First, it was because Rangiku's strength had reached a bottleneck, and she needed to broaden her horizons by gaining more experience. Second, in Rangiku's original trajectory, she served as the Lieutenant of the 10th Division and remained in that position until after the Thousand-Year Blood War.
Allowing her to return to her original path would ensure her safety while her strength was still developing. Third, the future 11th Division, possibly under Kyoya's leadership, might stir up significant turmoil. Having Rangiku leave beforehand would spare her from unnecessary trouble.
No matter what Rangiku did now, Kyoya would find a reason to transfer her to the 10th Division as Lieutenant at the appropriate time.
Coincidentally, the incident involving Ikkaku and Yumichika gave Kyoya the leverage he needed to justify her departure from the 11th Division.
Of course, if Rangiku achieved a breakthrough in swordsmanship during this period and became a Great Swordsman, Kyoya would naturally respect her wishes and allow her to remain in the 11th Division.
As for the 10th Division and Isshin's side, sending Ichinose Maki would suffice.
Presumably, Ichinose, who had been demoted from Lieutenant to third seat, then to fourth seat, would be far more eager than other division's members to become a Lieutenant in another division.
But if Rangiku failed to make a breakthrough during this time…
Clack-clack-clack-
As night approached, Kyoya was about to begin an additional training session when he suddenly heard the emergency assembly signal from the 1st Division.
He paused mid-step on his way to the training grounds.
'Is it already the time?'
As the combat division, the 11th Division was undoubtedly the busiest among the Gotei 13.
It could be said that when it came to battles, at least six out of ten fights involved Shinigami from the 11th Division.
Of the remaining four, three were cases where 11th Division's members watched other divisions fight.
Only one battle ended before the 11th Division could arrive.
Because of this, Kyoya, as the Captain of the 11th Division, had a deeper understanding of the Seireitei's current situation than most… even if he couldn't match the intelligence-gathering capabilities of the 2nd and 8th Divisions, he still knew more than the average Captain.
Combined with his knowledge of the Bleach World's events, he knew exactly what this captain's meeting signified.
The disappearances of souls in the Rukongai, the unnatural deaths of Shinigami…
All of it pointed to one thing: Aizen had already begun his schemes.
Moreover, the fact that so many souls had perished in the Soul Society without triggering the 12th Division's spiritual balance alarms meant Aizen had already unified Hueco Mundo.
Only then could he perfectly balance the cycle of souls by adjusting the number of Hollows purified in Hueco Mundo to match the losses in the Soul Society.
'If I remember correctly, during this Captains' Meeting, Yamamoto will decide to dispatch four Captains and two Lieutenants to handle this incident."
Kyoya recalled in his mind, and the figures of Kensei, Shinji, Aikawa, Otoribashi, Lisa, and Hiyori.
As for the fate awaiting those six, Kyoya had no intention of interfering.
Truthfully, their current strength was barely noteworthy.
Without the power of Hollowfication, they would be far too weak to contribute meaningfully in future battles… whether against Aizen's Espada or the Sternritter of the Wandenreich.
Additionally, removing six Captains from the Gotei 13 would force the remaining forces to grow stronger, leading to the emergence of six new Captain-level fighters within just a few decades.
Excluding Tosen, who was already Aizen's subordinate, figures like Sui-Feng, Komamura Sajin, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri all displayed remarkable prowess during the Thousand-Year Blood War.
Among them, Mayuri even became the key figure in turning the tide of the war.
If Shinji, Kisuke, and the others didn't leave the Seireitei, these new Captains would never have the chance to replace them.
After all, not every division was like the 11th Division.
Aside from the 1st and 11th Divisions, the Captains of the other eleven divisions required the approval of their peers.
Moreover, as long as a Captain remained in position, even if a division's member achieved Bankai and reached Captain-level strength, they couldn't claim the title.
The 1st Division is the head division.
The 11th Division is the combat division, and its Captain was hailed as the Strongest Zanjutsu Master.
Kenpachi wasn't just a title.
For a Kenpachi, as long as they willed it, they could outright ignore the Central 46 and the Captain-Commander's orders.
This was a 'privilege; the first Kenpachi, Unohana Yachiru, had secured for the title.
Even after committing a grave crime, the 8th Kenpachi, Azashiro, disregarded the Central 46's inquiries, and the nobles could do nothing about it.
His imprisonment in Muken was only possible because he cooperated and allowed himself to be sealed away.
Otherwise, even if Azashiro had carried out his plans, neither the nobles nor the Captain-Commander would have known until it was too late.
Of course, since the Kenpachi held such privileges within the Seireitei, the nobility naturally imposed certain restrictions on the title.
First was the battle for succession.
Only one Kenpachi could exist in any era.
A new Kenpachi had to kill the previous one to truly inherit the name.
The resignation of Azashiro disrupted the succession for the next two generations. The 9th Kenpachi was the former Lieutenant of both Kuruyashiki and Azashiro. After Azashiro was sealed in Muken, he succeeded as the new Captain of the 11th Division.
However, Gosen's strength was far from sufficient for the role. Soon after, a warrior from the Rukongai, Kiganjo, joined the 11th Division, killed Gosuke, and became the 10th Kenpachi.
It could be said that Gosuke and Kiganjo severely diminished the prestige of the Kenpachi title.
It was only with Kyoya's rise that the 11th Division and the name Kenpachi regained their former glory.
As for whether he surpassed his predecessors…
That was harder to say.
After all, each of the previous Kenpachis had their own legendary feats.
Kuruyashiki, with his immense power, even received an invitation to join the Zero Division.
Had he not underestimated Azashiro and fought him in his normal state, Kuruyashiki might have been considered the Shinigami closest to Yamamoto's level in the Gotei 13.
And Kyoya?
So far, he had yet to receive any invitations from the Zero Division.
From this alone, it was clear that there was still a considerable gap between Kyoya and Kuruyashiki.
Of course, Kyoya had his own theories about this.
On one hand, he hadn't yet reached his peak.
His Reiatsu, like Zaraki's, was still at the 2nd-class Reiryoku.
To ascend to the Royal Guard, the 1st-class Reiryoku was the bare minimum requirement.
On the other hand, Kyoya suspected that the Zero Division simply had no vacancies left.
Therefore, even if Kyoya eventually surpassed Kuruyashiki in strength, he might never receive an invitation.
Just like in the other divisions of the Gotei 13… as long as the current Captain remained, no division's member, no matter how strong, could replace them.
Shaking his head, Kyoya dismissed these thoughts.
With a flash, he headed toward the 1st Division's headquarters.
"Captain Kyoya, you've arrived."
"Mm, I hope I'm not late."
Kyoya glanced around and found that aside from him, only Ukitake was missing.
"Not at all. But the old man seems… in a particularly foul mood."
Kyouraku muttered under his breath.
He would know best.
As the head of the intelligence division, Kyouraku was the first to notice the abnormal deaths among the Shinigami.
Undoubtedly, this was a direct challenge to the Gotei 13!
This was already the third incident of Shinigami disappearing or dying under suspicious circumstances.
The first time, Kyouraku had barely caught wind of it before the perpetrator vanished without a trace.
The second time, before he could even investigate, the Kasumioji Clan appeared and was exposed in the incident of the Bakkoto that drained Shinigami of their Reiraku.
And now, this was the third.
Clearly, the Kasumioji Clan's incident two decades ago had been used as a scapegoat by the true mastermind.
However, the fact that someone could repeatedly cause Shinigami to disappear or die without causing major disturbances meant they were undoubtedly a member of the Gotei 13.
Moreover, they must have an extremely deep understanding of the Gotei's operations to pull this off.
The mastermind behind this was at least at the level of a Lieutenant… perhaps even one of the eleven present.
Or worse, it might not be just one person!
Kyoraku pulled his straw hat lower, concealing his gaze.
Yamamoto's suspicion was the first to be ruled out.
As the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, while anyone else might betray the Seireitei, Yamamoto never would.
Next, Unohana could also be excluded.
As one of the few who knew Unohana's true nature, Kyoraku understood her goals.
Even in her days as the 'greatest villain', if Unohana wanted to kill, she would have gone to the Rukongai… not slaughtered people secretly within the Seireitei.
Besides, if Unohana truly wished to kill, she would do so openly, never in such a sneaky manner.
Moving down the list… himself and Ukitake were also impossible suspects.
As for Ginrei of the 6th Division, his likelihood was minimal.
It wasn't that Kyouraku looked down on him, but as the head of the Kuchiki Clan and a model noble, Ginrei would never tarnish his family's reputation by murdering Shinigami.
If it were one of the other three Great Noble Houses, perhaps… but not the Kuchiki Clan.
Yoruichi could also be ruled out.
So, the remaining ones are Otoribashi, Shinji, Aikawa, Kensei, Isshin, Kaguya, and Kisuke.
Kyoraku's eyes subtly scanned them, already strategizing how to expose the traitor hiding among these captains.
Thud.
"Very well, Captains."
Yamamoto opened his eyes and said sternly, "Recently, the Gotei 13 has once again witnessed abnormal deaths among our Shinigami."
"According to intelligence gathered by Captain Kyoraku of the 8th Division, we have narrowed down the culprit's general whereabouts."
"Additionally, reports from the 12th Division indicate that Hollow's Reiatsu have been detected in multiple locations within the Seireitei."
"This is a direct challenge to the Gotei 13… one we cannot ignore!"
Yamamoto's gaze swept across the two rows of Captains before him, though none showed any visible guilt.
"Captain Kyoraku, report the suspected locations of this criminal."
"Yes, Captain-Commander."
Kyoraku stepped forward and said, "Based on current intelligence, the perpetrator is most likely operating in two primary areas."
"The first is the mountainous region between the 5th and 9th Divisions. This is where the highest concentration of Shinigami disappearances and deaths have occurred. I suspect the culprit may have a base there."
"The second is the outskirts between the 7th and 11th Divisions. The 12th Division's data shows that, over the past few decades, many of the Hollows' Reiatsu detected in the Seireitei first emerged in this area. We cannot rule out the possibility of a fixed Garganta entrance maintained by high-level Hollows from Hueco Mundo."
"I suggest that Captain Otoribashi, Captain Hirako 5, Captain Aikawa, and Captain Muguruma proceed to investigate the first location."
"Captain Shiba and Captain Kyoya will investigate the second."
"If any threats are identified, you are authorized to apprehend or eliminate the targets on sight."
"I will dispatch 8th Division's Lieutenant, Yadomaru Lisa to accompany Captains Otoribashi and the others to the first location."
"As for the second..."
Kyoraku's gaze shifted to Kisuke.
Originally, he had considered sending Kisuke with Kyoya and Isshin to the second site. However, to monitor both locations in real-time, the 8th Division's intelligence operatives alone wouldn't suffice.
Thus, Kyoraku needed the assistance of 2nd Division's Captain, Yoruichi.
But if he involved her, he couldn't afford to treat Kisuke, who is her close associate, as a suspect.
Otherwise, given their friendship, Kisuke might learn of all his plans the moment he sought Yoruichi's help.
Instead of doing this, it would be better to just trust Kisuke.