Harribel's Blush

"What is it?" Ten Unohana's voice was a little indistinct, sounding at first like a Hollow's meaningless roar.

Cirucci lowered her head and said, "My lord, your power as a Hollow has reached its peak. It can't improve any further. I don't know whether you know about the Zanpakuto of the Soul Reapers' world, but if you want to keep getting stronger, you have to kill at least one Soul Reaper and take his Zanpakuto. Only then can you train in Resurrección. After all, Hollows don't have Zanpakuto. You have to take one before you can continue training, and then you'll be training in the power of a Soul Reaper. Only once you have that power can you train to become an Arrancar."

"Roar."

"What?"

Ten Unohana shouted. He had originally planned to become an Arrancar, disguise himself as a human, and enter the human world before finding a way into the Soul Reapers' world. Who would have thought that this was how one trained to become an Arrancar?

Ten Unohana stared at the Zanpakuto in his hand, speechless for a long time. His Soul Reaper abilities were sealed, and even his Zanpakuto could only remain in its Shikai state. He had no Soul Reaper abilities in his body now, and even if he trained in those powers again, the seal would simply seal them once more.

"Has anything strange or important happened in Hueco Mundo, the World of the Living, or Soul Society lately?" Ten Unohana wanted to know exactly what point in time it was.

He was planning to return to Soul Society to retrieve his sealed Soul Reaper powers and start training in Bankai while he was at it.

As for Resurrección, Ten Unohana was prepared to give up on it because it took too much time.

But...

"My lord, there's only one major event right now. Negotiations between Soul Society's Soul Reapers and the Quincy broke down, and they've officially gone to war." At some point, Cirucci had begun addressing Ten Unohana as "my lord."

"Hmm?" Ten Unohana raised his voice slightly. "Then let's go to the battlefield!"

Now that Ten Unohana knew exactly what time it was, he thought it over and decided he should still be able to master Resurrección without trouble. His words, however, shocked Cirucci.

"What?!" Cirucci cried. "My lord, if you do that, both sides will undoubtedly kill you before continuing their fight."

Ten Unohana said unconcernedly, "It's fine. With Hierro, High-Speed Regeneration, and my own ability, I can get through the danger. Once I do, I can obtain a Zanpakuto. That means I can achieve Resurrección and take my strength a step further. Add Bankai to that, and I'll have what I need to stand up to Soul Society. Then I can force them to let me live in Soul Society as a Hollow."

Cirucci complained, "I really don't know why you care so much about Soul Society, my lord."

Ten Unohana said, "My mom's there. Besides, Soul Society's environment is much better than Hueco Mundo's."

Cirucci was utterly shocked by what Ten Unohana said. Did I hear that wrong? So my lord is a Soul Reaper???

Ignoring Cirucci's shock, Ten Unohana prepared to scout out the World of the Living first.

Just then...

"My lord!" A female Hollow came running over. Ten Unohana tilted his head and looked at her. "What is it? Don't think you can act however you please in front of me just because I don't kill female Hollows!!"

"No, no, my lord, please don't misunderstand. My mistress would just like to meet you."

"Your mistress?!" Ten Unohana was puzzled. He didn't know who she meant.

"Tier Harribel."

"Hmm?! Harribel?! What does she want with me?" Ten Unohana was even more puzzled.

"She wants to thank you for looking after female Hollows."

After hearing the female Hollow's words, an idea occurred to Ten Unohana.

He suddenly said wickedly, "Why?!! She's asking why?!! Isn't it all for her? Doesn't she dislike it when others slaughter female Hollows? Since I love her, I have no choice but to spare female Hollows."

As soon as Ten Unohana finished speaking, he and Cirucci passed through a Garganta into the World of the Living.

Ten Unohana was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would give himself away. After all, he had lied...

The female Hollow stared blankly as Ten Unohana left. She hadn't expected that to be his reason for sparing female Hollows. What she didn't know, however, was that he was actually waiting for them to become Arrancar so he could add them to his harem.

In the World of the Living,

On the battlefield where the Quincy and Soul Reapers fought,

A Garganta suddenly appeared, followed by a Hollow mask with a demonic face, fangs, blood-red markings, and towering dragon horns. Ink-black Reiatsu filled the battlefield.

"Ah—"

"A Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande!"

"Help!"

At the same time, the main forces on both sides turned their attention toward it.

But...

When the Quincy and Soul Reapers saw the Hollow's body emerge next, with a pair of sharp wings on its back, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Its body was covered by a Hollow's shell, which meant it was an Adjuchas without Resurrección, just one with somewhat stronger Reiatsu.

Countless attacks flew toward the Hollow's body.

But among the Soul Reapers was one who had fought Ten Unohana before. When he saw the Zanpakuto in the Hollow's hand, which resembled a work of art, and the supremely alluring Poppy Scythe...

"Stop, stop, stop now!"

A Soul Reaper in their ranks suddenly shouted, but it was too late. The attacks had already been launched.

The Poppy Scythe struck, giving a gentle spin, and all the attacks vanished.

"Th-this, this, this is Ten Unohana!!!"

The Soul Reaper from before shouted.

He was one of the very few people in Soul Society who knew the details of Ten Unohana's situation. When he saw the Hollow's Poppy Scythe, he guessed that the Hollow must have something to do with Ten Unohana and hurriedly shouted for everyone to stop attacking, but it was already too late.

His guess was right. This was indeed Ten Unohana, who had come to the World of the Living. Ten Unohana charged toward the Soul Reapers while hurling the Poppy Scythe toward the Quincy.

"Scatter, get out of the way!"

Ten Unohana charged forward and killed a Soul Reaper who was slow to retreat with a single slash, snatching his Zanpakuto. But the Zanpakuto slowly dissolved into starlight and disappeared.

The Zanpakuto disappeared after he died. Looks like it had already been released into Shikai; it wasn't an Asauchi. Ten Unohana charged at another Soul Reaper and went after his Zanpakuto. This time, he managed to snatch an Asauchi without trouble.

Finally, he turned back,

And hurled the Poppy Scythe toward the Quincy.

"Boom—" The attacks the Poppy Scythe had just absorbed reappeared in an instant. Caught off guard, the Quincy suffered heavy casualties.

Ten Unohana charged forward, reaping Quincy lives one after another with the Blade of Slaughter.

Suddenly, a Quincy spotted Cirucci maintaining the Garganta and shouted, "Go! Destroy that Garganta first and trap the remaining female Hollow who's covering their retreat here in the World of the Living! Then kill them and take revenge!"

Ten Unohana looked at the few Quincy left and no longer felt like continuing. After quickly killing several of them, he entered the Garganta again.

After all, Ten Unohana's main purpose in coming to the World of the Living was to obtain an unreleased Zanpakuto and train in Resurrección. Otherwise, once his seal was removed, it would be somewhat impossible to train in Resurrección. He could try now, though he didn't have high hopes for it, because training in Resurrección was, in a sense, training in Soul Reaper powers. And those powers would be sealed as soon as he developed them.

Ten Unohana looked at the attacks coming toward him, then mockingly at the furious Quincy.

The attacks reached Ten Unohana just as the Garganta closed completely, and he entered Hueco Mundo...

Hueco Mundo.

Ten Unohana looked at the female Hollow before him, a little speechless. He had only just finished talking about her, and here she was.

She had brown skin, green eyes, short, choppy blond hair, and a stunning figure. A high collar covered half her face, and she carried a large Zanpakuto on her back.

At this point, everyone knows who she was, right? She was Tier Harribel, the cool-faced mature beauty among the Soul Reaper Arrancar, and the only female Arrancar among the current Espada.

Ten Unohana remembered the excuse he had just made for not killing female Hollows: he loved Harribel. Damn it, she didn't come looking for me because of that, did she? he thought.

And Harribel? Harribel's face was a little flushed. There had never been anything like love or romance in Hueco Mundo, and she hadn't expected anyone to confess to her. Looking at the imposing, fearsome Hollow before her, Harribel blushed a little, but her tall collar hid it, so no one could see.

Looking at Harribel, Ten Unohana thought, She's not saying anything? What did she come here for, then? Is she waiting for me to confess?? His thoughts were still rather lecherous.

"Ahem." Ten Unohana drew her attention and said, "So, cutie Harribel, did you come to see what your future husband is like?"

Ten Unohana's words left Harribel somewhat embarrassed and angry. After all, she hadn't been in love for hundreds of years...

She said coldly, "Who came to see you? I just heard there was a weirdo who didn't kill female Hollows, so I got curious and came to take a look."

Ten Unohana snickered inwardly at Harribel's contradictory words, but said, "Well, now you've had your look. It's not like I'm your husband, and I have things to do."

He was telling her to leave!!! Fury blazed in Harribel's heart. He had actually told her to leave!! Burning with rage, she walked away.

But...

She had barely gone anywhere when she heard,

"Future wife, once I've achieved Resurrección, I'll come after you. If you dare refuse, I'll just take you for myself. Until then, take good care of yourself!!!" Ten Unohana's roguish words made Harribel stumble.

The flames of anger in her heart vanished at once, replaced by a different feeling. Harribel, who had always believed in sacrifice, was a little at a loss and left in a fluster.

Behind her, Ten Unohana saw her flustered departure and burst out laughing. Then he couldn't help throwing back his head and letting out a long roar...

And so Harribel fled even faster...

Cirucci saw it all and felt a surge of displeasure. Why? I was clearly the first!!

Cirucci screamed and shouted in her heart, but she didn't dare say it aloud. She felt so aggrieved that tears came involuntarily...

Ten Unohana turned around, just about to speak. He froze when he saw Cirucci's tears, then suddenly understood. So I'm pretty charming after all! he thought happily.

Though he thought that, he still had to comfort Cirucci. But Ten Unohana, who had never comforted a girl before, could think of only one way.

He pulled Cirucci domineeringly into his arms and said, "Remember, you're mine now. You can't get away."

Cirucci was stunned when Ten Unohana embraced her. Only after he said those words did she slowly smile.

That's right! I'm my lord's first subordinate officer, the first one he took in. But I wonder if my lord still has his first time? Should I take that too??

It had to be said that wickedness was contagious. If Ten Unohana knew what Cirucci was thinking, who knew how he would feel??