Is it okay to call it Ikkaku's true Bankai...? Anyway, he's reached beyond Ryumon Hozukimaru...
But as expected, it seems difficult to use.
He runs out of breath quickly, and it looks like it will take more time to master it properly.
I think it will become easier to use once he gets used to it, though.
Also, my sparring with Ikkaku is still continuing, but... I feel like Hozukimaru's killing intent is maxed out only when sparring with me.
Is he still holding a grudge for being forcibly stripped...?
If so, that's unexpected!
He's not some innocent baby, and I literally helped him shed a layer, so I want him to be grateful!
'My Liege, isn't that a bit... too much forced gratitude?'
...Eh? Is that how it is...?
Anyway, the frequency of Ikkaku's visits has decreased.
It seems he's working hard on training with the goal of mastering Bankai.
So he doesn't seem to have free time to bother with me.
But if he becomes stronger that way, Captain Zaraki's attention should also turn to Ikkaku, and by extension, the probability of me being targeted should decrease, so I really want him to do his best and become strong.
'You concluded with an impression on the level of an elementary school student...'
-----
Since Ikkaku comes less frequently, it's good that I can concentrate on Squad 4 work.
Since I disciplined Squad 11 and the Academy students, members of other squads also obey obediently within the hospital, so it's all good things.
Daily work progresses smoothly.
Perhaps thanks to the increased peaceful time, the number of our squad members doing combat training little by little is increasing! This must be what they call a "good flow".
Now, it's almost time to start work. Let's work energetically today too!
...Wait, oh my? The Denreishinki is ringing.
Who on earth at this time... wait, this number is!!
"Yes, hello!?"
'Is that Yukawa!? Sorry, but come to West Rukongai right now!!'
"Eh, wait... Kaien-san!? What do you mean!?"
The person on the phone was the popular person of Squad 13, everyone's favorite Kaien Shiba-san.
From his desperate appearance, I understand that something extraordinary is happening.
So, while hurriedly heading to the entrance, I continue the exchange over the phone.
'I'll explain the circumstances later! It's an emergency!!'
"Please wait. West Rukongai means I should head to the Shiba house!? ...Ah, sorry!"
Since I'm moving while on the phone, my concentration is a bit lacking.
I almost bumped into other squad members several times, and each time I hurriedly apologize while covering the mouthpiece, then concentrate on the call again, repeating this.
'Yeah! It would help if you do that!!'
"Is it an injured person!? What kind of wound—"
"There you are, you're the one who did unnecessary things to Ikkaku's Zanpakuto—"
"You're in the way!!"
"Guga!"
"Can the injury be managed with Kaido alone? I'll prepare some medicine... hm?"
Oh my? Did it feel like someone was there just now...?
'Oi, what happened!?'
"I'm sorry! I'm heading to the Shiba house right now! Please wait a moment!!"
I conveyed that and hung up the phone—
"Who is this...?"
At my feet, a slender, handsome man with a bob cut whom I may or may not have seen in Squad 11 was lying.
Since he was emitting killing intent, I unconsciously punched him down, and since he fainted with a stupid face, his good looks are ruined...
Well, whatever.
Since he came out with killing intent, he must have been prepared to be beaten back.
You know how they say from long ago, the only ones allowed to massage are those prepared to be massaged—right.
'That is slightly different! No, in a sense, it is exactly right though!!'
"Sorry, emergency patient! Someone lay this person in a hospital room. He just fainted so no special treatment is needed, he's fine!"
"Y-Yes! Vice Captain!"
"Also, a sudden treatment request came up for me so I'm heading out! I'm sorry, but take care of things while I'm gone!"
I can't just leave him there, so I call out to a nearby squad member.
Now then, I don't know what happened, but I have to go to the Shiba house as soon as possible!
-----
"Kaien-san!!"
"Oh, you came! Sorry for the unreasonable request!"
When I rushed to the Shiba house in a great hurry, Kaien-san was waiting for me.
He seemed distraught in front of the house.
Come to think of it, Kaien-san was promoted to Vice Captain around the time after that incident before.
Climbing from the Academy to Vice Captain is too fast, isn't it, this person. He's too much of a lump of talent.
"Um, so what exactly...!!?"
"It's faster to have you look than to talk, come this way!!"
"Eh, wait..."
Thinking he took my hand, I was dragged into the mansion.
Pulling me along as if dragging me, we went straight to a certain room.
"...Kukaku!?"
There was the figure of Kukaku lying on a futon with a pained expression.
Around her were her parents and the servant combo Koganehiko and Ginhiko. And the still young—Ganju, who is a toddler rather than a boy, is looking at Kukaku with an anxious expression.
"B-Big Brother!"
"Kaien!"
"Yeah, I asked the impossible and had her come! If it's Yukawa, she can manage somehow!"
Seeing Kaien-san and me, their expressions became somewhat relieved.
Or rather, isn't the expectation value of "If it's me, I can manage somehow" too high...?
"So, what exactly happened? I haven't heard any detailed circumstances at all—"
"It's... it's my fault... If I were stronger, Big Sister wouldn't have...!!"
Before I could ask about the circumstances, Ganju-kun started crying.
Ganju-kun is the youngest brother of the Shiba family.
Still small and young, an innocent boy.
A child with a very energetic impression.
Since he's a brother much younger than them, both Kaien-san and Kukaku spoil him quite a bit.
I've served as his playmate a few times too.
...To think such a cute boy would become like a town thug...
Ah... I hate knowledge of the future...!
No, that's not it!!
So, what happened!? Ganju-kun started crying and I don't understand at all!!
"...Shut up..."
"Big Sister!!"
"Kukaku! Don't get up, stay asleep!!"
"If you make a racket by my pillow, anyone would wake up... Uoh!!"
"Kukaku!"
"Gaaaaah!!"
Kukaku, who tried to sit up, suddenly lost her balance greatly.
I hurriedly tried to support her body, but she screamed in pain... and there I finally realized.
The reason why I was called.
"This, your arm...!"
Her right arm is completely gone from around the middle of the upper arm.
Losing balance when trying to get up was caused by this.
Instead of the missing arm, bandages are wrapped up near the shoulder, but the roughly wrapped bandages made it look even more painful.
The pain must be considerable. Cold sweat is breaking out all over her body.
"Treatment has been done, right? ...But, this is..."
"I... did it..."
"Eh!? Kukaku did!?"
"I have a little knowledge of healing arts too... so that I wouldn't have to rely on you like before... Guh!!"
I see, when I cured her parents before, she must have felt helplessness in her own way.
So that means she dabbled in Kaido too.
Certainly, minimum treatment seems to have been done... but this is...
It feels like she just treated it roughly.
"But looks like it didn't go well after all... Forcibly put to sleep with medicine, woken up by pain even while sleeping... Heh! What a mess. Laugh if you want..."
"Idiot! This isn't the time to say weird things!! Yukawa, can you do something!?"
She's pretending to be fine, but it's obvious to anyone's eyes that she's in a dangerous state.
After all, there is no vitality in Kukaku's face.
Just looking at her pale complexion, I can understand the degree of danger well.
In addition, her heart seems considerably weakened too.
The discomfort and sense of loss from losing something that was supposed to be there naturally is beyond imagination. Above all, losing an arm changes the body's center of gravity.
She just tried to prop herself up with her right hand normally to get up, but there was nothing there.
Her body with its center of gravity off couldn't even break the fall properly.
In that "moment she tried to get up," the perceptive girl must have understood.
But trying not to worry her family, she is putting up a front more than necessary.
This is a bit of a bad situation.
I have to do something before a strange crack forms between the family.
"Right. Kukaku, don't think about anything right now! I'll treat you immediately, so if you have something to say, do it after that!! Okay!?"
"Anh? Well, I'd be grateful if you could heal this arm but... it's impossible, right?"
"That's not true. Well, if the arm was here, healing it would have been easy though..."
I glance around the room and ask.
"It's not here, right, the arm?"
"Yeah, it's not..."
Looking down at the roughly wrapped bandages, she shows an anxious expression.
"Haa... life with one arm from now on, huh... well, it can't be helped... Just having my life is a profit..."
"Eh? I can fix it, you know?"
"Haa!?"
Oh my, a hundred expressions?
Just when I thought she had a depressed expression, she rolled her eyes upon hearing my words.
"By fix, you don't mean the arm!? Don't be stupid! It's gone already, you know!?"
"Is it true, Yukawa!! Can you really fix it!?"
"Of course, I can."
"You can really do it!?"
...Ah, I see.
With Nubatama and me, a trained Kaido user, something like one arm is easy.
But they don't know that, so that's why they are this surprised.
Certainly, if I were in the opposite position, I think I'd be angry saying "There's no way you can fix it!"
To Kaien-san and the others who asked half in doubt—while containing plenty of desire to believe—I nodded strongly.
"Yukawa-nechan! Please, save Big Sister!!"
"Yukawa, I beg you too! I don't want to make Kukaku—my sister live an inconvenient life with one arm!!"
"Yukawa-san, we beg you too!! We will pay any reward!!"
Then they must have finally believed.
Ganju, the parents, and even the servants bowed their heads all at once.
Oh my, she's loved... Kukaku is. I'm a little envious.
"Such a reward, I'm just doing what's natural. However..."
"However...?"
"I need a little concentration, so could you all leave the room?"
"C-Can you do it here!? That easily!?"
"It's like an application of Kaido. It's better if it heals quickly, right?"
A wild voice rose again as if dumbfounded.
"W-Well that's true but..."
"Surrender, I surrender already. If we talk any more, my head is going to go crazy first."
Glancing at the bewildered Kaien-san and others, Kukaku started saying such things.
"So Big Brother and the others, get out of the room. If you do, Yukawa will heal my arm, right?"
"Yes, of course."
"That seems to be it! Come on, get out, get out!!"
"A, Aah... Yukawa, I leave my sister to you!!"
Told so, they obediently left while bewildered.
And only Kukaku and I remain in the room.
"Alright then, I'll start now but... Kukaku, I'm going to use a technique to make you lose consciousness for a bit, so don't resist, okay?"
"A technique to lose consciousness, huh... by the way, what happens if I resist?"
"If you want to suffer from severe pain endlessly, I won't stop you, but I don't recommend it."
"...I'll pass."
When I told her that, she closed her eyes as if resigned and accepted my technique obediently.
What I chanted earlier is a so-called "anesthesia" technique.
Since there is no consciousness, the opponent doesn't feel pain—whether cut or stabbed, they can't even twitch while defenseless. A technique essential for surgery.
...Ah, this technique is nullified just by the opponent thinking "I have to resist," so it can't be used for bad things.
Now, since she properly lost consciousness, from here on it's my time.
First, to not hinder the treatment, I undress her.
Come to think of it, the only time I could massage Kukaku was that one time.
Since then, Kaien-san's guard has been tight so there was no opportunity.
'In other words, this timing right now is a moment given by God! Unlimited time all-you-can-touch! Is that what it is!!'
...Haa!? What are you saying Nubatama!! Treatment comes first obviously!!
Listen!! It's only possible with a healthy body!! Making a move on an injured person is outrageous!! Don't you have common sense!?
'I, I apologize...'
Above all, it's not fun if there's no reaction!!
'Wait lol You lol'
Using the next technique, eliminate all bacteria too.
Ideally, I want to take her to a place with proper equipment, but Ganju-kun looks like he's going to cry. Swiftly and surely, and with full power, here I go!
First undo the bandages... ugh, this is...!
What was there was a scar that looked like it had been torn off by a large beast.
It must have been considerably painful, yet she endured well.
Come to think of it, she said she took medicine but... painkillers, probably...
It helped that Kaien-san called me.
It's long past the level that can be managed with painkillers and self-taught Kaido alone.
Kukaku said she treated it with Kaido, but this is beyond half-hearted skills.
On top of that, the area around the wound is starting to fester with bacteria...
"...It's worth healing. Let's go, Nubatama."
'Leave it to me! Indeed!!'
While healing the wound with Kaido, I create copies of Kukaku's cells with Nubatama's ability and regenerate the arm.
A spectacle as if an arm is slowly growing was unfolding there.
I can do it with Kaido alone, but borrowing Nubatama's power is more certain.
'As a bonus, Kukaku-dono will become stronger!! It is a joint work of love! ...Hah! Does that mean Kukaku-dono is the daughter of myself and my Liege!? Fuhi, fuhihihi... Such a daughter dressed so erotically... d-does that mean I can punish her!?'
Yes, yes, fantasize all you want but do the job perfectly.
Continuing the regeneration work with concentration, eventually—
"Phew, operation complete..."
'Good work!!'
—There was Kukaku with a flawless right arm grown back.
-----
"I can't believe it... it's really my arm..."
When Kukaku regained consciousness and learned her arm was healed, she gazed at her right arm as if looking at something rare, sometimes opening and closing her hand to confirm the sensation.
"Does it feel strange?"
"No, no problem at all. Rather, it feels better than before! Thanks, Yukawa!!"
The moment they heard those words, her surroundings erupted in cheers.
"Thank goodness... Kukaku, really thank goodness..."
"Big Sister, Big Sister...!"
After that, I told Kaien-san and the others waiting outside that the surgery was successful and had them come inside.
Seeing her figure still unconscious but with a right arm grown back, everyone rejoiced, and hearing the words "no problem" from her own mouth, they are rejoicing again—this time the whole family together.
"Since it just regenerated, the sensation is a little different from before. Also, blood should be low, so no intense exercise for a while. Eat a lot and replenish flesh and blood. Okay?"
"Yeah yeah, I know. I'll follow the doctor's orders."
"Idiot! What's that attitude toward your great benefactor!"
"Shut up! I'm an injured person, you know!? No need to hit me!"
"What injured person! You're already healed!!"
The Shiba siblings are frolicking happily, a very heartwarming scene.
I understand that interrupting here would be unable to read the atmosphere.
I understand but—
"More importantly, Kukaku... for you to get such a serious injury, what happened?"
—Before I forget, let's ask.
"Anh... well, it's nothing big. To state the conclusion, it's just a story that I was stupid."
Prefaceing it somewhat regretfully, she told me bit by bit what happened.
"...A White appeared in Rukongai. For some reason, it was targeting our house—and Ganju specifically. Unluckily, I was away, and only Dad and Mom were left. When I noticed the abnormality and rushed back, it was on the verge of attacking. Even so, I barely managed to protect Ganju."
"Then, that injury is..."
"Yeah, an honorable wound from protecting my brother! Well, my arm was bitten off, but I killed that White!"
She proudly slapped her right arm with her left hand, pan.
"Even so, having an arm is good! Even though I had given up, it's an unexpected profit!"
Kukaku is in high spirits, and Kaien-san and her parents are lightly scolding her for that.
But... a White appeared, huh.
Even though the house is built on the outskirts, it's rare for one to appear in Rukongai.
And at such targeted timing.
Could it be that someone's scheme is involved in this incident too...
—Is it a bad habit to think like that? Knowledge keeps getting in the way.
One of the Five Great Noble Families, a Shiba.
I think there are many people who think of using them somehow.
For example... Aizen, or something? Someone from the other Five Great Noble Families, or something?
"Hm...?"
"..."
Suddenly noticing, Ganju-kun was looking down with a brooding expression alone.
"Ganju-kun. What's wrong? You look really worried."
"Wah! Ah, Yukawa-nechan!?"
When I approached softly and called out, perhaps he was concentrating too much, he jumped up and was surprised.
"N-Nothing!"
"Really? I thought I wanted to consult with you since you looked worried..."
"U... I-It can't be helped. If you insist..."
Since he rebuffed me childishly, I guided him to make it easier to talk.
"You know... Big Sister got injured because of me, right? So, I was just thinking that if I were stronger, Big Sister wouldn't have had to get such a serious injury."
"...I see."
It's a pretty big experience, isn't it.
Even as a child, he seems to have received various shocks and been made to think.
"I see, I see, Ganju-kun is admirable."
"Wah, st! Stop it!!"
When I unconsciously patted his head, he showed a gesture of dislike.
...Even though he says that with his mouth, his face is grinning though.
"But you know. It's not just Ganju-kun who thinks that, Kukaku—your sister, brother, and parents think the same. So, don't keep it to yourself and let's talk properly, okay?"
"...Nn."
When I said that while patting him, he nodded obediently while turning bright red.
'This is... the Hado of Shota-con! No, the vibration!!'
Yes, yes, Nubatama, don't tease.
Because even without doing that—
All the Shiba family members have noticed and are looking this way while grinning.
"Heeh... Ganju, getting flustered like a grown-up already?"
"Bi, Big Brother! That's wrong! This is, Yukawa-nechan doing it on her own!!"
"Ahahahaha! Don't be shy, don't be shy!! I was watching clearly from when you turned bright red getting your head patted! Well, brothers grow up fast!"
"Even Big Brother!!"
"Besides, you were talking about Yukawa often, weren't you. Saying you'll make her your bride or not."
"\\\\\~!!"
Oh my, his red face broke the limit and became bright red.
But well, there's no way not to ride this flow.
"Eh, is that so? Fufu, I'm happy. I got such a cute and reliable husband."
Saying that, a little service.
Let's hug him and press my body against him.
'The privilege of a child!! Ah, and yet! The person in question doesn't notice this privilege! Can't notice!! It's an enviable yet wasteful story!! It's wasteful on a level where eco or earth regeneration is not the issue!!'
"Ah, Yukawa-nechan!?"
Although he denied it with his mouth, as expected he didn't resist seriously.
Being teased like this is also the duty of a child, so accept it.
Besides, laugh while you can laugh together as a family like this.
Kaien-san... I want to do something for him though...
When was that again? I have no memory or confidence at all...
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]