Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Chapter 156 The Chaotic Yet Orderly Tenth Division

Ukitake was coughing softly, his face as pale as a sheet of paper, with his hand over his mouth.

Noticing Haiyan's gaze, Ukitake revealed a look of relief mixed with a hint of worry.

"You want me... to be the captain of the 10th Division?"

Haiyan opened her mouth, her voice a little hoarse: "But Captain-Commander, the affairs of the 13th Division... Captain Ukitake's health has always been poor. If I leave, who will manage the division's affairs? Rukia and the others are too young, and Kiyone and Sentaro are not capable of handling things on their own."

This is by no means an attempt to shirk responsibility.

Haiyan knew better than anyone that the Thirteenth Division was able to function normally almost entirely thanks to him, the vice-captain.

Ukitake spends most of his time bedridden in Amegakure. If he were to leave now, it would be as if half the sky had collapsed for the 13th Division.

"Shiba Kaien, this is a consensus reached by the four noble families." Elder Tsunayoshi's cold voice rang out, devoid of any warmth: "As for the Thirteenth Division, it has its own operating principles."

"But!"

Haiyan stood up somewhat excitedly. He didn't care about the captain's power; what he cared about were his comrades who had shared life and death with him.

"Vice Captain Haiyan..." Yushiro timidly spoke up from the side.

The young head of the family nervously twisted the hem of his clothes, his eyes filled with pleading: "Please accept. This is also for... protecting the Shiba family."

"If you don't take that position, the 46th Chamber might completely strip the Shiba family of all their privileges in the Soul Society because of Captain Isshin's situation... In that case, the Shiba family won't even be able to maintain their current lifestyle."

Haiyan clenched her fist tightly.

The nobleman was looking for someone of high status to fill the vacancy in the 10th Division, and it just so happened that he was chosen.

If they don't do it themselves, they might go to the Kyoraku family, the Kasumioji family, or the Omaeda family.

But that also means that I'm rejecting their kindness.

Choosing to live a peaceful life in Rukongai with one's own family is a completely different matter from being stripped of one's identity and expelled from the Soul Society.

Thinking of Ganju, who just enrolled today, and Kukaku, who's tinkering with fireworks in Rukongai...

"The petrel..."

'

Jushiro Ukitake finally spoke.

His voice was weak, but it carried a sense of determination: "Go. My body may not be very strong, but it won't cause the squad to collapse without you."

"Moreover, this is a responsibility belonging to the Shiba family. After Isshin's disappearance, no one but you can take over this burden."

Haiyan looked at Fuzhu, and their eyes met in the air.

He read helplessness, but also understanding, in the captain's eyes.

A sense of powerlessness welled up in Haiyan's heart.

...I see."

"I obey, but I have one request."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto raised his eyelids slightly: "Speak."

"I need to manage the work of both divisions until the 13th Division has trained a qualified successor."

"I will take care of the affairs of the 10th Division, but I will never completely relinquish control over the affairs of the 13th Division."

The elder of the Tsunayo family frowned, about to reprimand him.

"Granted." Captain-Commander Yamamoto tapped his cane heavily, setting the tone.

Kuchiki Byakuya remained expressionless, while Yushiro was pleased with the situation.

The family heads continued their discussion, so Haiyan left first.

As Haiyan stepped out of the main hall, the sunlight outside was so bright that she could barely open her eyes.

"Congratulations, Vice Captain Haiyan... no, Captain Haiyan." The guards at the gate walked over cautiously to offer their congratulations.

Haiyan didn't laugh; he simply walked silently toward the gate.

"The 10th Division..." Kaien murmured in recollection, the image of Shiba Isshin's perpetually unserious face surfacing in his mind.

Where did that guy go...?

'

Although Yixin is his uncle in terms of seniority, they mostly treat each other like peers.

After all, there aren't many people left in the entire Shiba family.

After walking for quite a while without realizing it, we turned a corner and the Tenth Division's barracks came into view.

To Haiyan's surprise, there was no chaos as he had anticipated.

Although the captain has been missing for some time, the team barracks are still in good order.

In the distance, the team members were carrying out their daily drills in an orderly manner, their shouts powerful and resonant; the clerks in the corridors moved about busily, their faces showing worry but not panic.

"Oh? It's Vice Captain Kaien? Are you here to see Toshiro?" A seat officer recognized Kaien and asked politely.

Haiyan nodded and, led by the other party, pushed open the side door of the captain's office.

A rich scent of ink mingled with... a faint aroma of alcohol.

"Rangiku, you've been dragging your feet on this report about the commotion in Rukongai for three days now. If you don't finish it today, you'll be explaining it to the Chief Division yourself at tomorrow's meeting."

A youthful yet chillingly authoritative voice came from inside the house.

Haiyan stared intently.

Behind the enormous desk, a young man with short silver hair and emerald eyes was engrossed in a mountain of documents.

His thin frame was almost buried under the pile of documents, but the brush in his hand fell with great speed, each instruction concise and powerful.

Across from him, the curvaceous, blonde Rangiku Matsumoto was sprawled out on another small table, completely unladylike.

She held a wine jug in her hand, muttering, "Xiao Bai, you could have just written this down casually, Captain Yixin used to do the same thing..."

"Don't call me Shiro! I'm Hitsugaya Third Seat!" A vein throbbed on the boy's forehead as he corrected him without looking up. "Also, Captain Isshin is missing, not dead. The Tenth Division can't afford to lose face over these trivial official documents until he returns!"

Haiyan stood at the door, watching this scene, and couldn't help but admire it in her heart.

The silver-haired boy is named Hitsugaya Toshiro, and he is also one of the few genius students of the Shinigami Academy.

Although he only holds three seats, his efficiency in handling affairs and his commanding presence in the center are even more composed than some squad captains.

No wonder that reckless guy Isshin could run off and slack off all the time. With such a senior officer in charge, the 10th Division can indeed operate smoothly even without him.

"It seems I'm a bit superfluous as an outsider," Haiyan coughed lightly, stepped inside, and put on her signature hearty smile.

"Who?" Toshiro looked up instantly, and after seeing the vice-captain's armband and face, his eyes softened slightly: "So it's Vice-Captain Shiba of the 13th Division."

"Oh! It's Kaien, the handsome young man!" Rangiku reacted quickly, straightening up instantly.

Although the smell of alcohol hadn't completely dissipated, her eyes had already cleared: "What wind blew you to our unwanted Tenth Division?"

"Lieutenant Rangiku, watch your words," Toshiro frowned as he reminded her, then jumped off the tall chair and bowed politely to Kaien.

"We've long heard of Vice Captain Shiba's reputation. Please have a seat, even though there's only tea here."

Haiyan waved her hand and casually sat cross-legged on the floor: "Don't be so polite, I'm just here to take a look."

"To be honest, seeing how well you guys managed the team affairs at the entrance just now, I, as the alternate captain, feel a lot of pressure."

"Uncle Isshin has really struck gold! Hitsugaya-kun, your talent is even more amazing than I imagined."

"A substitute captain?!" Toshiro and Rangiku exchanged a glance, realizing the problem in Kaien's words.

Toshiro spoke first: "Lieutenant Shiba, the candidate you mentioned, could it be...?"

"

"That's right. Although the official order hasn't come down yet, I'll become the captain of the 10th Division in a few days."

"What?!"

Matsumoto Rangiku put down the sake bottle. Although she was usually carefree, her eyes now held a cold glint: "Those old men upstairs can't wait to send someone in? You? The Shiba family will take over from the Shiba family..."

.?

Hitsugaya Toshiro's voice was also suppressed: "Lieutenant Shiba, I respect your strength, but the 10th Division is not anyone's private property."

"With Captain Ichishin's fate unknown, such an order is hard to believe."

Looking at the boy who was much shorter than her and exuded a chilling aura, Haiyan felt no anger, but rather a sense of relief.

For the members of the 10th Division, Isshin Shiba was not only their captain, but also their elder brother.

Now that someone is coming to take over, it is undoubtedly a psychological challenge.