Offense

Killing intent.

It was almost materialized, pure killing intent. Killing intent that existed for nothing but slaughter rushed straight into Akira's mind, leaving his consciousness blank for an instant.

Then, as if some instinct had been stimulated awake, blood vessels began to spread around Akira's eyes.

But in the next instant, he forcefully suppressed that instinct and spoke in a panicked voice.

"T-Teacher, what is wrong?"

Interrupted by Akira, Retsu Unohana, who had reacted almost on reflex, also came back to herself. Her expression, which had been close to collapsing, quickly returned to normal. The blood-colored reiatsu that had poured out vanished at once, as if everything just now had been an illusion.

"Oh my, Akira. I am sorry. I remembered something rather unpleasant."

"Whew..."

Akira let out a long breath and said, "Teacher, you scared me to death. For a second, I had the illusion that you had cut me down."

"It was not entirely an illusion."

Retsu Unohana smiled as she spoke, making Akira's heart tighten.

"Akira, what made you think of saying that you wanted to kill each other with me? Stimulating Teacher like that truly exceeded my expectations."

"Because..."

Akira scratched his head. With the look of a sunny, innocent young man, he said somewhat helplessly, "That was the most offensive thing I could think of saying to Teacher. If I pointed my blade at the teacher I admire and respect most, it would probably disappoint the teacher who has shown me such great kindness, causing a violent emotional fluctuation."

"I see..."

Retsu Unohana raised a hand and stroked Akira's head gently.

"Akira, do not worry. Teacher believes you will become the finest disciple. So even if you offend Teacher occasionally, Teacher will not blame you."

Offend?

Teacher, are we understanding that word the same way?

Akira hurriedly lowered his head. Although he understood that Retsu Unohana was most likely referring to killing each other, he felt that if this topic continued, the tone would become very strange. At this rate, he might become a shameful disciple condemned by thousands.

Retsu Unohana continued gently rubbing Akira's hair for a moment before turning away and presenting her back to him again.

Only then did Akira relax. His gaze, however, could not help falling on Teacher Unohana's seemingly defenseless back. He could even clearly see the smooth, pale skin at her neck.

One slash there would probably send blood spraying for a very long time.

Then Akira pushed up his glasses and could not help licking his lips, savoring the feeling of having just walked along the edge of life and death.

'That instant just now... really was thrilling.'

'If I had hesitated even a moment longer and failed to call Teacher Unohana back, she might really have attacked me on instinct.'

Although Akira had been slaughtered by Shinra Bansho countless times in his mental space, wildly spinning along the edge between life and death, this feeling in reality was far stronger than anything in the mental space. It had nearly made him unable to restrain his body's instinctive impulse.

Thinking that, Akira's heartbeat sped up slightly, and a certain reaction spread through his whole body.

Hard.

Hard!

The hand gripping his Zanpakuto had gone hard.

'No... wait!'

In the next moment, Akira's eyes focused. He instantly realized that his state seemed wrong. His desire for battle had increased by a great deal.

Had he been influenced by the killing intent Teacher Unohana had just released?

Or had he unknowingly formed some instinct during his long Bankai trials with Shinra Bansho?

Thinking that, Akira took a deep breath and tried placing his finger into the viscous liquid in the bottle, which had already turned white again.

A dot of crimson spread through the bottle almost in the blink of an eye, as if the liquid inside were the thickest blood.

'As expected, something is wrong. My mental state...'

Akira quickly pulled his finger out and capped the bottle again. Behind his glasses, his eyes showed a trace of thought.

Had Teacher Unohana drugged him?

Had Teacher Unohana brought him out this time not to investigate soul loss, but to perform some kind of workplace bullying on him?

But almost as soon as the thought appeared, Akira rejected that absurd suspicion and shifted the center of his doubt back onto his Zanpakuto, Shinra Bansho.

At this moment, Akira began to suspect the purpose behind Shinra Bansho's nightly battles with him.

A Zanpakuto was born in embryonic form alongside the formation of the soul. Later, the soul's will, emotions, and thoughts would all influence the final form and power of the Zanpakuto in various ways.

Then why had Shinra Bansho mentioned the wrong Bankai and the true power?

Akira's eyes narrowed. Recalling every detail of his conversation and battle with Shinra Bansho in the mental space last night, and connecting it with the information Retsu Unohana had revealed, he thought carefully.

'A Zanpakuto possesses its own unique thoughts and emotions. Just like the future Zangetsu in Ichigo Kurosaki's hands, who resists teaching Ichigo the Final Getsuga Tensho because it conflicts with Zangetsu's own desire to protect him.'

'In other words, something about me must be wrong right now. That is why Shinra Bansho believes the Bankai formed in this state would be wrong, creating a refusal in her mind.'

'Then... what is the true power? Shinra Bansho said she has mentioned it countless times and asked whether I have been deliberately ignoring it. But she clearly never said anything.'

'Even when Shinra Bansho fights me, the power she uses is controlling countless trees. Did I misunderstand that? If she truly has any strange behavior, aside from her obsession with fighting and that ridiculous nickname...'

When his thoughts reached that point, Akira almost laughed. Then his expression paused, and he murmured, "Fighting? Jam? Could that be what Shinra Bansho has been trying to tell me all along?"

Just then, Retsu Unohana's voice sounded, and Minazuki's flight height rapidly dropped.

"Akira, we have arrived."

Coming back to himself, Akira leaned forward slightly and looked down. What entered his view was a stretch of broken houses, with three Tenth Division Shinigami in shihakusho already waiting below.

As Akira followed Retsu Unohana down to the ground, a smell that seemed mixed from rot and medicinal herbs drifted into his nose.

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