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This article, Kentaro Takes Charge, is the opening chapter of Bleach: Cataclysm, with Kentaro Hiroshi as the main character and Akiye as support. It serves simply to introduce Kentaro in his new role (as the stories main character) and surroundings whilst providing some hints pertaining to the Collapse, which took place prior to the beginning of Bleach: Cataclysm.
Kentaro awoke feeling uncertain for the umpteenth time since things went to hell. He looked in the mirror hanging above his dresser and saw tired black eyes staring back at him and a mop of unruly black hair sitting haphazardly atop his head. He took some time making himself ready.
“You didn't sleep last night.”
The voice he heard belonged to Akiye. She walked in from the bathroom dressed in a pair of green trousers and a white shirt. Her hair had long since grown and she had taken to wearing it in twin braids that came to rest on her shoulders. It was amazing; he had gotten up before her yet she was ready long before him.
“I'll sleep when I'm dead.” He replied.
By the time he was finished with his hair he had styled his bangs so they framed his face as they used to look when he was younger, with his fringe combed into a sideways parting that mostly obscured his left eye. He then pulled on his white shirt and a pair of black trousers before finishing with a black coat he only buttoned at the neck.
“...Forgive me...”
Kentaro's eyes rolled back in his skull and he felt his body give-way beneath him. By the time he came too – after a nightmare which saw him relive the Collapse which resulted in the deaths of almost everyone he knew – he felt revitalized, but at the same time drained. By his reckoning he had been asleep for about four hours so he pushed himself off his bed and walked out of the room. The morning air struck him and served to dispel the vestiges of his tiredness.
“Thanks.” He said, upon finding Akiye. “I'm lucky to have you.”
“You can't keep going on like this.” She replied, looking at him over a stack of paperwork marked urgent. “Only so much a man can take before he snaps.”
“You tell me that everyday.” Kentaro whispered. “What's on the agenda?”
Akiye brought him up to speed on the days events. Sanada was busying himself with training the soldiers of the Ryunokori in preparation for what seemed to be an imminent attack from the Imawashi. Kentaro still couldn't believe they where back. Those were the breaks he guessed. Yesterday's problems lingering in some new form. Was anything just fixed? He put it from his mind. Kensei and Shuhei where following leads pertaining to the Imawashi to gauge their threat-level whilst Hawke and David, as usual, where running patrols in the World of the Living.
“Make sure that everyone's kept in the loop. When the Imawashi make their move we'll need them at their best.”
“Will do. What are you going to do?”
Kentaro secured his Zanpakuto to his waist and rested his left hand upon the hilt and adopted a far-off expression. Brief flashes of his parents and siblings' face's flashed before his eyes and his eyes became watery because of it, though he quickly wiped the tears away and squared his shoulders. He had finally gotten the Ryūnokori on their feet as an organization; with himself as the elected Commander-in-Chief. What he was about to do now was one thing he was hoping to put off... but he couldn't any longer.
“I'm going to pay Averian a visit.”
Akiye's response was a shocked gasp.
“You can't! His agreement was with Kenji and Kusaka!”
Kentaro squared his shoulders.
“That's why I need to go. The Reikai is chaos given form; the Imawashi are on the loose, using the intelligence network of the Kikkasho to keep one step ahead of anyone who goes up against them. Averian can tip the scales in so many ways it isn't even funny and no one at present with the exception of Rosuto even has a chance against him. I know I'm strong... but Averian is leagues beyond me. I need to know he's a neutral force. If he isn't I need to work out a contingency plan to deal with that.”
“... I don't like this.”
Kentaro only smiled.
“My father told me once that you can't change the world on your own... but after the Collapse, with so many people dead, there comes a time when someone has to stand up and take charge. It may as well be me. I'm Kentaro Hiroshi... and I'm here to end this chaos!”