"Teacher Unohana..."
Fujimiya Makoto sat cross-legged on the tatami across from Unohana Yachiru, cautiously meeting the gaze of the gently smiling woman before him. In a low voice, he asked, "I... didn't say anything strange just now, did I?"
"And... thank you for helping me enter Zanzen."
Whether during conversations or occasional sparring sessions with Unohana Yachiru, Fujimiya Makoto always maintained a respectful demeanor, never daring to let his guard down.
Of course, this respect was purely due to her overwhelming strength.
It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he had once stabbed her in the chest with a small knife, or that his mischievous zanpakutō occasionally spouted nonsense, or even his recent actions within his inner world!
Not a single bit!
Unohana Yachiru, however, simply gazed at him calmly, her expression as serene as ever, though she seemed slightly puzzled as she remarked, "So, in Makoto-kun's eyes..."
"Am I really such a cold and distant teacher?"
No, that's not the issue here at all!
Have you not noticed how ordinary Shinigami tremble in fear just standing in front of you?
For the first time, Fujimiya realized that Unohana-sensei seemed completely unaware of her own terrifying reputation.
But his words were the exact opposite of his thoughts.
He fidgeted slightly, rubbing his fingertips against the hem of his clothes, his gaze drifting awkwardly toward Unohana's thighs as he muttered, "It's just that my Zanzen method is... a bit unusual."
"It must have been quite troublesome for you."
Unohana Yachiru finally allowed a faint smile to reappear on her lips. "That's not a problem at all."
"Besides, during your Zanzen, Makoto-kun, your body would occasionally twitch like a decapitated fish, arching your back and writhing on the ground."
"It was rather adorable."
"Though, for some reason, you stopped halfway through."
"..."
Fujimiya's eyes widened in shock.
What?!
His actions in his inner world actually manifested in his physical body?!
Almost instantly, he realized what he had been doing during the time Unohana described as "twitching like a fish."
That was when he had been "teaching" that brat in his inner world!
"PLEASE FORGET THAT PART AT ALL COSTS—!"
Fujimiya immediately performed a 380-degree Thomas spin before prostrating himself in a deep bow.
"Is that so?"
Unohana continued to observe him with mild amusement. "Still, Makoto-kun must have gained quite a bit from this Zanzen session, right?"
"Have you achieved Shikai?"
"Not yet. Almost there."
Fujimiya answered honestly. "Once my Reiryoku grows a bit more, I should be able to complete it."
"Still not enough?"
Unohana's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of excitement flashing in her pupils.
If even fourth-class Reiō wasn't enough to achieve Shikai, just how powerful would it be?
As expected, she hadn't been wrong about this disciple.
"Yes."
Fujimiya sighed, recalling how he had been instantly kicked out of his inner world. "According to... it, I'll need to reach at least third-class Reiō before I can fully master this release."
Unohana's interest grew even stronger. "And its ability?"
"It's rule-based."
At this, Fujimiya's tone grew more confident. "I'm certain that once I complete this Shikai, even against someone of Genryūsai-dono's caliber, I'll at least be able to hold my own."
Unohana's curiosity was now fully ignited, like a drunkard drawn by the scent of fine wine.
"How much of it can you use now?"
Hearing the eagerness in her voice, Fujimiya suddenly realized his mistake and quickly interjected, "Sensei, this Shikai isn't suitable for use on allies."
"B-because..."
Halfway through his explanation, his gaze involuntarily drifted—first from Unohana's eyes to the ample curves barely concealed by her loose kimono, then down to the teacup resting near her thighs.
"My Shikai is extremely dangerous. A single misstep could lead to death."
"Yeah! Exactly!"
He wasn't entirely lying.
Whether it was literal death or social death, both were forms of annihilation in human society!
In fact, the latter might be even more devastating than the former!
"That's fine."
Unohana, however, remained completely unfazed. "If it's truly that dangerous, then it's all the more reason for your teacher to test it firsthand."
Seeing the undisguised excitement in her eyes, Fujimiya felt a headache coming on.
How could I forget?
This was a woman who would throw away her life for the sake of the ultimate battle.
Dangerous?
That was exactly what she wanted!
Just as Fujimiya was scrambling for a way to dissuade her, his zanpakutō suddenly piped up:
[Sensei! Don't listen to his lies, Sensei!]
[The rules we perverts came up with don't have a single drop of blood in them!]
[It's all lewd, sticky nonsense!]
[Loser gets a 'surprise meal,' Sensei!]
[I lost just now, so he stole all my power and stuffed me full of—MMPH!]
Mid-sentence, Fujimiya's eyes bulged as he instantly activated his "Shut-the-Hell-Up" technique, clamping down on the brat's mouth and gripping the zanpakutō's hilt tightly.
Damn it!
This little bastard was definitely doing this on purpose!
How is she still able to talk after I took her power?!
Then, a horrifying realization struck him.
Fujimiya slowly looked up at Unohana Yachiru, who sat serenely before him.
The woman who rarely showed any expression—except for the occasional smile in his presence—now wore a thoughtful look, her gaze slightly peculiar as she studied him.
Oh no. This is bad. Really bad.
Fujimiya immediately launched into damage control:
"Unohana-sensei!"
"Don't listen to her nonsense, Sensei!"
"Actually, my Shikai's ability is... probably... maybe... relatively normal...?"
"Kinda?"
But halfway through, as he recalled his zanpakutō's usual behavior, his voice trailed off uncertainly.
"..."
A long silence followed.
Finally, Unohana spoke, her tone so gentle it made him relax instinctively.
"Makoto-kun."
"Do you know why I took you in as my student?"
Fujimiya paused, then answered seriously, "Because you wanted to cultivate a worthy opponent for yourself."
Unohana pressed further, "And do you know why I'm so desperate for an opponent?"
At this, Fujimiya hesitated.
He shook his head.
Unohana smiled sincerely.
"The first reason is simple: because it's fun."
This answer didn't surprise him.
Unohana-sensei was someone who lived for battle, after all.
But...
Unohana continued calmly, "For me, life-and-death combat surpasses all other desires—appetite, lust, happiness, any hobby or craving. It is the pinnacle of existence, the meaning of my life."
"If I had to name another passion, it would be facing ever-stronger opponents."
"And that leads to... the second reason."
Here, Unohana's eyelids lowered slightly, her mood seemingly dimming as she sighed. "But I've reached a bottleneck in my strength."
"Makoto-kun, have you ever experienced what it's like to hit a wall?"
"Not yet."
Fujimiya answered honestly.
Unohana smiled. "That's what makes you so precious."
She composed herself and continued, "But whether it's me, Genryūsai, or even the others... we all know roughly where our limits lie."
"If Genryūsai has reached the 'peak' of what a Shinigami can achieve, then I'm just a step below."
"In terms of Reiō classification, that would be the highest tier of first-class Reiō versus barely scraping into first-class."
"Within the [Reiō] system—the framework the Five Great Noble Houses use to measure a Shinigami's spiritual pressure—both of us have nearly reached the ceiling. Progress is almost impossible."
"But just as there's a gap between Genryūsai and me..."
"The difference between first-class Reiō users can be just as vast."
Unohana's gaze remained steady. "Which means... as a [Shinigami], I still have room to grow."
"So, I need an opponent of comparable strength."
"To break through this bottleneck."
"And to pursue the pinnacle of battle."
"This is my selfish desire, but also the meaning of my existence."
"For this, I will spare no cost."
"Do you understand now?"
Unohana spoke calmly, as if matters of life and death were trivial to her. Her eyes remained fixed on her young disciple—and the future opponent she had chosen.
Fujimiya sat upright.
This was the first time Unohana had explained the differences between Shinigami and the path to the peak in such detail.
And he understood what she was trying to convey.
As long as his zanpakutō could help her reach greater heights, nothing else mattered—not perversion, not monstrosity.
As a Shinigami who had lived over a thousand years, Unohana—like Genryūsai—had long since transcended countless trivialities.
The only thing that remained unchanged was the core pursuit of her soul.
For Unohana Yachiru, that pursuit was singular: battle.
Everything else?
Whether it was something as insignificant as life, or something even more trivial like love...
None of it mattered.
"...Yes."
Fujimiya replied.
Unohana smiled faintly, sliding a cup of tea toward him. Her voice remained even:
"Don't hold back, Makoto."
"Just as I once surpassed my own teacher by killing him in our final duel..."
"As my disciple, you must wield your blade with the resolve to kill me—or abide by whatever other rules you've set."
As she spoke, a strand of hair slipped from behind her ear, resting against her shoulder.
Her serene smile never wavered.
"Whatever the strong do is right."
"So..."
"I look forward to the day you surpass me."
Fujimiya accepted the teacup and took a sip. It was still a bit too hot.
Deep down, he sighed.
If Unohana-sensei was saying this, then didn't it mean he had to become the rebellious disciple who defied his master?
What a troublesome fate.
Fujimiya exhaled slowly, draining the cup in one go before setting it down. His posture straightened, sharp as an unsheathed blade.
"If that's how Unohana-sensei feels..."
"Then I won't hold back."
Unohana's smile deepened, genuine this time. She nodded.
"If you can manage it."
Her eyes opened fully, gazing at the disciple before her—a rough gemstone, still unpolished.
In just over two years, he had grown from seventh-class Reiō to this level.
How much longer would it take?
Surely less than a century.
How...
Exciting.