"Fullbringer, Michibane Aura."
"On the Shinigami side, Rangiku Matsumoto and Nanao Ise."
Retsu Unohana's smile carried a chilling edge, and the temperature in the room seemed to be steadily dropping.
No, it did not merely seem that way!
The icy killing intent had nearly solidified into substance. Frost formed over the windows, and droplets falling from the eaves rang crisply the instant they hit the ground.
Even the Shinigami Soldiers hurrying through the courtyard beyond the corridor could not help shivering, quickly picking up their pace to leave.
Before long, there was no one else left in the area.
"On the Arrancar side, there are Tier Harribel and Nelliel."
"On the Quincy side, Kurosaki Maki and Bambietta Basterbine."
"Now there is also Senna, the Memory Rosary."
"Oh, right. I nearly forgot about Nozomi Kujō..."
Retsu Unohana's smile grew even brighter, like the blazing sun in the sky outside. Yet the room only grew colder, until every breath they exhaled became visible.
"Cough, cough. Sister Hana, let me explain."
Su Feng attempted one final struggle. "I'm not familiar with any of the last three you mentioned."
"Oh?" Retsu Unohana raised a delicate brow in surprise. "But I heard Bambietta say that she was your... mm, hot weapon?"
The innocent and pure Sister Hana clearly did not understand what that term meant.
Otherwise, the killing intent would not have been this mild.
"A tool. You could also call her a gun mount—ah, no, cannon fodder!"
Su Feng's mind raced. "She is meant to serve as the vanguard commander in the war against the Wandenreich."
"With Bambietta's knowledge of the Sternritter, she will certainly achieve unparalleled merit on the battlefield!"
Retsu Unohana nodded thoughtfully.
"But even so, there are still far too many of them, my dear Su Feng."
"And if I remember