"You two have some nerve!"
Yamamoto's thunderous roar shook the entire room.
"Something this important happened, and the two of you kept it hidden from me for this long! What exactly were you planning?!"
As Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto carried an enormous burden of responsibility.
The return of the original captains was an event whose implications arguably exceeded even the Aizen incident, yet Kazuma and Batsu'unsai had kept completely silent about it.
Facing the furious Captain-Commander, Batsu'unsai felt her heart tighten slightly.
She stole a glance at Yamamoto's dark expression.
Was this really such a terrible thing?
The original captains returning would drastically strengthen Soul Society's military power. If anything, this should have been cause for celebration.
So why was Yamamoto this angry?
Then a horrifying possibility occurred to her.
'Wait… does he think Kazuma is trying to seize power?'
Did Yamamoto seriously believe Kazuma had secretly gathered the original captains so he could overthrow him, take the position of Captain-Commander, and establish a brand-new Gotei 13?
Kazuma was innocent of any such scheme.
He'd done all of this for Soul Society's future!
"Hmph!"
Yamamoto's expression grew increasingly suspicious.
"That brat has probably been eyeing my position for a long time."
"He always puts on that act about not wanting to become Captain-Commander, but clearly he's been plotting behind my back all along!"
He'd apparently convinced himself completely.
Kazuma wanted his job.
"No…"
Batsu'unsai shook her head helplessly.
This was becoming ridiculous.
Something that should have been excellent news had somehow turned into an attempted coup the moment Yamamoto started talking about it.
"Fine! Fine! Fine!"
Yamamoto abruptly changed direction.
"If that brat returns safely this time, I'll retire immediately!"
His expression became strangely decisive.
"I'll wash my hands of all this nonsense and live quietly from now on. Whoever wants the Captain-Commander position can have it. I'll finally get some peace!"
Batsu'unsai blinked.
Then understanding dawned.
'Oh.'
The old fox was acting.
Yamamoto knew perfectly well that Kazuma had absolutely no desire to become Captain-Commander.
So he'd deliberately seized upon this opportunity, loudly accused Kazuma of plotting to usurp him, and then dramatically offered to step down.
That way, Kazuma would be trapped regardless of what he chose.
Accept the position, and he'd be forced to shoulder the enormous responsibilities of Captain-Commander.
Refuse it, and Yamamoto could keep pointing at him and saying, Look! You gathered the original captains behind my back and now refuse to explain yourself. What else am I supposed to call that?
It was an impressively shameless trap.
"Mm."
Batsu'unsai nodded calmly.
"Please continue."
Yamamoto paused.
"Continue what?"
He hadn't expected her to react this calmly.
He'd been anticipating shock, gratitude, maybe even a little panic.
Instead, she looked like she was watching a mediocre stage performance.
"Oh, please."
Batsu'unsai sighed.
"Keep acting. Put a little more effort into it and maybe I'll actually start believing you."
She was genuinely speechless.
Yamamoto had regained his youth physically, but had his personality somehow become younger too?
Was shamelessness a side effect of rejuvenation?
"Batsu'unsai…"
Seeing that intimidation had failed, Yamamoto switched tactics entirely.
"Look at us. We're both over a thousand years old."
He let out a long, weary sigh.
"Ever since the Gotei 13 was founded, I have carried the burden of Captain-Commander. For all these centuries, through countless crises and wars, I have worked tirelessly."
He placed a hand against his chest like some exhausted old man on his deathbed.
"I'm old now. My body can't take it anymore."
"It's time for me to retire and enjoy what little remains of my life."
His voice became almost mournful.
"Surely you wouldn't force a poor elderly man like me to continue working himself to death?"
Batsu'unsai stared at him.
Where had the terrifying Demon of the Sword gone?
The mighty founder of the Gotei 13 had vanished completely.
Standing before her now was an old rogue shamelessly playing the sympathy card.
She finally understood.
This damned old man had absolutely no bottom line!!
As long as it got Kazuma into the Captain-Commander's seat, Yamamoto was apparently willing to throw away every last scrap of his dignity.
"No!"
Batsu'unsai finally snapped.
"The Gotei 13 is full of capable people! Genryūsai, why are you so obsessed with pushing my husband into that position?"
"You just spent five minutes explaining how exhausting, miserable, and responsibility-heavy the job is!"
She pointed accusingly at him.
"Have you looked at Kazuma? Does that man look remotely suited to being Captain-Commander?"
There was no chance she was allowing her beloved husband to be shoved into that bottomless pit.
Whoever wanted the position could have it.
Neither she nor Kazuma had the time, energy, or interest.
Besides, just look at the man.
Kazuma spent half his life drinking, disappearing, avoiding paperwork, and finding creative ways to slack off.
Put someone like that in charge of the entire Gotei 13 and the organization might genuinely collapse.
It would become the greatest joke in Soul Society.
And worse—
Batsu'unsai knew exactly what would happen once Kazuma started neglecting his duties.
All the paperwork, responsibilities, crises, and administrative disasters would inevitably land on her desk!
So that was Yamamoto's real plan!
The old bastard wanted to retire and dump the entire mess onto their household.
Unfortunately for him, Batsu'unsai wasn't stupid enough to voluntarily walk into a trap that obvious.
Absolutely not!
"Won't you at least reconsider?"
Yamamoto looked helplessly at the completely unmovable woman in front of him.
These two were truly exhausting.
"No discussion."
Batsu'unsai rejected him immediately.
"Not even a little."
Her expression became resolute.
"He's my beloved husband! How could I possibly sell him off just like that?"
Yamamoto's eyes narrowed.
He'd caught something.
There had been the slightest hesitation buried inside that emotional answer.
A tiny opening.
Perhaps…
Perhaps this was still negotiable.
His eyes brightened.
"I'll pay you."
Batsu'unsai froze.
Yamamoto leaned forward.
"Well?"
The words I'll pay you struck her previously unbreakable defenses like a hammer hitting a fortress wall.
A crack appeared.
"How much?!"
Yamamoto almost smiled.
There it was.
He'd found the weakness.
"After I retire, I'll give the two of you half of my salary."
He gritted his teeth and forced himself to make the offer.
"How does that sound?"
Who would have guessed that Batsu'unsai was such a money lover?
If Yamamoto had known earlier, he could have saved himself all the threats, accusations, emotional manipulation, and dramatic speeches.
Batsu'unsai immediately fell into intense internal conflict.
On one side—
her beloved husband.
On the other—
money.
Beautiful, wonderful money.
The two options collided violently inside her mind.
"Money…"
"Husband…"
"Husband…"
"Money…"
Her brows knitted tighter and tighter.
Finally, after a long and agonizing struggle, she resisted the temptation.
"Half…"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Isn't enough."
Yamamoto stared at her.
Batsu'unsai crossed her arms with absolute seriousness.
"He is my most precious, dearly beloved husband."
She paused.
"You'll have to pay more."
The choice had been brutally difficult.
But in the end, one principle remained undefeated.
If you want the husband, raise the price!
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