When Nobu stepped out of the Head Captain's office, he found Kotetsu Isane still waiting for him.
"Isane-nee."
"Did Vice-Captain Sasakibe want something from you?"
"It was the Head Captain himself — he called me in to talk about a few things."
Nobu then recounted to her exactly what he had just discussed with Yamamoto Genryūsai, including the matter of holding an internal Gotei 13 exchange competition.
Isane's eyes widened in shock when he finished. She quickly asked, "Nobu… was this something you proposed to the Head Captain?"
Nobu nodded lightly.
She stood there frozen for a few seconds before a shiver of belated fear crept up on her. "Why didn't you discuss this with me first?" she blurted.
Nobu chuckled. "I was planning to talk to you about it, Isane-nee, but you've seemed so busy lately. And I've been caught up in treating Captain Ukitake, so… I forgot."
By rights, something like this should have been discussed with the vice-captain.
But Unohana Retsu had already told him — in matters like this, he had full authority to decide.
A trace of awkwardness flickered across Isane's face. She knew his words were a subtle reminder that she had been avoiding him lately.
"Anyway," Nobu said, "it's a good thing, isn't it?"
Isane's expression stayed uneasy. "But in the end, the results will be decided by matches, won't they? If we lose…"
Sparring with other divisions — wasn't that exactly Fourth Division's weak point?
Nobu only smiled with quiet confidence. "Isn't there still me?"
"…"
They returned to Fourth Division's barracks and went together to see Unohana, reporting everything that had happened at the vice-captains' meeting.
Unohana's gaze lingered on Nobu, thoughtful, before she gave a slightly strange smile.
"You really did this just to lessen the burden on our division members?"
"Of course." Nobu spread his hands, all innocence.
Unohana said nothing more, only remarking casually, "Do as you like."
The captains of the Gotei 13 held a status in Seireitei that surpassed even most noble houses. As long as they didn't cross certain lines, almost nothing could shake their position.
That was why Unohana let him have his way.
Two days later, Nobu was summoned to First Division again — this time meeting with Sasakibe Chōjirō. The vice-captain had called him to discuss the specific process and rules for the competition.
Nobu had already prepared a report over the past two days and handed it over.
After reading it, Sasakibe murmured, "When you first proposed creating the Student Council, you submitted a report like this too, didn't you?"
Nobu smiled. "If I prepare more in advance, it saves you the trouble, doesn't it? Anything you find unsuitable, you can change. And I've marked which parts the Head Captain has already approved."
Sasakibe tucked the file away. "Understood."
...
A week later, First Division issued a notice to all divisions:
In the middle of next month, a Gotei 13 internal friendship and sparring exchange would be held, hosted at Fourth Division's barracks. All divisions were required to send participants.
Each division would send three members, with the highest rank allowed being vice-captain. If a division sent its vice-captain, then one of the other two must be a non-seated member who had not held a seated position in the last three years.
There were few restrictions on match content — only that no one be killed. Injuries were acceptable; after all, the event was in Fourth Division's territory.
The division with the most victories would receive a large sum for division development.
The division with the most losses would take over Fourth Division's Seireitei cleaning duties for a year, until the next exchange event.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the usually quiet Soul Society.
Some were puzzled. Some were eager, itching to test themselves.
Others guessed that Fourth Division must have been behind it — why else hold the event in their barracks, and make the losers' punishment the cleaning duty that had always belonged to them?
Within days, many began digging for information — learning that Fourth Division had recently sparred with both Eleventh and Thirteenth Divisions, which only reinforced the belief that this was their doing.
But since the notice came from First Division, the others had no choice but to comply.
With only a month to prepare, every division began their training.
The competition brought an unusual energy to Seireitei. Never before had there been a sparring event involving all thirteen divisions at once.
Within the Thirteenth, anticipation ran high.
Shiba Kaien came to see Nobu during this time, asking if the whole thing was his doing.
"It was because the Head Captain learned about my matches with Eleventh Division and your division," Nobu said. "That led to this Gotei 13 exchange event."
Kaien thought for a moment. "The punishment for losing… that was your idea too, wasn't it?"
"Is there something wrong with it?" Nobu asked back.
Kaien fell silent. "Nobu, I don't know if you did this intentionally or not, but it might make some people unhappy."
Nobu laughed. "Who exactly would be unhappy? My idea makes our division members happy. If I win, they'll be even happier. As Third Seat of Fourth Division, is it wrong to do something that makes my own people happy?"
Kaien could only sigh. "I don't know what to say to you."
Nobu grinned at him. "What, are you afraid Thirteenth Division will lose and have to sweep the streets?"
Kaien froze, then frowned. "If we do lose, then we'll have nothing to say about it."
"Exactly! If you have nothing to say, then no one else should either. You can't make everyone happy with anything you do — you just have to satisfy the ones beside you."
Kaien stared at him for a long moment before his gaze trembled slightly. "Nobu, you—"
"I didn't say anything," Nobu replied, half-smiling.
Still, Kaien couldn't help asking, "I just don't get it. Why do this? You and 'them'… shouldn't have any conflict."
The man before him might have been born in Rukongai, but he didn't seem the sort to harbor resentment against the world.
"You've misjudged me," Nobu said, shaking his head. "I'm not against anyone. I just want to do something good for Fourth Division. But since you said 'them'… shouldn't I say 'us'?"
"…"
Kaien didn't answer. Instead, he turned and left Fourth Division.
---
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