"You're not wrong."
Head Captain Yamamoto actually followed along with Nobu's words. "You truly have done a good thing. Jūshirō has long suffered from this lung disease — it was you who freed him from it."
Hearing that, Nobu felt it would be overstepping to keep talking in the same tone. His expression straightened slightly. "Saving lives and treating the injured is a doctor's duty."
Then Yamamoto said, "Let me see your Zanpakutō."
Nobu immediately handed over the asauchi at his waist.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni took it and examined it closely. Nobu couldn't help the uneasy stir in his heart — this was, after all, a thousand-year-old monster. With his experience, who knew whether he might see straight through Nobu's cover?
Still, Nobu had prepared himself for this before coming. If he were exposed, he'd simply say it was a small trick he'd used to get into Fourth Division — hardly a serious offense.
After a long moment scrutinizing the blade, Yamamoto's eyes showed a trace of thoughtfulness.
Truth be told, he could see nothing special about it. Whether it was the fact that it had already taken shape as a true Zanpakutō yet looked no different from an ordinary asauchi, or that the Soul King's right hand was sealed within and still completely undetectable — nothing could be discerned.
But given it was something tied to the Soul King, the abnormal was only natural.
It was like Ukitake's lung disease — even Unohana Retsu had never been able to find its root cause.
He asked again, "Since that day, have you noticed any changes?"
Nobu shook his head lightly. "None. I can still use my Zanpakutō as usual. It's as if it's not inside at all. I sometimes wonder if I imagined seeing it in the first place."
Yamamoto was silent for a while before returning the asauchi to him.
"As captain of Thirteenth Division, Jūshirō has endured this illness for a century. By curing him, you've made a contribution to the Gotei 13. Is there any reward you wish for?"
This "reward" was likely half a personal favor — everyone knew the closeness between Ukitake and Yamamoto.
"I didn't think of that when I chose to treat him," Nobu said after a pause.
Yamamoto's face showed a trace of approval. "It's not too late to think now."
Nobu smiled at once. In front of this man who held absolute authority in Seireitei, he didn't seem the least constrained.
"If the Head Captain feels my actions are worth encouragement, perhaps you might give our Fourth Division a bit more support."
Yamamoto looked faintly surprised.
Nobu went on to explain. "As a medical division, Fourth Division has always been at a disadvantage when recruiting from the Academy. Because of that, Captain Unohana, Vice-Captain Kotetsu, and I have discussed making some changes."
He laid out in detail his vision for shifting the division's overall atmosphere, strengthening its martial spirit, while stressing he would never do anything that fundamentally contradicted the founding principles of Fourth Division.
Yamamoto and Kyōraku both listened with thoughtful expressions.
It was obvious these reform ideas came entirely from the man in front of them. They'd known Unohana long enough to understand her temperament.
The functions of the Gotei 13 had been set at its founding — but not every division had stayed unchanged. The Twelfth Division's Research and Development Institute, for instance, had only been established about fifty years ago.
After some thought, Yamamoto said, "When you were at the Academy, you founded the Student Council and kept it running smoothly, bringing great convenience to both teachers and students. Sasakibe Chōjirō reported this to me more than once. From that alone, I can tell you're a man with ideas. As for your reforms for Fourth Division — as long as you keep them within proper bounds, I can give my support."
Nobu's face lit with joy. "Thank you, Head Captain."
Then he grinned. "In that case, there's one request I hope you'll grant."
"Speak."
"It's about Fourth Division's responsibility for cleaning Seireitei."
At that, both Yamamoto and Kyōraku were taken aback — and instantly realized what he meant.
Kyōraku gave a quiet cough, glancing at Nobu with a slightly strange expression, as if to say: you really do know how to climb a pole when it's offered.
But thinking it over, this wasn't for his own sake — it was for Fourth Division.
If not for that, the request might have seemed presumptuous.
Nobu spread his hands in explanation. "As a medical division, our work is already heavy. The general treatment unit needs many members stationed inside the barracks, and we still have to handle field missions and medical research. If we're also working to change the division's atmosphere, our members' burdens will increase a lot. So I'd like the other divisions to help us share the cleaning work in Seireitei."
Yamamoto said nothing, but his old eyes fixed on Nobu like burning coals.
Kyōraku thought to himself that this would be tricky.
It wasn't that he personally objected to sending his own division to sweep the streets, and indeed, leaving that duty solely to Fourth Division had never been entirely fair. But since Unohana had never raised the issue, he hadn't bothered either.
The problem was: some divisions — and their captains — would never agree.
Take Sixth Division, for example…
And opposition might not only come from within the Gotei 13 — Central 46 could also…
If old man Yamamoto agreed, he'd be putting himself over the fire.
Does this kid really not understand what he's implying here…?
The ones who truly governed the order of Seireitei and Soul Society were the noble houses.
After a long silence, Yamamoto finally said, "I can designate one more division to share this work with Fourth Division."
Nobu smiled. "Head Captain, the division you name might feel some resentment. If they direct that at us in Fourth Division, wouldn't that hurt the harmony of the Gotei 13?"
Yamamoto's tone stayed calm. "Then what do you propose?"
As he spoke, Kyōraku's eyes stayed fixed on Nobu.
Nobu knew exactly what he was saying, and what he was doing.
His voice was respectful and steady. "I think it would be better to distribute the work equally among all divisions. That way, everyone accepts it. At most there'll be some grumbling about an extra chore — nothing serious. What does the Head Captain think?"
Yamamoto didn't answer immediately. His gaze lingered on Nobu for a moment, calm and unreadable. Then he said, "You may go."
"…Yes."
Nobu bowed and left the room.
After he was gone, Yamamoto suddenly asked Kyōraku, "Do you think he's doing this deliberately?"
Kyōraku felt a twinge of awkwardness. To say yes would be to call Nobu reckless.
And truthfully, he did feel Nobu had been testing the waters just now.
"Tachikawa is still young. I doubt he's got that many twists and turns in his heart."
It was, in its way, an excuse for him.
Yamamoto's gaze was deep as he replied, "Is that so?"
---
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl