing in this situation.
“Lieutenant Shiba is from a great noble family? I’ve never heard of that. Did Captain Ailin make a mistake?”
“I don’t know about the other families, but I think the Kuchiki Clan and the Shihōin Clan are quite good. Why would Captain Ailin call them villains?”
“Lieutenant Ōmaeda, please be careful with your words!”
Sasakibe hurriedly pulled Marechiyo Ōmaeda back down.
As Yamamoto’s right-hand man, he knew more than Ōmaeda.
However, even so, Sasakibe didn't dare speak carelessly about the noble families.
The four great noble families had ruled the Soul Society for millions of years. Their rules were deeply ingrained in everyone’s hearts.
Even though most of the nobles had been slaughtered, those rules wouldn't disappear overnight.
They, the Shinigami who had lived under noble rule, were the last vestiges of those rules.
The next generation of Shinigami would grow up in the era of the Gotei 13. When they came of age, the “noble era” would truly come to an end.
But for now, while the Gotei 13 was powerful, if the Shihōin and Kuchiki Clans weren’t willing to accept their fate, they could rally the remaining eleven noble families and carve out a territory for themselves within the Seireitei.
However, Shunsui didn’t believe that they would be so shortsighted.
Based on the current situation, Captain Ailin had made his intentions clear. He was going to bury the noble era.
If the nobles didn’t accept a peaceful retreat, Ailin would force them to retreat.
The thirty-five eradicated noble families served as a warning.
And that was just Rukia Kuchiki, Ailin’s disciple.
If Ailin himself took action, perhaps only one or two noble families would remain.
Head-Captain Yamamoto’s stance had never changed.
The Gotei 13 protected the Seireitei.
As long as the Seireitei was safe, Yamamoto wouldn’t interfere with their internal power struggles.
The Gotei 13’s joint rule with the Central 46 was Yamamoto’s compromise with the nobles.
Similarly, to maintain the Seireitei’s stability, he wouldn't oppose Ailin this time.
After all, Ailin’s actions hadn't caused any chaos.
In fact, without the nobles’ oppression, the Seireitei’s atmosphere had improved.
This was a good thing, even in Yamamoto’s eyes.
“Indeed, besides the Shiba Clan, the other nobles are villains.”
Hearing Rukia repeat Ailin’s assessment of the Shiba Clan, Kaien felt a sense of relief.
The Shiba Clan had suffered for too long!
For millions of years, they had protected a secret, carrying the burden of the four great noble families’ evil, wanting to expose the truth, but fearing the chaos it would bring.
And the other four families, to prevent the truth from being revealed, had persecuted the Shiba Clan.
But even so, for the sake of the world’s stability, the Shiba Clan hadn’t revealed anything.
They simply passed down the knowledge, allowing their descendants to decide.
Now, someone truly understood them. This made Kaien feel that the Shiba Clan’s sacrifices over millions of years hadn’t been in vain.
However, the Shiba Clan’s purpose seemed to be coming to an end.
Following Rukia’s lead, Kaien had also participated in the nobles’ slaughter.
The eradication of thirty-five noble families made Kaien realize Ailin’s true intentions.
He had indeed wanted Rukia to seek revenge.
But he had also wanted to end the noble era.
The end of the noble era meant that the secret the Shiba Clan had protected would become meaningless.
Even if they revealed the truth about the four great noble families’ betrayal of the Soul King, it wouldn’t change anything.
The nobles were already falling. Their punishment wouldn’t be any worse.
Perhaps, in a few centuries, the “Five Great Noble Families” would simply become a historical term.
“Captain Ukitake, RukiaI… I was the previous head of the Shiba Clan…
When my father told me about the secret the Shiba Clan protected, and the reason for our existence, I always wondered how I could protect my family, preventing them from suffering the same fate as our ancestors.
One day, I met Captain Ailin. He told me that strength was essential for protecting those you cared about. Under his guidance, I came to the Seireitei and became a Shinigami.
Sadly, the Seireitei’s peaceful life made me complacent. I neglected my training. And when the time came, I couldn't protect Miyako…”
Kaien’s voice lowered.
Ukitake and Rukia remained silent.
None of them had expected that the nobles, after learning that Kaien was the current head of the Shiba Clan, would take such drastic actions.
If Rukia hadn’t visited the Shiba Clan that day, perhaps the Shiba Clan would have truly been eradicated.
