Bleach: In Soul Society, I just want to retire

Yamabuki Detang froze like a deer caught in headlights. He should have known this was coming. Why did this old man always push him into the fire pit?

"Don't look so terrified, Vice-Captain," Yamamoto said with a smirk. "This is the perfect opportunity for you to learn and grow."

Saito stared at Yamabuki, her sharp eyes practically drilling into him. "So, you're my opponent?" she sneered.

"No, no, not at all!" Yamabuki raised his hands in surrender, trying to back out of this. "I just came here for a meal!"

"Too bad." Saito grinned. "I already have my sword ready."

Before Yamabuki could protest further, Saito unsheathed her Zanpakutō. The gleaming blade hummed with an energy that made the air around it ripple. Yamabuki felt a lump form in his throat.

"Let's take this outside," Yamamoto suggested, stepping aside with an amused look on his face. Shihōin Chihiro, still recovering from his earlier humiliation, eagerly followed, dragging a tatami mat to sit on as though he were watching a festival.

"You're not seriously going to make me fight her, are you?" Yamabuki whispered to Yamamoto as they stepped out into the spacious courtyard.

"Of course I am," Yamamoto replied. "Consider it a rite of passage. Besides, I'd like to see how my vice-captain handles himself under pressure."

"Pressure?" Yamabuki muttered under his breath. "More like execution."

The courtyard was bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun. Saito stood at one end, her Zanpakutō held casually but with a confidence that made Yamabuki's stomach churn. On the other end, Yamabuki reluctantly took his place, his own Zanpakutō feeling heavier than ever in his hand.

"Begin!" Yamamoto's voice boomed, and the fight was on.

Saito didn't waste a second. She lunged at Yamabuki with blinding speed, her blade a blur. Yamabuki barely managed to block her attack, the impact sending a shockwave through his arms.

"Not bad," Saito said with a smirk. "But can you keep up?"

Before Yamabuki could respond, she disappeared. Flash Step!

"Where—" Yamabuki's words were cut off as Saito reappeared behind him, her blade already swinging. He ducked just in time, feeling the rush of wind as her sword sliced through the air above him.

"Focus, Yamabuki!" Yamamoto called out from the sidelines. "Use your reiatsu!"

Easier said than done. Yamabuki could feel the difference in their power levels. Saito wasn't just stronger—she was faster, more skilled, and utterly relentless.

"Is that all you've got?" Saito taunted, her strikes coming faster and faster. "I was expecting more from Yamamoto's vice-captain!"

"I'm still new at this, okay?!" Yamabuki shouted, frustration bubbling to the surface.

Desperate, he decided to take Yamamoto's advice. Summoning his reiatsu, he let it flow through him, amplifying his movements and giving his strikes more power.

"That's more like it!" Saito said, her grin widening.

The fight continued, with Yamabuki managing to hold his own—barely. His swings were clumsy compared to Saito's, but his raw reiatsu made up for his lack of finesse. Even so, he knew he couldn't keep this up for long.

"You're improving," Saito admitted, her tone almost respectful. "But you're still too predictable."

With a flick of her wrist, she disarmed Yamabuki, sending his Zanpakutō flying across the courtyard.

"Any last words?" she asked, pointing her blade at his throat.

"Yeah," Yamabuki said, gasping for breath. "This is the worst meal I've ever had."

Saito stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"You're not half bad," she said, lowering her sword. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."

Yamamoto and Shihōin Chihiro walked over, the former nodding approvingly.

"Good job, Yamabuki," Yamamoto said. "You didn't win, but you held your ground. That's what matters."

"Easy for you to say," Yamabuki muttered, still lying on the ground.

Saito sheathed her Zanpakutō and offered him a hand. "You'll get there eventually," she said with a grin.

As Yamabuki took her hand and got to his feet, he couldn't help but wonder what he'd gotten himself into. The Gotei 13 was shaping up to be more chaotic than he'd anticipated.

The group returned to the Shihōin estate, where Yamabuki nursed his bruises with a mixture of herbal salves and sheer disbelief.

"She's insane," he muttered, glancing at Saito, who was now happily munching on a rice ball.

"Insane, but strong," Yamamoto said. "That's the kind of spirit we need in the Gotei 13."

"So, does this mean she's joining?" Yamabuki asked, dreading the answer.

"Of course," Saito said, flashing him a mischievous grin. "I can't let you have all the fun, can I?"

Yamabuki groaned. "This is going to be a long thousand years."

Shihōin Chihiro clapped him on the back. "Cheer up, Vice-Captain. You'll get used to it."

"That's not comforting," Yamabuki said.

As the sun set over the Shihōin estate, Yamabuki couldn't shake the feeling that his life had taken a very strange turn. He was now part of a fledgling organization with a fiery leader, a noble playboy, and a psychotic swordswoman.

"Well," he thought, "at least it won't be boring."

With that, the group raised their glasses in a toast to the future of the Gotei 13. For better or worse, they were in this together.

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