Chapter 22: Choice

The one who kidnapped Yamahiko was the Captain of Squad 2, the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, and the leader of the Onmitsukidō's First Division Executive Militia, Suì-Fēng.

Yamahiko didn't expect it to be her. Although he had guessed that Suì-Fēng might be the one, he still found it hard to believe.

She had no reason to bring him here.

Yamahiko remained calm and said, "This mountain is the headquarters of the Onmitsukidō(Stealth Force) and Second Division in the Seireitei. The only person who can freely enter and exit here, is a person of about 1.5 meters(4''11') in height, proficient in Shunpo, is none other than Captain Suì-Fēng."

When Suì-Fēng heard Yamahiko mention her height as 1.5 meters, she gritted her teeth.

But then she noticed two things and asked, "How did you know that I brought you to the Central Mountain, and how did you know my height?"

Yamahiko smiled and replied, "Actually, I never fell asleep. I deduced that we were in the Central Mountain of the Seireitei based on your movements. As for your height, I calculated it from the distance between me and the ground."

Suì-Fēng raised an eyebrow. Being able to perceive one's location like that was not simple. Yamahiko had been lying on her shoulder with his head turned backward, which meant that he had to reverse his perception of their location and then deduce their forward movement from the reversed perspective. His memory and thought processes were truly impressive.

Suì-Fēng looked at him deeply and said, "You're quite clever."

Curious, Yamahiko asked, "So, Captain Suì-Fēng, why did you bring me here?"

Suì-Fēng, with a stern face, asked, "Can you try to guess?"

Yamahiko thought for a moment and said, "Is it because you want me to join Second Division, or perhaps the Onmitsukidō(Stealth Force)?"

"Huh?"

Suì-Fēng almost fell to the ground in shock. She stared at Yamahiko and asked, "How did you know that?"

Yamahiko chuckled and said confidently, "It's simple. Second Division is responsible for executions, while the Onmitsukidō's has duties such as execution, patrol, surveillance, and communication. I haven't violated any of those duties. Besides, even if I did, I doubt it would require Captain Suì-Fēng herself to bring me here."

Suì-Fēng furrowed her brow and asked, "So, what's your answer? Do you want to join?"

Yamahiko frowned. He hadn't made up his mind about joining the Gotei 13 yet. He had originally planned to make that decision closer to graduation, but now it seemed he needed to consider it carefully.

Which squad should he choose?

First, he ruled out Squad 1, as the captain of Squad 1 was also the overall captain of the Gotei 13, making it difficult for someone of his level to join.

Next, he eliminated Squad 4. Squad 4 was the medical unit, and he hadn't learned Kaido yet. Even if he had the talent for Kaido, he didn't want to be in the rearlines; he preferred frontline combat.

Then, he ruled out Squads 3, 5, and 9. The captains of these squads were Gin Ichimaru, Sosuke Aizen, and Kaname Tosen, who would all eventually betray Soul Society. Even though Gin had joined Aizen's squad to exact revenge on him, the act of betrayal was something he couldn't overlook, and he had to avoid these three individuals.

That left Squad 6, Squad 8, and Squad 13. Squad 6 was the noble squad responsible for protecting noble interests, but he couldn't join there either.

Squad 8 is the Intelligence Division, led by Shunsui Kyōraku. Squad 13 is the Detention Unit, and all the Shinigami stationed in the Human World come from Squad 13. The captain of Squad 13 is Jūshirō Ukitake.

These two options didn't align with his frontline combat preference.

Apart from these, there were Squad 2, Squad 7, Squad 10, and Squad 11.

Squad 7 was the Inner Court Defense Force, led by Sajin Komamura. Protecting the Inner Court wasn't something Yamahiko objected to, so it remained a viable option.

Squad 10 was the Patrol and Security Unit, currently led by Isshin Shiba(Kurosaki), with Rangiku Matsumoto as the third seat. With three years remaining, Matsumoto would eventually go to find Tōshirō Hitsugaya and bring him to the Shin'o Academy. Hitsugaya would graduate in a year, and after graduation, Matsumoto would become the vice-captain while Hitsugaya took the third seat. It was likely that, after thirty years, when Isshin Shiba left Squad 10, Hitsugaya would become the captain. If Yamahiko joined Squad 10, he might have a chance to become the captain after Isshin's departure.

Squad 11 was the Combat Unit, led by Kenpachi Zaraki, with a focus on combat strength. The third seat wielded a Bankai, and the fifth seat had vice-captain-level abilities. However, Yamahiko felt that this squad didn't quite suit him. His body would remain that of an eleven-year-old for decades, and he would need to rely on Shunpo and Kidou in combination to fight effectively, which didn't align with Squad 11's straightforward combat style.

Lastly, there was Squad 2. Squad 2's duty was execution, and with Sui-Feng as its captain, the Onmitsukidō gradually became a subsidiary unit of Squad 2. The Stealth Force had five subsidiary corps, each with its own specific duties.

The strength of Squad 2 was undeniable, and the responsibilities of the Execution, Patrol, Surveillance, and Communication divisions of the Stealth Force allowed them to be involved in various aspects of the Seireitei, granting them formidable intelligence-gathering abilities.

Additionally, most of Squad 2's members operated covertly, waiting for the right moment to strike, maintaining the highest level of secrecy.

After careful consideration, Yamahiko was left with two choices: Squad 2 and Squad 10. He needed to decide which one to join.

Joining Squad 10 offered him a certain chance of becoming captain in the future.

Joining Squad 2 would provide him with powerful intelligence-gathering abilities and the utmost secrecy.

Yamahiko furrowed his brow, suddenly thinking about his current enemy, Sosuke Aizen. Aizen had hypnotized all the Gotei 13 captains and vice-captains, making it difficult for Yamahiko to escape. While some high-ranking officers of the Stealth Force had also been hypnotized, Yamahiko believed that if he joined the Onmitsukidō and actively avoided Aizen, he might have a better chance of avoiding the hypnosis.

Furthermore, Sui-Feng had personally sought him out, which indicated that she had high hopes for him. She wouldn't just make him an ordinary Shinigami.

So, looking at Sui-Feng, Yamahiko said, "Captain Sui-Feng, I am willing to join Squad 2 after graduation."

When Sui-Feng heard this, a smile played on her lips, and she said, "Very well. After you join, I will assign you to the Onmitsukidō's Second Division, the Patrol Corps, as the adjutant to Marechiyo Ōmaeda. As long as you can achieve Shikai, I can make you the vice-captain of the Second Division."

Yamahiko shook his head in response and said, "I don't want to join the Patrol Corps."

Sui-Feng furrowed her brow and asked, "The Patrol Corps is the most suitable division for you. Why don't you want to join?"

Yamahiko looked at Sui-Feng and said seriously, "I want to join the First Division, the Executive Militia, as your adjutant."