Fourth Division Barracks.
Inside the Comprehensive Aid Station, Ito Makoto was busy tending to the wounds of many injured Squad Members.
"Ah!"
A Gotei 13 screamed in agony, clutching his leg, which had been gnawed down to half by a Hollow.
In a fit of madness, he even pushed away the Gotei 13 who had come to bandage him.
"Kill me! Kill me!"
The injured Squad Member shrieked, his body convulsing, his eyes bloodshot, and veins throbbing on his forehead.
Seeing this, Ito Makoto instantly appeared beside him, first knocking him unconscious with a hand chop, then directly severing his remaining half of a left leg with a swift cut.
He then used Kidō to stop the bleeding.
After completing all of this, he stepped forward and helped up the Fourth Division Squad Member who had been pushed down.
"Take him to the Twelfth Division to find Akon and buy a flesh-regenerating agent to grow his left leg back. The Hollow that attacked him carried neurotoxins; hesitating for even a second is playing with his life. From now on, when you encounter such situations, don't be indecisive!"
"Do you understand, Sakata?"
Upon hearing this, Sakata Hayato scratched his head sheepishly.
"I've got it, Vice-Captain Ito. Thankfully you were here, otherwise I wouldn't have known what to do!"
The Squad Member, who looked only fifteen or sixteen, smiled shyly and then timidly replied.
This person's name was Sakata Hayato, and he had only recently graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy and joined the Fourth Division, so he was still somewhat unfamiliar with his duties.
Suddenly, an older Squad Member next door, while performing Kidō, lost his balance and fainted.
Ito Makoto quickly went over and helped him up.
"Tanabe, you go rest first. You can leave this to me!"
As he spoke, Ito Makoto used Kidō to take over the Squad Member named Tanabe's treatment task.
"Thank you, Vice-Captain Ito. It's really great to have you here!"
Tanabe replied weakly.
His eyes, as he looked at Ito Makoto, were filled with gratitude. At the same time, he secretly rejoiced that he had joined the Fourth Division, and even more so, that his Squad Captain and Vice-Captain were both so gentle and understanding.
"Vice-Captain Ito is so much better than the previous Vice-Captain Yamada!"
This was the consensus among the Fourth Division Squad Members, and as a result, Ito Makoto's reputation in the Fourth Division was excellent, almost on par with Retsu Unohana.
As the number of injured being brought in continued to increase, Ito Makoto continuously used Kidō for treatment. Unbeknownst to him, time had already stretched into the deep night.
It wasn't until the last injured Squad Member was bandaged and sent out of the Comprehensive Aid Station that Ito Makoto finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"Everyone, you've all worked hard today. Go back and rest early!"
After dismissing the many Fourth Division Squad Members, Ito Makoto, alone, closed the doors and windows of the Comprehensive Aid Station, preparing to tidy up and go off duty.
At this moment, a figure walked in, with a gentle and serene appearance, and long black hair parted in the middle, braided into a plait.
The newcomer was none other than the Fourth Division Squad Captain, Retsu Unohana.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Ito Makoto let out a long sigh and began to complain:
"Captain, there were so many injured today, I'm practically exhausted! The Central 46's deployment was truly rude!"
With that, Ito Makoto looked helplessly at Retsu Unohana.
Today, due to Kallkyura in the Dangai encountering a Void Turbulence, a corner of Hueco Mundo briefly crossed into the Soul Society. Although the time was very short, it allowed many Hollows, including Gillians, to take advantage of the chaos and enter Rukongai.
Since there were many crossing points, not just one, a large number of Squad Members had to be dispatched to hunt them down.
This also resulted in many Gotei 13 Squad Members being injured, greatly increasing the workload of the Fourth Division.
And at this critical juncture, the Central 46 had deployed Retsu Unohana to the noble district's Medical Institute to treat an injured noble along with the former Vice-Captain Yamada Seinosuke.
"You've worked hard, Makoto. Your Kidō is now capable of handling things on its own!"
Retsu Unohana spoke gently to comfort him, her tone making Ito Makoto feel as if he were bathed in a spring breeze.
Upon hearing this, Ito Makoto immediately took the opportunity to bring up an old topic.
"Compared to Kidō that can stand on its own, what I want to learn even more is swordsmanship that can traverse the Three Realms!"
Retsu Unohana, however, shook her head and smiled gently:
"Swordsmanship, a thing that kills and harms, is not as useful as Kidō, which cures illnesses and saves lives!"
Seeing that Retsu Unohana was still unwilling to teach him swordsmanship, Ito Makoto no longer held back and boldly spoke his mind:
"I can't believe such words are coming from the mouth of the dignified First Kenpachi of the Gotei 13!"
"Yachiru Unohana! Have you lost your heart for the sword?"
"Or do you think I'm not worthy to be your opponent?"
As he spoke, Ito Makoto no longer concealed his Reiatsu, and a Third Class Reiatsu exploded forth.
Feeling Ito Makoto's Reiatsu, a hint of surprise appeared on Retsu Unohana's face, but it returned to normal the next instant.
"Makoto-kun, I didn't expect your Reiatsu to reach Squad Captain level, which most Squad Members can't achieve in their entire lives, in just over a decade of joining the squad."
"It's truly astonishing!"
Ito Makoto looked calmly at Retsu Unohana.
"So, Captain Unohana, do you think I am now qualified to learn swordsmanship from you, or rather, to be your opponent?"
Seeing that Ito Makoto, whom she had refused for ten years, was still so diligently insistent on learning swordsmanship from her, she could only sigh.
"Alas, then come with me!"
And so, Ito Makoto followed Retsu Unohana out of the Comprehensive Aid Station, through the green-tiled streets, to an open space at the southernmost end of the Fourth Division Barracks.
Aside from a low thatched hut no larger than four square meters, there were no other buildings here.
Retsu Unohana approached the thatched hut and performed a Kido spell to unseal it.
"Makoto-kun, come in!"
Following Retsu Unohana's guidance, Ito Makoto walked into the seemingly low and cramped thatched hut, only to discover a world within!
It was a vast, seemingly endless flat expanse, with a blue sky and white clouds overhead, appearing very spacious and boundless.
"This is... an internal barrier?"
Seeing this, Ito Makoto couldn't help but marvel, as it looked very much like Kisuke Urahara's handiwork.
Apparently, there were similar internal barriers in the basement of Urahara Shop and in the warehouse of the Visoreds' headquarters.
"Makoto-kun, let me confirm with you one last time, do you truly want to learn swordsmanship from me?"
Retsu Unohana asked in a gentle tone.
Ito Makoto, with a resolute expression, replied:
"Of course, fighting with the First Kenpachi is something I've always dreamed of!"
"Since you say so, then I understand!"
After Retsu Unohana finished speaking, the gentleness on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a chilling killing intent!
"Draw your sword, Makoto!"
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