"Very good."
"Then I shall provisionally appoint you as the Captain of the Special Relief Squad. When the time comes, I will have Isane arrange for some squad members to assist you in your work."
Unohana Retsu established Suō Tsukasa's status in a calm tone.
She was thoughtful and thorough, intentionally creating a position that was flexible enough while still possessing the necessary authority.
"Aside from not having a formal salary, your authority within the Fourth Division will essentially be equivalent to that of a Senior Relief Squad Captain."
"Understood."
She smiled and nodded, then continued.
"A formal induction ceremony cannot be held, but the necessary procedures must still be followed."
"Tomorrow, I will personally send a letter to Captain Ukitake to explain the situation."
The Fourth Division was large with a complex structure; adding a special post to recruit external talent skilled in Kaidō was perfectly justifiable. Doing so would also save a great deal of unnecessary trouble.
This arrangement granted Suō Tsukasa actual power and the convenience of using resources, while also respecting the proper etiquette between the divisions of the Seireitei.
As for what Ukitake Jūshirō might think or whether he would agree, she didn't need to worry much. The fact that she hadn't directly asked Suō Tsukasa to transfer to the Fourth Division was already considered quite restrained and polite of her.
"I understand. Thank you very much, Captain Unohana."
Suō Tsukasa stood up and bowed in gratitude, very satisfied with this outcome.
As for the thought that had flashed through his mind just moments ago—the idea of relying on his Zanpakutō's power to "infiltrate" the warehouse of the Shino Relief Station after his perceived failure to obtain the medicinal herbs—it had been completely erased. Now that he possessed a legitimate channel, there was naturally no need to take such a risky gamble.
"No need for such formalities."
"Since everything is settled, tidy up a bit. In a moment, I will take you to the warehouse to have a look, so you can pick up some herbs and familiarize yourself with the location."
Unohana Retsu waved her hand gently with a soft smile.
"Yes."
Suō Tsukasa immediately cleared away the dinner plates, and Kotetsu Isane moved quickly to pack up the tea set as well.
A few moments later, the three of them left the private room filled with the scent of tea.
The warehouse was an independent building located on the west side of the Fourth Division barracks. At the entrance were two heavy wooden doors carved with intricate cloud patterns, with a bronze lock hanging in the center.
Kotetsu Isane stepped forward, took an antique key from her robe, inserted it into the lock, and gave it a gentle turn. With a soft click, the lock sprang open.
As she pushed the door open, she explained with a smile.
"Only the Captain and I have keys to this door."
"I am usually the one in charge of managing the warehouse. Tsukasa, if you have any needs in the future, just come find me anytime."
"Indeed. Isane has managed the warehouse for nearly ten years; she knows the stock of every single herb better than I do."
Beside her, Unohana Retsu nodded and added with a smile, her tone full of trust and affirmation for her lieutenant.
Inside the spacious warehouse.
The four walls were tightly sealed, exuding an atmosphere of calm and stability. Only high up near the roof were several neatly arranged, narrow ventilation slits, through which thin beams of daylight slanted in.
Inside the warehouse stood rows of tall ironwood medicine cabinets, neatly lined up as far as the eye could see. Aided by the soft light of the ceiling lamps, one could see the wooden placards on each drawer of the first row, clearly marked with the names of the medicinal herbs.
In addition to the cabinets, multi-tiered wooden shelves were displayed along the walls of the warehouse. On the shelves were rows of jars and bottles of various sizes, made of materials ranging from clay to glass. In some of the transparent glass jars, amber-colored medicinal liquids could be seen, with unknown herbs soaking within.
Unohana Retsu walked in with light steps, leading the two of them. Her gentle voice echoed clearly in the open space.
"The warehouse is divided into the Outer Zone and the Inner Zone."
"The 'Outer' zone stores basic herbs and common auxiliary materials. These have high daily consumption, and management is relatively relaxed. If you have other needs, you can apply for them directly from Isane."
"Isane, first help Suō collect a portion of the auxiliary materials he needs for his pills."
"I will take him to the Inner Zone to collect the other herbs."
"Yes."
While instructing Isane, she led Suō Tsukasa deeper into the building.
"This is the Inner Zone."
The two of them stopped in front of a row of cabinets at the very back of the room. Unohana Retsu casually pulled open a drawer labeled "Ginseng."
The drawer was lined with soft white cloth. Plump pieces of ginseng lay quietly inside, and the spiritual energy they emitted was far more abundant than what Suō Tsukasa had used before.
Having come from the Rukongai, Suō Tsukasa had never seen ginseng of such high quality. His eyes instantly lit up. He couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart, his gaze practically glued to the pile of plump roots.
"For herbs in the Inner Zone, such as this ginseng and the Purple Reishi, or other herbs with strong spirituality, you must register with Isane before taking them. Finally, the request must be submitted to me for approval before they can be used."
Unohana Retsu looked at Suō Tsukasa, clearly informing him of the warehouse rules. She noted his reaction but said nothing more. She took out one root and then closed the drawer, cutting off his view.
"I understand, Captain."
Suō Tsukasa nodded solemnly, committing the rules to memory. He took the opportunity to scan the dense labels on the Inner Zone cabinets; they were mostly precious medicines, many of which had names he had never even heard of. This Inner Zone was a manifestation of part of the Fourth Division's true foundation.
"For your pills, the amount of ginseng can be increased by twenty percent compared to before."
"As for the Purple Reishi used as an auxiliary, two-thirds of the amount of Solomon's Seal will be sufficient."
Then, Unohana Retsu pulled out a Purple Reishi with a rounded cap from its drawer. She gave professional advice in a peaceful tone, handing the herbs over to Suō Tsukasa.
"Tsukasa, here are the other herbs you wanted."
Just then, Kotetsu Isane walked over carrying three bulging oil-paper bundles and a bamboo tube container.
"Thank you, Sister Isane."
Suō Tsukasa took the supplies, feeling the heavy weight in his hands, and expressed his gratitude.
"You're very welcome."
"Give the ginseng and Purple Reishi to me. I'll slice and wrap them for you, it'll make them easier to carry."
"Mhm."
Kotetsu Isane took the two herbs and immediately walked to a nearby workbench, skillfully operating the herb cutter. The herbs were quickly sliced into thin, uniform pieces. She carefully wrapped the sliced materials in clean oil paper, tied them with thin string, and then turned back to hand them to Suō Tsukasa.
"There, all done."
Suō Tsukasa took them and held them securely.
"Alright, that's all for today. Let us head out."
"Isane, please see Suō out in a moment."
Seeing that everything was in order, Unohana Retsu spoke gently.
The three left the warehouse, and the heavy wooden doors swung shut behind them. The bronze lock clicked into place, sealing the room's medicinal fragrance back inside.
Suō Tsukasa, carrying his neatly wrapped herbs, followed behind the two as they walked out of the warehouse. Outside, the sky had darkened. An evening breeze brushed through the courtyard, bringing the fresh scent of green grass.
Unohana Retsu stopped under the corridor and turned to Suō Tsukasa.
"Suō, when you return, remember not to forget today's Kaidō practice."
Her smile and voice seemed even more gentle in the evening breeze.
"I will, Captain. Thank you very much for today."
Suō Tsukasa thanked her solemnly once more.
"See you soon."
Unohana Retsu nodded in farewell and turned toward the Captain's office, her figure draped in the white haori quickly vanishing from sight.
Kotetsu Isane said with a smile, "Tsukasa, let me walk you to the barracks entrance."
"Thank you for your hard work today as well, Sister Isane."
"It was nothing."
The two walked side by side along the path of the Fourth Division barracks. The lamps along the way had already been lit one by one, blooming into halos of light against the deepening sky.
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