chapter 5

It's unnerving.

I came to the soul society to search for one yachiru unohana.

But the soul society right now is far different from the present one seen in the anime. That's not mentioning that yachiru was said to have mastered every sword style in soul society.

And her Bankai, while she doesn't have it yet, in pure skill I am far outclassed. Kenpachi died a large amount of times even without the usage of her Bankai.

That is why I deemed the almighty a necessity. Rewriting my own death will be crucial for the plan I have to recruit her.

"um... Walter? What is the plan you have in mind?" I turned to my sternritter.

"it's a rather simple plan. The person we're looking for goes by the name yachiru unohana. This woman is violent, sadistic, dangerous and incredibly skilled along with being a battle maniac. So, I plan to offer her a way to continue fighting even after death." Mitsuri nodded thoughtfully.

"it sounds simple enough." My follower clearly understood my intent.

"oh? What could you possibly offer me that would make me join you?" A feminine yet demanding voice called out from behind me. I grinned, we found her quicker than I expected.

"it's rather simple. Wouldn't it be boring if you were no longer able to fight because you died? I do have a way around that. Simply put, I can bestow an ability that will extend the length at which you can battle daily. In exchange, you must join me." I turned towards her and noticed that she lacked the distinct white captain's haori.

"an intriguing offer. But I don't even know if you're strong enough to be worth joining." My grin widened. Reaching out my hand, I began to explain, my left hand remaining behind my back.

"then how about a bet? A fight. If I win, you join me. If you win, I'll fulfil whatever wish you desire." Yachiru smirked at me, killing intent washed over me.

Its... quite scary.

But I didn't show it.

"your words are filled with such confidence... as if you are positive you can fulfil such desires with no difficulty. Alright then, I shall play your game!"

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Yachiru wasted no time before disappearing from where she stood. Shunpo was a terrifying skill, in simple terms, it allowed high speed movement. But It was so fast it seemed more like teleportation.

The sadist swung right for Walter whose eyes had changed. With minimal movement, Walter evaded the first strike and yachiru had her foot impaled.

'a trap! But how did he know the exact place I would step?' Yachiru didn't have much time to think before a greatsword was swung right at her midsection.

The soon-to-be-first Kenpachi leapt back as fast as she could, but that only minimalised the damage.

"Hado 63-" Walter disappeared from her sight in an instant.

"too slow!" Walter slashed yachiru's back open with a single strike. The first Kenpachi was speechless.

In all her fights, she at least had a chance. And she won those battles.

But was there even a way to win against him?

Her moves... predicted.

Her speed... outclassed.

It didn't feel like she was fighting a person, more like...

A demon

'I must become stronger. I want to fight him again. I want to beat him.' The swordswoman stumbled forward towards her opponent.

"I think it's safe to say you've lost." Yachiru continued to stumble forward despite her state. "Will I have to kill you for you to accept defeat?" Yachiru grinned at the idea causing Walter to sigh.

"it seems so." Walter stared the Soon-to-be captain in the eye.

Mitsuri watched from the sideline, concerned for walters safety.

'I think he'll be alright. He seems to have her outclassed after all. But he looks so cool when fighting! All intimidating!' While mitsuri was aweing over Walter, the man was having a moment of hesitation.

'my hands are shaking. I will have to kill her. But can I take someone's life? It's fine, I'll bring her back using the visionary. I can only hope.' With one use of hirenyaku, Walter was in position. And with one swing...

Her head was severed.

Blood splattered onto walters cheek making him flinch.

The shinigami's head crashed to the ground with a thud. But in an instant, yachiru found herself sitting back down.

"so you're awake. Now, about the bet. I will not force you to join me, it is entirely your choice. The ability I intended to grant upon you was the ability to Rewrite your own death 3 times a day. But whether you accept this, is entirely your choice." Yachiru glanced to his hands.

They were shaking.

'was that his first time killing someone? And he still beat me.' The swordswoman remained silent which worried Walter to some degree.

"I'll join you on the condition that whenever I so wish, we can spar." Walter placed a hand on his chin before assuming a thinking pose.

"it's acceptable." The man in a butler outfit reached a hand out to yachiru.

The woman glanced at it for a moment before taking it.

"how do we go about this?" A sake cup filled with a red substance appeared in walters empty hand.

"you need to drink this." The first Kenpachi took the cup and smelt it.

"blood. Is this your blood?" The Quincy king silently nodded his head. "Right." She started to drink and Walter began to speak.

"yachiru unohana. I, Walter Newgate, bestow upon you, the letter 'Z' the zealot." The woman raised an eyebrow as she finished the cup and glanced at her hand which bore a rainbow coloured eye. She relaxed her hand and it disappeared.

an interesting ceremony." Walter turned towards the voice...

And he froze.

"hoh? Are you scared, boy? Trembling in your skin?" Walter... he had a good reason to be scared.

The man who stood in front of Walter Newgate was a bald man wearing a white captains haori with a red prayer bead necklace around his neck. He had tall stilted sandals on with a black beard.

In front of Walter stood ichibe hyosube. The captain of the zero squad. The monk who calls the real name.

And someone who could slaughter him.

"come now, boy. The soul king wishes to speak with you." Walter froze.

'I didn't foresee this. But it must be because the soul king gave a direct order. Shit. There is a very high chance of this going terribly. Especially considering the abilities of ichibe. Resistance won't end well.' The Quincy dragon god sighed.

"am I allowed to bring mitsuri?" The man spoke while pointing to her. Ichibe observed her.

"that's fine but if you're going to bring her, then you may as well bring along unohana." The Quincy was clearly surprised.

very well. But how will we get back up to the Palace, Mr hyosube?" A circular gate with panelled doors opened behind ichibe.

"nimaiya's right on time. Let's go." Ichibe turned away, not even waiting for us.

"let's go you two." Mitsuri excitedly leapt to his side but yachiru being the more composed one calmly walked after the two.

Upon stepping through, Walter looked around in awe.

'the manga really didn't do this place justice. But from here, everything seems quite small.' Mitsuri fell to her knees with an audible thud upon stepping through.

'shit. I forgot how the air is permeated with reishi. Weren't Rukia and Renji struggling to stand here? Ichigo might have been as well. Can't remember exactly but mitsuri doesn't have enough spiritual pressure.' Walter kneeled down to mitsuri and placed a hand on her head.

"Are you alright, mitsuri?" The girl looked up to Walter and the force weighing her down disappeared.

"thank you..." Walter helped her to her feet and placed a hand on her head.

"you're welcome, mitsuri."

"there seems to be a bit of favouritism going on here." The Quincy king looked to his newest subject.

Walter:"do you want to receive this treatment as well?" Walter's head was tilted with a raised eyebrow.

"...while I feel like it would be interesting to be pampered, no, I would rather not." A thud came from in front of them and ichibe seemed somewhat irritated.

"you're getting rather distracted. Follow me. Don't forget you're here to meet the soul king." The young Quincy nodded his head and began to follow ichibe.

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Upon entering the oddly shaped building, I could tell that the air was heavier and we continued to walk through the building until we arrived in a massive room.

There were 3 other people. The first was a man that I could clearly recognise.

Ouetsu nimaiya.

The man who created the zanpakuto. He was down on one knee with his fist on the ground. His appearance was exactly how I remember it from the anime.

Even the jacket.

I looked to the next one and it was the hot spring demon. I can't remember his actual name. Ten-something. That's as much as I remember.

He was kneeling like nimaiya but it was hard to take him seriously when his pompadour almost reached the ground.

And last but not least, senjumaru shutara. The woman responsible for creating the shihakusho. The 6 golden arms on her back also faced the ground at which she kneeled. Her hair ornament stood out quite well.

It was honestly impressive how she managed to create a copy of herself on such short notice.

"we're here." I looked to ichibe.

"what do you want me to do now?" He pointed to the yellow crystal where the soul king resided. I felt his piercing gaze looking right at me.

"you are to approach his majesty and placed a hand on the crystal he resides in. Those are the orders he gave me. However, your two subordinates are to stay here and go no further." I nodded my head and began walking towards the Kings crystal.

With each step, I could feel his gaze increase and after stepping past the three Royal guards, I could also feel their gazes on me.

I placed a hand on the crystal... and blinked.

'where am I? What is this place?' I glanced around the new area I found myself in.

It was like an empty plain of clouds. The blue sky was clear to my eyes.

"this place I beautiful." I heard a boisterous laugh from behind me and spun around. 'Why do people keep showing up behind me?'

The soul king.

That is who I saw. He was wearing a plain white shihakusho.

"hello. I, am the soul king. It's nice to meet you." He reached out a hand for me to shake. And I took his hand.

His grip was shockingly weak.

"it is nice to meet you too, soul king." To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I didn't really expect to end up here.

"you're probably wondering why you are here, correct?" The Kings' voice was calm and quite soothing.

"yes, I would like to know why I am here." He let out a sigh and looked to the sky.

"I won't sugarcoat things. I brought you here because I want you to take my place as the soul king. Now, I know you are thinking that you will be condemned to my fate. But you are wrong. You will not be condemned to my fate. Because I intend for you to take my place before ywach attacks. By then, the three worlds will have stabilised."

"but why me?" He turned to me and stared me dead in the eyes.

"because through some means unknown to me, a soul entered the cycle of Reincarnation and took control of the body of gremmy thoumeaux. My brain. I want you to use your abilities to take the abilities of my other body parts. Then, you will be the true new soul king. Now, I will be sending you back with a fragment of my own spiritual pressure. Inform ichibe that I wish for the Royal Guard to train you. That includes nimaiya. Also, I will allow you to take two of the Royal guard with you to be a part of your sternritter."

Well, that's going to be very difficult.

"alright then. Farewell." I blinked and found myself back in front of the soul King's mutilated body.

"what did he say?" I took a deep breath, and fell onto my butt.

"he wants me to become the new soul king shortly before an attack on the Soul King's Palace that will be perpetrated by his son. And he wants the royal guard to train me. Along with apparently adding two of you to my sternritter." Ichibe stared at me.

"right. Let's get to work."

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