Although it seemed strange for a fierce-looking man like Zaraki to adopt a little girl, he truly was not skilled at raising children.
But with Gosuke Shigure's consent, Kusajishi Yachiru finally settled down within the 11th Division.
Regarding Yachiru's arrival, the Shinigami of the 11th Division surprisingly welcomed her warmly.
Though they were all brash and battle-hungry, even they could not resist the charm of a cute little girl.
Some uninhibited female Shinigami even teased Zaraki, saying he wouldn't know how to raise a child properly and that it would be better to let them adopt Kusajishi Yachiru themselves.
Of course, Zaraki refused outright.
Despite his rough demeanour, he genuinely cared for Kusajishi Yachiru.
Of course, it helped that she wasn't an infant needing to be fed and changed constantly. If she were a baby, even Zaraki would have struggled to care for her properly.
Not long after she began living with the 11th Division, Kusajishi Yachiru fully integrated herself there.
From that day on, the entire 11th Division seemed filled with more laughter and smiles.
⸻
Perhaps in revenge for Zaraki's failure to hear her call and learn his Zanpakutō's name for so long, Kusajishi Yachiru developed the habit of giving people strange nicknames.
In the original timeline, she called Zaraki "Ken-chan" (a childish shortening of "Kenpachi").
However, in this era, since Kenpachi was still Gosuke Shigure and Zaraki was simply known by his surname alone, Kusajishi Yachiru gave him the nickname "Amu."
She also nicknamed Ikkaku Madarame "Baldy" and Yumichika Ayasegawa "Pretty Boy" in the original work. Similarly, here she gave Gomisawa Yumi the nickname "Ami," along with a slew of other odd names. These rough and childish nicknames added an unusual atmosphere to the otherwise brutal 11th Division.
Even Gosuke Shigure received a nickname after getting acquainted with her.
At first, she called him "Xiaoyu," which Gosuke Shigure found too girlish. So Kusajishi Yachiru changed it to "Hour."
To be honest, Gosuke Shigure was speechless when he heard it. "Hour"? What was he, a clock or a part-timer on shift?
Yet, he couldn't bring himself to refuse the nickname.
Despite knowing Kusajishi Yachiru's true identity, on the outside she was still a cute little girl. Even Gosuke Shigure couldn't bear to hurt her feelings.
⸻
Time moved on.
Shinigami lifespans were so long that Gosuke Shigure became somewhat numb to time's passage.
Sometimes, with just the blink of an eye, months or even years would pass unnoticed.
The biggest problem was the lack of entertainment within Soul Society.
It was frustrating beyond words.
No wonder the 11th Division members loved fighting so much – apart from combat and drinking, there was nothing else to entertain them.
⸻
Occasionally, Gosuke Shigure found his comfortable life somewhat boring.
He no longer hid in his quarters to deal with division affairs. Whenever Hollow incursions crossed into Soul Society, he personally took action, swiftly beheading them.
This surprised many members of the 11th Division.
They wondered why their captain, who hadn't fought seriously in so long, suddenly decided to step in.
After all, ever since his duel with Oniwajo, Gosuke Shigure had already proven his overwhelming strength.
The younger members no longer doubted his prowess. There was no need for him to prove anything further.
But Gosuke Shigure didn't explain.
How could he say that he only acted because he felt rusty after staying indoors for so long?
⸻
However, one person was particularly dissatisfied with his actions.
That was Zaraki.
Combat missions were rare enough, and Zaraki didn't get to fully enjoy fighting the Hollows. For Gosuke Shigure to swoop in and steal his chance for battle felt like blatant sabotage.
As a result, the entire 11th Division was forced to endure Zaraki's wrath in the name of "sparring."
Every member was ruthlessly abused in training sessions to vent his frustration.
Despite this, Zaraki never challenged Gosuke Shigure directly.
Perhaps their first encounter in Rukongai left too deep of an impression. Zaraki was not yet ready to confront Gosuke Shigure again.
⸻
One day…
Gosuke Shigure received an invitation.
It was from the Kuchiki Clan.
After the Shiba Clan's expulsion, the four remaining great noble families of Seireitei were Kuchiki, Tsunayashiro, Shihouin, and Ise.
Among them, the Ise family had been declining, becoming increasingly low-profile. Before long, they would likely fall from noble status altogether.
If the Shiba Clan's downfall was caused by the joint efforts of other noble families to expel them, the Ise family's decline stemmed purely from internal weakening.
⸻
Among the remaining families, the Kuchiki Clan was the undisputed head of nobility.
This invitation was sent by Kuchiki Ginrei, the head of the Kuchiki family and the contemporary Captain of Squad 6.
He invited Gosuke Shigure to a grand banquet where he would select a husband for his daughter.
Those who received such an invitation were undoubtedly major figures in Soul Society.
However, attendance was not mandatory.
In truth, this grandiose event served primarily to showcase the Kuchiki family's enduring prestige and to express how seriously they regarded the matter.
⸻
So, should he go?
Gosuke Shigure's eyes flickered with thought.
In the end, he decided to attend.
He had been relatively free lately. He had visited the Shihouin household, toured the Ise Shrine, and was too familiar with the Tsunayashiro family from his past life.
But he had never visited the Kuchiki estate, a noble household renowned for generations of powerful Shinigami.
⸻
The Kuchiki mansion was located at one end of the Noble Street.
Elegant and solemn, it might not have been as expansive as the Shihouin estate nor teeming with attached branch families, but its quiet dignity reflected centuries of refined pride.
For hundreds of years, the Kuchiki Clan had produced countless powerful Shinigami, maintaining their reputation as the head of Soul Society's nobility.
Notably, walking down Noble Street to the opposite end would bring one to the Tsunayashiro estate.
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