Chapter 95: Examination
The next day.
Fourth Division barracks.
As the Gotei 13's only medical and rescue division, whether in personnel numbers or occupied territory scale, the Fourth Division could be called the largest among all divisions.
The expansive barracks contained fully equipped comprehensive medical facilities, treating casualties from various divisions year-round.
Kotetsu Kiyone expertly led Suoh through the clean, orderly corridors.
Unlike ordinary Shinigami, Fourth Division squad members executed missions primarily in squad units, always carrying large backpacks bearing the division's floral insignia.
Suoh followed her forward. Just then, a team of squad members marched past them in formation, their thunderous footsteps echoing through the corridors.
The two arrived at an elegantly decorated guest room.
This place contrasted sharply with the Fourth Division's other areas that emphasized functional, plain styling. The medicinal scent permeating the air had also faded considerably.
"Tsukasa, sit. My sister will arrive shortly. We'll wait a moment."
"Yesterday I explained your situation to her in detail. She'll definitely help find the problem."
While speaking, Kotetsu Kiyone skillfully retrieved tea implements from a nearby cabinet.
"Alright, thank you, Kiyone-neesan."
Suoh settled onto the soft cushion.
Kotetsu Kiyone gently pushed the brewed tea before him.
Before long.
The door opened softly.
A tall, slender female Shinigami entered the room.
She wore neat silver-gray short hair, several thin braids hanging from her right shoulder by her ear, adorned with matching red bar-shaped earrings.
Her gaze fell on Suoh, taking his measure as she spoke gently.
"You must be Suoh 3rd Seat. Yesterday Kiyone explained your problem to me. My sincere apologies for keeping you waiting."
"Please follow me to the examination room next. I'll help examine you."
She bowed slightly, her every gesture displaying modest, courteous grace.
"Lieutenant Kotetsu, pleased to meet you. I'm in your care."
"Thank you for troubling yourself."
Infected by her attitude, Suoh immediately stood and returned the bow solemnly.
His politeness and modesty matched hers.
"Ah, what are you two being so formal about?"
"Can't stand it."
"Tsukasa, call her sister!"
"Neesan, you don't need to be distant either. Just call him Tsukasa!"
Kotetsu Kiyone beside them watched their back-and-forth courtesies, feeling somewhat unable to bear it.
She couldn't help inserting herself between them, one hand lightly pushing Suoh's back while her other arm hooked through her sister's, speaking directly.
Their distance thus drew a step closer.
Suoh looked at the woman before him who seemed slightly taller than himself. Feeling no burden whatsoever in his heart, he nodded in greeting again.
He wasn't losing anything—why not call her that?
"Isane-neesan."
"Tsu—Tsukasa-kun."
Called out like this by Suoh left Kotetsu Isane somewhat dazed. A faint blush rose to her earlobes.
Her previously refined and elegant face suddenly revealed several degrees of awkwardness, displaying her inherently shy, bashful nature.
"That's more like it!"
Seeing this, Kotetsu Kiyone clapped her hands in satisfaction.
"Tsukasa, I'm heading back. I can't help anyway, and I have a pile of reports to write."
"Neesan, you take good care of examining Tsukasa. I'm entrusting him to you."
"Don't worry."
Kotetsu Isane nodded gently in agreement.
Kotetsu Kiyone completed her instructions properly, waved to both of them, and departed with a relaxed expression.
As her footsteps gradually faded.
"Tsukasa-kun, please come with me."
Kotetsu Isane glanced at the smiling Suoh. The flustered expression on her face lessened several degrees.
Clearing her throat lightly, she worked to restore her previous composure.
"Alright."
Suoh followed her out of the first floor guest room, ascending the stairs leading to the second floor.
Examination room.
Sliding open the door.
Faint fumigating herb fragrance greeted them face-on, completely different from the rescue area's heavy medicinal smell downstairs.
Meridian diagrams hung on the walls. Through the window, one could see the carefully tended courtyard scenery.
The examination bed at the room's center was covered with laundered, whitened sheets.
"Tsukasa, please sit here briefly."
"Alright."
Kotetsu Isane gestured toward the bed's edge. In her domain, her voice had already completely recovered its previous calm.
After Suoh sat, she retrieved a stethoscope set from a nearby cabinet, gently rubbing the diaphragm in her palm to let the cold metal warm slightly.
"Please open your top somewhat, lie down, and remember to keep your breathing even."
Suoh complied, opening his collar and lying back half-bare on the examination bed.
The instant the stethoscope touched his chest, both unconsciously slowed their breathing.
The diaphragm moved slowly in her hands, following his breathing rhythm.
"Raise your arm."
"Any pain?"
Kotetsu Isane's fingertips moved around his rib area, occasionally applying pressure.
The stethoscope diaphragm and her fingers wandered across various places on Suoh's body.
"No."
Suoh exhaled slowly, honestly conveying his sensations.
Under Kotetsu Isane's verbal guidance, he underwent a comprehensive examination from chest to waist and abdomen.
"From routine examination, your physical condition appears very healthy."
"Since physical causes are ruled out, next I need to examine your spiritual pressure points and meridians' condition."
"Please relax your entire body. Don't resist my spiritual pressure's infiltration. The entire process may cause you some slight discomfort, but it will help me judge your condition more accurately."
She set the stethoscope aside, raising her eyelids as she spoke with calm tone.
"I understand."
Suoh nodded in acknowledgment, actively cooperating with the examination.
"Then I'll begin."
Kotetsu Isane moved a chair beside Suoh, her palms emanating gentle spiritual light.
Both hands gently pressed against his body—right hand covering the Saketsu at his chest, left hand lightly touching the Hakusui at his abdomen.
Closing her eyes to concentrate, spiritual pressure flowed through Suoh's body along the meridians.
The more she examined, the more her brow furrowed.
The meridians within Suoh's body were abnormally broad and resilient, far exceeding normal people.
The two vital pressure points maintaining a Shinigami's essence seemed to have undergone short-term, high-frequency overload operation, currently in an unnatural state of excited hyperactivity.
But what kind of training method would cause such a strange situation to appear? In her years of medical practice, this was the first time she'd encountered such circumstances.
"Tsukasa-kun, your Saketsu and Hakusui situation is very unusual. Their state is extremely active, but like a bowstring repeatedly stretched to its limit—the surface appears intact, yet internally it's riddled with minute damage."
She opened her eyes, her gaze carrying worry difficult to conceal, speaking gravely.
"How serious is the problem?"
Suoh also clearly understood that each time his spiritual pressure became exhausted followed by rapid recovery, it invisibly increased the burden on his Saketsu and Hakusui.
However, immersed in the positive feedback of steadily rising spiritual pressure, plus with Kikou's abilities and the healing hot spring's assistance, he'd been somewhat psychologically negligent.
"The problem—saying it's serious isn't quite right, saying it's minor also isn't quite right."
"My recommendation is recuperating at the Fourth Division for a period, and for at least one year, refrain from such high-intensity training."
She deliberated over her word choice, slowly withdrawing both hands.
"One year?"
"Too long. Isane-neesan, isn't there another method?"
This duration didn't count as long for Shinigami, but for Suoh it was somewhat excessive.
He propped himself up, asking with some unwillingness.
****
40+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces