The day after I accepted Vice-Captain Hisagi's request for an interview with the Seireitei Communication.
In the Captain's office, just as I was about to finish my daily duties.
"Um, Captain... do you have a moment?"
"Hmm, what's wrong? Did something happen?"
I'm a little taken aback by Isane's face, which looks awfully serious.
"Y-Yesterday!"
"Yesterday...? Ah, the thing about listening to any request?"
"Yes! A-Actually, there's something I've wanted to ask for a long time... P-Please train me too!!"
Wondering what kind of unreasonable demand would pop out, extremely normal words came out of her mouth.
"If it's just that, it's a piece of cake. Let's see... we can do it at the training grounds from the afternoon..."
"Um, not that! That, like the Captain sometimes does with other people, all day long! Stick to me! I ask for something like that!!"
"...Yeah. Of course, it's fine."
"Y-Yay...! Ehehe..."
Kuh! Since she asked desperately, I wondered what it was, but she casually made a cute request and had a cute reaction...!!
"Then, on my next day off—"
"It's okay! I already submitted a leave request for this day!"
What she showed me while saying that was the schedule.
There, Isane has submitted a leave request to match my day off.
"Y-You're well prepared..."
"Yes! Because I am the Vice-Captain!!"
Wow, I can visualize a puppy wagging its tail furiously saying "Praise me, praise me"...
"Th-Then, on that day."
...That means the 3rd Seat is going to be busy that day.
Because both the Captain and Vice-Captain will be gone. The person with the highest responsibility will become the 3rd Seat.
Sorry.
'Unohana-dono managed these parts well too.'
Still haven't reached the former Captain's level yet...
"Come to think of it."
"Yes?"
Days passed, and the day to train Isane arrived.
The training location is as usual, on the outskirts of the Rukongai. A moderately sized plain with no people.
"I heard that Isane was trained by former Captain Unohana, but..."
"Yes, that's right?"
Before starting training, since it's a good opportunity, I ask about something I've always been curious about.
"I'll ask frankly, wasn't it tough?"
"Eh...? No, not that tough..."
"Liar!! Is that so!?"
To be able to declare that "training with Captain Unohana" was "not that tough"...
This child is outrageous... Does she have talent comparable to Vice-Captain Zaraki!?
"Being almost killed endlessly, or special training in Kaido by healing your own wounds after being slashed, that was normal, huh..."
"Eeeh!! I-I didn't do such scary things!!"
When I inadvertently looked into the distance recalling memories of distant days, Isane hurriedly shouted as if to say it was unexpected.
"...Hm? What do you mean?"
"In training with former Captain Unohana, she taught me Kaido practice, Kido practice, and swordsmanship instruction, but it was normal?"
"Didn't you practice by being slashed endlessly by the former Captain and healing your own wounds endlessly?"
"I didn't do that!? I was just taught how to handle spiritual pressure!!"
Oh my...? The clouds are looking suspicious...??
"Wh-What about sword training!? Weren't you told to fight the Captain and learn in actual combat?"
"She would stand next to me and demonstrate 'swing the sword like this'... Ah! Sometimes I was lightly tapped and told 'your posture is disordered', but..."
"Blood... didn't flow...?"
"Yes... that's right..."
Wow... what is that, super gentle.
Asking further after that, what was revealed was "what Captain Unohana gave Isane was incomparably gentler than with me."
Learn while washing blood with blood in battle.
She didn't do things like that, but used an extremely proper method like verbal instruction and showing examples for repetitive practice.
"I see..."
Captain Unohana... I would have preferred that method too...
'But isn't it because she thought you wouldn't become strong with that method that she resorted to violent means?'
Ugh! If you say that... I have no words to retort.
"But, um... actually, there was a reason..."
"Reason?"
"Yes! Captain Unohana said so. 'Someday, Captain Yukawa will become Captain. When that time comes, have the Captain teach you thoroughly'—she said!"
Heeh... she said such a thing.
"I was moved by the figure of the Captain I saw in the first year I was assigned to Squad 4, and I always wanted to be like the Captain!! So, Captain Unohana said! 'It would be better to be taught by Captain Yukawa! But if you can't stand next to the Captain at that time, it will be trouble, so grow to the minimum extent'!! So..."
I see.
In other words, it's a seal of approval from Captain Unohana saying I can dye Isane in my colors.
So she dared to raise her slowly.
'Dyeing her in your colors... what exciting words indeed!!'
But I made her wait about a hundred years... Sorry, Isane.
I'm really sorry about that...
'Even with that slow raising method, she climbed up to Vice-Captain, right? If Isane-dono had done the same training as My Lord, perhaps the positions would have been reversed by now...'
Ah-ah-, I can't hear you, I can't hear you.
"Okay, Isane... listen well."
"Y... Yes!!"
"I understand your feelings well. Then, I will train you in my own way, is that okay? Can you keep up?"
"I'll do my best!"
Good answer!
I'll train you starting today.
Including the wait, plenty, thoroughly, and stickily... right.
"By the way, I am... sweeter than Captain Unohana."
"I'm prepared... Eeeh!?"
She started to reply, but raised her voice as if she had been dodged.
"Um, normally people say 'stricter' for things like this...?"
"...If I made it stricter than that, I think no one would be able to follow..."
I inadvertently avert my eyes.
This is something you won't understand unless you experience it.
"More importantly than that, let's start immediately! First, I want to know Isane's current ability, so try sparring with me."
"Understood!"
Saying that, Isane takes out her Zanpakuto and takes a stance.
"You can use Kido, Hakuda, and Shikai too. Anyway, I want to grasp accurately how much you can do. So please go full force."
"Yes!!"
And she challenged me.
Now, suddenly, here's a question.
Does everyone know what kind of Zanpakuto Isane's is?
The release command is "Hashire" (Run).
The name is "Itegumo" (Frozen Cloud).
When released into Shikai, the guard becomes hexagonal, and the blade increases to three blades—a shape change.
And the essential ability—
As the name suggests, clouds are generated from the blade, and people or things touched by those clouds freeze.
In other words, a Zanpakuto classified as Ice/Snow type.
Those who thought so, raise your hand, I won't get angry.
Yeah, yeah... all of you, your crisis management is naive!
As punishment, everyone gets the penalty of a bear hug!!
There's no way it has such an easy-to-understand and simple ability!!
Listen!? There were tons of hints!!
First, the name of the Zanpakuto, Itegumo—this can be read as both "Itegumo" and "Touun."
The meaning is "Clouds frozen cold. Winter sky cloudy and cold," etc.
And the release command is "Hashire"—this has meanings like "move quickly."
Broadly summarizing, the name of the sword is "words with a slow image," but the release command is "words with an image of fast/momentum."
In other words, the meanings held by the images of the name and the release command are opposite.
And one more thing is the shape of the Zanpakuto when released into Shikai.
This, if you look cloooosely at the changed part, you'll notice.
Because it's the answer itself.
Especially think about the meaning of the blade becoming three.
If I say this much, did you kind of get it?
Eh? You don't know? Give up? Tell me the answer?
...Can't be helped, the correct answer is—
Itegumo is a Zanpakuto with the ability to "manipulate the flow of time of what it cuts"!!
The three blades increased during Shikai signify the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand respectively!
The guard becoming hexagonal was originally planned to be dodecagonal based on the duodecimal system!
However, since it's Shikai, it only became a hexagon, which is half! But a hexagon is stylish too, so no problem!! Also, it serves as a mislead for Ice/Snow type!!
Both shape changes are related to clocks!
And the clincher is Isane's feeling of "I don't want to get any taller"!
This feeling acted on the Zanpakuto and became the ability "Slow down growth -\> Slow down time"!
The reason the release command is "Acceleration" and the Zanpakuto's name has the image of "Slow" is from Isane's own feeling of "I don't want to grow any taller"!
In other words, since the desire to slow down was stronger, the Zanpakuto got that name!
As can be understood from the release command, it has acceleration ability too, but that's a bonus.
Slowing down is the main ability of this Zanpakuto!!
A perfect theory with no gaps, right.
Now then, with the explanation done...
I bear hug myself.
That's right! I thought it was Ice/Snow type too!! My crisis management was naive!!
Because it was naive...—
"Haa... haa... t...!!"
"A-Are you okay, Captain Yukawa...?"
I managed to parry Isane's attack.
But shaken by being taken by surprise, my breathing is disordered, and I'm sweating slightly on my forehead.
I was never letting my guard down, but it seems there was conceit somewhere.
"I'm okay! I'm fine, so keep coming!"
"Yes! Here I go!!"
With an honest reply, Isane resumed her attack.
Her swordsmanship, perhaps due to being influenced by Captain Unohana, is an attack that is easy for me to handle.
I can read the sword's movements almost perfectly, and since my simple spiritual pressure is higher, I can deal with it easily with just physical ability.
But there, Itegumo's ability gets involved.
If it were a normal Zanpakuto—like Kira-kun's Wabisuke with the ability to make things heavy—the effect wouldn't activate if I dodge or if she misses.
But Itegumo has the ability to manipulate the flow of time.
Even if she misses, the blade touches space, and it slows down the flow of time in that space.
In other words, an invisible space that decelerates you is born in the air.
If I accidentally enter the space where movement is slow, my reaction is delayed, and I fall into an unexpected pinch.
That was the cause of my surprise earlier.
Suddenly my reaction became dull and I was very surprised. This is quite a first-sight killer.
She doesn't seem to have mastered it yet, but it's still an outrageous Zanpakuto.
I'm really sorry for assuming it was like Ice/Snow type (lol).
'It is the bad influence of the strongest Ice/Snow type (lol)!'
See, you other kids apologize too!
If you use this Zanpakuto's ability well, for example, when there are multiple seriously injured patients and not enough hands, you can slow them down and treat them one by one carefully!
This is quite outrageous!
Above all, manipulating time is an ability a boss-class enemy normally has, right!?
"Yaaaaaaah!"
Isane herself understands this ability, so she takes tactics to try to rob me of my freedom.
Gradually cutting apart and reducing the range where I can move freely.
The aim is good, the aim. But—
"Not bad. But you're aiming too much and it's easy for the opponent to find out. Try again without relying too much on the Zanpakuto's ability alone?"
"Uu... I'm sorry."
The consciousness of trying to trap me is too strong, and the essential swordsmanship is neglected.
So, I can easily stop her movement by grabbing her with my fingers.
The basic parts are excellent, but the tactics are still lacking.
"Ei! Ei!!"
"Yes, yes... gotten used to it? Do it with the intention of killing me. If you can't do that much in training, you'll be intimidated in actual combat, you know?"
"Yeees!!"
Little by little, killing intent is being put into the sword.
Movements are also gradually losing stiffness and becoming flexible.
For now, let's make her continue until her arms stop moving.
"Thank you. It was helpful."
"Y-Yeees... thank you very much..."
And well, like that.
I kept watching Isane's movements, and it just ended a moment ago, but...
Yeah. Making her continue until she dropped her sword was my mistake.
She's completely groggy.
But you know, Isane is also at fault.
Because this child responds and answers properly when I call out to her.
So inadvertently, I got carried away.
Even while moving, I kept giving instructions.
It reminds me of when I was instructing students at the Academy...
Those kids were still immature, but this child is a jewel already polished to some extent. Because she responds firmly to my expectations at a high level, it was fun.
I wonder if Captain Unohana felt like this too?
"Then, sorry when you're tired. Next, show me Kido?"
"Eeeeh!!"
"Even if you're tired, the opponent won't wait, you know? Come on, come on! Hado \#1, Sho!"
"Hiuuh!?"
I fire a weak impact with Kido.
Of course, I don't hit her. The purpose is to agitate the opponent by lightly attacking.
"U-Understood!! Hado \#73! Soren Sokatsui!"
Abandoning the chant for a number in the 70s, yet this power is impressive.
The momentum of the flames is quite strong, and the control is solid. The aim is perfect too.
"Bakudo \#81, Danku."
However, I can't just take it, so I put up a barrier and erase it.
Continuing—
"Bakudo \#4, Hainawa."
"Kyaah!?"
—I create a rope with Kido and bind Isane up.
Suddenly bound and unable to move, she fell down without being able to break her fall much.
"W-Why, Captain...?"
"Responding to the opponent's Kido is also part of training. Look, you can undo Hainawa, right?"
"No waaaay... it's impossible..."
"Come on, come on, do your best. If you can get out, let's have lunch."
While glancing at Isane, who was bound by a Kido rope and fidgeting on the ground casting resentful glances at me, I started preparing lunch.
I made a bento today too.
'Ooh!! Bondage restraint play of a tall busty beauty!! This is again, the rope biting in... the bountiful shape stands out clearly...!! C-Clothes will get wrinkled!! It's embarrassing when taking a bath with rope marks!! Don't look!!'
You are always energetic.
'But I can't take my eyes off it even moooore!!'
■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□■□
"I, I... can't anymore..."
"—Oops, dangerous, dangerous. Are you okay?"
I hurriedly catch Isane, who exceeded the limit of staggering and was about to fall.
After that, inserting lunch and a rest, I looked at the remaining Hakuda and Shunpo.
For Hakuda, since it's Squad 4, it's not a problem even if we don't emphasize it that much.
But Shunpo is important.
If she can use Shunpo more efficiently, she can head to the injured quickly.
Therefore, I instructed this as enthusiastically as swordsmanship.
The result is the current situation.
In my chest, Isane is limp and powerless.
But it was worth her trying hard until she collapsed.
Regarding this child's current ability, I found out it is quite high.
"Ah...! Sorry, Captain..."
"It's fine, it's fine, don't force yourself to move."
I grab her to seal her movement as she tried to leave hurriedly, and let her stay in that posture.
Incidentally, I also do a little spiritual pressure treatment with Kaido.
Because it would be painful as is.
'The current situation, what a lucky lecher state!!'
Oh my, now that you mention it.
I'm hugging Isane's head, after all.
...Next time, I'll have Isane do it to me too.
'Me too!! Me too, by all means!! I want Isane-dono to do it to me!!'
"I-I'm okay! I'm okay now!!"
"Really? You don't have to hold back..."
Perhaps noticing it too, she left my hands hurriedly as if escaping.
Since her face was bright red after leaving, I think she noticed.
"It's about evening, so let's call it a day here. How about washing off the sweat somewhere and then having dinner together?"
"Um, Captain! About that, I have one consultation..."
When I proposed while looking at the sinking sun, Isane spoke timidly.
"I was the one who invited you today... so, um, if you like, including the meaning of thanks, please let me treat you at my house..."
"At your house?"
"Yes! Um, i-if you don't want to or have errands, it's fine! But, um..."
Isane asking fearfully is very cute.
What is this cute creature!!
"I see. Since you offered, shall I impose on you?"
"Impose, not at all!! Please, this way!!"
The moment I said that, where did the fatigue go?
She guided me by standing at the front with great enthusiasm, but...
Do you realize? We are still in the Rukongai right now.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]