Sending the hidden final boss away in disappointment—
What Bai Chen didn't expect was that, the moment he'd just seen Aizen and Ichimaru Gin off, another major figure immediately came to speak with him.
"Captain Unohana…"
Facing Unohana Retsu—poised like a dignified noblewoman—
This time, Bai Chen didn't just give a perfunctory nod.
He deliberately lowered his head slightly in a formal salute.
No other reason—
Just her healer's compassion alone deserved his respect.
"Bai Chen, you weren't hurt just now, were you?" Unohana asked with a smile.
But that opening line—loaded with meaning—
Sounded like it carried more than simple concern.
"Captain Unohana, thank you for your concern… I'm completely fine right now. I don't have any injuries."
Bai Chen nodded as he answered.
"The reason you're unhurt…"
"…is because you've been hiding another power."
"A special healing ability comparable to Kaidō."
As she spoke, Unohana's eyes flickered, and her tone slowed slightly.
"?!"
"So she still noticed…"
Bai Chen went quiet for a beat.
He truly hadn't expected that the ability he'd been deliberately concealing—Wordless Healing—would be seen through so easily by Unohana.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not here to question you."
Sensing Bai Chen's subtle change in expression, Unohana's voice softened again, warm as water, her smile gentle.
Compared to Aizen—
She was also kind, composed, understanding.
But because hers was genuine—not an act—
Every time she spoke, she naturally made people feel closer to her.
Relaxed.
Safe.
As if…
In front of this highly respected, beloved hundred-year captain of Seireitei,
There was no need to be on guard—
No need to hide every thought.
You could simply trust her.
"As the captain of a medical squad…"
"Nearly a thousand years of experience has given me an unusually sensitive 'sense' for spiritual power."
"During the assessment match just now…"
"When you released your power—within that emerald glow—I sensed a powerful life essence."
"It's something I've never encountered before. I imagine… that's why you weren't afraid of being injured."
After calmly laying out her reasoning,
Unohana narrowed her eyes with a smile.
"So…"
"Captain Unohana, are you interested in my healing ability?" Bai Chen asked.
If she intended to use that as a reason to invite him into Squad Four, it wouldn't be surprising.
Unohana's smile didn't change—
But her answer was ambiguous.
"Yes, and no…"
"What does that mean?"
Bai Chen frowned slightly.
From the sound of it, what she truly cared about was something else entirely.
"In this world, everyone has secrets of their own."
"If you don't wish to reveal yours, I won't force you."
"But…"
Her gentle gaze dropped.
It landed on Bai Chen's waist—on the Zanpakutō hanging at his sash.
Unohana's eyes grew deeper.
"If I told you…"
"That what truly interests me is your Konoha-style sword technique…"
"Bai Chen—would you believe me?"
When she said it,
Unohana's expression became complicated in an instant.
Her thoughts seemed to drift back a thousand years—
For a moment, recalling the woman she once was—
A butcher drenched in blood.
But…
It wasn't nostalgia.
It was longing—
A desire to reclaim, from the memory of Yachiru-ryū, that old obsession and hunger for the blade.
"Captain Unohana…"
"Like you said—everyone has secrets."
"And everyone has their own reasons to be trusted."
Bai Chen smiled faintly,
Then returned her earlier words back to her—exactly as she'd spoken them.
"Good."
"That purity of yours truly hasn't disappointed the Captain-Commander's careful expectations."
Unohana nodded, answering with a graceful smile.
They each had secrets.
But neither crossed the line.
That was the outcome Unohana wanted.
"Then… when will we spar?" Bai Chen asked.
To Senju Hashirama's template, swordsmanship was only a side branch—not the core.
But if there was a chance to go further,
Bai Chen didn't mind walking the path of the sword a little longer.
"To avoid gossip…"
"The best time is after the Soul Burial practicum ends—after you've graduated from the Shin'ō Academy and joined the Gotei Thirteen."
Unohana's thinking was simple:
Sword sparring wasn't a one-time matter.
It would be long-term.
And she didn't want it to interfere with Bai Chen's original reasons for joining a squad.
However—
Unohana didn't know that the instant she mentioned Soul Burial practicum…
A system notification sounded at exactly the right moment in Bai Chen's mind.
"Ding!"
"New sign-in mission issued!"
"No time limit. Please go to the World of the Living—Karakura Town—near Urahara Shop, and check in!"
"After completing the sign-in, you will receive a special reward: Four Red Yang Formation (Enhanced Flames Version)!"
The moment he read it,
Bai Chen's eyes lit up.
"Oh?"
"Four Red Yang Formation… and it's flame-enhanced?"
"Looks like I'm about to sign in another god-tier skill again."
◇ I'll drop one bonus chapter for every 10 reviews (leave a review/comment!)
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon: patreon.com/KageNaruto