"Yo, Yachiru, you're awake?!"
As soon as Aramaki pushed open the door to the captain's office, he saw Unohana Yachiru quietly sitting on the sofa, gazing out the window.
"Yachiru, huh?!"
Unohana turned slightly at the sound, glancing at Aramaki as he entered the room. Her voice carried a murmur as if she were speaking to herself.
"That name, Yachiru, was a symbol of my triumph over all other swordsmanship schools."
"Now that I've been defeated by the 'original flow,' it doesn't feel appropriate to continue using that name."
It was unclear whether Unohana was speaking to herself or engaging in a conversation with him.
"What name do you plan to take now?"
Aramaki sat down in front of her, observing her delicate face as he asked.
"Let me think."
Unohana fell into a moment of thought after hearing his question.
"How about Unohana Retsu?"
Araki, watching her pensive expression, casually suggested.
To be honest, perhaps because he had already formed a strong association with that name, Araki felt it would be strange if Unohana didn't call herself Retsu in the future.
"Retsu?!"
Hearing this, Unohana's eyes lit up.
Retsu: symbolizing fierce flames, grand momentum, and noble character.
Much like her—a blazing fire that refuses to be extinguished, continually rising higher. One day, she could rival the blazing sun in the sky!
"Retsu it is. Unohana Retsu."
After a brief consideration, Unohana agreed with Araki's suggestion. From that day forward, she was no longer Unohana Yachiru but Unohana Retsu.
"Is that so? As long as you like the name."
Araki let out a small sigh of relief, seeing her delight.
He had been worried—what if his interference as a "butterfly" caused her to dislike the name Retsu?
Not that he was afraid of altering the so-called "plot"—Araki had come to the Gotei 13 as a captain precisely to change the story.
But altering Unohana's name felt strange to him. Thankfully, his concern turned out to be unnecessary.
After exhaling, Araki paused to organize his thoughts. Unohana Retsu, sitting across from him, remained silent as though waiting for him to speak first.
"Now that you're awake, what do you plan to do next? Or is the first thing on your agenda to have another battle with me?"
After a moment's silence, Araki asked about her plans.
"Our battle can wait for now."
"I can sense it, Araki—after fighting me, you've grown stronger."
"Though I hate to admit it, I currently stand no chance against you."
Unohana Retsu studied him carefully before shaking her head.
Her instinct as a killer whispered incessantly...
Previously, their match had been uncertain; either of them had a chance to win.
But now she had to acknowledge that Aramaki had grown to a level she could no longer discern.
"Is that so?"
He smiled faintly.
"She's as sharp as ever," he thought. "To think she could sense the power of Fullbring hidden within me from just a glance."
"In that case, let's set aside our battle for now. So, what are your plans moving forward?"
"I…"
Unohana hesitated briefly.
"If you're unsure, why not stay with the 11th Division?"
Before she could finish, Aramaki interrupted with his own suggestion.
"Stay in the 11th Division?"
Her brows furrowed slightly at his words.
"Yes..."
"To be honest, I'm not great at managing squads. Your presence would be a tremendous help. Plus, you must have some attachment to the division you founded."
"Besides..."
"I have a selfish reason: if you stay, we can continue to grow stronger together. And when you feel ready to defeat me, it'll be easier to arrange another fight."
His words were persuasive, blending logic and emotion.
"Hmm..."
Unohana Retsu hesitated, sensing something odd yet compelling about his reasoning.
"After all..."
"You wouldn't want our future battles disrupted by others, would you?"
Seeing her hesitation, Araki played his trump card.
"…Alright."
Unohana sighed as if a realization had struck her.
"I understand."
In the end, she agreed to stay in the 11th Division, the squad she had built.
"Great!"
He smiled brightly, feeling triumphant.
His instincts from years of "viewing scenarios" hadn't failed him—phrases like "You wouldn't want..." almost always led to success.(TL/ If you know, you know.)
"Ahem… From now on, Unohana Retsu, you'll serve as the vice-captain of the 11th Division."
He patted her shoulder lightly, thinking how much livelier his days would be from now on.
Now all squad matters could be left to her while he focused on other "important" activities.
Though, of course, by "important," he meant sparring with her to deepen their "friendship" and refine their swordsmanship.
"Fine..."
Unohana responded, her expression somewhat peculiar.
That morning, she was still the captain of the 11th Division. By afternoon, she had become the vice captain.
"Interesting."
Though she had never been a vice captain, the novelty of it intrigued her.
From then on, the members of the 11th Division noticed something strange: while their captain had changed, the person overseeing their training remained the same—Unohana Retsu.
As for their new captain, Aramaki, he was rarely seen at the barracks.
And so time flew by.
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Araki's life changed little, apart from his new title. He continued his daily routines: completing tasks, teasing Unohana, and improving their relationship.
Until the day Captain-Commander Yamamoto summoned him.
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