On the high platform, Aizen adjusted his glasses slightly, a faint smile gracing his lips as he remarked, "Truly remarkable... To think that even this Zanpakutō could make history. You truly live up to the title of a legend in Shinō Academy's history."
Beside him, Unohana Retsu displayed a gentle smile, her tone soft yet meaningful. "The number of geniuses in Seireitei keeps growing. This is indeed a good sign."
On the other side, Hitsugaya Tōshirō noticed the unusual expression on Matsumoto Rangiku's face and commented, "Rangiku, is there really a need to be this surprised?"
Startled by his words, Rangiku snapped out of her daze and feigned a relaxed demeanor. "Captain Hitsugaya, aren't you worried that this Segawa Shigure might steal your title as the greatest prodigy of Soul Society?"
"What?!" Hitsugaya's eyes widened in disbelief, his tone sharp. "Why would I care about something like that? Besides, it's not like that title matters to me!"
Seeing his reaction, Rangiku smirked mischievously, clearly enjoying her little tease.
Meanwhile, Kyōraku Shunsui, standing beside Yamamoto Genryūsai, leaned closer and whispered with a chuckle, "So, old man, how does he compare to your expectations?"
Yamamoto's eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke in his deep, authoritative voice. "No wonder you hold him in such high regard. That immense spiritual pressure and his Zanpakutō… His future is indeed promising."
Hearing this, Shunsui broke into a wide grin. For Yamamoto, even a few words of praise carried significant weight.
At this moment, Yamamoto stood up, leaning on his staff. Seeing this, the other captains immediately rose to their feet in unison.
After clearing his throat, Yamamoto announced, "The demonstration of Segawa Shigure's Zanpakutō Shikai has concluded. Captains, you may now share your thoughts."
The captains exchanged glances, some raising their eyebrows in surprise. They noticed that Yamamoto had skipped a step in the usual process. Normally, after demonstrating the foundational power of a Shikai, the wielder would showcase its applications to elaborate on its abilities. However, Yamamoto had bypassed this entirely, moving straight to the captains' evaluations.
Initially puzzled, they quickly realized the reason. The sheer oppressive force of Shigure's Shikai alone was already on par with many current captains. There was no need for further explanations or demonstrations. The blazing lightning that emanated from it had already spoken volumes about its power.
Yamamoto turned his gaze toward Sui-Feng, the Captain of the 2nd Division. "Captain Sui-Feng, you may start."
"Yes, Head-Captain." Sui-Feng nodded and directed her attention to Shigure below. Her tone was calm but firm. "Segawa's Zanpakutō is exceptionally powerful. The mere storm of lightning surrounding him is enough to suppress any enemy relying on Shunpo or close combat. His strength is undoubtedly at the captain level. I approve of his early enlistment."
Her assessment left several vice-captains wide-eyed in astonishment. Only now did they fully grasp the comprehensive capabilities of Shigure's lightning-based Zanpakutō.
Next, it was Ichimaru Gin's turn. True to his enigmatic nature, he maintained his sly smile. "Oh my, I don't have any objections. After all, I joined early myself, didn't I?"
Unohana Retsu, the 4th Division Captain, followed with her usual gentle demeanor. "I look forward to seeing Segawa-kun grow even stronger in the future."
Aizen also spoke with a polite smile. "Having someone as talented as you join the Gotei 13 is a great fortune for Seireitei. I have no objections."
Shigure returned Aizen's smile with a courteous nod. "Thank you for your kind words, Captain Aizen."
One by one, the captains expressed their approval, each echoing their agreement with Shigure's early enlistment into the Gotei 13.
Finally, it was Ukitake Jūshirō's turn. With his usual warm and sunny smile, he addressed Shigure. "Of course, I have no objections either. But now that I think about it, you're that child from the Segawa family, aren't you?"
The Segawa and Ukitake estates were located next to each other in Seireitei. While they rarely interacted, they were technically neighbors.
Shigure smiled in return. "Yes, Captain Ukitake. When I was younger, I was fortunate enough to receive some of your guidance."
"Is that so?" Ukitake chuckled. "Perhaps I've been too busy to remember such things…"
As the two exchanged pleasantries, no one seemed to mind. However, what Ukitake said next caught everyone off guard.
"Shigure, how about joining the 13th Division? We're currently in need of a vice-captain."
The room fell silent for a moment. Kyōraku Shunsui immediately exaggerated his reaction, his voice playful. "Hey, hey, Ukitake, isn't that a bit underhanded? Trying to recruit him during casual conversation?"
Ukitake laughed lightly and replied, "Shunsui, I'm merely stating the obvious. After all, it's about time he decides which division to join, right, Head-Captain?"
His final remark was directed at Yamamoto, who gave a slight nod, his eyes opening slightly. "Since the captains have unanimously agreed on his qualifications for early enlistment, it is now time for Segawa Shigure to make his choice. Which division do you wish to serve under?"
With Yamamoto's words, all eyes turned toward Shigure. While not all captains were actively recruiting, they were undoubtedly curious about the prodigy's decision.
Among them, Matsumoto Rangiku and Ukitake Jūshirō appeared particularly attentive.
Shigure lifted his head, his expression calm and confident. With a decisive tone, he gave his answer.
But the words that left his mouth were entirely unexpected.
"I wish to join… Captain Aizen's 5th Division."
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