Kotetsu Isane

Kotetsu Isane

"Uh? Oh, okay."

She wanted to verify whether it was real beforehand. As the person in charge, she was certainly quite responsible.

Arima Shizuya rolled up his sleeve, revealing the scars on his forearm left by the Wooden Sword.

"This is..."

The woman leaned forward slightly, her thick brows already knotted together in concern.

"Marks from being struck by a blunt object... Did you not receive any emergency treatment?"

"What do you mean?"

"Cold compresses with ice water, for example. Are you trying to give yourself lasting complications by leaving bruises like this untreated?"

Seeing Arima Shizuya's somewhat embarrassed expression, she immediately understood and let out a long sigh.

"Are all this year's new students this reckless... Forget it. Sit down."

Without giving him any chance to argue, she led Arima Shizuya to a seat. She rolled up her own sleeves as well, her expression turning serious.

Her exposed arms were fair and smooth, possessing the slenderness unique to women. Arima Shizuya took one glance and nearly failed to look away.

Such long arms, and...

So thin.

"I know some Healing Way, so let me handle it."

Though he did not know her, their brief interaction suggested that she was not unreliable.

Arima Shizuya sat in the chair and watched as her hands hovered over his arm.

Clusters of emerald light poured forth from them.

His injuries began healing at a visible rate, drawing a surprised expression from Arima Shizuya.

"How does it feel?"

As she sat back down, Arima Shizuya raised his arm and lightly swung it.

"It's amazing..."

There was still some lingering pain, but compared to before, when even touching it made him wince, it had improved immensely.

Arima Shizuya smiled brightly.

"Senpai, your Healing Way is incredible!"

It was not mere flattery.

Having previously experienced the Healing Way personally cast by Aizen, Arima Shizuya was no expert, but he had a standard by which to judge.

Her mastery of Kido was likely beyond that of an ordinary student.

Hearing Arima Shizuya's praise, her expression twitched. She leaned back slightly and turned her head aside.

"N-No, that's not true. I'm just... more interested in this sort of thing."

The half of her face turned away looked somewhat embarrassed. Her right hand shakily rose to gently scratch at the corner of her mouth.

She had seemed perfectly normal earlier, yet she got shy over something this subtle?

That was really...

Kind of cute.

Arima Shizuya sat upright. He solemnly bowed to her and spoke in a steady tone.

"My name is Arima Shizuya, Class 5, First Year. May I ask who you are...?"

She hurriedly turned back, returned his bow in a fluster, and forced an anxious, awkward smile onto her face.

"My name is Kotetsu Isane, Class 6, Third Year. I'm also a district administrator for the Student Council."

Only upon hearing that name did Arima Shizuya finally realize.

So she was the Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division! Kotetsu Isane had not appeared much in the original story. Even when she finally got the chance to fight, she was swiftly defeated by the high-spirited Kurosaki Ichigo.

She was firmly in the bottom tier.

Though she became Captain of the Fourth Division after the Thousand-Year Blood War, Arima Shizuya still did not have much of an impression of her.

Embarrassingly, Arima Shizuya's general impression of Kotetsu Isane stopped at, "She's quite well-endowed in a swimsuit."

Who would have thought she had entered the True Spiritual Arts Academy around this time too?

All he could say was that Shinigami lived far too long.

Even in the original story, concepts like classmates from the same year were rarely mentioned, so Arima Shizuya could not make any concrete guesses either.

He coughed twice, pulling his thoughts back to the present. Raising his head again, he spoke to Kotetsu Isane.

"This may sound a little presumptuous, but could I ask you for another favor?"

Arima Shizuya lifted his shirt as he spoke. Kotetsu Isane's eyes widened, and she reflexively turned her head away.

"Wait, wait, wait! What are you...?"

"I actually have several more injuries like this."

Kotetsu Isane's expression trembled slightly. Her eyes shifted, taking in the swelling and wounds around Arima Shizuya's waist and abdomen.

His body was lean, yet his injuries were severe enough to make even her frown.

Once it involved her field of expertise, Kotetsu Isane's expression immediately turned solemn.

Rather than casting Healing Way right away, she first reached out and lightly touched his wounds.

The boy's expression instantly twisted.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

"Several of your bones are broken. Were you... beaten up by someone?"

Kotetsu Isane seriously lifted her head. Her rather androgynous face bore an expression that was almost resolute.

"Though the school has no explicit ban on bullying, injuries like these absolutely cannot be brushed aside... I'll take you to the Administrative Office and have them seek justice for you!"

It was not hard to see that Kotetsu Isane was someone with a strong sense of justice.

Hearing that, Arima Shizuya merely pursed his lips in a smile and lightly waved his hand.

"It's not that serious. These are just the results of sparring with someone. I was simply not skilled enough; I can't blame anyone else."

Kotetsu Isane gave him a strange look.

He was outmatched, yet he was still putting on a brave front? After all, injuries in places like those went against common sense. They were the sort sustained only during close-quarters grappling.

"If that's the case... Forget it. Let me heal you first."

Since she was the future Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division, it was hardly strange for her Healing Way to be at this level.

He had finally found a reliable healer.

Of course he had to make the most of her!

And he could tell that Kotetsu Isane was cold on the outside but warm at heart...

Perhaps because she was too tall and had androgynous features, making it difficult for her to smile, she seemed to be quite introverted.

Arima Shizuya could tell that she would probably find it hard to refuse.

"Kohaku-senpai, you're amazing! You can heal injuries like this so easily."

"Your Healing Way is probably even better than some teachers', right?"

"Whoa, it feels as comfortable as soaking in a hot spring... Kohaku-senpai is the best!"

After just a few words, Kotetsu Isane was not merely flattered into a daze—she could no longer suppress the corners of her mouth.

He could hear her constantly letting out laughter that sounded like, "Hehehe."

Her face had turned as red as a tomato, as though Arima Shizuya had lifted her straight into the clouds.

She was way too easy to handle, wasn't she? Only after everything was over did Arima Shizuya rise to his feet, looking refreshed.

Some places still stung, but compared to when he had first left home, it was night and day.

Uninjured, he felt light as a feather!

He wanted to say something to thank her, but when he saw Kotetsu Isane raising a hand to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead—

Only then did he realize that he might have gone a little too far.

He had worked her like a beast of burden... Though Kotetsu Isane said nothing, Arima Shizuya still felt rather guilty.

"Thank you for your help, Kohaku-senpai."

Yet she smiled and waved her hand, her attitude quite easygoing.

"It's fine. It was only a small effort. Besides, my skills still need refinement, and I rarely get opportunities like this... If Arima-kun needs help, you can always come find me again."

She was really far too accommodating.

Honestly, that made Arima Shizuya feel even more ashamed! He had wanted to say more, but Kotetsu Isane had already stood up. Smiling, she pointed to the clock beside them and softly said,

"Save your thanks for next time. It's almost time, and Arima-kun should be heading to class, shouldn't you?"

Now that she mentioned it... Oh no! There were only three minutes left until class! "Then what about you, Kohaku-senpai...?"

"I have Off-Campus Internship classes today, so I can stay a little longer."

At this point, all he could do was say goodbye.

Arima Shizuya bowed solemnly, then turned and sprinted away.

"The path of Kido is broad and profound, and it is further divided into three branches. Master any one of them, and you can become someone capable of standing on your own."

After class, having confirmed the gains listed on his panel, Arima Shizuya took the initiative to seek out Aizen.

When in doubt, Dora Aizen.

"You want to find someone skilled in Hakuda who is also willing to spar with you?"

Seated in his chair, Aizen wore a thoughtful expression, as though he had heard quite a difficult request.

"If it is only the former, there should be no problem."

"Given my connections, getting in touch with such people is not difficult."

"But the latter condition is somewhat troublesome."

After all, sparring was inherently a mutual choice.

"Forgive my bluntness, but with Arima-kun's current level, a more specialized person would likely treat you as a punching bag."

He was not surprised by that outcome in the slightest.

If anything, that was exactly what Arima Shizuya wanted.

How could he grow stronger without taking a beating? This is my path! Gongjin, whip me!

Though Arima Shizuya gave no verbal response, Aizen had already received his answer just by looking into his eyes.

An inexplicable smile appeared on the man's face.

"I see. Since you are so determined, I assume you have prepared yourself mentally."

Aizen slowly rose to his feet, extended his right hand, and gently patted the boy's shoulder.

"It may be too demanding for others, but if it is Shizuya-kun, perhaps you can endure it... Come with me. I'll take you to meet an Off-Campus Visitor who happens to be giving a lecture at the school today."

...Who?

The answer was soon revealed.

During the lunch break, Aizen led Arima Shizuya through several School Buildings.

If he remembered correctly, this was the area where Fifth-Year Students were active.

Was this even still in the country? Where the hell had he brought him...

Lost in thought, Arima Shizuya followed him into a spacious hall.

Inside, the boy saw a valiant figure from behind—and groups of people sprawled at her feet.

"You're all so weak! You're practically about to graduate, yet this is all you can do?!"