You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

"I can still run."

"Because only by running can I catch up with your pace," Suzabe smiled calmly.

Even in his old age, the captain remains his goal.

"Yes...is that so?"

Yamamoto opened his squinted eyes: "Tomorrow, invite Captain Aizen over and tell him... this old man wants to stretch his muscles."

……

Inside the dojo, Iori, holding a bamboo sword, looked at Yamamoto with some surprise: "Captain-Commander, what is this...?"

"Call me teacher."

"Teacher Yuan Liuzhai?"

"A pure swordsmanship contest."

Yamamoto adopted a mid-level stance, saying, "This is the head of the Genryu sect testing the disciples of the dojo; there's no need to be reserved."

"Really?...Yes!"

Iori gripped the bamboo sword tightly, her eyes calm as still water, and in an instant entered a state of perfect harmony with nature, making Yamamoto's heart pound with fear.

"Qiang!"

The crisp sound of bamboo swords clashing broke the silence.

There were no bursts of spiritual pressure, no flashy moves, only the most basic slashes, thrusts, parries, and blocks, but every exchange contained the skills honed over a thousand years.

Yamamoto's swordplay was as fierce and unyielding as a raging fire, while Iori's swordplay was as long and subtle as flowing water.

But in the end, a winner was decided—

After thirty rounds, Yamamoto's bamboo sword was knocked away.

Silence fell over the dojo. The two bowed, wiped their sweat, put away their bamboo swords, and sat down in the center of the dojo, just two meters apart, without saying a word.

The setting sun shone through the window lattice, casting the shadows of the two people on the wall. One old, one young, one standing, one sitting, as if they had completed some ancient ritual.

Suddenly, Yamamoto looked at the cherry blossoms outside the window and said softly, "Don't let this world down, Captain-Commander Aizen."

Iori bowed respectfully: "I will heed your teachings, teacher!"

……

That night, in the secret meeting room of the First Division.

"I have decided to completely replace the lineup of the Gotei 13."

Yamamoto surveyed the assembled elders, including Kuchiki Ginrei and Shihōin Hyakuhū.

"Replacing too many people at once will cause chaos in Seireitei, so the timeframe has been extended, but the handover must be completed within ten years."

The old patriarch of Shihōin raised an eyebrow: "So hasty?"

"Chunshui and the others are already capable of handling things on their own."

Yamamoto said in a deep voice, "Besides..."

He looked out the window at the crescent moon and said, "I want to see the new era take firm footing with my own eyes."

The meeting lasted until dawn, and the successor list was finally finalized. There were no surprises, after all, there are only a few Bankai masters, and based on usual observations, everyone already had a general list of the "next generation".

Among them, Kuchiki, Shihōin, and Shiba need no further explanation; the veterans should retire when they should, and the newcomers should step in when they should.

People like Cang Chun, who were temporarily in charge of the 10th Division, obediently went back to take over their father's position. The vacant captain position was handed over to a newcomer from the Shiba family, who, despite his youth, successfully mastered Bankai.

There haven't been many changes at the team leader level. The younger generation has naturally replaced the older generation, but they may have to rotate positions among themselves.

However, a certain special position was replaced for the first time in a thousand years, which inevitably attracted everyone's extra attention.

[Captain-Commander of the 13th Division and Captain of the 1st Division.]

Previous generation: Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

Successor: Aizen Iori.

Deadline: Handover to be completed within three years.

"This is top secret and must not be leaked. Do you all understand?"

"of course."

"How could we possibly make such a basic mistake?"

"Don't you still trust your old friends?"

……

The news quickly spread throughout Seireitei!

The news of the impending major reshuffle of the Gotei 13 swept through the entire Soul Society like a storm. Some were shocked, some were confused, and some were eager to seize the new opportunities.

"Old man Yamamoto, what are you up to now?"

Kyoraku Shunsui pulled his straw hat down, leaning against a pillar in the corridor, his tone tinged with helplessness.

Yamamoto, leaning on his cane, said solemnly, "The Gotei 13 needs reform. I have been in charge of the Commando for over a thousand years. Now that the situation in Soul Society is gradually stabilizing, it is time to plan for the future."

Actually, his idea was quite simple:

He's getting old and needs someone to take over. His good friend Ha is dead, so Soul Society won't have any powerful external enemies for quite some time.

"Oh?"

Jushiro Ukitake coughed lightly, a hint of doubt appearing on his pale face. "Is the Captain-Commander planning to... step down?"

Yamamoto nodded slightly: "I am getting old. Although I still have some strength left, the future of Soul Society must eventually be handed over to the younger generation."

"Then why Iori? He is indeed very capable, but ten years is too fast. It would be best to pass it on to him during the third generation." Ukitake knew something was wrong as soon as he opened his mouth, but Yamamoto's eyes had already been automatically fixed on Kyoraku, who was preparing to escape.

"Who knows... don't you think, Chunshui?"

Actually, that guy was just as lazy and slacking off as I was. His officers and soldiers were basically a private army, and their "artistic creations" in private were no cleaner than mine!

Chunshui tried her best to keep quiet, otherwise she would have angered the old man to death.

Chapter 576 A Genius Idea~

As dusk fell, the courtyard of the Kuchiki family was bathed in red hues, and the pure white cherry blossoms fluttered down like snowflakes, casting a gentle and beautiful hazy glow over the courtyard.

Qian Zixianghe—now he should be called Xiumu Xianghe—stood under the corridor, his brand-new formal attire making him look stiff, especially his overly straight shoulders, making him look like a young master about to lead an army into battle.

But in reality, he was not of noble birth and had already experienced the brutal battlefield. In a few days, he might even be wearing a captain's haori.

Looking at the flower viewing party where various celebrities had gathered, his fingertips unconsciously traced the decayed wood family crest on his sleeve, his expression dazed, as if he still couldn't believe it was all real.

"Congratulations, Xianghe."

I've heard that sentence countless times today.

On one hand, "top secret" was quietly spreading among the crowd, and everyone knew that Xianghe was about to rise to the top, from a mere seated officer to the captain of the 10th Division. On the other hand, he was adopted by the Kuchiki family and became the son-in-law of Ginrei.

Today is the perfect opportunity to announce to all the nobles that Xianghe is now a member of the Kuchiki family.

Perhaps because he had never experienced such a scene before, Xianghe's facial muscles were almost not his own after dealing with more than a dozen noble representatives who came up to exchange pleasantries... Of course, he was not a smooth and clever person to begin with, and no one expected him to be able to treat people in a way that would make them feel comfortable.

His identity is actually quite complicated. Originally an ordinary Shinigami from a commoner background, he was also a taboo figure who possessed a demon sword. Being taken into Kuchiki's family would definitely attract a lot of controversy.

However, through his collaboration with Iori and the development of spiritual technology to assist in the training of Bankai, Kyoga gained strategic value in Seireitei, and his status in the eyes of the nobles changed dramatically. Even his cold and hard personality could be explained as the eccentricity of a genius.

Geniuses have privileges, and this is absolutely true in any world and any industry.

The real sensitive point is that the 10th Division was originally led by Kuchiki Sōjun, which was not an exception but a temporary arrangement to put out a fire. If the Kuchiki family, as a great noble family, were to control two more divisions, their influence would be too great.

Therefore, everyone was happy to see Cang Chun step down from the 10th Division and take over the ancestral 6th Division in this "top secret" operation.

But something subtle happened:

The next head of the 10th Division is another Kuchiki! Even if he's an adopted son!

In many people's eyes, this might be Kuchiki Ginrei and Yamamoto going toe-to-toe. As both son-in-law and disciple, Hibiki is bound to suffer a lot of humiliation from the two of them. The series of power struggles that arise might affect the existing structure of the aristocratic circle, so everyone is a little nervous and watching carefully at all times.

—But in reality, there weren't that many twists and turns; it was simply because Xianghe was a good fit.

Yamamoto and Ginrei never intended for Hibiki to remain captain. His abilities meant he was not suited to the role of captain and would eventually be transferred to the First Division as Iori's second-in-command.

As for now, it's just a "temporary leader," waiting for the younger generation of the Shiba family to grow up.

The rumors and gossip outside don't bother the two elderly people at all. They are now semi-retired, and while they have settled down smoothly, their descendants are all becoming more and more promising.

He was so upright that he couldn't see those people scheming and plotting below.

"did not hear?"

A familiar voice came from behind him, and Xianghe turned around abruptly, meeting Iori's smiling eyes. He hurriedly bowed, but was stopped by Iori raising her hand.

"No need for formalities, you're the star of the show today."

Iori shook the sake bottle in her hand. "My former boss is here to ask for a drink at my wedding. You don't mind, do you?"

"team leader!"

Xianghe's tightly pursed lips relaxed, and his voice softened, slightly excited, "You coming... I'm so..."

"What's wrong? Someone who's going to be a team leader in a few days can't even speak properly now?"

Iori chuckled and straightened his collar. "Although the old men like to boss people around, they have good taste. You are the perfect person to take over the 10th Division."

Xianghe's Adam's apple bobbed. He was a chief officer under Iori, and his relationship with Iori was far more than just that of a superior and subordinate—at least that's what he thought.

Now that he has risen to the position of captain, and even been adopted by the Kuchiki family and married their eldest daughter, it would probably not have been so easy for him if Iori hadn't guided him along the way.

"I... will never let you down!"

He bowed deeply, his voice firm and resolute.

"You flatter me. I'm just ensuring that talented people receive the treatment they deserve."

Iori patted his shoulder: "The burden of the Kuchiki family is not light, but... with a beautiful woman by your side, I'm sure you'll find it all worthwhile, no matter how tiring it is."

He glanced meaningfully at the figure behind the beaded curtain deep in the courtyard, where she was chatting and laughing with several noble ladies.

"This one……"

Xianghe's ears turned red, and he was about to speak when a hearty laugh suddenly broke through—

"Oh dear, it seems I've arrived just in time!"

A young Grim Reaper with short black hair and a robust physique walked over, immediately bowed to the protagonist, Hibiki, and then bowed deeply to Iori.

"My name is Isshin. I will be transferred to the 10th Division this year. I hope Captain Hibiki and Captain Aizen will take good care of me."

"Isshin... Shiba?"

Xianghe was taken aback, but quickly remembered what Yinling had told him.

The Shiba family is one of the five great noble families, but it has declined in recent years and was even attacked by Quincy before. I never expected that there would be such an outstanding young man in the family.

Yes, he is excellent. Once you have spoken with him face to face and felt his solid and stable spiritual pressure, no one would underestimate Isshin Shiba.

"Work hard and don't let Shiba down—there's no need to say that, right? Now that you've joined Team Thirteen, your previous identity is no longer important. As your comrade-in-arms, Itazawa, it's only natural for us to look after each other. Isshin."

Iori smiled slightly, her humble and polite demeanor making people sigh that she was indeed worthy of being the one who was about to take over the position, and Hibiki also showed a look of relief, as if he saw his former self.

Isshin scratched his head, his smile almost blindingly bright: "Don't worry, Captain! Although my surname is Shiba, I've never thought of myself as anything special... Please take care of me from now on!"

Iori's expression remained unchanged, but looking at the young man Isshin's familiar features and his carefree, hot-blooded protagonist-like smile, she always felt a sense of unease.

It's really hard to imagine what a veteran captain like Shunsui would have thought when Kurosaki Ichigo, dressed in the Shihōin family's props and sporting a face that was nine-tenths similar to Shiba Isshin and Shiba Kaien, saved Rukia of the Kuchiki family and shouted something like Getsuga Tenshou.

No wonder that old guy from the Sparrow Division collapsed after just one punch...

Saito, seemingly immortal, swirled his sake cup as he walked through the crowd, the hem of his haori brushing against the falling cherry blossoms. When he stopped in front of Hibiki, a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes: "Oh, what are you doing hiding here? Could it be that you've been scared out of your wits by the Kuchiki family?"

She wasn't very familiar with Xianghe, but this time she came as a superior's family member, and given her high seniority, she was given the privilege of teasing the newcomer in a sense.

As for why they can still freely enter and leave Seireitei after retirement, and even wear captain's haori at will... don't ask such random questions!

So many big shots have no objections!

"Captain Saito, I'm not... cough, thank you for coming today..."

Listening to Hibiki's formulaic response, Iori shook her head and chuckled, her gaze suddenly pausing as she swept across the courtyard—