The atmosphere inside the room instantly became much heavier.
Captain Unohana still wore her usual gentle smile.
However, Captain-Commander Yamamoto’s expression gradually became solemn.
Originally, the matter should have been very simple.
For someone possessing such an unusual ability, there were only two conventional solutions.
Either permanently seal away his Zanpakutō…
Or eliminate the individual altogether.
For the Gotei Thirteen, an organization originally founded upon countless battles and bloodshed, neither choice would have been particularly difficult.
The problem was…
On the opposite side of the scales stood Chigusa Rin’s extraordinary value.
That alone made the decision far more difficult.
Should he be allowed to continue growing and contribute his abilities to Soul Society…
Or should he quietly become another forgotten name buried by history?
Even for an old man who had lived for over a thousand years…
Such a choice was not an easy one.
“If only he already possessed Captain-class strength…”
“Then this matter wouldn’t be nearly so troublesome.”
“Making concessions for the truly powerful has never been difficult…”
The thought quietly passed through Yamamoto’s mind.
In the end…
He never spoke it aloud.
Instead, he slowly looked toward Unohana.
“Retsu.”
“What is your opinion?”
He genuinely wished to hear her thoughts.
Captain Unohana merely smiled faintly.
“I have no opinion.”
“This is your responsibility as Captain-Commander.”
“When you first gathered us together and founded the Gotei Thirteen…”
“Weren’t you someone far more tolerant than you are now?”
“For the sake of your ideals…”
“Where has that magnanimity disappeared to?”
Although she never answered his question directly…
The meaning hidden beneath her words was more than obvious.
Yamamoto slightly raised an eyebrow.
“You think that highly of him?”
Captain Unohana slowly stood.
She clearly had no intention of continuing the discussion.
The moment Yamamoto asked that question…
She already knew Rin’s life was no longer truly in danger.
Just as she reached the sliding door…
Yamamoto’s voice sounded once more from behind her.
“When that young man is ready…”
“Bring him here.”
“I want to personally determine whether he is truly worth the risk I would be taking.”
Captain Unohana never paused.
She simply continued walking forward.
However…
The faint smile curling at the corners of her lips made her excellent mood impossible to conceal.
Truthfully…
This also resolved one of her own long-standing concerns.
Although her Kaidō stood among the greatest within Soul Society…
She understood better than anyone…
Her true talent had never lain in Kaidō.
Compared to swordsmanship…
Her aptitude for healing had always been lacking.
She had long since grown weary of constantly pursuing Kaidō.
Or perhaps…
She had simply become tired of it.
For her…
Kaidō had always been nothing more than a refuge.
A peaceful sanctuary where she could suppress the bloodthirst that still lingered within her.
At the same time…
It had become an abyss representing one of her greatest failures.
Back then…
Kirinji Tenjirō had already seen through her completely.
Perhaps out of mischief…
Or perhaps for another reason…
When he taught her Kaidō…
He had imposed only one condition.
She had to pass Kaidō down.
One day…
She had to cultivate someone capable of inheriting everything she knew.
That single requirement had bound her for over a thousand years.
Because of it…
Her bloodthirst gradually became hidden beneath the gentle brilliance of Kaidō.
As time passed…
The First Kenpachi.
Yet…
The reason she believed she lacked talent in Kaidō was merely her own assessment.
With a mastery that had already reached such heights…
Thousands of years had passed.
Still…
She had never found anyone capable of inheriting her techniques.
Now…
The appearance of Chigusa Rin finally allowed her to glimpse the possibility of fulfilling the promise she had carried for over a millennium.
While joy quietly filled her heart…
Another figure unexpectedly surfaced in her memories.
A child.
A child who had once managed to wound her.
If…
That child could also return someday…
If they could once again engage in a battle where both staked their very lives…
Then perhaps…
Her own life would finally become complete.
The instant that thought appeared…
The bloodlust she had suppressed for centuries erupted uncontrollably.
Fortunately…
She was still inside the First Division headquarters.
Standing outside the room…
Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe immediately sensed that terrifying killing intent.
Without the slightest hesitation…
He instantly released his Zanpakutō.
“Pierce him…”
“Gonryōmaru!”
Accompanied by the sound of rolling thunder…
His Shikai and several layers of Kidō immediately sealed the escaping aura.
Only then did Captain Unohana regain her composure.
The violent edge surrounding her quietly disappeared.
She nodded apologetically toward Sasakibe before calmly leaving.
Only after watching her depart did Chōjirō slowly return Gonryōmaru to its sealed state.
His back had already become soaked with cold sweat.
Merely a tiny leak of Captain Unohana’s aura…
Had forced him into an emergency response.
Someone like her…
Turning toward the room, he hesitated before asking,
“Captain-Commander…”
“Captain Unohana…”
Yamamoto merely shook his head.
Not only did he not seem bothered…
He actually appeared to be in an unusually good mood.
“She was simply too happy.”
“I never expected…”
Halfway through speaking…
He suddenly remembered something.
“Chōjirō.”
“Go to the Second Division.”
“Retrieve every piece of information concerning Chigusa Rin, who has recently joined the Fourth Division.”
“Other than Shihōin Yoruichi…”
“Do not mention this matter to anyone else.”
“Yes!”
Sasakibe accepted the order immediately.
As the Captain-Commander’s most loyal subordinate…
He never questioned such instructions.
His duty was simply to carry them out perfectly.
Even so…
The name Chigusa Rin quietly remained in his memory.
Meanwhile…
Within the Fourth Division…
Rin had absolutely no idea that his own captain had already informed the Captain-Commander about the greatest secret hidden within his Zanpakutō.
Nor did he know…
That he had unknowingly stood at the edge of death.
Fortunately…
Everything had ultimately developed in a favorable direction.
At this moment…
Lieutenant Seinosuke was personally treating him.
Strictly speaking…
Such treatment was hardly necessary.
The backlash he had suffered merely caused disorder within his Reiatsu.
Given enough time…
He could have calmly stabilized everything himself.
Unfortunately…
Lieutenant Seinosuke rarely accepted such reasoning.
“You drank the medicine.”
Neither praise nor criticism could be heard within it.
Rin nodded honestly.
“Yes.”
“Because of Captain Unohana’s arrangements…”
“I had no choice.”
“Oh.”
“Then go to my office later and take another bottle.”
“There are still plenty inside.”
Rin blinked.
“You…
aren’t blaming me for wasting one?”
“Wasting?”
Seinosuke looked genuinely confused.
“Medicine exists to be used.”
“Would you only take it when your life was hanging by a thread?”
“That way of thinking is far too narrow.”
“I study pharmacology precisely because treatment should never rely entirely upon Kaidō.”
“Kaidō is certainly excellent.”
“But there are many situations where medicine is far more convenient.”
“The reason I restrict this medicine is simply because I don’t want people becoming dependent upon it.”
“If it is used properly…”
“Then there is absolutely no problem.”
Listening to his explanation…
Rin once again discovered another side of Lieutenant Seinosuke.
Many members of the Fourth Division often described the Lieutenant as cold…
Strict…
And lacking the gentle kindness possessed by Captain Unohana.
Now…
Rin understood that beneath that stern exterior…
Seinosuke was actually an exceptionally warm-hearted person.
Organizing the chaotic Reiatsu inside his body was not particularly difficult.
Only…
It consumed a great deal of time.
By the time everything had finally settled…
Night had already fallen.
The following day would be the official enlistment ceremony.
Returning to Shin’ō Academy at this hour was clearly unnecessary.
So…
Rin simply found an empty ward inside the Fourth Division and rested there for the night.
Moonlight quietly streamed through the window.
The pale silver glow filled the room with a faint chill.
For quite some time…
Rin found himself unable to fall asleep.
His mind repeatedly replayed today’s two battles.
His duel with Nanao…
Had unfolded almost exactly as he had predicted.
After all…
The two had sparred privately many times before.
Nothing about that battle had truly surprised him.
The fight against Kaien, however…
Had exposed his greatest weakness.
If he continued relying solely upon Kidō…
Then the moment his Hohō failed to create sufficient distance…
He would immediately be forced into close combat.
Once that happened…
Everything would rapidly fall apart.
Kaien wasn’t even someone who specialized in close-quarters combat.
If today’s opponent had instead been one of the battle maniacs from the Eleventh Division…
He likely would have died long ago.
Unfortunately…
His talent for Hakuda and Zanjutsu truly left much to be desired.
That meant…
His future path contained only two realistic choices.
Either develop entirely new Kidō capable of instantly widening the distance…
Or greatly improve his Hohō.
A single name quietly surfaced in his mind.
Shihōin Yoruichi.
At first glance…
Those appeared to be two separate paths.
Yet in reality…
Only one road seemed to exist before him.
The problem was…
He had absolutely no connection with the head of the Shihōin Clan.
So…
How could he ever receive her guidance?
After thinking for a long while…
He could only quietly abandon the idea.
Carrying that lingering regret…
Rin slowly drifted into sleep.