Chapter 138: The Test
The meeting room in the 1st Division barracks...
As the designated venue for the Captain's Meeting, the room was already filled with Lieutenants. However, there weren't actually that many of them.
Among the Lieutenants present, one was acting as a Captain's Substitute—ranked half a step higher than the rest—so they didn't have to wait outside with the others.
The Shinigami who had just arrived outside the office walls were visibly excited.
Serving in the 1st Division, they had encountered many powerful figures, with their own Captain being the strongest of them all. Yet, they couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
This was the Captain's seat—one of the highest positions among professional Shinigami—and today, the last remaining vacancy would finally be filled.
Perhaps it was simply human nature to always yearn for something greater.
Even though these elite Shinigami knew that mastering Bankai gave them a 99% chance of becoming a Captain, they still wanted to witness the appointment of a new Captain firsthand. After all, Captain exams were a rare occurrence.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
At the sound of approaching footsteps, silence fell over the room.
Three men, clad in white haori, walked directly into the meeting chamber, drawing admiring gazes from the gathered Shinigami.