Ryū Order

The Ryū Order (ドラゴンきりつ, Ryū Kiritsu) is a large organization created by Kenji Hiroshi and Kusaka Kori, based on the same organization Kenji encountered during his escapades in the future time-line that the majority of spiritually aware beings outside of Soul Society's control, such as the Arcanist, join; though exiles such as  and simple exiles are also prominent members. Created with the intention of preserving the peace in the Human World and to act as a second combatant in the war with Averian, the Order sees a lot of combat across the spiritual realms and has slowly but surely began to increase its activities. The Order is focused mainly in Horiwari, alongside the Yuengiri Academy and the emerging and restored Yuengiri, with the early members formed from Kenji's Patrol Team.

Bounty Hunters
The Ryū Order began as a means of making money for Kenji, Kusaka and their young pupil, Kazuma, as they traveled the over a two-hundred-fifty year time frame. In this time they hunted powerful Hollow and the occasional Arrancar to fund their expedition, often times working in tandem with other spiritually aware groups to accomplish their goals, namely exiles and rouges and the occasional. The relationships with these groups persisted and, through various means of communication, Kenji's Bounty Hunting Agency was born. The agency spanned the Human World with various secret bases spread across the globe in the worlds largest cities which paid out on targeted threats.

It was during this time-frame that Kenji first befriended Van Satonaka and Margin Heart. Coincidentally it was when Kenji also began a series of reorganizations across the globe to transform the Agency into an effective force that did more than pay out for successful hunts.

Kenji's Patrol Team
Thus was born Kenji's Patrol Team, named in his honor because of his role in its creation. Many like-minded individuals would flock to its banner - most being exiles, rouges, criminals seeking redemption and criminals who didn't. What mattered was that the group was securing the peace in the Human World, often working alongside the Soul Society. Many famous Shinigami were affiliated with the group, with such names as Kensei Muguruma and Jiro Kazuki offering their help.

Kenji's Initial Contact
However, it wasn't Kenji who originally thought that his patrol team would grow as large as it would in the future. Kenji first came across the Ryū Order during his unexpected journey to the future, which his father, Dastan, forced him to witness in order to harden his sons resolve. Kenji made the journey with Arcanist ally, Zieg Ishi, and originally believed that they'd simply been transported somewhere far away.

Confused and very much on their own, the two friends began to slowly explore their newfound surroundings, not knowing what to expect. The moment they arrived however they were attacked by an organized force of led by. Fresh from their training in the however, Kenji and Zieg made quick work of the party, with Kenji donning his Hollow Mask and Zieg demonstrating his newfound ability to create fire without a pre-existing source.

Their battle alerted the nearby group of rebels and Soul Society exiles. Maki Zhijun tracked down the two allies, recognizing Kenji's spiritual energy and explained the situation in full: the friends had been propelled into the future. Maki introduced them to Future. Tyrell and Future Kazuma, who weren't at all happy to see Kenji; whom they thought had abandoned them thirty years prior. The group was dubbed the Ryū Order and served as the inspiration for the group Kenji would later re-create with many changes.

Creation
The Ryū Order was officially created in Nishiendo, a district of where Kenji had trained with Maki Zhijun and Rikimaru Ichinose. It was there, under the waterfall, where the organization was first formed and her captains chose; with Kenji taking the mantle of leadership.

Captains & Lieutenants
A Captain (隊長, Taichō; lit. Unit Commander) is the leader of one of the nine divisions of The Ryū Order (with the special case of the Head-Captain). A single division "unit" (隊) is estimated at about 300 troops, with the sole exception being the 5th Division who number close to 500.

Captains are generally the most respected individuals within The Order, with only the members of The Ryū Guard being of equal standing in terms of authority. All the Captains are able to utilize the final stage of their respective zanpakutō or releases of similar power, and are more powerful than even The Ryū Guard are in strength and tactical knowledge. Knowing these powerful releases gives captains an average of five-to-ten times the strength of those who are unable to perform them, making extensive training and mastery in the race the captain is a member a necessity in order to rise to this position. Unlike the Gotei 13, the captains do not serve as the real strength behind The Ryū Orders military. In widespread battles, the entire Order act as a single entity in battle with the captains either taking part and fighting alongside their allies, or controlling the battle at a relative distance.

Like all organizations, a second-in-command, known as a Lieutenant (副隊長, fukutaichō; Vice-unit Commander, often translated as Vice-Captain) is the 2nd seated officer in a division and appointed by their Captain personally to help run the division. Lieutenants function as executive officers for their division, taking care of supervising day-to-day operations in order to relieve their captain. They generally only know the shikai of their Zanpakutō, but are still the second strongest in their division and have a wide-spread knowledge of their own race's strength and weaknesses and that of others as well. In the case of a division captain's death, departure, or other circumstances making them unable to perform their duties, the lieutenant acts as the "substitute captain" until another can be assigned; though this rarely happens. They generally only know their Shikai, but in some cases may know Bankai, but rarely have mastered it.

1st Division

 * Main Article - 1st Division (Ryū Order).

The leader of the 1st Division has command authority over the entire Ryū Order, being the Division headed by the Head-Captain. In addition, the Ryū Guard, widely held as the strongest militant force within the entire Order are subject to the Head-Captain's command.

2nd Division

 * Main Article - 2nd Division (Ryū Order).

The 2nd Division is the special ops wing of the Order, incorporating the basic function of Task Force 101 as their key duties. They specialize in tracking, intelligence gathering, assassination of targets and infiltration.

3rd Division

 * Main Article - 3rd Division (Ryū Order).

Under Kusaka, the 3rd Division is the squad focused solely on combat-based assignments, with those making up its numbers being and  specialists. Among the entire Order, the only group which bests the 3rd Division in combat is The Ryū Guard.

4th Division

 * Main Article - 4th Division (Ryū Order).

Like the 4th Division of the Gotei 13, the 4th Division of The Ryū Order is the medical division who specialize in treating injuries, epidemics and other disasters. With the great focus on teamwork, Momoko's division is well renowned as being even more effective than that of the Gotei 13's medical wing.

5th Division

 * Main Article - 5th Division (Ryū Order).

Under Yoshiro and Tyrell, the 5th Division acts as the main defensive force among the entire Order. Its goal is to act as a shield in order to allow fleeing members of other divisions to retreat during large-scale battles and provide cover for the 4th Division to operate without interruption from attacks.

6th Division

 * Main Article - 6th Division (Ryū Order).

The 6th Division is head of communications among the various other divisions within the Order. All the reports are handed in to them before being passed to either the Head-Captain or Second-in-Command.

7th Division

 * Main Article - 7th Division (Ryū Order).

The 7th Division is responsible for the running of the Yuengiri Academy, making the Captain and Head Instructor position one and the same. All recruits are trained in the various arts of combat and taught how to work effectively as one deadly force in combat.

8th Division

 * Main Article - 8th Division (Ryū Order).

There have been no special duties noted for the 8th Division.

9th Division

 * Main Article - 9th Division (Ryū Order).

The Ninth Division are responsible for acting on information received through the Sixth Division. They deal with mysteries pertaining to Horiwari's borders and investigate reported anomalies.

Sub-Divisions

 * Task Force 101

Ranks
The Ryū Order has Ranks bestowed upon their members after a certain level has been reached, like advancement of one's zanpakutō, or learning powerful techniques like Shunkō or Bankai; or through general advancement of their base skills. The different ranks, including Head-Captain, Captain and Lieutenant, and how they are obtained are listed below:

Ryū Guard
The strongest militant force existing within the Order is the The Ryū Guard (龍警備, Ryū Keibi). They answer directly to Kenji and Yoshiro and have tremendous skill and tactical knowledge that put them just below the Royal Guard in terms of power. Only someone as high as a Master in terms of rank could even hope to enter their ranks. While powerful, the group consists of no more than four individuals at any one time. The members are picked from a number of candidates put forth by the other captains, and finally chosen by Kenji.

Master
A Master is the highest rank an individual can rise to within The Ryū Order without actually becoming a Captain or joining the Ryū Guard. The Master is the equivalent to an average Captain-class Shinigami of the Gotei 13. As a result, they're are fewer Master's than there are other ranks. A Master is required to have access to the Bankai release of their Zanpakutō, though mastery is not a necessity.

Guardian
A Guardian is the equivalent to an average Lieutenant-class Shinigami of the Gotei 13. As they are more in number than the Master's and have a wide range of experience; they run the majority of the Order's various activities, such as Zanjutsu and Hōhō training. It is rare, but not unheard of for a Guardian to possess the Bankai release of their Zanpakutō.

The Dedicated
The Dedicated are the group of individuals who make up the vast majority of the Order's personnel and the first rank awarded to new recruits once they show advancement in their skills. They are the equivalent to a seated officer in the Gotei 13 and are in charge of the day-to-day running of the Order; as they are often called upon by the Guardians to help with training, deliver messages or help on Patrols.

Patrol
Patrols are carried out mainly in the and the, with a Master or Guardian acting as the leader of a small group whose purpose is to maintain the pease, perform Konso and dispatch Hollow who may pose a threat. Dedicated and on some occasions the new recruits, form the rest of the patrol team and answer directly to the individual in charge. Kenji places great emphasis on teamwork, with regulat alterations in those who usually patrol together so the entire military-wing of the Order know or have served beside one another, resulting in a more unified fighting force who know one another's weaknesses.

Hueco Mundo
Patrol in Hueco Mundo is reserved for only the Captains, Lieutenants and those of Master-rank because of the danger Averian's Army and the Arrancar himself poses. Guardians are sometimes allowed as long as a Captain grants them permission and accompanies them. These patrol serves as the main scouts of the Order and provide invaluable information regarding Averian and Kurayami's movements.

Training
See Main Article > The Yuengiri Academy

Affiliate Groups
Due to the size of the Order and the variety of races and individuals making up its number, there exists some groups who are aligned fully, or loosely with the Order, who support them in important battles or to further their goals.

Behind the Scenes
I generally based the Ryū Order on two things. The 1st was based after the Spartans, and how they act as a single entity in battle. I was watching the 300 hundred film the other day, and I though "Imagine 300 hundred shinigami running at you, using Kidō, zanpakuto's and other skills while shouting". Scary, I know. The 2nd was influenced by a Bleach Arc, The new Captain Amagai Arc, and how he was a member of a Patrol Unit. Those are the basic influences anyways.

For anyone wondering where the ranking system came from, it's loosely based off the ranking system used to train men at the Black Tower in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. The highest rank at the Black Tower is an Asha'man, which in the old tongue of that series, means Guardian; while a Soldier is the lowest and a Dedicated is the middle-ground. The rank of Master is my own.