Two Similar People

Hearing that, Yumichika Ayasegawa put a hand to his forehead again.

"Be serious. That is the gynecology department. In our entire Division, even if we include the cleaners and cooks, we could not scrape together five women."

"Who says male Shinigami cannot go to the gynecology department for treatment?" Ikkaku Madarame said with perfect confidence. "What, a sex-change consultation does not count?"

"Fine... fine..."

Yumichika answered weakly. He felt completely unable to refute Ikkaku's logic. He also had the faint suspicion that this man simply wanted to go watch Morisawa's misery.

Ikkaku, however, did not care what Yumichika thought. He dragged him straight toward the nearby training ground, and both of them put on their seated officer armbands.

Ikkaku Madarame, Nineteenth Seat of the Eleventh Division.

Yumichika Ayasegawa, Twentieth Seat of the Eleventh Division.

Unlike the appointment standards of other Divisions, Kenpachi Zaraki had only one rule in the Eleventh Division: combat.

As long as someone was strong enough, let alone a seated officer's position, even the captain's seat could be handed over.

Because of that, after Ikkaku and Yumichika joined the Eleventh Division, they rapidly seized the Nineteenth and Twentieth Seat positions.

"Gather up!"

Once they reached the training ground, Ikkaku immediately raised his voice and shouted for his subordinates, who were still training late into the night.

In moments, nearly fifty fierce-looking men appeared in front of Ikkaku and Yumichika. Quite a few of them were bare-chested, showing off slabs of muscle.

"Listen up, all of you! Fourth Division member Akira Morisawa is my brother in arms, my dearest friend and family..."

"Ahem." Yumichika coughed softly, reminding Ikkaku that his wording was off.

Dearest?

That was very easy to misunderstand.

Ikkaku glanced at him, not understanding the problem. Then he thumped his chest and continued, "Now, Morisawa has been assigned to the gynecology department. How can that be acceptable? So..."

His voice rose sharply.

"Tomorrow, all of us move out together. We will go put some weight behind Morisawa and take turns letting him check us for illness. Understood?"

"Yes!"

The large men did not really understand, but this sounded like an act of loyalty, so they agreed without hesitation. Beneath the night, their sweat-slicked muscles seemed to glow with a strange youthful charm.

Watching Ikkaku and his subordinates grow more and more excited, Yumichika's head hurt. No matter how he looked at it, this plan did not seem reliable.

"Still, perhaps this is an opportunity. Why would Morisawa want to stay in the gynecology department? If we make enough noise, maybe the captain can step in and transfer him from the Fourth Division to the Eleventh Division."

Yumichika's eyes lit up. He immediately hurried toward Kenpachi Zaraki's courtyard in the Eleventh Division.

Night passed.

Inside the Fourth Division office, Akira withdrew from the spiritual space where he had been fighting Shinra Bansho. Seeing a faint light rise at the edge of the sky, he got up, stretched his slightly numb body, and hurried back toward the courtyard.

When he carefully returned, he found Retsu Unohana elegantly eating breakfast as usual. A second portion had been prepared across from her.

Akira breathed out softly. After giving a proper greeting, he sat down opposite her.

Unohana seemed no different from any other day. In a gentle voice, she asked, "Akira, you are a little later than usual. Where did you go last night?"

Akira immediately skipped over a few small pieces of mental activity and explained how he had encountered Sosuke Aizen the previous night, then cultivated in the gynecology department office until morning.

Unohana did not seem surprised at all.

"A technique for separating Shinigami power? Lieutenant Aizen actually asked you?"

"Yes, Teacher. I am puzzled by it as well. I clearly do not understand anything," Akira answered with a trace of confusion in his voice.

Although he had expected this and understood that a man like Aizen would not easily reveal a flaw, Unohana's reaction made Akira realize that Aizen had probably prepared a flawless surface long ago. He was conducting his research almost openly, yet no one suspected his true purpose.

'Terrifying. Truly terrifying.'

Akira sighed inwardly again.

Unohana considered the matter briefly, then looked at him.

"Akira, Lieutenant Aizen's evaluation was not wrong. You are someone with talent, and your talent in Kaido and medicine is quite outstanding. You do not need to belittle yourself. Quite the opposite. What you lack most right now is confidence. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Teacher," Akira answered obediently.

Unohana continued, "So I deliberately spread your reputation a little. It was also preparation to make it easier for you to come into contact with patients. Starting today, I believe patients should gradually begin trying to seek treatment from you. You can truly verify your ability then. Do you understand?"

Akira froze slightly and raised his head to look at the gentleness in Unohana's eyes. For some reason, warmth filled his chest.

So Teacher's bragging at the captain-level gathering had not truly been for her own face. It had been preparation for this moment?

"Yes, Teacher." Akira nodded heavily.

In the end, Unohana hesitated briefly before saying, "Also, Akira, if possible, try to keep a certain distance from Lieutenant Aizen."

Akira's heart jumped. He looked at Unohana with a trace of confusion and tentatively probed, "Why, Teacher? Lieutenant Aizen seems to have a very good character."

"Mm. Lieutenant Aizen's character is indeed quite good. Gentle, reliable, considerate toward his subordinates, steady, decisive, and his displayed strength and ability are both excellent..."

Unohana first affirmed Aizen, then her tone changed.

"However, he sometimes gives me a dangerous feeling. I also cannot quite see through him. So, Akira, it would be best for you to keep some distance from him."

"Yes. I understand," Akira said seriously.

'Teacher, this is the one point I will absolutely execute with strict precision. Please rest assured.'

Just then, however, a hint of doubt flashed through Unohana's gaze as she looked at him. Her curved eyes opened slightly, and she murmured, "I suddenly realized that the feeling you give me is somewhat similar to Lieutenant Aizen. Aside from that dangerous instinct I once sensed from him in passing, I also feel that there are times I cannot see through you. And you are just as gentle..."

Akira froze.

At that moment, he could not help panicking.

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