CHAPTER 204 - The First Kenpachi.

Author note: No power in my area, but managed to get one of the chapters with my phone before it died, I will post another as soon as power comes back on!

https://www.patreoon.com/cornbringer.

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[Adam C. POV.]

The sun had barely risen when I found myself standing at the heart of the Soul Society's training grounds. The entire area was massive, with various terrains that catered to different training scenarios. At the center was a large, traditional dojo, and standing there, looking forever angry, stood Yamamoto.

"Ah, you're on time," Yamamoto noted, nodding in approval. He gestured for me to approach. "Before we begin, you should know that I won't be the one personally overseeing your training initially."

I frowned. "Oh?"

That wasn't the deal, I wanted to be trained by the best, I won't work for them if I am being handed to someone else. 

Instead of answering directly, Yamamoto gestured to the side. Stepping out of the shadows was a figure I recognized from the anime, Captain Unohana, the healing expert, with a kind soul. With her gentle demeanor and serene aura, she always struck me as one of the calmest among the captains.

But as I met her eyes, I noticed a flicker of something – a darkness I hadn't seen before. No, that wasn't right, I had seen something in her eyes before, something… dangerous. 

Now that I think about it, she has always creeped me out.

"Meet Retsu Unohana," Yamamoto introduced. "The first Kenpachi."

Like anyone who had seen the anime before, I had heard of the title 'Kenpachi' before, it was a title given to the strongest, or the craziest. Zaraki Kenpachi was the one I was familiar with, a wild, ruthless combatant. But Unohana? The healer? It made no sense.

As if reading my mind, Unohana's soft smile transformed. The gentleness in her eyes replaced by a chilling gleam, and her smile took on a predatory, bloodthirsty curve.

Instinctively, I took a step back. Both equally scared and excited. 

"We are going to have fun, aren't we?" she said, drawing her zanpakuto.

Before I could react, she was upon me. Her blade swung with a precision and speed I hadn't expected. Quickly, I raised my sword to block, and the force of her strike sent shockwaves through my arms.

Our blades began to clash, over and over again, and I had to admit, she was pushing me back at a speed I never thought possible, her blade was fucking whirlwind of strikes and parries. Despite her onslaught, despite her clear longing for blood, she moved gracefully, like a dancer on a stage, her every step and strike choreographed to perfection.

At one point of this seemingly endless exchange, our blades locked, and we stood, face to face, mere inches apart. Her cold, almost lifeless, calculating eyes bore into mine, searching for any sign of weakness.

"Do you know why I'm here, Adam?" she whispered, her voice a chilling contrast to the warmth she usually had.

"To train me?" I replied, wondering where she was going with this.

She chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth. "Partially. But mostly, to see if you are worthy of fighting for the Gotei 13."

"What happens if I'm not?" I replied, grinning at her.

"You die."

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[Third Person. POV.]

Yamamoto stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching as Unohana and Adam battled, he smiled, it had been so long since he could enjoy this. The sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the area, turning the white sands a fiery orange. 

Shunsui Kyōraku approached, his signature straw hat tilted to shield his eyes from the sun's rays. "Old man," he began, his tone casual but with a hint of underlying curiosity, "I have to admit I was a bit surprised. Unohana, really? For the first training session? There are easier ways to kill someone, you know?"

Yamamoto didn't divert his gaze from the setting sun, but his voice was firm and clear. "You know as well as I do, Shunsui, that the First Kenpachi is not to be taken lightly. Unohana possesses skills and techniques that few can match. Her history as a warrior, before she took on the mantle of a healer, is unmatched."

Shunsui took a deep breath, blowing out a ring of smoke from his pipe. "I know her history, most of us do, but Adam is... different, you know that very well. Why put him through such an intense initiation?"

Yamamoto finally turned to face him, his old eyes filled with purpose. "Adam is unlike anyone we've encountered. His potential is vast, but potential alone means nothing if it's not honed and tested. Unohana's relentless style forces one to either adapt and fight or be overwhelmed."

Shunsui raised an eyebrow, "You think he needs that kind of push?"

Yamamoto nodded, "Before this, before this world, he was a peerless individual, one that didn't need skill, only strength to win anything. He needs to understand the depth and breadth of what he might face here."

The two old friends stood in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Shunsui broke the silence, "You really believe he's the key to stopping Aizen?"

Yamamoto looked back towards the horizon, "I believe he could be a significant asset in the battle to come. Time will tell."

Shunsui smirked, tipping his hat, "Well, old man, here's to hoping your gamble pays off."

Yamamoto merely grunted in response, but a tiny smile played on his lips.

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[Fourth Division.]

[Unohana Retsu.]

[Four hours before the training match.]

Retsu Unohana, Captain of the Fourth Division, looked up as Yamamoto entered her office. With her serene face and gentle demeanor, no one would have guessed the blood-stained legacy she hid behind those kind eyes. 

"Captain Yamamoto," she greeted him softly, bowing her head in respect.

"Unohana," Yamamoto's deep voice filled the room. "There's a favor I need to ask of you."

Unohana's eyebrows arched slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Yes, Captain-Commander?"

"I need you to train someone," he stated.

Unohana's ever-present serene smile wavered for a brief moment. "You are asking me to take up my blade again," she said softly, her voice tinged with a hint of melancholy. "For Adam, I presume."

Yamamoto nodded solemnly, "I am."

Unohana's gaze turned distant, memories of another time, another self, flashing before her eyes. "I made a promise, Yamamoto. I vowed never to fight again unless it was to restore Zaraki's power, my weakness made him weak, and that's a sin I will never wash away from my hands."

Yamamoto nodded, "I remember, and I respect your decision. However, I believe you're the best fit for this. Your past, your true self, might resonate with him, push him further."

Unohana looked into Yamamoto's eyes, searching for any hint of doubt. "If I do this, if I train him, it will not be the gentle lessons of healing. It will be the brutal teachings of combat, of life and death. Are you prepared for the consequences?"

Yamamoto held her gaze. "If it means preparing him, and us, for what's to come, then yes."

Unohana took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Even if I wanted to do that, you know what I think about it."

Yamamoto nodded. "I know, but consider this, Unohana, there is a possibility that Adam might be the catalyst to ignite Zaraki's true potential, something beyond what you saw. His arrival in the Soul Society, his battles, everything suggests he is an anomaly, a force we have yet to comprehend fully."

Unohana looked deep into Yamamoto's eyes, searching for any hint of doubt or deceit, but she found none, though she had to admit, even if she was being played, the offer was sounding more and more entertaining. "You truly believe he is the key to Zaraki's evolution?"

Yamamoto nodded once again, "It is a possibility. But to get there, he must be refined, honed. He needs guidance from someone who understands the depth of combat, the weight of a blade, the thirst for a battle he has. He needs you, Unohana, The First Kenpachi."

Unohana exhaled, feeling the weight of her past, her very essence, bearing down on her. "If what you say holds truth, then so be it. But remember, Yamamoto, the blade I wield, the bloodlust that runs through me, it's not easily tamed."

Yamamoto met her gaze squarely, "I am counting on it."

Unohana inclined her head, a cold, detached smile appearing on her face as she accepted her new charge. The First Kenpachi would rise once more, and the winds of change would blow through the Soul Society.