The Fourth Division barracks.
Unlike the Eleventh Division, where you could hear shouting and the sound of swords clashing from far away, it was very quiet here.
A faint smell of herbs floated in the air, mixed with the clean scent of sunlight on laundry.
The hallways were bright and tidy. Occasionally, members in their black robes walked by quietly, keeping their voices low.
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi and Ashido stood at the entrance. Their presence changed the entire atmosphere.
One was loud and cheerful, while the other was as silent as a rock. They did not fit in with their surroundings at all.
"Oh! It's Captain Kuruyashiki from the Eleventh Division! And Lieutenant Ashido!"
A man walked quickly toward them. It was the Fourth Division Lieutenant, Yamada Seinosuke. He spoke respectfully. "What brings you both to the Fourth Division?"
"Oh!" Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's voice was loud. He slapped his own chest with a heavy thud.
"I'm here for a check-up! Help me see if there's something wrong with me."
Yamada Seinosuke quickly waved his hands. "Captain Kuruyashiki, you think too highly of me. With your level of Spiritual Pressure, my healing skills can't even penetrate your skin."
He was telling the truth. To an ordinary Shinigami, a Captain's Spiritual Pressure was like a steel wall. Forcing a scan could cause a backlash that would injure the healer.
"Please wait a moment. I will go get Captain Unohana immediately!"
He bowed slightly and ran toward the back of the barracks. He seemed to be in a hurry.
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi scratched his head and sat on a long bench. Ashido stood quietly by his side.
Before long, soft footsteps approached.
A figure appeared at the end of the hallway and walked closer slowly.
She wore the white Captain's robe over her black uniform. Her long black hair hung down gently. Her steps were elegant and steady, and she wore a soft smile that made people feel at ease.
This was the Captain of the Fourth Division, Unohana Retsu.
"Captain Kuruyashiki, Lieutenant Ashido, welcome."
"Please, sit."
She gestured for Kuruyashiki to stay seated and took a chair opposite him.
A soft but clear green glow began to radiate from her. It wasn't blinding.
She looked at Kuruyashiki Kenpachi and asked with a smile, "Is there something bothering you, Captain Kuruyashiki? Please, tell me about it."
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi scratched his head again. He felt a bit embarrassed as he explained what had happened in the Zaraki District.
He focused on the shiver that ran down his spine when he first saw the young man, and the huge disappointment when he knocked him down with one hit.
"It just felt wrong," he summarized, frowning. "My intuition is rarely wrong, especially about how strong an opponent is. But this time, I was way off."
Throughout his story, Unohana Retsu listened calmly. The green light of her healing kido steadily surrounded Kuruyashiki Kenpachi.
However, when she heard the words "Zaraki District," "black-haired youth," and "battle intent," something changed.
Her fingers, which were guiding the spiritual energy into his body for a detailed check, paused for a split second.
The steady green light in her hands flickered slightly as well.
But her smile did not change at all. Her voice remained calm and soft, as if she were just confirming a minor detail.
"So, Captain Kuruyashiki, did you... kill that young man?"
"Huh? No, no!" Kuruyashiki Kenpachi shook his head quickly, his movements a bit exaggerated.
"I was excited and used my full strength, so the hit was a bit heavy. The cut was quite deep. Luckily, Ashido reacted quickly and stopped the bleeding. He shouldn't be dead."
He paused and added, "According to the rules, we shouldn't just kill those notorious criminals in the Rukongai for no reason."
"I see." Unohana Retsu nodded gently. The green light in her hands became steady again and even more concentrated.
The green glow seemed to come alive. It seeped into Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's skin with incredible precision, moving through his spiritual pathways to check for any issues.
At that moment, Yamada Seinosuke, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Captain Kuruyashiki, why did you suddenly go to the Zaraki District? That place is quite dangerous."
He remembered a book he had read and subconsciously shrunk his neck.
Ashido looked at his Captain. Seeing that Kuruyashiki had no intention of explaining, he took over the conversation.
"It was because of the book The Killer of Meteor City. The Captain read it and became interested in the character described there. He wanted to see the place for himself."
"The Killer?!" Yamada Seinosuke's voice jumped an octave. A look of lingering fear flashed across his face. "That... the killer in that book is indeed... too terrifying."
He patted his chest to calm down, but then he looked confused.
"But, the killer written in that book should be a woman, right?"
"What?" Kuruyashiki Kenpachi and Ashido turned to look at him at the same time.
Yamada Seinosuke felt nervous being stared at by two high-ranking members of a combat division. However, he pointed to his head and spoke with certainty.
"The poem at the end has a signature, doesn't it? 'Asahana.' That looks like a woman's name no matter how you look at it. Someone with that name must be a powerful woman."
"Huh?" Kuruyashiki Kenpachi froze for a moment. Then, as if he had heard something hilarious, he waved his hand and laughed loudly.
"That's impossible! You're overthinking it! The kind of pure slaughter and power described in that book... that kind of pressure... how could a woman have that? Impossible, impossible!"
He laughed without any guard, speaking carelessly.
However, before his laughter could fade—
An ice-cold chill suddenly shot up from Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's spine. It reached the top of his head with lightning speed!
At the same time, the skin on the side of his neck felt a sharp stinging sensation!
It wasn't just killing intent. It was a deeper, quieter, and more terrifying pressure that felt like it could freeze his soul. It was pressed right against his vital spot.
A voice, still gentle and even containing a hint of a smile, sounded from very close behind him.
"Captain Kuruyashiki..."
Unohana Retsu had stood up and moved behind his chair without him noticing. She leaned down slightly, her voice as soft as a whisper.
"Do you have some kind of... problem with women?"
The "thing" pressed against his neck applied a tiny bit of pressure.
Every hair on Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's body stood up instantly!
The smile on his face froze. His muscles became stiff.
It wasn't fear, but his body's instinctive reaction to extreme danger!
He could even feel his Zanpakutō vibrating slightly in its sheath.
"No, no! Absolutely not!" He reacted quickly and changed his answer without hesitation.
"I was wrong! That killer must be an incredibly powerful woman! Definitely!"
The pressure on his neck disappeared.
Unohana Retsu straightened up and walked back in front of him. The gentle smile was back on her face, as if the terrifying cold from a moment ago had been an illusion.
She clapped her hands lightly. "There, the check-up is finished. Captain Kuruyashiki's body is very healthy. His Spiritual Pressure is stable. There are no problems."
She thought for a moment and gave her diagnosis. "Perhaps you just haven't been to a place with such a... unique atmosphere like the Zaraki District in a long time. Your body and senses had a slight 'stress' reaction. You just need to adjust."
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi let out a sigh of relief. He moved his shoulders, which were still a bit stiff.
Unohana Retsu continued to smile and made a suggestion in a relaxed tone.
"As for whether that 'killer' is male or female, the answer is actually quite simple."
She turned her gaze to Ashido. "Lieutenant Ashido said you went to the Zaraki District because of the book, right? Well, why don't you just ask the author who wrote it?"
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's eyes lit up! Right!
He stood up suddenly and turned to leave, his voice booming. "Ashido! Let's go! To the Ninth Division!"
"Please wait a moment, Captain Kuruyashiki," Unohana Retsu called out to him softly.
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi looked back.
He saw Unohana Retsu slowly stand up as well. She adjusted her sleeves, wearing a look of polite curiosity and a gentle smile.
"Incidentally, I also have some questions about literary writing that I would like to ask you.."
"Why don't we go visit together?"