Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

Just then, a familiar spiritual pressure appeared at the entrance to the courtyard.

Everyone looked in the direction of the spiritual pressure and were slightly taken aback.

There stood the First Division Vice-Captain, Chojiro Sasakibe, standing there meticulously.

He was still wearing his impeccably tailored shihaka and haori, his mustache was neatly trimmed, and his expression remained eternally solemn and businesslike.

His presence itself represented the will of the Captain-Commander and the First Division, which was out of place at this private gathering of young officers.

"The vice-captain of the Sparrow Division?" Hisagi Shuhei was the first to react. As the vice-captain of the Ninth Division, he was most sensitive to the appearance of this assistant to the Captain-Commander. He immediately stepped forward and greeted him politely.

The others, including the worried Hinamori Momo, quickly composed themselves and stood up straight.

Chojiro Sasakibara's gaze swept steadily over everyone present, lingering briefly on Yanagawa, before he announced in a clear and unwavering voice:

"By order of the Commander-in-Chief."

"Regarding the matter of the 'Twin Zanpakuto Hyōrinmaru' of Hitsugaya Tōshirō and Kusakabe Sōjirō of the Shinigami Academy, the Captain-Commander has decided to immediately convene an emergency meeting of the Gotei 13 captains. In addition to the captains of each division, who are required to attend."

"The Captain-General specifically requested that Yanagawa of the Kido sect also attend this meeting."

"What?!"

"Yanagawa? Captains' meeting?!"

"this……"

As soon as he finished speaking, Renji Abarai's eyes widened suddenly, and he almost cried out in surprise, but he managed to hold it back, his face filled with disbelief.

Captains' Meeting! That's the highest-level decision-making meeting of the Gotei 13. Only the captains of each squad are qualified to attend, while the vice-captains can usually only wait outside or take notes as ordered.

A member of the Ghost Path Clan was actually selected by the Captain-Commander to attend an event? This is simply unheard of!

Is it because Yanagawa just defeated Renji and his displayed strength caught the attention of the Captain-Commander?

No, the captains' meeting discussed the "Souhyōrinmaru" incident, which concerns the fundamental rules and future direction of Soul Society, and is by no means as simple as ordinary recognition of strength.

Countless thoughts flashed through everyone's minds as they looked at Liu Chuan with suspicion and uncertainty. What special qualities did this group of students possess that they were unaware of?

Yanagawa himself felt a slight chill. Captain-Commander Yamamoto's order came both suddenly and to some extent as expected.

Sparrow said no more, turned around, and gestured for Yanagawa to follow.

The two figures quickly disappeared outside the courtyard.

The five people left behind looked at each other in silence for a long time.

"Hey... what is this...?" Renji scratched his hair, looking completely confused.

Renji suddenly recalled, "Speaking of which, Yanagawa went to the First Division yesterday. It seems that something really happened to him."

"Captain's meeting... Yanagawa-kun..." Hinamori Momo murmured, her fingers unconsciously twisting together again.

Kira Izuru frowned deeply: "This matter is definitely not simple. Yanagawa, he..."

Hisagi Shuhei said in a deep voice, "It's pointless for us to speculate on the Commander-in-Chief's orders. Let's all return to our units first. We'll let each other know if there's any news."

As the vice-captain, he was the first to calm down.

Rukia Kuchiki gazed in the direction Yanagawa had left and murmured, "Yanagawa-kun... always seems to surprise us."

She recalled the classmate from her time at the Central Academy of Drama who had excellent grades but always seemed somewhat aloof, and also his calmness when analyzing the situation earlier, and his nonchalant attitude when he was personally called out by the Captain-Commander.

There seemed to be a layer of mystery surrounding this person that she had never truly seen through.

Renji Abarai paced back and forth a couple of times, then suddenly stopped:

"What's the point of discussing this here! It's a captain's meeting! The Hitsugaya matter, and that guy Yanagawa being suddenly summoned—they're definitely discussing all of that in there! Instead of racking our brains here guessing, we should go and listen to what's going on!"

He turned to the group: "Since this is a very important captains' meeting, we can head to the entrance of the First Division. After the meeting, we might be able to intercept the captains or other members of the First Division as they come out and get some information! This is much better than us speculating here! Obtaining firsthand information is crucial for deciding what to do next!"

This proposal is bold, even somewhat overstepping its bounds.

Running to the entrance of the First Division during the captains' meeting is definitely not in accordance with the rules.

But at this moment, faced with the earth-shattering changes of the "Twin Hyōrinmaru" and the unpredictable direction of Yanagawa's sudden summons, conventional channels seem to have been blocked.

Renji's somewhat impulsive suggestion unexpectedly struck a chord with everyone's anxious and helpless feelings.

Hinamori Momo was the first to raise her head, a glimmer of hope igniting in her eyes. Although she was still uneasy, Renji's words gave her a glimmer of hope that she could actively obtain information.

"W-Is it okay? Won't it cause trouble for the captains...?" she worried habitually.

"What's the trouble!" Renji waved his hand. "We're not going to barge in! We'll just wait outside. The meeting will end eventually! We'll see what happens!"

Kira Izuru said cautiously, "The entrance to the First Division is heavily guarded. If we gather here rashly, we might attract attention."

"However... if it's just a matter of 'coincidentally' waiting nearby, or a short stop under the pretext of reporting other matters to their respective squads, that might be feasible."

He can always find a relatively safe path on the edge of the rules.

Hisagi Shuhei pondered for a moment, then nodded:

"That makes sense. Instead of waiting passively, we should take the initiative to approach the source of information. The Ninth Division also has some routine documents that need to be submitted to the First Division. I can use this opportunity to go there."

He gave a more formal reason, and the consensus was quickly reached.

So, with their own complicated feelings, the group left the secluded courtyard and headed towards the First Battalion's barracks.

This is the main council chamber of the First Division at this moment.

The air was heavy, filled with the lingering weight of years of authority, power, and the invisible pressure left by countless major decisions.

At the end of the long table, Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni sat imposingly, his hands clasped on his ancient cane in front of him, like a dormant volcano, his mere presence enough to subdue the entire space.

On either side of the long table, thirteen figures stood, each exuding a powerful sense of oppression.

Second Division Captain Soi Fon stood with her arms crossed, her cold gaze occasionally sweeping across the doorway.

With the vigilance and efficiency characteristic of a covert mobile commander, it was as if he was assessing every second of delay.

The third division captain, Gin Ichimaru, never lost his fox-like smile, but his narrowed eyes revealed no emotion whatsoever.

He was casually tapping the hilt of his spear at his waist with his fingertips, producing a very subtle, rhythmic sound, as if he were keeping time for a little tune he was humming.

"Oh dear, what a rare emergency call-up~" Gin Ichimaru said lazily, his voice carrying a unique sticky quality.

Retsu Unohana, the captain of the Fourth Division, did not seem to participate in the casual conversation. Her gaze occasionally swept gently over the captains present, lingering for a moment longer on Jushiro Ukitake, who was coughing.

The Fifth Division Captain, Aizen Sousuke, with a gentle and wise gaze behind his glasses, was talking with the two captains beside him.

His voice was not loud, but it was convincingly magnetic: "...Indeed, the uniqueness of a Zanpakuto is an ironclad rule, and this incident certainly needs to be taken seriously."

When he speaks, you can always feel that he is listening attentively and giving the most appropriate response.

Byakuya Kuchiki, the captain of the Sixth Division, stood tall and straight like a pine tree. His silver-white floral veil fluttered slightly in the wind, exuding a cold and aloof aura that kept strangers at bay.

He didn't participate in any conversation, as if all the noise around him was irrelevant to him; only the order of the Seireitei and the glory of the Kuchiki family were his focus.

The captain of the 7th Division, Komamura Sajin, had a calm and loyal gaze behind his dog-head mask.

He tilted his head slightly, seemingly listening to Aizen's words, but did not interrupt, only occasionally letting out a low, nasal sound of agreement.

Eighth Division Captain Kyoraku Shunsui said lazily with a hint of teasing, "Well~ rules are meant to be broken, right, Captain Aizen? I'm quite curious what kind of expression the 46 members have right now~"

As he spoke, he glanced at Captain-Commander Yamamoto, who was sitting in the main seat with his eyes closed, and then quickly looked away.

Captain Tosen Kaname of the Ninth Division stood upright to one side. Although he was blind, he faced Aizen and Komamura, who were talking, with a solemn expression that conveyed an absolute sense of adherence to "justice" and "rules".

He didn't speak, but his tightly pursed lips and the slightly trembling swastika earring showed that he was intently perceiving everything around him.

The captain of the 10th Division, Shiba Isshin, looked worried, as if it was related to the incident.

Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division let out a sharp, piercing laugh, his exaggerated gestures causing his strange attire to rustle.

A greedy glint flashed in his eyes beneath the mask. "If I could get research samples, they would be excellent material!"

Captain Jushiro Ukitake of the 13th Division coughed a few times, his face pale with illness.

He wore a gentle and tolerant smile as he watched the group converse, occasionally interjecting with a word or two to ease the atmosphere, his eyes filled with concern and worry for the younger generation.

Kenpachi Zaraki, the captain of the 11th Division, was the most impatient of them all. His one eye kept scanning the doorway, and his face was full of expressions of "boredom" and "get to the point and finish this job."

"So, who are we waiting for, old man!" Kenpachi Zaraki finally couldn't hold back any longer and roared gruffly towards the direction of the head of the table, "Is everyone here? Did one of the captains oversleep?"

His shout momentarily halted the brief chatter in the hall. Several captains also showed slightly puzzled looks. Indeed, all thirteen captains were already present, so what was the commander-in-chief waiting for with his eyes closed?

Just then—

The heavy doors of the council chamber were silently pushed open from the outside by Chojiro Sasakibe.

All the team captains instinctively turned their gazes toward the door, and their casual conversation came to a complete halt.

Then, they saw the figure slowly walking in behind the vice-captain of the Sparrow Division.

He was a young Shinigami, tall and slender, with a composed gait, facing the spiritual pressure emanating from the thirteen captains gathered in the hall—pressure that was enough to suffocate even the lieutenant.

He seemed completely unaware, or rather, he accepted it with a remarkably calm demeanor.

Unfamiliar, completely unfamiliar.

Gin Ichimaru's smile remained unchanged, but a faint hint of inquiry flashed in his narrowed eyes.

Aizen Sousuke stopped talking, turned to look at Yanagawa, his eyes behind his glasses flickering slightly, as if he was somewhat surprised.

Kuchiki Byakuya finally turned his gaze away from the window, turned to the side, and his cold gaze lingered on Yanagawa for a moment, devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at a strange decoration that had suddenly appeared in a neat courtyard.

Kyoraku Shunsui slightly raised his straw hat, revealing an eye full of interest.

Kenpachi Zaraki's one eye widened suddenly, first in surprise, then revealing a ferocious expression that mixed "How is it you?" and "This is getting interesting."

Almost every team leader had the same question in their mind: Who is this?

At the signal of the vice captain of the saga, Liu Chuan stood in the center of the conference room.

Only then did Captain-Commander Yamamoto slowly open his eyes, which seemed to contain molten lava.

He offered no explanation for Liu Chuan's arrival, his gaze slowly sweeping across the entire arena, and every captain felt the heavy pressure emanating from that gaze.

"Now that everyone is here," Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's aged yet deep voice rang out, silencing all the subtle noises in the hall. "Then, let's begin."

"First, I'll announce a personnel appointment." The captain's words startled everyone. A personnel appointment? At a time like this?

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's gaze fell upon Yanagawa, as if it were a tangible presence: "Yanagawa, a member of the Kido Clan, has been approved for promotion to the Zero Division as a reserve member after deliberation by the Spirit King Palace. The promotion ceremony will be held soon."

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Zero Squad? Reserve member? Yanagawa?!

These three words together were like three silent thunderclaps, exploding in the hearts of every captain!

Even the most composed Byakuya Kuchiki's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

Aizen Sousuke's gentle smile remained unchanged, but his gaze behind his glasses suddenly became deep and unfathomable.

Kenpachi Zaraki's single eye widened in surprise. This Kido disciple who defeated Abarai in their Eleventh Division yesterday was now rumored to be promoted to the Zero Division?

Zero Division! That supreme being, above the Gotei 13, directly subordinate to the Soul King, a mysterious and unpredictable being!

This unknown member of the Oni-do sect, who suddenly barged into the meeting, is about to become one of them?!

This was even more incredible to them than the "Twin Hyōrinmaru" itself!

Captain-Commander Yamamoto ignored (or rather, had already anticipated) the fascinating expressions on everyone's faces and continued, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"Therefore, the preliminary investigation, assessment, and summary of the situation regarding the twin Zanpakuto 'Hyōrinmaru' of Hitsugaya Tōshirō and Kusakabe Sōjirō of the Shinigami Academy are now handed over to Yanagawa, a reserve member of the Zero Division, for full responsibility."

He paused, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over each captain, especially those whose faces still held an expression of disbelief, before slowly adding a sentence, each word carrying immense weight:

"This appointment was issued by the Lingwang Palace."

The appointment issued by the Spirit King's Palace!

This last sentence completely shut out any possible doubts and objections.

This is the will of the pinnacle of Soul Society, an order that transcends the jurisdiction of the Gotei 13.