The sound of rushing water echoed on and on, an elegant, curved silhouette projected onto the frosted glass.
"Muten?" Retsu Unohana called softly from the bathroom. "How do I turn this off?"
Muten Natsu cast a helpless look toward Orihime Inoue.
"I'll help," Orihime Inoue said, immediately understanding. She opened the bathroom door and stepped inside. "You do it like this…"
"So convenient," Retsu Unohana remarked.
"Doesn't Soul Society have something like this?" Orihime Inoue asked curiously.
"Mm. Bringing things from the World of the Living into Soul Society and installing them is quite a hassle," Retsu Unohana replied, her voice slightly muffled by the bathroom. "I got used to using the bathhouse, so I never bothered to change it."
"The bathhouse?"
"Right, it's normal that someone your age wouldn't know," Retsu Unohana said with a smile, explaining to Orihime Inoue. "It's a large room with wooden flooring. Underneath is a pit filled with pebbles for drainage."
"That sounds fun."
"It's not as convenient as this, though. I really should change it after I get back."
"You're going to change it… Here, your towel."
"Change takes time," Retsu Unohana said. After a while, she emerged from the bathroom together with Orihime Inoue, a towel wrapped around her.
Her damp long hair fell down her back. The smooth curve of her shoulders, left uncovered by the towel, seemed to give off faint warmth. Retsu Unohana's fair cheeks were lightly flushed, and her already gentle eyes now looked soft enough to melt.
"I'll dry your hair for you!" Orihime Inoue picked up the hair dryer. "I'm really experienced with long hair~"
Retsu Unohana sat down in front of the mirror. "Then I'll leave it to you."
Orihime Inoue carefully combed through Retsu Unohana's long hair, following its natural flow and blow-drying from the roots to the tips.
As she worked, her gaze kept drifting uncontrollably to the area below Retsu Unohana's neck in the mirror.
It wasn't because of the size, which was slightly larger than her own, but because…
Retsu Unohana pointed to the center of her collarbone. "Are you looking at this?"
"Caught~" Orihime Inoue stuck out her tongue. "It's just so pretty, I couldn't help looking a little more."
At the center of Retsu Unohana's collarbone was a striking crimson mark, wild and unrestrained, like a red spider lily blooming against her snow-white skin.
Retsu Unohana's eyes curved into a smile. "It's a keepsake."
"A keepsake?"
"Yes." Using the mirror, Retsu Unohana looked at the back of Muten Natsu's head. "A keepsake from our first meeting."
...
When Retsu Unohana first encountered Muten Natsu, he had just defeated the Lizard Hollow and was already beginning to lose himself to the erosion of Hellfire.
Uncontrollable power battered Muten Natsu's reason. Excruciating pain drowned his consciousness. Cold black flames, like writhing animal hide, wrapped around his body. His skin split apart within the fire, exposing vivid red flesh, like grotesque beast patterns carved into him.
That was the Muten Natsu Retsu Unohana saw.
Though she hadn't witnessed it personally, her perception of Reiatsu and the scene before her were enough to let her piece together what had happened.
The children who had lived together had been attacked by Hollows. Most had lost their lives. Only two unconscious children remained, along with this child who had lost control during Hollowfication.
As for that one…
Retsu Unohana's gaze paused briefly in one direction. "Has it already escaped?"
Saving lives came first.
Compared to the Hollow that had fled, the situation right in front of her demanded immediate attention.
Retsu Unohana moved toward Renji, whose injuries were more severe, preparing to treat him.
The two strands of black flame atop Muten Natsu's head, shaped like beast ears, flickered. Behind the bone-white mask, blood-red eyes locked onto her at once.
Retsu Unohana took another step forward. Muten Natsu dropped low like a beast, black flames leaping across his back and surging violently upward.
"I am Retsu Unohana, Captain of the Fourth Division," she said calmly to Muten Natsu. "I'm here to help you."
She stepped closer to Renji again.
"Grr—!" Muten Natsu let out a threatening growl as the black flames around his body suddenly exploded outward.
"He can't hear me anymore…" Retsu Unohana raised her hand. "Then I'll have to calm you down first. Bakudō #61—Rikujōkōrō."
As she softly recited the incantation, brilliant light burst from her fingertips, splitting into six rays in midair. They expanded into golden panels of light that surrounded Muten Natsu.
Muten Natsu lunged instantly, but the light was faster. The panels snapped shut around him.
Before his feet even left the ground, the light crashed down onto his body, releasing a strange force that sealed his movements.
Muten Natsu's body trembled, black flames flickering wildly, yet he couldn't move even a single finger.
After restraining him, Retsu Unohana moved at once to stabilize Renji and Rukia's injuries. Then her compassionate gaze returned to Muten Natsu.
He was probably… beyond saving.
She had seen cases very similar to his before. Those people…
As the black flames continued to erode him, the six panels of light shattered one after another. Freed from the binding, Muten Natsu hurled himself straight at Retsu Unohana.
"Bakudō #63—"
Four streaks of yellow light shot out behind her as she chanted softly, taking the shape of chains.
"Sajō Sabaku."
Even with little hope, Retsu Unohana still wanted to try.
The snake-like chains twisted and extended, binding Muten Natsu in midair.
The black flames contracted slightly, then detonated. Muten Natsu tore free of the chains, twisted his body in the air, and swung his left arm—stretched and formed entirely of flame—toward her.
"He broke free that fast…" Retsu Unohana's eyes widened slightly. "Bakudō #81—Dankū."
The flaming claw struck something unseen and shattered on impact. Black fire surged and spread, flattening into a vast plane before her.
An enormous, invisible barrier stood in front of Retsu Unohana, easily blocking the attack. The black flames roiled endlessly, yet couldn't advance even the slightest bit.
Bang!
Muten Natsu slammed his fist into the barrier. His five fingers twisted grotesquely out of shape, but he showed no sign of pain and continued attacking in a frenzy.
Using Dankū's protection, Retsu Unohana observed him up close. "This flame…"
Muten Natsu's warped fingers were swallowed by the black fire. The flames burned, then condensed into semi-transparent bone and muscle, forming a new hand.
The black flames were devouring his body… no, it wasn't just that.
Retsu Unohana narrowed her eyes. Wisps of black flame were now spreading across the invisible surface of Dankū itself.
Sensing the change, she murmured, "Reiatsu… Reiryoku… it's Reishi."
The black flames used Reishi as fuel, gaining tremendous power by destroying its stable state. That was why they could so easily break free from Bakudō bindings.