A Slight Punishment and Pursuit (Please Keep Reading!)

"...Hatake Sakumo, what are you doing here?"

Facing Hatake Sakumo in the haori of the 11th Division, Dan Katō's face took on an extremely grave expression.

The unknown was the most terrifying. Ever since Sosuke Aizen had rescued Hatake Sakumo, he had never lifted a hand even once, living like a washed-up middle-aged man.

Every day, he either fed fish and teased birds, or ran off to taverns to observe the Human World. After drinking himself into a stupor, he would drunkenly offer his own son advice under all sorts of bizarre identities. Other than that, they had not had much contact.

But Dan Katō also knew one thing: Sosuke Aizen's rankings had not been arranged at random.

As the captain of the 11th Division, a combat unit, and currently the strongest person in Soul Society, Dan Katō had no doubt about the combat abilities of the washed-up uncle before him.

And unlike Kagami Uchiha or Dan Katō himself, Hatake Sakumo had absolutely no reason to resist Aizen. If he was now standing before Tsunade and him, then it could only mean one thing.

He had come with a purpose.

Perhaps he was being overly sensitive, but as he looked at Hatake Sakumo's face, Dan Katō's hand instinctively pressed against the Asauchi at his waist.

Compared to the complicated ninjutsu of the past, Dan Katō had, in a sense, also been assimilated by Soul Society. The first thing he did when faced with trouble was grip his Zanpakuto and watch Hatake Sakumo warily.

"If there's nothing else, please leave."

"Huh? I was just casually taking a look around."

"Then stay farther away."

"You don't need to be so hostile toward me, Dan Katō."

Hatake Sakumo, his face full of weary desolation, scratched his chin with a slightly troubled expression.

"How should I put this? At this distance, back when I was alive, killing you would have taken only a few seconds. The same goes for your girlfriend."

"Can I take that as a threat?"

"No, just a friendly warning... Wow, no wonder he likes talking this way. It really does feel good."

Looking at Dan Katō, whose dark face seemed ready to drip water, Hatake Sakumo casually walked forward, still wearing that bland, dispirited expression.

"That ability of yours works on humans, not on us. And after that person used a few special techniques on us, you know perfectly well what the gap between us is. I have no hostile intent. That means I truly have no hostile intent."

"You think I'd believe that crap? I'll say it again: stay away from us!"

"But I'm the captain of a combat division. When strangers arrive, it's my duty to come inspect and keep watch."

"Stay. Away. From. Us!"

"If you really don't believe me, I can demonstrate."

Facing Dan Katō, who guarded Tsunade with a wary expression and instinctively held the long sword at his waist, the weary-looking man shook his head in slight disappointment.

Hatake Sakumo knew very well that the man before him had no rationality whatsoever when it came to Tsunade.

Even though Tsunade had already sensed that something was wrong and instinctively grabbed Dan Katō's White Haori in an attempt to calm things down, it was useless.

To Dan Katō, anything related to Tsunade was unquestionably a forbidden nerve. How should he put it? Seeing Dan Katō standing together with Tsunade left Hatake Sakumo feeling a little bitter.

What kind of ghost-and-human romance was this? What about me? Couldn't I get one too?

"Sometimes I hate this kind of life too, but if you want to have a conversation, you need strength... I'm just going through the motions. Everyone sees it, lets me keep an eye on things, and that's enough. Why make such a fuss?"

"I won't allow any danger near Tsunade."

"Danger, huh... But didn't you fail to protect anything?"

Looking at Dan Katō, who had already gripped his Zanpakuto, Hatake Sakumo shook his head and helplessly placed his hand on his own Zanpakuto as well.

"Then I'll have to help you wake up."

"Begin—"

"—Zanjutsu: Cloud Flash."

Along with a shrill cry, everything was completely settled.

It had ended before it had even begun.

Hatake Sakumo slowly sheathed his sword, producing a crisp click.

From an observer's perspective, everything before them seemed to have fallen into a black-and-white frozen image.

It was as though time and space had been torn apart in that instant, with only a dazzling streak of light flashing through the clouds and vanishing. Just like its name—a flash deep within the clouds.

A Zanjutsu named after lightning was unimaginably fast.

Before Tsunade could speak, before Dan Katō could even release his Shikai, Hatake Sakumo had already let go of his Zanpakuto with a deeply troubled look.

Looking at Dan Katō lying on the ground with vacant eyes, blood erupting from a horizontal sword wound that ran across his body from left to right, the captain of the combat division, who specialized in battle, shook his head regretfully and looked toward Tsunade beside him.

"Miss Tsunade, heal him. Honestly, I told you I had no ill intent. Did you really have to force me to demonstrate it before we could talk?"

"..."

"Miss Tsunade?"

Seeing Tsunade trembling all over yet standing completely still, Hatake Sakumo tilted his head in confusion.

Then he heard a single word squeezed out from between Tsunade's teeth.

"Blood..."

"Ah, I forgot you have hemophobia, Tsunade."

Watching Tsunade's face gradually twist into a savage grimace, watching Dan Katō collapse to the ground, and seeing her on the verge of unleashing terrifying power, Hatake Sakumo grimaced and extended a finger toward Dan Katō.

"Mimicry Kidō: Spirit Summoning Reanimation."

A pale green glow flew from Hatake Sakumo's hand toward Dan Katō's body.

Just as Tsunade was about to erupt, a gentle hand reached up from the ground and grasped hers.

Dan Katō slowly climbed to his feet and wrapped his arms around Tsunade's trembling body.

Under the combined pressure of the Spirit Transformation Technique and a familiar soul-born force, Tsunade's eyes-about-to-burst eruption was swiftly suppressed back to normal.

As though time had reversed, flesh silently sprouted from the massive wound on Dan Katō's body, rapidly restoring it to its original state. Only the torn fabric proved that Hatake Sakumo had nearly cut him in half at the waist with a single strike.

Watching Dan Katō hold down the emotionally agitated Tsunade, his expression returning to its usual calmness with a faint trace of sorrow, Hatake Sakumo stepped closer and raised his eyelids.

"Awake now? I was never your enemy. You should know that."

"Ah. Sorry, I got too worked up."

"So can't you just behave yourse—"

"Dan!"

Tsunade instantly cut off their conversation. Like a madwoman, she suddenly slammed Dan Katō to the ground and frantically examined his body from top to bottom, terror written across her face.

On that rainy night long ago, the horror of having his internal organs ripped out had practically been carved into Tsunade's bones. Konoha's Princess stared blankly, as if possessed, tearing open Dan Katō's ruined clothes. When she saw the smooth, unblemished muscles and skin beneath, she collapsed to the ground in terror.

That feeling of despair was as though her entire life had been denied. Staring only at the enormous scar running from Dan Katō's shoulder to his waist, she clutched him in a near-hysterical embrace and continued examining him all over.

The more she handled Dan Katō's body, the more terror and unease mingled on Tsunade's beautiful face.

"Healed... Wh-why? Your wound, th-this is impossible!"

"What's wrong with your girlfriend?"

"..."

Ignoring Hatake Sakumo's strange expression beside them, Dan Katō sighed and held Tsunade tightly in his arms, like he was embracing a startled little beast.

Their bodies were warmed by each other's heat. Dan Katō gently stroked Tsunade's back, as though Hatake Sakumo did not exist at all.

His hand tenderly caressed Tsunade's golden hair and back. Leaning close to her ear, he soothed the wounded princess with all the love in his heart.

"It's different now, Tsunade. I'm here now. You don't need to be afraid anymore."

"But you were clearly already..."

"For the woman I love, I returned from hell. So don't cry anymore, and there's no need to be afraid."

"I saw your corpse... Dan..."

"Mm, I know. That must have been painful, right? But that pain was the same for me too..."

"Dan..."

"Tsunade..."

They softly called each other's names, as though nothing else in the world mattered anymore.

Only after a long while did Tsunade, face flushed red, slowly push Dan Katō away. Like a shy girl newly in love, she instinctively glanced around at the surrounding scenery.

Then she saw Hatake Sakumo standing off to the side with a face like a bitter melon—the older widower had watched the entire spectacle of the shameless couple flaunting their affection.

"Are you two done yet? I just came to show you the way. What did I do wrong?"

"Sorry, but even if you say that, Tsunade still can't go in."

"Dan, it's all right."

Seeing Dan Katō's anxious expression, Tsunade gently shook her head. Looking at the man she loved most, her face was filled with resolve.

"Just as he said, I am one of the Konoha Sannin, after all. And I'm somewhat confident in both Medical Ninjutsu and taijutsu. Trust me, all right?"

"Tsunade... you don't understand..."

"I know what I'm doing. Besides, I don't want to be protected by you forever. Some things, we have to face together."

"But..."

"Because I'm your girlfriend, aren't I?"

"..."

Faced with those words, Dan Katō had no reason left to stop her.

As Konoha's Princess, Tsunade was bound to receive that basic trust and respect as his girlfriend.

Somewhat reluctant to leave Dan Katō's embrace, Tsunade straightened her clothes and hair, then looked toward Hatake Sakumo, whose expression had become indescribably miserable after being force-fed so much affection.

"Can you take me to see your leader? I want to see just who this man occupying Konoha's shadow is."

"..."

Really, wasn't this enough already?

So what was the point of all these twists and turns?

Getting beaten up after switching sides, then being pressured by your girlfriend—why put yourself through that?

Love was so complicated. Too bad I didn't understand it. My wife and I went straight to the altar from the start; I really couldn't understand the way you people thought.

Besides, when all was said and done, Aizen didn't seem to have done anything at all. Why did you all look like you were about to march off to a noble death? There was no need for that, was there?

I really couldn't understand what they were thinking.

Looking at Tsunade's complicated expression and Dan Katō's even more complicated one, Hatake Sakumo sighed and headed toward the indistinct buildings deep within the mist.