And just like that, Kaiser began to act with great fervor throughout the Soul Society as the Captain of Division 3.
No matter which squad's duties were handed over to Division 3, if they were designated as tasks requiring the Captain's personal involvement, Kaiser would complete them with the fastest speed possible—even if they weren't combat-related.
Whether it was assassinating a dangerous individual, capturing highly wanted fugitives, purifying Hollows, gathering intelligence, or rescuing personnel in critical condition—Kaiser always resolved the matter swiftly.
Sometimes he handled several cases in a single day; sometimes it was one a day. But even when slow, he never delayed more than three days. Kaiser always solved missions that most Shinigami deemed extremely difficult, and he even took on investigations of prohibited industries run by noble clans—an act that would offend many—without the slightest hesitation.
This earned him a few troubles, but each time, Kaiser relied on his own strength to overcome them. None posed a real problem.
Furthermore, with his bold reforms advancing Division 3's work, Kaiser gradually made a name for himself.
Originally, Kaiser was already quite well-known—as someone praised as the most exceptional genius in a thousand years.
People still talked about how he scored a Second-Class Spiritual Rank on the entrance exam for Shin'ō Academy. It was not something easily forgotten.
But in the eyes of the public, Kaiser's fame stemmed from being a "genius," not a "powerhouse."
Within Seireitei, many still harbored doubts about whether someone like Kaiser—who had only studied at Shin'ō Academy for half a year and lived less than eighteen years in total across life and afterlife—was truly qualified to be a Captain.
Even if not everyone dared speak ill of a Captain behind their backs, Seireitei was full of noble clan scions—fearless and arrogant. They already looked down on a Rukongai-born genius like Kaiser. Now that he'd skyrocketed to the position of Captain? There was no way they could accept that calmly.
Especially those noble families who initially had ideas about recruiting or using Kaiser—now that he had so quickly risen to Captain, they were both shocked and disgruntled.
We haven't even made our move yet, and he's already climbed this high? This is ridiculous!
Thus, in the early days of Kaiser's Captaincy, Seireitei was rife with gossip.
But now, Kaiser had proven himself through actions and shut those people up with his own strength.
Much of his deeds weren't classified, so they spread easily.
When confronting a dangerous individual who had used forbidden noble medicine to gain power at the cost of sanity—his Reiatsu surpassing even Lieutenants—Kaiser ended the fight in mere seconds, utterly crushing him.
When facing a group of most-wanted criminals involved in illegal research that killed several Shinigami, he captured them cleanly and handed them over to Division 9's prison unit.
When facing an Adjuchas-class Hollow, he ended it in a few strikes. Even when the Hollow used Cero, it failed to scratch him. Not even the hem of his Haori was damaged.
He cleanly resolved numerous tasks that even Lieutenants would struggle with, proving to all that if he wasn't qualified to be a Captain, then no one was.
Each of these feats testified to his strength, proving that he was a genuine, full-fledged Captain-level Shinigami.
In this way, Kaiser became the second person after Kenpachi Zaraki to become a Captain without using Bankai—a story that quickly spread.
This time, Kaiser's fame wasn't as a "genius," but as a Shinigami standing at the top of the Soul Society.
From then on, no one doubted whether he was fit to be a Captain. Division 3, in turn, rose with pride. They no longer walked on eggshells. Thanks to their Captain, they became the center of attention. Countless people sought them out, asking questions about Kaiser, making them feel immensely proud.
With the strength-related doubts gone, Kaiser became a true legend, revered and worshipped by many.
Especially among Shin'ō Academy students. Anyone in the same year as Kaiser, or who enrolled after him, would hear tales of his incredible deeds and, influenced by the faculty's praise, regard him as an idol. Many even decided they wanted to join Division 3 after graduation—much to the delight of Chikane Iba.
Everything in Division 3 grew better and better after Kaiser took command. It even began to show signs of standing out among the other squads, becoming a rising star.
This squad, which had lain dormant and dispirited for decades, finally revived—leaving countless onlookers speechless.
Even Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto personally visited Division 3's barracks several times, each time departing with a satisfied expression—clearly pleased by the transformation.
Thus, the mountain of backlogged tasks that had weighed down Division 3 for years was finally cleared, allowing Kaiser a moment of respite.
But even with free time, Kaiser wasn't idle.
Taking advantage of the break in duties, he resumed his past routines—training in Shunpo, practicing Kidō, honing his own strength.
Especially with Kidō, Kaiser made significant progress.
Now that he was a Captain—a top-tier Shinigami—he was qualified to access and study truly formidable spells.
For instance, Kidō beyond the 90s. In the past, Kaiser had no means to study them. Even Shin'ō Academy's Kidō Corps instructors didn't know Kidō of that level, leaving Kaiser with tremendous spiritual power and control—but no way to properly use it.
Kidō above #90 was not something just anyone could access. Even Lieutenants were generally unqualified to study them. Only Captains and the Kidō Chief could do so.
Now that Kaiser had the qualifications, he frequently visited the Kidō Corps to pore over the tomes stored there.
Thanks to this, Kaiser's Kidō skills improved rapidly. He even decided to focus on mastering Kidō and Shunpo simultaneously—so he could proficiently cast those fearsome and highly effective spells.
As for Zanjutsu and Hakuda…
As always, the former required no special training. The latter just needed some light study—there was no need to pour time and effort into it.
"My training from now on should focus on Shunpo and Kidō."
"Shunpo must be faster than anyone."
"Kidō must be more refined than anyone."
Kaiser was full of drive—and ambition.
As long as he could meet these two goals, even if he gained nothing else from this life experience, it would be worth it.
And so the days passed, one by one.
Kaiser completely adapted to his current lifestyle—either actively performing duties out in the field with speed and precision, building a heroic reputation, or diligently cultivating strength behind the scenes.
Sometimes, he even used Gravisheath to create high-gravity environments, training his Shunpo and Kidō under intense conditions. Though grueling, this dramatically boosted his efficiency, stimulated his body's potential, and increased his physical and spiritual strength—a triple benefit.
Living like this, Kaiser eventually lost track of time. Though not quite to the point of forgetting the date altogether, it was close—he nearly forgot how long he had been at it.
Until one day, that relatively peaceful life was slightly disrupted by a visitor…
...
On this day, Kaiser had finished his duties early and was training in the courtyard behind Division 3's barracks.
"Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!"…
All around the training grounds, countless Kaisers suddenly appeared—some charging forward, some retreating, some leaping skyward, some diving downward. It was as if countless clones were rampaging through this small domain. The sight was nothing short of breathtaking.
Unfortunately, no one could witness it.
When Kaiser used the training grounds, all Division 3 Shinigami—except for Lieutenant Chikane Iba—would vacate the area. None dared intrude.
If someone were to walk in and witness this, their jaw would certainly drop.
Because these countless "Kaisers" weren't clones at all—but mere afterimages left behind by his rapid movements.
In just an instant, Kaiser had moved through over a hundred positions, executing a hundred motions—his speed utterly astounding.
If Suì-Fēng were here to see it, even she wouldn't be able to maintain her composure like last time.
This level of Shunpo… even she might not be capable of it.
"Swish!"
In the next moment, all the afterimages vanished. Like swallows returning to a nest, they converged instantly at the center of the training ground, forming a single figure.
"Whew…"
Kaiser exhaled and relaxed his leg muscles, rolling his shoulders and neck.
"That's enough Shunpo for now. Next, I'll practice incantation-less casting for Hadō #88 and Bakudō #81."
Kaiser had set his training plan and began preparing for the next phase.
That was when Chikane Iba entered, delivering a message.
"Captain, a student from Shin'ō Academy claiming to be your acquaintance has come to visit."
Chikane Iba reported with her usual stern authority.
"A student from Shin'ō Academy?"
Kaiser paused, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
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