Chapter 62: Main Consort or Maidservant?

At that moment, the Adjuchas seemed to instinctively sense an intense aura of danger emanating from Unohana.

Unlike its previous instinct-driven attacks, it froze in place, planting its eight legs firmly on the ground. A massive, crimson sphere of energy began to condense slowly in front of its mask.

Cero.

"Sensei, watch out! It's a Cero!"

Makoto's expression turned pale with fear as he struggled to rise, as though determined to shield Unohana with his own body if necessary.

However, his feeble attempts to resist were effortlessly halted when Unohana's slender, pale hand gently pressed against his chest. He found himself utterly immobilized.

The next instant, the massive Cero surged forward, carrying an aura of annihilation that seemed capable of erasing everything in its path.

With a simple movement, Unohana raised one hand toward the attack and lightly swatted at it.

"Poof~"

The Cero, which had previously overwhelmed over thirty Tenth Division Shinigami, was effortlessly dispersed with a single gesture, dissolving as if it had been nothing at all.

Simultaneously, while Unohana tended to Makoto with a calm display of healing kido, her other hand glowed with a terrifying blue light, aimed at the Adjuchas.

Without shifting her focus from the healing process, Unohana quietly chanted:

"Hado Number 88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"

"Boom!!!"

A torrent of brilliant blue lightning erupted with devastating force, one of the highest forms of destructive kido.

Even though it had been unleashed without an incantation, the unrelenting flow of lightning engulfed everything within Makoto's line of sight.

As the lightning storm gradually subsided, the Adjuchas had been utterly obliterated, leaving no trace in the Soul Society.

The captain's haori on Unohana's back fluttered slightly from the residual energy, framing her exquisite and composed features in an aura of both beauty and terror.

Makoto stared in awe, his expression a mix of reverence and shock.

'As her disciple, I really shouldn't entertain rebellious thoughts…'

The scene of the Adjuchas being eradicated with such ease cemented the terrifying might of his teacher.

"Gulp."

Instinctively, Makoto swallowed nervously, marveling at how Unohana, while distracted by healing him, could unleash such a devastating high-level kido spell without incantation—and annihilate an Adjuchas whose strength rivaled that of a captain-level Shinigami.

Even though Makoto already knew Unohana was far beyond an ordinary captain's level, witnessing her casually swat down the Adjuchas like an ant left him deeply shaken.

"Makoto, are you afraid?" Unohana's gaze flickered slightly, and for some reason, she asked this question on a whim.

Makoto shook his head and smiled, his expression visibly relaxed. "No, I just realized how strong Sensei is. It's incredibly reassuring."

"You understand now how ridiculous your earlier attempt to protect me was, don't you?" Unohana's tone carried a trace of displeasure.

Huh? This question...

Though Makoto was single and Unohana's tone seemed somewhat harsh, he instinctively felt this was a question with a clear answer.

Staring at her, he responded with a soft grin, though his voice faltered slightly due to his injuries.

The strength in his voice seemed to fade, tinged with a sense of finality, as though he were delivering his last will and testament.

"Though it's a bit ridiculous, as long as Sensei is unharmed… that's enough for me…"

"Sensei, I'm truly sorry. The things I said earlier were out of line; I didn't mean any of them. You've always been the person I'm most grateful to…"

"In my hometown, there's an old saying: 'A teacher for a day, a guide for life'…"

Before Makoto could finish, another mouthful of blood surged forth, interrupting his words.

Unohana's expression was deeply moved, yet her tone left no room for argument as she stopped Makoto, who seemed intent on continuing.

"Makoto, stop talking. Didn't you say you'd stay by my side for a hundred years? Until that time is up, I will never allow you to leave!"

Hearing this, Makoto's heart leaped with joy, though he didn't let it show.

To receive such a response from Unohana Sensei… this spurt of blood… was worth it!

What's more, that mouthful of blood had been stuck in his throat for a while, neither coming up nor going down. Finally expelling it felt immensely relieving.

As one of Unohana's outstanding disciples, adept in healing techniques and the art of Kaido, and possessing the versatile power of Shinro Bansho, Makoto deftly controlled his injuries to teeter convincingly on the edge of life and death. A simple task for someone of his abilities.

On the surface, he appeared to be at death's door, but in truth, he had a metaphorical gas station on standby.

Ah, as the saying goes, true feelings often fail to move hearts, but a well-played ruse never misses.

Unohana Sensei, I don't want to deceive you like this, but with Aizen's blatant threat looming over us, I hope you can forgive me.

As Unohana Retsu fully took over the task of treating his wounds, Makoto quietly released the Shikai state of his Zanpakuto, Shinro Bansho.

Immediately, symptoms of near-death—dizziness, pallor, a drop in body temperature—manifested one after another. Seizing the moment, Makoto feigned unconsciousness, ensuring there wasn't a single flaw in his act.

As Unohana's attention grew more focused on his treatment, Makoto's consciousness slipped into his inner spiritual world.

The spirit of Shinro Bansho remained the same—tiny, palm-sized, dressed in an attire perfectly mirroring the essence of nature. It greeted Makoto with an exuberant, radiant smile.

"Ta-da~! Master, you missed me so soon?"

Only at this moment did Makoto finally let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank you, Shinro Bansho. If it weren't for you, I might not have made it."

"Oh, come on, Master…"

Shinro Bansho floated around Makoto's head in circles before perching on his shoulder.

"Master shouldn't be thanking me but apologizing instead. You've been ignoring my voice for so long; how could you have let yourself get so hurt otherwise?"

"How's that my fault? It's not like—"

Makoto paused mid-sentence, a sudden realization dawning on him as he recalled their very first meeting in his spiritual world.

"Hmm? Remember now, Master?"

Shinro Bansho swayed its tiny legs, its voice tinged with mock grievance.

"I was so happy, so eager, back then! I told you my name without hesitation and even started demonstrating my abilities. But before I'd even finished, you couldn't wait to leave and test them on your own…"

"The more I think about it, the angrier I get…"

Shinro Bansho began pacing around, puffing its cheeks indignantly.

"It's like I came to you with a whole retinue of maids as my dowry, and you mistook the very first maid for me! And every night, you showered her with all your attention, completely ignoring my hints and cries…"

"And the worst part? That despicable Master even planned to make that maid the head wife by achieving Bankai! Can you believe it?!"

By the end, Shinro Bansho was practically gnashing its teeth, its indignation spilling over.

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