Medical Guard Team

As her thoughts turned, Unohana made her decision.

She looked up at Isane Kotetsu, who stood at her side. Her tone was calm but unquestionable. "Isane, later, check which members of the division have potential for combat or already have some combat training. Select them and form a Medical Guard Team, then begin systematic combat training."

"Yes, Captain," Isane Kotetsu replied. After a moment's thought, she asked, "Should we also recruit some students from Shin'ō Academy? We may have only a limited number of members with a talent for combat."

Unohana nodded slightly. "Yes. Contact the academy and recruit some interested students. I'll personally report this to the Captain-Commander as well."

"Understood. I'll get right on it." Isane Kotetsu bowed and hurried out of the Captain’s Office.

After Isane Kotetsu left, Unohana slowly rose. She walked to the window and looked past the Fourth Division Barracks toward the distant First Division. Sunlight streamed through the window frame onto her serene face. Deep in her ever-gentle eyes, a thoughtful light flickered.

A moment later, she turned and left the Captain’s Office, the hem of her haori tracing an elegant arc.

In the First Division Captain’s Office, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai sat upright in the seat of honor, his eyes half-closed like a sleeping lion. Even without deliberately releasing his Reiatsu, the authority he had accumulated over a thousand years filled the room.

When Unohana entered, Captain-Commander Yamamoto slowly opened his eyes. "Captain Unohana, what is it?"

Unohana bowed respectfully, then straightened. Her voice was even, her words clear and orderly. "Captain-Commander, Captain Aizen of the Fifth Division recently visited the Fourth Division. He proposed that our Fifth Seat, Liu Hao, transfer to the Fifth Division to form a special team capable of providing emergency treatment in battle."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto said nothing, waiting quietly for her to continue.

"After considering the matter from several angles," Unohana continued, "I believe a team with both medical and protective duties would be better established within the Fourth Division than under the Fifth."

She paused and looked the Captain-Commander calmly in the eye. "That way, the Medical Guard Team could be dispatched to the front lines during wartime to provide emergency treatment to members of the Gotei 13 while protecting medical personnel who lack the ability to defend themselves. In the future, whichever division needs medical support could have the Medical Guard Team accompany it directly, without having to make additional arrangements for the Fifth Division's participation."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto fell silent for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on his cane. At last, he nodded slowly. "You have considered this thoroughly. I approve."

"Thank you, Captain-Commander." Unohana bowed slightly, but did not immediately take her leave. "However, I would like to ask Captain Aizen to come here so the three of us can discuss the matter and formally settle the plan."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto glanced at her, a meaningful look flashing in his eyes. He turned to Chōjirō Sasakibe, who stood at his side. "Chōjirō, summon Captain Aizen."

"Yes, sir." Vice-Captain Sasakibe bowed, then left the Captain’s Office to arrange for a message to be sent.

Shortly afterward, Sōsuke Aizen appeared at the door to the First Division Captain’s Office. When he saw Unohana inside, just the right amount of surprise appeared on his face before his usual gentle smile returned. "Captain-Commander, Captain Unohana. What important matter did you summon me for?"

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto looked at Unohana. "You explain."

"Yes." Unohana turned to Aizen, her voice gentle but firm. "Captain Aizen, after careful thought, I believe your earlier proposal to form a special medical rescue team is indeed very valuable. However, I think it may be more suitable to establish such a team within the Fourth Division."

Meeting Aizen's gaze, she explained at an unhurried pace, "That way, whichever division needs medical support could have the Medical Guard Team accompany it directly. It could provide emergency treatment and protect the medical personnel, without additional arrangements for a rescue force to intervene. What do you think, Captain Aizen?"

Aizen still wore that impeccable smile. He considered for a moment, then nodded slowly. "You have certainly thought this through, Captain Unohana. Forming it within the Fourth Division would indeed improve the flexibility and efficiency of medical support."

Then he shifted tack. "However, I still hope to invite Fifth Seat Liu Hao to transfer to the Fifth Division. His talents in both medicine and combat are precisely the core qualities we need to form such a team."

Unohana's expression did not change. "I have already asked Fifth Seat Liu Hao what he wants. He said he wishes to remain in the Fourth Division. Of course, if you wish, Captain Aizen, we can go there together later, and you can speak with him personally."

Aizen smiled and nodded. "Then I'm sorry for the trouble, Captain Unohana."

After the three captains reached an agreement on forming the Medical Guard Team, Aizen left the First Division with Unohana and went to the Fourth Division Barracks.

The atmosphere in the Fourth Division captain's office was subtle.

Unohana signaled Isane Kotetsu to fetch Liu Hao, and then the two waited. Aizen stood by the window, his gaze seemingly wandering over the courtyard, while in fact he took in the entire layout of the Fourth Division Barracks.

Before long, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Liu Hao followed Isane Kotetsu into the Captain’s Office. When his gaze swept across the room and he saw Sōsuke Aizen, his pupils contracted for an almost imperceptible instant. But he quickly composed himself, his expression as calm as ever, and bowed to Unohana. "Captain, you wanted to see me."

Unohana nodded slightly and got straight to the point. "Fifth Seat Liu Hao, Captain Aizen has come to personally invite you to join the Fifth Division. I would like to hear your final decision."

Aizen turned around, his trademark gentle smile on his face, and looked at Liu Hao. "Fifth Seat Liu Hao, I very much hope you'll join the Fifth Division. With your strength, you must have reached vice-captain level already, haven't you?"

There was a probing note to his words, along with a faint, almost imperceptible pressure.

Liu Hao turned to Aizen and bowed solemnly. "I'm honored by your high regard, Captain Aizen. But when I first chose to become a Soul Reaper, it was to join the Fourth Division and devote myself to studying medical treatment and aid. That original intention has never changed, so I cannot accept your invitation. I hope you'll forgive me."

His voice was steady and firm, his gaze clear and open, with neither evasion nor fear.

The smile on Aizen's face faltered slightly, then returned to normal. He shook his head gently, his tone carrying just the right amount of regret. "I see. It seems I was presumptuous."

He turned to Unohana, his smile still gentle. "In that case, we'll leave it at that. Captain Unohana, I'll take my leave."

"Farewell, Captain Aizen." Unohana rose to see him out.

After Aizen left, the air in the Captain’s Office seemed to grow a little lighter. Unohana sat back down, her gaze settling thoughtfully on Liu Hao.

"Fifth Seat Liu Hao," she said slowly, "you don't seem... to like Captain Aizen very much?"

Liu Hao was silent for a moment before answering, "I wouldn't say I dislike him. It's just... his smile always seems a little too perfect. So perfect... it doesn't seem quite real."

His words were tactful, but they went straight to the heart of the matter.

A glimmer flashed in Unohana's eyes, and she nodded gently. "Is that so?"

She did not pursue the subject, turning instead to the matter at hand. "The division will soon formally establish the Medical Guard Team. We need to select members with a talent for combat and train them, then assign them to the various medical squads to protect the other members during missions."

She paused and looked Liu Hao straight in the eye. "I would like you to captain this Medical Guard Team and take charge of its training. Are you willing?"

Liu Hao did not answer immediately. He lowered his head and thought for a moment before looking up. "Captain, my abilities aren't suited to teaching others. If you want someone to train the members in combat skills, I recommend Third Seat Madarame of the 11th Division. He's far better suited than I am to teaching combat."

"Someone from another division can only be invited to provide occasional guidance." Unohana's tone was gentle but unquestionable. "The Medical Guard Team is part of our Fourth Division. We must be responsible for its training ourselves."

She looked at Liu Hao, expectation in her eyes. "I believe you're capable of it."

Liu Hao met Unohana's gaze for several seconds before finally nodding slowly. "Since you trust me so much, Captain, I'll do my best. But my abilities are limited, so please don't expect too much."

"Just do your best." A gentle smile appeared on Unohana's face. "As for personnel, Isane has already begun an initial selection of division members with a talent for combat. She'll also recruit some students from Shin'ō Academy. I'll leave the subsequent training to you."

"Understood." Liu Hao bowed. "Then, if you'll excuse me."

"Go ahead. Once Isane has gathered everyone, she'll bring them to see you."

Liu Hao bowed again, turned, and left the Captain’s Office.

After the door slowly closed, Unohana sat alone in the room, tapping her fingers lightly on the desk as she sank into thought.

"Captain Aizen's smile... a fake smile?" she murmured, a sharp light flashing in her eyes. "Now that I think about it, that's true. Gentle as that smile is, it's like a mask worn on his face. It never truly reaches his eyes."

She recalled Aizen's conduct at Gotei 13 meetings, his words and manner when dealing with the other captains, and the seemingly friendly yet distant look in his eyes when he regarded his division members.

Everything was impeccably perfect.

And perfection itself was often the greatest flaw.

"Liu Hao..." Unohana murmured the name, a complex look in her eyes. "What exactly have you seen? And what exactly are you guarding against?"

Liu Hao returned to his quarters and closed the door. Only then did the calm expression he had maintained finally waver.

He sat down at the desk, his fingers drumming on its surface unconsciously as his mind raced.

Aizen hasn't given up. He came to invite me personally, seemingly out of respect for my wishes, but it was really a probe. He was testing my attitude, testing my limits, testing whether I really just "want to stay in the Fourth Division."

Liu Hao closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

If I keep avoiding him like this, he'll only grow more suspicious. But accepting the invitation and going to the Fifth Division would be the same as placing myself completely under Kyōka Suigetsu's control. That would be a true dead end.

He opened his eyes, his golden-red pupils gleaming faintly in the dim room.

The only way out is to let Kyōka Suigetsu's ability work on me under "reasonable" circumstances. Let him "confirm" that I've been hypnotized, so he'll lower his guard.

But that required an exceptional ability to control the risks.

Once caught in Kyōka Suigetsu's Complete Hypnosis, his life and death would be entirely in the other party's hands. Aizen could make him "see" false sights, "hear" false sounds, and even "feel" false sensations at any time.

By then, he would be unable to distinguish reality from illusion, becoming a piece on Aizen's board for him to manipulate at will.

More terrifying still, if Aizen took an interest in him and made him a test subject...

Liu Hao's fingers tightened slightly.

Strength... I still don't have enough strength. If I had the power to contend with a captain, why would I need to scheme like this?

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Fifth Seat Liu Hao, are you there?" Isane Kotetsu's voice came from outside.

Liu Hao quickly composed himself, rose, and opened the door. "Vice-Captain, please come in."

Isane Kotetsu entered the room with a gentle smile. "The initial group has been assembled. Shall we go meet them now?"

Liu Hao nodded. "All right. But as for a training site, the Fourth Division only has the General Treatment Center. We don't have a dedicated training ground. About that..."

"The captain has already arranged for a new training ground to be built beside the General Treatment Center," Isane Kotetsu explained. "But construction will take time, so for now we can only train temporarily in an open area outdoors."

"Understood." Liu Hao straightened his haori. "Then please lead the way, Vice-Captain."

The two left the quarters one behind the other, crossed the Fourth Division courtyard, and headed toward the General Treatment Center.