Bleach: Cero Devastador

Ryōma left the circle escorted by Sakuya, and a group of swift medics entered the field to treat Benimaru before it was too late. As for Kurotora, she was nowhere to be seen. 

The initial contemptful gaze some of those nobles used to stare at Kamishiro Inuzuri, was gone. They thought it had been luck, it had to be the quality of the contestants outside of the upper yard was lacklustre. 

But all those beliefs were proven wrong in a fight that lasted less than ten minutes in contrast to the anticipated half an hour... half an hour the champion Benimaru would take to defeat Inuzuri.

Nothing farther from the truth. They were all astonished and the cheers were minimal. A lot of nobles had just lost tons of money, there were only one couple of massive laughter that numbed the whispers; It was Murasaki and Kukaku's laugh. 

...

"Is it even possible to destroy the Bakudo#39 Enkosen with mere physical attacks?!"

"He has to be a shinigami... quickly look out for his real identity".

"He hails from the 78th District, right? That means he's more than likely an orphan, powerful families will try to adopt him now. His potential is limitless!"

"O-Oi, can I rescind my bet for the next match?!" Dozens wished to retreat with their losses.

Ikakku Madarame was a young but powerful warrior. Unlike Benimaru, he was a Shinigami with a lot more potential. However, Benimaru was the undisputed champion of the 10th District Rukon for at least a century. Some even doubted whether Ikakku could face Benimaru, let alone Inuzuri, who had just whipped the floor with the latter. 

The baldy in question stood up in a shadow, the stadium lights reflected on his bald head as he laughed inwardly in happiness. 

'Looks like tonight won't be too boring, I came for you, Inuzuri!'

"Stop laughing so creepily, it is not like you" A shadow loomed next to him, leaning on the wall so regally that it would have given a goosebump of disgust to more than a few.

"Damn it, Yumichika, let me have some fun will you? I'm going to prove myself here!"

"What are you going to prove? that your head has more albedo than the moon?"

"Shaddap! Everyone's going on about this Inuzuri being a future Kenpachi promise. I'm gonna fuck him up and boast to the captain. By the time we join the division, he will have to respect me".

"That the reason you made me come to this shithole instead of the second district?".

"Hmph, trust me... you won't be disappointed with this fight~"

...

Back in his corner, Ryoma sat on a chair still feeling the lingering disappointment that didn't cloud too much of his mind like it would as usual. Instead, he looked forward to the last fight, the one he truly wanted to participate in. 

Sakuya took a towel, but upon seeing that his face didn't even have a droplet of sweat, she sighed. 

"That was a wonderful fight Ryō–"

*BANG!*

Someone burst through the door, it was Kukaku who held a bottle of cheering sake.

"I love you, kid! You know how much money you just made me?!" She jumped on the boy and clung onto him like a koala, like a toy she would never let go of.

"Release him!" Sakuya protested and tried to yank her away to no avail. 

"Come on, do you need something? water? alcohol? women... oh? you want me~ you can't, don't be so shameless~" She giggled, "If you need anything just say the word! Wait- I will give you a massage before your next fight but try not to humiliate that boy Madarame too much–".

"..." Ryōma lifted her up like she was a doll, erasing Kukaku's joy. 

"Settle down".

"Hai~" The woman nodded happily, she would give him anything he wanted at the prospect of money, even if that was silence. 

The boy unashamedly served himself a cup of that sake in front of the silent Kukaku.

"..."

"Not bad".

"Say, boy... you have a lot of potential; do you want me to adopt you into the Shiba Clan? I can become your mommy... or your big sister, don't even think about me being your little sister though" She smirked as Ryoma's brows squinted. 

A goosebump travelled across Sakuya's spine. 

It was not unheard of. People from the lower districts of Rokungai could be adopted into noble families of the upper districts or the Seireitei without an issue. In fact, that is what most of them commoners aspired to. Aside from entering the Shin'o Academy, this was the only other way forward. 

'W-We will be separated...'

Ryōma had displayed his potential, something she knew he had all along, 'But I never thought he would be scouted... o-or I didn't think he would accept it'.

But then she recalled... Ryōma's original desire to head into the Seireitei only so he could fight stronger Shinigami. Only so he could fight against Zaraki Kenpachi. 

This was the best opportunity for that and yet, something inside her couldn't help but churn. 

"S-Stop i-it, R-Ryōma is... m-mine..." Sakuya mumbled so low it was almost imperceptible, clenching her hands tightly, feeling as if something was slipping away even as Ryōma had yet to pronounce a word. 

Kukaku didn't manage to listen to what she said, but only with her disposition she could tell Sakuya was against it. 

"What did you say? Are you against it? My Shiba family is quite prominent. I could bring this man a great future–".

Words she couldn't decline, all Sakuya could do was look at Ryoma as if asking for help; as if begging him to refuse that invitation. 

"I am not interested, Shiba-san" Ryōma finally said casually, "I will make my own way into the Seireitei... I don't need no family to adopt me".

The woman wasn't going to give up just like that. She looked outside and saw a line of noble families waiting for their turn to try and sway Kamishiro Inuzuri, the promising legend, into their families. 

'He could be taken to the Seireitei and into the academy where he'd surely graduate with honours; then hopefully opt to become a lieutenant and eventually a captain like Uncle Isshin, maybe even faster than Kaien. By then our Shiba Clan would be at the top. How can I lose this chance? even if I don't manage to adopt him, I must at least be on his good eye'.

"Are you sure though?~ you know a branch of our family lives in the Seireitei, I could send you to live there with me. You would fight stronger opponents and we would make a lot of money together, maybe even more–"

"Stop!" Sakuya insisted, "He already said he's not interested!".

Kukaku frowned and glared at Sakuya annoyingly, 'Who is this woman? Why does she keep getting in the way?'.

Even as she found her annoying, she noticed that Ryoma seemed to consider her opinion.

"Is this woman your lover or something? I'm sorry but I'm only interested in adopting you but I could take her in as a maid–".

"No thank you. I have no intention of living in that filthy bureaucratic environment so when you come outside, relay that message to all of them. I have no interest in being adopted".

Kukaku frowned but her annoyance quickly morphed into a smile, 'At least he's not going to anyone else'.

"I see... that's a pity. Since you don't want me to be your mommy, I can at least be your friend, right?~ if so start by calling me just Kukaku. I don't like that 'shiba-san' you keep calling me" She was unashamed to lean on him, placing her chest against his shoulder.

Upon noticing his gaze, she smirked inwardly, 'A man is still a man~'.

"No problem, Kukaku... you don't have to get so close".

"Why not? We're friends aren't we?~ come come, let's drink a cup to celebrate our friends".

Sakuya stared at all this from a short distance with a look of irritation that could almost kill, 'Why is this woman being so clingy!? W-Why am I feeling this way?'.

Kukaku and Ryōma drank a cup, he asked her about the origin of the bottle; she said it was a brand exclusive to noble families in the Seireitei and that she always carried one on herself for private consumption.

"I wouldn't share this easily. Be thankful, brat".

"Uh-huh. I'm sure you won't mind if I keep it since we're friends, right?~" Ryōma chuckled, he unashamedly took what was left of the bottle and put it into his robes.

The woman bit her lips but still managed to put on a flinchy facade, "O-Of course... it is all yours".

...

During his break time; Ryōma and Kukaku spent a lot of time talking with Murasaki occasionally bringing in some bags of money; their profits of the night. Sakuya had put forth some bravado to sit next to him as they all shared the bottle. 

"This boy Murasaki, what is he to you?".

"Like a little brother".

"He's a crafty one. I wouldn't mind doing business with him if you're okay with that" She proded. 

"He's a man of his own. Whatever he does is his concern, Kukaku. I'm only here to fight... I haven't once instructed him to place bets or get me opponents. This is something he's done by himself... by all means do business with him".

"Hoh~ do you mind if I adopt him as my little brother? I have a considerable amount of wealth that's just on stand-by, maybe he will find some good use for it" Kukaku said with a smirk, 'If I do good deeds for the people close to you, you won't be able to ignore that'.

"Do whatever you want. Offer it to him, if he accepts then that's it. You don't have to ask me".

"Very well, you're too nonchalant for your own good. No fun" Kukaku gave up on trying to get a reaction out of him much to Sakuya's amusement. Outside, even as two individuals fought, there wasn't that much emotion. Everyone seemed to be expectant to the next fight instead.

Kamishiro Inuzuri vs Hage. 

"It seems like your next fight is about to start; are you ready? It must not feel like you fought at all, you're not even breaking a sweat".

"I'm okay, he wasn't difficult".

"Only you would say something like that... your next opponent is going to be stronger though. Ikkaku Madarame, he's a bit of a handful. In the academy, he's one of the worst students but that's because he's a madman who only likes to fight and hates theory. He's in reality a talented guy who has caught the eye of Zaraki Kenpachi. Can you manage?"

"I am good. I am more interested in the Kenpachi geezer. What can you tell me about him?" Ryōma asked; prompting Kukaku to smirk and pull him into another hug with no good intentions.

"Oh? So quick to meet me, you stole a bottle from me and now you want some intel? A bit quick aren't you? We're going to have to become BFFs first, boy~".

Ryoma sighed and stood up, "Then watch. If I win this fight tell me all you know about Zaraki Kenpachi".

"Deal~".

**

**

The brutal fight between Benimaru and Kamishiro had yet to fade away. Two contestants stepped forth afterwards but the thrill of their fight dimmed and was so unimportant that even amidst it, there were still nobles heading into the stalls to try and re-arrange their bets for the next fight. 

Only a handful of them managed to do so, changing the odds until they were at least 50:50. Once the fights of the next round were announced; the crowd began buzzing from Ryoma's swift victory over Benimaru; a new challenger stepped forward.

The man's bald head gleamed under the dim stadium lights, earning him whispers and chuckles from the audience. He dressed in black haori with a very recognisable asauchi on its scabbard. The way he carried himself—with a straight back, confident strides, and a pristine katana at his side—silenced the murmurs.

Ikakku Madarame was not foreign to underground fights; in fact... it was what he had done his whole life... only he didn't manage to have such an amazing streak as Kamishiro Ryoma did. He couldn't help but want to test the mettle of this swordsman by himself. 

'What do you have that you can win a hundred fights with no defeat? What do you have that I don't?'.

"Name's Hage," the man said without much of a drive to talk, his voice calm yet sharp. "You're not the only one with a reputation to protect."

His words concealed a cryptic message; there was a man he desperately wished to catch up to and yet another stepping stone had made itself obvious. 

'Before Zaraki Kenpachi, there stands Kamishiro Ryōma!'

Ryōma tilted his head, his smirk growing. "Another one with something to prove. Fine by me. Let's see what you've got, Baldy."

The referee didn't waste time. With a sharp gesture, the fight began.

Hage drew his katana in a single, fluid motion, his stance textbook-perfect. He lunged, his blade slicing through the air in a move so precise it looked choreographed. Ryoma raised his sword just in time, the clash of steel echoing across the stadium.

*CLAAANG!*

Asauchi vs Asauchi; Ryoma noticed straight away the weaponry advantage was gone... Ikkaku Madarame's sword felt as if it had a sharper edge. 

"Fancy," Ryoma commented, pushing Hage's blade aside and stepping in with a punch aimed at his ribs.

Hage sidestepped smoothly, spinning his katana into a graceful arc that forced Ryoma back. His strikes came in rapid succession—high, low, diagonal—each one calculated, each one perfect. Ryoma blocked and parried, but for once, he was forced to rely more on his blade than his fists and kicks.

"Academy-trained, huh?" Ryoma said with a mock, deflecting a thrust aimed at his chest. "All that technique, and you're still not hitting me."

Hage's lips curled into a small smile. "Let's see how long you can keep up."

The fight turned into a dazzling display of skill vs survival. Hage's katana moved like a painter's brush, each stroke deliberate and elegant. Ryoma countered with his own unorthodox style, slipping between swordplay and sudden, unexpected punches. When Hage feinted a high slash, Ryoma ducked and swept his leg out, forcing Hage to leap back to avoid the strike.

*CLAANGG!*

Behind every strike there was thunderous force; Ryoma realised that people had severely underestimated this man.

'He's way stronger than Benimaru... but why do I feel like he's limiting himself?'.

Ikkaku's movements were perfect, almost geometrically symmetrical, but at the same time forced... not smooth. 

The crowd roared with every exchange, their cheers growing louder as the fight dragged on. Hage's form remained impeccable, but his strikes started to miss by wider margins. Ryoma, sensing his opponent's frustration, began taunting him.

"Getting tired, Baldy? All those lessons for nothing?" Ryoma laughed, behind his words there was a challenge, a reality he was well aware of. He deflected another strike with a casual flick of his wrist and the frustration began to well in the baldy's mind. 

'As I expected... that's not the way it is supposed to be. In that academy they're just a bunch of weaklings anyway, what was the point?!'.

*WHOOSH!*

!!!

Ryōma gasped at the sudden change of momentum. For the first time, Hage's composure cracked. He used his symmetrical almost perfect stance of swordsmanship to slash forward and broke that stance halfway through to switch into a roundhouse kick that took Ryoma completely off-guard. 

*BAANGG!*

Kamishiro blocked in time but he still received a kick to the chest in front of the onlookers; a kick that flung him to the edge of the field where he caught his footing with a half-moon smile marring his face. 

"The beast is uncaged huh? I was wondering how long you were going to pretend to be all nice and refined. You're just a fucking beast, aren't you, Hage!?" 

With a wide smile, no longer restrained, Ikkaku held his sword like a rogue. 

"Hahaha... shut the fuck up and let me enjoy myself, Kamishiro!".