Historically, there have been three established ways to appoint a captain within the Gotei 13.
The first method is the captain's examination, conducted under the supervision of at least three captains — one of whom must be the Head-Captain himself. The examinee must demonstrate mastery of Kidō, swordsmanship, and reiatsu control equal to or surpassing that of a current captain. It is a difficult test, one that very few in the history of the Soul Society have successfully passed. Those who do are regarded as prodigies among shinigami, capable of commanding both power and respect.
The second method involves recommendation. A candidate must receive formal endorsement from six captains, and then obtain the approval of at least three of the remaining seven captains. This path is not common, as it requires not only strength but also reputation, prestige, and the trust of one's peers. In the past, this route was reserved for individuals whose achievements in war or research were already widely recognized. Such people were strong enough to lead even before taking the title.
The third method, the most brutal of all, is a succession duel. In this ceremony, the challenger must defeat the current captain in front of the entire division — no less than two hundred witnesses — and at least one other captain-level observer. It is a bloody and absolute tradition, and nowhere is it practiced more strictly than in the Eleventh Division, whose captains have all borne the name Kenpachi.
Though each appointment ultimately requires the approval of Central 46, that approval is mostly a formality. Those seated nobles and scholars may wield authority, but few among them truly understand strength. They simply ratify what the captains and the First Division determine to be legitimate. Only the captain of the First Division — the post of Head-Captain itself — is directly appointed by Central 46. That exception exists because the position symbolizes command over the entire Gotei 13, linking the military to the judiciary.
This time, when Captain Yamamoto brought up the matter of appointing a new captain, he was very clear about the circumstances. The third method, the traditional challenge ceremony, was no longer possible. Kenpachi Azashiro had not died, but was imprisoned in Muken — the deepest level of the Central Underground Prison. There was no one to challenge, no duel to be fought, no witnesses to record victory or defeat. Even if what Kyoraku Shunsui said was true, that Gosuke Shigure had indeed defeated Kenpachi Azashiro in combat, the lack of witnesses meant the succession could not be formally acknowledged.
Still, the Eleventh Division could not remain leaderless. Of all the thirteen squads, it was the one most dependent on the strength of its captain. The Eleventh was the blade of the Gotei 13, the vanguard that faced the enemy head-on. Without a captain to rally them, morale would crumble, and the squad would lose its identity as warriors. That was something Seireitei could not afford.
For that reason, a replacement had to be chosen as soon as possible.
The third method was immediately dismissed. The second, by recommendation, was also unrealistic. It would require six captains to endorse Shigure and at least three more to approve the decision. In history, only a handful of shinigami had ever become captains through recommendation, and they had all been figures of extraordinary reputation — those who had already proven their power countless times. If someone like Sasakibe Chojiro, the long-serving vice-captain of the First Division, were to step forward, none of the captains would object. His seniority was ancient, his ability unquestioned, and his loyalty beyond reproach. From the very founding of the Gotei 13, Sasakibe had stood by Yamamoto's side, assisting him as the commander's adjutant and strategist. Such a man could become a captain in an instant if he wished.
But Gosuke Shigure was different. Though he had served honorably as vice-captain of the Eleventh Division, not many outside his squad truly knew him. His strength was evident to those who fought alongside him, but his name was not one that carried weight across Seireitei. There were no public records of his feats, and even fewer who had seen his true power. To most captains, his victory over Kenpachi Azashiro remained a story told secondhand — extraordinary, but unverifiable.
Under such conditions, the recommendation method was impossible.
Thus, only one path remained: the captain's examination — the first method. Under the supervision of the Head-Captain and two other captains, Shigure would undergo a formal evaluation to determine if he possessed the power required of a captain-class shinigami. It was a fair and indisputable process.
Yamamoto Genryusai had already made up his mind.
…
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Northern Rukongai, the Eleventh Division was once again engaged in fierce battle.
Gosuke Shigure stood at the frontlines, leading his division against a sudden incursion from Hueco Mundo. The sky above the wasteland was fractured by streaks of white reiryoku and black energy as shinigami and hollows clashed in a brutal dance of death. This time, the enemy was not a mere Gillian. The leader of the assault was an Adjuchas — a mid-level Menos Grande whose power was said to rival that of a captain.
For many of the Eleventh's officers, this was the first time they had faced an opponent of such magnitude without a captain to lead them. The fear in their eyes was quickly masked by grim resolve. They had already accepted that the Eleventh Division's way of life meant dying in battle. If this was to be their last fight, they would meet death head-on.
But Shigure had no intention of letting his men die needlessly.
"Hold formation! Don't scatter!" he ordered, his voice calm and authoritative amid the chaos.
As the Adjuchas raised its clawed arm, a surge of black energy crackled across its body. Before it could release its Cero, Shigure moved — vanishing in a burst of reiryoku that shattered the ground beneath his feet. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared in the air above the hollow and brought down his blade in a single devastating slash. The sound that followed was like thunder breaking through stone. The cut tore through the creature's mask, and the resulting impact sent a shockwave ripping across the battlefield.
For a moment, silence.
Then, the Adjuchas screamed.
Its High-Speed Regeneration began to mend its wounds, but the next strike came faster than the first. Shigure's blade flashed again, precise and merciless, piercing directly through the hollow hole in its chest. A wet crack resounded, followed by the sound of collapsing spirit matter. The beast's body split apart and fell lifelessly to the ground.
Even though Adjuchas-class hollows could regenerate from almost any wound, being struck through the hollow hole meant instant death. Its body dissolved into reishi particles, scattering like ash across the battlefield.
The Eleventh Division's warriors froze, then erupted in shouts of awe and triumph. Their vice-captain had single-handedly felled an enemy that could have wiped them all out. Shigure lowered his blade, his expression calm and composed, as though the victory were nothing more than routine.
"Kill the rest." he said quietly.
His voice reignited their spirits. The division members roared in unison and charged forward, cutting down the remaining Gillian with renewed fury.
When Shunsui and several shinigami from the Eighth and Fourth Divisions arrived as reinforcements, the battle was already over. The air still smelled of ozone and reishi burns. Shunsui adjusted his hat, glanced over the field of fallen Hollows, and chuckled softly.
"Well," he said with a lazy smile, "I suppose I'm late again. But somehow, I'm not surprised."
*****
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✓ Killed For 100 Years in Hueco Mundo, Aizen Invited Me To Soul Society!
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