"Do you have any feelings of anger or resentment towards Squad 11?"
"Honestly speaking, I did have more than a little. But more than that, I thought the verbal abuse directed at the general squad members of Squad 4 was a much bigger problem. Their selfish behavior might have caused those children to lose their confidence or the opportunity to gain experience. That was a much bigger issue."
"I see. So, you resorted to such actions not out of personal resentment, but out of indignation on behalf of your subordinates—is that correct...?"
"Of course, I am aware that not everyone in Squad 11 is like that. But, well... shall we say they got a little too carried away? It was simply too much to overlook..."
How nostalgic.
I did something like this about fifty years ago too.
Although there's been a gap in time, being the second time around, I can handle it quite smoothly.
What am I doing, you ask? An interview.
Squad 9 members have come to the Squad 4 reception room, and I am currently in the midst of being interviewed.
Even so... as the era progresses, technology advances too.
Before I knew it, I was being photographed by cameras that have appeared in the world, and the content of the interview is even being recorded on a tape recorder.
To think the wave of digitalization has already come this far...!!
But there are some taking notes by hand too, and that analog touch makes me feel a bit relieved.
And the content of the interview is, bluntly, about the "Squad 11 Great Disturbance Incident" from the other day.
Basically, Squad 4, commonly recognized as a "gathering of cowards who don't fight," raided Squad 11, a "combat specialist group," and beat up almost everyone.
There's no way this wouldn't become a topic of conversation.
I don't know where they sniffed it out, but the Seireitei Communication made it into prime material.
I refused once when they approached me for an interview, but I gave in to their enthusiastic persuasion—"We beg of you!" they said, showing a willingness to conduct night raids and morning attacks to get the story.
This is how the mass media is formed, I suppose... (Prejudice)
"We heard that you sent quite a unique letter of challenge."
"Ahaha... where did you hear that story? It's embarrassing..."
Captain Unohana sent that, and without the permission of the person concerned, no less.
I can't say that, can I...? Not at this late stage...
"I think that letter was short-sighted. However, I thought that if I didn't write words that were that extreme, my resolve wouldn't be conveyed. If they didn't clash with me seriously enough to leave no room for excuses later, I thought it would leave a source of trouble, so I dared to write that kind of content."
"I see... In this specific case, if you didn't clash seriously, a halfway solution might have caused new problems indeed."
"And the result is that..."
The last line came from the person taking notes, not the interviewer.
From the way he muttered it, it seems he had investigated to some extent beforehand and is troubled about how to turn this situation into an article.
Even if it's Squad 4, should it be considered natural for a Vice Captain to have combat ability?
Or should it be that there was someone this strong in Squad 4, despite being a Vice Captain?
Which angle should they take?
"That's how it ended up... Captain Zaraki was strong, after all."
"That result against that Captain, and after defeating other squad members beforehand... right? If you were in perfect condition, wouldn't you have won against the Captain too?"
"No, no! It's impossible for me to beat Captain Zaraki!! Even in perfect condition, I don't feel like I could win!!"
In the end, even if it was with wooden swords, drawing with the current Kenpachi—practically it was a surrender, but returning with all limbs intact—means they can't treat this lightly.
Apparently, they are going to interview Squad 11 after this too, so they are struggling even more with how to handle it.
Are they thinking that if they write something clumsy, they might get retaliated against by Squad 11?
Anyway, the interview continued for a while and eventually concluded.
"—...Okay, thank you very much for today! That concludes it, but is there anything you want to convey? Anything you want the Seireitei Communication to feature?"
I feel like I heard this phrase last time too.
Is it becoming a set phrase for the end of interviews?
"Rather than something I want to convey, I have a request. When you make this into an article, could you write it in a way that emphasizes targeting me specifically, not the Squad 4 members?"
"Vice Captain Yukawa, you mean...? Why is that?"
"Yes, this matter was practically my arbitrary decision. I want to ensure no sparks fly toward my subordinates... It would help if you could include content like 'If you're going to retaliate, do it only to me,' even if it's a bit extreme."
Targeting any Squad 4 member is okay! Let's get revenge, hyahhaa!! First, that low-ranking member over there! I'll beat you to a pulp!! Hyahhaa!!
There's no guarantee there aren't rough and short-tempered guys like that.
I have to direct all the hate toward myself.
"I see, I see. The Vice Captain treasures her subordinates. I'm envious."
"Please do."
"Then, we will take our leave now. Thank you for your time today amidst your busy schedule."
"No, no, thank you. I'm happy if I could be of help."
And so, the reporting crew left.
'My Liege! My Liege!! You are forgetting the advertisement!!'
...I'll pass on the massage parlor advertisement this time.
It's already quite well known without going that far.
'Ehh—! Why, my Liege!!'
Reservations are already completely full!
Spare me from five people in a row like that one time!! I'm so fed up I'll get heartburn!!
'But, considering the Tenkaichi... or rather, considering the worst-case scenario, I humbly suggest and advise that it would be better to massage more!!'
...Why?
'If my Liege massages the chests of the strong, a bonus is added to growth!!'
...Huh?
'Even the rabble is fine, but massaging a famous opponent increases efficiency even more!! Combined with peacetime training, the multiplier goes boom! It doubles even further!!'
...Eh, seriously?!
Th-Then everything to the Professor! No, wait... uh, so basically...?
'The more you massage, the stronger you get!!'
Wow... I didn't want to know that...
'Because I didn't say it!!'
Don't puff out your chest, chest... where is your chest?
'It is here!!'
Hyaaaaaaa!! D-Don't pop out of people's chest areas!
But well, I'm convinced.
Just listing the famous people from recently: Rangiku Matsumoto, Yoruichi Shihoin, Kirio Hikifune, Kukaku Shiba, Retsu Unohana, Lisa Yadomaru, Kiyone Kotetsu, Soifon, Nanao Ise... is Captain Ukitake an option?
Well, I've certainly massaged a lot! That's how it feels.
Looking back, I really feel like I've held big shots in my hands!
With this much, I can fight even against Kenpachi Zaraki.
Also, if I had been told beforehand, I would have been obsessed only with mountain climbing, and resulted in strength without substance.
In that sense, finding out now actually makes sense.
Nubatama, good job.
'No, no. By the way, my Liege, I would like to ask one thing... why did you list them in that order? Is there some intention?'
...The number you have dialed is currently not in use.
-----
"Vice Captain!! Thank you very much!!"
About two weeks have passed since the interview, I think.
One day, Squad 4 members came to me in a group.
Holding a magazine that had just been published today in their hands.
"We read the Seireitei Communication!! We heard the reason from Captain Unohana before, but to think it had turned into something like this!!"
"I was deeply moved."
"Since then, people from Squad 11 have started listening to us too!! Thanks to that, work has become easier."
It seems it has become widely known; everyone is happy as if it were their own affair.
Seeing this, despite everything that happened, I feel it was worth doing... but still, spare me from Captain Zaraki again!!
"What moved me especially is here! Look, please see this!!"
Saying that, they showed me a certain page.
Let's see...
"'If you have complaints, come at me anytime. I'll beat you all back'...?"
Ah, this is part of that thing I added during the interview to direct the hate toward myself.
It's certainly easy to understand, but!!
As expected, I'm treated like this...
"We heard this was to prevent harm from coming to us!! Thank you so much for being so considerate!!"
"But instead of just relying on the Vice Captain, we thought we have to become stronger too!"
"We want to prove, even just a little, that Squad 4 can do it if we try!!"
I'm being praised to the skies...
Does this mean the stress they were receiving from Squad 11 was that terrible?
"I-Is that so... I'm happy to hear that sentiment. But, even saying this, there is a possibility you'll actually get involved, so please don't push yourselves. Also, in an emergency, use my name... only in a real emergency, okay? If you overuse it, you'll end up in the same position, so keep that in mind."
"""Yes!!"""
I nailed it down so they wouldn't get arrogant, but...
W-Well... it's a good thing they got motivated... right?
-----
—Around the same time, inside the Squad 4 Captain's Office.
"Fufufu..."
Squad members are surrounding Yukawa and making a fuss.
While listening to that clamor, Unohana was also looking through the Seireitei Communication.
"The result was a draw... Swords were only crossed halfway, but her ability does not pale even against Squad 11... Combined with her healing power, they want to scout her. Is it... fufu, they say quite a lot."
The part she was looking at was the article from the Squad 11 side.
"Reading this article, Yukawa will inevitably be marked. It is a good trend."
She recalls the day she went to raid Squad 11.
Several days have already passed, but for Unohana, she could remember it clearly as if it were a second ago.
"She healed all the injuries. However, from her fatigue and the lingering scent of Reiatsu on her body, I understood as if holding it in my hands. How you fought against Kenpachi Zaraki, how much you struggled... and... how much the opponent enjoyed it, everything..."
Saying that much, she closes her eyes and sinks her consciousness into the world of imagination.
"You were able to draw out that much power? But not yet... wait just a little longer. This time, I will release you. Everything that I put a lid on... so now, fight and learn... Take that child I raised as a model, and prepare for the coming day..."
-----
—Around the same time, at the Squad 11 barracks.
"Hey hey Ken-chan, Airin is in the paper from the other day!"
"Aah? Oh, that..."
Glancing at the Seireitei Communication Yachiru brought to confirm what it was, Kenpachi grinned.
"That was fun. I wonder if Yukawa will come again."
"Yeah, it would be nice if Airin came."
"In contrast..."
At those words, many squad members present trembled.
"...Captain, I'm sorry! It's a fact that our reputation has dropped because of that article."
"Somehow, give us a chance to clear our name! A chance to wipe away the stigma!!"
"You guys can't beat Yukawa."
Iba, who was present, interjected involuntarily, and other squad members appealed one after another, but Kenpachi dismissed them with a single kick.
"Ahahahaha! Weeaaaak, weeaaaak!!"
Incidentally, Yachiru points at the squad members and laughs.
But since it was the truth, they couldn't say anything back.
After all, a fight was picked, they lay in wait, almost everyone was beaten up, and as a bonus, they were healed without a single scratch by the very person who beat them up.
Frustration, patheticness, emotions were all jumbled up, and shaking their shoulders was the best they could do.
"But, we can't just leave it like this, right? We have face to save too. We can't let ourselves be looked down on forever."
In the midst of that, one squad member stood up triumphantly as if to say "I am the one."
"You...? What do you plan to do?"
"Of course, to overturn the bad reputation. I wasn't there that day due to work, so I haven't even crossed swords. I'm the perfect candidate, right?"
He declares it with full confidence, but Iba opens his mouth at that.
"Better not underestimate her. She's quite capable."
"I heard the story about her defeating Iba-san. But that was a surprise attack, right? I can do it."
Should that fearless appearance be called courage, or perhaps evaluated as recklessness?
Iba struggled a little with the answer.
"...Tch! Do what you want!!"
"Yeah, I'll do as I please. What will you do?"
"I will refrain. I'll take my time waiting for you to return with victory."
When he called out to another person nearby, that person struck a pose as if withdrawing.
But at that moment, everything was decided.
"Interesting. Go and try."
"Leave it to me, Captain!!"
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]