Chapter 32: Batsu'unsai wants to borrow Araki's treasure.
'You must hold back your anger,' he reminded himself.
"Um." Araki glanced at Chōjirō, then pointedly ignored him.
"Captain Katori, let's take a detour," Araki said, taking Katori's hand. "There are... unkempt individuals over here; I wouldn't want them to offend your eyes." He led her away from Chōjirō.
"Don't ignore me, Araki!" Chōjirō roared, stung by the dismissive treatment. "We're friends!"
"Bakudo number ##..." Araki said, turning back briefly to cast a high-level binding spell. (It was a nonsensical spell that does not exist in the OG, so I did not specify the Bakudo number or chant.)
Chōjirō's face paled as he saw the light emanating from Araki's finger. Before he could protest, countless leather-like straps erupted from the ground and wrapped around him.
The binding, designed to restrain even powerful Hollows, pinned him to the wall of the 11th Division barracks.
Once again, the lieutenant of the 1st Division, wielder of the weather-controlling Zanpakutō, Gonryōmaru, was helplessly bound.
Chōjirō thought, frustrated. 'Now, you became the captain of the 11th Division. You barely acknowledge me, and now you use a No. ## binding spell—meant for Hollows—on me... for a woman you barely know! I'm miserable.'
"This way," Araki said, leading the slightly bewildered Katori towards the 11th Division's office.
'Of course, Katori is a captain. How could I treat her the same as a mere lieutenant?' Araki thought. He insisted his attentiveness had nothing to do with Katori's... noticeable physique.
He treated everyone equally.
Inside the office, Araki and Katori sat across from each other at a long table, with freshly brewed tea between them.
"So, Captain Katori, what can I do for you?" He asked, looking at Katori, whose demeanor was so different from the other captains of the first generation Gotei 13.
"Actually, it's nothing serious," Katori replied, a touch of shyness in her voice.
He was momentarily taken aback.
Katori's shy demeanor made her seem like an innocent young woman; it was difficult to reconcile this image with the reputation of the first-generation captains.
"Anything I can do, I will," Araki promised with a smile.
Who wouldn't be accommodating to such a charming individual? Especially with the glasses that added a scholarly air to her already captivating appearance?
"Captain Araki, you're as agreeable as Saitō said," Katori said. "In that case, I won't be shy."
"I heard from Saitō that your 'lower region' is no longer of use," she continued bluntly. "Since it's of no use to you, why not let me borrow it for research? I promise to return it once I'm done."
"Haha, that's quite a request." Araki chuckled, taken aback.
'So much for my earlier compliments,' he thought. 'Birds of a feather flock together; how could there be a normal person among the first generation Gotei 13, a group of mental patients, murderers, and evildoers? It was my mistake.' He now understood.
"Just borrowing it for a few days," Katori insisted. "I'll return it, and I heard your Zanpakutō has incredible healing abilities; it can even regenerate lost limbs, right? This should be a simple matter."
Araki's eye twitched. "Are you even listening to yourself?"
"But I'm tired of reading about it in books," Katori said, pulling out a small, rather explicit book. "I need real-world examples."
Araki was speechless.
So, this is the origin of the 8th Division's unique interests, passed down from Katori to Lisa Yadōmaru.
"Let's forget about the practicalities of your request," Araki said. "First, tell me: who told you my... 'treasure' was useless?"
He already suspected Saitō but wanted confirmation.
"Um," Katori hesitated. "If I tell you, will you let me borrow it?"
"If you tell me, I'll let you borrow one," Araki said.
"Okay, then I'll tell you, but you have to keep it a secret; Saitō didn't want me to tell you. It was her," Katori said, readily betraying Saitō.
"Haha, Saitō, Furofushi Saito, right? I knew it," Araki laughed. He had suspected Saitō but wanted to be sure.
"What exactly did Saitō tell you?" he asked.
"Saitō said your 'treasure' is like a gecko's tail. It can grow back. That's why I came," Katori replied, then suddenly realized something. "Araki, how did you know it was Saitō?"
"Just a guess," Araki said, shaking his head at Katori's obliviousness. He couldn't decide if she was genuinely naive or cunning.
"Anyway, you know who told me, you can't go back on your word," Katori said, a sharp naginata appearing in her hand.
She was clearly prepared to take matters into her own hands.
"Since I promised, I won't break it," Araki said. "But I promised to give you one. I didn't say it would be mine." He activated his Ope Ope no Mi's ability.
"ROOM!"
With a soft pop, Araki and Katori vanished from the office, leaving two ordinary bricks in their place.
At the same time...
Araki and Katori reappeared at the gate of the 11th Division barracks.
"Chōjirō, come here," Araki called out, releasing the binding spell. Chōjirō reappeared before them.
"What's going on?" Chōjirō asked, still confused.
"I'm glad to see you're alright, Chōjirō," Araki said, smiling at Katori. "Captain Katori, this is the lieutenant of the 1st Division, Chōjirō Sasakibe. He's practically my brother."
"Today, I'll be the one to give you his... 'treasure'!"
Araki decided to give Chōjirō, who had been stagnant for too long, a drastic push.
If he valued something so much, he would have to find the strength to protect it. Araki thought Unohana's training had been too lenient; Chōjirō knew she would always heal him.
Katori was a different story.
"Okay," Katori said, nodding at Chōjirō.
"I have other matters to attend to," Araki said, flashing away towards the 6th Division barracks.
"So, what's next?" Katori said, pointing her naginata at Chōjirō.
"Captain Katori, what are you doing?!" Chōjirō asked, sweat beads on his forehead.
He didn't understand what was happening, but he felt a strong sense of impending doom.
"I'm going to borrow your 'treasure,' of course," Katori said, her face expressionless.
"Captain Katori, are you serious?!" Chōjirō asked, a horrified look on his face.
He realized Araki had been discussing something truly disturbing with Katori. Knowing the eccentricities of the first-generation captains, Chōjirō took a step back, ready to flee.
______________
A few minutes later...
Araki arrived outside the 6th Division barracks. Sensing Saitō's reiatsu, he calmly drew his zanpakutō.
_____________
Meanwhile…
Inside the 1st Division barracks, Chōjirō, having narrowly escaped a horrifying ordeal, gasped for breath.
"Captain Katori wasn't joking at all," he muttered.
His two and a half months of training with Unohana had significantly improved his evasive skills.
"Let's just stay in the 1st Division," he thought. "Captain Katori won't come barging in here."
After all, the 1st Division barracks were under the protection of Captain-Commander Yamamoto. It wouldn't be an easy thing to try and infiltrate them.
He didn't think that the captain of the 8th division dared to do so.
However, after experiencing the life-and-death race with Katori, it seems that his flash step has improved a bit.
Sure enough, there will an improvement in strength during life and death situations.