This made Yamamoto realize that certain "idle positions" were, in themselves, a resource that could be "traded."The position of Grand Kido Master had been vacant for decades.Within the Kidō Corps, they couldn't even nominate a decent Vice Grand Master of Kidō—capable and ambitious people simply weren't willing to go to a retirement institution that had neither a future nor any "perks."
Those who remained in the Kidō Corps were mostly mediocre individuals with decent talent but poor combat ability, just looking for a stable position. Leaving this position vacant for so long was a waste. Kyoraku Shunsui's suggestion came at the right time: instead of leaving it empty, why not "monetize" it! Award it as a special "honor" to a specific candidate, while attaching certain "conditions" (such as a generous "sponsorship").
This way, he could obtain a huge injection of funds to alleviate fiscal pressure, while also legitimately filling the leadership vacancy in the Kidō Corps and preventing the organization from becoming completely paralyzed.Moreover, this money was a "donation" or "sponsorship" to the Kidō Corps institution, not a personal bribe solicited by the Captain Commander; the nature was completely different, and it saved face. Yamamoto also didn't intend to distribute funding on a large scale anymore; under Kyoraku Shunsui's advice, he prepared to use a reward mechanism—divisions that performed well would continue to receive funding, while those that didn't would receive nothing.
This could also better mobilize the enthusiasm of the Squad Members in each division. This one-time income would also be enough to support the welfare expenses of the Seireitei for decades .
Hiroki's vigilance had not completely faded, but his thoughts immediately turned to an analysis of the pros and cons of taking over the Kidō Corps: Just as he had thought, another piece could be added to the power map of the Shihōin Clan. Although the Kidō Corps was weak in combat strength, its core technologies—Barriers, seals, space transfer, Kido research and development—had extremely high strategic value. Technology itself was a powerful force.
The scale of his subordinates was indeed expanding; having one more independent organization meant having one more location to legally place and cultivate special talent. Letting private soldiers with Kido talent enter the Kidō Corps to learn core knowledge, or "transforming" and absorbing the existing personnel of the Kidō Corps, were both viable paths.
The Barrier core of the Seireitei was maintained by the Kidō Corps; mastering it was equivalent to having an extra eye to monitor the entire Seireitei, which was crucial for guarding against other potential threats. He could conduct some less "orthodox" experiments under the banner of researching Kido and strengthening Barriers, using his official status as a cover Serving concurrently as the Captain of the 6th Division and the Grand Kido Master would make the power of the Shihōin Clan and himself appear too prominent, which might arouse suspicion and dissatisfaction from other nobles and some captains; he needed to act more cautiously.
The Kidō Corps was now a recognized mess; after taking it over, he would need to invest effort into reorganizing and rebuilding it, which might be a burden in the short term. Weighing the pros and cons, especially considering the value of the core technologies held by the Kidō Corps to his future plans, the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks. Moreover, this was almost an opportunity "delivered to his doorstep" by Yamamoto. Thinking of this, Hiroki's face once again revealed that habitual, slightly lazy, and confident smile, and he bowed slightly:
"Captain Commander, you have given this deep thought. Since you trust me and believe that I have the ability to shoulder this important responsibility, then I have no issue with taking on the position of acting Grand Kido Master."
"Hmm."
Upon hearing Hiroki's affirmative reply, Yamamoto's serious face seemed to show an extremely subtle relaxation, but he only responded with a sound, his gaze still burning as he stared at Hiroki.
Hiroki maintained a polite smile, waiting for what came next. However, Yamamoto did not speak again. Time passed second by second in silence. Hiroki discovered that Yamamoto's fiery gaze not only did not move away, but instead became even more... intense? Even carrying a sense of... expectation? Hiroki felt a little creeped out by Yamamoto's abnormal, oppressive gaze. Everything was fine when they were talking about the appointment just now, so why did it suddenly enter this weird pantomime mode?
"This...?"
Hiroki spoke tentatively, breaking the silence, "Captain Commander, regarding the acting arrangements, are there any specific protocols that need to be discussed? Or, do you have any instructions for the future development of the Kidō Corps?"
"Hmm?"
Yamamoto uttered a single syllable, his brows seeming to furrow imperceptibly, the look of "expectation" in his eyes becoming even stronger, yet he remained silent.That gaze seemed to be saying:
"You know! Hurry up and bring it up yourself!"
How could he, the Captain Commander, bring himself to ask for money? Did he not care about his reputation as the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years!Yamamoto's inner embarrassment and his insistence on maintaining his final shred of dignity were vividly displayed at this moment. The doubt in Hiroki's heart rolled larger and larger like a snowball. Old Man Yama's reaction was too strange; it completely didn't fit his decisive and uncompromising personality.
Hiroki's brain operated at high speed again, combining all the previous clues—Yamamoto's abnormal appointment, the current state of the Kidō Corps, and especially most importantly. The empty treasury of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and his own operation of "buying" the position of Captain of the 6th Division back then. An absurd yet incredibly logical answer exploded in his mind!Hiroki almost couldn't keep his expression straight, and a feeling of being torn between laughter and tears surged in his heart.
So Old Man Yama went through such a huge circle, the appointment was just a cover, his real purpose was waiting here!He recalled the donation he had given to get the position of Captain of the 6th Division, and the report collected by the Second Division regarding the financial distress of the Captain Commander's office; everything suddenly became clear.Hiroki suppressed the urge to laugh, deliberately revealing an expression of sudden realization mixed with a bit of uncertainty, and asked cautiously and tentatively:
"Um... Captain Commander? Could it be... regarding the reconstruction and future development of the Kidō Corps... are there any considerations regarding funding?"
He paused, observing Yamamoto's reaction, and then added the most crucial sentence:
"Do you need... me to, in my personal name or in the name of the clan, donate... um, a sum of funding to the division, to show support for the cause of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads?"
As soon as Hiroki finished speaking, it was as if an invisible shackle had been undone.
On Yamamoto-Genryūsai Shigekuni's eternally serious face, the tense lines relaxed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and that scorching, pressing gaze instantly withdrew its "expectation," returning to a deep, calm, and serene look.He even nodded imperceptibly, as if he had unloaded a thousand-pound burden, and responded clearly and forcefully in an extremely satisfied and extremely comfortable tone:
"Hmm!"
This "Hmm!" was loud, crisp, and full of a sense of relief, forming a sharp contrast with his previous conflicted silence.
The last shred of doubt in Hiroki's heart vanished, replaced by an almost absurd sense of confirmation:
"So you really were just after money???"