I'm in Bleach, starting with Unlimited Blade Works.

"And what about you, Hinamori?"

"my words……"

Hinamori Momo tapped her chin with her index finger, looked up and thought for a moment before saying, "I don't know yet, but I feel that the Fifth Division did quite well in this assessment, and Lord Aizen has also come to the Shinigami Academy to teach us many times..."

"If it weren't for Lord Aizen, I think we might not have such insight."

"After all, many of the things that Lord Aizen said are things that the teachers at the academy don't teach."

"I'll take another look later. If there's a squad I like, I'll choose it first. If not, I've decided to go to the Fifth Squad."

"Ah? What a pity, none of the three of us chose the same squad."

Hearing Hinamori Momo and Kira Izuru's choices, Abarai Renji shook his head.

However, this was not unexpected for anyone.

Compared to failing the graduation exam and being assigned to the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, at least everyone is still in Seireitei. If they want to meet, they can make an appointment in advance and find time to get together.

This is already the best-case scenario.

"Rukia, what about you? Which squad will you choose?"

"Me?"

When Rukia saw Renji Abarai asking her a question, a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.

Based on my current situation, joining the Eleventh Division is actually the best option.

Because the Eleventh Division is a combat division, whether it's the members sparring with each other or frequently going on missions to fight Hollows, Rukia can gain a lot of help in gathering intelligence data on each of them.

However, when Byakuya sent Rukia to the Shinigami Academy today, Byakuya said something to Rukia.

"Rukia, when choosing a squad, I hope you will choose the 13th Squad, and for the time being, do not hold a position above the rank of Seat Officer."

With the ability to unleash her Zanpakuto, Rukia is a shoo-in for any squad, no matter which division she joins.

In fact, some squads might even offer their top ten officers as incentives to recruit Rukia.

Now, Rukia is feeling conflicted.

Should he choose to join the 11th Division like Renji Abarai, or listen to Byakuya-sama and join the 13th Division to become an ordinary Shinigami?

But why would Byakuya-sama make him do this?

Does Byakuya not realize that if he, as Erin-sensei's disciple, is not even a seat commander in a division, it would severely damage Erin-sensei's reputation?

Can't figure it out.

……

Like Toshiro Hitsugaya before her, Rukia's choice of a squad, as a disciple of Erin, the captain of the 11th Division, has also attracted much attention.

After all, even setting aside the fully-developed Byakuya Kuchiki, Gin Ichimaru, and Soi Fon, Toshiro Hitsugaya from a few years ago was already quite a surprise.

The appearance of Hyōrinmaru, the strongest Zanpakutō of the ice and snow type, has made everyone very optimistic about the future of Hitsugaya Toshirō.

Although this weapon's abilities are countered by Ryujin Jakka, aside from that, Hyōrinmaru and Ryujin Jakka are on the same level.

Given time, Toshiro Hitsugaya may well reach the level that Captain-Commander Yamamoto has reached.

Even if Rukia isn't as good as Toshiro Hitsugaya, she's not that much worse than the three mentioned above, right?

So, on the day of team selection, several captains made the rare appearance at the True Central Spiritual Arts Academy.

Besides Byakuya Kuchiki, Shunsui Kyoraku, and Jushiro Ukitake who arrived first, Soi Fon from the 2nd Division, Gin Ichimaru from the 3rd Division, and Isshin Shiba, the captain of the 10th Division, also came.

Soi Fon came because the overall strength of the Second Division is now considered to be lagging behind among the Gotei 13.

He was the only one with captain-level strength.

Back when Yoruichi was the captain of the Second Division, even excluding Erin who had already left the team, there was still Kisuke Urahara, a captain-level third seat, to provide backup.

Currently, she is the only one in the Second Division who can shoulder the main responsibility, and many missions require her to take action personally, which greatly delays her training time.

Through certain special channels, Soi Fon learned that Erin has a female disciple who is going to join the Gotei 13 this year, so she came today to try and see if she could invite her to join the 2nd Division.

As one of those who had received Erin's guidance, Soi Fon had no doubt about Erin's teaching abilities.

Soi Fon even believed that even a piece of rotten wood could be transformed into an exquisite and magnificent root carving under Erin's tutelage.

Therefore, as long as she uses the title of "Erin's disciple", Soi Fon has no idea that Rukia's future strength will not reach the captain level.

The reason why the captain of the 10th Division, Shiba Isshin, is that he has already tasted the sweetness of success.

With Toshiro Hitsugaya by his side, he felt much more at ease. If he could also recruit Captain Erin's other disciple into the 10th Division, Shiba Isshin felt that in a few decades, his 10th Division might become one of the top three divisions in the Gotei 13.

The Third Division Captain, Gin Ichimaru, arrived here, seemingly determined to win over his junior sister. However, through his narrowed eyes, one could see that his pupils were constantly fixed on the orange-haired figure.

Kyoraku Shunsui was perhaps the one with the most thoughts among these captains.

The more Kyoraku Shunsui investigated the mastermind hidden in the shadows of Seireitei, the more terrified he became.

Because, for over a hundred years, Kyoraku Shunsui hasn't even caught a glimpse of the mastermind behind it all.

There are only two explanations for this situation.

The first possibility is that they were deceived by Captain Erin and there was no mastermind behind it all.

The second possibility is that the person behind the scenes is far more terrifying than one imagines.

Even his own intelligence network may have been infiltrated by the enemy, which is why he hasn't found anything after all these years.

Over the years, Kyoraku Shunsui has faced immense pressure.

Fifth Division Captain Aizen Sousuke, Eleventh Division Captain Erin Kenpachi, which of you is the mastermind behind it all?

On Aizen Sousuke's side, Kyoraku Shunsui made no progress whatsoever.

According to Kyoraku Shunsui's investigation, Aizen was born in Rukongai and performed only moderately well at the Shinigami Academy.

After passing the graduation exam of Shin'o Spiritual Arts Academy, he was spotted by Hirako Shinji and highly valued by him. Hirako Shinji would take him with him wherever he went.

Chapter 224 Another Ten-Year War

Aizen Sousuke did not disappoint Hirako Shinji's expectations. In just a few years, he completed the creation of his Zanpakuto and the first stage of its release, becoming the vice-captain of the Fifth Division.

Kyoraku Shunsui's gaze lingered.

It seems that it was only after Aizen Sousuke announced the completion of the first stage of his Zanpakuto training that he began to gradually reveal his Zanpakuto abilities to other Shinigami and students of the Shinigami Academy.

And the Eleventh Division Captain Erin...

Even Kyoraku Shunsui couldn't see through it.

For the past few decades, he had kept a low profile, and Kyoraku Shunsui had no idea from Erin's behavior that Erin was any different from the lowest-ranking Grim Reapers.

Like Aizen Sousuke, Erin also rose to prominence suddenly.

However, Aizen Sousuke was directly promoted to the position of vice-captain by Hirako Shinji, while Erin defeated Ōmaeda Noriyuki in front of more than two hundred members, including the captain, and became the vice-captain of the Second Division.

Later, Erin met the eldest daughter of the Kuchiki family by chance. One night, while escorting the eldest daughter home, she encountered Kuchiki Ginrin and Hoshino Hibiki...

Finally, after resolving Hoshino Hibiki's rebellion, Erin successfully became the son-in-law of the Kuchiki family, and a year later, he even became the captain of the Sixth Division...

Aizen Sousuke, Erin...

Erin had told him that Aizen Sousuke was the mastermind behind the Seireitei.

Although Aizen Sousuke hadn't said anything to him, judging from his few actions, they were all aimed at Captain Erin, both openly and secretly.

Ironically, the clash between these two seemed to encompass the entire Seireitei.

Although both Captain Aizen and Captain Erin have been out of the spotlight for the past few decades, Kyoraku Shunsui doesn't believe that the two have truly made peace.

The current calm is most likely because both of them are preparing. Perhaps their next conflict will shock the entire Seireitei.

Perhaps, it's the kind of thing that even Mr. Yamamoto couldn't control.

During this period, Captain Aizen still visited the Shinigami Academy two or three times a year to answer questions for the new students and demonstrate the abilities of his Zanpakuto. Kyoraku Shunsui would also occasionally come here to meet with Aizen.

Captain Erin, however, rarely goes out unless Kyoraku Shunsui invites him for drinks; otherwise, he almost always stays at the Kuchiki house.

This prevented Kyoraku Shunsui from gaining a deeper understanding of Erin.

After all, even an intelligence unit couldn't possibly gather more intelligence from the mansion of a high-ranking nobleman.

Therefore, Kyoraku Shunsui could only learn more about Captain Erin indirectly through the people who had the most contact with him.

Rukia, I remember this girl, Shunsui Kyoraku.

First, there's this girl who looks almost exactly like Kuchiki Byakuya's wife, Kuchiki Hisa. According to Kyoraku Shunsui's investigation, Rukia is Kuchiki Hisa's younger sister.

Secondly, when Captain Erin took Rukia as his disciple, Shunsui Kyoraku was present and even witnessed the event.

Kyoraku Shunsui felt that he could perhaps learn more about Erin from Rukia.

Just then, his good friend Jushiro Ukitake said that Byakuya Kuchiki had contacted him and hoped that Jushiro would recruit Rukia into the 13th Division so that Rukia could become an ordinary Shinigami in the 13th Division.

Kyoraku Shunsui sensed that there must be some hidden story behind this.

Otherwise, given Erin's teaching abilities, Rukia couldn't possibly be just an ordinary Grim Reaper.

Even if Rukia isn't a genius like Toshiro Hitsugaya, six years of training should at least give her the strength of an elite Shinigami.

Perhaps in a few years, I will become a captain or deputy captain.

How could Byakuya Kuchiki only want to make someone like that an ordinary Shinigami?

Could it be that Byakuya Kuchiki sensed that Erin was trying to do something and was attempting to rebel against Erin by suppressing Rukia's growth?

So, having learned all this, Kyoraku Shunsui wanted to come see Rukia today.

Upon seeing Rukia, Kyoraku Shunsui became even more suspicious that there was a deeper secret involved.

Because Rukia's spiritual pressure is at the fifth level of spiritual power.

This spiritual pressure is among the top ten of all the seated officials.

If the Zanpakuto were stronger, becoming a vice-captain with a spiritual pressure of fifth-rank spiritual power wouldn't be difficult.

Moreover, Rukia is currently in her prime for growth. In just a few years, her spiritual pressure will rise to level four, making her a definite vice-captain.

How could Byakuya Kuchiki want someone like that to become just an "ordinary Shinigami"?

"We're still too weak..."