Suppressed Desire, Unohana's Request

Fourth Division barracks.

A group of people carried the mountain-sized corpse from different angles as they walked down the broad street, looking rather out of place.

A faint glow of Kido clung beneath the Adjuchas's body, allowing it to move forward steadily.

Quite a few Shinigami Soldiers stopped where they were, curiously watching the scene before them.

Corpses were the most common sight in the Fourth Division.

But most of them belonged to Shinigami Soldiers, noble family members, and Rukongai residents.

Hollow corpses were exceedingly rare, let alone the corpse of such an enormous Menos.

Seinosuke Yamada walked at the front, clearing the way for everyone with a displeased expression.

It had to be said that the ugly look on the Fourth Division Lieutenant's face was quite effective. The Shinigami Soldiers approaching from the opposite direction would rather plunge headfirst into the gentian bushes than run into him face-to-face.

The Seated Officers skillfully carried the Adjuchas's corpse behind him, adeptly using Kido to reduce the strain on themselves without damaging the surrounding buildings.

Every Fourth Division Shinigami Soldier began by transporting all sorts of corpses. After years of this work, they naturally developed remarkably refined techniques.

Without moving hundreds or thousands of corpses, did you think you could become a Seated Officer?

Impossible!

After passing through three streets in succession, Seinosuke Yamada suddenly stopped and bowed with respectful delight. "Captain Unohana, did you gather the medicinal herbs you needed?"

Su Feng turned his head, his gaze passing over the massive Adjuchas and toward the front.

Before the General Relief Station stood a figure in white.

She wore a pristine Captain's Haori with a grayish cherry-colored lining. Her thick black hair was braided and draped before her, while her beautiful face carried a gentle, peaceful air.

Simply standing there gave others a sense of warmth and security, as though they could entrust everything to her.

Only Su Feng instinctively took a step back, an odd look appearing on his face.

Something was wrong!

Twelve out of ten degrees of wrong!

The breeze in the air told him that he absolutely had to stay away from this woman.

Though the fragrance of gentian flowers lingered around her, soothing the senses.

That was merely a superficial disguise.

Beneath the scent of gentians lay a thick, pungent smell of blood!

She claimed to be gathering medicinal herbs, but was she secretly venting her suppressed nature?

Had criminals in Rukongai suffered this time, or had the Hollows wandering among them been slaughtered...

Su Feng took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm, settling the unease in his heart.

He knew full well who that gentle woman was.

Captain of the Fourth Division, Retsu Unohana.

At the same time, she had been the first Captain of the Eleventh Division, the First Kenpachi, an unprecedented villain in Soul Society's history, a terrifying existence who killed as easily as breathing.

Restricted by his status and his purpose here, Su Feng did not immediately choose to run.

Instead, he waited quietly to see how things developed.

If nothing unexpected happened, he should have nothing to do with her.

"Yes, thirty-seven types in total. They've already been placed in the pharmacy."

Retsu Unohana smiled gently. "Isane volunteered to handle the medicinal herbs."

"Is this the Adjuchas whose spiritual pressure was infinitely close to that of a Vasto Lorde?"

"Just judging by its appearance, it's quite spectacular."

When she returned to the barracks, Shinigami Soldiers had already reported the situation in Rukongai to her.

Considering that Seinosuke Yamada and several Seated Officers had already been dispatched, Retsu Unohana chose to remain in the Seireitei.

"Captain, this Adjuchas has extremely high research value."

Seinosuke Yamada asked with a fawning smile, "Regarding its dissection and analysis, what do you think...?"

Honestly.

Before witnessing this scene, Su Feng could never have imagined that Seinosuke Yamada was capable of making such a bizarre expression.

There was a trace of flattery within the awkwardness, and a trace of respect within the flattery.

Taken as a whole, his expression was even stranger than that dead Adjuchas.

"There's no need to ask my permission for such matters."

Retsu Unohana showed little interest in it. "As long as it does not affect the patients, research it as you please."

"Actually, here's the situation." Seinosuke Yamada explained Su Feng's request.

The moment his words fell, Su Feng immediately felt a sharp gaze descend upon him, locking firmly onto his body.

The next moment.

That gentle, approachable smile had already appeared before him.

"Captain Su Feng..."

Su Feng's pupils contracted slightly. During that brief moment of distraction, he had actually failed to notice Retsu Unohana's Shunpo path.

As expected of a first-generation Captain.

"Captain Unohana." Su Feng nodded in greeting, neither servile nor overbearing.

Objectively speaking, the two held the same rank and were colleagues. There was no question of respect or disrespect; they could simply speak as equals.

"Seinosuke has already informed me of your request."

Retsu Unohana's smile did not change as she spoke unhurriedly. "Watching the dissection and research process is no problem."

"But before that, could you agree to one small request of mine?"

Su Feng narrowed his eyes slightly and asked cautiously, "What request?"

"Regarding the Assessment Battle from before..."

Retsu Unohana smiled. "During your battle with Kaname Tosen, you displayed sixty-seven different Kendo schools, linking them together smoothly and naturally, as if it were heaven-made."

"By Soul Society's Kendo ranking system, you have already reached 10th Dan."

By this point, Su Feng had already formed a rough guess.

Unohana had probably seen something she liked and could not restrain herself.

To her, battle was everything. Kaido was merely a means to support combat.

If Kenpachi Zaraki had not defeated her, perhaps she would still be the Captain of the Eleventh Division.

"Since I am also skilled in Kendo."

A barely perceptible eagerness appeared in Retsu Unohana's eyes. "I would like to discuss it with Captain Su Feng."

Meeting her gaze, Su Feng let out a deep sigh.

What a familiar look.

It was exactly the same look he had when drinking with courtesans in the Red-light District.

At this point, refusing was most likely impossible.

Unless he wanted to give up Seinosuke Yamada as a useful pawn, or never set foot in the Fourth Division barracks again.

Su Feng understood Retsu Unohana's feelings very well.

To enjoy the thrill of battle, Kenpachi Zaraki had chosen to seal himself, causing his strength to plummet until he was barely at the level of an ordinary Captain.

And because Retsu Unohana had become the Captain of the Fourth Division, she could no longer return to being the First Kenpachi. Her overflowing desire for battle could only be suppressed in the depths of her heart.

Now that she had finally encountered a Captain who could contend with her in Kendo, how could she possibly let him go so easily?

With that thought, Su Feng stopped pondering. His gaze met Retsu Unohana's, and his gentle smile returned.

"Actually, I have always admired Captain Unohana's mastery of Kendo as well..."