The Gotei 13 Trembles!

Silver flashes of sword light constantly gleamed through the streets.

Araki and Unohana Yachiru had already moved from the 11th Division barracks to the streets of Seireitei...

Their intense Spiritual Pressure and their sword skills, honed for killing, clashed violently!

Even though Araki and Unohana Yachiru's swordsmanship was aimed solely at each other, under their powerful Spiritual Pressure, even their simplest moves possessed immense destructive power! This caused the streets they passed through to look as if a hurricane had swept over them...

As the two gradually moved further away, the blue stone bricks on the street in front of the Gotei 13, 11th Division barracks were covered in cracks, and the walls, rich with historical charm, had been reduced to ruins.

"As expected of the woman known as the First Kenpachi! Her strength is truly undeniable."

Araki fought and retreated, putting distance between himself and Unohana Yachiru while considering his battle plan.

The original Bartender Poet's introductory verse for Unohana Retsu, who was also Unohana Yachiru, was: "Battle is everything."

At the same time, the Bartender Poet's key word for Unohana Retsu was the merciful 'Mercy'!

With these two keywords for Unohana Yachiru's personality, Araki formulated a very simple battle plan. It was to defeat Unohana Retsu head-on in front of everyone, and to make Unohana Retsu fully awaken the 'Mercy' deep within her!

Regarding this, a Hanma Alien from an unknown time and space gave Araki a thumbs up, stating that Araki truly understood!

They could exchange ideas sometime...

Ahem...

And at this moment, Araki was waiting. The stage he shared with Unohana Yachiru was not yet big enough!

At least, more spectators were needed...

As Araki and Unohana Yachiru's Spiritual Pressure clashed, the entire Gotei 13 trembled!

Gotei 13, 6th Division.

Inside the captain's office, a wild loli with long purple hair sat quietly, sipping hot tea. At this moment, she seemed unusually calm...

In fact, she was trying her best to appear more ladylike...

At least today, she planned to be a reliable captain.

After all, today was the day she and Araki had agreed to meet in Seireitei, and it was also the day she would appoint Araki as the vice-captain of the Gotei 13, 6th Division.

At least, in the eyes of this century-old loli, Saito Furofushi, who was the first captain of the Gotei 13, 6th Division, today was the day Araki joined the Gotei 13, 6th Division under her command. That was, until Saito Furofushi felt two powerful Spiritual Pressures sweep across the entire Seireitei.

"Hey, hey, hey..."

"Can't you two just calm down?!"

Saito Furofushi put down her hot tea. Her expression changed slightly as she felt the two immense Spiritual Pressures permeating the air.

While ordinary Soul Reapers might not notice the changes in the spiritual particles in the air, nor the vast Spiritual Pressure from afar...

For Soul Reapers with sensitive perception or those of captain rank, the owners of these two Spiritual Pressures were as noisy as if they were singing rock music right in their ears!

"Damn it, Seireitei is never quiet."

Even without seeing the two individuals fighting furiously in Seireitei at this moment, Saito Furofushi could infer the personalities of the two combatants from their fighting style, which constantly unleashed Spiritual Pressure!

Saito Furofushi surmised that the two people currently fighting in Seireitei were, like her, individuals with eccentric personalities! Yes, Saito herself was such a person...

"If I'm not mistaken, the stronger of the two Spiritual Pressures must belong to that wretched woman, Unohana Yachiru!"

"Hmph! Damn Unohana, can't even have a peaceful morning! To dare to fight in Seireitei without permission, she truly has no regard for the Gotei 13's rules..."

"As for the owner of the other Spiritual Pressure! Hmm? That's strange! He's not one of the active Gotei 13 captains! But he gives me a feeling that's both unfamiliar and somewhat familiar..."

"Huh?! There shouldn't be anyone like that in Seireitei, should there?!"

Saito Furofushi felt the two Spiritual Pressures constantly clashing in the air and immediately made a judgment! She first analyzed that one of the combatants was Unohana Yachiru and angrily cursed Unohana Yachiru!

But when she analyzed the owner of the other Spiritual Pressure, Saito Furofushi looked a little bewildered. Although this Spiritual Pressure felt familiar to her, she couldn't recall who it belonged to at the moment! This caused a hint of suspicion to flash in Saito Furofushi's eyes...

After all, although Saito Furofushi didn't particularly like Unohana Yachiru, she highly respected Unohana Yachiru's strength! Especially her swordsmanship...

Someone who could fight Unohana Yachiru to this extent was rare, even among the captains of the First Generation Gotei 13. Such a person, Saito should have been able to name immediately upon feeling their Spiritual Pressure! Not feel both familiar and unfamiliar after sensing their Spiritual Pressure.

"Forget it, it's not my business~"

After failing to come to a conclusion, Saito Furofushi immediately gave up thinking. Her greatest virtue was her self-awareness; she knew her brain wasn't very clever, and she was usually too lazy to think, so she never bothered to ponder things she couldn't figure out~

If she couldn't figure it out, she wouldn't think about it~

"Araki, when are you coming to the 6th Division to find me?"

"I'm so bored..."

Saito stopped wondering who was fighting Unohana Yachiru and instead stared blankly at the tea on the table, quietly waiting for Araki's arrival. However, Saito's unwillingness to involve herself in distant troubles didn't mean those troubles wouldn't find her~ In this world, most things turn out to be the opposite of what one wishes...

BOOM!!

With a massive roar, a fierce tremor centered around the Gotei 13, 11th Division barracks swept across the entire Seireitei. Even though the 6th Division barracks was far from the 11th Division barracks, it was still affected...

Clink~

With a crisp sound, Saito Furofushi's teacup, which had been on the table, was shaken to the ground and shattered into pieces by the tremor!

"Unohana... Yachiru!!!"

Saito Furofushi looked at the shattered cup on the ground, first freezing for a moment, then her anger instantly flared!

Even a clay figure has some temper, let alone Saito Furofushi, who has always had a bad one. If Araki hadn't been coming to the 6th Division barracks to find her today, the moment she sensed Unohana Yachiru fighting someone, she would have already shown up with her sword…

And at this moment, Saito had reached the limit of her patience. Even if it meant using force, she would drive Unohana Yachiru and the person fighting Unohana Yachiru out of Seireitei!

"If I don't kick you two out, then I'm not the 6th Division Captain!"

Saito Furofushi said, picking up her Zanpakuto.

"Captain, it's urgent! Someone's fighting Captain Unohana outside!"

"Those two have been fighting all the way from the 11th Division barracks towards the 1st Division barracks!"

"This is truly unprecedented! It's the biggest incident since the Gotei 13 moved into Seireitei…"

Just as Saito Furofushi was about to grab her sword and go looking for them, the door to her captain's office was pushed open.

Her two 3rd Seats from the 6th Division, who were also her two biggest fans, came rushing in at that moment, speaking to her non-stop.

"You don't need to tell me! I already sensed it…"

"Also, did you have my permission before entering my office?!"

Saito Furofushi's eye twitched slightly as she looked at her two subordinates who had entered her captain's office without her permission. Before Saito Furofushi went to confront the 'bad woman' Unohana Yachiru, it was necessary to first deal with her own problems! With that, Saito took off the shoe from her left foot…

"Uh…"

The two 6th Division officers, seeing Saito Furofushi take off her shoe, immediately broke out in cold sweat. Sure enough, compared to the monster outside who was fighting Unohana Yachiru to a standstill, their own division captain was much scarier.

Slap, slap~

After Saito Furofushi gave her two officers, who had entered her captain's office without her permission, tattoos in the style of Monkey D. Dragon, the anger in her heart gradually subsided.

"You two stay here and guard the place! I want to see just who this person is, who can fight that bad woman Unohana Yachiru to such an extent?!"

The moment Saito Furofushi finished speaking, her figure instantly vanished from the 6th Division captain's office.

"Yes, Captain! Our most, most, most respected Captain!"

"Take care on your way~"

At this, the two officers, who had taken on the roles of Sentaro Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu but without a kind and considerate captain like Ukitake Jushiro, displayed smiles worse than tears. With their most reverent gazes, they watched their beloved Captain depart.

Meanwhile…

When Saito Furofushi arrived at the location of the Spiritual Pressure of the two constantly fighting individuals she had sensed…

She saw a group of Gotei 13 Captains who had also been drawn there by the Spiritual Pressure.

"Yo~"

"Little Saito, you're here~"

"You're so slow~"

With Saito Furofushi's arrival, the strong figures who were among the First Generation Gotei 13 Captains immediately turned their heads and looked at her.

Among them, a man with classic 'dark skin,' 'silver-white short hair,' and a confident smile on his face, even teased Saito Furofushi.

"Bastard! Don't call me 'Little Saito'! I'm not that much younger than you!"

Saito Furofushi roared at the man upon hearing this.

"Ahahaha…"

"Little Saito's angry now~"

"So scary, so scary~"

The man with the same dark skin as Shihoin Yoruichi burst into laughter after hearing Saito Furofushi's complaint. Although he said it was scary, his confident demeanor clearly showed that he didn't take Saito Furofushi's anger to heart.

"Bastard!"

"Damn you, Shihoin Sennichi, don't think I won't actually hit you!"

Saito Furofushi's forehead instantly bulged with veins, and her Zanpakuto, sheathed at her waist, was already half drawn.

Yes, the man who was as mischievous as Shihoin Yoruichi, even more mischievous than Shihoin Yoruichi, was none other than…

The current head of the Soul Society's top noble Shihoin Clan, Shihoin Sennichi, the ancestor of Shihoin Yoruichi.

Honestly, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's ability to sweep through all defiant forces in Seireitei in such a short time, forcing them to either submit or disappear without a trace, was largely due to the support of the Shihoin Clan in Yamamoto's ranks!

"Shhh~"

"You two, keep it down~"

Just as Saito Furofushi was about to beat up Shihoin Sennichi, a clear voice sounded in Saito and Shihoin Sennichi's ears!

The speaker was a cheerful, muscular man with 'brown' short hair, toying with a 'short sword.' At this moment, the burly man was winking at Saito and Shihoin Sennichi while subtly pointing forward. It seemed he was signaling Saito and Shihoin Sennichi to pay attention to someone…

"Obana Danjirō, what are you doing winking over there?"

"Could it be that Jūjizai, that bald guy, has arrived?"

Unfortunately, Saito Furofushi completely ignored the burly man's winks. She stood with one hand on her hip and spoke loudly.

Then, following the direction of Obana Danjirō's finger, Saito Furofushi saw the man standing at the very front of all the Captains, the one known as Jūjizai, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13—Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni himself!

Because Yamamoto was standing in front of all the Captains and obscured by them, Saito Furofushi hadn't noticed him when she first arrived.

"Oh, heheh, Old Man Yama, Old Man Yama, you're here? Heheh…"

Suddenly, Saito Furofushi seemed like a firecracker that had fizzled out, not daring to utter another word of nonsense.

However, it was a good thing that Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, known at the moment as 'Jūjizai,' had no time to spare for Saito Furofushi. He was staring intently at the two individuals locked in a 'life-and-death' struggle not far away.

"Sigh…"

"I knew this would happen!"

The burly man, who was Obana Danjirō, the Captain of the First Generation 5th Division, sighed helplessly as he watched Saito's reckless behavior. He had done his best; what kind of lesson Saito would learn after this was no longer his concern.

"So annoying…"

"Why do I have to work with such crude individuals?"

"Sigh, it's truly hopeless that the Seireitei needs such inexplicable people to protect it!"

The speaker had long, ash-gray hair and a pale face devoid of any color. His eyes were weary, as if they could close at any moment, and he seemed perpetually half-asleep. His entire demeanor exuded an air of despondency and weariness.

This person was Shijima Tomokiri, the current Captain of the Gotei 13, 4th Division, and naturally, also the Captain of the First Generation Gotei 13, 4th Division.

"Why are you all here?"

"What exactly is going on here?"

"Since you're all here, why aren't you stopping the fight between those two?"

"Are you just going to watch them cause chaos in the Seireitei?"

Upon realizing that even Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, the Captain-Commander, had been drawn in by the Spiritual Pressure of the fierce battle, Saito Furofushi finally settled down. She quietly edged closer to Shihoin Sennichi and asked in a low voice.

"You ask me, who should I ask? Yamamoto Captain-Commander was already here when I arrived. He was standing there, motionless like a statue, watching the fight between those two!"

Shihoin Sennichi shrugged helplessly, indicating that he, too, had no idea what was going on.

Then, Shihoin Sennichi seemed to think of something and added, "However, looking at the slight upward curve of Yamamoto Captain-Commander's mouth… I speculate that the person fighting Unohana over there might very well be an acquaintance of Yamamoto Captain-Commander's."

"Huh? An acquaintance of the old man Yama?"

"I'm curious to see what an acquaintance of the old man Yamamoto looks like. Is he also a balding old man like him…?"

Saito Furofushi's interest was piqued after hearing Shihoin Sennichi's words. She was filled with curiosity about Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's acquaintance. In Saito's mind, Yamamoto Captain-Commander's acquaintance was probably also a slovenly, prematurely bald middle-aged man.

"Hmm?!"

Driven by her curiosity, Saito Furofushi quietly walked to Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's side and followed his gaze towards the two individuals locked in battle.

At this moment, one of the two fighting fiercely was indeed Unohana Yachiru herself, just as Saito Furofushi had previously thought!

However, this was not what surprised Saito Furofushi. What truly surprised her was the person battling Unohana Yachiru…

The individual whom Shihoin Sennichi speculated to be an acquaintance of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni was the reason for Saito Furofushi's astonishment!

The other party was not bald like Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, as Saito Furofushi had previously guessed!

On the contrary, the person currently fighting Unohana Yachiru had a thick, abundant head of black short hair…

Moreover, this acquaintance of Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni was not a slovenly old man like Yamamoto Genryusai, but a handsome young man with a 'refined' and 'spirited' appearance!

And most, most importantly, Saito Furofushi also knew the person currently fighting Unohana Yachiru. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was very familiar with him…

After all, the person currently fighting Unohana Yachiru was the man Saito Furofushi had been thinking about day and night these past few days…

"Araki! How could it be you fighting Unohana Yachiru?!"

Saito Furofushi looked at the man fiercely battling Unohana Yachiru, her eyes filled with disbelief, and she blurted out his name.

A five-thousand-word chapter! Please recommend~ Please collect~ Please keep reading~