Crazy Bet

"Vice-Captain Kotetsu, am I not following the rules?" Saikyō and Kotetsu Isane were about to leave when they were stopped by Yamada Seinosuke.

"Third Seat Yamada, what do you mean by this?" Kotetsu Isane frowned, her expression showing slight displeasure.

With her short, light purple hair and a neutral style, Kotetsu Isane was known for being timid and introverted. As a loyal follower of Unohana Retsu, she obeyed the orders of her captain, and over the years, her dutiful nature had earned her favor within the 4th Division.

However, it was clear to anyone observing that Kotetsu Isane seemed to lack confidence when facing Yamada Seinosuke. There was some underlying tension between them.

"Heh... what I mean is simple. Back when I was vice-captain, there was no precedent for this. So, why should the rules be broken now?"

Yamada Seinosuke's words revealed something important.

"Vice-captain?" Saikyō immediately noticed the key detail.

"I wouldn't have guessed that this somewhat feminine-looking Third Seat was once the vice-captain of the 4th Division?" Saikyō took a moment to reassess the man.

The way Yamada spoke, his attitude toward the other team members, and his overall demeanor seemed to confirm that he had indeed once been the vice-captain of the 4th Division.

"Yamada... No wonder that name sounded familiar. He must be Hanatarou's older brother."

Saikyō finally pieced together the important clue about Yamada Seinosuke's identity. Yamada Hanatarou, the gentle and timid 7th Seat of the 4th Division, had helped Ichigo Kurosaki during the events in Soul Society, using his Kidō abilities for healing. While Hanatarou had a modest role in the story, he repeatedly carried out crucial rescue missions.

Saikyō hadn't expected that the Third Seat of the 4th Division a hundred years ago was Hanatarou's older brother. More surprisingly, their personalities were entirely different. It was hard to even imagine the two being related.

As Saikyō contemplated, a public confrontation unfolded between Kotetsu Isane and Yamada Seinosuke.

"Seinosuke-san, this is a direct order from Captain Unohana. If you have any objections, I suggest you address them with her directly," Kotetsu Isane said, gathering her courage and refusing to back down.

"Vice-Captain Kotetsu, it seems you've learned how to use Captain Unohana's authority to suppress others? That kind of tactic won't work on me," Yamada Seinosuke retorted with a sneer.

Years ago, Yamada Seinosuke had indeed been the vice-captain of the 4th Division, second only to Unohana Retsu. At that time, Kotetsu Isane had held the position of 5th Seat and had not yet gained Unohana's full support.

If things had followed their usual course, Yamada Seinosuke would have continued in his high-ranking role. However, his downfall came when his ambition led him down a dangerous path—he began conducting forbidden human experiments.

Although Yamada was skilled and held significant influence in the division, his unethical experiments eventually came to light. Urahara Kisuke's Onmitsukidō conducted an investigation, exposing the truth.

While Yamada was to be expelled from the Gotei 13 and imprisoned, Captain Unohana intervened on his behalf. She managed to prevent his imprisonment, but Yamada Seinosuke was demoted from his vice-captain position and barred from participating in any rescue missions. He was relegated to training new recruits.

Though he retained his rank as Third Seat, in reality, Yamada had become nothing more than a figurehead in the 4th Division.

This was the root of his bitterness.

"Seinosuke-san, I have no desire for a pointless argument. Please, just focus on your duties," Kotetsu Isane responded, her face flushed with frustration.

"Duties, you say? Fine." Yamada Seinosuke glanced at Saikyō, his voice laced with malice. "My current duty is to teach new members of the division."

"So..." Yamada's voice dropped as his eyes gleamed with hostility, "unless a new member proves themselves to me, I don't believe they are worthy of any special treatment."

"Third Seat Yamada... Is that what this is all about?" Saikyō stepped forward, now standing protectively in front of Kotetsu Isane.

"Saikyō, you don't need to deal with him," Kotetsu Isane urged, clearly worried. She knew Yamada Seinosuke's underhanded tactics and was concerned that Saikyō, a newcomer, wouldn't stand a chance.

"Don't worry, Kotetsu-fukutaichō. I'll handle this." Saikyō flashed her a confident smile, his calm demeanor immediately reassuring her.

His handsome, composed appearance under the sunlight seemed to have an enchanting effect. For a moment, Kotetsu Isane found herself flustered, her heart skipping a beat.

Yamada Seinosuke, however, was not so easily moved. "It seems you're rather confident," he said mockingly.

"You've been looking for an excuse all this time, haven't you?" Saikyō asked, his tone unwavering.

"Let me guess. You think that because I'm new, I haven't mastered Kaidō, right?"

Yamada's smirk widened. "Exactly. Unless you've mastered Kaidō and can reach a master-level proficiency, I don't see why you should get special treatment."

Saikyō's smile widened in response. "That's all you want? Well then, let's have a little competition."

"A competition in Kaidō?" Yamada Seinosuke chuckled derisively. "You must be joking."

"No joke." Saikyō's eyes narrowed. "But let's make it interesting. If I win, you will give up your Third Seat. If I lose, I'll leave the 4th Division myself."

The crowd gasped audibly at the audacity of Saikyō's challenge.