Araki: Retsu Unohana, you don't want to be unable to fight me to your heart's content in the future, do you?

"Oh, Yachiru, you're awake?!"

As soon as Araki pushed open the door to the Captain's Office, he saw Unohana Yachiru, now awake, sitting quietly on the sofa, her head tilted as she gazed out the window.

"Yachiru, huh?!"

Hearing a slight movement beside her, Unohana turned her body slightly, watching Araki as he pushed open the door and entered the Captain's Office, while muttering something to herself.

"The name Yachiru was originally a symbol of my triumph over all Swordsmanship schools in the world…"

"Now that I've been defeated by Genryu, it's no longer appropriate to call me Yachiru."

Unohana seemed to be talking to herself, yet also conversing with Araki.

"Then what name do you plan to take now?"

Araki walked over to Unohana's side and plopped down in front of her, looking at her delicate face as he asked.

"Let me think…"

Upon hearing Araki's words, Unohana gradually fell into contemplation.

"How about Unohana Retsu?"

Araki looked at Unohana, who was deep in thought, and suggested, seemingly very casually.

To be honest, perhaps because of Araki's preconceived notions, he always felt that if Unohana didn't go by Unohana Retsu in the future, something would feel off…

So, Araki subtly hinted to Unohana, seemingly offhand.

"Retsu?!"

Unohana, deep in thought, heard this and her eyes suddenly lit up.

Retsu—it signified fierce flames! Grandeur! Noble character!

Just like her, she was like a raging fire that hadn't burned out, still surging, and one day, it could rival the scorching sun in the sky!

"Retsu it is! Unohana Retsu!"

After a brief thought, Unohana agreed with Araki. From this day forward, she would no longer be Unohana Yachiru, but Unohana Retsu.

"Is that so? I'm glad you like the name."

Araki looked at the delighted Unohana Retsu and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Araki had initially been worried: what if his "butterfly" effect caused Unohana to dislike the name Retsu?

In fact, Araki wasn't afraid of changing the so-called "plot" because of his presence. He had joined the Gotei 13 as a Captain precisely to change the plot!

But changing Unohana Retsu's name always felt a bit strange to Araki. However, it seemed now that he had been overthinking it…

Araki, relieved, paused briefly, organizing his thoughts. Unohana Retsu, sitting in front of Araki, also remained silent. Unohana Retsu seemed to be waiting for Araki to speak first…

"Since you're awake, what do you plan to do next? Or is the first thing you want to do after waking up to fight me?"

After a moment of silence, Araki asked Unohana Retsu about her future plans.

"Let's put our fight aside for now!"

"I can sense it, Araki. After our battle, you've become even stronger than before."

"Though I don't want to admit it, facing you now, I probably don't stand much of a chance…"

Unohana Retsu sat in front of Araki. After carefully observing him, she shook her head helplessly.

Unohana Retsu's keen intuition as a killer was buzzing at this moment…

If, when she fought the previous Araki, the outcome was unknown—both Unohana and Araki had a chance of winning…

Then, from Unohana's current perspective, her chances against this Araki were almost zero!

Even if Unohana didn't want to admit it, she had to concede that Araki had grown, to the point where even she couldn't fathom his strength.

"Is that so?!"

Araki smiled after hearing Unohana Retsu's words.

He thought to himself: "As expected of her, the one from later generations who could vaguely sense a certain hair gel-wearing Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu just from a feeling of incongruity. She merely looked at me up close and could already vaguely sense the Fullbring power within me?!"

"Then, let's put our fight aside for now. Tell me, what do you plan to do next?"

Araki continued to ask Unohana Retsu.

"I…"

Unohana Retsu's lips parted slightly, her words tinged with hesitation.

"If you truly have no ideas, how about staying in the Gotei 13, 11th Division?"

However, before Unohana could finish speaking, Araki interrupted her, offering his own suggestion.

"Stay in the 11th Division?!"

Unohana Retsu heard this and her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

"Yes…"

"It just so happens that I don't have much experience managing a division, so it would be perfect for you to stay and assist me! And I imagine you also have some attachment to the Gotei 13, 11th Division that you established…"

"Besides, I also have some selfish reasons. In fact, if you stay with the Gotei 13, 11th Division, we could both improve together…"

"Also, once you feel your strength has grown enough to defeat me, it would be convenient for us to have a match, wouldn't it?!"

Araki used both reason and emotion to 'brainwash' Unohana Retsu.

"This…"

Unohana Retsu heard him, and while Araki's words felt a bit odd, they did make some sense.

"After all…"

"Unohana Retsu, you wouldn't want others to interrupt us when we have a match in the future, would you?!"

Seeing Unohana Retsu still hesitating, Araki immediately pulled out his strongest trump card.

"Uh…"

After hearing Araki's words, Unohana Retsu felt as if her brain was trembling.

At this moment, it was as if she had been struck by a sudden realization, and she gradually 'woke up'…

"I understand."

In the end, Unohana Retsu agreed to Araki's 'request.' She decided to continue staying in the Gotei 13, 11th Division, which she herself had established.

"Success!"

Araki smiled as he watched Unohana Retsu agree.

Sure enough, the various films produced by the Japanese hadn't deceived him…

Based on Araki's years of viewing experience, once he used phrases like, 'You wouldn't want… to happen,' it meant he was close to success!

Ahem…

"Alright then, Unohana Retsu, starting today, you are our Gotei 13, 11th Division's Lieutenant."

Araki said, patting Unohana Retsu gently on the shoulder.

Suddenly, Araki felt that his future days would now be much more interesting~

From now on, he could hand all the squad work over to Unohana Retsu, and his only task would be to 'engage' with Unohana Retsu often when he had nothing else to do…

Ahem…

Araki was a proper person. He meant that he would often battle with Unohana Retsu to deepen their 'profound friendship' and simultaneously enhance their 'understanding' and 'techniques' in Swordsmanship.

"Okay…"

Unohana Retsu replied, a peculiar expression on her face.

To be honest, Unohana Retsu's heart was not calm at all at this moment; in fact, it felt rather strange…

In the morning, she was still the Captain of the Gotei 13, 11th Division, and by the afternoon, she had become the Lieutenant.

"Interesting."

Although Unohana Retsu had never been a Lieutenant before—she had always been a Captain since entering the Seireitei—being a subordinate occasionally didn't seem so bad.

As for the Lieutenant's duties~

She would just follow the same routine she had when she was Captain.

As a result, the members of the 11th Division were surprised to find that their Captain had changed, but not entirely. It was still their Captain Unohana who oversaw their training every day.

As for their Captain Araki, who had successfully ascended by defeating Captain Unohana, they rarely saw him at the division barracks.

Time flew by just like that!

In a blink of an eye, half a month had passed!

During this half-month, aside from changing his identity from a ramen chef in the Junrinan district of Rukongai to one of the Captains of the Gotei 13, Araki's life seemed to have remained unchanged.

Every day, he either completed daily tasks to accumulate experience or teased Unohana Retsu to deepen their relationship. There was nothing else for him to do.

Until Old Man Yama suddenly summoned him.

Thanks to book friend YO灬YO for the 1000 reward~