Chapter 225: Unohana's Hesitation
"Huh?"
Hearing Satoru's shout, Shinji showed a puzzled expression.
Was there someone else peeping besides himself?
He followed Satoru's gaze while releasing his Reiatsu to sense the area, but detected nothing.
Just as he thought Satoru must have been mistaken and there was nobody there, a figure slowly emerged from the alley.
A white haori, two long braids draped over her chest.
Seeing this person, Hirako's eyes widened.
Fourth Division Captain... Retsu Unohana!
Why had this senior appeared here?
Wait, that wasn't the main issue...
How could he have completely failed to detect such a senior at such close range?
Although he had long heard that this seemingly harmless senior was actually a terrifying existence, he never imagined it would be to such an absurd extent.
Wait.
If the senior's skill in concealing Reiatsu was so advanced that he couldn't detect it even at such close range, then how did Satoru know the senior was there?
At this thought, Shinji's gaze toward Satoru suddenly turned somewhat peculiar.
Not long ago, he and Aizen were casually chatting over afternoon tea.
When the topic turned to Satoru, Aizen remarked with emotion that he was a true genius.
Hirako didn't pay much attention to Aizen's evaluation.
The Soul Society had existed for over a million years—geniuses were as common as carp in a river, never in short supply.
Even he himself had been called a genius in his youth.
But now… Shinji suddenly felt that Satoru might be even more remarkable than he had previously imagined.
As he pondered, Retsu slowly approached.
A faint smile appeared on her gentle face.
"Satoru-kun, you weren't thinking of using any disrespectful names for me just now, were you?"
Satoru blinked in confusion.
"What does Hana-nee mean? I don't quite understand."
Hearing the address from Satoru, the corners of Retsu's lips lifted slightly, as if somewhat satisfied.
In truth, although she appeared calm on the surface, she was inwardly full of surprise.
Compared to Hirako, she herself knew better just how well she had concealed her Reiatsu earlier.
Even Yamamoto's two beloved disciples probably wouldn't have been able to detect her presence.
Yet Satoru had easily noticed her, and without even looking, he knew her identity.
Just how powerful was his perception?
"Hana-nee, what do you think of this Kiganjō?"
"How about letting him succeed as Kenpachi?"
Hearing Satoru's words, Unohana snapped back to reality.
Looking at Kiganjō, who appeared foolish and dull not far away, Retsu suddenly widened her eyes.
In that instant, the world seemed to lose its color.
A pitch-black, oppressive, and murderous atmosphere enveloped Kiganjō layer by layer.
Like an invisible giant hand, it plunged him into the depths of the sea.
The terrifying pressure and coldness made Kiganjō collapse to the ground with a loud thud.
He stared at Retsu in terror, muttering something unintelligible.
A gush of yellow-green bile suddenly surged from his mouth.
"Aah… Aaahhh!!!"
Ignoring the immense pain, Kiganjō acted as if he had encountered some primordial beast, directly dropping his spiked club and scrambling away in a frantic escape.
Witnessing the scene before him, Satoru couldn't help but feel that he had broadened his horizons.
Just now, Retsu had frightened a fierce man like Kiganjō out of his wits using only her killing intent.
He could even imagine that, for many years to come, Kiganjō would likely never dare to engage in battle again.
Even without directly facing the killing intent itself, merely sensing it from the sidelines gave one the feeling of being in a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with countless grim faces reaching out, trying to drag one into the bloody abyss.
Truly worthy of being one of the Soul Society's most veteran captains, an existence who had once fought alongside Old Man Yamamoto.
Watching Kiganjō's fleeing figure, Satoru felt that his state of mind had been strengthened.
Humans are creatures prone to compromise.
For example, when going out shopping, you might have already decided on the brand you want to buy before leaving home.
But before finding the desired brand, you come across a product with similar functions that could barely serve the purpose, yet isn't as good as the one you originally intended to buy.
At such moments, many people lose their resolve, act impulsively, and end up buying something they don't actually need.
By the time they return home and realize their mistake, it's already too late for regrets.
Onigumo was precisely that kind of substitute—the one you'd inevitably regret bringing home.
At this moment, Satoru's goal was clear.
To find the man he truly wanted.
Kenpachi Zaraki!
...
...
Retsu withdrew her gaze and looked at Satoru.
"Satoru-kun… what do you know?"
She paid no attention to the fleeing Onigumo and directly posed her question to Satoru.
However, this time Satoru was genuinely a bit confused.
"…Know what?"
Retsu quietly studied Satoru's eyes.
After a moment, she nodded softly.
"My apologies, I must have overthought it."
From Satoru's eyes, she could detect no signs of deception.
This young man, though occasionally unpredictable, was a true inheritor of the Genryū tradition.
Someone like him would never become a schemer.
As for the matter of the boy from Zaraki, he had likely just heard about it by chance and became intrigued upon learning of it.
Thinking of it this way, it might even be a good thing.
If Satoru could find that boy from centuries ago, it would help her fulfill a long-held wish.
Recalling the scene from back then, Retsu couldn't help but show a nostalgic expression.
Centuries ago, as the first Kenpachi, she had encountered a boy in the eightieth district of North Rukongai, "Zaraki."
That boy, with his brutally savage swordsmanship, had defeated her and left a scar on her chest.
The thought of possibly seeing that boy again made her feel a surge of excitement.
But then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned her gaze to Satoru standing nearby.
Come to think of it… this young man before her was also a beast-like fighter who excelled in instinctual combat.
She wondered who would be stronger between him and the boy from Zaraki?
The moment this thought crossed her mind, Retsu felt a flicker of surprise.
When had the brightest existence in her heart, once believed to be unparalleled in the world, begun to be rivaled by the light of another star?
Satoru…
This disciple taken in by Lord Genryūsai was becoming more and more enigmatic.
With mixed emotions, Retsu bid farewell to Satoru and left.
Her departure seemed somewhat hurried.
She feared that if she stayed any longer, she might not be able to resist challenging Satoru to a spar.
If that happened, the sword intent she had preserved for centuries—the essence she wished to convey to that person—might slip from her grasp and be fully unleashed upon Satoru.
That… must not happen.
But… must it really not?
For the first time in a long while, the swordsman soaring through the skies felt her resolve waver.