16 Promotion to Vice Captain  

Sōjun Kuchiki, the Sixth Division's vice captain, was from one of the four great noble clans, the Kuchiki family. As the successor to the family head and the son of Ginrei Kuchiki, the Sixth Division captain, his background was quite deep.

But how many people in the Sixth Division actually respected him?

Sōjun Kuchiki was talented, having achieved Shikai at a young age and vice captain-level strength. However, his poor physique was a major hindrance, causing him to only be able to exert 50-60% of his full power due to illness.

Of course, when it came to sickness, Jūshirō Ukitake, the captain of the Thirteenth Division, was also plagued by poor health, often unable to exert his full strength.

But Ukitake's talents far exceeded Sōjun Kuchiki's by more than just a bit. Even when not at full power, Ukitake still possessed strength surpassing normal captains. This was something Sōjun Kuchiki could never compare to.

Now, through his battle with Marenoshin Ōmaeda, Ailin had proven to the Second Division members that he possessed the strength to become their vice captain.

Especially Ailin's final blow - aside from Yoruichi Shihōin and Kisuke Urahara, no one present had the confidence to survive it.

Just look - even after Yoruichi nullified the trailing slashes, three furrows over ten meters deep and fifty meters long remained carved into the training grounds.

"My apologies, Vice Captain Ōmaeda. Since it was my first time using that move, I didn't have good control over it..." 

With Ōmaeda admitting defeat, Ailin naturally chose to be modest. He walked over and extended his hands, green Kidō light instantly enveloping Ōmaeda's body. Soon, under Ailin's healing Kidō, Ōmaeda's injuries rapidly recovered.

After all, Drunkard Rampage had blocked much of Wind Scar's power. And when the remnants broke through, Yoruichi shattered them while Urahara swiftly pulled Ōmaeda to safety. So Ōmaeda's injuries were still within Ailin's capabilities to treat. In less than a minute, Ōmaeda's wounds were completely healed by Ailin.

"Hahaha! I once heard Captain Retsu Unohana say she wanted you as the Third Seat of the Fourth Division. At the time, I thought she overestimated you. But now, I feel she underestimated you, Ailin!"

After getting up from the ground and moving around, aside from tattered clothes and some lingering blood stains, Ōmaeda felt he had fully recovered.

"Not even Seinosuke Yamada can accomplish healing like this!"

Seinosuke Yamada was currently the Fourth Division's vice captain. His mastery of healing Kidō was second only to Captain Retsu Unohana.

"Vice Captain Ōmaeda overpraises me. I'm far from comparing to Vice Captain Yamada."

Ailin shook his head at Ōmaeda's compliments, not taking them seriously at all. After all, Yamada would eventually help create Nemuri Hachigo. Ailin had yet to reach realms like creating life. Of course, that was over a century later. Currently, Yamada possibly hadn't attained such mastery yet.

"Hey Ailin, you defeated me fair and square. How can you belittle yourself like that?"

Hearing Ailin's words displeased Ōmaeda instead. "What? Does the Second Division's vice captain fall short of the Fourth Division's in your eyes? Or is the entire Second Division inferior to them?"

"Well..."

Ailin was taken aback, not expecting Ōmaeda to react so strongly. But after considering further, even combining Second Division's previous captain Senjumaru Shutara, current captain Yoruichi Shihōin, and next captain Suì-Fēng, their strength probably still fell short against Captain Unohana.

Captain Unohana was one of the first Kenpachi, deemed a great villain alongside Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto a millennium ago in Soul Society's early days.

Yoruichi might stand a chance after developing Shunkō's Raijin and Raikō forms. Without those, she and the other two were just vegetables before Unohana. But Ailin was in the Second Division now. Voicing such thoughts would be truly foolish.

"Of course not. We're the strongest covert ops force, the Second Division. A medical relief unit like the Fourth Division isn't on the same level at all!"

"That's right!"

Yoruichi and Urahara exchanged awkward looks. These two were really ignorant, huh.

Afraid they might spout more shocking nonsense, Yoruichi hurriedly interrupted Ōmaeda. She brought Ailin before the spectating Shinigami, raising his hand high as she loudly announced:

"Everyone, the victor for this vice-captain challenge under the witness of over four hundred division members and myself, Second Division Captain Yoruichi Shihōin, has been decided!"

"I now proclaim with my authority as captain that the winner is Ailin!"

"From now on, Ailin shall assume the post of Second Division's vice-captain. Former Vice Captain Marenoshin Ōmaeda is exempt from his subsequent challenges and shall share Third Seat duties with Kisuke Urahara!"

"Does anyone have objections?"

"No!"

"Vice Captain Ailin! Third Seat Ōmaeda! Vice Captain Ailin! Third Seat Ōmaeda!"

Under observation from over four hundred members, Ailin had successfully defeated the former vice captain to become Second Division's new second-in-command.

With Ōmaeda's help afterwards, Ailin gradually grew familiar with some of the division's affairs. However, more often he focused on forging weapons within his inner world.

After seeing Yoruichi and Urahara, three more Zanpakutō had appeared on his world's sword hill.

Two were at the same level as Hyōrinmaru while the third resided in the lower half. These represented Benihime, Yoruichi, and Ōmaeda's Zanpakutō.

Having forged them boosted Ailin's Reiatsu tremendously. Especially the two that had attained Bankai, tripling Ailin's Reiryoku!

Now, Ailin's Reiatsu exceeded newly-promoted 6th seats by four times. In other words, any 6th seat whose Shikai didn't raise their Reiatsu at least fourfold would be weaker than Ailin's ordinary state.