"7th Seat Saitō, what exactly is going on here?"
Sasakibe Chōjirō asked, frowning slightly.
"Well… um…"
Saitō Keichirō hesitated, glancing at Fūjin Taichi. He stammered for a long while but couldn't manage a clear explanation.
"Keichirō, don't stutter in front of Vice-Captain Sasakibe," Fūjin Taichi suddenly interjected.
"If you have something to say, say it properly."
"Understood!"
Saitō Keichirō straightened at once and hurriedly replied,
"Vice-Captain Sasakibe, the injuries on my body were caused by me accidentally falling. They have absolutely nothing to do with anyone else!"
"I see… understood."
Sasakibe Chōjirō nodded slightly, then turned to Fūjin Taichi and said,
"Since Vice-Captain Fūjin has no objections to my disciplinary decision, today's division meeting ends here. Dismissed!"
"Whoosh!"
The 1st Division members quickly dispersed, and in no time at all the area in front of the barracks was completely empty, leaving only Sasakibe Chōjirō and Fūjin Taichi behind.
"Vice-Captain Sasakibe, has my living quarters been arranged?"
Fūjin Taichi asked, seeing that Sasakibe had made no move to give him his room assignment for the barracks.
"Vice-Captain Fūjin, because the official appointment document from Central 46 has not yet been issued, your personnel file—as well as your food and lodging—remain attached to the 13th Division."
"Vice-Captain Sasakibe, are you saying that I'll be working in the 1st Division, but still have to eat and sleep back at the 13th Division?"
"Exactly."
"And... my monthly salary?"
"Remains unchanged!!"
"…"
Fūjin Taichi immediately understood what "remains unchanged" meant:
his salary would still be based on his previous status as the 15th strongest candidate for the 20th Seat of the 13th Division—a mere 3000 Kan per month!
Damn it. Is this something a human would do?
He cursed inwardly.
I'm taking on the risks and responsibilities of a vice-captain, yet they don't give me a single extra coin—
In name, I'm the Vice-Captain of the 1st Division, but because I lack the Central 46's official recognition, I can't enjoy any Vice-Captain benefits!!
Worse still, Old Man Yama had casually pushed him straight into the spotlight, turning him into a pawn in the power struggle between himself and Central 46—dangerous in every possible sense—
True, Fūjin Taichi already possessed strength approaching captain-class, but he was still far from veterans like Kyōraku Shunsui, Ukitake Jūshirō, or Unohana Retsu.
Not to mention Aizen, who lurked in the shadows, watching like a predator…
Sasakibe Chōjirō seemed to sense his dissatisfaction.
"Vice-Captain Fūjin, although I sympathize with your situation…
the 'Provisional Measures for Shinigami Salaries' issued by Central 46 over a thousand years ago were approved by the Captain-Commander himself. Therefore… my apologies."
If apologies actually worked, what would we need Shinigami for?!
Fūjin Taichi grumbled internally.
And damn it, Sasakibe—why are you being such a pushover? Why don't you have the guts to go another round with the Old Man?
But outwardly, he maintained a calm, detached expression and said:
"We Shinigami have long engraved the word 'loyalty' into our souls. Even without pay, we serve without complaint!"
"Excellent!"
Sasakibe Chōjirō nodded in satisfaction, finally showing a pleased expression as he encouraged him:
"Vice-Captain Fūjin, from today onward, the affairs of the 1st Division are officially entrusted to you!
If you encounter any difficulties in your duties, you may consult 3rd Seat Okikiba.
Now then—I take my leave!"
"Wait… that's it?! I'm officially on the job just like that?!"
Fūjin Taichi stared dumbfounded as Sasakibe's figure receded into the distance.
Does Soul Society seriously not have any pre-job training or entry medical exams?
He couldn't help but think:
I originally thought I'd at least meet Old Man Yama…
Turns out the big boss couldn't care less about such a small occasion!
Thinking this, Fūjin Taichi walked into the somewhat dilapidated and low-ceilinged 1st Division barracks. At once, he saw a thick pile of documents stacked on the square table before him—the dates on them suggested they had been backlogged for a very long time.
Rustle, rustle…
Fūjin Taichi casually flipped through them, only to discover that the earliest files dated back more than thirty years—to the time when he had just graduated from the Shin'ō Academy.
Rustle!
His right hand suddenly froze mid-page.
That was because, to his astonishment, the cover page of one document clearly read:
"Application for the Promotion of Fūjin Taichi to Vice-Captain of the 3rd Division"
And in the applicant field, written in wildly flowing cursive, were two unmistakable characters:
Ichimaru Gin.
"So… what Kurumadani said was true," Fūjin Taichi muttered.
"That squinty-eyed bastard really did try to recruit me as Vice-Captain of the 3rd Division… but why?!"
A chill crept up his spine.
He had always thought he'd kept a very low profile in Seireitei…
So why had that squinty-eyed fox noticed someone like him—a supposedly unremarkable classmate from the Shin'ō Academy?
"Could it be… Aizen?"
Fūjin Taichi's brow knitted tightly as an icy sensation surged upward from the base of his thighs.
So this whole time, the "peace" he thought he'd enjoyed…
…was merely because Aizen couldn't be bothered to deal with a small fry like him.
And when he thought carefully about it, his odd behavior during the Soul Burial internship—so out of sync with everyone around him—should have already drawn Aizen's attention back then.
After that, although he'd "lain low" at the Shin'ō Academy for quite some time, upon graduation he had arbitrarily torn up the 5th Division's recruitment letter and instead insisted on joining the 10th and 13th Divisions.
He had even boldly encouraged others who'd received 5th Division invitations—
Abarai Renji, Hinamori Momo, Kira Izuru, Kasumiōji Hoko, and Tsunayashiro Tokio—to defect to other divisions.
Then, shortly after joining the 13th Division, he had "accidentally" slain Metastacia, Aizen's modified high-level Hollow, saving Shiba Miyako, who was fated to die.
That achievement earned him promotion to 20th Seat Officer Candidate, 15th strongest…
…but before that seat even warmed beneath him, he was dispatched as a rookie Shinigami to the most dangerous Human World posting at the time—Karakura Town.
It was said that this was one of the rare instances where Central 46 bypassed the Gotei 13's command structure to interfere directly in divisional assignments.
Thinking about it now…
Could all of that really have happened without Aizen's faction pulling strings behind the scenes?
"And then… the first day's Grand Fisher… and finally White…"
Fūjin Taichi murmured inwardly.
"No wonder… Ichimaru Gin stabbed me without warning that night—
the real reason was to save my life from Aizen."
Thump.
Fūjin Taichi set the documents down and dropped onto the tatami mats, staring at the one-meter-wide strip of sunlight spilling in through the window at his feet.
With solemn resolve, he vowed silently:
"Gin… you risked your life to save mine that night.
One day, I'll return the favor—and save you from Aizen."
Then his gaze drifted back to the pile of documents stacked over a meter high, and his anger surged again.
I've already endured suffering no one my age should have to bear…
and you bastards still dock my pay for every excuse imaginable…
Is this something a human being would do?!
So he grabbed the vice-captain's seal and began stamping documents furiously—
Clack! Clack! Clack!
—without even reading their contents.
After all, in theory, whether these documents were approved or not would have zero impact on Bleach's storyline.
Because, at its core…
This was a hot-blooded battle manga, after all.