Sunshine, gardens, fragrance, and the First Kenpachi, Unohana Retsu.
When Naraku Sora finished his Captain Proficiency Test, dragging the half-dead Kensei Muguruma and accompanied by Fong Shaolin—the little sidekick Yoruichi had foisted upon him—to the Squad 4 barracks...
...this was the scene that greeted him.
After tossing Kensei Muguruma into the intensive care unit, Naraku was promptly dragged away by Unohana Retsu.
Looking at the gentle woman and the zanpakutō in her hand, Naraku Sora's body trembled. His hands and feet felt cold, and tears nearly welled in his eyes.
'What is wrong with this world?'
'Just how well must we jailers behave before you people are satisfied?'
'Bullying a poor, weak man with "severe injuries"... do you really have no conscience at all?'
'We agreed before coming here that this would just be an escort. Why are we fighting again?'
'The Tsunayashiro clan is finally gone. We finally have a rare vacation. Shouldn't we be relaxing and unwinding first?'
When Naraku Sora showed Unohana Retsu the injuries he had sustained from Kensei Muguruma, attempting to elicit a shred of pity...
...all he received in return was a disdainful snort.
"From a healer's perspective, those would have healed themselves if we had waited any longer."
Seeing that he couldn't fool her, Naraku Sora pulled a long face and beckoned to the wide-eyed, innocent-looking Fong Shaolin.
"Shaolin... I heard from Yoruichi that you'll be attempting to inherit the name 'Soifon' soon."
"Since we're here, I'll give you a lesson. How much you learn depends on your own talent."
"Watch closely. Pay attention."
Naraku Sora remembered that Yoruichi had been struggling with the Maggot's Nest and wanted him to help teach Hakuda at Squad 2.
As it turned out, before he could even start, the Maggot's Nest had already been dismantled.
The girl pursed her lips, a flash of determination crossing her face as she nodded vigorously.
Initially, her impression of Naraku Sora had been terrible.
In her first assessment, this guy was just some wild man who had stolen Lady Yoruichi's attention.
Afterward, under Yoruichi's orders, Fong Shaolin was forced to carry out missions alongside him.
However, everything they experienced within the Yokota estate had caused her perception of Naraku Sora to undergo a subtle shift.
When she saw the creature known as Lumina Griffith appear, Fong Shaolin had already prepared herself to die in the line of duty.
Though she regretted that she would never see Lady Yoruichi again, as a member of the Onmitsukidō, this was her duty.
Then.
Hope for survival returned.
Before her disbelieving eyes, a relatively slender figure had suddenly exploded with power, forcibly crushing that Adjuchas and bringing her back...
...hope for life once more.
Though she was loath to admit it, the fact that he had saved her life was undeniable.
Because of that event, Fong Shaolin felt a strange, inexplicable emotion whenever she faced Naraku Sora.
And during the recent Captain Proficiency Test, the young girl was shocked to find that Naraku Sora seemed to have become even stronger than he was at the Yokota estate.
It was simply ridiculous.
She felt as though she could only look up at his silhouette in the same way she looked up to Lady Yoruichi.
Fortunately, this guy didn't seem like others who changed their attitude toward those around them because of a gap in power.
He was still as 'disagreeable' as ever.
Fong Shaolin followed Naraku Sora into a brand-new dojo.
The floor and walls were covered in dense Kidō formations. A faint shimmer radiated from them, making the entire hall look transparent and bright.
Fong Shaolin stood obediently at the edge, her eyes fixed on the two figures in the center of the dojo.
The moment the sound of a blade being drawn rang out, the snow-white figure suddenly moved.
Unohana Retsu tapped her toes lightly, gliding across the floor as her fluttering robes fanned out. At the moment of impact, sparks flew from the clashing steel.
Naraku Sora focused all his attention, drawing his blade to meet her strike. As his arms extended, a heavy force erupted from within.
Feeling the power transmitted through the blade, a hint of undisguised joy flashed deep in Unohana Retsu's eyes.
From her initial interest in a promising talent to seeing the sapling grow strong, she had watched his talent manifest through repeated achievements in Zanjutsu.
Later, he had even pioneered a new chapter by merging Zanjutsu with Kidō.
Although the learning requirements were extremely harsh, it had undoubtedly injected fresh life into the millennium-old art of the sword.
In Naraku Sora, Unohana Retsu saw infinite possibilities for the future.
Watching the vigorous figure before her, Unohana Retsu's mouth curled. Her pale, slender hand gripped her curved zanpakutō tightly as her gentle voice rang out amidst the clashing metal,
sounding between the strikes:
"You have indeed improved since last time."
"But compared to this basic exchange of strikes, I am more interested in the technique you used during the captain's exam."
As if realizing she might be the cause, a bone-chilling killing intent abruptly sprouted within her gentle, uplifted smile.
The temperature in the dojo plummeted.
Standing at the edge of the hall, Fong Shaolin was shocked, hardly able to believe her eyes.
As a member of the Onmitsukidō, which had a high casualty rate, she dealt with Squad 4 no less than she did with Squad 11.
However, why did Captain Unohana—usually as gentle as water, speaking with a soft voice that felt like a spring breeze—suddenly become so terrifying?!
An overwhelming sea of blood seemed to crash down, and an icy, bone-piercing chill spread. Endless killing intent seeped through her pores and into her body, reaching the depths of her organs.
It was hair-raising!
The girl instinctively hugged her arms, her thin back pressed against the wall. She watched tensely as the two figures collided and separated repeatedly.
Hearing Unohana Retsu's words, a look of realization appeared on Naraku Sora's face.
'No wonder she was so impatient. She's after that Secret Sword.'
The First Secret Sword: Rhino Strike. It was a technique from a certain student in a neighboring academy. Through perfect physical control, all vectors of force are concentrated into a single point, resulting in a stunningly powerful strike.
As the First Kenpachi, who claimed to have mastered every style under heaven, Unohana Retsu had once taken the name Yachiru—Eight Thousand Styles.
This showed her profound love for the art of the sword.
Now that she had seen a technique she had never heard of before, she naturally couldn't restrain her inner joy.
Her urgency was finally understandable.
A high-pitched whistle of clashing air suddenly erupted.
There was no explosion of sword pressure, no enhancement from spiritual pressure.
There was only physical control pushed to its absolute limit, the shifting of muscles and bones producing a heavy sound like steel grinding against steel.
Naraku Sora stepped forward on the sturdy floor. His zanpakutō rose slightly, the tip pointing straight ahead in what looked like a perfectly ordinary offensive stance.
...storm.
Yet a deafening roar followed his movements, erupting in all directions. Invisible waves surged, twisting the surrounding atmosphere and finally transforming into a piercing
storm.
As the storm slowly contracted, it wrapped directly around the silver-white blade.
The galloping gale shimmered with a faint light.
He stepped forward with Flash Step.
First Secret Sword—Rhino Strike!
Watching the blade light approach in an instant, a delight she couldn't hide flashed in Unohana Retsu's eyes. A brilliant glow erupted from the blade in her hand.
Yes, this was it! This was exactly what she wanted to see!
Similarly, she used no spiritual pressure. A single strike, forged from countless years of Zanjutsu experience, lit up magnificently on Unohana Retsu's blade.
Blades crossed, and a thunderous roar echoed.
Naked killing intent vented wildly. Blade light spilled everywhere, and a brilliant radiance erupted from within.
Snap—
The sound of something breaking came from her slender wrist. The force of consecutive explosions concentrated on a single point crushed Unohana Retsu's defense.
Blood splattered, blooming on her captain's haori like spots of crimson on snow.
At the same time, the sharp blade followed the opening created by Rhino Strike, slicing into her chest. It tore through flesh and blood, instantly opening a hideous wound as blood gushed out like a fountain.
In an instant, both sides were wounded.
In the distance, Fong Shaolin was completely dazed.
In her understanding, Onmitsukidō training was already cruel enough.
Every year had fixed casualty quotas. Her former training partners would often drop out due to severe injuries or even find themselves unable to continue as Soul Reapers.
But she suddenly realized that compared to the suffocating fight between Naraku Sora and Unohana Retsu, the intensity of her special training was no different from a post-meal stroll.
Every move and every strike aimed for a vital spot. How was this a spar? It looked exactly like a life-and-death struggle between mortal enemies!
She didn't understand.
This was just a match. Why go to such lengths?!
And why did the gentle Captain Unohana turn into... that?!
While her mind was racing, Naraku Sora had already made his way to Fong Shaolin's side, grinning.
"Shaolin, did you learn anything?"
The girl's face was pale, her lips devoid of color. Her fingers trembled as she reached toward Naraku's chest, which was almost completely split open. Her voice shook.
"Lord Naraku, you... you should get treated first."
Saying this, she turned toward the nearby Unohana Retsu. Forcing the fear deep into her heart, she suddenly bowed low, exposing the vulnerable back of her neck.
"C-Captain Unohana, please save Lord Naraku! He... he's not going to make it!"
The sincerity in her tone was unprecedented.
Naraku Sora scratched his head and looked at the wound on his chest, which was deep enough to see bone.
Though it looked bad, it wasn't actually that serious.
With his healing speed, he didn't even need something like Kaidō.
Hearing this, Unohana Retsu walked over with slightly flushed cheeks. After a brief check of Naraku's injuries and confirming there was no major issue, she spoke softly.
"Member Fong, there is no need to worry. Sora's physical constitution is actually very strong."
Fong Shaolin looked up in a daze. When she looked at Naraku Sora again, that terrifying gash had already mostly healed.
Seeing this, she breathed a sigh of relief, her tensed nerves finally relaxing.
As long as he was okay.
Naraku Sora reached out and patted the girl's head to comfort her, then began to break down some of the details from the fight.
Though his explanations were rough, compared to the 'human-like language' he used when teaching Aizen, he had made great progress.
Looking at that tall, straight figure, the corners of Unohana Retsu's mouth curled up on her slightly flushed face. A hint of satisfaction flickered in her eyes.
She was truly looking forward to the future...