Chapter 15: Soi Fon and Yoruichi |
Yeruashi and Lilith entered the Second Division barracks alongside Captain Yoruichi Shihoin and Marenoshin Omaeda, who was now more accurately described as the third seat.
"My apologies for usurping your position," Yeruashi told Marenoshin.
The man simply gripped the back of his head and laughed heartily. "I already figured you'd become the Lieutenant sooner or later if you joined the Second Division after graduating early. I just didn't expect it to happen quite this fast!"
Marenoshin had no objections to handing the Lieutenant title over to Yeruashi. After all, the boy had not only mastered Bankai but had also saved his life earlier.
In the Gotei 13, experience and professional tenure mattered far less than personal power. Strength was, in itself, the primary professional skill of a Soul Reaper.
"Don't worry about it," Yoruichi said, turning to Yeruashi. "Marenoshin is also the captain of the second unit of the Stealth Force, so you've only taken over a portion of his primary duties."
Yoruichi Shihoin was not only the Captain of the Second Division but also the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido.
The Stealth Force was an independent organization of Soul Reapers, operating on equal footing with the Gotei 13 and the Kido Corps. In the past, the Stealth Force answered directly to Central 46, but since Yoruichi held the top position in both the Second Division and the Onmitsukido, the two entities had begun to merge into a single force.
The Stealth Force consisted of five units, each led by a commander of exceptional ability. For instance, the current commander of the first unit was Shaolin Fon. While that name wasn't widely known in the Soul Society, her code name, Soi Fon, had been passed down through the Fon clan for generations.
The fact that such a massive and vital organization was entirely at the disposal of the Shihoin clan perfectly demonstrated the power and influence the Great Noble Families wielded in the Soul Society.
"The structure of the Second Division differs significantly from the other squads of the Gotei 13," Yoruichi explained seriously as they walked through the grounds.
"To start with, you'll need to get acquainted with the five unit commanders of the Stealth Force, as you'll be dealing with them frequently."
The Stealth Force and the Second Division hadn't needed a formal mobilization order; they had gone on high alert automatically due to the sudden spike in Reiatsu, as their primary responsibility was ensuring the security of the Seireitei.
Shortly after.
Yoruichi and the others arrived at the Captain's quarters, located in the central part of the Second Division territory. After navigating several narrow corridors, they emerged into a spacious, brightly lit hall featuring the large crest of the Shihoin clan directly opposite the entrance.
While still in motion, the Captain of the Second Division and Commander-in-Chief of the Stealth Force shrugged off her captain's haori and kicked off her shoes, baring her graceful feet. Suddenly, her composed and collected captain persona vanished, replaced by an incredibly lazy and relaxed demeanor.
"Ugh, I'm so tired of maintaining that captain image... what are you staring at? Come in and sit down; there's no need for formalities here!"
Yoruichi plopped down onto a soft cushion and stretched her lithe body like a cat before waving Yeruashi and the others forward.
The guards present seemed long accustomed to their commander's behavior. One immediately caught the discarded haori and hung it on a nearby rack, while another neatly placed her shoes by the entrance.
Yoruichi brushed back her hair and smirked at Yeruashi. "The other captains can afford to ignore their image—at worst, they'll just get a lecture from that fusty old man—but the heads of the Great Noble Families don't have that luxury."
'Right, of course...'
One lived as a cat in the World of the Living for years, another started a family with a Quincy there, and a third brought home a bride from the outskirts of the Rukongai straight into the clan...
Shihoin, Shiba, Kuchiki...
These noble families had been recognized by the Soul King himself and possessed the power to influence the entire Soul Society, yet there was seemingly no one reliable in the new generation! If Zero were still 'alive,' he would have likely sighed in despair and face-palmed at the current state of the descendants of once-trusted families.
Fortunately, Yeruashi's intervention should help preserve at least some dignity for the Great Noble Families and his old friend Zero. Byakuya Kuchiki's history wouldn't repeat itself in the same way, as Yeruashi had already taken in Rukia and Hisana.
"So that whole majestic and noble image was nothing more than an illusion," Yeruashi remarked casually, taking a seat beside Yoruichi.
Yoruichi had already shown her true nature when she started flirting with him during their first meeting in the Rukongai. The grand image of the Second Division Captain and Supreme Commander she maintained before the other captains was clearly just a mask.
Yoruichi laughed and leaned back, bracing her hands on the floor. "Ha-ha-ha, don't sweat the small stuff! But even if you're from the Rukongai and have no ties to the nobility, you should still carry yourself with dignity and mind your manners. After all, you'll be a captain yourself one day..."
"I don't think I'm suited for that," Yeruashi replied, shaking his head.
Yoruichi smirked and looked at him, idly swinging her feet. "Anyone who manages to achieve Bankai can become a Gotei 13 captain if they wish. Just follow my lead, and I promise to mold you into a model captain."
Yeruashi gave a nonchalant smile. "I'm not interested in that sort of thing."
Yoruichi blinked in surprise. "Really? Then what exactly does interest you?"
Every Soul Reaper in the Gotei 13 dreamed of becoming a captain at least once. Even for someone from the most destitute districts of the Rukongai, the rank of captain offered the chance to attain low-level noble status.
If a newly founded noble family happened to produce talented descendants who could hold the rank of captain for several generations, their status could skyrocket, eventually rivaling the influence of the Great Noble Families themselves.
This was the ultimate goal for most of the lesser nobility in the Soul Society.
It was exceedingly rare to find a talented Soul Reaper who didn't aspire to the captaincy.
Yeruashi smiled. "I'm just curious to see what this world will become in the future. Will it experience an unprecedented golden age, a gradual decline, or will nothing change at all?"
"What kind of nonsense is that..."
Yoruichi's lip twitched. "Only insignificant, weak souls at the very bottom worry about things like that."
Yeruashi shook his head dismissively. "You're only half right, Captain. Souls standing at the very peak wonder about those things too."
Yoruichi laughed as she accepted a cup of tea from a servant. "So you're saying you're at the peak? Get over yourself, kid. It's just a Bankai, ha-ha-ha..."
Achieving Bankai mere minutes after touching an Asauchi was undeniably an unparalleled feat, but Yeruashi still had much to learn. Yoruichi was already considering a personal duel to knock the boy down a peg and bring him back to reality.
Yeruashi might indeed be recognized as one of the most gifted Soul Reapers in the history of the Gotei 13 and the Shin'o Academy, but that history only spanned a few thousand years.
In the vast timeline of the Soul Society, countless geniuses had appeared, but only five had ever reached the true summit.
The five members of the Zero Division.
And above them stood only the Soul King!
As Yoruichi took a sip of her tea, several figures entered the room. They were the third and fourth seats of the Second Division, along with the commanders of the first, third, fourth, and fifth units of the Stealth Force.
"Captain."
"Yoruichi-sama."
"Commander-in-Chief."
The arriving figures dropped to one knee and greeted Yoruichi respectfully. The Second Division officers addressed her as Captain, while the Stealth Force commanders called her Commander-in-Chief.
The only greeting that stood out came from the petite figure kneeling slightly ahead of the others. It was Soi Fon, who held the positions of Executive Militia Commander and head of the Commander-in-Chief's personal guard.
"At ease," Yoruichi said, leaning to the side and propping her cheek on her palm. "I've called you here to introduce the newest members of the Second Division."
Even before Yoruichi spoke, Soi Fon and the others had already noticed Yeruashi and Lilith sitting beside her.
Since Yeruashi and Lilith were the only strangers in the room, they had to be the newcomers Yoruichi was referring to.
"This is Yeruashi Hatake, the new Lieutenant of the Second Division, and this is his younger sister Lilith, our new ninth seat."
After briefly introducing Yeruashi and Lilith, Yoruichi began identifying Soi Fon and the others. "This is Soi Fon, the head of my personal guard and commander of the first unit. And this is the commander of the third unit..."
Everyone present, except for Soi Fon, was stunned to hear that Yeruashi had directly replaced Marenoshin Omaeda as Lieutenant.
Once the formal introductions were finished, the Stealth Force unit commanders gave Yeruashi a solemn greeting, while the third and fourth seats bowed. Only Soi Fon's greeting was limited to an extremely stiff and curt nod.
As the commander of the first unit and head of the personal guard, Soi Fon held a status equivalent to the former Lieutenant, Marenoshin Omaeda. The other unit commanders were lower in rank, to say nothing of the third and fourth seats, who were now Yeruashi's direct subordinates.
During the introductions, the commanders and officers tried to size up the new Lieutenant, while Yeruashi scanned them in return. However, the only one who truly caught his eye was Soi Fon.
This wasn't simply because Soi Fon was the only woman among the gathered officers. It was because, in the original timeline, she was the one who took Yoruichi's place after her flight to the World of the Living and even achieved Bankai.
Of course.
Another significant reason for his interest was how Soi Fon focused her entire being on Yoruichi, almost completely ignoring his presence.
Yeruashi was well aware that his flawless beauty and magnetic charisma could usually floor young, inexperienced girls in droves, but occasionally he met those who could ignore him entirely. While that was normal enough—especially in the Soul Society—the way Soi Fon looked at Yoruichi... it seemed the poor girl had already strayed onto a very specific path!
"Ah, I almost forgot..."
Yoruichi slapped her forehead with a feigned air of forgetfulness. "Yeruashi is one of those Soul Reapers... you know, the ones who have achieved Bankai."
This statement sent a massive wave of shock through the assembled commanders and officers. Even the normally calm and cold Soi Fon couldn't hide her utter disbelief.
Bankai!
Every Soul Reaper understood exactly what Bankai was, and more importantly, what kind of person it took to successfully achieve it.
Suddenly, it became clear to everyone why Yeruashi had displaced Omaeda as Lieutenant the moment he joined the squad!
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Yeruashi said, offering Soi Fon and the others a friendly smile.