Chapter 412

2-in-1 chapter:

----------------

In the days that followed, Kaelith, for once, enjoyed a period of peace.

After returning to Seireitei, Yamamoto, for reasons unknown, relieved him of his acting Captain-Commander duties.

The administration of the Gotei 13 was fully returned to Yamamoto’s hands.

Kaelith couldn’t help but laugh in his dreams over this.

Freed from responsibility, he spent his days visiting the cafeterias of different divisions to scrounge for meals, going home to play LSP4, spending time with Soifon, Bambietta, playing with Nemu…

The last one was scratched off.

That was simply helping her adjust her body condition—nothing strange at all.

Even though Mayuri always hinted at something else, Kaelith pretended not to notice.

At the very least, he needed to take care of that random woman first.

But this peaceful life was shattered on this day.

A group of Shinigami clad in haori began arriving at the First Division barracks.

Today was the day of the regular captains meeting.

Led by Kaelith, the idler faction was fully prepared to nap through the session.

Though called a “faction,” it really only consisted of three people.

Kaelith, Isshin Shiba, and Kyōraku Shunsui.

With Yamamoto at the center, the twelve captains formed two rows, standing below the platform awaiting orders.

In the solemn atmosphere, Yamamoto picked up a document and began discussing countermeasures with the group.

Kaelith closed his eyes and drifted off in thought.

Outside the meeting room, the vice-captains all waited.

Among them, Aizen slightly raised the corner of his mouth, as if waiting for some drama.

Suddenly, a figure cautiously approached.

“Um… Vice-Captain Aizen?”

Aizen turned to see a young girl with her hair tied in a small bun, looking up at him with the innocence of a harmless animal.

“Hello.”

He nodded.

He recognized this girl.

The Sixth Seat of the Tenth Division, Hinamori Momo.

Poor in swordsmanship, but with astonishing talent in Kidō, she had been selected by Kaelith’s advanced class for a specialized Kidō training path.

As an expert in Kidō himself, Aizen had once substituted for Kaelith’s class and taught this child.

Under Aizen’s gaze, the girl’s face reddened slightly:

“Vice-Captain Aizen, I’m Hinamori Momo. I once learned from you in Kaelith-sensei’s advanced class…”

“Yes, I remember.”

Aizen nodded.

Hearing this, Hinamori let out a breath of relief.

She smiled and held out a cloth-wrapped box:

“Vice-Captain Aizen, you’re Kaelith-sensei’s closest associate.”

“This is a lunch I prepared. If possible… I hope you can pass it along to Kaelith-sensei!”

Looking at the lunchbox in his hands, Aizen’s gaze grew subtly complicated.

A hundred years ago, he had once conceived a plan.

Using Kaelith’s position as an instructor at Shinō Academy, he planned to infiltrate the teaching staff and, with his charisma, draw a cohort of students to prepare them as future subordinates.

Later, for various reasons, he neither had the time nor the inclination to follow through.

Yet now, his unfinished project had been completed—better than he ever could—by none other than Kaelith himself…

With a trace of resignation, he extended his hand to accept the lunchbox from Hinamori.

Suddenly, a loud shout came from inside:

“What the hell?!”

Startled by the voice, Hinamori flinched and dropped the lunchbox.

With a flick of his fingers, Aizen used spiritual pressure to retrieve it midair.

He looked toward the meeting room door, a delighted smile spreading across his face.

Inside, Kaelith’s eyes were wide as he stared at Yamamoto.

“Old ma—teacher, what did you just say?!”

Under the equally shocked gazes of the other captains, Yamamoto repeated his earlier words:

“As Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, I hereby declare:”

“Effective immediately, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni shall retire from the positions of Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 and Captain of the First Division.”

“Kaelith Yurei is hereby appointed as the new Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 and Captain of the First Division.”

“Sasakibe Chōjirō shall be relieved of his duties as Vice-Captain of the First Division.”

Kaelith opened his mouth, feeling like he’d just been hit by a cat.

“What kind of joke is this… for something this big, did you consult the Central Forty-Si—”

Halfway through, his expression darkened.

The Central 46 was gone. The current governing body in Seireitei was the Grand Assembly.

Since the Assembly’s bureaucratic apparatus still needed time to connect and familiarize itself with operations, to avoid unqualified oversight, the Gotei 13 was presently under self-governance.

Once the Assembly matured, it would gradually assume control of the military.

In other words, Yamamoto really did have the authority to make this kind of decision on his own right now.

But Kaelith was absolutely unwilling.

“Teacher, I’m still too young and unfit for such a heavy responsibility!”

“Heh, no matter. I already anticipated that.”

Yamamoto continued:

“The Gotei 13 shall establish the new position of Captain-Commander Advisor, to be held by former Fifth Division Vice-Captain, Aizen Sōsuke.”

“This arrangement has already been agreed to by Vice-Captain Aizen himself.”

Kaelith turned his head in shock toward the door.

Sōsuke… you betrayed me?!

At that moment, the other captains, who had been shocked, now began to look thoughtful.

Thanks to Kyōraku Shunsui’s “unintentional slip,” they had all heard rumors that Kaelith had defeated Yamamoto head-on.

In truth, even if Kaelith hadn’t bested Yamamoto, his repeated feats had already earned him enough prestige.

In the past, when Yamamoto stood there, he was like a great mountain, shielding all from harm.

Just seeing that figure was enough for the Shinigami to charge forward without hesitation and fight to the death.

And Kaelith?

This man would charge ahead before you could.

And every time he charged ahead, he returned victorious.

His charisma as a leader was different from Yamamoto’s, but in its own way, it was no less compelling.

In comparison, Yamamoto was like a shining, divine, and untouchable deity.

Kaelith felt more like a true leader.

Whether tyrant or foolish ruler, at least following him meant no hesitation.

Yoruichi spoke first:

“Second Division Captain, Shihōin Yoruichi—agrees!”

“Fourth Division Captain, Unohana Retsu—agrees.”

“Sixth Division Captain, Isshin Shiba—agrees!!”

“Seventh Division…”

In an instant, almost the entire Gotei 13 stood up.

Among them, Mayuri was the most excited, grinning like some villain, pulling out a white haori and draping it over Kaelith.

Emblazoned on the back was the character for "One."

Kaelith was about to say something when, before he could speak, Aizen, who had somehow already entered the captain’s assembly hall—a place only captains had the right to enter—placed a hand on Kaelith’s shoulder:

“Kaelith, Seireitei needs you.”

“All three worlds need you.”

Looking at Aizen’s serious expression, Kaelith’s face turned ashen.

“You people have really done me in!”

Wearing two layers of haori, Kaelith furrowed his brow as a thought formed in his mind.

Appoint me as Captain-Commander?

Then there’s only one answer.

With the authority of Captain-Commander, I appoint old man Yamamoto to inherit the position of Captain-Commander!

Thinking this, he grinned and was about to speak.

But before he could make a sound, standing beside him, Aizen spoke in a voice only he could hear:

“Kaelith, if you’re the Captain-Commander, you can order Kisuke Urahara and the others to handle your paperwork.”

“But… if you give the position back to Yamamoto, he will just casually give you some acting Captain-Commander position again, dumping all the work back onto you.”

“At that point, you’d have no initiative at all.”

Hearing Aizen’s words, Kaelith froze mid-expression.

Yamamoto sat at the head of the hall, watching Kaelith immediately change his mind after just a few whispered words from Aizen, a slight smile on his lips.

After being tormented by this rebellious student for over two hundred years, he had finally found the key to keeping him in line.

Looking at Yamamoto sitting in his high seat, Kaelith suddenly felt something.

All this time, Yamamoto had seemed like a towering mountain in his eyes.

Just standing there, he sheltered the people who lived beneath him.

People enjoyed the protection of this mountain, enjoyed its resources, but no one ever wondered whether the mountain itself was already weary.

The strongest Shinigami of the past millennium, founder of the Gotei 13, Demon of Yamamoto…

All these impressive titles couldn’t hide one truth.

This powerful man was already old.

Even before the founding of the Gotei 13 a thousand years ago, Yamamoto had already been a balding middle-aged man.

Uniting the original thirteen squads, battling Yhwach, founding the Shinigami Academy, serving the Central 46, quelling rebel wars, disciplining unruly students like Kyōraku…

One storm after another had left deep scars on this old man.

At this moment, this old man handing over power was not like the lazy nobles of the Shiba family, simply trying to shirk responsibility.

He had simply decided, after observing carefully, that it was time to step back, to entrust the future to the next generation.

At this time, there was only one thing Kaelith should do.

"Sigh, why must I be such a filial student?"

..............................................

...................

.

Seireitei fell into shock.

Kaelith became Captain-Commander!

After receiving notification that the inauguration ceremony would be held next month, the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 had mixed feelings.

The Eleventh Division members were completely ecstatic.

“Big Brother won!”

“Big Brother successfully broke the old man’s bank!”

“From now on, Seireitei belongs to Kaelith!”

“Justice for the heavens, justice for the heavens!”

The other division's Shinigami were more contemplative.

Kaelith had finally turned traitor after all!

Poor Captain-Commander Yamamoto—he fell in such a confusing way.

Was this the cruel hand of natural selection?

Though a small number of conservatives were worried about Seireitei’s future after Yamamoto’s abdication, most Shinigami accepted this reality easily.

Meanwhile, the designated successor to the Captain-Commander’s position—the one who would control Seireitei for the next thousand years or even longer—was currently up to no good.

At a small window, two black cats were stacked one on top of the other.

Forget the caterpillar-like imagination—there were no strange movements.

The two black cats were stacked, each closing one eye, peering through the crack of the window.

“Hey, lighten up, you’re messing up my fur.”

“Idiot, endure it, be careful not to get caught.”

“Damn it, why am I the one on the bottom… next time you’re on the bottom.”

“No way, that thing would be pressing on my back.”

“?”

Kaelith was furious.

What about that thing… that thing is my best brother!

Just as he was about to protest, the girl inside the room, who was changing clothes, suddenly sensed something and turned to look this way.

In the next instant, Soifon’s cold gaze met the eyes of the two cats at the window.

After a brief silence, all three moved at once.

------------------------

Note:

These next chapters might be what many have been looking forward to when it comes to Kaelith's love life.....BUT before we can go there, we will read through the final sidestory first! About the same length as the Aizen one.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Tomorrow's chapter will be the start of the side story!