Chapter 167 - Unohana: If you feel lonely, come find me!
"Little Renji, why did you choose to join the Fourth Division?"
Unohana Retsu walked ahead, her tone calm. She had always been curious about Renji's decision to enter the Fourth Division, though she had never asked before.
Their earlier battle had shown her that Renji's heart longed for combat, yet he restrained that desire. By entering the Fourth Division, he had effectively abandoned the possibility of battle.
She once thought he simply disliked fighting, but now she realized he was like her—someone who forcefully suppressed the urge to fight. That made his choice all the more puzzling.
"As for the reason I joined the Fourth Division…"
At the time, he only wanted to avoid attention. He thought of himself as just another ordinary graduate, so naturally, his first choice was the Fourth Division. After that, he simply drifted through his duties.
If he had gone to another division, his life would have been in real danger. Setting aside Hollows and missions, there was also Aizen. He might easily have become one of Aizen's experiments.
Even now, Renji could not guarantee he was free from Kyōka Suigetsu's influence. If even the Almighty could be deceived, how could he claim otherwise?
"Surely it wasn't because of me, was it?"
"Unohana, you really know how to joke."
Who in the Soul Society would join a division just because of Unohana Retsu? Those who knew her well understood—she looked gentle, but that was not her true nature.
Her tone had been playful, perhaps even offering him a way out since he seemed unsure how to answer. As always, her kindness was disarming.
But he dared not accept such an escape. What was now a step down might later become his death warrant.
"Even you would use such tricks? That's rare."
Her voice grew calm again. She stopped walking, turned, and looked at Renji, who followed half a step behind. "So, you've always been suppressing your desire to fight, haven't you? If you feel lonely, if you want to fight, come to me."
A boy so very much like herself.
At that moment, Unohana no longer cared about his reasons for joining the Fourth Division. Everyone had secrets buried in their hearts. She too was no exception.
So when Renji hesitated, she decided he didn't need to explain at all.
Still, her words carried a strange nuance.
Lonely? What did she mean by that? Was loneliness the same as his yearning for battle?
To be seen through so easily—truly, it was Unohana.
"Unohana, the way you put it makes me feel guilty if I don't answer."
Renji scratched his hair and looked at her face. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. A gentle woman was indeed hard to resist.
Not only did she refuse to press him, she even acknowledged his hidden longing for combat and told him he could turn to her in the future. Such understanding was impossible to reject.
"If you feel guilty, then the upcoming treatment tasks will be left to you."
"Unohana, I think I'm no longer guilty after all."
Was she trying to kill him? The Fourth Division was busy every day. If he took on all the duties himself, he would collapse in the infirmary.
Thinking this way, perhaps guilt wasn't so unbearable after all.
"Renji, suppressing your inner self is not always good. The demon inside will only grow stronger until one day it cannot be contained."
"Aren't you the same, Unohana?"
"It seems you know quite a lot."
A thousand years ago, before the Gotei 13 was formed, she and the others had been killers, executioners steeped in blood. Countless lives had ended under their blades. Back then, the Gotei 13 was closer to an assassin organization.
Now, to her eyes, the current Gotei 13 was child's play. Even Yamamoto, who once pursued victory at all costs, now seemed softened by the things he sought to protect, showing a weakness people called kindness.
"Well, it's hardly forbidden knowledge. Why shouldn't I understand it?"
Her tone shifted again. She looked at him and asked, "So then, what kind of person do you think I am?"
A thousand years ago, an executioner. Now, someone who saved countless Shinigami. What did he think of such a person?
"A gentle executioner."
Gentle yet ruthless—two sides that did not conflict in Renji's mind. Many Shinigami bore such contradictions.
Aizen, Yhwach…
Aizen was easy to understand. Born a genius, always pursued after becoming a Shinigami. Perhaps, for a moment, he too wished to be ordinary.
Yhwach was more terrifying. Everything he had came from others, yet he twisted it to seem like his own gift.
"I'm hardly gentle."
She, once named the greatest villain, now being called gentle—what irony.
"Gentle to one's own. Executioner to enemies."
"Little Renji, you're getting better at words. Maybe when I retire, I'll hand the captaincy of the Fourth Division to you."
"I'll pass, or people will think I got the position by flattery."
He had no interest in being captain. Too many responsibilities, too much attention. That wasn't his way. Better to let someone taller stand in front.
"True enough. Little Renji really does know how to flatter. My mood is much better today."
Hey! Was she focusing on the wrong part? He had only been trying to make an excuse, not butter her up.
It seemed Unohana was enjoying teasing him more and more. Perhaps it was a quirk of elder sisters?
"This time the one sent on the mission is Kuchiki Rukia. Before I tested your abilities, I considered sending Hanatarō with you. But now, it seems unnecessary."
"Hey, it's a Menos Grande we're talking about! You're really not afraid I'll die there?"
Could she really be that confident?
When he heard Kuchiki Rukia's name, his first thought was that Aizen had arranged for both of them to be sent. But thinking further, that seemed unlikely.
Most likely, Aizen was just probing his strength. Rukia was simply an addition.
Right now, Rukia carried no Hōgyoku. Just her Kuchiki name was not worth Aizen's time.
The Hōgyoku had been placed inside her artificial body by Urahara Kisuke after she lost her Shinigami powers. The idea was that her power would gradually fade until she became human, leaving her trapped in the gigai so the Hōgyoku could remain hidden.
Realizing this, Renji could only feel exasperated.
Testing his strength was fine, but why throw in so many complications? Did they want him to die for the experiment?
"Your power is more than enough to face a Menos Grande. They're only Gillians."
Even an Adjuchas he might handle. If it were a Vasto Lorde, of course he would not be sent. Such beings were rare even in Hueco Mundo, let alone the Human World.
"Fine then. When the time comes, I'll just let Kuchiki Rukia protect me. My strength is far too weak."
Do you really have to be this cautious?
Kuchiki Rukia's strength might not even surpass yours. Unohana inwardly complained. Was her lieutenant perhaps being too careful?
"Maybe Hanatarō should come along too. With the two of them acting together, I'd feel more at ease. Of course, if you came along as well, Captain, this mission would be a guaranteed success. Hey, Unohana! Don't walk so fast! You're even using shunpo now!"
Renji waved his hand and shouted ahead, but within a few breaths Unohana's figure had already vanished.
He only wanted to be safe. If Unohana came along, there would be no need for him to fight. Surely Aizen wouldn't intervene personally, would he?
"Lieutenant Renji, I heard it was you and Captain Unohana who insisted I accompany you?"
On the day of assembly, Kotetsu Isane's face flushed with excitement as she looked at Renji. She never expected him to push for her to join the mission.
It felt like a sudden blessing.
This was Renji's first mission. Even with another Shinigami present, being chosen alongside him felt like recognition.
"Yes, I even wanted Captain Unohana to come, but unfortunately she absolutely refused."
Renji nodded with regret. He had nearly worn his tongue out persuading her just to allow Kotetsu Isane to accompany him.
But no matter what else he said, Unohana wouldn't agree to join. In the end, he had no choice but to give up. That was what he regretted most.
Bringing Kotetsu Isane along was also because of Kuchiki Rukia.
Though adopted, she was still of the Kuchiki family, one of the Four Great Noble Houses. Renji knew his own nature—if he could avoid acting, he would leave things to Rukia.
Despite his strength, he always seemed worried. This concerned Unohana, and after much thought, hearing Renji's repeated arguments for more people, she eventually agreed it was safer to send Kotetsu Isane too.
So Kotetsu Isane was added to the mission.
"The lieutenant even invited the captain?"
Kotetsu Isane was startled. Unohana had said it was only Gillians. Could there be something greater—perhaps even a Vasto Lorde?
Why else would both lieutenant and captain be dispatched?
The lieutenant was said to be a prodigy unseen in a thousand years. Though Renji had never fought openly, she believed his strength far exceeded hers. Yet he had still wanted an even stronger captain along.
Could it really be a Vasto Lorde?
"I invited her, but she seemed unwilling, so I gave up."
"Lieutenant, is our mission target a Vasto Lorde?"
Kotetsu Isane felt it was best to confirm with Renji. At least before dying, she wanted to know what would kill her.
"No."
So she was right!
Hearing this, Kotetsu Isane patted her chest in relief.
Then it must be an Adjuchas.
"If it's an Adjuchas, the three of us would struggle, but we might manage, right?"
With Lieutenant Renji present, she believed they stood a chance, even if difficult.
Though still uneasy, it was not hopeless like facing a Vasto Lorde.
"No. We're facing Gillians."
He did not yet know what Aizen was planning for this test.
It surely wouldn't be as simple as Gillians. There might be further complications, but officially, Gillians were the task. He couldn't reveal more.
"What?"
Kotetsu Isane stared in disbelief. She had thought Unohana simply refused because it was too minor.
Now she understood.
Sending Unohana to fight Gillians? She would be laughed at forever!
The Fourth Division might not excel in combat, but surely they could handle Gillians. Wasn't the lieutenant being overly cautious?
Did fighting Gillians really require the captain herself?
"Isane, don't underestimate Gillians!"
Renji's face was stern as he reminded her. Against an enemy, one should either confuse them or strike with full force.
"Yes, lieutenant, you're right."
Though exaggerated, Kotetsu Isane still felt his words carried weight.
Gillian or not, a Menos was still a Menos.
"Isane, it's your first mission. Take all of these."
"Lieutenant, all these medicines? Can we really use them?"
She stared at Renji, who was stuffing bags full of medicine and supplies.
She fell into thought.
Her lieutenant was too cautious. Wasn't this like preparing for a siege? With so many supplies, they could probably just stand there and let the Gillians attack endlessly.
"Isane, did you already forget what I said?"
"No! I'll remember, lieutenant!"
"Good. Once this is packed, we leave!"
He took everything—what should be taken, and what shouldn't. Who knew what might come in handy later?
After the two left, the empty storeroom echoed with silence. Kotetsu Isane wanted to say something but swallowed her words.
Perhaps it was pointless to speak now.
Afraid of being scolded later, she hurried after Renji, even tugging at her uniform to hide her face, embarrassed.
After they left,
in the empty storeroom, Yamada Hanatarō's sorrowful cry rang out through the Fourth Division: "Which bastard emptied all our medical supplies?!"
Hearing the noise, Unohana arrived, paused at the empty shelves, and immediately thought of Renji. Could he really have taken everything?
Yes, that was exactly something he would do.
She smiled bitterly. As she suspected, he was far too cautious.
"Robbery?"
"Captain Aizen?"
She turned to see Aizen standing there with Ichimaru Gin. Gin nodded in greeting.
At their sudden arrival, Unohana showed an apologetic look. "Forgive me. There's been no theft."
"Good. If that's so, we'll take our leave."
Aizen smiled gently, adjusted his glasses, and turned away.
As he walked, he pondered. If Renji had taken the supplies, then his cautious nature matched expectations. But when he revealed his ability last time—was that deliberate, or truly an accident?
That didn't quite match his cautious character.
The coming mission would reveal whether his prudence was real or just reputation.
Don't disappoint me.
Aizen's heart held a trace of anticipation. On the path to the top, what could be lonelier than the absence of worthy foes? To become king above the skies, he needed at least one or two opponents to amuse him.
(End of this chapter)
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