Let's Kill Each Other

Then, before Chiba Makoto's trembling eyes, Minazuki swallowed the lunchbox and spat two small bottles toward Unohana Retsu, who caught them in her hands.

I-It's over?!

Teacher Unohana had actually developed such a bizarre use for her Zanpakuto?!

She was completely treating Minazuki like some kind of portable flesh storage container, wasn't she?

In short: a flesh loo (bleep)??

In the future, Teacher Unohana wouldn't secretly subject me to some bizarre sort of development too, would she?

Makoto subconsciously swallowed. He felt as though the gentle and kind-looking Unohana Retsu was invisibly radiating some sort of dark aura, and he quietly shifted his knees a tiny bit, instinctively putting more distance between himself and her.

Sure enough... compared with a mature older woman who offered all-around care, it was more comfortable being around the innocent and adorable Shaolin Fon and Aoki Risa. Even if they were a little tsundere, it was still tolerable.

"Hmm? Makoto, are you moving away from me, or are you disgusted by Minazuki?"

At that moment, Unohana Retsu's seemingly gentle, calm voice suddenly rang out, making Makoto's liver inexplicably tremble.

Makoto forced out a somewhat stiff smile. "N-No, how could I be? Teacher Unohana is my favorite. It's just that the wind was strong just now and blew me a little out of my original position."

"Is that so? Your smile seems a little stiff too."

"It was the wind too. It's my first time flying with Teacher, so I'm not quite used to it yet," Makoto said through gritted teeth.

"I see..."

Unohana Retsu spoke with a smiling squint, then reached out and pulled Makoto behind her, shielding him with her body as she said, "But it's fine. Teacher can still block a little wind for you."

"Th-Thank you, Teacher," Makoto replied, the corner of his eye twitching.

"It can't be helped. You're already my disciple, after all. I can't exactly watch you fall off Minazuki and die, can I?"

Unohana Retsu's voice seemed somewhat distant, making Makoto's eyes widen slightly.

Th-That was a threat, wasn't it? That was absolutely a threat against her own disciple, right?

Dare to dislike it and you die?!

Makoto hesitated, then thought of something and said stiffly, "Thank you, Teacher. Also... Minazuki is quite cute."

"Is that so? I also think Minazuki is rather cute. I thought I was the only one who considered Minazuki a perfect creature that matched my aesthetic sense. I never expected you to feel the same way, Makoto. Teacher is very pleased."

As Makoto heard Unohana Retsu's voice return to its usual gentleness, he secretly let out a long breath. He had almost... offended a taboo that Teacher Unohana would not tolerate being touched.

Right, I really was being foolish...

In a sense, a Zanpakuto could perfectly reflect a Soul Reaper's true inner self. Minazuki's form undoubtedly served as subtle proof of Teacher Unohana's unique aesthetic sense.

Minazuki, that flat, enormous, green, one-eyed giant ray, really was ugly—but under Teacher's influence, as Makoto studied it more closely, he gradually discovered that it possessed a uniquely ugly-cute beauty!

No!

The moment I get back, I'll make two huge Minazuki posters and hang them in my room, fully demonstrating my absolute support for Teacher's aesthetic sense as her disciple.

Just as Makoto was pondering how to make the posters, Unohana Retsu placed one of the bottles Minazuki had just spat out into his hand.

"Teacher... what is this?"

Makoto shook the bottle and looked at the unknown thick white liquid inside, completely baffled.

"I made this overnight last night. Time was limited, so there are only two bottles. One of them is for you to use," Unohana Retsu answered.

"Teacher, how do I use it?"

Although Makoto found the unknown thick white liquid somewhat strange, he still forced himself to ask.

"Hmm... to help you understand quickly, just use it on me once."

As she spoke, Unohana Retsu turned around, opened the cap of the bottle in Makoto's hand, and inserted one finger into it.

The instant Unohana Retsu's finger touched the white liquid, the viscous substance rapidly turned green, almost as though her finger were the center of the change.

Makoto blinked and answered truthfully with the innocence of a wholesome young man. "Teacher, it... turned green..."

Unohana Retsu nodded, entirely unsurprised.

"That is normal. The liquid in the bottle can detect how emotionally rich a spiritual entity is. Different colors represent different degrees. The darker the color, the stronger that entity's emotions are at that moment..."

After a pause, Unohana Retsu glanced at Makoto and said, "Also, try not to phrase it so strangely."

"Yes, Teacher."

Makoto shrank back slightly. He simply had not expected Unohana Retsu, who was proficient in Kaido and Medical Skills, to create something with such a strange purpose, so the words had slipped out instinctively.

"So, later on, I can use this liquid to inspect those Rukongai residents? I just need to have them stick out a finger? If the color isn't green, then it means a large amount of emotion in their souls has been forcibly taken away?"

"Not quite. Some spiritual entities normally maintain relatively muted emotional states. It would be best to stimulate them as much as possible so the results will be more accurate," Unohana Retsu added after thinking for a moment.

"How do we stimulate them?" Makoto asked.

"Verbal stimulation, behavioral stimulation, scent stimulation, and so on. Anything that can provoke emotional fluctuations will do."

After a pause, Unohana Retsu seemed to think of something. "There's still time now. You can also try stimulating me, so you can obtain a normal reference value for comparison."

Chiba Makoto hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Teacher, you're so beautiful~"

Yet the faint green tint in the bottle barely changed at all.

Chiba Makoto then switched tactics, praising Unohana Retsu from every conceivable angle, but aside from a slight reaction whenever he complimented Minazuki, there was almost no response.

At that moment, Chiba Makoto understood. Teacher Unohana had been a Soul Reaper for a thousand years; no one even knew how many Vice-Captains had served under her. These simple tricks clearly could no longer provoke any reaction from her.

Chiba Makoto hesitantly adjusted his glasses, glanced at Unohana Retsu, whose expression remained gentle and kind, and softly said—

"Teacher, let's fight to the death..."

In an instant, as those words fell, Unohana Retsu's gentle expression shattered. Chiba Makoto felt his entire field of vision completely engulfed by terrifying Blood-colored Reiatsu!

The liquid in that bottle... had turned pitch-black, gleaming ominously!!!