"Is what you say... really true?"
Seeing the look of disbelief in Unohana's eyes, Hasumi Ren felt slightly helpless.
"Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you, Captain?"
"Then that's truly..."
Before Unohana could finish, there was a knock at the door.
"Captain."
It was Yamada Seinosuke's voice.
"An emergency request for aid has come from the Fifth Division. A heavily injured seated officer has been sent over."
Unohana nodded slightly and stood up, heading toward the door.
Hasumi Ren also stood up and looked toward the entrance.
Yamada Seinosuke stood outside with a solemn expression.
He noticed Hasumi Ren in the room, his eyes flickering slightly, but he said nothing and handed the documents to Unohana.
"The Fifth Division's Fourth Seat was severely wounded by a Hollow during a support mission. He has multiple compound injuries and internal organ damage. He has been rushed to our division."
Unohana took the documents and scanned them quickly.
"Where is he?"
"The emergency room. Basic treatment has been administered, but..."
"Let's go."
Unohana strode outside.
Yamada Seinosuke followed closely behind.
Hasumi Ren stood by the tea table, watching their hurried departure and thinking about their conversation.
'The Fifth Division?'
Just then, Unohana's voice drifted in from outside.
"Ren, keep up."
The voice was as calm as ever, but it caught Hasumi Ren off guard.
Snapping back to his senses, he hurried forward to follow the two.
Yamada Seinosuke looked back, his gaze shifting from Unohana's back to Hasumi Ren, then back to Unohana.
The Vice-Captain seemed to want to say something.
But in the end, he remained silent.
"Seinosuke, how was the patient injured?"
"He encountered an Adjuchas-class Hollow. His abdomen was pierced, with severe damage to the liver and left kidney. His spiritual pressure is currently dissipating at an extremely rapid rate..."
Their voices were gradually drowned out by the sound of hurried footsteps.
At the end of the corridor, the lights of the emergency room flickered on.
Hasumi Ren followed Unohana into the white light.
The doors to the emergency room slid open to both sides.
The turbulent fluctuations of spiritual pressure hit them like a tide.
Hasumi Ren stepped into the room behind Unohana Retsu, his gaze quickly scanning the space.
An older Soul Reaper lay on the central operating table, his Shihakusho soaked in blood.
A gruesome wound had been torn into his abdomen, with irregular, jagged edges caused by a Hollow's claws.
Even more problematic was the abnormal dissipation of spirit particles visible deep within the wound.
Unohana Retsu took only a single glance before making her judgment.
"Liver perforated, partial destruction of the left kidney, and multiple ruptures in the spiritual circulatory system."
Her voice was calm, but her hands moved with incredible speed.
"Seinosuke, prepare a spiritual pressure stabilization kido field."
Yamada Seinosuke acted immediately, pressing his hands together. Pale gold spiritual pressure spread from his palms, constructing a stable barrier around the operating table.
"Ren."
Unohana didn't look back.
"You assist Seinosuke in treating the external wounds."
Hasumi Ren froze for half a beat.
But he didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
He stepped forward quickly and took his position on the other side of the operating table.
Unohana had already begun the preliminary treatment.
Hasumi Ren's pupils contracted slightly.
In his vision, Unohana Retsu's spiritual pressure was like fine threads, precisely probing into the patient's body.
Every thread was handling a different injury.
It was too fast, too exquisite.
[SYSTEM: ACQUIRED ADVANCED KIDŌ—KAIDŌ INSIGHTS 3, KIDŌ EXPERIENCE +300]
As fragments continuously drifted down, Hasumi Ren took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in his heart.
He lowered his eyes, focusing his attention on his task.
"Assist me with the hemostasis spell on the leg."
Seinosuke's voice came from the opposite side.
"There are three ruptures in the blood vessels of the thigh. Fix the one on the left first."
"Understood."
Hasumi Ren raised his hands, and spiritual pressure lit up from his palms.
This wasn't the first time he had dealt with damaged spirit-particle vessels.
But it was his first time participating in an emergency treatment of this caliber.
He wasn't nervous; his movements were even steadier than usual.
With the left vessel severed, the spiritual pressure threads in Hasumi Ren's hands reached in, precisely wrapping around the ends, aligning, and fusing them.
A moment later, he withdrew his hands and let out a soft breath.
Seinosuke, on the other side, was a step slower, finishing the treatment of two vessels.
He looked at the area Hasumi Ren had treated and gave a slight nod.
Subsequently, the two followed Unohana's instructions and participated in the corresponding auxiliary tasks.
Outside the treatment room, several figures arrived late—members of the Fifth Division who had just finished their follow-up mission.
The leader stood there with a solemn expression, his brow clouded with the perfect amount of concern.
It was the expression any Vice-Captain would show when faced with a severely injured subordinate.
A long time later, the door to the emergency room opened from the inside.
Yamada Seinosuke walked out.
His expression was more relaxed than when he had entered. Upon seeing the person outside, he gave a slight nod.
"Vice-Captain Aizen."
Aizen stepped forward to meet him.
"Vice-Captain Yamada, how is the Fourth Seat's condition?"
"He is currently out of danger. The liver has been repaired. While some damage to the kidney is irreversible, it won't affect his normal life."
Yamada Seinosuke's report was concise and professional.
"Captain Unohana is performing the final spiritual pressure stabilization. Afterward, he can be moved to a regular ward. Rest assured."
Hearing this, Aizen let out a soft breath, his expression relaxing.
"Thank you."
"It's my duty."
"May I go inside to visit?"
Yamada Seinosuke thought for a moment before stepping aside to clear the doorway.
"Only Vice-Captain Aizen may enter, but please do not disturb the treatment."
Aizen nodded, signaled for his team members to stay quiet, and stepped into the emergency room.
His gaze swept across the subordinate on the operating table and Unohana Retsu, who was finishing up.
Then, his eyes fell on the white-haired youth standing behind and to the side of Unohana.
The youth's uniform sleeves were stained with blood, but his expression was calm as he organized the used instruments.
Sensing the gaze, Hasumi Ren looked up and saw a flash of surprise in Aizen's eyes.
Aizen: "?"
Hasumi Ren: "???"
Hasumi Ren was stunned for a moment, then bowed slightly.
"Vice-Captain Aizen."
Aizen froze for half a beat.
"...Ren?"
His tone carried a hint of well-timed hesitation.
"Yes."
Aizen looked surprised.
"I heard before that you had gone to the Second Division. It's been a while. Why have you been transferred to the Fourth Division?"
"Uh... that's quite a long story. Currently, I'm just here for advanced training in Kaido. I haven't left the Second Division."
Hasumi Ren's tone was calm, neither overbearing nor servile.
"That is truly... impressive."
"You overpraise me, Vice-Captain Aizen."
Aizen nodded and said nothing more.
He turned to Unohana Retsu and asked a few questions regarding suggestions for the member's recuperation.
Unohana responded briefly, and Aizen thanked her repeatedly.
Throughout the process, Hasumi Ren stood quietly to the side.
He didn't initiate conversation, nor did he intentionally avoid him.
After checking on the Fourth Seat's condition, Aizen took his leave with peace of mind.
Before leaving, he looked back once.
Hasumi Ren was assisting Unohana Retsu in organizing the equipment. His profile was illuminated by the white light of the emergency room, his expression focused.
Aizen withdrew his gaze and walked away with a steady pace.
Behind him, the doors of the emergency room slowly slid shut.
After Aizen left, Hasumi Ren placed the last blood-stained instrument into the sterilization tray.
He lowered his eyelids, remembering that brief eye contact.
Aizen's eyes had been gentle and harmless, even carrying a hint of sincere admiration.
But deep within those eyes, something was slowly shifting.
Like an undercurrent beneath deep waters.
Hasumi Ren pushed the tray aside and looked up.
Unohana was washing her hands, the sound of water gurgling.
Her back was to Hasumi Ren, her voice emerging through the sound of the water.
"You're acquainted with Vice-Captain Aizen?"
"Yes," Hasumi Ren replied. "We've had some interactions."
"I see."
Unohana turned off the faucet and picked up a towel to dry her hands.
Then, she added a faint remark.
"Vice-Captain Aizen is a very gentle person. Not only is he well-loved within the Fifth Division, but he is also highly regarded outside of it."
"You should interact with him more."
Hasumi Ren's mouth twitched, and he nodded slightly.
"If you say so..."
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