Unohana: I See Through You

The events of this practical training session in the Human World spread throughout the entire Spirit Training Academy by the next day.

Compared to the appearance of a Gillian during a simulated combat drill, the fact that Student Council President Tachikawa Shin had slain it with a single slash was far more shocking and became the talk of the school.

Shin, as usual, skipped class that day, spending his time alone in the Student Council office. His daily routine remained unaffected.

In the morning, Nanda Hidezawa came to see him, expressing his lingering fear over Shin's encounter the previous night and marveling at how Shin had managed to kill a Gillian.

"Shin, perhaps it's right that you don't attend class. As your teacher, I truly have nothing left to teach you."

Shin replied earnestly, "Teacher Nanda, you have taught me a great deal. I wouldn't be where I am today without your contributions."

Nanda Hidezawa laughed heartily at this. "Shin, you're the finest student I've ever had. Once you join the Thirteenth Division, your future will be boundless, and I, as your teacher, will bask in your glory!"

After lunch, Hinamori Momo, Izuru Kira, and Renji Abarai came together, saying they wanted to formally thank Shin for saving them the night before.

Kira and Abarai's attitudes had clearly grown more respectful, to the point where they barely lifted their heads to meet Shin's eyes.

Momo said many admiring things—how she had been frozen stiff by the Gillian's spiritual pressure the night before, while the President had killed it with a single slash—and asked if Shin could spare some time to guide her in swordsmanship.

When Momo said that last part, Abarai and Kira's eyes lit up instantly.

If it were just Momo, Shin would naturally be happy to oblige—it was a good way to boost her favorability.

But adding Kira and Abarai into the mix would cut into his usual training and rest time.

Still, considering that these two would also achieve great things in the future, Shin thought for a moment and said, "We'll see. If I have time, maybe."

Momo was overjoyed. "Then it's settled, President!"

Shin said flatly, "I said if I have time."

Momo grinned. "You'll definitely have time."

By afternoon class, only Shin remained in the office, and that was when Shiba Kaien showed up.

Word travels fast...

Shin thought as he saw Shiba Kaien.

"A rare guest, Vice-Captain Shiba."

Shiba Kaien entered, first giving Shin a thorough, appraising look, as if seeing him anew, and clicked his tongue in amazement. "Incredible. Do you know that news about you from last night has already spread through the Thirteenth Division?"

Shin chuckled. "Is the Thirteenth Division that idle? Killing just one Gillian—is it really worth spreading around?"

Shiba Kaien shook his head lightly. "An ungraduated Spirit Training Academy student slaying a Gillian—that's naturally something worth talking about. Besides, what happened last night was too bizarre..."

Shin's expression shifted. "What do you mean?"

Shiba Kaien hesitated briefly. "The Kekai squad that was coordinating with you last night—all the Shinigami in it were killed."

Shin's eyebrow twitched. "Who did it?"

"According to the investigation, it might have been a member of the Twelfth Division."

"The Twelfth Division?"

Shin was somewhat surprised. He knew Aizen would find a plausible surface to cover this up, but he hadn't expected it to be pinned on the Twelfth Division.

The Twelfth Division oversaw the Research and Development Bureau, with its current captain being Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who also served as the Bureau's director.

Shiba Kaien continued, "That member couldn't stand the way the Twelfth Division captain treated his subordinates, harbored a grudge, and took revenge on Soul Society. He defected last night."

Shin: "..."

After a moment of silence, Shin couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

Shiba Kaien stared at Shin and suddenly asked, "I actually watched the recording of your fight last night. That slash you used to kill the Gillian—was it your Zanpakutō's ability?"

Shin tilted his head. "That slash... was just Sword Pressure."

Shiba Kaien looked skeptical. "Really?"

Shin picked up a pen from the desk, twirled it in his hand, and then swung it sharply in front of him.

Whoosh!

The arc traced by the pen tip actually generated a visible semicircle of sword energy!

Shiba Kaien quickly sidestepped to dodge, watching the sword energy fly past him.

When he turned back to look at Shin, his eyes were full of shock.

The recording hadn't shown much, but experiencing it firsthand now made him instinctively sense a hint of danger!

This kid...

Shiba Kaien's gaze flickered. This kind of pure swordsmanship—honestly, he had never seen anything like it.

Though swordsmanship was a required course for Shinigami, few would dare claim mastery. For a Shinigami, when their Zanpakutō wasn't released, the blade was merely a vessel for their speed and strength.

But the sword in Shin's hands was different. He seemed genuinely skilled in the art of the blade, able to deliver that exquisite yet simple slash in battle.

"Believing me now?" Shin asked with a smile.

Shiba Kaien looked at Xin and said slowly, "I think now that with your talent, your future achievements definitely won't stop at the Fourth Division."

"Vice-Captain Shiba, aren't you afraid Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division will hear you say that?"

Shiba Kaien laughed heartily. "The Captain isn't that petty. And if Captain Unohana knew about your true swordsmanship talent, she certainly wouldn't force you to stay in the Fourth Division forever."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with the Fourth Division."

Shiba Kaien only replied, "You'll understand once you graduate and join the Fourth Division."

#

Fourth Division barracks.

Kotsubaki Kotone was watching a recording with Unohana Retsu. She had obtained it from the Twelfth Division, and the footage showed the entire live training session of the Spirit Training Academy students in the Human World the night before.

When the screen showed Xin cutting down a Gillian with a single slash, Kotsubaki Kotone glanced quietly at her captain.

"Kotone."

"Yes!"

"Rewind a bit." Unohana Retsu's voice was soft and calm, her gaze fixed intently on the screen.

Kotsubaki Kotone quickly got up to operate the controls. She knew what her captain wanted to see, so she dragged the progress bar back to before Xin's battle with the Hollow.

After watching Xin slay the Gillian again, Kotsubaki Kotone couldn't help but say, "Captain, Xin's strength is truly surprising!"

"Ah... indeed."

Unohana Retsu's voice was so calm that it betrayed no tone at all. Kotsubaki Kotone felt a little puzzled, then heard her captain ask, "Kotone, what did you notice?"

Kotsubaki Kotone was taken aback. She didn't know which aspect her captain was referring to.

The most noteworthy part of the entire recording was nothing more than the brief moments of Xin's battle with the Hollow.

She thought seriously for a moment, then suddenly realized something. "Captain, could it be that the slash Xin used to kill the Gillian was the power of his Zanpakutō?"

"No."

Unohana Retsu denied it, her beautiful eyes growing obscure and profound.

"But I imagine many people will think the same as you. That was purely swordsmanship."

Kotsubaki Kotone then heard her captain let out a warm laugh, followed by words that seemed like a murmur to herself.

"Fortunately, I saw through it..."