Bleach: Starting with Marrying Retsu Unohana

Chapter 122 At this moment, Kyoraku decided to do it for his sister-in-law.

"Should we go find Araki-sensei?!"

Kyoraku narrowed his eyes slightly after hearing Shitan's words. To be honest, if he could, Kyoraku didn't want to bother his master; he didn't want to cause trouble for Araki because of his own affairs!

In fact, as Kyoraku's teacher, Araki naturally attended Kyoraku's brother's funeral, but he didn't like associating with useless people, especially nobles...

So Araki arrived before Kyoraku's brother's funeral began. After comforting Kyoraku for a few moments, Araki left before the others arrived.

When Araki arrived, he naturally asked Kyoraku if there was anything he could help with, but Kyoraku didn't say anything at the time and didn't tell Araki about his current situation...

Although Araki had a general understanding of his apprentice's situation, he didn't say much because it involved Kyoraku's own family matters. He simply patted Kyoraku's shoulder lightly and then drifted away.

"..."

'Shitan', 'Fukitake', and 'Yoruichi' all remained silent as they looked at 'Kyoraku's' furrowed brows. How could they, as Kyoraku's fellow disciples, not understand what he was thinking?

If circumstances allowed, they wouldn't want to trouble their master. After all, what family's children would willingly burden their parents and relatives with their own problems?! Even when communicating with their parents, they would only report good news, so that their parents and elders at home could feel at ease...

"Senior Sister Yoruichi, continue to convene a meeting of the heads of the 'Five Great Noble Families' in the name of the 'Shihouin' and follow the first plan we had prepared. Do your best to fight for Kyoraku's 'sister-in-law's' freedom."

Seeing that Kyoraku remained silent, Shida first touched his chin, then looked at Yoruichi Shihouin and spoke seriously.

"clear."

Yoruichi's answer was incredibly straightforward.

“Ukitake, if I’m not mistaken, after Kyoraku’s sister-in-law’s mourning period for Kyoraku’s brother ends, her maternal family, the Ise family, which she has been keeping out of the house, will definitely come to the Kyoraku family to demand her return. They will certainly bring up the rules of the nobility, and Kyoraku’s sister-in-law will have to leave with these Ise family members, both morally and logically. You should go to the Ise family with Kyoraku’s sister-in-law.”

“Ukitake, as the captain of the Gotei 13, even though you belong to the Ise family, they still have to give you some face. You can also subtly show these Ise family members that even though Kyoraku’s sister-in-law has no connection with the Kyoraku family anymore and can’t contact Kyoraku Shunsui without permission, she’s not without background and can’t be bullied like this…”

After giving instructions to Yoruichi, Shitan looked at Ukitake and gave him further instructions.

"I understand."

Upon hearing this, Fuzhu bowed deeply towards Shitan.

"As for me……"

"If things get out of control, I'll play the 'villain' and snatch Kyoraku's 'sister-in-law' directly from the 'Ise' family! No matter how angry the Ise family members are, they'll probably not force her out of respect for my 'Tsunayo' family. Instead, they'll go to 'Forty-Six' to complain about me. Then I'll deny everything and, as in Plan Two, send Kyoraku's 'sister-in-law' to the 'Shihouin' family! As for what happens next, well, we'll just have to see how things go."

In the end, Shi Tan also included himself in the plan. As a true strategist, Shi Tan always put himself into the game, making moves only to gain an advantage over fate.

"I……"

After listening to Shi Tan's plan, Kyoraku frowned deeply. This was clearly his responsibility, so why hadn't Shi Tan assigned him any work?!

"Kyoraku, you have more important things to do than we do."

Before Kyoraku could speak, Shitan stopped him, giving him a meaningful look.

"..."

After looking directly into Shitan's eyes, Kyoraku's expression suddenly froze, and he lowered his head, his brows furrowing tightly.

With just that one glance, Kyoraku understood the full meaning of Tokina's words...

"Then we should act without delay, for delay may lead to unforeseen changes!"

"Let's begin, everyone..."

Shitan raised his teacup and gulped down the tea offered by the innkeeper, then led the way out of the private room. After Shitan left, Yoruichi Shihōin and Jushirō Ukitake did not linger and followed him out of the tavern's private room.

"Captain, is it perhaps the food today is not to your liking?!"

The shopkeeper panicked when he saw the three captains come out of the private room. He approached the three men, and asked them repeatedly in a low voice with a respectful expression.

Unfortunately, the three of them—Tokita, Yoruichi, and Ukitake—were in no mood to answer the innkeeper's question at the moment. With gloomy faces, they silently disappeared into the tavern using Shunpo.

"This……"

For a moment, the shopkeeper thought he hadn't treated these captains well enough and panicked.

"Pack……"

It wasn't until Kyoraku, the last person to emerge from that private room, said something to the shop owner that the shop owner felt at ease.

After Kyoraku emerged from the private room, he walked up to the restaurant owner and said casually, "Excuse me! We were originally planning to have a drink here, but just now, the Gotei 13 suddenly came up with a mission! As the captains of the 13th Division, we can't be negligent! Therefore, we can't stay for dinner. Could you please pack up all the dishes we usually eat and deliver them to Kyoraku's residence?"

"Easy to say, easy to say..."

The shopkeeper breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Jing Le's words. He had been terrified when he saw the captains walk out of the private room with grim faces.

"Thank you..."

As Kyoraku spoke, he bowed slightly to the shopkeeper to express his gratitude, and placed the money on the shopkeeper's table.

"Hey! Look at you, I didn't serve you well today, why are you giving me money?"

The shopkeeper looked at the string of 'small rings' Kyoraku had placed on the table, a slight smile playing on his lips. He was secretly delighted, but kept making excuses. Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, Kyoraku disappeared from the tavern. Kyoraku had obviously used Instant Step to leave.

"As expected of the captain of the 'Gotei 13,' he truly appears and disappears without a trace..."

Before he could finish speaking, he had vanished in the blink of an eye.

As the shopkeeper watched Kyoraku disappear, he first shivered, then reached out and scratched the ends of his hair, which were slightly itchy from nervousness.

Yes, even though this shop owner was already quite familiar with Kyoraku and the others...

However, when he faced Kyoraku and Yoruichi, he still felt incredibly nervous, after all, there was a world of difference in their status...

Kyoraku and others may act very approachable, but as a commoner, he absolutely cannot be ignorant of the bigger picture or lack common sense.

the other side……

After leaving the tavern, Kyoraku went straight back to his family's mansion without any hesitation.

Inside the mansion, Kyoraku's 'elder sister-in-law,' who had cried her eyes out while looking at her deceased husband, had now fallen into a deep sleep leaning against the cushion in the 'mourning hall.'

Seeing this, Kyoraku took out a blanket from the inner room and gently covered his 'sister-in-law' with it.

"Ok?"

However, despite Kyoraku's careful movements, he still woke up his sister-in-law, who was not sleeping soundly to begin with.

"Jiro, you're back?"

As soon as 'Sister-in-law' opened her eyes, she looked at Jing Le, who had returned home, by the light of 'candlelight'. Only then did a glimmer of vitality appear in her tired eyes.

"Sister-in-law, you've been busy all day, go and get some rest!"

Upon hearing his 'sister-in-law' call him, Kyoraku forced a smile and earnestly addressed his 'elder sister-in-law'.

"It's alright, Jiro, don't worry about me! You should go and rest first! After all, as the captain of the 'Eighth Division,' you still have to go to the division to handle some matters tomorrow..."

“Sister-in-law, I don’t feel tired yet. I want to stay here and keep your brother company a little longer.”

After hearing Kyoraku's words, Kyoraku's "sister-in-law" simply smiled and shook her head. She looked at her husband's memorial tablet in the mourning hall, her eyes filled with endless longing.

Although she married into the Kyoraku family with the intention of relying on their power to completely escape the fate of the Ise family, deep down she still loved Kyoraku's brother, after all, he was the man she had personally chosen.

"I understand."

After listening to her 'sister-in-law's' words, Kyoraku nodded slightly and then returned to her bedroom.

Upon entering the bedroom, Kyoraku didn't think about anything and simply lay back on the bed, his eyes filled with endless anguish.

What should I do?

Kyoraku looked up at the bedroom ceiling, his brows furrowed and his eyes filled with complex emotions.

If Kyoraku were just Kyoraku Shunsui, he might be more emotional, but he isn't...

He is now not only Kyoraku Shunsui, but also the captain of the 8th Division, Araki's top disciple, and Genryusai's grand-disciple. His every move represents the face of the two strongest members of the Gotei 13, so he dares not act rashly, for fear of bringing shame to his master and advisor.

"Teacher, what would you do if you were in my shoes?!"

Kyoraku muttered to himself as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to recall what Araki had once told him.

Perhaps because Kyoraku was so exhausted, he fell into a deep sleep, lost in his childhood memories...

In Kyoraku's sleep, he seemed to return once again to the 'Shinigami Academy,' the place where he first met his master, Araki...

The scene shifts, and Kyoraku suddenly finds himself at the 11th Division's sword dojo, where he, Ukitake, and Tokina are wielding their wooden swords.

Kyoraku knew this was the beginning of his change, and the beginning of his becoming stronger! Although Kyoraku admitted that the time he spent training under Araki was the 'most painful' memory of his life, it was also the happiest time of his life.

Just as Kyoraku's lips curled into a slight smile as he reminisced about his childhood, he suddenly heard Araki, who had been urging him, Ukitake, and Tokina train, speak to him: "Kyoraku, train hard! And strive to become stronger! Without strength, you won't even be able to protect the people you truly want to protect! Never do anything you'll regret."

"teacher?!"

Kyoraku, who was exercising, was stunned. He didn't understand why Araki would say these things to him.

However, it was precisely in that moment of Kyoraku's stunned silence that the scene before him suddenly became unreal. He looked up but could no longer see his teacher's face clearly, and even the surrounding dojo became incredibly blurry...

"call……"

Suddenly, Kyoraku, who was lying on the bed, opened his eyes.

"It turned out to be a dream..."

Kyoraku sat on the bed, muttering to himself. Although everything in his dream had become unreal, he still vaguely remembered what Araki had told him.

"To protect the people you want to protect?"

As Kyoraku spoke, his eyes gradually hardened.

“You cannot take the ‘Mistress’ away…”

“We’re just here to pick up the people we’re supposed to take away. Let go of them now.”

Just as Kyoraku was recalling his dream and murmuring to himself, he suddenly heard several noisy sounds, which made Kyoraku frown tightly.

"What's going on?!"

Before long, Kyoraku, dressed in his best clothes, arrived at the gate of the mansion.

At this moment, a group of people had gathered outside the Kyoraku residence. This group was mainly divided into two groups. One group consisted of retainers of the Kyoraku family, who were now holding steel forks and protecting Kyoraku's "sister-in-law." The other group wore clothes bearing the crest of the Ise family, clearly indicating that they were members of the Ise family. As for the purpose of these Ise family members coming here, it was naturally none other than to take Kyoraku's "sister-in-law" away.

"Master! Good..."

As Kyoraku arrived at the gate of the mansion, the retainers of the Kyoraku family naturally saw their leader and bowed to Kyoraku Shunsui in greeting.

"Master, these people from the Ise family are trying to take advantage of this situation and kidnap my sister-in-law."

Meanwhile, some of the Kyoraku family retainers took the opportunity to report the current situation to Kyoraku.

"What do you mean by 'robbery'? We were just following the rules..."