Chapter 298: Unohana's Invitation
Oh no, Satoru's causing trouble at Shin'ō Academy.
Hearing the cheerful voice of a certain someone, Aizen released his Reiatsu to sense the surroundings.
Sure enough, in the infirmary, he detected a middle-aged Shinigami.
The middle-aged Shinigami had one hand pressed over his eye, groaning in pain from time to time.
No doubt, this poor, burly man who had been punched in the face was the Hakuda teacher who had been forcibly "struck by illness."
Aizen raised a hand to his forehead in exasperation.
He walked to the dojo entrance and peered inside.
As expected, Satoru was up to his usual antics.
Maybe he was assigning the students some bizarre training exercises, or perhaps "checking" the female students' physical condition…
But the scene inside the dojo took Aizen by surprise.
First, Satoru was fully dressed—no explosive disrobing.
Second, the guy was actually teaching seriously.
Under the eager gazes of the students, Satoru had them line up and take turns sparring with him. Based on their performance during the fights, he provided personalized guidance.
"Put your waist into the punch here! Don't just throw your fist out. What good is the strength of one arm alone? Do you think you can kill a Hollow with that?!" Satoru crossed his arms and boomed.
A student blinked in confusion. "K-kill a Hollow? Isn't Hakuda just for strengthening the body and building power? How could anyone defeat a Hollow with Hakuda alone?"
"Fool!!" Satoru roared.
"Hakuda is a Shinigami's last resort! In the long battles we face, there will inevitably be times when your Zanpakutō's abilities are countered, or your Kidō fails. In those moments, if your Hakuda isn't strong enough, you'll be cornered!"
"On the other hand, if you've mastered exceptional Hakuda, you can turn danger into safety and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat!"
As he spoke, under the watchful eyes of the students, Satoru suddenly threw a punch.
A massive stone in the corner of the dojo, inscribed with the character for "Diligence," exploded into dust with a deafening crash.
"This punch carries a century of mastery! Could any Hollow withstand it?!"
Witnessing Satoru's spectacular display, the students buzzed with excitement.
After firing up their enthusiasm, Satoru continued assessing them one by one.
For every issue displayed by the students, he provided suggestions for improvement. For a few with notable talent, he even taught some practical techniques specifically.
Once all the tests were completed, Satoru nodded and instructed everyone to proceed with independent training.
In an instant, the dojo was filled with figures diligently practicing.
Satoru tucked his hands into his sleeves and slowly walked to the entrance.
"Yo, Sōsuke, here to relive your childhood at the academy?"
Aizen looked at the students in the dojo:
"Rare to see you teaching so seriously... Is this just a fleeting enthusiasm?"
"Not at all."
Satoru shook his head.
"Those standing in this dojo are the elites of this generation."
"In the future, some among them might even achieve Bankai."
"If their Bankai is stolen when facing Quincies, the Hakuda they can instinctively use might become their lifeline."
"The war with the Quincies could break out at any moment. Before that happens, I'll do my best to improve their Hakuda skills."
Hearing this, Aizen showed a look of understanding.
No wonder Satoru had been frequently organizing Hakuda training in the Eleventh Division in recent years, and not long ago even conducted a drill simulating combat without Zanpakutō.
That drill was open to observation by all Squads.
Under his leadership, many Squads that previously looked down on such "barbaric" fighting styles had gradually developed an appreciation for Hakuda.
Aizen looked at Satoru.
The latter stood with arms crossed, wearing a confident smile as he watched the students in the dojo, occasionally nodding slightly.
Hmph... For someone who graduated just decades ago, he's already starting to look the part of a teacher.
Aizen curled the corner of his mouth slightly.
Suddenly, he sensed something and turned to look behind him.
Even before Aizen turned, Satoru had already shifted his gaze in that direction.
Under their watchful eyes, a figure slowly approached.
Wearing a white Captain's Haori, with two braids tied together in front of her chest, and a gentle smile on her face.
Seeing this person, Satoru's expression changed dramatically.
"Oh no, my crimes have been discovered!"
Aizen was speechless.
He felt like he'd been hearing this phrase quite often recently... Just how many misdeeds have you committed? Do they get discovered every single day?
"Hahaha, Sister Unohana, long time no see! What brings you to Shin'ō Academy?"
Satoru laughed heartily as he went to greet her.
"Because I heard Captain Satoru was here."
Retsu Unohana smiled gently.
Satoru's expression changed again.
"Could it be... about the Hakuda teacher falling ill?"
Hearing this, Unohana tilted her head slightly, showing a puzzled expression.
Seeing this, Satoru immediately regained his smile: "That's good, that's good."
"Sister Unohana came looking for me? May I ask what for?"
"Don't worry, whether it's stealing tea from the First Division captain or snacks from my senior in the Eighth Division, I'm a professional - not the slightest mistake!"
Unohana showed no reaction to his nonsense.
She continued smiling, looking at Satoru with a somewhat peculiar gaze.
"Captain Satoru... I'd like to invite you to spar."
Spar?
Behind Satoru, Aizen showed a thoughtful expression.
Although Unohana was the captain of the medical-focused Fourth Division, it was well known that her combat skills were no weaker than her medical abilities.
However, aside from occasionally demonstrating her skills at the kendo association, she hadn't officially fought in hundreds of years.
Why did she suddenly come to challenge Satoru?
Retsu Unohana was meticulous and clear-minded. Given her abilities, perhaps she had discovered something and wanted to verify it through combat...
Thinking this, Aizen prepared to hint to Satoru to decline the invitation.
But before he could act, he saw Satoru nod and say, "Sure!"
Aizen: "..."
His blood pressure spiked.
He coughed and stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Satoru.
"Captain Unohana... may I ask why you've proposed a spar at this time?"
"As far as I know, it's been a long time since you've taken the initiative to fight."
"Satoru is a rookie who graduated less than a century ago and not long ago suffered severe injuries, even staying in the Fourth Division's hospital for a while. Under these circumstances, I don't think it's appropriate for him to fight someone as strong as you..."
Before he could finish, Retsu Unohana interrupted him with a smile.
"Vice-Captain Aizen, there's no need to worry."
"As the Captain of the Fourth Division, I can guarantee with professional integrity that Captain Satoru has fully recovered."
"As for the reason I invited Captain Satoru to spar, it's simply for mutual improvement and nothing more."
"I know you and Captain Satoru are very close friends, but I've always supported him as well. Please rest assured."
Aizen fell silent, offering no reply.
Although Retsu Unohana's every word was meant to reassure him, each sentence only deepened his unease.
However, unlike his deeply suspicious self, Satoru seemed quite pleased.
"I'm fine with it, Sister Unohana. Since you've... asked, how could I refuse?"
"Perfect timing—I've been teaching at Shin'ō Academy these past few days. Let's make it a demonstration match so the students can learn something!"
But Retsu Unohana shook her head.
"No, Captain Satoru. This spar... I'd prefer it to be held in private."
"If you don't mind, it would be best in a completely isolated place like the Central Great Underground Prison or the deep mountains of Rukongai."
Hearing this, Aizen's suspicion grew even stronger.
Why make a simple spar so secretive?
Planning something underhanded?
He had never held a favorable impression of Retsu Unohana.
Beneath her gentle and elegant facade, the darkness she concealed was no less than his own.
Only, their directions differed.
In Aizen's eyes, Retsu Unohana was like a monster lurking in a beautiful lake.
Those drawn in by the scenic beauty might, in an unguarded moment, be devoured by the colossal maw emerging from the water.
Satoru had always been susceptible to beauty. Though the age gap between them was vast, given Satoru's personality, it wasn't entirely impossible.
Wasn't he just like foolish prey lured in by the picturesque scenery?
If Retsu Unohana weren't present, making it inconvenient for him to act, Aizen would have kicked this fool already.
He shot Satoru a warning look, urging him to refuse.
Yet, under his gaze, Satoru frowned, stroked his chin, and seemed to be pondering or recalling something.
After a long moment, Satoru looked up at Retsu Unohana.
"Captain Unohana, I'd like to ask two questions."
"Go ahead."
"If I didn't exist, would you have originally wanted to invite someone else?"
Hearing this, Retsu Unohana was slightly taken aback.
Seeing her visibly shaken expression, Aizen was surprised.
Having known her for so long, this was the first time he had seen Retsu Unohana so discomposed.
The next moment, her expression returned to normal.
She nodded. "Yes."
Satoru hummed in acknowledgment. "Is that person from my squad?"
"...Yes."
Retsu Unohana nodded again.
Now, her gaze toward Satoru was filled with curiosity.
After hearing her reply, Satoru took a deep breath.
"Alright, I understand."
"I'll prepare the venue."
"When exactly will the spar take place?"
Seeing Satoru agree, Retsu Unohana smiled.
"Tomorrow night."
"At that time, I will personally visit the 10th Division to see you."
After setting the time, Retsu Unohana gave a slight bow, then turned and left.
Once she was gone, Aizen said in a low voice:
"Satoru, you're too reckless."
Satoru shook his head.
"Sōsuke, I'm not being reckless—just preparing for contingencies."
Based on fragmented information he'd seen online before crossing over, it seemed that during the Thousand-Year Blood War, Retsu Unohana had engaged in a special sparring match to train Kenpachi Zaraki.
After that battle, Retsu Unohana fell in battle, and Yachiru vanished from this world.
Meanwhile, Kenpachi Zaraki gained the ability to release his Zanpakutō.
Since it was hearsay, Satoru couldn't be sure of the accuracy of this information.
But judging from Retsu Unohana's answers just now, even if there were discrepancies, they wouldn't be significant.
If Retsu Unohana was determined to fight someone to the death, it might as well be him rather than Kenpachi Zaraki.
Satoru hadn't seen the middle or later parts of the Thousand-Year Blood War, so he didn't know exactly how much stronger Kenpachi Zaraki became after killing Retsu Unohana and absorbing Yachiru.
But no matter how much stronger he became, Satoru didn't think it was worth trading two lives for.
Whether it was her exceptional swordsmanship, her refined medical skills, or the reassuring presence she exuded just by standing there—all were invaluable traits inherent to Retsu Unohana.
Such abilities, by any measure, should be leveraged as main forces against the Wandenreich, rather than sacrificed to cultivate one powerful individual.
Seeing the determination in Satoru's eyes, Aizen seemed to understand something.
After a moment's thought, he nodded.
"Very well, I understand."
"In that case, I won't stop you."
"But you must be careful—don't easily reveal your true thoughts to Retsu Unohana. Don't prioritize the other party's well-being without first confirming your own safety."
"If you sense she's testing you, don't answer her questions. Remember everything she does and says, and report back to me."
"And also…"
As Aizen issued each instruction, Satoru listened attentively, committing them all to memory.
...
…
The next day, evening.
After finishing dinner, Satoru took a walk in the courtyard to digest his food.
Then, he arrived at the squad barracks' main gate.
As expected, Retsu Unohana was walking over step by step, precisely on time as agreed yesterday.
Seeing Retsu Unohana, the gate guards showed somewhat surprised expressions.
Under their gaze, the captain approached and spoke with Captain Unohana.
Then, the two of them entered the barracks together.
Led by Satoru, Retsu Unohana walked along the paths of the Eleventh Division.
She looked around.
"Captain Satoru, although the Eleventh Division barracks are quite spacious, there shouldn't be any place where the two of us can fight to our heart's content without affecting the surroundings, right?"
"There is."
Leading Retsu Unohana, Satoru entered his study.
Seeing where Satoru had brought her, Unohana showed a puzzled look.
Under her gaze, Satoru raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
"Captain Unohana, don't resist."
As his voice sounded, Retsu Unohana felt as if a quagmire had appeared beneath her feet.
Looking down, she saw herself sinking into a patch of shadow.
Instinctively, she wanted to release her Reiatsu to break free and escape the shadow's pull.
But, hearing Satoru's words and looking at the man before her, she forcibly suppressed her instinct.
Gradually, the two sank into the shadows and disappeared from the room.
Opening her eyes again, Retsu Unohana looked around.
Seeing the vast Shadow Space before her, she showed a somewhat surprised expression.
"Is this... the shadow ability that was used to discover the Wandenreich?"
Satoru nodded.
"Captain Unohana, can you tell me now why you suddenly want to spar with me?"
Hearing this, Retsu Unohana withdrew her curious gaze and smiled.
"Satoru-kun, ever since I saw your injuries at the Fourth Division last time, I knew."
"Although it's been a short time, the extent of your growth has far exceeded my expectations."
"Originally, I wanted to wait a while longer, until you became more perfect, before deciding who to entrust everything of mine to."
"But now, I think I probably can't wait any longer..."