Chapter 133: Increasing Affection
Fourth Division Barracks
Captain's Exclusive Dojo
Two white-clad figures crossed paths repeatedly within, the crisp sound of bamboo swords clashing ringing out like a musical rhythm.
Every so often, squad members would push medical carts past the dojo, their indifferent expressions showing they had long grown accustomed to such intense battles.
At first, the Fourth Division members found it unusual for the Ninth Division Captain to seek out their Captain for swordsmanship exchanges frequently. After all, Captain Unohana was so gentle and even spoke softly during treatments. How could she easily agree to sparring matches with other Captains?
However, over time, the squad members came to understand one thing: their Captain was the one actively seeking and demanding these exchanges!
Often, those passing by the dojo would overhear provocative statements such as:
"Captain Tokikaze, please please me to the fullest!"
"How can you say no to such things?"
"Your attacks can definitely be more intense…"
Initially, these overheard comments caused much surprise and confusion among the squad members. But as Tokikaze's visits to the Fourth Division became more frequent, they grew accustomed to it.
It seemed the two were genuinely exchanging swordsmanship techniques.
After all, no one would turn a dojo into a wreck if it were just for flirtation.
As Tokikaze's swordsmanship improved, Unohana Retsu suggested they use Zanpakutō instead of bamboo swords. After trying it a few times, the shockwaves repeatedly blew apart the dojo walls, strained the Fourth Division's budget for the month.
Reluctantly, Unohana Retsu sighed and reverted to using bamboo swords.
In the dojo, the sound of strikes gradually slowed.
A fierce swordsmanship exchange had come to an end.
The two put down the shattered bamboo swords and walked through the sliding doors along the side of the dojo, through the corridor, and into a newly established tea room.
The martial contest was over; now it was time for a scholarly contest.
They had differing opinions and ideas on swordsmanship.
With tea poured, they sat across from each other at the table.
Unlike previous times, this session carried a faint, intimate atmosphere.
Tokikaze's rapid progress in swordsmanship meant that unless Unohana Retsu went all out, she couldn't easily surpass him in pure swordplay.
This left both of them sweating and their lightweight sword uniforms clinging to their bodies, enhancing their allure. Her hair fell over her chest, covering important areas.
Unohana Retsu seemed completely unbothered by this, calmly arranging the tea utensils, apparently unaware of her current appearance's implications.
"Please enjoy, Tokikaze-kun," she smiled warmly. "This tea is from my own cultivation, not inferior to Yuinori tea."
Given their growing familiarity, Unohana Retsu had begun addressing Tokikaze more intimately as "Tokikaze-kun" instead of "Captain Tokikaze." This shift indicated a significant increase in their closeness.
"Thank you, Hanashō."
Tokikaze had considered calling her "Retsu," but it didn't sound quite right. "Yachiru" would overlap with a certain pink-haired girl's name.
After some thought, he decided to use his previously most common form of address.
Unohana Retsu only expressed brief surprise before accepting it with a smile.
Someone with her personality didn't care much about such things. Otherwise, she wouldn't have named herself Unohana Yachiru.
Tokikaze picked up the teacup and took a sip.
The rich aroma filled his mouth, and the thick, smooth tea flowed down his throat, leaving a faint sweetness.
Unohana Retsu hadn't exaggerated. In terms of flavour, this tea wasn't inferior to Yuinori tea.
"Excellent!"
Tokikaze gave a thumbs up, though it was unclear if he was praising the tea or the person in front of him.
Unohana Retsu gracefully clasped her hands in front of her, exuding a gentle and elegant aura. If not for her tight-fitting sword uniform, she would be the perfect image of a Yamato Nadeshiko.
From Tokikaze's perspective, the tight-fitting uniform was a bonus.
Very pleasing to the eye!
After finishing their tea, they resumed discussing their views on swordsmanship.
Their debate grew so intense that they used their hands to mimic sword strikes.
This exchange lasted quite a while.
It continued until they could no longer distinguish the taste of the tea.
Tokikaze stood up from his seat, stretching his back with a series of cracking sounds.
Unohana Retsu did the same, stretching lazily and showing off her curves without hesitation.
Realising their mutual understanding, they exchanged a smile and left the tea room together.
Comprehensive Rescue Center Lab
After ending their swordsmanship session, Tokikaze headed straight to the Comprehensive Rescue Center's lab.
His recent trip to the human world had yielded discoveries; it was time to provide Yamada Seinosuke with more experimental material.
Tokikaze felt no guilt over using Taizawa Kiriko as experimental material.
And neither did Yamada Seinosuke.
"Fullbringers…"
He observed the charred body newly placed in the culture dish as various monitoring devices extracted relevant data.
"It seems similar to the spirit particles of the Adjuchas from before."
"Both diverged in their development paths, but in essence, they seem to originate from the same source."
Indeed, Yamada Seinosuke's expertise in biological research was impressive.
With just a simple observation, he had analysed the essence of Fullbringers.
The Adjuchas killed in the Rukongai area had evolved by consuming remnants of the Spirit King's power in the air.
Fullbringers, on the other hand, enhanced themselves with Spirit King fragments, augmented by Hollow power.
Their essence was the same, but their developmental paths and focal points differed.
"This is quite valuable experimental material," Yamada Seinosuke remarked excitedly. It's a shame the samples are too few to allow deeper analysis."
He sounded a bit regretful at the end.
"The souls of Fullbringers are still human," Tokikaze reminded. "If you're interested, you can try searching for these two in the Rukongai."
"One is called Kūgo Ginjō, the other is Kiriko Taizawa."
"There's no need to worry about Soul Society's laws when dealing with them."
"These two are worthy of execution on the double-edged hill."
Yamada Seinosuke nodded, understanding the directive. He planned to post related search notices in the Rukongai in the future.
He then shifted the topic, his face alight with enthusiasm tinged with a hint of madness:
"Additionally, Captain Tokikaze, there have been new developments in the research on inner Kaidō…"