Bleach: Starting with Marrying Retsu Unohana

"I have successfully mastered Bankai!"

Shi Tan was somewhat annoyed that Kyoraku had spoken before him, but it didn't matter. It wasn't like he hadn't mastered Bankai. Bankai was such a simple thing, surely someone could learn it!

"..."

However, what Tokina and Kyoraku didn't notice was that Yoru subconsciously shrank his neck and remained silent about Araki's question.

"Yoruichi, where are you?!"

Unfortunately, even though Yoruichi had done everything in her power to minimize her presence, Araki still found her.

"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! This is so annoying! I was so close, so very close, to defeating that cat demon and finding out the name of my Zanpakuto."

After hearing Araki's words, Yoruichi first shouted a few times in despair, then stretched out two of her fingers and squeezed out a small gap at the tip, gesturing the distance between her and her Bankai.

"If you really can't learn it, you can ask Wang Yue."

Seeing this, Araki reminded Yoruichi of something.

"I can learn it!"

Yoruichi interrupted Araki directly; as the senior sister, she absolutely could not be weaker than her junior brother.

"Do as you please! My latest deadline for you is one month. If any of you cannot learn Bankai on your own within one month, I will have Wang Yue tell you the names of your Bankai directly! And after one month, you will begin the second trial..."

Araki ignored the incredibly strong Yoruichi and gave her a full month to recover.

"The second trial?!"

Kyoraku and Tokina were clearly more curious about the second trial that Araki had mentioned.

"You don't think that mastering Bankai means you've passed the test, do you?!"

"My requirement for you is that from the day you graduate from my tutelage, you can directly go to the 'Gotei 13' to take over as captains. With your current strength, do you really think you are capable enough to lead a squad?!"

Araki looked at Kyoraku and Tokina, who were puzzled, and asked them a question in return.

"Hmm! It doesn't seem like leading a squad isn't such a bad idea after all, does it?!"

After listening to Araki's words, Kyoraku muttered to himself.

To be honest, Kyoraku is currently very confident in himself...

"So, Araki-sensei, what are our actual graduation requirements?"

After thinking for a while, Shi Tan asked Araki for advice.

"You've graduated! But you haven't truly mastered your craft..."

Araki reminded Shitan of the error in his word choice: graduation is graduation, and completing one's apprenticeship is completing one's apprenticeship; these two things cannot be confused.

"So, Araki-sensei, what are our conditions for graduation?!"

Shi Tan paused for a moment upon hearing this, then continued to ask Araki.

"Master Bankai, Spirit Power Level 2! Become the captain of the 1st Division of the Gotei 13! This is the graduation condition for you three: Tokina, Ukitake, and Kyoraku~"

Araki first explained the conditions for Tokina, Kyoraku, and Ukitake to graduate.

Then, Araki looked at Yoruichi and continued, "As for the conditions for you to graduate, Yoruichi, they are a bit more complicated than for others..."

"First of all, 'mastering Bankai' and 'reaching level two in spiritual power' are mandatory requirements that will not change! These are the conditions for you to leave the 'Spirit King Palace'!"

"On top of all that, I also want you to completely complete your 'Instant Healing'. Remember, when I say complete 'Instant Healing,' I don't mean showing me the half-finished product you showed me before..."

"What I want to see is your complete 'Instantaneous Roar' form! Only by achieving this can you successfully leave the 'Spirit King Palace'..."

"In addition to that, after leaving the 'Spirit King Palace,' you also need to successfully gain the support of the elders of the Shihōin family, become the head of the Shihōin family, defeat the current commander of the 'Secret Mobile', take over his position, and completely bring the 'Secret Mobile' under your control!"

"Can you do all of these things, Yoruichi?!"

After Araki finished explaining the conditions for Yoruichi's graduation, he asked Yoruichi a question.

"Isn't that obvious? It's so easy for me!"

Yoruichi, puffing out her 'thin' chest, looked at Araki as he preached.

"very good."

Araki nodded upon hearing this.

"Araki-sensei, could you please add another condition to my graduation requirements?"

Just after Araki finished explaining Yoruichi's graduation conditions, Tokina raised his hand and said to Araki with a smile.

"oh?!"

Araki could tell from Shi Tan's sinister smile that the other man was up to no good again.

"Since one of the conditions for Yoruichi's graduation is that she must successfully become the head of the 'Shihouin' family, I hope you can also add a condition to mine that I can only graduate after I successfully become the head of the 'Tsunayo' family."

Shi Tan looked at Araki and revealed his 'ambition'.

"oh?!"

Araki narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this.

"Shi Tan, are you really sure?"

"You know, although one of the conditions I gave Yoruichi for graduation was that she successfully become the head of the Shihouin family, in reality, Yoruichi would face almost no resistance if she wanted to become the head! As long as she has enough strength and is mentally mature, then she can..."

"But Tokina, you are different. If you want to become the head of the Tsunayo family, there are countless obstacles in front of you. If you are not careful, you may end up being crushed to pieces."

Araki looked at Shitan and asked.

After all, Yoruichi was the rightful heir to the Shihouin family headship, but Tokina was different. Tokina was just a child from a branch family of the Tsunayoshiro family, and there were countless others ahead of her in line to inherit the family! Not to mention the Five Elders and the like~

"I know! But I believe I can..."

"Otherwise, wouldn't all the effort you put into teaching me the dual-wielding style have been wasted?"

As Shi Tan spoke, a fox-like smile appeared on his face.

"Hahaha! Good!"

"Then I'll add another condition for your graduation! Tokina will become the head of the Tsunayo family!"

Araki smiled upon hearing this, knowing that Shi Tan had finally understood the painstaking efforts his master had made over the years.

"Um?!"

At this moment, only Chunshui was still completely bewildered.

"He only has one sword, yet he practices dual-wielding? Is that so?"

Yoruichi glanced at Tokina's Zanpakuto at his waist, where there was clearly only one sword.

If Tokina only had one Zanpakuto, he obviously wouldn't be able to use the dual-wielding style. Therefore, in Araki's mind, Tokina would eventually have two Zanpakuto. Speaking of which, the heirloom of the head of the Tsunayo family is a Zanpakuto...

So, does that mean Araki-sensei had already planned out Tokina's goals when he was teaching him?!

Chapter 94 The Legendary First Generation Gotei 13! (Second Update)

Three days later.

Ukitake has completely overcome the "weak period" caused by Mimihagi's departure, which led to unstable spiritual pressure and spiritual collapse. He has recovered to his original state and continues his Bankai training under Araki's guidance!

Without the obstruction of Mimihagi, the right arm of the Soul King, Ukitake's training in Bankai went much more smoothly than expected, and he successfully mastered his own Bankai in a short time!

At the same time, perhaps because Ukitake had been fused with 'Mimihagi' for too long, his body still received a portion of 'Mimihagi's' power, which Ukitake called 'God's Hook'.

At this point, of the four—Kyoraku, Ukitake, Tokinada, and Yoruichi—only Yoruichi remains who has not yet successfully mastered the Bankai of her Zanpakuto.

Time flies, and twenty-seven days later...

"I've finally mastered Bankai!"

On the last day of the one-month period Araki gave Yoruichi to learn Bankai, Yoruichi finally succeeded in completing her Bankai. She put away her Zanpakuto, which was unleashing endless lightning, and wiped the sweat from her forehead. An excited expression appeared on her small face.

To be honest, the training for Bankai was even more difficult than Yoruichi had imagined!

"A month!?"

Araki looked at Yoruichi, who had finally mastered Bankai, and nodded slightly.

One month was the deadline Araki gave his disciples. After all, it took him a month to learn Bankai! His disciples couldn't possibly learn Bankai any slower than him.

After Yoruichi successfully mastered Bankai, Araki summoned Kyoraku and the others back together.

"Araki-sensei, isn't it time for the next training session?!"

During the month that Kyoraku trained at the Spirit King Palace, he became increasingly mature, mainly because he was taught by Araki and others many times, and naturally he became more sensible.

"Next, I will lead you through practical combat training..."

"You will hone your skills and strive to increase your spiritual pressure between life and death!"

Araki looked at 'Kyoraku', 'Ukitake', 'Tokina', and 'Yoruichi' and spoke calmly.

"Combat training?! Could it be that we're facing Araki-sensei as our opponent?!"

When Kyoraku heard Araki's words, his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a dangerous glint. He seemed to be calculating whether he, Ukitake, Tokina, and Yoruichi would have any chance of winning against Araki.

"Oh? You seem quite confident?"

Araki looked at Kyoraku's narrowed eyes and asked calmly.

"Haha, haven't we already mastered the Bankai of our Zanpakuto? It's inevitable that we'll get a little cocky."

Kyoraku was quite frank and directly told Araki about his problems.

"Having this mindset is good!"

"But if you go too far, it won't be good..."

"With your current strength and those incredibly weak 'Bankai' techniques, you wouldn't even be able to hurt me, let alone defeat me..."

“Come on! I’m not your opponent. I’ll show you your real opponent.”

After Araki finished speaking, he turned around and walked forward.

"Araki-sensei, where are you taking us?!"

Yoruichi and the others remained noncommittal about what Araki had just said. After mastering Bankai, they had indeed become a bit arrogant, but they were not so inflated as to believe that they could defeat Araki, who had the title of 'strongest,' with their current strength.

"Speaking of which, you haven't visited my detached palace since you came to the Spirit King's Palace, have you?!"