Although Yamamoto asked everyone to recomnd suitable Captain candidates, no one spoke up, as indeed no one could think of anyone suitable.
Seeing no one speak, Yamamoto couldn't help but frown and said, "Toshiro, you speak."
"Yes."
Being directly nad, Toshiro had no choice but to step forward.
"How about Lieutenant Abarai Renji of the 6th Division? He just recently achieved Bankai."
Toshiro said.
"Lieutenant Abarai?"
Yamamoto pondered for a mont but ultimately shook his head and said, "Lieutenant Abarai has only just achieved Bankai. His strength is still sowhat lacking to beco a Captain."
Renji had only recently learned Bankai, and moreover, he hadn't gained true recognition from his Zanpakuto, Zabimaru. His Bankai was incomplete, so his strength barely reached the Captain-level, at the early Captain stage.
Whereas the Captains of the Gotei 13, even the weakest, were at the mid Captain-level. Although it was just a small rank difference, the gap in strength between them was considerable.
Unless one had a very powerful Zanpakuto like Toshiro or Yamamoto, it was actually quite difficult to fight above one's level.
That's why Byakuya, at the mid Captain-level, easily defeated Renji at the early Captain-level.
Oh, and by the way, perhaps because he had a major battle with Ichigo, Byakuya had now broken through to the late Captain-level, making him one of the stronger Captains in the Gotei 13.
At the very least, aside from Toshiro and so veteran Captain-level fighters, no one could say for sure they could defeat Byakuya.
"If Lieutenant Abarai won't do, then it's hard to find other suitable candidates for now." Toshiro shook his head.
"No, there are indeed powerful individuals capable of serving as Captains. In fact, there are two, and they are both in your 10th Division." Yamamoto looked at Toshiro.
Toshiro paused for a mont and said, "You an..."
Yamamoto interjected, "That's right, the co- 3rd Seats of your 10th Division, Kano Ashido and Kusaka Sojiro!"
Toshiro mused, "Those two..."
Back when Toshiro led an expedition to Hueco Mundo and returned, Ashido also ca back to the Soul Society with Toshiro and, at Toshiro's invitation, joined the 10th Division.
At that ti, Ashido's strength was already Captain-level, but Toshiro was only the 3rd Seat of the 10th Division then, so he had to reluctantly make Ashido the 4th Seat.
Over the years, Ashido's strength had increased, reaching the mid Captain-level, and his seat had also risen from 4th to 3rd.
As for Sojiro, out of gratitude to Toshiro for saving his life, he joined the 10th Division after graduating from the Shin'o Academy.
And his strength goes without saying. Sojiro was originally a genius. During his studies at the Shin'o Academy, he mastered Shikai before even graduating.
In this life, his Zanpakuto was different from Toshiro's and was not affected by Toshiro's Hyorinmaru. Following the proper training, he actually successfully achieved Bankai and reached the mid Captain-level.
When Toshiro first found out, he was also very surprised. But after the surprise, thinking it over carefully, Toshiro didn't make a big deal out of it.
Because this indeed wasn't anything rare.
Strictly speaking, although Sojiro wasn't as astonishingly brilliant as Toshiro, he was genuinely a genius. Otherwise, he wouldn't have awakened his Zanpakuto and mastered Shikai shortly after enrolling in the Shin'o Academy.
And in the Bleach Movie, the reason Sojiro didn't achieve Bankai, Toshiro speculated, might be because their Zanpakuto were the sa. So if one person achieved Bankai first, the other would never be able to.
In this life, their Zanpakuto were not the sa, so there was no mutual influence. Thus, it beca perfectly normal for Sojiro Kusaka to rely on his own talent to achieve Bankai and beco Captain-level.
Although Ashido and Sojiro Kusaka were powerful, reaching mid Captain-level and not inferior to so Captains, they always remained low-key working under Toshiro, never thinking of leaving the 10th Division, even as their strength grew.
Due to their low profile, few in the Soul Society knew that Toshiro had two such powerful subordinates.
However, although the two were powerful, they ant little to soone of Toshiro's level. So when Aizen defected from the Soul Society earlier, they had been holding down the fort in the 10th Division, and Toshiro didn't have them show themselves.
"Captain-Commander, having Ashido and Sojiro beco Captains... might be difficult." Toshiro said hesitantly.
"Hmm? What's wrong? I specifically looked into the strength of Kano Ashido and Sojiro Kusaka. They are quite good even among Captain-level fighters, at least much stronger than Lieutenant Abarai, who just entered the Captain-level."
"Shouldn't their strength be sufficient to shoulder the responsibilities of a Captain? Or is it that you're unwilling to let them go, Toshiro?" Yamamoto asked.
Toshiro smiled bitterly and said, "How could that be? If they could beco Captains, I'd be happy for them. Why would I stop them?"
"When I said it's difficult for them to beco Captains, it's because... they are unwilling to leave the 10th Division." Toshiro said helplessly.
In fact, if Ashido and Sojiro could beco Captains, it would be very advantageous for Toshiro.
Because these two both ca from the 10th Division and were loyal to Toshiro. If they beca Captains, then after Toshiro succeeded as Captain-Commander, his control over the Gotei 13 would undoubtedly be even stronger.
This would be extrely beneficial for Toshiro.
And the reason Yamamoto proposed letting Ashido and Sojiro beco Captains was probably also to prepare for Toshiro to comprehensively control the Gotei 13 after he beca Captain-Commander.
After all, as Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, one needed a few completely trusted confidants under their command.
For example, Komamura was a loyal follower of Yamamoto, and Kyoraku and Ukitake were his disciples. Even Toshiro, the Vice-Captain-Commander, could be considered Yamamoto's student.
So Yamamoto was able to firmly hold power in the Gotei 13, not just because of his prestige and strength, but also because of the support from people like Toshiro.
And as Vice-Captain-Commander and the next Captain-Commander, Toshiro naturally also hoped to have his own confidants among the Gotei 13's Captains.
But unfortunately, Ashido and Sojiro were unwilling to leave the 10th Division, even to beco Captains.
"Captain-Commander, Ashido and Sojiro have clearly stated to before that they do not wish to leave the 10th Division." Toshiro said helplessly.
"Unwilling?" Yamamoto asked, sowhat surprised.
"Yes. While I was recuperating in the 4th Division these past few days, they both ca to visit . During our conversation, I clearly ntioned that there were several Captain vacancies now, and if they were interested, they could try for one."
"But in the end, both expressed that they were unwilling to leave the 10th Division and wanted to continue working under . They had no interest in being Captains." Toshiro said, both pleased and helpless.
Pleased to have such loyal subordinates, helpless that his plan to install his own people among the Captains had failed.
"Even willing to give up the Captain's position rather than leave the 10th Division? The Soul Society actually has such loyal and righteous people. This is truly rare." Yamamoto said with deep emotion.
"Indeed, it's rare. But there are others like this, aren't there? Lieutenant Sasakibe is like that, isn't he? He's been with you for over two thousand years, right? With his strength, if he wanted to be a Captain, he probably would have had many opportunities. But hasn't he also never left the 1st Division?" Toshiro said.
In fact, such cases were not uncommon. Besides Sasakibe, Ikkaku was also like this.
"Yes."
ntioning Sasakibe, Yamamoto's stern expression also softened a bit.
"Since the two 3rd Seats, Kano Ashido and Sojiro Kusaka, are unwilling, there's no need to force them."
Perhaps seeing a reflection of Sasakibe in Ashido and Sojiro, Yamamoto also had no intention of forcing them.
"But besides them, who else in the Soul Society is suitable to be Captain... Hmm? That's right!"
Yamamoto seed to think of sothing.
"I rember the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force is about to return. The current Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force is also a Captain-level strong individual. Coincidentally, he has rendered many military exploits in Hueco Mundo, and a decision on how to reward him hasn't been made yet. Now it seems..."
"Making him a Captain... would be just appropriate."
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