Although both Captain Unohana and Rangiku were generously endowed, with Rangiku perhaps even surpassing her in certain… proportions, the crucial point was that Captain Unohana possessed overwhelming strength. Once known as the strongest Kenpachi, not only did she have immense healing ability, but she could also hold down the battlefield when needed.
Among the many Shinigami currently in Soul Society, her strength ranked firmly at the top. There weren't many opponents out there who could make her fall.
The 4th Division didn't place heavy emphasis on combat ability, but there was one skill its members absolutely had to master—proficiency in Kido.
Kido was divided into three categories: Hadō for offensive spells, Bakudō for binding and restricting targets, and Kaido for healing injuries.
Compared to the widely practiced Hadō and Bakudō, few Shinigami truly mastered Kaido. On the one hand, healing techniques were considered obscure within the Kido system; on the other hand, there were very few incantations of this type in the first place.
Hoping to join the 4th Division, Minami Yojuro had made a point of studying Kaido during his time at the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy. Because of this preparation, he felt quite confident about his chances of being accepted.
"Minami Yojuro, sixth-year graduate of the Shin'ō Academy. Mid-to-high grades, above average in Zanjutsu, slightly below average in Hakuda and Shunpo, but Kido ability at a solid mid-to-high level.
With your proficiency in Kido, you do meet the recruitment standards of our 4th Division. Are you certain you wish to join us?"
The recruiter for the 4th Division was a tall, graceful woman with a striking figure, short silver-gray hair, and refined features.
The reason her height stood out was obvious—this was Kotetsu Isane of the 4th Division. At 187 cm, she had an imposing presence even compared to most men.
Of course, Minami Yojuro's own height and looks in this life were nothing to scoff at. Though he couldn't quite look down on her from above, he wasn't overwhelmed by her stature either.
At this point, Isane wasn't yet the lieutenant of the 4th Division—she must have only recently joined the squad herself. That was probably why she'd been assigned to handle new recruitments.
Other divisions had several members working together at their recruitment desks, but the 4th Division's booth had only Isane, standing there all alone. It was clear she was either being isolated or deliberately targeted by the other squad members.
It wasn't unusual for workplace veterans to push around the rookies, especially someone like Isane, who had only just graduated and whose timid personality was easy to take advantage of.
"Yes, that's right. I wish to join the 4th Division and become an excellent member of the healing squad. Will there be any kind of examination or test required?"
Seeing the determination in Minami Yojuro's expression and hearing the certainty in his tone, Isane couldn't help but feel genuinely happy.
Just as Yojuro had guessed, Captain Unohana had sent her along with two other squad members to the Academy to handle this year's recruitment.
However, the two who came with her had shoved all the work onto Isane, using the excuse that since she had only just graduated from the Academy, she was more familiar with the environment.
Each year, divisions came to the Academy to recruit graduates, but the number of students willing to join the 4th Division was never high.
Compared to the 11th Division, the so-called "battle squad," the 4th Division offered safety, but also carried the stigma of being looked down upon.
After all, becoming a Shinigami meant fighting Hollows. If word got out that you spent all your days hiding among women in the logistics squad, friends and relatives would see it as something shameful.
It was normal for fresh graduates of the Shin'ō Academy to be arrogant. Having never been beaten down by reality, these newcomers always believed that with their talents, they would soon shine in Soul Society—becoming division captains, earning high salaries, and walking around with beautiful attendants at their side.
The 4th Division had far more female members than male ones, and those men who did join were often ridiculed by their peers.
That was why most ambitious graduates chose the 11th Division, where glory came faster. Even those who sought safety generally opted for the 3rd or 5th Division—both considered "retirement squads."
And though the 4th Division was known as the healing squad, that didn't mean it was free of casualties. Battlefield medics were still in great danger.
Even when stationed at the rear, a healer could easily fall prey to an enemy's sneak attack while focused on treating others.
Because of this, fewer and fewer new recruits had joined the 4th Division in recent years. The shortage had grown so serious that Captain Unohana had explicitly ordered them to secure at least a few new members this year.
"As for tests," Isane explained, "there aren't any at the moment. As long as your Kido ability and spiritual pressure meet the standards, that's enough.
After all, mastering Kaido is no simple matter. Even many senior members of our squad still can't use it."
Kaido was the healing branch of Kido. Its principle was to first restore the target's internal spiritual pressure, then combine it with the healer's external spiritual energy, thereby mending wounds and replenishing vitality.
Although classified as Kido, learning Kaido was by no means easy. It demanded flawless control over spiritual pressure.
Isane wasn't sure if other divisions required formal examinations for recruitment. But for the 4th Division, having anyone willing to join was already fortunate—there was no reason to be picky.
Besides, she had just reviewed Minami Yojuro's records. While he wasn't an exceptional student, his abilities were more than sufficient for a member of the 4th Division.
A few younger female graduates had also expressed interest in joining recently. Remembering Captain Unohana's words, Isane had lowered the bar somewhat—but still rejected them.
The reason was simple: while their stats were decent, their spiritual pressure and Kido ability weren't up to par. For the 4th Division, those were the most critical standards.
As a member of the 4th Division, you didn't need to excel at swordsmanship. But you absolutely had to excel in Kido—especially healing Kido. Without enough spiritual pressure, you'd collapse before your patient recovered. How could such a person be considered a qualified support member?
"Isane, how is the recruitment going? Will this year's vacancies in the squad be filled?"
Just as Minami Yojuro took the form from Isane, preparing to write down his details and formally join the 4th Division, a soft voice drifted in from outside their recruitment booth. A slender hand lifted the curtain, and a figure stepped inside to stand before Yojuro and Isane.
It was a beautiful woman with long, black hair parted in the middle, her gentle and serene aura radiating peace. She wore a captain's white haori over a gray-sakura kimono.
At first glance, her bearing was noble and elegant, like a Yamato Nadeshiko. But the instant Yojuro laid eyes on her, every pore on his body trembled involuntarily.
Without realizing it, his hand instinctively moved to grip the hilt of the Zanpakutō at his waist.
°°°
A/N: Drop some introductory power stones if you would