Soul Society, the Captain-Commander's residence.
Ever since Shiraishi and Retsu Unohana went to another world to search for Aizen's whereabouts, Hakuhō, who lost his parents, missed them day and night, becoming a pitiful left-behind child.
Yeah, right.
If you ask Hakuhō how she's feeling, she's absolutely ecstatic!
Without her father's constraints, and with one less mother to keep her in check, the remaining mothers are the most challenging, especially Kūkaku's mother.
Hakuhō's volatile and domineering temper never changed despite her age; once she made a mistake, the iron fist of love would never be absent.
Fortunately, even though Dad and Mom left, the mothers still came in the original arrangement.
As long as she avoids Mondays, she can enjoy royal treatment. The other mothers spoil her rotten, and they can cover up any trouble she gets into as long as she acts cute.
Saturday morning.
" Isane's mom~"
She called out sweetly.
Kotetsu Isane Kotetsu her hand trembled. Her face was full of helplessness. "What trouble have you gotten into now?"
His slightly thick eyebrows furrowed slightly. Every time this girl spoke sweetly, the Captain-Commander would give her a severe scolding behind her back.
She listened with trepidation.
"No, I just think Isane's mother works very hard."
Hakuhō stood with her hands on her hips, proudly puffing out her chest. Inheriting her mother's excellent genes, she possessed a unique and captivating charm in this pose.
Isane Kotetsu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, saying, "It's alright, our Hakuhō is all grown up now and knows how to care for her mother."
"Hehe, I've always felt sorry for Isane's mom, so to avoid tiring you out, I'm going to develop this all-purpose breakfast machine!"
As she finished speaking, Hakuhō revealed her true intentions, taking out a plant, or rather a fruit, from the other dimension behind her that had never been recorded in the Soul Society before.
Having spent years with the eccentric biologist Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Hakuhō's research leans towards biology, often resulting in the creation of all sorts of bizarre and strange creatures.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi highly praised him, while Shiraishi's attitude was that fatherly love is like a mountain, and one cannot show its weight without a beating.
Isane Kotetsu frowned immediately as he examined the strange object in front of him. It looked somewhat like a sunflower, except that a watermelon grew in the center of the flower.
There's a seed-like object on the watermelon.
"What's this?"
"An all-in-one nutritious breakfast maker! Meticulously crafted by me, its main ingredients are..."
Hakuhō placed her prized work on the table and began a long, rambling introduction, using various professional terms that made Isane Kotetsu doubt her own intelligence, as if she were listening to gibberish.
"Stop, just tell me, what's the point of this?"
"Just squeeze this spot, and it will produce a nutrient solution that meets the body's daily needs. I've made it taste as sweet as watermelon, you see."
Hakuhō couldn't wait to demonstrate her creation. She squeezed a watermelon and sprayed an attack out of it.
The roof was blown through.
Immediately afterwards, a series of popping sounds rang out as the roots broke through the flowerpot, piercing through the soil and penetrating into the ground. The entire plant began to grow wildly, all in less than a breath.
The Captain-Commander's mansion was lifted into the air.
Furniture and wood chips fell like rain.
"Huh? It wasn't like this yesterday. This is so strange. Could it be that overnight development caused a function I don't understand?"
Hakuhō casually brushed aside the fallen furniture, her expression shifting from a hint of doubt to eager anticipation, as if it were something worth studying.
Isane Kotetsu stared at the mansion in the sky, her face filled with panic. "W-What should we do?"
"It's okay. As long as we restore it to its original state before Dad gets back, it's the same as not causing any damage."
Hakuhō answered nonchalantly, then clung to Isane Kotetsu's side, " Isane- mama, you won't betray me, will you?"
"But..." Isane Kotetsu's expression was somewhat conflicted.
"My favorite and most loving mom is Isane ~"
The clip-on sound made Isane Kotetsu look helpless; it was always like this every time she made a mistake, and yet she always fell for it.
If it were Kūkaku Shiba, he could demolish a house today and Seireitei tomorrow; he'd definitely be dealt with by an iron fist.
Isane Kotetsu thought to himself, "A house isn't a big problem."
"All right."
"That's great! I love Isane's mom the most!" Hakuhō tiptoed and gave her a kiss from the side, her face beaming with a grin.
"Oh, what about me?"
A gentle voice sounded from behind, like a spring breeze in April.
Yet it felt like the cold wind of December.
The two different feelings stem from different people.
" Captain Unohana?!"
Isane Kotetsu turned around in surprise.
With her exquisite features, the woman wore a light pink dress purchased in the Sabaody Archipelago, showing no signs of being a mother.
" Isane, it's been a while."
Click, Hakuhō slowly turned around, her expression one of guilt, guilt, and more guilt. "Dad's back too?"
My butt is going to burst...
She swallowed hard.
Seeing Retsu Unohana's fearful demeanor towards her father after making a mistake, she smiled gently and said, " Shiraishi isn't coming back so soon. He needs to handle some minor matters for Luffy in that world. After all, we've known each other for a while."
Upon hearing this, Hakuhō's spine, which had gone limp, straightened again, and she said with a grin, "Mama Lie~"
She whined and leaned closer, "I'll fix this place before Dad gets back, so please don't tell on me, okay?"
What if I don't agree?
"Please promise me, I promise I won't make the same mistake again."
Hakuhō shook her arm and continued to act coquettishly.
Retsu Unohana didn't think this was a big deal. Compared to the killings she had committed in the past, something like Hakuhō's was just a prank.
But she wouldn't cover up Hakuhō's mistakes.
"No, I will tell your father the truth, and then you can ask for his forgiveness."
To prevent a doting mother from raising a spoiled son, Shiraishi always acted as a strict father at home. When his daughter was doing well, he would praise her highly, but when she made a mistake, he would give her a severe beating.
Absolutely no mercy will be shown.
Hakuhō trembled at the thought of the impending storm; she was still extremely afraid before she was beaten.
If they hit me, then it's like a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water.
Anyway, it wasn't the first time I'd gotten a beating from my dad, so my butt's defense was already maxed out.
"When exactly is Dad coming back?" she asked in a trembling voice.
Retsu Unohana shrugged and said, "I don't know, maybe a week, maybe three to five days."
Hakuhō's face fell; the most annoying thing was not knowing when she would be beaten.
" Isane's mother." She turned her head, wanting to ask for help.
Isane Kotetsu shrugged, his 1.87-meter height displaying a cowardly aura at this moment.
Well, is this one hopeless, or is she begging Soi Fon's mother?
Hakuhō made up her mind to seek outside help.
Retsu Unohana's return lets the Shinigami know that Captain-Commander Shiraishi is about to return.
Second Division.
In the Western-style mansion, sunlight streamed through the windows into the hallway. A tall man strode past, crumbs of potato chips falling from his mouth. He abruptly pushed open the door. " Captain Soi Fon, have you heard?"
Captain-Commander Shiraishi is coming back.
"You idiot!"
Instead of receiving praise, Marechiyo Ōmaeda was met with a barrage of insults. "What kind of gossip are you following during work hours?!"
"Eh, but that's news of the Captain-Commander's return..."
Marechiyo Ōmaeda was a little confused, her beady eyes secretly glancing up at the person above.
Behind the crescent-shaped desk, Soi Fon, maintaining her girlish appearance, sat upright with a serious expression. The desk was piled high with documents. "You seem to have a lot of free time. Take this pile of documents with you."
"Uh, okay," Marechiyo Ōmaeda replied reluctantly.
Clutching a stack of documents, he closed the office door.
Soi Fon's tense expression suddenly relaxed. She quickly opened a drawer and took the opportunity to dump her work on Ōmaeda, giving her time to think about what to wear to welcome Shiraishi back.
Flip your finger across the screen to browse various styles of clothing.
"Oh~"
A drawn-out voice suddenly sounded in my ear.
Soi Fon quickly shoved her phone back into the drawer, turned around, and met a pair of golden eyes, bright as a cat's.
" Lady Yoruichi..."
"Hmph, just a moment ago someone seemed to be reprimanding their subordinates." Yoruichi Shihōin narrowed his eyes, his teasing expression instantly turning Soi Fon Fon's small face bright red.
I don't know what to do.
"This, this."
"No need to explain, I understand how you feel. You're very worried about Shiraishi who's tracking Aizen, so naturally you're happy to hear he can return."
Yoruichi Shihōin continued teasing Soi Fon, making her blush bright red and completely losing the authority she usually displayed in front of her subordinates.
If we're talking about who should be happiest about the Captain-Commander's return, it's probably not Isane Kotetsu and the others, but rather the Acting Captain-Commander, Ichigo Kurosaki.
The stability of Hueco Mundo meant that the Shinigami no longer engaged in battles against Hollows, but rather coexisted peacefully.
However, the problems of development are no less significant than those of fighting.
A large organization is bound to breed corruption and abuse of power, and if not careful, it can plunge ordinary people into hardship.
Ichigo Kurosaki only realized the difficulties of serving as acting Captain-Commander when he took on the role; none of the cabinet members could be considered clean.
Among the captains, there are exemplary figures like Captain Kuchiki, as well as those with no moral compass like Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and troublemakers Kenpachi Zaraki.
I felt tired when I was assisting others, but when I took over personally, it was even more exhausting.
"Thankfully, the Captain-Commander will be back soon. When that happens, I'll definitely ask for a long leave!"
Ichigo Kurosaki leaned back in his chair and, taking advantage of a rare moment of rest, initiated a video chat with Orihime Inoue, who was still in the World of the Living world.
I used to have time to go back at night, but now I basically live here.
"Yes, it's so good that everyone is alright."
Orihime Inoue smiled gently. Even after becoming a mother, some things about her remained unchanged; she disliked conflict and loved peace.
"Hmm, I didn't expect Aizen to end the threat in that way."
Ichigo Kurosaki's tone was full of sighs. Aizen, who was the number one enemy of Soul Society and was always comparable to a Aizen, had actually become a god in the end, turning into a divine being who only pursued various kinds of knowledge.
Perhaps, that outcome was the most suitable path for Aizen.
After all, Aizen had no interest in ruling.
After chatting for a while, Orihime Inoue inquired about her son, "Is Kazui doing well in Soul Society?"
"It should be with the Ichika."
When this topic came up, Ichigo Kurosaki couldn't help but complain, "Every time Renji looks at me, it's like he wants to kill me."
"Haha, Rukia and I think it's a good thing that the two families are becoming closer through marriage."
Orihime Inoue smiled wistfully; childhood sweethearts.
"I find it hard to imagine." Ichigo Kurosaki his head. If it really came to that, Kazui would have to challenge Renji, just like Renji challenged Byakuya Kuchiki Renji.
Is this me, the ultimate demon king?
Ichigo Kurosaki scratched his head, when there was another knock at the door. "I can't talk anymore, I have work to do."
"Yes, please give my regards to Kazui."
Orihime Inoue replied with a smile.
Zaraki District.
Two tiny figures leaped back and forth on the roof.
The Red-Hair little girl shouted, " Kazui, isn't this a bad idea? Big Sister will be angry."
"It's alright, our leader is busy figuring out how to avoid being reprimanded by Captain-Commander Shiraishi, so it doesn't matter whether she goes to the gathering or not."
The black-haired boy, with an indifferent expression on his face, leaped from the rooftop to the entrance of the 11th Division's base.
Various graffiti appeared on the walls and doors, including images of Yoru Shiki, as well as images of noise, skulls, and more.
Kazui Kurosaki raised his arm and pushed open the door.
Inside, intense Reiatsu clashed as Ikkaku Madarame trained the battle maniacs of the 11th Division, having them fight each other to hone their strength.
"Aren't these Kazui and Ichika? Aren't they with Hakuhō today?"
Yumichika Ayasegawa forward with a gentle smile on his face.
Kazui Kurosaki looked up and said, "I want to see Captain Zaraki."
Yumichika Ayasegawa answered truthfully, "The captain is sleeping in the courtyard. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Yes, it's something very important."
Kazui Kurosaki nodded and jogged towards the courtyard.
" Yumichika, we'll be going now." Ichika Abarai bowed politely before hurrying to catch up with Kazui.
"So young."
Yumichika Ayasegawa cradled her cheek in her hand, seemingly able to foresee the future of this couple.
After running to the courtyard, Kazui Kurosaki saw a tall man sleeping soundly against a tree. His face was like a demon, and the conspicuous scars made him appear fierce even in his sleep.
Ichika Abarai subconsciously slowed her pace, somewhat intimidated by the captain.
" Captain Zaraki!"
Kazui Kurosaki shouted loudly.
Matsuge flutter.
When Kenpachi Zaraki woke up and looked at the two little ones, his ferocious aura made Ichika turn pale, and she thought to herself that she wanted to go home.
"What's up with those two tagalongs who're always following Hakuhō around?"
Kenpachi Zaraki yawned.
Kazui Kurosaki said, "I want Captain Zaraki to teach me how to fight."
"I don't know how to teach people." Kenpachi Zaraki shook his head.
"But the eldest sister says you're the number one teacher in Seireitei."
Kazui Kurosaki bowed and said, "Please train me like the boss does."
"OK."
Kenpachi Zaraki, bored, drew his sword and swung it down. His teaching philosophy was: if you can't kill someone, beat them to death.
The epic Summit War has ended. Whitebeard and Äs survived, and the war concluded with a complete defeat for the Marine Headquarters.
The sea became more turbulent than when Whitebeard died.
Shiraishi paid no attention to those things. After saying goodbye to Luffy on Amazon Lily, he returned to Soul Society.
The moment they stepped out of the Garganta, the captain and vice-captain, who had received the message, were there to greet them.
Shiraishi scanned the room, and all the faces were familiar: Retsu Unohana, Isane Kotetsu, Isane Kotetsu, Soi Tier Harribel, Soi Fon Nemu Kurotsuchi, Kūkaku Shiba Kurotsuchi, Nelliel, Hakuhō, Ichigo Kurosaki, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Byakuya Kuchiki, and the retired Kisuke Urahara Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto...
"Welcome back, Captain-Commander Shiraishi."
Under the sunlight, everyone shouted in unison.
"Yes, I'm back."
Shiraishi responded with a smile, saying that Soul Society would face many problems in the future, but he had faith.
With them there, we'll overcome everything in the end.