Touched

Akira Morisawa's confusion was practically written across his face when he listened to Retsu Unohana repeat the matter with what sounded like mild regret.

What did she mean, based on his specialty? Deliberately assigned to the gynecology department?

This was shameless misdirection, was it not?

At the time, what he had been best at was clearly surgery. She, wicked and terrifying as she was, had forced him into a gynecology department that barely had another male creature in it.

That sentence was blatant misdirection. Had she not completely omitted the part where this was "to fill in a comparatively weak area of ability"?

Yet although Akira cursed Unohana from head to toe inside his heart, on the surface he looked wronged, helpless, and pitiful.

"Akira..." Unohana called, sounding earnest and patient.

"Teacher, I am here."

"You will not blame me for accidentally saying your name in front of others, will you?" Unohana asked gently, as if she might apologize at any moment.

Akira straightened his back, as if some inner will were about to stand up completely, and answered without hesitation.

"Of course not. No matter when, where, or under what circumstances, your disciple would never question you. I will stand firmly behind your will and your decisions. The path you walk is the path I will follow. The place you look toward is the place I will go. The target you draw your blade against will also be my enemy."

In short, if one reduced all those magnificent words to their real meaning, it was this: Teacher, if you tell me to go east, I absolutely would not dare go west.

But that gorgeous, decisive declaration stunned not only Unohana. Even Seinosuke Yamada, kneeling nearby, looked dazed.

At that moment, Seinosuke clearly felt the unbridgeable difference in rank between himself and Akira in certain areas.

What was he? A useless man who spent all day making venomous remarks at his subordinates and following Captain Unohana around like a marionette, saying "yes," "you are right, Captain," and "understood."

How could he compare with Akira, who could casually deliver such passionate, stirring words while still sounding sincere and innocent?

Seinosuke even found himself looking at Akira's gentle, determined expression and subconsciously believing him. The boy's speech had merely been a little more ornate than most.

No wonder he had followed Captain Unohana for hundreds of years without gaining her favor or becoming her disciple. The gap was simply too large.

Unohana, for her part, smiled fully and said, "That is too exaggerated, Akira."

"No, Teacher. Those words came from my heart. No matter what happens, please allow me to follow you for the rest of my life."

Akira spoke with incomparable seriousness. When he looked at Unohana, his eyes seemed to shine with pure longing.

"No, Akira. You will grow strong enough to stand on your own very soon. You cannot keep following me forever." Unohana sounded as if she were lightly scolding him in displeasure, but the curve of her eyes revealed a tenderness and satisfaction she could not quite hide.

Akira's visible expression did not waver at all. Inside, however, he could not stop himself from complaining.

'Are you kidding me, my respected teacher Retsu Unohana, wicked healer of my nightmares? You exposed me to Seireitei's higher-ups ahead of time. Do you have any idea how much hidden risk that brings? How could I possibly let go of your protection now?'

'At least a hundred years... no...'

His thoughts raced. Considering that the Substitute Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki, would probably only appear a little more than a hundred years from now, it was better to play things safer.

Akira placed both hands on the tatami and said with absolute resolve, "At least two hundred years. Teacher, please allow me to spend at least two hundred years repaying your kindness."

Unohana watched him quietly for several seconds before asking, "Akira, are you serious? Do you understand what that means? In my personal judgment, you have the potential to awaken Bankai within a hundred years. When that time comes, it would not be impossible for you to succeed me as captain of the Fourth Division."

'Captain?'

Akira's heart did not stir. If anything, he almost wanted to laugh.

'An ordinary captain in front of that monster Sosuke Aizen is basically made of paper. Worse, they might be played by him without even realizing it.'

'Kyoka Suigetsu. That is a true illusion-type ability no one can guard against. The higher my position in Seireitei, the more likely I am to receive Aizen's special attention.'

Akira had no desire to experience an illusion where a pig became a dragon or a beautiful woman became a pig, especially the latter.

Therefore, he had no interest whatsoever in becoming a captain. At least, not until he had a 99.9 percent certainty that he could stand undefeated.

By comparison, hiding behind Retsu Unohana was obviously the easiest and safest choice.

Although Akira had once wanted to speak firmly and say no to Unohana, rice that had been cooked a little softer was clearly more fragrant.

"Of course, Teacher," he answered without the slightest hesitation or reluctance in his voice. "As long as I can remain by your side, it would not matter even if I never became a captain or a seated officer in my entire life."

At that moment, Unohana truly felt something move inside her. Her eyes opened slightly as she seriously studied the young man before her.

At times, even she could not quite see through Akira's heart. Yet the behavior he had shown so far was enough to prove that, without doubt, he was gentle and simple at his core.

Two hundred years was an extremely long time even to Retsu Unohana.

For Akira, who had joined the Fourth Division less than two months ago, it would undoubtedly feel even longer. For some Shinigami with relatively weak spiritual bodies, two hundred years could nearly span the majority of their lives.

For reasons she could not explain, Unohana felt touched in a way she had never felt before.

'Would someone truly be willing to give up a future as captain to follow a sinner burdened with sins as deep as mine?'

"Get out."

Unohana's sudden command made both Akira and Seinosuke freeze. Neither of them had expected such abrupt behavior from her, so completely unlike her usual gentleness.

Before they could react, an invisible pressure descended over their heads. Unohana's voice followed, stripped of almost all emotion.

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

Akira and Seinosuke shuddered and hurriedly withdrew from the room.

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