Chapter 15: The Terrifying Sensei Unohana Retsu
Senju Makoto nodded seriously and replied firmly, "Yes, Teacher, I understand. There is no such thing as a truly weak ability, only a weak heart."
Upon hearing this, Unohana Retsu's eyes subtly brightened. She inexplicably felt that the young man standing before her was radiating a warm and unwavering light.
'Such a gentle yet resilient heart? No wonder his Zanpakutō ability is related to healing...'
Unohana Retsu thought to herself, her gaze toward Senju Makoto growing even softer.
Though their interaction had been brief, Senju Makoto gave Unohana Retsu a very different impression from the other Soul Reapers. He wasn't obsessed with power or combat, nor did he waver because of the strength or weakness of his Zanpakutō's abilities. He valued life, was gentle but resolute, and completely lacked the so-called "bad habits" often associated with so-called "geniuses."
In that moment, Unohana Retsu found herself increasingly satisfied with this new disciple. A thought crossed her mind, and she asked, "Makoto, would you mind showing me your Zanpakutō ability? A wood-based, healing Zanpakutō is rare even in the history of the Soul Society."
Senju Makoto's heart tightened slightly upon hearing this, but on the surface, he remained calm as he began to release his Zanpakutō.
"Endless vitality, Shinro Basho!"
As the release words were spoken, grass sprouted around Senju Makoto, emanating a resilient life force and a vibrant green hue.
Unohana Retsu, her crescent-shaped eyes now slightly open, carefully examined every detail of Senju Makoto's release. She even knelt down and grabbed a blade of grass, pulling on it forcefully.
"Mm?"
Suddenly, Unohana Retsu let out a small, puzzled sound.
Contrary to her expectations of fragility, the grass she was pulling didn't budge, even with her slight exertion.
"Quite resilient," Unohana Retsu commented.
Senju Makoto's expression stiffened slightly. He hadn't expected Unohana Retsu, whose vision was as broad as the skies, to pay such close attention to the resilience of the seemingly ordinary grass.
Even though he had intentionally kept his release in a semi-unleashed state by using an incorrect release phrase, "Shinro Basho" was still a part of the full release. Senju Makoto couldn't make the grass weak, no matter how hard he tried.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed under Unohana Retsu's inquisitive gaze, Senju Makoto scratched his head and awkwardly said, "Teacher, after all, it's just grass... the only noteworthy things are its vitality and resilience."
"Mm."
Unohana Retsu gave a noncommittal response before asking, "Makoto, is your Zanpakutō ability just manipulating these grasses to heal others?"
"That's correct."
Senju Makoto nodded and naturally provided the prepared answer.
"To be precise, I can use my spiritual energy to control the growth and extension of these grasses. They then absorb the spiritual particles in the air and channel them to others for healing, replenishing spiritual energy, and vitality."
He paused for a moment, then said helplessly, "But…"
"At this point, it seems that my understanding of the path of Reishi, medical techniques, and the structure of souls and spiritual bodies is still limited. Therefore, these Reishi can only heal minor injuries at the moment. For more serious wounds, I can only stabilize them temporarily."
Unohana Retsu, upon hearing this, stroked her smooth, pale chin, her gaze drifting into thought.
After a brief moment, she considered her words carefully before speaking.
"Makoto, have you ever thought about reversing the flow of Shinro Basho? Absorb the Reishi and spiritual energy from your enemies? These green grasses possess considerable resilience. With enough of them entangling an opponent, even a Vice Captain-level Soul Reaper would find it difficult to escape. In this way, Shinro Basho could potentially become an extraordinarily powerful control ability..."
"Yes, and further..."
Unohana Retsu's expression faltered, a mysterious glint flickering in her eyes as she fixed her gaze on Senju Makoto. She murmured, as if pondering deeply.
"If this ability were fully realized... It could absorb unlimited Reishi from the air, replenishing its user's energy and healing wounds, allowing one to continuously fight without ever exhausting themselves..."
As she spoke the final words, a subtle shift occurred in her demeanor, her once gentle features becoming unsettlingly intense. She instinctively licked her lips.
"Glup~"
However, the strange moment was interrupted by the sound of Senju Makoto swallowing nervously, his face now pale with shock.
Unohana Retsu froze, an apologetic look crossing her face as she quickly spoke.
"Apologies, Makoto. I suddenly remembered something unpleasant. I didn't frighten you, did I?"
"It's fine, Teacher."
Senju Makoto shook his head, though his slightly ashen face betrayed his discomfort. The unease she noticed caused a small pang of guilt to form in Unohana Retsu's heart, halting her earlier thoughts about Shinro Basho.
In truth, Senju Makoto had indeed been frightened!
In that moment, he felt as though he had glimpsed a mountain of corpses and an endless sea of blood. The overwhelming bloodlust pierced directly into his soul.
What was more terrifying was the look Unohana Retsu gave him, one that seemed as though she was eyeing an indestructible toy... or perhaps an unbreakable punching bag?
For a moment, Senju Makoto couldn't help but question his choice to join the Fourth Division. It should have been the best choice, given his role in healing, but why... did everything seem so perilously dangerous now?
What terrified him further was that, within such a short time, Unohana Retsu had already inferred nearly all of Shinro Basho's primary abilities, almost as though she had seen through the entire essence of his Zanpakuto's powers.
This woman... she was terrifying!
No wonder she was a Soul Reaper who had stood tall for a millennium. No wonder she was the "First Kenpachi," standing at the pinnacle of healing and the path of Reishi in Soul Society!
Even Kenpachi Zaraki, another Captain-level Soul Reaper, had only envisioned himself as a "healer" for the team, someone to restore health. But Unohana Retsu, after a close examination, had already deduced the true potential of Shinro Basho.
With this in mind, Unohana Retsu, initially intending to offer advice to boost Senju Makoto's confidence and motivation regarding his Zanpakuto's abilities, now noticed his troubled state and, out of kindness, decided to stop discussing Shinro Basho further. Instead, she smiled and said lightly.
"Makoto, you have the potential to awaken your Bankai. If you truly achieve it, the position of Fourth Division Captain will be yours. And... I will personally teach you the way of the sword. How does that sound?"
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