"Teacher, the yoriichi has already gone in."
Just as the Forty-Six Chambers experienced another intrusion, Kyōraku Shunsui hurried to Yamamoto Genryusai, his expression complex.
His face was filled with worry:
"Although I know this wasn't your arrangement, will the yoriichi really not get into trouble by doing this?"
"What if, unlike you, he become the Captain-Commander who resigns the fastest in history?"
It was no wonder Kyōraku Shunsui thought this way; from any angle, this was a provocation to the Forty-Six Chambers.
Although, the purpose of the provocation was to save Yamamoto Genryusai.
It was also because Yoriichi was a noble and had his name listed in the Forty-Six Chambers that his intrusion could barely be attributed to an internal dispute.
Otherwise, Kyōraku Shunsui truly couldn't imagine the consequences of such a reckless act.
For this, he sighed softly:
"Honestly, it's a good thing you chose Yoriichi back then and not me. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't dare to do something like this."
"He's too bold."
This had little to do with boldness; it was mainly backed by strength…
Yamamoto Genryusai slightly raised his eyes, glanced at Kyōraku Shunsui indifferently, his tone unruffled:
"You do have self-awareness, but it wasn't this old man who chose him, but that group of wise men who chose him."
"But in reality, even if the wise men didn't choose him, this old man would have. That's also why this old man risked publicizing those matters before retirement."
Yamamoto Genryusai lowered his brows, his cane gently tapping the ground. He paused, then continued,
"As for being removed from the Captain-Commander position, he won't be. Although they are arrogant, they also know their limits. To be frank, they are too weak."
"Weak here doesn't mean weak in terms of strength, but weak in terms of connections, status, and influence."
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni has good relationships with the three clan heads. Leaving the Shiba Family aside for now, the Kucihki and Shihouin will stand by him no matter what."
"And those wise men are merely elders, subject to the clan heads, and can be replaced at any time."
"Precisely because of this, in terms of numbers, those wise men who attempted to remove Yoriichi Tsugikuni from his Captain-Commander position were destined to fail from the start."
Yamamoto Genryusai had lived for so many years; he saw things more clearly and thoroughly than anyone else.
As long as Yoriichi Tsugikuni didn't age, as long as his strength didn't decline, then those wise men would absolutely not be able to provoke him.
Deprive him of his noble status?
This was not an easy matter; it required a decision from the Gold Seal Noble Council.
And the Gold Seal Noble Council, in the end, was a meeting where the Five Great Noble Families gathered.
Since the Five Great Noble Families were all participating, the situation was clear at a glance.
Even if Tsunayashiro wanted to retaliate against Yoriichi Tsugikuni, how could a single family contend against the other four?
One must know that the Kucihki Clan and the Tsugikuni Clan were closely connected, and the Shihouin Clan also intended to form an alliance…
The Shiba Clan, they never easily declared their stance, because no matter which side they leaned towards, they would offend the other side, and the last noble family was the same.
In that case, what was there to worry about?
These thoughts flashed through Yamamoto Genryusai's mind one by one.
He slowly stood up, walked to the window, his back to Kyōraku Shunsui, and his calm voice resonated again:
"Alright, Kyōraku, if there's nothing, you can leave first. You don't need to worry about this matter."
"If nothing unexpected happens, in a few days, the Forty-Six Chambers will undergo another major reshuffle."
"We just need to quietly wait for the show to begin."
He slightly turned his head, suddenly remembering an important matter, and added,
"Don't forget to inform Ukitake about this, and tell him to calm down. That boy is too naive. What if he goes to plead with the Forty-Six Chambers…?"
"Those old fellows in the Forty-Six Chambers might not do anything to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, but they are ruthless when it comes to other Shinigami."
Kyōraku Shunsui's expression grew even more complex.
Although he could also infer some situations through his own thoughts, compared to Yamamoto Genryusai, his understanding was not deep enough.
Hearing Yamamoto Genryusai's words now, he could only nod helplessly in response, then turned and left, preparing to inform Ukitake about this.
However, as he left, a doubt quietly arose in his heart.
Why was it that both of them broke into the Forty-Six Chambers, yet their outcomes were completely different?
Yamamoto Genryusai also possessed strength, yet this strength brought him deep apprehension, unlike Yoriichi Tsugikuni…
Was it really because of connections?
He couldn't compare.
… …
"Bastard!"
"You…"
"I…"
Amidst a cacophony of angry arguments, Yoriichi Tsugikuni calmly left the Forty-Six Chambers.
Behind him were the wise men who were cursing him, but Yoriichi paid them no mind at all.
Just empty words.
They were enraged because their attempt to issue a warrant for Yamamoto Genryusai failed.
Their previous friendliness? It was nothing but a pretense. For them, acting was already second nature.
As he walked, a lithe, dark-skinned figure suddenly appeared on the path ahead.
Upon closer inspection, it was Yoruichi Shihouin.
Yoruichi stepped forward, hearing the faint shouts coming from behind Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Seeing a wanted poster in Yoriichi's hand, her expression shifted slightly.
She grinned, revealing a pair of sharp fangs, her smile carrying a subtle hint:
"Well, well, Yoriichi… no, Captain-Commander."
"I never thought you would break into the Forty-Six Chambers on your first day in office and teach those wise men a lesson."
"How does it feel to wield great power?"
"Average." Yoriichi's eyes were calm. He stopped and quietly looked at Yoruichi Shihouin.
"Are you here to dissuade me? To stand up for your Shihouin Clan elders?"
"No, of course not. What kind of person do you take me for?"
Yoruichi quickly waved her hand in denial. She walked nimbly to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's side, still wearing that meaningful smile on her face,
"I just find it interesting, that's all. Elders? We can just replace them later."
"You are the ally I most want to befriend. In my opinion, the value of a dozen elders combined is far less than yours alone."
"Speaking of which, how old is Miss Ai this year?"
"Why are you asking that?" Yoriichi frowned slightly, a strange feeling rising in his heart, as if he had seen this scene before.
Before he could guess Yoruichi Shihouin's purpose,
Yoruichi answered frankly: "Nothing, just asking. Do you remember my younger brother? Yushiro Shihouin."
"Because the clan head is usually male, I'm an exception, so I plan to pass the position of clan head to him when he comes of age."
"Miss Ai will also come of age in a few decades, you see…"
"…"
Yoriichi was silent. At first, he thought Yoruichi Shihouin was here to cause him trouble.
Turns out, after all that circling, she was actually here to arrange a marriage between the two families.
He had seen Shiro… not as a child, but Shiro had grown up now, but how to put it.
In appearance, he looked very delicate, somewhat similar to Yoruichi.
However, Yoruichi was a girl, and a girl with that physique could be considered heroic, but on a boy…
Yoriichi Tsugikuni slowly exhaled, subconsciously rubbing his brow, looking at Yoruichi Shihouin with a helpless expression:
"Yoruichi, are you serious?"
"My brother, if I remember correctly, used to cry easily, didn't he? Do you really think the two of them are suitable?"
"You know Ai's personality too, lively and impulsive, completely opposite to Shiro…"
"It's precisely because I know that I came to you." Yoruichi Shihouin listened to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's evaluation of the two, shrugging indifferently,
"So what if he cries? That's precisely a manifestation of his sensitivity. I will teach him step by step to become strong and a qualified clan head."
"Furthermore, don't you think their personalities are very complementary? They might just be a bickering couple."
"I know you don't think highly of Shiro, believing that someone like Kuchiki Byakuya would be a good husband, but you also know Byakuya's personality when he was a child."
"If he can change, why can't Shiro change?"
Yoriichi couldn't refute this. It was true; one had to admit that people do change.
Comparing Byakuya as a child to now, he was practically a different person.
Yoriichi sighed: "Alright, you're right. I'll tentatively believe that Shiro will become strong in the future."
"But that's something for the future, isn't it? Are you telling me all this now, does Shiro know?"
"Of course he knows." Yoruichi Shihouin put her hands on her hips, her tone as if it were a given.
However, a completely different thought flashed through her mind.
—Actually, he doesn't know.
Shiro was too shy. If he knew his sister was working hard for his future major life event, he would definitely cry and beg her not to interfere.
It was too embarrassing.
But Yoruichi felt that this was something she, as an older sister, had to do.
Rather than waiting for her to tell Shiro these things and have Shiro make the first move, it was better to greet Yoriichi Tsugikuni first.
After all, parental consent and matchmaker's words.
No matter how times evolved, even in modern times, parents' opinions still had a crucial influence on their children's marriages.
Once the parents on both sides were handled, all subsequent matters would proceed much more smoothly.
Yoriichi saw through her lie by observing Yoruichi Shihouin's breathing, but he chose not to expose it.
Regarding Ai's future plans, he hadn't fully prepared yet, as it was still too early for that day.
However, since someone was willing to promise to treat her well, it wouldn't hurt to observe for a while.
Yoriichi was still confident in Shiro's character.
Thoughts flashed through his mind, and Yoriichi Tsugikuni nodded:
"I see, I understand. Since this is Shiro's idea, then let him be."
"But there's one thing I want to remind you, Yoruichi. I know you want to bring them together, but if it's not suitable, it's best not to force it."
He paused slightly, "When do you plan for their first meeting?"
"No rush for that." Yoruichi Shihouin gently shook her head, her expression becoming serious,
"The development of any relationship must stem from the first contact, so the first impression is often extremely important. It's still far from that time."
"I'm just discussing it with you."
"Next, let's deal with the Forty-Six Chambers' matters first. We can't put the cart before the horse…"
At this point, as if remembering something, Yoruichi Shihouin sighed with genuine emotion,
"It's truly wonderful to meet such an open-minded father like you."
With that, she gently patted Yoriichi Tsugikuni's shoulder and left with a graceful stride.
Then, he straightened his face and walked towards the Forty-Six Chambers, beginning to exercise his rights as the Family Head.
…
The reprimands of the sages quickly ceased, replaced by the reprimands of Yoruichi Shihouin.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni slightly raised his head and gently shook it; a faint hint of helplessness now appeared on his normally calm face.
Just hearing that voice, he could imagine the Shihoin Clan sages cowering.
Although as a Shinigami and Captain, he theoretically shouldn't interfere with internal affairs, those words were nothing more than empty talk.
The Family Head's power was the greatest.
He glanced, gradually collecting his thoughts, and Yoriichi quickened his pace, moving swiftly forward.
Not long after, he encountered Kuchiki Byakuya again.
At this time, Byakuya was wearing a Captain's haori, his movements efficient, his identity clear and unambiguous.
Upon seeing Yoriichi's appearance, his usually stern eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.
Immediately after, their gazes met in the air.
"Bro…"
Kuchiki Byakuya's lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
But the next second, Yoriichi preemptively cut him off:
"No need for formalities, Byakuya, I know why you're here."
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"It's those sages who are in trouble. I just met Yoruichi."
Kuchiki Byakuya stopped speaking, thought for two seconds, and instantly understood the unspoken meaning in Yoriichi's words.
He slightly narrowed his eyes, looking in the direction of the Forty-Six Chambers.
Yoruichi Shihouin was there too?
The news was timely.
He had come so quickly because Hisana urged him.
By his calculation, it had only been the third minute since Yoriichi Tsugikuni broke into the Forty-Six Chambers.
He didn't expect Yoruichi Shihouin's actions to be even faster than his…
Lowering his gaze slightly, Kuchiki Byakuya gently exhaled.
He didn't really care about his thoughts regarding Yoruichi Shihouin.
He just thought that the two of them might become relatives in the future, which was why his thoughts had wandered so much…
"I understand, Captain-Commander."
When working, one must use titles to avoid being caught by others.
Kuchiki Byakuya came back to his senses, nodded slightly to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and after a gesture, passed him and walked towards the Forty-Six Chambers.
Yoriichi slightly turned his head, gazing at his receding back.
Although he couldn't see the exact scene that would unfold, he knew that another storm would erupt within the Forty-Six Chambers.
"A time of trouble," he sighed softly, then disappeared from where he stood.
…
"Renji, from now on, this will be your office."
Yoriichi Tsugikuni returned to the 1st Division, knowing that the cleanup work would be handled by the Shihouin and Kucihki Clans.
Feeling relaxed, he led Abarai Renji, who was standing outside, looking dazed and seemingly unable to believe the current situation, inside.
Abarai Renji looked at the spacious room before him and couldn't help but feel as if he was dreaming.
Being promoted to the 1st Division was one thing, but to even have a private office—this was a privilege only some high-ranking Seat Officers enjoyed!
For a Shinigami like him, who had only graduated a little over ten years ago, it was like a new employee at a company being directly sent to headquarters as a manager after their probation period.
Was he about to reach the pinnacle of his life?
His heart was pounding with extreme excitement, as if he had met his adoptive parents, beating so wildly it felt like it would burst through his chest.
Renji quickly looked at Yoriichi, leaning forward and bowing deeply:
"Thank you very much, Captain-Commander, for giving me this opportunity. I will definitely not let you down!"
After a slight pause, he asked, "What do I need to do next, please?"
Renji knew in his heart that with his qualifications and talent, it was absolutely impossible for him to have gotten this opportunity.
It could only have been influenced by someone else, like Rukia.
Therefore, to not disappoint her and to not lower his score in Yoriichi Tsugikuni's eyes, he had to perform well.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni looked at the expressions on Renji's face and felt a little relieved.
He nodded, picked up a document from the desk, and handed it to Renji.
"Let's start here. This is an analysis of the Shikai abilities currently mastered by all Shinigami within the Seireitei."
"I need you to reorganize it, categorize it, and also find the weakness of each Shikai."
"I'll give you one week. Can you do it?"
Actually, this job should have been given to Chōjirō Sasakibe because it involved some confidential matters.
If some ill-intentioned Shinigami found out, it would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar and lead to panic among some Shinigami.
But then he thought, Renji wasn't that kind of Shinigami, and there was no other work in the current 1st Division that could better prove his work ability than this.
He could grow and gain knowledge.
In the future, although Renji would not be able to disclose the work content due to confidentiality, he would still feel proud when he thought about it.
Boys… in their eyes, pride is more important than anything else, and over time, their self-confidence will gradually recover.
Sure enough, the moment Renji heard about his work content, his eyes visibly lit up.
He took a deep breath, as if an invisible burden had been placed on his shoulders, but he felt no heaviness at all, only full of drive.
This was truly an extraordinary job.
Renji clenched his fists, the muscles on his arms bulging slightly, and he responded loudly:
"I guarantee it, thank you, Captain-Commander, for your guidance!"
Actually, this wasn't really guidance; it was just giving him someone else's work. This child…
Yoriichi Tsugikuni sighed imperceptibly. He reached out and patted Renji's shoulder, encouraging him:
"Mm, it's good to have confidence. Keep it up, I have high hopes for you."
Once Renji completed this task, mastering a large amount of information, and then learned Bankai, becoming a Captain would be easy.
This was not only a test of his work ability but also a test of his learning ability.
Renji listened to the encouragement, his motivation growing even stronger. He was already eager to start working.
Yoriichi didn't delay him either; after giving instructions, he left the office.
However, as soon as he stepped out, Rukia arrived.
…
"So, you want to ask if the reason I transferred Renji to the 1st Division was because of you?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni crossed his arms over his chest.
He sat in the office chair, looking calmly at Rukia, who had her lips slightly pursed in front of him, and nodded in response,
"I can tell you responsibly, yes."
"Of course, it wasn't entirely because of you; his teacher was also one of the reasons."
"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have noticed Renji."
Hearing Yoriichi Tsugikuni's answer, some of the confusion in Rukia's heart was resolved.
She wanted to ask more, hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and slightly raised her eyes:
"Then… Brother, does Renji like me?"
She knew this question was a bit embarrassing, so she deliberately lowered her voice so that only the two of them could hear it.
Since she knew Renji entered the 1st Division because of her, then one thing was obvious.
What kind of relationship did she and Renji have that made Yoriichi treat Renji this way?
Rukia already had the answer in her heart, but she found it a bit hard to believe.
After all… she considered herself to have no charm.
When she was in school, Kuchiki Byakuya drove away all those ill-intentioned guys around Hisana.
As a result, she didn't even have a suitor around her.
And her work was all in the Human World, where the Shinigami she could see were few and far between.
Yoriichi shook his head, interlaced his fingers on the desk, and looked at Rukia with gentle eyes:
"The answer to that question is something you need to discover for yourself."
"If you dislike him, I won't immediately revoke his position either."
"After all, ability is what matters most."
Rukia fell into thought. She tightly clutched the hem of her clothes, her heart a mix of emotions, unsure how to continue speaking.
Dislike? Not really, but to say she liked him…
What did liking feel like?
She couldn't figure it out.
No way.
Ultimately, she could only stand up and bid farewell, preparing to go back and think carefully…
Meanwhile, Abarai Renji was completely unaware of what was happening here.
He was completely engrossed in his work, unable to extricate himself, concentrating on acquiring knowledge about Shikai.
Days passed, and Renji grew day by day.
Rukia never gave her answer, and Yoriichi, seeing this, temporarily put the matter out of his mind.
Rukia was twenty years younger than Hisana, so she didn't need to rush to answer her inner feelings.
Important life decisions still needed to be treated with caution.
…
One day.
In a courtyard where wisps of smoke curled upwards.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Yamamoto Genryusai sat cross-legged, with a katana wreathed in flames before them.
The flames on the katana flickered, sometimes large, sometimes small, and obvious heat radiated from within, slightly distorting the surrounding space.
And beneath it were some freshly roasted sweet potatoes, emitting an enticing aroma.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni took a sweet potato from Yamamoto Genryusai's hand and spoke, seemingly casually but intentionally:
"Teacher, I heard something from Kisuke recently, and I wonder if I misheard."
"Are you planning to use the Hōgyoku to perform Hollowfication?"
"Actually, you don't have to be so risky."
"Even if Yhwach revives, I am confident I can suppress him in hell."
Sizzle—the other sweet potatoes, reddened by Ryujin Jakka, made sounds of water evaporating, as if adding a unique ambiance to the conversation.
Yamamoto Genryusai peeled a sweet potato and looked faintly at Yoriichi Tsugikuni:
"Are you saying this old man can't even defeat a Hollow?"
"This old man isn't so old that he can't even swing a sword. This is just in case."
"Furthermore," he lowered his gaze slightly, his expression becoming a little serious: "This has nothing to do with being risky or not."
"A thousand years ago, it was because of my momentary carelessness that I let Yhwach go, which led to the current situation."
"A thousand years later, it is only right that I should be the one to end this incident."
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, you don't need to worry too much about this old man."
How could he not worry? One had to know that Yamamoto Genryusai's stamina was not what it used to be.
And during Hollowfication, the other Hollow within his body would undoubtedly possess all of Yamamoto Genryusai's techniques and his full stamina from his peak.
Yoriichi found it difficult to imagine how the battle would unfold.