Overpowering Three Captains of the Visored

Shin'ō Academy, Kidō practice grounds.

Ten Unohana stood in the arena, facing Shinji Hirako, Love Aikawa, and Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi.

Below were the students from Yoruichi's class and Ten's class. Ten hadn't taken a close look at Yoruichi's classmates yesterday, but now he did.

Whoa—

Kūkaku Shiba, Mashiro Kuna, and Nanao Ise were all present, while Aizen, Gin, and all the others mentioned before stood along the edge of the arena.

"Do you still want to fight the three of us?" Love Aikawa asked, looking at Ten.

Ten curled his lip disdainfully. "You aren't on the same level as me, so numbers mean nothing to me. I advise you to stop while you can. From now on, let's stay out of each other's way. I have my own business to attend to and no time to mess around with you."

"Isn't it better to stir things up a little?" Shinji Hirako said. Without waiting for Ten to reply, he began casting Kidō—Hadō #31: Shakkahō.

When they saw Shinji make his move, Love Aikawa and Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi attacked as well.

Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi: "Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen!"

Love Aikawa, meanwhile, played it safe and cast a defensive Kidō. "Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"

All three thought Love's Enkōsen wouldn't be needed, but they were soon grateful for his caution.

"Hadō #58: Tenran!" With a number fifty-eight Kidō, Ten completely overwhelmed Shinji and Rōjūrō's two Kidō, both around number thirty. It still had enough power left to reach the Enkōsen in front of Love's face, where it was stopped.

"O sovereign! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, bearer of the name of man! A wall of blue fire inscribes twin lotuses, while the distant heavens await the abyss of great flames. Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui!" Ten's steady, rapid chant put immense pressure on the three of them.

None of them could cast a Kidō capable of blocking a number seventy-three Hadō, so they had no choice but to combine the Kidō they could use to defend themselves.

"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"

"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"

"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"

The three had originally thought they were safe. After all, although Sōren Sōkatsui was a number seventy-three Hadō, it was a double chant, so it was somewhat weaker than the average Hadō in the seventies. Three Enkōsen should have been enough to block it.

Everything seemed to be going as the three had expected, but—

To their surprise, Ten slowly raised his other hand, and then—

"Hadō #31: Shakkahō!"

Boom! Shinji and the other two had no defense against this Kidō. It struck them directly, and all three promptly fell to the ground.

Tessai Tsukabishi said nothing when he saw this. He merely told the students to take the three back to their respective residences, then dismissed them.

Ten, however, gave them a cold warning. "If anyone comes looking for trouble again, they won't get off so lightly. When the time comes, don't blame me for showing no mercy with my blade." Only then did he let the students disperse.

Ten wasn't making an empty threat. Over the past few days, he had grown thoroughly irritated. With his plan about to begin, he felt like a taut string that could snap at the slightest mishap. On top of that, Retsu Unohana was immersed in studying swordsmanship, leaving no one to talk him down and making him even more restless. At a time like this, the students' meddling would only drive him mad.

To keep himself from killing anyone at Shin'ō Academy, Ten had no choice but to warn everyone. He also wanted to send a message to Old Man Yamamoto, who stood behind the academy. That was why he had issued the warning. If anyone caused trouble again, Ten genuinely wouldn't mind starting another slaughter.

With Ten's warning, the students' parents all told them not to provoke him, because the veteran captain Retsu Unohana stood behind him.

Thus, Ten passed some time without trouble, though his mood didn't calm down in the slightest. It wasn't only because his plan was about to be set in motion, but also because of Retsu. Her swordsmanship research still wasn't complete, and if she didn't finish before Ten's plan began, things would be a little troublesome. That was one of the things worrying him.

After all, once his plan began, it would inevitably implicate his mother, Retsu. Although it wouldn't be fatal, it would certainly affect her. Leaving aside whether the Seireitei would allow her to continue her swordsmanship research, even if it did, she would surely interrupt it because of Ten's plan. Once her research stopped, restarting it would be troublesome, and might even make it impossible for her to continue.

That was not what Ten wanted, but he couldn't simply call off the plan. He had been planning it for so long, after all, and this was the only period when Soul Society's captains were changing. After this period, the generation of captains from the original story would take office one by one. By then, it would be very difficult for Ten to greatly increase his strength. Besides, during this time, he couldn't let his identity as a Hollow be exposed at all.

Ten sighed softly, deeply conflicted.

"Why are you sighing, big brother?" Rangiku's voice brought Ten's thoughts back to the present. Rangiku hadn't gone to study at Shin'ō Academy with him; Retsu had been guiding her training instead. But because Retsu was practicing her swordsmanship, she had merely assigned Rangiku tasks to complete on her own.

Retsu Unohana patted Rangiku's head, mussing her golden hair until it was as disordered as her own mood. Then, looking at Rangiku's messy hair, she smiled and said, "No reason. When the time comes, if Mom hasn't finished her training, come with me, Rangiku. We'll go to another world together."

Rangiku blinked, not understanding what Ten meant. Even so, she nodded her little head firmly. "Okay. Whatever you say, big brother." That was also what Ten liked most about Rangiku—she was obedient.

"Whatever he says about what?!" A gentle voice sent Ten and Rangiku rushing out excitedly.

"Mom!" "Mama Hana!"

Retsu smiled at the two children rushing toward her and opened her arms.

"Mmm—" Holding one in each arm, Retsu carried them into the house.

"Mom, you don't have to," Ten said, blushing. It wasn't just because he had an adult's soul and wasn't used to being carried. More than that, it was because he felt himself enveloped by something warm and enormous. Yes, it felt blissful and comfortable, but also awkward. As a child who hadn't finished developing, he could only feel an itch in his heart; he couldn't actually do anything, nor was he allowed to.

No, to be precise, he had done something. Ten's little hand happened to be resting on Retsu's softness. Yes, it was big, pert, and soft...

Retsu hadn't felt it yet, so she smiled and refused. "What, are you embarrassed, Little Ten? Hehe."

Retsu didn't put Ten down as she spoke, but she soon blushed. She felt his little hand moving on her "breasts." Her body, which no one had ever explored, was very sensitive—sensitive enough that even her neck turned pink. She looked like a young maiden, though Retsu was still a pseudo-maiden.

When they finally reached the room, Ten and Retsu both breathed sighs of relief, but at the same time, both felt that the walk had been far too short.

"Mom, how come you...?" Ten asked in puzzlement. He could sense that Retsu's swordsmanship seemed to be complete, but he couldn't quite believe it. He had given her several years, after all, and now...

"That's right, it's finished. I can teach it to you and Rangiku, too," Retsu said with a smile. But the sweat behind that smile was heartbreaking. To perfect her swordsmanship quickly had taken more than physical exertion; it had also consumed a great deal of mental energy.

Ten knew how exhausting it was to create a new style of swordsmanship. Even though it was built on a foundation of knowledge of many other styles, it was no less tiring.

"Mom," Ten called, moved, though Retsu easily brushed it aside...

"All right, everything will be fine from now on," Retsu said with a faint smile.

"Mm. Then when are you going to teach us the swordsmanship, Mom?" Ten asked, suppressing the emotion in his heart.

"Tomorrow. Most of today has already passed, so get some rest!" Retsu said softly, a trace of fatigue flashing in her eyes.

The night passed without incident.

"Big brother, big brother." As Ten slept, a sweet, cloying voice sounded in his ear. He opened his eyes to see a cute blond loli. As a wolfish creature—although this wolf was a little small—he still had desires early in the morning. And so... in a daze, Ten pulled the pretty loli in front of him close, and then...

"Ah—ya—!"

Rangiku stared at Ten's hazy eyes and felt his breath on her lips. She froze blankly for a moment, then promptly retreated many steps with lightning speed. Then she let out a soft little cry.

Only then did Ten wake up a little. He suppressed the stirring in his heart, put on a very serious expression, and said, "Rangiku! What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"Huh? Oh, big brother, my Zanpakuto can use Shikai now. Her name is Haineko, and she's a very mischievous big sister." Distracted by Ten's words, Rangiku didn't mention what he'd just done and simply explained why she had come.

"Huh?!" Now it was Ten's turn to be shocked. He hadn't expected Rangiku's Zanpakuto to have already achieved Shikai. Didn't that put her on the same level as Tōshirō Hitsugaya? Hitsugaya was known as the greatest genius in Soul Society, an honor even Aizen hadn't received.

"Come on, let's find Mom." Hearing the news, Ten promptly got up to look for Retsu, but he forgot that he hadn't gotten out of bed yet, so...

"Big brother, you..." Rangiku hurriedly covered her big eyes with her little hands, but, well, what was with those eyes shining through the gaps between her fingers?