Bleach: The Fifth Division Captain

"Coming through!"

A deep, resonant voice boomed from the back of the crowd. A towering man pushed through the onlookers, making his way steadily toward the center of the arena.

When he finally came to a stop beside Yoruichi, Seiya couldn't help but marvel.

Wow, he's huge.

Judging by his stature, the man was easily over two meters tall.

His broad face, paired with his topknot hairstyle, made for an imposing figure. His physique was nothing short of monstrous—he was built like two Seiyas put together.

The man sported a slick brown pompadour, his expression stoic as if resigned to Yoruichi's summon.

However, Yoruichi's initial enthusiasm melted into visible disdain the moment she saw him.

With her arms crossed, she delivered a sharp kick to the man's broad back.

"Ōmaeda! Put some energy into it!"

Grimacing from the pain, the man's face twisted into an awkward scowl. After a moment of recovery, he finally straightened up and nodded begrudgingly.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"Good. From now on, you'll be Seiya's opponent!"

Wait, what?!

A first-year student going up against a vice-captain of the 2nd Division? Was this some sort of joke?

Both Seiya and the man, introduced as Ōmaeda, turned toward Yoruichi with matching expressions of confusion.

Yoruichi, however, merely smirked, her catlike eyes narrowing with predatory amusement.

"What's so surprising?"

"I've already told the old man—slow and steady education methods are just too boring. For a prodigy like this, only the toughest challenges will do."

Yoruichi threw her hands in the air theatrically, her voice brimming with excitement.

"Ōmaeda! Standing before you is this year's rising star—a once-in-a-century genius who managed to seriously injure a seated officer after just two weeks of training!"

"Seiya! Your opponent is the vice-captain of the 2nd Division and deputy commander of the Stealth Force! Doesn't that get your blood pumping?!"

Does it, though?

Seiya certainly didn't feel that way. Neither, it seemed, did Ōmaeda, who was standing there looking equally put upon.

Yoruichi, however, appeared energized, her natural charisma lighting up the room.

Before anyone could respond, she spun toward the crowd with a wide grin.

"You've been watching boring matches all day, haven't you? Don't you want to see something a little more exciting? Come on, let me hear it!"

Her spirited tone and infectious enthusiasm worked like a charm.

"I… we want to see it!"

No one knew who shouted first, but it spread through the audience like wildfire.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

"Ōmaeda's a vice-captain—there's no way he'll lose, right?"

"But it's Hakuda only! Doesn't that give Seiya a chance to win?"

"Who cares who wins? This is going to be great!"

"Ahaha, I can already smell the bloodshed!"

Among the boisterous crowd were even a few bloodthirsty onlookers.

By this point, it was clear neither Seiya nor Ōmaeda had a choice in the matter.

Turning back toward the arena, Yoruichi's playful smirk deepened.

"Well? Feeling fired up now, Seiya?"

Not at all.

In fact, Seiya hadn't been excited from the beginning…

But this wasn't the time to say that.

With a resigned smile, he scratched his cheek awkwardly before bowing slightly toward his opponent.

"If that's how it is… Seiya Arima. Please take care of me."

Ōmaeda sighed and returned the gesture.

"Ōmaeda Marechiyo. Please take care of me."

Huh?

He's… polite?

Seiya hadn't expected that. However, after a moment of reflection, he realized it wasn't so surprising.

Ōmaeda Marechiyo was the father of Ōmaeda Mareyo, who served as the vice-captain of the 2nd Division under Suì-Fēng in the original timeline. The family resemblance was uncanny—if not for the pompadour, Seiya would've struggled to tell them apart.

"Seiya-kun, it's nice to meet you, though I didn't expect it to be under these circumstances. What a shame."

Despite his broad, imposing frame, Marechiyo's demeanor was surprisingly mild-mannered.

"I've heard a lot about you—you're this year's standout rookie. Meeting you in person, I can see it's all true."

Compliments always felt nice, even if they didn't go to Seiya's head. With a polite smile, he waved dismissively.

"You're too kind. I've just been lucky so far."

"Haha, modesty is a virtue too."

Marechiyo adjusted his sunglasses, leaning in slightly as he lowered his voice.

"To be honest, I'm not very confident in my Hakuda skills. Please, try not to go too hard on me."

His serious expression twisted into a sheepish smile.

"Otherwise, if I embarrass myself in front of all these people, Lady Yoruichi will never let me live it down."

This guy's pretty funny.

Seiya chuckled softly, about to respond when Yoruichi suddenly returned.

She clapped Marechiyo on the back with a forceful slap, the sound so loud it made Seiya wince.

"Marechiyo, you're the deputy commander of the Stealth Force! Don't make people think you only got in because of your connections!"

That was quite the accusation.

Marechiyo could only offer a helpless smile.

"Y-Yes, Captain Yoruichi!"

"Now that's the spirit!"

Satisfied, Yoruichi turned her attention back to Seiya, her grin taking on a mischievous edge.

"You're not interested in joining my team, huh? Fine. If you can beat Marechiyo, I'll make sure you get a reward so good, you won't be able to refuse."

A mysterious reward, huh?

Though Seiya wasn't particularly interested, it seemed harmless enough to treat it as a bonus.

"I understand. Thank you, Lady Yoruichi."

"Great! Now, both of you, give it everything you've got!"

As Yoruichi stepped down from the stage, Seiya noticed her moving to stand beside Aizen. The two appeared to be exchanging quiet words…

So that's it.

Aizen's behind this, isn't he?

Seiya's confusion gave way to clarity.

Damn it, Aizen. What are you up to this time?!

A subtle noise drew Seiya's attention back to the stage. Marechiyo was shifting into position, his movements deliberate and measured.

Standing with his feet shoulder-width apart, he raised his massive hands and hunched his shoulders, adopting a stance that resembled a predator preparing to pounce.

Though slightly comical, the stance was undoubtedly effective.

"He's probably banking on his size advantage to overpower me."