Putting Learning into Practice

Upon hearing this, Chiba Makoto could not help falling into deep thought, understanding Unohana Retsu's meaning from the perspective of spiritual bodies.

Unlike the flesh-and-blood bodies of humans in the World of the Living, the human body in Soul Society was essentially a spiritual body formed from spirit particles attached to the soul. Reiryoku was the energy produced by spirit particles within that spiritual body, while spiritual pressure was the term used to judge the density and quality of Reiryoku.

Thus, when part of a soul was missing, the spiritual body would suffer continuous spirit-particle loss. Clearly, the soul anchor corresponding to the portion of spirit particles that held them in place had been lost, causing the spiritual body to collapse.

To reverse the loss of spirit particles, it was necessary to find a way to create a corresponding soul anchor anew, thereby stabilizing the spirit particles within the spiritual body.

It sounded complicated, but it bore some resemblance to organ transplants among humans in the World of the Living. Therefore, even if a healthy soul was willing to undergo transplantation, that healthy soul would also end up partially incomplete.

Even with Kaido and Medical Skills keeping things under control, the healthy soul would most likely not suffer a severe condition like spirit-particle loss. Still, the best possible outcome was merely turning one dead soul and one living soul into two incomplete souls.

To put it roughly, it was like a healthy person cutting off one of their legs and transplanting it to someone on the verge of depression and suicide because they had no legs. In the end, both people could barely stand on one leg.

But... from the perspective of the Seireitei and the Central 46 Chambers, deliberately doing such a thing was entirely unnecessary, meaningless, and without value.

Unohana Retsu watched Chiba Makoto as he sank into thought and conflict, her gaze gentle. She had no intention of interrupting him.

Or rather, this had been the main reason Unohana Retsu had deliberately brought Chiba Makoto out this time.

Some things had to be experienced firsthand...

When you witness certain cruel dilemmas, how will you choose your path? Will the beliefs you have upheld all this time collapse, or will they become even firmer?

Unohana Retsu thought silently.

Makoto, haven't you mentioned more than once that what you hoped for was to save one confused life after another from illness and pain? Now the path lies before you. Though it may appear so meaningless, Teacher hopes you can hold fast to it, because only then will it prove that everything you have done in the past, even if there was some concealment and exaggeration, came from your heart.

Under Unohana Retsu's gaze, Chiba Makoto raised his head after a moment, adjusted his glasses, and said, "Teacher, I want to learn the Kaido for performing Soul Transplantation."

Upon hearing this, Unohana Retsu's gaze seemed to soften further. She asked, "Are you sure, Makoto? They are only residents of Rukongai. Even if you spend a great deal of time saving them, the Seireitei will not give you any reward. Even they themselves have nothing they can offer to thank you."

Chiba Makoto smiled bashfully and replied, "It's all right, Teacher. I'm only putting what I've learned into practice."

"Ha ha ha..."

All of a sudden, Unohana Retsu actually laughed aloud, a rare occurrence. "Makoto, I thought you were going to take this opportunity to say something lofty again. Putting what you've learned into practice... that really is a good phrase."

After a pause, Unohana Retsu sighed and reminded him, "However, Makoto, there is something you need to understand. Most residents of Rukongai arrive through soul burial from the World of the Living. So although their relatives in the World of the Living may later be sent to Rukongai as well, the areas they end up in are completely random. They may spend their entire lives without ever having a chance to meet again..."

"Moreover, souls truly produced through mating between spiritual bodies are exceedingly rare in Rukongai. So even if you learn the Kaido capable of Soul Transplantation, there may not be any healthy souls willing to undergo the procedure..."

However, as he listened to Unohana Retsu's serious voice, Chiba Makoto's attention was involuntarily drawn to the word "mating."

Teacher Unohana, gentle and refined as you are, casually saying those words is seriously jarring!

For some reason, it made Chiba Makoto feel that compared to Teacher Unohana, he was still far behind in that regard.

Seeing Chiba Makoto apparently spacing out, Unohana Retsu furrowed her brow and asked, "Makoto?"

"Yes, Teacher..."

Chiba Makoto hurriedly came back to his senses and answered seriously, "No matter what, preserving a measure of hope for them is what I believe to be a physician's kindness."

Upon hearing this, Unohana Retsu's eyes were filled with approval and admiration as she looked at Chiba Makoto.

This disciple... truly was as she had initially hoped. He was a young man focused on Kaido and Medical Skills, with the pure heart of a physician that most Fourth Division members lacked. He disliked battle, was gentle and kind, and possessed unique talent in Kaido and Medical Skills...

Perhaps Chiba Makoto really can fulfill my original hope, perfectly inherit my Medical Skills, and take over my post as Lieutenant of the Fourth Division.

As Unohana Retsu silently pondered this, she paid no mind to the terrible environment of Rukongai and earnestly began teaching Chiba Makoto the Kaido for Soul Transplantation. Chiba Makoto, too, absorbed the knowledge Unohana Retsu taught with exceptional focus.

Before long, Chiba Makoto, whose overall mastery of Kaido and Medical Skills was already quite impressive, had initially mastered it after spending less than half a day under Unohana Retsu's approving gaze. Soul Transplantation Kaido counted as one of the high-level Kaido arts, and even Yamada Seinosuke might not have fully mastered it yet.

Afterward, Chiba Makoto went directly to Yoshikami Tsume, Tenth Division Seat 19, and explained that he could treat these Rukongai residents through Soul Transplantation. He hoped Yoshikami Tsume could assist with screening candidates.

After all, this section of Rukongai fell under the Tenth Division's jurisdiction. No matter what, Chiba Makoto could not bypass the Tenth Division if he wanted to perform Soul Transplantation Kaido on those residents.

More importantly, if Chiba Makoto relied solely on himself without the Tenth Division's help, he had no idea how much effort it would take just to screen suitable residents.

"So as long as there are healthy spiritual bodies willing to undergo Soul Transplantation, the continuous loss of spirit particles can be stopped?" Yoshikami Tsume asked again in an excited tone.

"That's right..." Chiba Makoto nodded. "However, there is one point that must be made especially clear. The healthy spiritual bodies undergoing Soul Transplantation will also suffer a certain degree of soul loss. Although it will not endanger their lives, an incomplete soul will inevitably lead to many problems. That cannot be avoided. This must be explained clearly to every healthy spiritual body volunteering for Soul Transplantation."

"I understand!"

At that moment, Yoshikami Tsume's expression turned completely serious. He asked, "Makoto, how confident are you in the success of this Soul Transplantation?"

"It can't get any worse, can it?"

After a pause, Chiba Makoto continued, "But at least ninety percent."

Yoshikami Tsume nodded. Remembering Chiba Makoto's identity as Captain Unohana's disciple, his confidence rose considerably. He said solemnly, "Makoto, I agree. I will screen the residents with incomplete souls as soon as possible."