"Report—!"
At that moment, a voice called out from outside the 13th Division dormitory.
Soon after, a member of the 1st Division, dressed in a black shihakushō with a short white jacket over it, pushed the door open and entered.
"Lord Shiba!"
He bowed to Shiba Kaien, then placed a red wooden tray onto the tatami and spoke:
"I am Hijikata Jūichirō from the General Affairs Office of the 1st Division.
I have been dispatched to deliver the Vice-Captain's insignia and shihakushō to Lord Fūjin."
"Oh, thank you for your hard work."
Fūjin Taichi looked over and saw that neatly folded on the tray was a black shihakushō, squared perfectly.
Embroidered on its chest was the 1st Division's insignia—the chrysanthemum, symbolizing truth and purity.
Resting atop the shihakushō was a brown armband bearing a jet-black 'One' and five black chrysanthemum crests—
the standard insignia of the 1st Division Vice-Captain.
"Then I shall take my leave."
Hijikata Jūichirō gave a slight bow and turned to leave.
"Wait, Hijikata!"
Shiba Kaien glanced at the red tray and suddenly called out.
"What are your instructions, Lord Shiba?"
Hijikata stopped and turned back toward him.
"Where is the appointment letter from the Central 46?"
"This…"
Hijikata hesitated, then replied:
"My apologies, Lord Shiba.
The General Affairs Office is only responsible for delivering insignia and uniforms.
We have no knowledge of anything else."
After speaking, Hijikata bowed again to both Shiba Kaien and Fūjin Taichi, then opened his umbrella and departed the 13th Division dormitory.
"Damn it! What kind of joke is the Central 46 playing?!"
Kaien exclaimed angrily.
"Since you were personally appointed by Captain-Commander Yamamoto as Vice-Captain of the 1st Division,
the Central 46 should have issued an official appointment letter!"
"What?
Can't I be a vice-captain without an appointment letter?"
Taichi picked up the armband and examined it closely, asking curiously.
"No."
Kaien frowned and explained:
"Your promotion was announced publicly by Captain-Commander Yamamoto,
so the Gotei 13 will naturally recognize your status.
But without an appointment letter from the Central 46,
your position lacks 'proper legitimacy'—
and some people will surely mock you for it in the future."
"Some people?"
Taichi looked up at Kaien.
"You mean those Shinigami from the so-called 'Great Noble Houses,' don't you?"
"..."
Kaien remained silent for a long while before finally speaking:
"I think something about this is off.
Taichi—what do you think?"
"Me?
I'll… take it one step at a time."
Taichi changed into the brand-new 1st Division shihakushō and slowly fastened the vice-captain's armband onto his left arm.
Right now, the 1st Division felt like a blazing pit of fire to Taichi—
once he jumped in, it would likely be impossible to escape.
Judging from Captain-Commander Yamamoto's bizarre behavior this time,
it was clear that Taichi had been turned into a chess piece in a power struggle against the Central 46.
Yet if he refused to step into it,
he would probably end up just like he had in Naruki City—
silently and unknowingly schemed to death by Aizen and his cohort.
After all, Ichimaru Gin's Kamishini no Yari could save him once—
but not forever.
Until he gained enough absolute power to escape Aizen's shadow,
the 1st Division was the best shelter available to him.
At the very least,
the 1st Division had Yamamoto Genryūsai, a thousand-year-old Shinigami, standing guard.
As long as the Hollow within him remained hidden,
he would have at least one more day of safety.
"Taichi, you don't need to worry too much."
Seeing Taichi's grim expression, Kaien mistakenly thought he was still anxious about the appointment letter and spoke to comfort him.
"Maybe the letter is just still on its way.
For now, go ahead and report to the 1st Division and do your job."
"Yeah… I guess that's all I can do."
Fūjin Taichi casually brushed the matter off, chatted idly with Shiba Kaien for a few more minutes, then used the excuse of "I still have work tomorrow" to see him off.
After that, Taichi dragged out a mysterious object more than a meter tall from beneath the tatami.
Its appearance was vaguely humanoid, with twisted limbs and a triangular head, and several silvery-white markings carved across its surface—
This was the miraculous item from Bleach: the Tenshintai, a training device invented by Urahara Kisuke to assist in mastering Bankai.
The Tenshintai can forcibly materialize the true form of a Zanpakutō and summon it into the same world as its wielder.
By defeating one's own Zanpakutō under these conditions, a Shinigami can complete their Bankai training.
In the original Bleach story, Urahara Kisuke, Shihōin Yoruichi, and Kurosaki Ichigo all mastered Bankai in a very short time through the use of the Tenshintai.
As for why the Tenshintai had ended up in Fūjin Taichi's hands, that story began two days earlier—
After Taichi followed Shiba Isshin back to Soul Society through the "Cross-Dimensional Gate," he asked Isshin not to reveal this ability, then returned to the Human World once more.
After all, Taichi was a Shinigami officially stationed in the Human World, holding valid entry permits and travel authorization, with a proper "authorized presence" record filed in the Research and Development Institute.
Because of this, he was required to remain in the Human World until Soul Society sent personnel to reopen the Senkaimon connecting Naruki City and Seireitei, officially concluding his ten-year assignment.
During that period, Taichi repeatedly used the dimensional abilities of his Zanpakutō, Ichi, to secretly slip into Urahara Shop.
Eventually, he found the Tenshintai buried deep inside a dust-covered storage room.
Thus, after Taichi successfully returned to Soul Society and completed the General Division's assessment, he shut himself inside his dormitory under the excuse of "resting and recuperating," and quietly "borrowed" the Tenshintai through a dimensional passage without anyone noticing…
...
Urahara Shop—
A small store tucked away in a corner of Karakura Town. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a run-down, shabby general store, the kind even thieves wouldn't bother breaking into.
One early-summer afternoon, Urahara Kisuke lay lazily on the rooftop floor, basking in the sun while half-asleep.
"Shopkeeper!"
The tall and imposing Tessai Tsukabishi approached with a broom in hand, blocking most of the sunlight.
"Oh?"
Urahara cracked one eye open and glanced sideways at Tessai, making a faint sound through his nose.
"Although I hate to admit it—someone did break into the shop last night," Tessai said calmly, adjusting his glasses.
"I know."
Urahara gently nudged the brim of his bucket hat with his cane, revealing a pair of olive-green eyes gleaming in the sunlight.
"Looks like they can break through space itself… tsk tsk, that's quite an impressive ability."
"Then… should we retrieve it?"
A sharp glint flashed across Tessai's lenses as he said in a low voice:
"After all, that thing… is extremely dangerous in his hands."
"It's fine."
Urahara yawned, then sat up, looking up at the deep blue sky as he spoke slowly:
"Since he knows that thing exists, he likely also knows how to use it—and the consequences of doing so.
But honestly, none of that worries me."
His expression subtly changed.
"What truly concerns me is this—
Why would such a young Shinigami know secrets that were sealed away for a hundred years after our exile from Soul Society?"
"Shopkeeper… are you saying he might be—"
A look of shock appeared on Tessai's face. The individual from a hundred years ago had left far too deep an impression on him.
"No."
Urahara slowly shook his head.
"I watched his battle with that bull-headed Arrancar very carefully. It didn't look like an act.
And yet, I can also confirm that the wounds left on his body were deliberately angled away from vital points by the attacker.
So whether he's an enemy or an ally… even I can't say for sure right now.
All we can do is take things one step at a time."
"…I see."
Tessai nodded heavily, then brought up another matter.
"Shopkeeper—about that Quincy we encountered that day.
She's begun showing faint signs of Hollowfication."
"So it's come to that…"
Urahara sighed, a strange expression appearing on his face.
"Looks like it's time to pay that Quincy a visit as well.
Let's hope she doesn't turn out the way I fear… otherwise…"
"Otherwise what?"
Even after years of living with Urahara, Tessai rarely saw him look this troubled.
"Because if things go badly…"
With a snap, Urahara flicked open his folding fan, covering half his face and leaving only his piercing eyes visible as he gazed into the distance.
"…even I might get dragged into it."