"Yes, Captain. I believe I now possess captain-level reiatsu."
Higashi Shuuichi spoke with unwavering confidence.
"So what?"
Unohana Retsu, serene as ever, resumed arranging the flowers before her, her face returning to its usual unreadable calm.
"I heard that the Head-Captain is currently looking for a new captain for the 10th Division. I was thinking… perhaps I could—"
Shuuichi licked his lips as he spoke, a droplet of cold sweat slipping unnoticed down the side of his forehead.
Now came the most critical part.
"Let's put aside whether simply possessing captain-level reiatsu makes one qualified to be a captain. Shuuichi, do you remember what you said when you first requested a transfer to the 4th Division?"
Unohana adjusted the vase of violet lilies before her, her voice gentle, almost concerned.
"I remember, Captain. I said I was tired of watching my comrades fall one by one. I didn't want to be the one weeping helplessly on the sidelines—I wanted to be the one saving them when they were most in danger."
Shuuichi paused, digging into memory, before reciting the words with solemnity.
"Then tell me, Shuuichi—why do you want to compete for the 10th Division captaincy now?"
Her voice remained soft, but her gaze burned like twin flames.
And in that look, Shuuichi saw it—the unspoken accusation.
He knew full well: if his answer didn't satisfy her, she would instantly connect him to the unexplained spiritual particle losses within various Shinigami.
"Because after so many years in the 4th Division—and after the recent loss of two captains in Hueco Mundo, one of them my former superior—I realized something. Healing… can't save Shinigami. The only way I can protect them is if I become strong enough to stand at the front lines as a captain, to shield them from the claws of the Hollows."
Shuuichi remained silent for a long while before speaking. His voice trembled with emotion; his body too, as if barely holding together.
This time, it was Unohana who fell silent.
Could I have misjudged him?
Could a Shinigami with such resolve truly betray Soul Society?
Could those spiritual particle anomalies have been caused by Hollows after all?
She had played out countless scenarios in her mind of how Shuuichi might react—but this wasn't one of them.
In that moment, he seemed more like a true, upright Shinigami than even she did.
Reflecting on his past—how he'd always been the first to rush forward during emergencies, even when he'd just transferred from the 10th Division and was nothing but a nameless recruit—it was hard to imagine him harboring ulterior motives.
(Shuuichi: Well, yeah, if I'd been draining the reiatsu of random strangers, someone would've noticed. Better to hit teammates—they're more understanding.)
"Was I really wrong…?"
For the first time, doubt crept into Unohana's mind.
But then she thought again of those Shinigami with irreversible injuries—those spiritual abnormalities she could never explain. Her resolve returned.
Even if Shuuichi was clean—so what?
She couldn't allow any unknown variable to exist beneath her nose. It wasn't just about Soul Society anymore. It was about her pride as a healer. As a captain.
Until the truth was uncovered, none of the 4th Division members who had handled those cases—especially Shuuichi—would be allowed to leave. Not even if he'd achieved captain-class power.
Shuuichi had no idea how fierce a debate had just taken place inside her mind during those few seconds. All he knew was: the moment Unohana opened her mouth, the breath he'd been holding finally released.
"If you truly carry that resolve—then fine. Show me everything you've got. Win my recognition here and now."
Her voice was calm, yet absolute.
"If you can't even earn my approval, then your dream of protecting others… is a joke."
She hadn't rejected him. Nor had she drawn her blade immediately. That meant his words had worked—for now.
He had passed the first trial.
What came next… he didn't need to think about that yet.
Right now—
Shuuichi lifted his head, eyes alight with blazing will.
Fight. That was all that mattered.
This time, Aizen had given him full clearance—no restrictions.
His objective was simple: test the waters. See just how deep Unohana Retsu's power truly ran.
From where Shuuichi stood, even his current level of strength might not be enough to make her go all out. But this… this would be the first time since awakening his full potential that he could fight without suppressing himself.
One hour later—inside the 4th Division training grounds.
Unohana had cleared the area in advance. Now, only she and Shuuichi remained.
Standing opposite him, facing the unshakable fire in his eyes, even the long-slumbering parts of Unohana's soul stirred.
"Well then, Captain… I'll take the first move!"
No referee. No signal. Just words.
With that, Shuuichi stepped forward, both hands moving together.
"Hadō #67: Raimeizan!"
Lightning surged from his palms, crackling across the field, ionizing the air. In a blink, the bolts covered half the battlefield, a thick mist swallowing his side whole.
"This chaotic reiatsu…"
Unohana frowned.
She had seen Raimeizan before—but never like this.
The way Shuuichi used it, it didn't just obscure visibility. His erratic spiritual energy caused the mist itself to ripple and scatter, making it impossible to sense anything accurately within.
Not even Unohana could track his position through perception alone—unless she forcibly blasted the mist away with sheer reiatsu.
"Interesting…"
This technique devoured spiritual energy and stamina at an alarming rate. But she had to admit—even she was effectively blind in this fog. Anything Shuuichi prepared within it would come unseen.
But so what?
She smiled faintly.
Back when she was still known as the most ruthless criminal in Soul Society, this kind of trickery wouldn't have fazed her. Her swordsmanship was absolute.
Whatever Shuuichi had planned…
She only needed—
"One strike."
Her right hand grasped the hilt. A reverse upward slash followed.
A kido blade sliced through the mist from an unseen angle—and she cleaved it effortlessly.
But it wasn't over.
Behind her—Shuuichi's voice rang out.
"You let your guard down, Captain!"
Silver gleamed above her. His Zanpakutō hovered just inches from her head.