Bleach: Love and Bonds Make Me Stronger!

Moments after the captain's departure...

First Division Headquarter.

Click.

A black stone lands on the Go board, emitting a crisp sound.

Yamamoto sits quietly opposite the board, a cup of tea placed beside him.

At the other end sits Sasakibe.

After the summary meeting of the first contact battle between the Soul Society and the Lichtreich, Yamamoto, for the first time in a long while, felt an itch in his hands. Perhaps due to some special reason his mind was unsettled, he specifically called Sasakibe to play a game of Go amidst their busy schedules.

Thinking and meditation. Victory and defeat, life and death. These have always been the things that calm Yamamoto's mind the most.

Coincidentally, all can be gathered on the Go board.

As for the various documents post-battle, he could only temporarily trouble Genshirō with them.

"Chōjirō."

Yamamoto gazes at the forming large dragon on the board, lost in thought, and steadily places a white stone, "Tell me... why did that child make such a request at this critical time?"

"Approaching tier-1 reiatsu... and signing a military pledge."

Yamamoto pauses, his words betraying evident unease.

"Is this even possible?!"

As someone like Yamamoto, he is always the 'strong pillar' others rely on.

Only before his closest comrades, disciples, and subordinates of a thousand years does he dare reveal such uncertain emotions, hinting at his doubts.

For even in the vast Soul Society, those he can fully trust are few.

Hearing this, Sasakibe cannot answer immediately.

He, too, cannot fathom Makoto's actions.

It is well known that for Shinigami, honing their reiatsu is a continuous, long, and arduous process.

In this vast Soul Society, raising one's reiatsu above tier-3 through relentless training is already an extraordinarily difficult task.

Thus, whether the former masters or the current Gotei 13 captains, all use 'tier-3 reiatsu' as the strength benchmark.

These veterans know that every step beyond this limit is hard as fuck.

Click.

Sasakibe places a black stone, pressing toward the white dragon's throat.

He sighs softly, "Though you may not sense it clearly, sensei."

"From the time he entered the Genji School until now, only a few years have passed."

"Whether from the Soul Society's perspective or actual time, Makoto is still just a young man."

Hearing this, Yamamoto rescues his white pieces, attempting to mend the wound at the white dragon's throat, his brows furrowed.

He seems to connect something from Sasakibe's words.

"Your meaning is...?"

Sasakibe, seeing his sensei's puzzled expression, sighs somewhat helplessly.

"I mean that Makoto is young, with little experience, and still naive in matters of emotion."

"Thus, it's inevitable that emotions override reason."

Yamamoto seems stunned, finally grasping the key factor, confused, "Emotion?"

Sasakibe is surprised, pausing with a black stone in hand, doubtful, "Yamamoto-sama... you didn't notice at all?"

"Cough cough!"

Yamamoto adjusts his expression pretentiously, "...What do you mean?"

Sasakibe realizes the issue.

Yamamoto has been a bachelor for thousands of years!

He knows nothing of emotional matters!

Realizing this, Sasakibe lightly taps his forehead, having forgotten this crucial factor.

After understanding, he places another black stone, tearing at the wound, lowering his voice, "Makoto and Captain Saitō are as close as glue..."

"At such a time, when Captain Saitō insists on heading to the front lines, how could Makoto just stand by?"

Yamamoto's eyes widen,"...There's such a thing?!"

Sasakibe lowers his head, covering his face, struggling to control his facial muscles.

Indeed, people are multifaceted.

In all these years, this is the first time he sees Yamamoto with such an expression.

Yamamoto doesn't understand love.

Sasakibe holds back laughter for a long time before suppressing it, summarizing, "In short, he likely wishes to request your approval to fight alongside Captain Saitō."

"As for raising his reiatsu level in a few days."

"Unless Makoto's abilities are truly extraordinary."

"Otherwise, even if he forcibly raises it, it may only be temporary."

By the end, even Sasakibe cannot laugh.

For Makoto, what a difficult choice this must be?

Empathizing, Sasakibe's expression sinks.

But that is the fate of Shinigami, isn't it?

Those who live by battle will die by battle.

"So it's because of Saitō?"

Yamamoto sighs, "I thought he wanted to face Yhwach..."

"It seems Makoto is ultimately different from Unohana."

Sasakibe nods in agreement.

He realized long ago.

Makoto isn't the pure 'genius' many imagine.

On the contrary, he has significant flaws.

But precisely because of this, such a strong individual is all the more precious.

However...

How will he reach the threshold of 'approaching tier-1 reiatsu' in these few days?

Sasakibe, stuck at tier-3 reiatsu for nearly a thousand years, is deeply curious.

Click.

Sasakibe places a black stone, cornering the white dragon.

Yamamoto's brows furrow slightly.

As he ponders, a massive, familiar reiatsu suddenly rises in his spiritual sense.

Sensing something, both look up simultaneously.

Boom!

Yamamoto stands slowly, awed by the reiatsu, 'accidentally' knocking over the Go board.

Black and white stones scatter across the floor.

Sasakibe is stunned.

Yamamoto looks solemnly outside, fully focused, "This is... Makoto?"

...

Not just Yamamoto and Sasakibe

The moment the reiatsu rises, the entire Seireitei trembles faintly.

Everyone stops, turning toward the reiatsu's source.

A vertical light pillar pierces the clouds, visible to all in an instant.

Shinigami familiar with Makoto freeze, eyes wide, feeling the suddenly appeared, rapidly rising reiatsu.

...

Splash!

Saitō, just immersed in the hot spring, her long hair not yet fully wet, stands abruptly, shocked, looking toward the light pillar.

Without wiping her body, she hurriedly dresses and dashes toward the reiatsu's source.

"Saitō-sama! Saitō-sama!"

The maid runs after her with a towel.

But before she can call twice, Saitō vanishes.

...

Unohana, in a quiet room wiping her Zanpakutō, pauses.

The blade, just wiped with silk, gathers dust again.

Feeling the reiatsu's rapid rise, her face shows shock or excitement.

No longer caring for the blade, she stands and vanishes from the room in a blink.

She reappears, heading toward the reiatsu's source.

...

After the Lichtreich's invasion, most of the Gotei 13 are on high alert.

Any anomaly prompts immediate vigilance.

When a strange reiatsu reaction appears in Seireitei, it captures everyone's attention.

The reiatsu light pillar's spectacle lasts hours.

By the time most arrive, they stand quietly at the underground space's pit edge, waiting for the reiatsu to subside. Makoto's 'path of evolution' ends.

Unfortunately, only Makoto himself is unaware.

Thus, he doesn't realize something crucial.

From when he stood with his 'golden cudgel' spinning, starting with Katori and Senjumaru, to sparring with Katori to test his skills.

Above, in the huge cavity, a crowd was live-watching.

Katori, 'unable to move,' held in Makoto's arms, meant to remind him.

But before she could speak, he nibbled her ear.

So, Katori suddenly didn't want to speak.

She stayed silent, but those above did not.

"Ma!Ko!To! Fujimiya!!!"

As Makoto took a bite, a familiar voice rang out.

Fury 100%↑

Like a meteor tearing the night sky, a fierce sound pierced meters.

Saitō's petite figure became light, her punch wrapped in dense reishi, roaring furiously, smashing down.

Makoto's hand trembled, nearly throwing Katori.

At the last moment, he relied on an invincibility-frame roll to escape.

The delicate fist smashes the ground, dense reishi spreading, earth and stones turning, dust surging, chiseling a giant depression.

Makoto swallows hard.

If hit directly, he'd likely die, right?

"Saitō? Why are you here!"

He rises from the ground.

Katori, seizing freedom, leaps lightly from his arms, standing aside in the VIP spectator seat, smiling at the confrontation.

Saitō glares viciously, then turns, her killing intent palpable, "Why am I here?!"

"If I weren't, could you do those... shameless things with that woman!?"

Unable to describe their intimacy, Saitō stutters, fearing she might bite her tongue.

A moment's inattention, and he's holding that woman!

If she weren't here...

Imagining the possibilities, Saitō's heart surges with ominous outcomes.

She won't allow it!

Her single eye glares at Makoto, radiating murderous aura.

Sensing the love line veering toward a bad end, Makoto extends his hand, "Wait, Saitō!"

"Listen carefully!"

"Katori and I are completely innocent!"

But then, his bastard Zanpakutō speaks.

[What explanation!?]

[Saitō! Katori! Unohana-mama!]

[I'll stack you into a three-layer assbutt hamburger and fuck you all down!!!]

[None of you escape!]

Makoto's face darkens, shouting to stop his Zanpakutō's deadly mouth.

But when he looks up, he sees Saitō's furious yet smiling face.

Above, on the pit's edge, Yamamoto looks at Sasakibe, his gaze questioning.

'Is this the 'deeply in love' Makoto you spoke of?'

Sasakibe's face is as black as coal.

He remains silent.

Only Unohana, having seen Makoto's 'great scenes,' remains calm.

Yet, her gaze flickers with excitement and anticipation.

If other factors are ignored.

Earlier, sparring with Katori, Makoto stood at the edge of tier-2 reiatsu, right?

If he can maintain this...

Thump! Thump!

Unohana presses her heart, her face showing fighting spirit.

"Unohana."

Noticing her excited emotions, Yamamoto calmly reminds her.

Unohana pauses, then reins in her emotions, somewhat helplessly.

Not yet... is it?

The mad beauty lowers her eyes, disappointed.

Still, she steps forward, crossing hundreds of meters.

She appears beside Makoto and Saitō.

"Unohana-sensei?!"

Noticing another familiar figure, Makoto realizes, this underground space isolates reiatsu reactions one-way!

So, when he was naked earlier...

Realizing this, he looks up at the edge.

The serious Yamamoto, coal-black Sasakibe, and dozens watching, all smiling down.

In that instant, Makoto petrifies.

His innocence is gone.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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