Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō-Chapter 208: Not Dare

The next day...

Masatsuki Aozaki took advantage of his day off to spend time with Isane Kotetsu once again, expressing their emotions freely. As dawn broke, they parted ways in the Noble District.

In the 11th Division barracks, the atmosphere was lively as the squad members trained, their faces filled with enthusiasm. Among them, the most distinctive presence was undoubtedly Masatsuki Aozaki, who openly flirted with the female team members.

Yet, not a single person dared to challenge him. Years of camaraderie had firmly established Masatsuki's absolute authority within the squad.

He was the undisputed strongest, and in the minds of his comrades, he was already second only to the Captain-Commander in the entire Gotei 13.

To them, there was only one true leader—Masatsuki Aozaki.

They enjoyed fighting, but they weren't masochists. None of them were foolish enough to invite unnecessary trouble.

It wasn't a question of whether they could win—it was a question of how many days they'd be bedridden after taking a single punch. A fight with him was pointless; it wouldn't even serve as proper training.

"Masatsuki, you're finally back."

A young man with silver hair and narrow eyes, wearing the 11th Division armband over his shoulder, smiled at him.

"Oh, it's Gin-chan! What a coincidence. Finished your work already? I was just thinking of heading to the office to help you out. But since you're done, that makes things easier."

Masatsuki let go of Mashiro Kuna's delicate hand, flashing an easygoing smile.

"Gin-chan? What kind of way is that to address me? You did that on purpose, didn't you?"Ichimaru Gin raised an eyebrow, the corner of his eye twitching slightly before his usual grin returned. "Well, whatever. You should probably be worrying about yourself right now."

Masatsuki frowned. This kid's smile practically screamed schadenfreude.

"What do you mean by that?" freewebnøvel.com

"Captain Unohana is here," Gin said with a chuckle, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

"...What!?"

Masatsuki shot up from his seat. "And you're just telling me now?! Gin, hold her off—I'll be right back!"

"Heh..."

Gin simply sneered, glancing over Masatsuki's shoulder before walking off without another word.

Masatsuki watched Gin's retreating figure before exhaling sharply. Behind him, he could feel a Reiatsu steadily approaching.

There was no escaping this.

Not that he really wanted to. He'd known from the start that things would come to this.

"If I actually beat her... what would happen then?"

Glancing around, he spotted her right away. Sure enough, there she was—Retsu Unohana, the very picture of a gentle Yamato Nadeshiko, gracefully making her way toward him.

And she was unmistakably coming for him.

With their own unspoken thoughts in mind, the two greeted each other warmly, as if they hadn't seen each other in ages. Under the watchful eyes of the squad members, they exchanged pleasantries before heading toward the office area, Masatsuki leading the way.

But despite their seemingly friendly interaction, an unsettling tension filled the air.

The squad members instinctively sensed it, their expressions turning pale as they looked at the two like they had just seen a ghost.

One by one, they all scattered and fled.

That... was the true instinct of a warrior.

"Captain Masatsuki, you certainly are a busy man. Has it been over half a year since we last met?"

"Do you remember when you first started learning Zanjutsu from me? We used to meet twice a week. Then it became once a week... then once a month... and now, we haven't seen each other in half a year."

"But I suppose it makes sense. You are exceptionally talented, and over the years, there's been less and less that I can teach you. I can understand why you don't feel the need to visit the 4th Division anymore."

As she spoke, the air around Unohana suddenly changed.

Her gentle demeanor remained, but an eerie, almost suffocating black aura seemed to seep into the surroundings.

Terrifying.

Utterly terrifying.

It wasn't just about her strength—her sheer presence alone was enough to make Masatsuki feel an unsettling pressure.

And the things she was saying... somehow, they made him feel even more guilty.

"Speaking of which, our Lieutenant has been receiving quite a bit of care from Captain Masatsuki these past two days. Shouldn't I properly thank you for that, Captain Masatsuki?"

Retsu Unohana's narrowed eyes opened just slightly, her gentle smile sending an unexpected chill down Masatsuki Aozaki's spine.

Why does she look like a resentful wife? When did my dear Unohana turn into this?!

Masatsuki forced an awkward but polite smile, even adding a hint of flattery.

"Retsu, you're joking. We're all comrades in the Gotei 13, and since she's your Lieutenant, looking after her is only natural."

At his words, Unohana's expression softened instantly, and she smiled.

"So, Captain Masatsuki did all this for me? Then I really must thank you, Masatsuki."

...Retsu?

He never used to call her that. It was always Captain Unohana or Unohana, spoken with clear respect.

Looks like this kid's courage has grown quite a bit...

But for someone to become bolder, they need—strength!

This meant that Masatsuki had grown extremely confident in his own abilities. So confident, in fact, that he was no longer afraid of her.

Countless thoughts flashed through Unohana's mind, but she didn't let any of them show. She had worked too hard to reach this point.

This was a rare gem she had meticulously polished—if she scared him off now, it would all be for nothing.

"There's no need to thank me. This is something I should be doing," Masatsuki said, swallowing hard.

Looking at the young man before her, Unohana retracted her killing intent, her warm smile returning.

"Masatsuki, you know exactly what I want—just as I understand your nature. No one in this world knows me better than you do."

Masatsuki gazed at the woman before him. She was as gentle as flowing water, yet the pressure she exuded was suffocating. His expression calmed, a faint smile playing at his lips. The fear from before was nowhere to be seen.

The two of them stared at each other, saying nothing, yet their eyes spoke volumes.

They were truly alike. A storm was about to break out, yet both of them were smiling.

Masatsuki extended a hand toward Unohana. She hesitated for only a moment before placing her pale, delicate hand in his.

"I'll take you somewhere where no one will interrupt us."

With that, Masatsuki took her hand and led her straight out of the barracks.

The way they held hands so naturally and intimately was impossible to ignore.

All around them, 11th Division members craned their necks, straining to catch every detail.

"Did I just imagine that? Or did I actually see Kenpachi-sama holding Captain Unohana's hand?"

Someone slapped themselves, as if trying to confirm whether they were dreaming.

"I saw it too! Kenpachi-sama never fails to be our role model!"

The 11th Division barracks instantly erupted into chaos.

"...What a vixen!"

Mashiro Kuna crossed her arms, puffing up her cheeks as she watched the two leave.

Seeing their 3rd Seat practically fuming with anger, the nearby squad members subtly distanced themselves, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

"Would you dare say that in front of Captain Unohana?" Ichimaru Gin teased from the side.

"...No!" Mashiro immediately deflated, pouting in frustration.

...

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