The Most Fickle Woman is the Gentlest

When the impassioned musical movement reaches its zenith, there is no way to mask that piercing melody.

As Kisaragi Akira's Kendo mastery ascended to a new realm.

His swordsmanship appeared far more refined than it had moments ago.

So much so that the elite students watching the duel could no longer track the trajectory of his movements.

Light and agile.

The strikes of the bamboo swords were like the invisible fingers of two hands interlacing; the shattered notes were forcibly stitched together, driving the entire melody toward its most exhilarating climax.

Kisaragi Akira abandoned his two-handed grip, switching to a single-handed hold with his right. He leaned his body slightly, dodging the bamboo sword Unohana Retsu brought crashing down.

He tilted his head back slightly, his gaze calm to the point of absolute stillness.

The next moment, a roar erupted.

His slightly slender right arm twisted, and a scene bordering on madness began to unfold before everyone's eyes.

Kisaragi Akira had abandoned defense, using offense as his only shield!

While others were still pondering how to survive a few more exchanges under Unohana Retsu, he had already transcended them all!

Sharp notes burst forth from beneath his bamboo sword. In an instant, his offensive poured out like a torrential rain, transforming into an endless curtain of water that completely engulfed Unohana Retsu's pristine figure!

A frenzied melody erupted toward the heavens!

Bamboo fibers flew, scattering across the dojo.

Unohana Retsu shifted from offense to defense, parrying the incoming onslaught with nimble movements, yet a flicker of instinctive heat ignited in the eyes she fixed upon the boy.

How long had it been?

Three hundred years? Five hundred?

It had been a very, very long time since a genius like Kisaragi Akira had appeared in the Soul Society.

A roar erupted!

Kisaragi Akira's full-force slash collided with the bamboo sword in Unohana Retsu's hand, triggering a deafening boom.

The heavy shockwave of sound tore the floorboards apart, spreading as an invisible ripple throughout the dojo and causing the nearby ground to tremble violently.

It was as if an invisible storm had rampaged through, peeling back the wooden planks layer by layer and crushing everything in its path.

When everything finally settled, the students were left with nothing but expressions of shock and a trace of palpable bewilderment.

The arena ahead was a scene of utter devastation.

Wood shavings mixed with dust; the once-pristine floor was riddled with fractures and breaks, and the burst bamboo fibers scattered across it added a strange, chaotic color to the wreckage.

Kisaragi Akira stared at the shattered hilt of the bamboo sword in his hand, lost in a daze.

Was this...

The end?

When he raised his head, a look of lingering trance remained in his expression.

The immense pressure Unohana Retsu had exerted at the start had once led him to believe he might truly die in this Kendo duel.

However, as his Heart of the Divine talent reached its peak, Kisaragi Akira had gradually learned many swordsmanship techniques and Kendo styles from Unohana Retsu that he had never been able to access before.

As he attempted to internalize that knowledge and make it his own.

His comprehension of Kendo began to show a rapid, leaping progression.

Seeing this, Unohana Retsu slowly lowered her bamboo sword.

Compared to Kisaragi Akira, who could not yet perfectly control his own power, she appeared entirely at ease.

Although her bamboo sword bore many signs of damage, it remained largely intact and was still capable of further combat.

In contrast, Kisaragi Akira's bamboo sword had been reduced to nothing but a handle.

After a brief silence, Unohana Retsu sighed with a hint of regret: "I should have used my Zanpakuto."

Hearing this, Kisaragi Akira instinctively looked at the woman across from him.

This woman—was she truly trying to kill him?

If she was this brutal with a bamboo sword, he feared that if she had used her Zanpakuto, he would have been sent to meet the previous head priest of Nikkotsu Shrine immediately.

Looking at Unohana Retsu, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, Kisaragi Akira let out a long sigh, his melancholy practically written on his face.

This woman was simply too dangerous.

He had originally hoped that he might learn Kendo through Unohana Retsu's guidance.

After all, Kaede Junya had nothing left to teach him.

In fact, after this recent breakthrough, he feared he might accidentally kill Kaede Junya in two or three strikes.

After much deliberation.

It seemed only Unohana Retsu was suitable to be his Kendo teacher.

However.

Whenever Kisaragi Akira recalled the Kendo duel just now, a subconscious sense of lingering fear washed over him.

He had only managed to get away with it because Unohana Retsu hadn't lost her head yet; once she truly got into the spirit of things, his small frame would likely have been hacked to pieces right on the spot.

"Student Kisaragi, you have proven what you said before to be true."

A faint flush hung on Unohana Retsu's cheeks, the result of over-excitement, and that familiar, gentle smile reappeared upon her face.

"You are an absolute genius in Kaido, but your attainments in Kendo far exceed even that."

"Although it may be a bit forward, please consider joining the Fourth Division the moment you graduate."

"With your talent, it is not impossible for you to even inherit my position one day."

As her voice fell, the sound of sharp gasps echoed throughout the dojo.

It was as if they were trying to suck all the air out of the room until it became a vacuum.

Never had they heard of any student receiving such high praise from a Captain before graduation, let alone from Captain Unohana, the most popular among all the Shinigami.

Yet, Kisaragi Akira, the biggest troublemaker in the class, had managed to do exactly that.

However, when Kisaragi Akira heard these words, he didn't show the surprise they had imagined; instead, he bristled all over, looking just like a startled hedgehog.

Heh, fickle woman!

She had clearly said before that she was worried about causing a negative impact, which was why she had extended the invitation in private.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, she had completely changed her tune.

Now he was in for it; the name Kisaragi Akira would likely sweep through the entire Shin'o Academy once again.

"Sigh, I will consider it..."

To be honest, the Fourth Division was not his first choice.

But out of respect for Unohana Retsu, he didn't dare to refuse immediately.

Hearing this answer, Unohana Retsu did not look disappointed; instead, she smiled and nodded gently.

She turned around, folded her hands in front of her, and under the astonished gazes of the students, bowed slightly and said softly:

"Everyone, today's Kendo class ends here."

"As for the advice I have given, please do not slack off in your daily practice."

"Also, if any of you are interested in Kaido, the Fourth Division would be very welcoming."

As she finished speaking, Unohana Retsu's gaze drifted, lingering intentionally on Kisaragi Akira for a moment before she offered a gentle smile and turned to leave the dojo.

And the very moment she stepped out of the gate.

A familiar voice rang out in Kisaragi Akira's ears once again.

[Unohana Retsu trust level reached, sign-in conditions met]

[Character sign-in: Unohana Retsu...]