Captain Unohana

Moonlight streamed through the paper window, casting cold, dappled patterns on the floor of the consultation room.

Retsu Unohana sat quietly on the empty bed by the window, her hands folded in front of her knees, her posture gentle and graceful.

The Captain's Haori she wore gleamed softly in the moonlight, and her face, which always carried a gentle smile, now wore a calm expression.

"Captain Unohana... what are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, Wang Xun?"

Unohana's voice was still gentle, but it made Wang Xun quite startled.

Instead of resting properly in the dead of night, he was wandering around the Fourth Division's corridors and wards...

The moonlight illuminated half of Unohana's face. Her tone was unhurried, and a scrutinizing look appeared in her calm, unwavering eyes.

Can you tell me what you're looking for?

Wang Xun's back was covered in cold sweat.

He hadn't expected that the Fourth Division Captain would notice his actions.

"My injuries aren't serious, but I can't stay in bed, so I wanted to walk around. I shouldn't have broken any rules, Captain Unohana."

"Oh?"

Unohana smiled gently, a smile so gentle that it made Wang Xun feel an invisible pressure.

"This kind of excuse might work to appease ordinary soldiers, but for Wang Xun..."

She slowly stood up, her movements gentle, yet Wang Xun instinctively took a half-step back.

Do you think you can fool me with such a petty trick?

Unohana's tone remained gentle, but the meaning behind her words was completely different.

She stood up, took a step forward, and the moonlight stretched her shadow long, almost enveloping Wang Xun.

"You deliberately chose to walk through every ward with seriously injured patients late at night. Are you trying to brush me off with a 'stroll'?"

Wang Xun's heart began to race.

He could sense that the subtle yet powerful pressure emanating from Unohana was intensifying.

"I'll ask you one more time, Wang Xun."

Unohana's voice was as gentle as the night breeze, yet it carried an undeniable weight.

What exactly are you doing?

She slightly opened her eyes, revealing an extremely gentle smile.

But cold sweat soaked Wang Xun's back.

He knew that the seemingly gentle woman in front of him was one of the most senior captains in the Gotei 13.

The First Kenpachi was someone who truly emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

Now that she has discovered his actions, continuing to try to outsmart her is nothing short of courting death.

In a flash, Wang Xun made a decision.

He took a deep breath and met Unohana's gaze.

"I... am learning Kaidō."

"Study, Kaidō?"

Unohana raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.

"Yes."

Wang Xun Shikai earnestly and confidently.

"To be honest, I'm very interested in Kaidō, but the curriculum at the Spiritual Arts Academy is too slow."

"I'm honored to be here at the Fourth Division today. Seeing the superb skills of the seniors in their Kaidō techniques, I can't help but want to watch and learn more..."

"I was wandering around at night because I was criticized by the captain during the day, so I chose to do it late at night to see if any of the team members were still working so I could observe them."

What he said was indeed not far from the actual situation; he was extremely sincere.

As Wang Xun spoke, he raised his right hand, palm up, and mobilized the Reiatsu within his body.

A pale green light slowly gathered in his palm, yet it remained stable and pure.

Within the light, Reishi could be vaguely seen intertwining like threads, forming a basic healing spell. The effect Wang Xun achieved was already comparable to that of the ordinary members of the team.

"This is..."

Unohana's eyes finally showed a slight change.

She walked slowly closer, carefully examining the Kaidō light in Wang Xun's palm.

A moment later, she extended her index finger and gently touched the edge of the green light.

Buzz.

The Kaidō light trembled slightly, but did not dissipate. Instead, under the guidance of the Unohana, it became more solid, and the arrangement of the Reishi energy spells was quietly optimized, increasing efficiency by at least 20%.

Unohana withdrew her finger, and the scrutiny in her eyes turned into genuine surprise.

"This level of precision in manipulating Reishi, and this understanding of healing techniques... which squad are you from?"

She looked at Wang Xun again, her gaze now filled with inquiry and curiosity.

"Captain, I'm currently a fifth-year student. As for my plans after graduation," Wang Xun hesitated for a moment, but still answered truthfully, "I've already been confirmed to join the Second Division."

"The Second Division, under Captain Shihoin? That's a bit of a shame."

Unohana nodded slightly. She walked to the window, looked at the moonlight outside, and fell into a brief moment of thought.

But Wang Xun noticed that her gaze seemed to be glancing in a certain direction outside the window.

As she gazed at him, a dark figure emerged from the shadows, bowed slightly to Unohana, and then vanished again.

Wang Xun followed Unohana's gaze, but only saw the courtyard under the moonlight and the swaying shadows of the trees.

Unohana had noticed it long ago.

As expected, the extremely subtle Reiatsu emanating from the surrounding area belonged to the members of the Stealth Force).

They've been secretly monitoring, or rather, protecting, this place.

"It seems Captain Shihoin values you quite a bit."

"Unohana spoke softly," she said, her tone neither revealing whether it was a sigh nor a sigh of emotion.

"The Second Division is indeed a good place. The Stealth Force needs people with all sorts of special talents. Your talent for Kaidō the source might play an unexpected role there."

Unohana was speaking, she suddenly changed the subject.

"However, if you ever change your mind, you can consider working in the Fourth Division."

Wang Xun was taken aback, not expecting Unohana to extend an olive branch so directly.

"Thank you for your kindness Captain Unohana."

Unohana turned around and smiled slightly at him.

"I'm just giving you another option. In Seireitei, having more paths is always a good thing."

She walked back to Wang Xun and spoke gently.

"Let's end our walk here tonight, Wang Xun. Get some rest. Although your injuries aren't serious, the depletion of your Reiatsu will take time to recover."

"I'll have someone check you again tomorrow afternoon. If everything is fine, you can be discharged."

"Yes, thank you Captain Unohana."

Unohana nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the door.

As she opened the door, she suddenly stopped, turning half her face to the side, the moonlight outlining the soft lines of her profile.

"By the way, Wang Xun."

"If you really want to learn the Kaidō in the future, you can openly ask the Fourth Division for guidance, but please don't do these strange things again."

After saying that, she gently closed the door, her footsteps fading into the distance.

Wang Xun stood there for a long time before slowly exhaling.

So, you managed to get away with it?

He could vaguely sense that Unohana wasn't believing his story, but rather... she didn't care anymore.

Retsu Unohana, the First Kenpachi who is unfathomable beneath her gentle exterior, felt more enigmatic than anyone he had ever met before.

The brief conversation that lasted just over ten minutes put far more pressure on him than when he faced those two assassins today.

Wang Xun walked to the window, looked at the spot she had been gazing at, and vaguely guessed what was going on.

It seems Captain Yoruichi really is taking good care of him.