Chapter 37: Retsu's Training

Five months later.

Yun Che didn't make any progress in his cultivation, but he focused on training Retsu back to her former glory. He and Jasmine take on the role of being her master to get her back into shape. Yun Che had struggled to train her level for the past five months to become as strong as the current him. She had been following him around to familiarize herself with her abilities.

Retsu and Yun Che trained with one another and also for them to get to know each other.

After using the dragon's demon core, Retsu's cultivation skyrocketed to True Profound Realm's fifth stage. Jasmine was quite shocked because if a beginner used the energy from the demon core directly, the power could immediately kill and explode her body. Instead, the point went well inside her and skyrocketed her cultivation. Her foundation remained the same as before.

Jasmine took a while to understand the basics of level-up. It means their current bodies don't have the restrictions of a cultivator. These two can consume anything, and it'll just turn into Reiryoku or Spirit Particles and enter their bodies. These things are the ones that spiked their cultivation.

Yun Che had been filling Retsu with inputs about the continents of the Blue Pole Star. Her keen intellect makes her understand the current situation easily. Jasmine also gives her information about the Realm of the Gods because she knows she has higher potential in reaching that realm.

Yun Che gave her a lot of black kimono sets from Shirayuki and the Twelve Division Haori to dress her up. He even had her hair rebraided just like her original look. Looking at her now, he didn't even believe his former milf crush was standing before him.

She's not a milf anymore, not yet, at least. Retsu is now a beautiful eighteen-year-old with the sweetest smile he has ever seen.

The current Retsu was even more beautiful after she was born, as she was young once more. With her young luscious body and well-shaped breasts, he was attracted to her current self. It might probably be because she was a young woman. After being smacked and called a pervert by Jasmine countless times, of course. He helped Shirayuki braid her hair, regaining her former appearance, and this time her hair was braided on the back to maximize the fighting without it getting in the way. She was born a clean slate, the scar on her chest ceased to exist, and her body was pure once more.

After regaining her Zanpakuto, she regained her swordsman ability once more. Her Zanpakuto resembles a regular katana and resembles more like a Nodachi. After getting used to it, Retsu often carries her Zanpakutō over her shoulder by a rope strap rather than tying it on her waist.

She and Yun Che started hunting higher-level demon beasts to test her high-level kido arts and swordsman abilities. Training with Yun Che and Jasmine regained her former fighting abilities as she put the skills into the experience. As for the Kido arts, Retsu merely used a lower-level skill to avoid unnecessary attention from the outside world. Besides, she didn't have enough Reaitsu points to cast a higher-level spell yet.

After Jasmine's level regained back to True Profound Realm Grand Perfection, she proceeded to train Retsu's body. Since her new body carries the same properties as his, she had the same skill as Yun Che's Great Way of the Buddha. This technique increases her body capabilities after being hit countless times and beaten and killing numerous Hollow and Demon Beasts. Her level again broke through to the First Level of the Spirit Profound Realm. She gained half a realm strength, just like Yun Che, after he broke through to the Elementary Profound Realm.

In their free time, Retsu had a conversation with Yun Che. He talks about the cultivation world as they train and cooks for her.

Then, as time went by, she started to like him. If she were the previous Retsu, she wouldn't even bother with him at all. Retsu was new to this. She never had this feeling before. She liked someone too much. To Yun Che, he considers Retsu's emotions a grand gift from the system. This gift makes him grateful to the system for wiping Retsu's memories into a clean slate. Because of this, she can enjoy the feelings she never had in her previous life.

The feelings of love.

Retsu's relationship with Yun Che increases every time she is with him, whether in training or simple conversation. The more time she spent with him, the more she started to like him as a man. At first, she wanted his company, but as time passed, she fell in love with him. There are times that Retsu enjoys his talks as she listens to him speak or even enjoys his company.

They are not masters and servants but as a man and a woman.

Jasmine and the spirits could see how she eyed and sometimes glanced at him. It didn't take a genius to see that Retsu was totally in love with him.

However, the real reason for her love for him was not his looks or strength. It was his kindness. Yun Che didn't treat her like a servant or subordinate. He treated her like a companion and supported everything for her. The man even halted his cultivation to train her to become stronger. Instead of letting her leach experience points, he beats the higher-level beast to its last life so she can take the last hit. He sometimes protected and guided her gently instead of shouting like a master.

In her heart, Retsu didn't want their relationship to be comrades. She wanted her relationship with him to go even higher. She was willing to protect him as the man she loved. At the same time, she noticed that she was pretty jealous seeing Jasmine and Yun Che's unique relationship.

Her relationship with Jasmine, however, turns out quite well. Instead of showing her rivalry, Retsu quickly makes friends with her, and sometimes Jasmine talks about Yun Che making Retsu interested. With Jasmine and Retsu's past, he saw their antics and thought that "birds in a feather flock together." They were suited as friends for each other as they shared similar traits.

As for Yun Che, he didn't slack off during Retsu's training. During the last five months, he used his free time to fight Hoyuu to gain his affinity once more. Hoyuu's abilities increased once he used several of Yun Che's techniques against him, such as the Star God Broken Shadow and the Broken Shadow Flash.

The fight is getting harder and harder each time he defeats him. He could still remember how Hoyuu beat him each time. Out of ten fights in a row, he swore he lost half of it. His techniques are being used individually, sometimes forcing him into a corner. He can tolerate Shunpo and Bankai. However, this guy started to use Kido Techniques and Hollow Techniques against him. It was good that he didn't learn all of the Kido arts at once after defeating him 25 more times with absolute difficulty. He finally achieved a complete version of his Hollow Mask, making him a fully-fledged Visored.

However, there are still stages of the mask he needs to master, so that it might take a while. Hoyuu did tell him the mask's patterns would change depending on his mastery, so he had the half pattern mark on his left side. There's another pattern, but it would require him to unlock Full Hollow Form.

It might take a while for him to unlock it.

The mask only lasted ten minutes and increased his strength by 75% of a significant realm or an additional seven and a half levels past his full power. This achievement made him almost complete his hollow training. Hoyuu said that if he desired the rest of the 50 affinity points, Hoyuu would use his Evil God Berserk Arts and powers against him, making Yun Che shiver to the bones. He needs to prepare more before initiating the fight with Hoyuu again.

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In the present day, Retsu's training went well until they encountered a big problem. Yun Che and Jasmine discovered that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't unleash her Bankai.

Seeing this condition, they both tried to find a solution for her. "Impossible. You said before that every Zanpakuto had its own Bankai. Why couldn't this one be released?" Jasmine asked him. Yun Che pondered the matter for a while before he was struck with a realization. He ignored Jasmine's question and immediately asked Retsu.

"Retsu, how did you feel when you started killing the beasts during our training?" He asked his companion seriously.

"Hmmm, I only killed them for experience points and getting stronger. Isn't that bad?" She answered with an innocent expression.

"So I was right." He sighs while rubbing his forehead.

"What?…what do you mean you're right?" Jasmine asked him.

'Would you want to know who she used to be?' Yun Che asked, and Jasmine's red eyes met his own as Retsu stared at Yun Che, curious about what her past was like in his eyes.

"Are you sure, Retsu? You might not like what you hear…."

"I do. I want to know about my previous self, young master. I want to know what you think of me. You've been so kind to me. I just… I feel ashamed when I think about how little I know you. Despite knowing my past, you didn't push me away. You continued to train me to be who I was. It made me curious. What kind of woman I was before the system reincarnated me into this world?"

Seeing her resolve, Yun Che pats her head before he begins. "I'll start at the beginning. You know your current self as Retsu Unohana, but that hasn't always been your name. Your original name was Yachiru Unohana."

"Yachiru…. Her name is Yachiru. Wasn't it Retsu?

"She was Yachiru and was also the first Kenpachi."

"Sigh, let me tell you a bit about her. During her previous lifetime, she was one of the most powerful Shinigami in our world. Not one, but the most powerful Shinigami." Yun Che began.

"Do tell…" Jasmine spoke, and Retsu started to listen. Yun Che gazes toward her to gain her consent to tell her previous life. Despite the protest in her heart and not remembering any of it, she nodded as she wanted to know about her life before she met him. At the same time, she was ashamed that her young master knew so much about her while she knew nothing of him.

"Back then, the strongest Shinigami was given the title Kenpachi. Kenpachi or Sword-Eight is the title only offered to the strongest Shinigami. It is an ironclad rule that there can be only one Kenpachi per generation, meaning that the predecessor must die for the killer to succeed in the title."

"Wow…. She is a Kenpachi. I never knew she had such an identity." Jasmine exclaimed.

"Not a Kenpachi but The Kenpachi. She is also one of the people who had a powerful killing intent and blood-lust. Imagine defending that title for almost one thousand years and dying for it to be passed on to another."

"Back then, she was one of the Soul Society's most ruthless villains before the original captain commander brought her into the Squads. The number of men she killed is as many as the stars in the sky. During one mission, she fought a man who was the only one who managed to wound her."

"Let me guess, the man succeeded her," Jasmine asked, and Yun Che nodded. As Yun Che explained, Retsu was getting uncomfortable. She knew her young master knew her previous lifetime. She listened attentively as Yun Che went on.

"That man succeeded her after she killed him countless times, only for him to grow stronger as she healed him. Fighting after the fight before he impaled her with his sword, she died knowing that the title no longer burdens her." As Yun Che spoke, Retsu was shaking, not because of remembering anything but refusing to acknowledge that she was that vile in her previous life.

"So now you know the truth, Jasmine-san. You probably think I am a caged beast just waiting to be released." Retsu closed her eyes in fear that she would be judged for what she did and didn't even remember it.

"But you're not that anymore."

Opening her eyes, Retsu stared at Yun Che incredulously. "What?"

"You said that's who you were back in your previous lifetime. But who you were isn't who you are right now. You have had the sweetest and the most cheerful smile for the past five months. You might be Yachiru in the past world. In this world, you're Retsu. Unohana Retsu. My precious companion, no matter who you used to be."

A choked feeling bubbled up inside Retsu. Her young master, Yun Che or Yuuki, accepted her past a long time ago and still maintained his kindness towards her. He could turn her away when she first came to him. Instead of frowning, he accepted her now and then. Feeling this, she blushed furiously.

"As for her Zanpakuto, You can say she is the only one who had the kindness of an angel and the vileness of a demon. Imagine holding the power of life and death in her hands. Her Zanpakuto was born from those qualities of her."

"Her Shikai and Bankai had the same name. The one she used to train is Minazuki, which also means Flesh Drop Gorge. This Zanpakuto enables her blade to transform into a giant beast with healing capabilities. As for her bankai….." Then Yun Che's face started to frown.

"What is the power of her bankai?" Jasmine asks him and peaks Retsu's interest as well. From Yun Che's face, her bankai is probably powerful enough, but it doesn't mean she will like it.

"Her kindness given birth to Minazuki in its Shikai form, but her vileness had given birth to her Bankai. If I am right, she requires absolute killing intent and blood-lust to unleash her bankai." Yun Che started to remember what he had read from Bleach. This Bankai was why Retsu got her Kenpachi title and the name Yachiru in the first place. Now, she needs to trigger that blood-lust and killing intent once more means returning her to her former glory.

Retsu suddenly interjected and said, "Young master, if this bankai requires me to become as vile as a demon from my previous life. Then, so be it. But I have a request from the young master as well."

Yun Che looked at her, indicating she was listening.

She stopped talking before pulling a deep breath. "Please, do not hate me if I slowly become a vile demon. I didn't want to lose my feelings for you. If you hate me for being my true self, then there's no use for me to embrace this bankai." Retsu shed a tear as soon as she said that. After staying with Yun Che, she likes and loves him. She wouldn't want him to see her as a vile demon, which might change how she felt about him. She will lose her love for him. In her heart, Retsu wanted him to see her as a woman and close companion. Not as a burden or demon.

"I don't want to be the Kenpachi anymore. I just wanted to be with you and Jasmine-san. It might have a meaning in my previous life but in this new life of mine. It's meaningless and was only a burden to me. So please, I only wish to be with you, Young master." As Retsu spoke, Yun Che widened his eyes.

However, Yun Che's following action was shocking to her. He immediately hugged her and slowly patted her head. She blushed madly but calmed down when she felt his body's warmth.

"I will never hate you. I couldn't hate you. There's no difference between you and me. I don't know how many mountains of corpses I've created in my previous lifetime. I may look idiotic and cheerful on the outside. Inside, these hands of mine had created a sea of blood. As long as you remain as kind as an angel in front of me, I will never hate you. Even if you became a demon, you will always be my Retsu." Yun Che recalls his previous lifetime. Something that even he is not going to remember. Retsu's demon persona didn't even make him bat an eye. He was even worse than her.

Retsu tightens the hug. She was relieved when Yun Che told her that. Retsu hid her red face when Yun Che called her his Retsu. She was happy as she didn't want to lose these new feelings of her. Despite all that, he didn't push her and run away from her. He accepted her as a person he cared for. They seemed to forget another person was with them, and she didn't look too happy.

"Ehem," Jasmine fake coughed and gained their attention. She was feeling ignored when Yun Che and Retsu had their moment. However, ignoring the stinging feeling in her chest. She asked, "Even if you want to bring back her blood-lust, how do supposed to bring her former glory back?"

Yun Che lets go of Retsu before answering, "Retsu's blood-lust and killing intent are perfected after one thousand years in her previous world. However, they were suppressed inside her. Even if she can tap in, it still requires a long time to use it like she used to. However, there is one way for her to regain it."

"That is?" She asked.

He pulls a deep breath before dropping the news. "By going through Hollowfication."