Betrayal from a Good Brother

The invincible Teacher Kaede had fallen after all.

In the mind of Kisaragi Akira, the mental fortitude of Kaede Junya was second to none.

Even though he frequently caused trouble, leading Class 1-1 to be labeled the worst class time and again, Teacher Kaede would still appear at the Kendo dojo, rain or shine.

Though his actual strength was mediocre, Teacher Kaede's dedication surpassed that of over ninety percent of his colleagues.

But now...

Kisaragi Akira gazed blankly at the white-clad figure at the front of the dojo, his expression a mix of three parts daze and seven parts despair.

He leaned slightly to the side, looked toward Sosuke, and whispered:

"Sosuke, tell me..."

"Is there any chance Teacher Kaede will survive?"

Hearing this, Sosuke fell into deep thought, and after a moment of deliberation, he offered his assessment:

"Hard to say."

Although he did not know the true identity of Unohana Retsu, his intuition told him that this woman was far from as simple as she appeared.

The first time they met, he felt as though he had seen a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood behind her.

Even a genius like Sosuke had to admit it.

Thus far, Unohana Retsu of the Fourth Division was the strongest existence he had ever encountered!

Without exception!

Based on this deduction, if Kaede Junya insisted on not yielding this Kendo lesson, Sosuke could not guarantee he would emerge unscathed.

However, what he was more curious about now was what exactly Kisaragi Akira had said to Unohana Retsu.

But it was clear that she had come specifically for Kisaragi Akira.

The white-clad figure stood at the front of the dojo, Unohana Retsu holding a bamboo sword, her gaze resting kindly upon the crowd.

Perhaps it was just an illusion, but the moment she gripped the bamboo sword, her aura suddenly sharpened, as if blades were clashing in the air.

"Students, unfortunately, I have just received news that Teacher Kaede Junya has also fallen ill and has been sent to the General Infirmary."

"Therefore, I will be the one to conduct this Kendo lesson for you all."

"However, please rest assured; my Kendo is at the tenth dan, more than enough to instruct you."

"Furthermore, I learned from Teacher Kaede Junya that the content of today's Kendo lesson is live combat."

"And what I excel at most is—"

"Live combat!"

The moment her voice fell, her sharp gaze swept over, feeling like two keen blades that instantly pierced through Kisaragi Akira, who was hiding in the crowd.

The instant their eyes met, his Danger Instinct let out a shrill shriek. Kisaragi Akira instinctively tightened his grip on his bamboo sword, his entire being instantly entering a state of combat.

His fierce aura underwent a heaven-shaking transformation!

Sosuke looked at his friend with surprise; Kisaragi Akira's current appearance made him feel a sense of unfamiliarity.

But Kisaragi Akira quickly snapped out of it. After a slight shiver, he returned to his usual self, as if the scene from a moment ago had merely been an illusion.

"Everyone, are you ready?"

Unohana Retsu said gently, "Bring out your full strength. Let the Kendo live combat begin now!"

"Let's start with you."

The student sitting in the front row was startled, but he quickly grew excited, charging forward while shouting and brandishing his bamboo sword.

Regardless of Unohana Retsu's actual Kendo level, she was one of the captains of the Gotei 13.

Looking across the entire Seireitei, she was considered one of the absolute top-tier figures.

To be able to engage in live Kendo combat with such an existence was an opportunity that surpassed generations of students.

The student stepping forward was ecstatic, his hands trembling slightly as he gripped his bamboo sword, his blood rushing and his face flushed.

After bowing, he lunged forward and slashed toward Unohana Retsu.

As an elite student of Class 1-1, he certainly had some skill.

However, the moment Unohana Retsu assumed her stance, his fate was already sealed.

After only two or three parries, the student had his bamboo sword knocked away, meeting his defeat.

"Your movements are too wide and reckless."

Unohana Retsu critiqued, "You are unable to adapt in time. During your daily practice, you should focus on integrating basic Kendo into your instincts, allowing for multiple hidden variations of techniques the moment you swing your blade."

"Of course, at your current stage, your Kendo level is still above the passing line."

The defeated student had been crestfallen, but upon hearing the latter half of her sentence, he regained his previous excitement.

"Thank you, Captain Unohana!"

Another student stepped forward and assumed a stance.

Then, a single blade fell, a one-hit kill.

A few words of explanation followed, directly pointing out the flaws and illuminating the path of cultivation ahead for him.

The Kendo sparring proceeded rapidly; the students stepped forward one after another, only to have their bamboo swords knocked away in less than two or three moves.

Under the guidance of Unohana Retsu, everyone's comprehension of Kendo improved by a significant margin.

Kisaragi Akira looked at his surrounding classmates with a sorrowful gaze, suddenly realizing that it seemed this entire group of elite students had become fans of Unohana Retsu.

"Aizen Sosuke, you are the only comrade I have left in my camp."

Aizen brushed Kisaragi Akira's hand off his shoulder with a hint of disdain, picked up the bamboo sword beside him, stood up, and said without looking back:

"No, we have never been in the same camp."

Stabbed in the back by his good friend once again, Kisaragi Akira's figure suddenly took on a touch of melancholy.

Just as he was acting out, Aizen had already stood straight before Unohana Retsu.

Looking at the brown-haired youth before her, a thoughtful look flashed in the depths of Unohana Retsu's eyes.

She had some impression of this youth named Aizen Sosuke; he was the one who accompanied Kisaragi Akira when he went to the General Infirmary to treat his arm last time.

The friendship between the two youths seemed quite good.

"Captain Unohana, please enlighten me."

Aizen bowed slightly to signal, then gripped the bamboo sword with both hands, assuming a standard opening stance.

Unohana Retsu also raised her bamboo sword and nodded earnestly:

"Begin."

The moment the words fell, Aizen suddenly erupted with astonishing speed, transforming into an arrow released from a bow, revealing boundless sharpness.

Seeing this, Unohana Retsu's eyes brightened slightly, like a hunter who had discovered suitable prey.

The bamboo sword fell like a rainstorm, filling the field of vision.

In an instant, the wind whistled and the momentum surged.

Completely different from the previous Kendo sparring with the students, the battle between Aizen and Unohana Retsu at this moment gave one the illusion of being on a real battlefield.

The bamboo sword slashed fiercely, but was dodged by Unohana Retsu with a sidestep, and with a backhanded heavy strike, she knocked the bamboo sword from Aizen's hand.

The outcome was decided.

The students stared in shock at the two standing opposite each other, suddenly realizing a terrifying fact.

It seemed that Kisaragi Akira's transparent sidekick was also an out-and-out genius!

"Very solid Kendo attainments."

Unohana Retsu praised, "As expected, geniuses are attracted to one another."

"Student Kisaragi, I hope your performance will not disappoint me..."

Watching the two people in front of him smiling in unison, Kisaragi Akira felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and countless malicious intentions swallowed him at this moment.

So, is the backstabbing of a good brother the most painful thing of all?