Marrying Unohana Retsu from Bleach

"Impossible! Am I seeing things? How could that guy Araki possibly be fighting Yachiru Unohana, the greatest villain, right here in Seireitei?!"

"No way. Absolutely no way."

Saito gazed at Araki, engaged in a fierce struggle with Unohana. Disbelief coursed through her as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, then widened them to their fullest, desperately trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

But no matter how much she focused, nothing changed. The two figures fighting not far from her were undeniably Yachiru Unohana and Araki.

At that moment, Saito finally understood why the spiritual pressure emanating from the combatant felt both familiar and foreign.

The person battling Unohana was none other than Araki—the one she had been waiting for in the squad leader's office.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Why is Araki fighting Unohana?"

"Could there be some sort of misunderstanding?"

"I have to go ask Araki what's happening."

Saito was furious and frustrated. She rubbed her aching temples in agitation and then resolved to intervene. If she couldn't figure out what was happening from a distance, she'd confront Araki directly.

With that thought, Saito prepared to charge forward and stop the ongoing battle.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going, brat?"

Just as she was about to move, a rough hand clamped down on her "delicate" and "fair" neck, holding her in place. A gravelly, ancient voice sounded from behind her, tinged with authority and age.

"Damn it! Don't stop me!"

Saito struggled with all her might but found the hand behind her as immovable as a mountain. The overwhelming strength left her feeling utterly powerless. Her face turned darker with each passing moment, and she swore that if she found out who dared restrain her, they'd pay dearly.

"Ca- Captain-Commander…"

But when Saito turned to see who was holding her, she froze. Her entire demeanor shifted, and she went limp with resignation.

The one who had stopped her was none other than Genryusai Yamamoto Shigekuni, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13.

Faced with Yamamoto's imposing presence, Saito's bubbling rage quickly subsided. She was, after all, a pragmatist at heart. Staying out of trouble was her survival mantra.

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto, what's the meaning of this?! Why are you stopping me?" She asked, her tone more measured.

"Quiet, brat! Watch and observe carefully," Yamamoto commanded in a low, gravelly voice. "Do not interfere in the fight between Araki and Unohana."

With that, Yamamoto casually flung Saito backward, as if she were a rag doll. She landed unceremoniously on her rear, back among the other squad leaders.

"…"

After tossing Saito back, Yamamoto resumed watching the intense battle between Araki and Unohana, his expression unreadable. He offered no further explanation, for as the Captain-Commander, he owed no one an account of his actions—not even to his subordinates.

—

"Why the hell is Old Man Cross-scar acting so crazy today?!" Saito muttered under her breath as she dusted off her uniform. She sidled up to Shihoin Chika, her fellow officer, and grumbled.

"You really should try calling him that to his face instead of whispering it to me," Chika teased, barely suppressing a laugh. "I'm sure the Captain-Commander would appreciate your 'respect.' Maybe then he'd explain what's going on."

"Shut up!" Saito snapped, her anger reigniting. First, Yamamoto had manhandled her, and now Chika was poking fun. Did everyone think they could push her around today?

But at the thought of Yamamoto standing imposingly at the front of the group, Saito swallowed her anger. Even she wouldn't dare provoke the captain-commander.

—

Meanwhile, Chika, who clearly enjoyed teasing Saito, offered a helpful suggestion. "If you're that curious, why don't you go ask Sasakibe Chojuro? If anyone knows what's going on, it's him."

Saito's eyes lit up. Of course! Sasakibe, Yamamoto's trusted lieutenant, would surely have all the answers.

"Thank you, Chika," Saito said, surprising everyone with her rare display of gratitude.

"Don't mention it." He replied with a sly grin. "Though maybe I should be thanking you. After all, I'm just as curious about Araki's identity as you are. Now go get those answers."

—

And so Saito approached Sasakibe Chojuro.

"Lieutenant Sasakibe, could I trouble you for some clarification?"

"Oh? Captain Saito, what can I do for you?" Sasakibe asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's the deal with Araki? What's his connection to the Captain-Commander? And why is he fighting Unohana in the middle of Seireitei?" Saito fired off her questions rapidly.

"Well, those are quite a few questions," Sasakibe chuckled. "Let me explain one at a time."

—

Sasakibe began by addressing the first question. "Araki is the Captain-Commander's personal disciple, and their bond runs far deeper than that of a mere mentor and student. To put it simply, Araki is one of the most gifted swordsmen I've ever encountered—even on par with Captain Unohana."

Saito's eyes widened in shock.

"And as for his history," Sasakibe continued, "you've surely heard of the man who once graduated from Yamamoto's Genji School with a full license in the 'Genryu' sword style, haven't you? That man is Araki."

"What? Araki actually mastered the Captain-Commander's sword techniques? No wonder he's so ridiculously strong! But wait—if he's such a big deal, why isn't he part of the Gotei 13 already?" Saito asked suspiciously.

"Ah, that's a story for another time," Sasakibe deflected smoothly. "All you need to know is that Araki has now returned to serve the Captain-Commander."

—

"As for why Araki is fighting Unohana," Sasakibe added with a glint in his eye, "it's simple. He's challenging her for the title of 'Kenpachi.' Araki intends to prove that the Genryu sword style is the strongest in the Soul Society."

Saito was momentarily speechless.

"But if he defeats Unohana, that means..." she trailed off.

"Yes," Sasakibe said with a nod. "If Araki wins, he will inherit the title of 'Kenpachi' and become the captain of Squad 11. He will serve directly under the Captain-Commander."

Saito slumped in disbelief, her earlier plans crumbling. She had hoped Araki would join Squad 6, but now that dream was slipping away.

"Why... why does it have to be Squad 11?" She muttered, her voice tinged with frustration. "I was here first…"

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