Chapter 43: Unohana: I See Through It All

The events that took place during this field training in the World of the Living spread rapidly across the entire Shinigami Academy by the following day.

Compared to the unprecedented appearance of a Menos Grande during a simulated combat exercise, the fact that Student Council President Tachibana Shin had slain the Menos with a single sword stroke was far more astonishing, becoming the talk of the academy.

Shin skipped classes today just as he usually did, remaining alone in the student council office where his daily routine remained entirely undisturbed.

In the morning, Minamida Hidezawa dropped by to see him, expressing lingering fear over the ordeal Shin had faced the previous night, alongside deep amazement that Shin had actually managed to defeat a Gillian.

"Shin, perhaps you are right not to attend classes. As an instructor, there is truly nothing left I can teach you."

Shin responded earnestly, "Instructor Minamida, you have already taught me a great deal. I could not have achieved what I have today without your guidance."

Hearing this, Minamida Hidezawa laughed heartily. "Shin, you are the most brilliant student I have ever had. Your future in the Gotei 13 will be boundless, and when that day comes, I, as your teacher, will share in that glory!"

After the midday meal, Hinamori Momo and Kira Izuru arrived accompanied by Abarai Renji, stating that they had come to formally thank Shin for saving them the night before.

The attitudes of Kira and Renji had visibly grown much more respectful; they hardly even dared to raise their heads and meet Shin's gaze directly.

Hinamori poured forth a torrent of praise, mentioning how she had been paralyzed with fear by the spiritual pressure of that Menos Grande the previous night, whereas the President had managed to dispatch it with a single blow. She even asked whether Shin might be willing to offer her some pointers on swordsmanship during his spare time.

At her final words, the eyes of Abarai Renji and Kira Izuru instantly lit up with fervent hope.

Had it been Hinamori alone, Shin would naturally have been more than willing, as it would easily help cultivate a favorable impression.

However, with Kira and Renji added to the mix, his usual schedule for cultivation and rest would inevitably be squeezed.

Considering, however, that these two would likewise achieve extraordinary things in the future, Shin pondered for a moment and replied, "We'll see. If I have the time, perhaps."

Hinamori was overjoyed. "Then it's a promise, President!"

Shin replied flatly, "I said, *if* I have time."

Hinamori giggled. "I'm sure you'll find the time."

By the afternoon classes, only Shin remained in the office, at which point none other than Shiba Kaien appeared.

*Word travels fast...*

Shin thought to himself as he caught sight of Shiba Kaien.

"To what do I owe the honor, Vice-Captain Shiba?"

Upon entering, Shiba Kaien first cast a scrutinizing, thorough glance around Shin from left to right, as if seeing him for the very first time, and clicked his tongue in wonder. "This is truly incredible. Do you know that matters concerning you from last night have already spread throughout the Thirteenth Division?"

Shin chuckled dryly. "Are the members of the Thirteenth Division really that idle? It was merely slaying a single Menos Grande; is there truly any need for gossip?"

Shiba Kaien gently shook his head. "For an ungraduated student of the Shinigami Academy to slay a Menos Grande is naturally a feat worth discussing. Besides, the events of last night were far too bizarre..."

Shin's expression shifted slightly. "What do you mean?"

Shiba Kaien paused briefly in thought. "Every single member of the kidō barrier squad who assisted you last night was murdered."

Shin could not help but twitch the corner of his eye. "Who did it?"

"According to the investigation, it is believed to have been a member of the Twelfth Division."

"The Twelfth Division?"

Shin felt a flicker of surprise. He had known that Aizen would undoubtedly fabricate a plausible surface narrative to cover up the incident, but he had not expected them to pin it on the Twelfth Division.

The Twelfth Division, which oversaw the Department of Research and Development, was currently commanded by Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri, who also served as the Director of the Research and Development Institute.

Shiba Kaien continued, "That operative grew resentful of the Twelfth Division captain's methods of treating subordinates, harbored a grudge, committed an act of treason against the Soul Society, and defected last night."

Shin: "..."

After a brief silence, Shin suddenly found himself unable to hold back a chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

Shiba Kaien fixed his gaze on Shin and abruptly asked, "I actually watched the recording of your battle last night. That single strike you used to slay the Hollow—was that the ability of your Zanpakutō?"

Shin tilted his head. "That strike... was merely spiritual pressure manifesting as a blade."

Shiba Kaien looked skeptical. "Really?"

In response, Shin picked up a pen from his desk, twirled it between his fingers, and then slashed it fiercely through the air before him.

*Swish!*

The semicircle traced by the tip of the pen actually generated a visible, crescent-shaped blade of spiritual pressure!

Shiba Kaien hurriedly sidestepped to evade it, watching the slash streak past his flank.

When he turned his head back to look at Shin, his eyes were filled with profound astonishment.

The recording had failed to capture the true depth of it, but experiencing it firsthand on a visceral level made him instinctively feel a trace of danger!

*This brat...*

Shiba Kaien's gaze flickered uncertainly. To be honest, he had never witnessed such pure swordsmanship before.

Although sword combat was a mandatory course for all Shinigami, few dared to claim true mastery of swordsmanship. To a Shinigami, before the release of their Zanpakutō, a blade was merely a medium to channel their own speed and strength.

Yet the sword in Shin's hands was entirely different. He seemed genuinely proficient in the art of the blade, capable of executing that exquisite yet unpretentious strike in the heat of combat.

"Do you believe me now?" Shin asked with a mild smile.

Shiba Kaien looked at Shin and slowly said, "I now believe that with your talent, your future achievements will certainly not stop at the Fourth Division."

"Vice-Captain Shiba, aren't you afraid Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division will hear you say that?"

Shiba Kaien burst into laughter. "Our captain is not so petty. Besides, if Captain Unohana were to discover your true talent for swordsmanship, she certainly wouldn't force you to remain in the Fourth Division forever."

"Personally, I think there is nothing wrong with the Fourth Division."

Shiba Kaien merely replied, "You'll understand once you graduate and enter the Fourth Division."

***

Fourth Division Barracks.

Kotetsu Isane was sitting alongside Unohana Retsu, reviewing a recorded visual scroll. This recording had been retrieved by Kotetsu Isane from the Twelfth Division, and its contents covered the entire sequence of the Shinigami Academy students' field training from the previous night.

When the screen finally displayed the moment Shin cleaved the Menos Grande in half with a single slash, Kotetsu Isane glanced furtively toward her captain.

"Isane."

"Yes!"

"Rewind it a bit." Unohana Retsu's voice was soft and calm, her gaze fixed intently upon the screen.

Kotetsu Isane hastily stood up to operate the device. Knowing what her captain wished to see, she dragged the timeline back to a point just before Shin's battle with the Hollow.

Having watched the sequence of Shin slaying the Menos once more, Kotetsu Isane could not help but remark, "Captain, Shin-kun's strength is truly beyond all expectations!"

"Ah... indeed."

Unohana Retsu's voice was so calm that no inflection could be discerned within it. Feeling a twinge of puzzlement, Kotetsu Isane then heard her captain ask, "Isane, did you notice anything?"

Isane was startled by the question; she was unsure which aspect the captain was referring to.

The most noteworthy part of the entire recording was undoubtedly those brief moments of combat between Shin and the Hollow.

Pondering the question earnestly, a thought suddenly struck her: "Captain, could it be that the strike Shin-kun used to slay the Menos was the power of his Zanpakutō?"

"No."

Unohana Retsu refuted the notion, her beautiful eyes growing dark and profound.

"However, many people will likely make the same assumption as you did. But that was merely pure swordsmanship."

Kotetsu Isane suddenly heard her captain emit a warm, soft chuckle, followed by words spoken almost to herself.

"Fortunately, I was able to see it..."