Unohana Retsu suddenly felt her emotions rise and fall uncontrollably.
Even when Head-Captain Yamamoto had expressly forbidden her from fighting Nobu, she hadn't felt any resentment.
When she'd calmly stated how the peaceful days made her nauseous, how she longed to escape from this life, her tone had been as indifferent as though discussing something entirely unrelated to herself.
But now, for the first time, she clearly felt something stir within her.
Have I been provoked?
"You always manage to say things that amaze me."
Unohana's eyes narrowed slightly, glinting with a secretive light Nobu had never seen before.
"I'm truly curious where your confidence comes from."
She held certain expectations toward Nobu. Unlike Zaraki, when she'd first met Nobu, his reiatsu had been so weak that she could have crushed him easily with a single finger.
Fortunately, his growth had been extraordinarily rapid. In just two years, he'd already reached Third-Class Reiatsu Authority.
Perhaps, given a bit more time, he could catch up to her.
After returning from Rukongai that day, she'd reflected deeply, wondering if she'd been too hasty.
Perhaps Nobu hadn't yet reached the level she'd hoped for. Maybe she should give him more time, wait until he truly reached equal footing—or even surpassed her.
As for Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's orders, she'd never truly cared about them.
Her only concern was Nobu's own resolve.
But now, it seemed she wasn't the only one being impatient.
Nobu still appeared calm and composed. "So, Taichō, will you accept?"
"…"
Unohana stared at him for a long moment before finally saying, "Sōtaichō has strictly forbidden me from fighting you."
Nobu countered immediately, "If Taichō really cared about that, why did you go to Rukongai the other day?"
Unohana replied lightly, "The same order surely applies to you as well. You'll soon become the Tenth Division taichō—are you willing to violate the Sōtaichō's command over this? Even if everything unfolds exactly as you expect, what then? How will you handle Sōtaichō's anger?"
Nobu shook his head. "The Sōtaichō merely doesn't want either of us to die. What I'm doing now isn't against his wishes."
His reasoning seemed entirely logical—as long as, at the end of their fight, he didn't deliver a killing blow.
At that moment, Unohana found her emotions difficult to describe clearly. It was absurd—so absurd that she felt utterly speechless.
She truly disliked Nobu's current posture—the arrogance of offering to spare her life.
What gave him that right?
His Third-Class Reiatsu Authority?
That merely met the minimum requirement for a captain.
Was it his swordsmanship, which he was so proud of?
Perhaps it truly was his greatest reliance. To produce sword intent without relying on spiritual power was indeed beyond ordinary comprehension.
Even Zaraki couldn't achieve that—or rather, Zaraki's swordsmanship consisted merely of reckless slashes.
Unohana Retsu truly desired a battle that could satisfy her fully, preferably at the moment her life ended.
Nobu's declaration that he would spare her life was directly opposed to that wish.
"You seem completely certain of defeating me. Have you never considered you might lose?"
Nobu tilted his head slightly. "I have."
"Then wouldn't you also ask me to spare your life?"
"Would you do that, Taichō?"
Unohana fell silent again, her eyes now radiating an icy coldness that sent chills running down the spine.
"Nobu, are you seeking death?"
Suddenly, Nobu laughed. "This is the first time you've ever called me by name, Taichō."
His laughter gradually faded, replaced by a calm seriousness. "I'm afraid you won't be able to kill me, Taichō."
...
First Division Headquarters.
"The Central 46 has approved Tachikawa Nobu's appointment as Tenth Division taichō. Announce it at the next captain's meeting," Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni instructed Sasakibe Chōjirō.
Since Shiba Isshin had just been officially removed, Yamamoto planned to wait another month before Nobu assumed command of the Tenth Division.
Externally, this delay appeared to give the First Division and Central 46 time to handle the situation appropriately.
"I'll draft the official appointment document," Sasakibe Chōjirō responded. "Should we inform the Tenth Division's fukutaichō in advance?"
"That's unnecessary," Yamamoto shook his head. "For now, focus on watching those two closely. We must prevent any incidents."
Sasakibe replied, "I've already privately notified Soi Fon-taichō. Onmitsukidō is discreetly monitoring the movements of Unohana-taichō and Tachikawa."
In fact, when Unohana had departed alone for Rukongai previously, Sasakibe had learned about it immediately. Had Nobu attempted to leave the Fourth Division barracks then, the Punishment Force would have intercepted him at once.
Even Sasakibe himself had grown extremely anxious upon learning Unohana had gone to Rukongai.
Had the situation escalated to that point, only the Head-Captain's direct intervention could have settled it.
Such a confrontation surely wouldn't have ended well.
If Unohana Retsu and Tachikawa Nobu simultaneously violated orders, punishment would be inevitable. Sasakibe sincerely hoped things would remain peaceful.
Returning to his office, Sasakibe drafted the official appointment document for Tachikawa Nobu as the Tenth Division taichō. Afterward, he released a Hell Butterfly, instructing Nobu to report immediately to the First Division.
But not long afterward, the Hell Butterfly returned on its own.
It hadn't found him!
Sasakibe felt something was wrong. Without hesitation, he rushed from his office toward the Fourth Division barracks at top speed.
"Sasakibe-fukutaichō?" Kotetsu Isane hurried over upon seeing him. "Is something the matter?"
"Where's Tachikawa?"
"I'll call him immediately." Isane seemed unaware anything was wrong.
"I'll go with you."
Together, they reached Nobu's office. Isane knocked gently on the door first, calling out, "Sasakibe-fukutaichō is here," but there was no response from inside.
Sasakibe Chōjirō decisively pushed open the door, only to find the office completely empty.
"Could he be at the General Treatment Ward?" Isane asked uncertainly.
Sasakibe's brows knitted slightly. "Is Unohana-taichō here?"
"She's in her office."
"You go find Tachikawa; I'll see Unohana-taichō."
"Ah, alright."
Sasakibe immediately headed to the Fourth Division captain's office. Moments later, he emerged, flash-stepping onto the rooftop of the division building.
Beside him, a black-clad Shinigami suddenly appeared—an Onmitsukidō member, distinctively dressed compared to ordinary Shinigami.
"Where are they?" Sasakibe questioned sharply.
"They're not here in the barracks?" the Onmitsukidō operative asked, bewildered. "Their reiatsu signatures never left here."
Hearing this, Sasakibe quickly extended his senses, clearly detecting the reiatsu of Unohana Retsu and Tachikawa Nobu. His expression instantly turned grim.
He didn't know how the two managed to leave their reiatsu behind when they themselves had vanished, but it was obvious they were deliberately hiding something.
Below, Kotetsu Isane hurried back at that moment. Sasakibe immediately landed beside her, only to hear her anxiously say, "Nobu... he doesn't seem to be in the division right now."
"…"
"Sasakibe-fukutaichō, what's going on?" Isane asked nervously. His sudden arrival, combined with the simultaneous disappearance of both Unohana-taichō and Nobu, was deeply unsettling.
If something important had come up, surely Taichō would've informed me first…
What exactly is happening?
"Sasakibe-fukutaichō?"
Taking a deep breath, Sasakibe tried to reassure her, "It should be nothing serious. Try your best to locate the two of them. If you find anything, notify me immediately with Bakudō messaging."
Without waiting for a reply, he vanished in an instant using shunpo.
Even after Sasakibe left, the worry on Isane's face didn't ease.
She recalled Nobu's earlier words to her.
Could it be…Taichō and Nobu really…
...
First Division Headquarters, Head-Captain's Office.
"They've disappeared?!" Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni stood abruptly, visible fury boiling across his face.
"What happened? Didn't you say you were watching them?" he demanded sharply.
"They must've used some special method to evade Onmitsukidō surveillance," Sasakibe replied gravely, head lowered. "Their reiatsu signatures are still detectable at their offices, but the two themselves have vanished."
"Find them immediately!" Yamamoto commanded.
"I've already informed the Twelfth Division. Unohana-taichō has a Spiritual Limiter Seal; we should quickly pinpoint her location."
Yamamoto stared straight at him. "If they devised a method to evade Onmitsukidō, do you think they wouldn't anticipate the Twelfth Division's tracking as well?"
Sasakibe looked startled. "That shouldn't be possible—unless Unohana-taichō is no longer in Soul Society..."
The Spiritual Limiter Seal was imprinted on every captain and fukutaichō in the Gotei 13, primarily to suppress reiatsu upon entry to the Living World to prevent harm to ordinary humans. Its secondary function was location tracking, allowing Seireitei to monitor their movements at any time.
However, it wasn't difficult to remove; the bearer could erase it voluntarily if they wished.
Realizing the implication, Sasakibe immediately said, "I'll dispatch more personnel right away and seal off the Four Great Gates."
After quickly issuing these orders, a Hell Butterfly soon arrived, landing softly on his fingertips.
It was a report from the Twelfth Division: no trace of Unohana Retsu could be found, as if she'd vanished completely.
"The Four Great Gates have seen no Shinigami movements recently. Unohana-taichō and Tachikawa should still be within Seireitei. If they fight, the reiatsu surge will surely alert us," Sasakibe reported urgently. "Should we inform the other divisions to assist in the search?"
Yamamoto frowned deeply. "Not yet. Don't make a scene."
If they mobilized all divisions now, rumors would surely spread. For now, Unohana and Tachikawa were only temporarily missing.
"Dispatch only the Punishment Force. Also, instruct Kurotsuchi Mayuri to continuously monitor Unohana's Spiritual Limiter Seal. Notify me immediately if it reappears."
"Understood."
...
The secret space beneath Sōkyoku Hill.
The moment Unohana Retsu arrived, she sensed the uniqueness of the area. It was clearly an artificial pocket dimension created by a Kidō barrier, similar in concept to the training spaces used by Shin'ō Academy students practicing in the Living World.
Here, spiritual pressure was isolated from the outside world, preventing detection from Seireitei.
However, if reiatsu became too intense and exceeded the limits of the Kidō barrier, people outside would still notice.
"To think there was such a place hidden within Seireitei," Unohana murmured slowly.
"Here, you can wield your sword without restraint, can't you, Taichō?" Nobu said quietly from behind her.
Unohana approached the edge of the deep pit and leaped gracefully down.
The pit was vast—so large that its boundaries weren't immediately visible. Because it was a spatial replication, the actual physical area wasn't nearly as expansive.
She glanced around briefly. The ground was slightly uneven, but that was irrelevant. As far as she could see, there were no obstacles at all.
To her, this place was a perfect battlefield.
Unohana slowly advanced, one hand unconsciously gripping the hilt of her Zanpakutō.
After walking several dozen meters, she halted suddenly and turned her head, facing Nobu. Her lips, devoid of lipstick, were already stained crimson, bloodied earlier than her sword.
"Without restraint…do you even have that right?"
Her pure-white captain's haori fluttered gently despite the still air. Threads of white lightning crackled quietly along its seams. Her normally gentle, compassionate face lowered slightly, black eyes radiating an unsettling, eerie light.
Nobu broke into a grin, then gently leaped down, landing opposite her, left hand resting casually on his waist, upon his asauchi.
"Will you use that asauchi?" Unohana stared at the plain blade at his waist. "At this point, there's no need to keep hiding, is there?"
She knew very well that the blade wasn't Nobu's true Zanpakutō. Naturally, she hoped he'd reveal all his strength now.
But Nobu calmly drew out the sword from his waist. "To me, it makes no difference what sword I use."
Unohana's aura grew colder yet again.
She suddenly realized Nobu was even more arrogant and unruly than she'd imagined. How many times had he already said something to provoke her today?
"You'd probably be more charming if you didn't speak so arrogantly."
Shing—
Unohana slowly drew her Zanpakutō from its sheath, holding it horizontally before her. It was the first time Nobu had ever seen her draw her blade.
Minazuki.
A sword capable of healing others. Unohana had always worn it as if it were just a decorative item.
Nobu's expression remained composed. A shimmering barrier of reishi expanded outward from his body, covering a wide area within the pit. It was meant to prevent their reiatsu from surpassing the spatial limits once the fight began.
Unohana naturally sensed the reiatsu fluctuations, but said nothing.
Seeing Nobu standing with sword in hand, her thoughts drifted momentarily to the first time she'd heard his name, the first time she'd ever laid eyes upon him.
Now, she only hoped that this long-desired battle wouldn't disappoint her.
"Come."