After the assessment concluded, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Yamamoto instructed Gosuke Shigure to return to Squad 11. He would report the results to Central 46, who must officially approve the appointment. This process would take several days.
During that time, Gosuke Shigure simply had to wait in peace.
Upon returning to Squad 11 barracks, Gosuke found a crowd of his fellow division members already gathered, waiting for him.
"Gosuke, what happened?" asked Yumi Kukise Gomizawa, a fellow seated officer.
Before Gosuke could respond, Kazunosuke Nitta, a large, heavily-bearded Shinigami, laughed and joked, "Judging by Gosuke's face, looks like he didn't make it!"
Kazunosuke was a veteran of Squad 11, known for his strength and straightforward nature. Years ago, Zaraki Kenpachi had even considered appointing him as vice-captain, but he declined.
"I'm just here to fight. Not waste my days behind a desk filling out paperwork," he once said.
Instead, he had recommended Gosuke Shigure for the role—a Shinigami who had followed Kenpachi from early on and proved himself by managing administrative duties behind the scenes. According to Nitta, Gosuke was young, but capable, especially in internal affairs.
Thanks to Nitta's support, and the votes of the squad members, Gosuke became vice-captain.
Because of this, Nitta and Gosuke shared an excellent rapport and often joked freely. In fact, the veteran squad members of the 11th had strong camaraderie built on shared respect and their captain's "might-makes-right" ethos. Zaraki Kenpachi's approach to leadership had unified them.
And as his protégé, Gosuke was often the target of their teasing.
"Don't be discouraged, Gosuke," said Yamashiro Nao, a fourth-seat officer with thick braids and a sparrow tattoo on her face. "Even if you didn't pass the captain's test, you'll always be our vice-captain."
"Exactly!" said another seated officer. "You're still young. Even if you didn't pass now, I'll become Kenpachi first and you'll just remain my vice-captain. No shame in that!"
The squad members chuckled, but the tone of the conversation started to shift.
"What do you mean you'll be Kenpachi? If anyone here deserves the title, it's me!" barked another.
"You? You're only the Thirteenth Seat. I'm Seventh Seat and way more qualified!"
"So what if I'm Thirteenth Seat? That's just a number. I've already started training to master Bankai. Give me a little time and I'll have it. Then becoming captain will be a breeze."
The conversation, which began with words of comfort, rapidly turned into a full-blown debate over who among them deserved to be the next Kenpachi. It escalated from a shouting match to drawn swords, and soon, several of them were sparring on the Squad 11 training grounds.
Shaking his head with a weary smile, Gosuke Shigure left the chaos behind and returned to the captain's quarters to manage team affairs.
Since Zaraki Kenpachi's imprisonment in the Repentance Cell (Muken), Gosuke had been handling nearly all squad matters.
Beyond the occasional deployment against Menos Grande or rogue Hollows, most of his time was spent on bureaucratic responsibilities.
Now, having passed the captain's assessment, it was only a matter of time before he would be officially named the new captain of Squad 11.
That meant the position of vice-captain would be vacated—someone had to be chosen to fill it.
But strength wasn't the only requirement. Gosuke needed someone proficient in internal affairs. Much like Nanao Ise of Squad 8—who seamlessly managed operations while Kyoraku Shunsui napped, drank, or wandered—he hoped for someone similar to balance his coming responsibilities.
After all, once he officially became Kenpachi, the burden of battle would fall solely on him.
He didn't need a second blade—he needed a steady hand behind the desk.
Yet as he mentally reviewed the current seated officers of Squad 11, he realized none fit the bill.
Sure, there were a few women among them. But in Squad 11, gender made no difference—everyone had one thing in common: a love for battle.
Most were even more aggressive than the men.
In truth, Gosuke himself had once been a reckless brawler. What set him apart was a marginal aptitude for administration—barely enough to function as vice-captain. But compared to the rest of Squad 11? That alone made him the best candidate.
If that was the standard, he knew full well that no current officer was suitable.
"Looks like I'll have to take this one step at a time," he sighed, resigning himself to wait for the right candidate to appear in the future.
—
Meanwhile, at the other end of the Seireitei, after Gosuke Shigure's combat assessment concluded, Captain-Commander Yamamoto made his way to the chambers of Central 46 to submit the official report.
Upon hearing that Gosuke Shigure had successfully passed, the Central 46 Council members expressed mild surprise.
They were certainly familiar with Gosuke Shigure. Not long ago, he had stood trial before them and was even imprisoned in the Shishinrō—the Confession Palace.
However, they had no intention of interfering with captain-level appointments. As long as it didn't concern the First Division or threaten the balance of the Court Guard Squads, they would defer to Yamamoto's judgment.
And if Yamamoto Genryūsai himself endorsed someone, the decision was as good as final.
Central 46 gave their approval, and an official letter of appointment was sent directly to the Captain-Commander.
Once he received it, Yamamoto headed to Squad 11's barracks again.
Unlike other divisions—where a new captain's appointment was announced during the formal Captain's Assembly—Squad 11 had its own traditions.
In addition to their Kenpachi succession rules, captain appointments were handled directly within the squad, before the full unit.
A seated officer quickly rushed to the captain's quarters.
"Vice-Captain! The Captain-Commander is here!"
Although the officer didn't know the reason for Yamamoto's visit, with Squad 11 still lacking an official captain, only one matter could be at hand.
And only Gosuke Shigure could answer that call.