Arata thought he would see Unohana Retsu again only after some time, but he didn't expect that the two would meet again just as the training class was coming to an end.
Today's training class courses were Shunpo and Hakuda.
And unlike yesterday, the teacher for both classes today was Soi-fon, the captain of the 2nd Division.
When Arata arrived in the classroom, Shibato Mitsunobu had already been waiting for him for a long time. He patted him firmly on the shoulder and delivered the good news: "Saito-san, today I'll ask you to be Captain Soi-Fon's sparring partner."
"Hsss—" Whether intentionally or not, Shibato's large hand happened to land directly on the scratches on Arata's shoulder, causing him to audibly gasp in pain.
"What's wrong, Saito-kun? Are you not feeling well?"
"Vice President, it's nothing. I just got a bit too excited when I heard the news." Arata pretended to be calm.
Shibato Mitsunobu looked at him approvingly: "Saito-san, the future of the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy relies on you, so you must work hard!"
"I understand, Vice President Shibato."
Soon, the shinigami from the Soul Society and teachers from the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy arrived at their places, and the captains and vice-captains sat in the front row. However, Arata did not see Unohana Retsu among them.
Hm? Where is the teacher?
Arata circled the entire hall, looked over the space again and again, but didn't catch sight of her.
He approached Kotetsu Isane and gently tapped her shoulder: "Miss Isane, won't Captain Unohana be attending the training class today?"
"Yes, Saito, I went to see the captain this morning, and she told me she wasn't feeling well, so she won't be attending today's class for now." Isane nodded to Arata and replied.
While saying that, Isane slightly furrowed her brows and muttered softly: "But last night, when we were together in the hot springs, the captain seemed perfectly fine and not sick at all. Could it be she caught a cold from staying too long in the water?"
Arata also felt a slight concern. He vaguely remembered that during their breakfast this morning, Unohana Retsu showed no signs of weakness.
Though he was worried, he reminded himself that she was the captain of the 4th Division, so it probably wasn't anything serious.
Having cleared that up with himself, Arata focused his full attention on today's lesson.
Shunpo and Hakuda could be said to be the two skills in which, alongside kendō, Arata was most proficient among the four arts of the shinigami; Kidō came second, and Kaidō was last.
Because while training kendō with Unohana Retsu, they hadn't only practiced sword techniques, but had undergone comprehensive combat training that also included the use of Shunpo and Hakuda.
In the words of Unohana Retsu: "If you want to be a powerful swordsman, you must have the strength to defeat the enemy even without a sword in hand."
Although Arata wasn't sure if Unohana Retsu might have interpreted that statement too broadly, the fact was that after two weeks of thorough practical guidance, both his Shunpo and Hakuda had reached a level worthy of an officer.
Meeting the combat demonstration requirements set by Soi-Fon was now easy and simple for him.
"Saito-san, your talent for Shunpo and Hakuda is truly excellent. I look forward to the day I see your name on the 2nd Division's roster."
Just like Aizen the day before, after only two practical classes, Soi-Fon's assessment of Arata soared sky-high.
If yesterday Soi-Fon was drawn to his appearance, which reminded her of Shihouin, today she was genuinely impressed by the strength Arata had demonstrated.
Combined with Captain Aizen's assessment from the day before, even if Arata's talent for Kidō was weak, it was still enough for him to be considered the most outstanding genius of the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy in the past ten years.
If she could bring him into her 2nd Division and polish him personally, surpassing Ōmaeda would be a piece of cake.
"Thank you for the recognition, Captain Soi-Fon. I will continue to work hard." Arata didn't directly respond to Soi-Fon's expectations but offered a few polite words.
In Arata's heart, joining the 2nd Division was never an option.
On one hand, Soi-Fon's power, vision, and pattern were quite limited; if you follow her, there would be little room for growth.
On the other hand, Arata valued loyalty. From his previous to his current life, he had only admired one type of person, those with a broad spirit.
Soi-Fon did not belong to that category.
The outcome was, therefore, predictable.
Everyone gradually dispersed, and only then did Arata finally catch sight of Unohana Retsu. She was now wearing her captain's haori and seemed to be chatting with Kotetsu Isane, with that familiar smile on her face.
Seeing this, Arata let out a relieved breath, so long as she was well, everything was fine.
In the evening, Arata, as usual, returned to the student dormitory of the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy to rest. Last night's hotel stay had been just a mishap. Fortunately, no one disturbed him tonight, and he was finally able to get a proper sleep.
Kira Izuru was curious where Arata had gone the night before and why he hadn't returned to the dormitory to sleep.
"Last night, I was kidnapped by three mature and beautiful female beings." It was a rare chance to joke with Kira, so Arata allowed himself the tease.
"W-what?! I didn't expect someone as serious and reserved as you to go to… such a place!"
"Damn it, did I completely misjudge him?!"
"Hey, hey, Izuru, what are you even talking about…"
"Don't mind me, just leave me be…"
The next day, the training class reached its final day of lessons. Today's Kaidō classes were led by 4th Division Vice-Captain Kotetsu Isane and 4th Division 7th Seat Yamada Hanatarō.
Everyone had listened with great interest the previous two days, but today's Kaidō class was an exception. Most teachers from the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy were there more for formality; few could truly grasp what was being discussed.
When Isane spoke the last word, Shibato Mitsunobu announced that the training class for instructors was officially over.
The shinigami from the training class and the teachers from the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy stood up and began leaving the classroom one by one. A sense of relief and lightness filled the space, especially among those teachers for whom the Kaidō class hadn't landed well.
Kotetsu Isane lowered her head and quietly gathered the teaching materials and notes she had carefully prepared for a month or two.
Her eyes were slightly red; a feeling of defeat was clearly visible on her face.
In the end, the experienced Yakumo Kadori played the role of a caring older sister and came over to console her: "Isane-chan, don't take it to heart. It's not your fault. You really explained things wonderfully."
Yakumo Kadori gently brushed her palm over her short, silvery-gray hair and in a tone like a grandmother comforting her grandchild said: "Kaidō is a skill that requires deep education and enough talent to master. Most teachers at the Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy are just ordinary shinigami. It's normal they couldn't follow your lecture."
"Y-yes, Yakumo-san." Isane forced a smile, but her voice was still a bit choked: "I just think… it would be better if I could explain it in a more interesting way…"
Arata, who was sitting in the back row, noticed the commotion up front. Although he didn't have to participate in any demonstrations today, thanks to the results of the past two days, Shibato Mitsunobu had specially arranged a seat for him as an observer.
He looked at Isane struggling to stay strong, yet unable to hide her vulnerability, and remembered how passionately she had learned tea preparation from him the night before; something stirred in his heart.
He approached Isane and openly said:
"Miss Isane, I found the class just now very interesting. Would you be willing to answer a few questions about the Kaidō path for me?"