CHAPTER 6:The Long Road Is Long, Only the Sword Is Your Companion!
"Hmm?"
Unohana Retsu's soft voice carried a subtle note of surprise, a rare shift in her usually serene expression.
"Well, well…"
"I didn't expect the boy from back then to grow into a prodigy."
"As expected of the Kuchiki bloodline."
As her words faded, the crushing pressure of her spiritual energy dissipated just as suddenly as it had come.
If not for the bluish-white Reiatsu pillar still surrounding Moyu like a holy flame, one might've believed the overwhelming spiritual presence earlier had been nothing more than a dream.
Under normal circumstances, Unohana Retsu was one of the most composed and dependable Captains in the Gotei 13. Her control over her emotions was flawless.
But today, the moment she spotted the one who ruined her Fourth Division flower arrangement, her mood inevitably… shifted.
"So Reiatsu is the one carrying all the weight, huh…"
Moyu, now understanding more about the way his mysterious cheat worked, slipped into quiet contemplation.
In doing so, he missed the subtle approach of a presence that felt like death masked in silk.
By the time he snapped back to reality, Unohana's peaceful face was less than a meter from his own.
"Sa, Moyu…"
Her voice remained as gentle as always, a calm tide rather than a crashing wave.
"It seems… you've come to accept your fate."
As she spoke, her white-gloved hand quietly rested on the hilt of the Zanpakutō at her side.
"Ahem… Captain Unohana," Moyu coughed twice, doing everything in his power to interrupt her train of thought, "This is the Shinō Academy, and it strictly forbids any action that harms students."
Unohana paused slightly, her expression remaining unchanged.
"Hmm… I suppose I was being a bit thoughtless."
Her calm voice wavered just enough to sound contemplative. Then the smile at the corner of her lips widened slightly.
"But… now that I've found you…"
She locked eyes with him, and in those deep black pupils danced a different kind of light.
"…you won't escape so easily."
"Hiss—" Moyu sucked in a breath, suppressing the shiver crawling down his spine.
Though Unohana's beauty was undeniable, it did not diminish the lethal danger wrapped around her like silk around a blade.
"Now then," she said, with her tone settling into something instructional again, "next is the Kendō class."
"I hope you'll listen closely."
"After all… this could save your life."
Moyu felt a dull ache in his teeth just hearing that.
Why… why did I mess with the damn flower arrangements?!
---
As the First Kenpachi, Unohana Retsu's mastery of the sword placed her among the top echelon of all Soul Reapers.
She once claimed to have mastered every sword form and school in the known world. Her self-bestowed title: Yachiru, "Eight Thousand Styles," reflected that fact.
Naturally, she was more than qualified to serve as a guest instructor for Kendō.
"The way of the sword is broad and profound," she began, her voice like wind brushing across still water.
She plucked a standard wooden sword from the rack and caressed it lightly with one hand, as though greeting an old friend.
"In Soul Society, Kendō is typically divided into ten dan ranks—but that is not the true end of swordsmanship."
She turned to the quiet room of students.
"That is merely a classification made for… ordinary people."
"The reason I hold the tenth dan in Kendō… is because Kendō only has ten dan to offer."
---
[Your Kendō has increased by 238% due to listening to Unohana Retsu's lecture and comprehending the third stage of Kendō.]
[Your Kendō has increased by 128% due to listening to Unohana Retsu's lecture and comprehending the fifth stage of Kendō.]
[Your Kendō has increased by 328% due to listening to Unohana Retsu's lecture and comprehending the seventh stage of Kendō.]
---
The flood of system notifications exploded in Moyu's mind like thunder, relentless and deafening.
Yet his expression didn't carry the joy one might expect—instead, he frowned slightly.
Knowing Unohana's nature, Moyu understood one thing clearly.
She wasn't joking.
This wasn't just theory.
She fully intended to draw her sword.
Taking a blow from the First Kenpachi—no, even just sparring with her—was like standing in front of a living executioner.
If it came to actual battle, cheat or no cheat, he'd die instantly.
However… if it was a pure test of technique—Kendō, stripped of killing intent—then maybe…
A flicker of insight lit up his dark eyes.
He had found the loophole.
"If that's the case… I'd better listen closely," he resolved.
Moyu forced himself into alertness, doing everything he could to absorb every word Unohana spoke.
But then… a problem arose.
He understood every word Unohana said, but once strung together, it all turned into incomprehensible scripture.
Sleepiness returned like an ambush from within.
---
[Your Kendō has increased by 1000% due to listening to Unohana Retsu's lecture and fully comprehending the tenth stage of Kendō.]
[Your Kendō has gained awareness of your disparity from others. Driven by humility and determination, you have unlocked an entirely new school of swordsmanship.]
---
The impact of the knowledge nearly shattered his consciousness—but it also forced Moyu fully awake.
"This is…"
His eyes widened in astonishment as the new school of swordsmanship unfolded in his mind like a lotus blooming in the void.
"A long path… and the only companion along it…"
"…is the sword."