The Gentle Captain

For a moment, the entire auditorium felt suffocating.

The reiatsu leaking invisibly from Zaraki grew more brutal and violent, as if a beast might bare its fangs at any second and tear the seemingly gentle Captain Unohana apart.

Maybe because of the difference in their appearances, maybe out of instinctive sympathy for the weaker side, or maybe because their own weakness made them feel for her, many graduates began worrying for Captain Unohana.

From beginning to end, Captain Unohana's expression did not change. A gentle smile rested on her face, and her kind eyes remained fixed on Kenpachi Zaraki.

Just as the atmosphere tightened further...

"Hmph!"

Zaraki gave a cold snort, rested his serrated Zanpakuto on his shoulder, and said in a dissatisfied tone, "This brat is yours for now."

The moment those words rang out, many of the graduates who had witnessed the scene instinctively wondered if they had misheard.

What?!

That madman Kenpachi Zaraki... actually backed down?

Then Zaraki lifted his chin slightly, turned his eyes toward Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa beside him, and said, "Recruiting newcomers is on you. Find me a batch that won't break after one cut."

"Yes, Boss Zaraki."

Ikkaku and Yumichika, who had only just snapped back to themselves, hurriedly answered.

With that said, Zaraki walked toward the auditorium exit, looking rather bored. He brushed past Captain Unohana and left without looking back.

Captain Unohana's smile remained as gentle and kind as ever. She showed no displeasure at Zaraki's seemingly rude behavior, nor the slightest hint of triumph.

"Everyone..."

While many of the graduates were still stunned, Captain Unohana raised a hand in greeting and spoke with a smiling expression.

"If any of you are interested in Kaido or medicine, the Fourth Division would be very glad to have you."

In an instant, her gentle words formed a sharp contrast against Zaraki's violent display. A considerable number of graduates felt as if they were about to fall for her completely.

Captain Unohana, however, seemed to have no intention of staying long. After her soft gaze swept across the room, she turned and left the auditorium as if she had only happened to pass by.

"Captain Unohana is so gentle..."

"Even as a captain, she actually values us this much?"

"Becoming one of Captain Unohana's subordinates might be pretty wonderful."

"Still, the Fourth Division is responsible for healing. That sounds a little boring..."

The next moment, waves of discussion erupted throughout the auditorium.

Captain Unohana's beautiful, gentle image made her status soar in the graduates' eyes. Many of them began wavering over their Division choices.

At some level, human nature also included instincts that pursued combat, slaughter, excitement, and similar impulses. After gaining power that surpassed the ordinary, very few Shinigami were willing to use that power only for healing.

The Fourth Division was, in the end, the healing Division. Although it opened its doors to Shin'o Academy graduates every year, the number of graduates willing to join remained extremely small.

After the two captains left, quite a few graduates were still shaken and kept guessing why Kenpachi Zaraki had backed down.

Akira alone had not looked worried at all. Since he retained a considerable portion of his previous life's memories, he understood far too well how terrifying Retsu Unohana truly was.

If anyone really mistook this seemingly gentle, beautiful woman for a harmless lamb anyone could bully, they would absolutely die.

'Retsu Unohana. Original name: Yachiru Unohana. Once the most infamous criminal in Soul Society's history, master of more than eight thousand schools of swordsmanship, later a member of the Gotei 13 and the first Kenpachi...'

Information about Retsu Unohana flashed through Akira's mind, and he could not help licking his lips.

No, no. Much too dangerous.

Akira's gaze quickly cleared. For now, that idea was too dangerous and too uncertain.

Unlike a muscle-beast like Zaraki, after tempering herself and becoming the captain of the healing-focused Fourth Division, Retsu Unohana's understanding of spiritual bodies ranked among the best in all Soul Society. This woman's terror was such that through knowledge, experience, and instinct alone, she could even notice the flaw in Sosuke Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu.

Too hard.

No matter how he thought about it, impossible.

If he were already capable of that, he could strut through Soul Society and no one would dare say a word.

And with how dangerous that woman was, if he revealed hostility and she noticed, that would be the kind of danger that actually got him killed.

Perhaps every hidden monster and danger in Soul Society was more terrifying than the last. It was also said that after Sosuke Aizen's rebellion, a Quincy King with "The Almighty" would appear later.

Unfortunately, Akira had not looked into that so-called Quincy King in depth during his previous life. He had only occasionally heard bits of related information.

'What a crisis-ridden world...'

Akira sighed inwardly.

If this were a peaceful world, Akira might have chosen to do what he had done in his past life as a doctor and enjoy his new life quietly and steadily.

But this world was far too dangerous. Without enough power to protect himself, he would have to live in the ruined stretches of Rukongai.

Even ignoring the harsh environment and scarce supplies, there were still Hollow attacks from time to time, stray aftershocks from battles between the strong, and even the possibility that Sosuke Aizen might someday begin secretly slaughtering large numbers of souls in Rukongai for his own collection.

So Akira understood that if he wanted to survive in Soul Society, instead of living day to day wondering when he would die, he might as well take the initiative, join the Gotei 13, and become a Shinigami.

Still, it was early...

At the very least, the real protagonist, Ichigo, was still far from being born. At this point in the timeline, with Kenpachi Zaraki only just taking the position of Eleventh Division captain, even Ichigo's great-grandmother might not have been born yet.

At the very least, Akira still had a little over a century to build himself up.

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