Chapter 414: Cute Unohana Retsu
Chiyori's face froze when she heard Kai's words.
Her figure came to a halt in the deserted passage of the team building.
One hand reached up to tuck the short hair on one side of her face behind her ear, her usual sassy demeanor softening into something more delicate and alluring.
Yet now, a hint of shyness crept over her.
Her beautiful eyes darted around, ensuring no one else was nearby, before she spoke in a soft, hesitant voice.
"Dad."
Seeing Chiyori's bashful expression, Kai were thoroughly intrigued.
Kai reached out, gently cupping her soft cheeks with both hands, noting how her eyes flickered away. A smile spread across Kai face as he spoke, "Little Chiyori looks truly adorable right now. It reminds me of when you were younger."
At Kai's words, Chiyori's shy expression stiffened.
She wasn't a child anymore, stop dwelling on those old memories!
She needed to shed her identity as a daughter.
"Vice Captain Kai, I'm calling you. Let's go."
Chiyori's tone was faint, almost fragile.
When alone with him, she could never muster a firm front.
"Then let's go!" Kai replied.
Seeing little Chiyori's soft-spoken demeanor, Kai ceased his teasing.
He took her hand, and they left together.
Soon, they stepped outside and met Unohana Retsu.
Kai didn't part ways with Chiyori until they reached the fork in the road, where he also separated from Unohana Retsu.
As they parted, Kai caught Unohana Retsu's "gentle" gaze.
Her aura felt sharp enough to cut someone down with a blade.
Over half a year after Soralin arrived in Seireitei, Unohana Retsu had passed the captain's position to her, deeming her strength sufficient.
Afterward, Unohana Retsu became the captain of the Fourth Division.
When she took command of the Fourth Division, Kai followed her, assuming the role of her vice-captain.
After all, Kai's initial role in Seireitei had been as the vice-captain of the First Division.
At first, Kai wasn't thrilled about transferring to the Fourth Division under Unohana Retsu.
The First Division captain had chosen her, so it only made sense for the vice-captain to stay and assist her.
However, Soralin didn't dare protest under Unohana Retsu's piercing, unyielding gaze.
As for why Kai later became the vice-captain of the Second Division, that was another tale entirely.
Clearly, Unohana Retsu harbored some resentment about the current situation.
It had taken considerable effort to gain a daughter.
Yet, she felt betrayed by her daughter, and that betrayal fueled her anger.
At this moment, her dark expression unnerved Chiyori.
But to Kai, Unohana Retsu seemed vibrant.
To him, she was even charming when angry.
He smiled and waved.
Then, with a slightly guilty Chiyori in tow, he headed toward the Second Division's building on the mountain.
As Kai's figure receded, Unohana Retsu's aura softened.
Her usually smiling face let out a rare sigh.
He was always like this.
Really! She didn't care about Chiyori's affairs!
Hmph…
A breeze stirred through the street, making the flower fields on either side sway.
It gently lifted her hair as well…
On the other side, Kai and Chiyori returned to the Second Division captain's building.
Kai typically stayed in the Second Division.
He always resided in the captain's dormitory.
Mainly because little Chiyori claimed she had nightmares and needed him as her pillow.
Otherwise, she couldn't sleep.
Though her excuse wasn't convincing, Kai had grown accustomed to having a soft, comforting presence beside him.
In this world, Asami, Esdeath, and others often filled that role.
But it was little Yin who clung to him most often.
Though shy, Yin acted with bold determination, rarely leaving his side.
Gulp!
Kai sat cross-legged on a cushion, casually sipping fragrant light tea.
Moments later, little Chiyori emerged, now dressed in a loose black shihakusho.
"Okay, let's start today's mission, Vice Captain."
As she spoke, her petite frame nestled into Kai's arms, her cheeks glowing as rosy as dawn clouds.
Her voice softened to a delicate murmur.
Feeling the slight trembling of the figure in his arms, Kai deftly slipped a hand inside her loose collar, finding no resistance, only open space.
He employed a massage technique he had perfected, one proven effective.
The reason for this scene was simple.
Though Chiyori bore some resemblance to Unohana Retsu, she lacked her figure.
This was especially noticeable when compared to others.
Namely, the current members of Team Zero.
Team Zero now had four members besides its leader, Unohana Retsu.
They were created by the Spirit and Kai.
Their original purpose was to fill vacancies in the Zero Division.
At the same time, Ling, often bored in the Soul King's Palace, had prompted Kai to create them alongside her.
Because of this, Chiyori came into being after Unohana Retsu's discovery.
However, as the little ones from Team Zero grew into young women, each developed an impressive figure.
But when Chiyori grew up, she noticed her peers disregarded "martial ethics."
Seeing her own unchanged form, she gritted her teeth.
So, over a month ago, Chiyori, as captain, assigned Kai a task.
Kai was to come daily for these "missions."
According to her, Kai was entirely responsible for her current state.
Thus, he had no choice but to comply.
However, Kai felt unjustly blamed.
When creating little Chiyori, he was only responsible for her abilities. Her physical form was Retsu's doing.
So, this was definitely not his fault.
But Chiyori clearly didn't care.
Her goal wasn't just about size, it was about her deeper intentions.
To this, Kai could only accept and enjoy.
Though it was indeed flat at first, her blushing made it amusing.
Now, after over a month of effort, there were results.
From a flat plain, it had grown steeper, pliable like soft clay, shifting freely under his touch.
He was as delighted as a child playing in the mud.
Time passed slowly.
By noon the next day, a crowd gathered at the Fifth Division's battlefield.
Dozens stood in the shadows.
They were all captains of the Gotei 13.
Word had spread about a newly graduated student challenging the Fifth Division's captain.
Yet, few were qualified to observe.
Currently, nearly every team in the Gotei 13 had filled its officer seats.
Only the Fourth Division, requiring mastery of Kaidō, hadn't fully staffed its chief officers.
Other divisions had little room left.
Those who secured chief officer roles in the Gotei 13, achieving Shikai in a short time, were formidable.
In their past lives, they were often ruthless figures, marine admirals, legendary pirates, folk monsters, or powerful beings from various races.
Some, surviving from 500 to 800 years ago, were monsters with S+ mental attributes in life.
Of course, strong spiritual attributes didn't guarantee great potential.
The two weren't always equivalent.
Some souls didn't align with the spiritual power system.
Still, it was highly probable.
Most Shinigami serving as chief officers in the Gotei 13 had reached the third level of spiritual power, the minimum for Bankai.
Many even had second-level spiritual power potential.
Naturally, no weaklings held these roles.
Some "weaklings" arrived in Soul Society two years ago after death.
Though called weaklings, their spirits had reached B+ or A levels in life.
Spared from much erosion by the Underworld's winds, some transformed quickly, their Reiatsu allowing Shikai to secure chief officer roles.
Unfortunately, this wasn't always a blessing.
As time passed, when surrounding officers mastered Bankai, those unable to meet even basic Reiatsu standards would face despair.
High-spirited ones, believing themselves geniuses, would fall harder the higher they climbed.
( End of this Chapter)