When the final archive was filed back into its shelf, Isane Kotetsu let out a soft sigh of relief. She raised a hand to rub the back of her neck, which had grown stiff from hours of constant leaning.
The records room was silent, save for the thickening twilight seeping through the windows.
"Alright, we finally finished before the shift change."
"Tsukasa, thank you."
She turned toward Suō Tsukasa, a smile of accomplishment lightening her expression.
Tsukasa shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the now orderly archive room. "Don't mention it. I didn't really do much to help."
"That's not true at all. Since we're done, let me take you to the Captain. This way."
The two left the records room. Isane led him through the midsection of the barracks toward the independent courtyard where Retsu Unohana resided.
The moonlight wrapped around the courtyard like a gentle veil of gauze, and the wooden veranda felt cool to the touch. A figure sat quietly beneath the eaves.
As Tsukasa and Isane ascended the steps, the clear moonlight brought the figure into sharp focus.
Retsu Unohana's thick black hair was not woven into her signature chest-draped braid. Instead, it cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, tied only loosely and casually at the very ends. She wore a light-colored kimono adorned with pale red four-petaled flowers. The collar was neatly closed, revealing only a small, elegant portion of her porcelain neckline.
Holding a porcelain cup in her hands, she gazed out at the distant night. Her posture was as graceful as a poem, serene and temperate.
She heard the movement behind her but did not turn around immediately.
This was the first time Tsukasa had seen her in such a domestic, gentle state. The Unohana before him had shed the majesty and distance of a Captain; she looked more like a classical beauty enjoying a leisurely night in her own garden.
This near-perfect elegance and relaxation moved him, bringing a deeper realization to the forefront of his mind.
People are complex.
The Retsu Unohana who protected the Seireitei with exquisite medical skills and a gentle demeanor was her—and Yachiru Unohana, who had stood at the blood-soaked pinnacle of Soul Society's swordsmanship in the distant past, was also her. Both were true existences, existing side by side without contradiction.
At this moment, Tsukasa felt he truly knew the woman before him. In the past, because of his knowledge of the original story, he had always felt a sense of awe and wariness when facing her. That thought vanished entirely after tonight.
"Pardon the intrusion. Good evening, Captain Unohana."
Suppressing his wandering thoughts, he smiled and greeted her according to etiquette.
"Good evening."
Only then did Retsu Unohana slowly turn her head. Her gaze first landed on Isane with a knowing smile.
"Isane is here too. Is the archiving complete?"
"Yes, Captain. Thanks to Tsukasa's help, everything has been organized," Isane replied respectfully.
"You've both worked hard."
"Sit. Sit down and have a cup of tea to rest for a while."
Unohana nodded slightly, her gaze shifting to Tsukasa. Holding the teapot, she took out two clean white porcelain cups and poured freshly boiled tea with unhurried grace. The sound of flowing water was melodic, and the fragrance of the tea wafted out with the steam.
Tsukasa and Isane sat on either side of her and took their cups.
The courtyard was quiet, the moonlight was like water, and there was only the night wind and the company of others. Given the scenery, Tsukasa felt no urge to speak, as if he had come to the Fourth Division solely for the cup of tea in his hand.
After an unknown amount of time—perhaps only a brief moment, or perhaps long enough to finish half a cup of tea—Retsu Unohana gently set down her cup. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and her voice was soft, like the evening breeze.
"Tsukasa, you came all this way and patiently helped Isane handle the division's affairs."
"I assume it wasn't just to ask me for this cup of tea. Have you encountered some confusion?"
Her insight was as keen as ever, yet she skillfully left enough room to steer the topic toward a casual consultation.
"Yes, Captain Unohana. I indeed have some questions regarding my training methods that I would like to ask you."
Tsukasa shed the relaxation he had while admiring the scenery. He set his cup aside, sat up straight, and nodded with a sincere attitude. Although he didn't know why there were no monitoring devices around the Captain's quarters, since the time and place were right, he wouldn't obsess over it.
He explained in detail his current sensory deprivation training using Hikari, including the progress he had made and the bottlenecks he had encountered. He explained his idea: briefly depriving himself of a sense under harmless conditions to strengthen his spiritual awareness and processing of combat information, all to deal with more complex and bizarre situations.
Unohana listened quietly, her expression calm and focused. When Tsukasa finished, she pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
"I see. Focusing on tempering spiritual awareness to transcend the shackles of the five senses."
"A very insightful and courageous idea."
"The path you have chosen is not untrodden in the long history of the Soul Society."
She paused, briefly organizing her thoughts, and then spoke clearly.
"Closing your vision using the properties of your Zanpakuto is very safe. However, the roots of the other four senses are deeply embedded in the vital points of the soul's spiritual network. If you wish to achieve the degree of deprivation you seek, there are generally two paths to follow."
Unohana held up a finger, listing them.
"First, medicinal assistance. The archives of the Fourth Division contain many medicines that can weaken the input of specific senses for a short time. This is the safest method, but while the medicine is in effect, the flow of spiritual pressure will also be affected, appearing somewhat sluggish. It is suitable for static meditation, but not for the dynamic combat you mentioned."
"Second, acupuncture of the spiritual network. The soul has pressure points. By condensing high-density spiritual pressure into needles, one can affect the transmission of information for related senses. This requires extreme caution; it demands an incredibly precise understanding of the spiritual network's flow and superb control over spiritual pressure. Otherwise, even a slight mistake could lead to at best a blockage of the spiritual network, and at worst, fundamental damage that is difficult to recover from in a short time."
She finished speaking and looked at Tsukasa quietly, her tone gentle yet carrying a warning.
"No matter which path you choose, training cannot be rushed. Especially with the method of acupuncture; if you wish to learn and understand it, you must do so within the Fourth Division, under my guidance, before making any initial attempts. Do you understand?"
"I understand. I choose the second path."
"Tempering through dynamic combat is what I seek."
Tsukasa listened carefully to this detailed and professional explanation, his mind clear. Meeting her gaze, he made his choice firmly and without hesitation. In his past Hakuda training, he had done some research on acupoints, though he hadn't delved too deeply over the years. He knew that finding the right points could indeed affect the body. He also understood that the difficulty and risk of closing the five senses were not as low as one might imagine, so he wouldn't dare stick needles into himself blindly. Since medicine seemed impractical, the second path was the natural choice. Moreover, with Retsu Unohana personally guiding him, the safety of this path would be guaranteed.
Unohana smiled slightly, having expected him to choose this. She refilled his tea cup.
"Drink your tea. The path of cultivation is long; sometimes one needs to quietly savor the present."
She gently pushed the cup toward him with a slight smile.
"However, I won't be teaching you for free. Next month, many new recruits will be joining the division. Your Special Relief Class will need to help the division lead the newcomers to share some of the pressure."
"Yes, it would be my honor."
Tsukasa picked up the tea cup and nodded in agreement.
The tea break continued for a while longer before coming to an end about ten minutes later. Isane escorted him to the gate and gave a soft reminder.
"Tsukasa, since the Captain agreed to teach you, she will definitely do so seriously. You must never attempt the bloodletting or acupuncture privately."
"Don't worry, Sister Isane, I know."
"Do I look like someone who would act so recklessly?"
Tsukasa replied with a grin, speaking easily. He wasn't some fool who didn't know the depth of the waters; he would certainly only try when the time was right. It was merely a matter of time until things fell into place, and he could afford to wait.
"As long as you know. Then, be careful on your way back."
Seeing this, Isane couldn't help but smile back.
"Mm."
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