Aspect of Blades
A Bleach fanfic
Chapter 24
Ichigo's POV
-zanpakuto speaking in the inner world
-zanpakuto speaking outside the inner world
-Ichigo's Thoughts or speech in the inner world
"Captain present!" Someone calls as I enter the dining halls at the eighth division. There is a sudden rustle of robes as all rise and rush into ranks, forming up so I can see my whole division for the first time. I look at them, and 3500 Shinigami look back. I curse my predecessor. Every single member of the eighth division, now my division due to Kyoraku being reassigned to fifth, is female except for me. At least I can take solace in what is happening to Kyoraku right now. He was assigned to lead the eleventh division for a day, and I dropped in to see what was happening earlier. He is currently trapped fighting Ikkaku, Yumichika, Yachiru, and Zaraki all at the same time, trying to rescue his sake from a few others of the eleventh. I laugh quietly to myself over this, then compose myself.
"Seated officers, report to me for assignment to combat teams. The rest of you are to form into teams of fifty, with at least ten of each team having Shikai," I say. "Five close combat Shikai, five elemental if possible. Now, get moving!" I bellow. "These teams are for combat, not conversation, so if you think you can form up with your friends and talk while Hollows eviscerate you, think again! Ise-fukutaicho will be reviewing the roster of each team! The officer in charge will be the fifty-first member, and each one of the team with Shikai will be in charge of a team of four others, am I understood! So choose carefully, as I don't want officer subordinate conflict," I bellow. There are shouts of assent as teams form swiftly, my seated officers striding forward from the mess. I can form 70 combat teams from the 3500 Shinigami I have, and each team is expected to be able to secure a large area without further support from the Seireitei, and operate in hostile territory for a year at a time once I'm done beating them into combat ready shape. They got plum assignments with minimal Hollow presence before, but this will be a combat division, equal to the eleventh, or I will turn in my haori. I turn to my officers, of which I have 72 counting Nanao and Momo, who will have Bankai once I'm done with them, and they will be my personal guards when I'm dispatched to a combat zone. I make a note to get some Tenshintai from Urahara. He mentioned their existence in an attempt to get on my good side when I was training at his shop. He really didn't want to become a pile of ash due to my severe aggravation about the Shattered Shaft.
"Sir, awaiting assignment," Nanao says, reminding me of where I am.
"Very well, Ise-fukutaicho. First things first, you are to go make the rosters, with Momo helping to take names. Friends are to be split up if it is likely they will be distracted by each other, kept together if they fight well together. Now, teams are to be numbered 1 to 70. Strongest team will get the weakest officer, and the weakest team gets the strongest officer. Team 1 is to be the strongest, team 70 the weakest. Is that understood?" I ask her. She nods and heads over to being making the roster. I turn to my other officers. "So far, this division has gotten the very best, lowest risk assignments, ever since Kyoraku took over. I am changing that. We will spend the next two months training, then we will deploy the teams. Any who do not have Shikai right now are to attain it. Put them in a scenario, best if it's a fight, where they honestly believe they will die if they don't get Shikai, as that will likely get them to access it fairly fast," I order. They nod, understanding. "They are to be able to operate at peak efficiency for a year in enemy territory by the end of those two months, and I expect them to be able to secure an area roughly half the size of Japan and hold it in the face of opposition. That is very possible with good discipline," I say.
"Indeed," a voice comes from behind me.
"Soi Fon-taicho. Why are you here?" I ask her as I turn around, interested in why the woman who tried to kill me twice came here where I have an entire division of backup if she is hostile.
"To apologize. I exceeded my orders when I was told to test you, and I then tried to kill you later, still believing you an enemy. I have heard that you are formally taking on the duty you were born for, and I wished to both congratulate you on having such resolve and apologize for my actions. I also apologize for the actions of my idiot lieutenant. He has been chastised, and will not attempt anything similar again. If he does, he will be turned over to you with all possible speed," Soi Fon says. "I offer the aid of the Onmitsukido, which relies on the kind of discipline you want to instill, to train your own division. Having another active combat division that can match the eleventh, the first, or my own second division in ability will be very welcome. Those three divisions currently do a lot of the work when it comes to hostile areas, and the combat teams you are forming should indeed be able to reach the ability level you want in the time you have with sufficient effort put in," she says.
"Indeed. This division will not be a division that leaves its comrades fighting the hard fights anymore," I declare. She nods, and salutes me. I notice she was heavily injured by Komamura, and it was probably only her insistence on doing her duty that got her out of a bed in the fourth. Her left arm is in a sling, her torso is wrapped in bandages, and she is limping slightly, and this is after an entire day under the attention of the Fourth's best healers. She was definitely in very bad condition, and I harbor hopes that she learned something from the beating.
"Excellent. I will send over some of my seated officers in an hour. I trust your lieutenant will be greeting them?" Soi Fon asks. I shake my head.
"No. My lieutenant and third seat will be my guards whenever I have to enter the fray personally. They begin training for Bankai immediately. Manifestation and combat training to start with. Once I feel they are prepared, they will be fighting their zanpakuto," I tell her.
"Very well, I'll trust that your fourth seat will be here to greet them," Soi Fon says. I nod and give the order. "Having a personal guard with Bankai is certainly a good idea, given your power. You would do severe damage to the world of the living merely by existing," she says, and I cannot deny it. The more fights I can avoid when not in the living world, the better. My reiatsu cannot be sealed if I am to use my body. Thus, my guards need to be as strong as possible, which means that they need Bankai. I turn away and walk towards the training grounds, resolved to begin immediately.
Like the story so far? Next chapter is Kyoraku's day at the 11th, most likely. Read, enjoy, and review, thank you.