Kotetsu Isane, though clearly Nobu's senior, deeply admired everything he had accomplished at Shin'ō Academy. To her, a student who had achieved so much was truly remarkable.
Thus, she wasted no time in relaying Nobu's suggestions directly to Captain Unohana.
"All of this is his idea?" Unohana seemed mildly surprised after hearing Isane's report.
Kotetsu replied cautiously, "Yes, I thought many of his points were worth considering."
Unohana gently smiled. "I didn't expect him to be so invested in the division. But considering his past achievements at the Academy, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised."
"Nobu-kun truly is talented," Kotetsu agreed earnestly. "Even I can't compare to him in that respect."
Unohana gazed softly at Isane, eyes twinkling knowingly. "Are you perhaps suggesting he'd make a better vice-captain?"
Kotetsu's heart jumped nervously. "I apologize for overstepping, Captain. I only meant to say Nobu-kun possesses both talent and strength. He's adept in Kaidō and has an extraordinary Zanpakutō. He may lack some practical experience, but in our Fourth Division, that can easily be remedied."
Unohana smiled warmly, eyes gentle. "It's clear you truly care for him."
"Captain, I—"
Her gentle demeanor remained unchanged as she softly asked, "But how do you know that he sincerely intends to stay in the Fourth Division?"
Kotetsu froze momentarily before replying hastily, "Captain, I've known for a long time that Nobu-kun has genuine interest in Kaidō."
Even before Nobu had graduated, Kotetsu had visited him several times at the Academy to discuss Kaidō-related topics. His enthusiasm for healing arts had seemed sincere.
Unohana shook her head lightly. "My point is, can you be sure how long he'll choose to stay here?"
"What do you mean?"
"As you mentioned, he's extremely capable. Killing a Menos Grande single-handedly is something only a handful of high-ranking officers could manage. True, his Zanpakutō appears to be healing-type, which naturally meant he'd come to our division upon graduation. Perhaps he understood that clearly and thus never openly objected. But if he advances to vice-captain one day, no one will care what type his Zanpakutō is."
"…"
Only then did Kotetsu realize the depth of Unohana's concerns. Thinking back, the first time she had met Nobu at Shin'ō Academy, he'd never expressed enthusiasm or eagerness about joining the Fourth Division.
Could it be, as Captain Unohana suggested, that he only accepted his placement because he felt he had no choice due to his Zanpakutō?
But wasn't that just natural?
Kotetsu lowered her eyes thoughtfully, then quietly asked, "Captain, about those ideas Nobu-kun suggested…"
"Perhaps you should let him explain it to me himself."
"…"
---
Summoned by Kotetsu Isane, Nobu arrived at a tranquil tea room.
Pushing open the door, he immediately noticed a familiar figure seated within. Her ink-black hair cascaded like silk down her shoulders. She radiated serenity, gentle as a calm pond—yet carried an unmistakable air that inspired awe and caution.
She wore her pure-white Captain's haori, the layered fabric like a deep abyss, its very bottom stained with the lingering blood of her unresolved past.
"Captain, Nobu-kun is here," Kotetsu called softly.
"Thank you, Isane. You may leave us," Unohana said gently.
Kotetsu bowed quietly before withdrawing.
Nobu stepped into the silent room, feeling Unohana's gaze upon him. Her smile was soft, gentle as morning mist, but her eyes held unfathomable depths.
Instantly, alarm bells rang within Nobu. This was only his second formal meeting with Unohana since joining the Fourth Division, yet the feeling she gave him was entirely different from before.
"Unohana-taichō," he greeted politely.
"Do you like tea?" Unohana's expression remained kind as she gestured for him to sit. Her eyes, bathed in moonlight, effortlessly dispelled his sudden unease.
In that instant, Nobu wondered if he had imagined the earlier tension. Her gentle gaze was clear and calming. Had I misunderstood something due to preconceived notions?
"Occasionally," he replied.
Slanted rays of sunlight slipped through the wooden lattice, casting fragmented gold across the floorboards.
"I nearly forgot—you're originally from Zaraki District, aren't you, Nobu-kun?"
"Yes," Nobu answered calmly.
Unohana's sleeve brushed lightly against a porcelain tea container, cloth rustling softly against ceramic like silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves. She tapped the tea whisk lightly three times on the bowl's edge, the subtle echoes rippling through the silence.
She gracefully lifted her hand, inviting him to drink.
Nobu lifted the bowl, sipping quietly, savoring the faint sweetness hidden beneath the bitterness.
"I've visited that place before," Unohana recalled, her gaze distant. "It's not an easy place to survive."
"You're right, Captain," Nobu replied. "Fortunately, I was lucky enough to survive."
Unohana gently shook her head. "Luck has nothing to do with it. Some things are destined—such as your meeting someone who led you out of Zaraki, into Shin'ō Academy, and eventually here, to the Fourth Division. And then…"
She paused, softly adding, "Meeting me."
Those last words, spoken with unusual tenderness, caused Nobu's pulse to quicken. Raising her gaze, her eyes were even warmer than the tea in his cup.
Nobu chuckled lightly. "I'm not quite sure what you mean, Captain. Didn't we meet before I joined the Fourth Division?"
Before coming here, Isane had told him Unohana wished to discuss his proposals in more detail. Yet it appeared Unohana had something else entirely in mind.
"You don't need to understand," Unohana murmured. "It's enough that I do."
"…"
Unsure how to respond, Nobu sipped his tea again.
A breeze rustled the cherry trees outside, their shadows falling gently across Unohana's pristine white haori.
As Nobu stared thoughtfully into his tea, she spoke again.
"There's one more thing I clearly understand."
"…"
"Your Zanpakutō—isn't healing-type."
Her voice, gentle as flowing water, exploded like thunder in his ears.
Nobu froze, his grip on the tea bowl tightening imperceptibly. In that brief, stiff moment, Unohana's smile grew slightly more vibrant.
"What do you mean by that, Captain?" Nobu asked cautiously.
"Your Zanpakutō can heal injuries, yes, but it contradicts fundamental Kaidō principles. My squad members didn't notice this simply because their understanding is limited. They assumed your sword employed advanced Kaidō."
"…"
Nobu feigned a look of startled realization, setting the bowl down slowly. "You mean my Zanpakutō isn't healing-type? I'd always assumed…"
Seeing his performance, Unohana quietly interjected, "There's no need to pretend in front of me. In all of Gotei 13, only I can clearly see through this deception, precisely because nobody else truly values Kaidō. If my guess is correct, your Zanpakutō likely possesses some form of ability that reverses the state of things—something you're undoubtedly aware of."
"…"
Unohana calmly lifted her own tea bowl, the bittersweet liquid passing gently down her throat.
Nobu sat quietly for a long moment, while Unohana's demeanor remained unruffled.
"You're correct, Captain," Nobu finally admitted calmly. He had already prepared explanations, anticipating a conversation like this, but Unohana spoke first:
"Actually, there's another reason why I doubted your Zanpakutō from the beginning."
"What reason?"
"Your swordsmanship."
"…"
"How could someone with your level of swordsmanship possess a purely healing-type Zanpakutō?" Unohana asked gently, eyes locked onto Nobu.
"But Captain Unohana, couldn't the same be said of you?" Nobu countered.
At his words, Unohana's serene smile suddenly bloomed into something strikingly vivid—though only for an instant. Her gentle lips curled sharply, forming a curve like a bloodstained sickle, shadows beneath her eyelashes turning into biting marks.
"So, you do know everything, even from a thousand years ago…"
Nobu's entire body tensed instinctively, the thin spiritual barrier around him momentarily flickering.
Instantly, Unohana's smile softened again, sipping tea with renewed gentleness.
"Few people know that history. You've truly put effort into learning, Nobu-kun."
"…"
"As I said before, certain things are fated. Even if you hadn't disguised your Zanpakutō as healing-type, our paths crossing meant you were destined to join the Fourth Division. Instinct doesn't lie."
Nobu startled at her words.
Unohana seemed to have misunderstood—believing he disguised his Zanpakutō specifically to reach her.
Ironically, while that was true, their motivations were entirely different.
Unohana assumed Nobu knew she had once been the first Kenpachi.
Realizing her misunderstanding, Nobu smiled quietly to himself, looking up at Unohana's beautiful, gentle face.
"You truly see through everything, Unohana-taichō."
---
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