The Ruri'iro Kujaku bloomed, and then… Sister Mei was done!
Because of her female soul and even more flamboyant dressing, Sister Mei received Unohana's evaluation of 'flashy without substance, needs to practice the basics more.'
And that exquisite grooming was naturally obliterated under Unohana's hands!
The fear of image destruction enveloped Rangiku.
Under Rangiku's pleading gaze, Kira and Omaeda, displaying gentlemanly conduct, stepped forward.
Even faster than the previous ones, these two men didn't last much longer either!
Thus, within the massive dojo, fewer and fewer people remained standing.
Renji, Hisagi, Omaeda, Ikkaku, Sister Mei, Rangiku, Kira, and others… all were sent into the belly of Minazuki!
Only Ichigo and Rukia remained in the arena!
Unohana smiled as she looked over!
"Eep!"
Letting out a flustered cry, Rukia hid behind Ichigo.
Beneath the deliberately loose Shinigami robes, her slender legs were trembling even more violently than when she had just woken up in the morning!
"The pressure!!"
"Sister Hana's Smile.JPG!"
"Sister Hana: Let me see who thinks I lack strength?"
"Sister Hana: Who's the next one to be eaten by Minazuki?"
"Hahaha, you guys are hilarious, Rukia's scared out of her wits!"
"That's right, I'd be scared too, who could have guessed?"
"Indeed! Terrifying!"
Watching Rukia tremble and Unohana's overwhelmingly intimidating presence, everyone discussed animatedly.
Seeing Rukia like this, Unohana also slightly restrained her ferocity, raising her face with a small smile. "Afraid, Rukia? It's alright, you can hide behind him. I believe Ichigo is willing to protect you!"
Perhaps it was because Unohana's raised face made her appear more sunny, less intimidating.
Or perhaps something in her words struck a chord with Rukia.
Trembling, Rukia still stepped forward, saying firmly:
"Let's go, Captain Unohana. I don't want to be protected by Ichigo forever!"
"Good!" Unohana was very pleased with Rukia's determination, and then gave her a slash!
Gush!
Staring blankly at the wound running from her chest down to her lower abdomen, Rukia felt terrible.
'At least the others had exchanged a few blows, why was I defeated with one slash?'
With such confusion, Rukia fell down.
Soon after, Minazuki flew over and swallowed Rukia.
Watching Minazuki, which had swallowed everyone, fly away, Ichigo sighed.
"Sister Hana, that slash of yours was too harsh."
"Rukia is thin and small, feels nice to the touch, I quite like her. What if it leaves a scar?" Hearing Ichigo's words, Unohana maintained her usual smile:
"Sorry, Ichigo, but I really couldn't hold back anymore!"
"You probably guessed, right? The Captain-Commander didn't ask me to replace him. I'm here only for you. I never planned to have others from the start."
"I don't know how to teach people. I only know how to fight to the death!"
"Using a bamboo sword to eliminate others, restraining myself to the point of not killing anyone yet is already quite good!"
Unohana explained.
Hearing this, Ichigo finally understood:
"A personal instructor just for me?"
"So, Sister Hana, what will you teach me?"
"Everything!"
Answering, Unohana drew another katana from her left sleeve.
All along, she had witnessed Ichigo's growth. Not only did Yamamoto have expectations for Ichigo, hoping he could play a role in the battle against Aizen-
Sister Hana also hoped to nurture Ichigo.
This wasn't just to satisfy her battle lust… Unohana also wanted Ichigo to help her accomplish something she had failed to do!
Hearing Unohana's answer, Ichigo's gaze turned serious.
Within him, the Reiryoku that had been boiling since the previous consecutive battles surged.
"Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu!"
Clad in a black coat, holding Tensa Zangetsu, Ichigo appeared before Unohana.
"Oh, going straight to Bankai?" Unohana was quite surprised.
"That's right!" Ichigo nodded. "Maybe one day, I'll be like the other Captains, using Shikai against enemies most of the time, but definitely not now."
"A Shinigami's Zanpakuto changes according to their state. Different states are like different weapons. So, for now, I'd better focus on one."
"A very clever idea!" Unohana praised. "Ichigo, I'm growing more and more fond of you!"
"Then, let's begin now!"
Saying this, the substitute katana, made to the same specifications as Minazuki, slashed towards Ichigo!
Screech-
Blades collided, creating a continuous shower of sparks. Ichigo, gripping his sword with both hands, blocked Unohana's sudden strike!
But the next moment, Ichigo's pupils suddenly contracted!
The pressure from Unohana's blade on his hands suddenly eased!
Then, retreating half a step, switching her right hand to her left, Unohana twisted her wrist, and the sharp blade sliced across Ichigo's wrist!
By the time the patterns of Blut Vene lit up, Unohana's blade had long since left!
With just the first attack, Unohana had demonstrated a feint to him, and succeeded!
Now truly beginning the instruction, Unohana said:
"Fighting relying on your innate talent, perhaps you've always faced straightforward opponents, and with that defensive move, you aren't afraid of such attacks, so you were unprepared."
"But from now on, remember this: Combat employs every possible means and is mixed with all sorts of cunning."
"You need to judge your opponent's sword!"
"Consider this small wound a lesson. Again!"
Unohana used Shunpo rapidly, slashing at Ichigo.
Responding with equal speed, Ichigo tried to circle behind Unohana.
But as if reading his mind, Unohana, a step faster, had already placed her blade in front of Ichigo.
Swish!
Adjusting his posture with difficulty, Ichigo was still struck by this slash!
"Absolute speed is invincible, but only if you truly possess absolute speed!"
"Your power and speed after Bankai are good, but don't be so linear. It's too easy to read!" Unohana said.
Then, Ichigo unleashed his trump card, Getsuga Tensho, only to have it interrupted midway.
Unohana continued lecturing:
"Leave more room for yourself. Don't pour all your power into a single move!"
"Between striking a more powerful blow and striking a more threatening blow, which should you choose?"
Using high speed to circle around Unohana, Ichigo made his blade dance into afterimages, and his body run into blurs!
Thousands of blades stabbed towards Unohana!
But then, Unohana's expression turned serious, and she thrust fiercely towards one particular afterimage!
"Gush!" Another bloody gash appeared on Ichigo's body!
"The move is good, but your high-speed afterimages shouldn't just be about power. You need to find your opponent's weaknesses more, then feint and pull, forcing them to expose bigger openings!"
Unohana's critique sounded again!
Just like with Ikkaku, with absolute sword skill, Unohana crushed Ichigo technically!
In just two or three exchanges, the wounds on Ichigo's body were comparable to those from the Sokyoku Hill period!
Just as Ichigo was about to head to Minazuki on his own-
"Wait!" Unohana stopped him.
"Let me do it." Instead of sending Ichigo to squeeze into Minazuki with the others, Unohana began healing him.
Smiling at Ichigo, a battle lust that could no longer be suppressed shone in Unohana's eyes:
"You didn't think this little bit was enough, did you?"
"Pointing out flaws is useless if only said. They won't be remembered unless engraved into your body with experience!"
"I've played the good teacher for long enough, Ichigo!"
For some reason, Ichigo suddenly had a bad premonition.
'Would Sister Hana subject me to the kind of combat training she had done with Zaraki Kenpachi in Muken?'
In short, targeting him, healing him, and then continuing the fight!
Ichigo looked at Unohana.
By now, having healed Ichigo, Unohana had already picked up her sword again, gesturing for him to attack.
"Getsuga Tensho!"
The intense clashing of swords rang out!
The hellish battle began anew!
Herein, endless torment!