Chapter 26: Shimiya Takeru: Captain Unohana, Do You Understand the Eleventh Division?
Takeru's expression did not change.
"You mean the Fourth Division wants to come forward and buy the water source I found."
"Precisely," Retsu Unohana replied.
"And the price?"
At that, Unohana lifted one slender finger.
"How does ten million ryo sound?"
"…"
Takeru silently turned his gaze toward Isane.
She blinked, utterly lost, not understanding why she was suddenly being stared at.
It was not until Takeru spoke in a solemn tone that she reacted.
"Vice Captain Kotetsu, when you become a Captain in the future, please remember one thing."
"What is it?" Isane asked reflexively.
"In the medical profession, you must never cure a patient in one go. You have to squeeze them slowly, drain them for as long as possible, or set the price so high that they hand over all their assets just to survive."
"?!"
Isane looked at Takeru in horror.
Even Unohana's expression grew faintly displeased.
"Takeru kun, it seems I should ask Captain Aizen to give you a few lessons on good ideas," she said mildly.
"Good ideas should not be bought for a mere ten million ryo," Takeru frowned. "Especially not the source of all that wealth."
"If you are not satisfied with the price, we can negotiate," Unohana replied. "There is no need for such roundabout sarcasm."
"Being too direct would be rude."
"…"
Do you actually think this counts as polite?
Even someone like Retsu Unohana, who had lived longer than most and seen all forms of right and wrong, could not help being a little taken aback.
"How about this," Takeru said at last. "I will name a price too."
He raised one finger in return, eyes fixed on Unohana.
"One billion ryo."
"… Fifty million. That is my limit."
Unohana closed her eyes for a moment, as if she truly could not bear to look at his greedy face.
Takeru turned to Rindo Yu.
They had not known each other for very long, but Rindo had an uncanny sense for negotiation. The moment their eyes met, he understood, lowered his head, and under the table wrote a single character.
[No]
Takeru got the message, exhaled heavily, and drew Unohana's attention back to him.
"Captain Unohana."
"Go ahead," she said.
"Do you know why Omaeda sold the medicine to the Eleventh Division first?"
"Of course. Because the market is bigger there."
A faint sense of foreboding stirred in Unohana's chest.
"Wrong," Takeru said quietly. "It is because the Shinigami of the Eleventh Division are brave warriors who fight on the front line without fear."
His voice dropped, growing deep.
"I admit my medicine comes from a hot spring we accidentally discovered on the outskirts of Rukongai. Calling it bathwater is not wrong. But even without knowing that, the medicine itself still has a very awkward side effect."
"Captain Unohana, do you truly understand how incredible the Shinigami of the Eleventh Division are? You, who belong to the Fourth Division, probably cannot imagine what it means to know there will be a side effect like diarrhea, and still drink without hesitation, setting aside all pride, just to return to the battlefield in peak condition and swear to protect the Seireitei with their lives."
"…"
"?"
Isane glanced at her Captain, confused. On the surface Unohana's expression had not changed, but there was a distinct stiffness there.
Takeru's praise went on.
"More than that, they are maniacs, fearless warriors to the core. As long as they can fight to their heart's content, who cares about some minor side effects. Wounds that heal over and over again are their confidence, the proof that they can keep swinging their blades."
"The Shinigami of the Eleventh Division live hard lives. They do not know Bakudo. Most of them do not even know Kido. The only way they can fight is like this, offering their lives to make the battles their opponents respect."
"Captain Unohana, you surely cannot understand that kind of pain mixed with joy, can you?"
"Although I never interfered, Omaeda selling the medicine to the Eleventh Division was not simply about chasing a market. It was an act of kindness."
"I am honestly moved by what he did. Looking at myself, haggling over a few tens of millions of ryo really does feel beneath me."
As he said that, Takeru shifted the topic and made what sounded like a sincere proposal.
"So, Captain Unohana, I have a suggestion. Let us sell the water source to the Eleventh Division instead."
"At the price you just mentioned. Twenty million ryo. From what I know, combat divisions are paid quite well. Captain Kenpachi can definitely afford that."
"With the hot spring in their hands, the Fourth Division's workload will be reduced. That will also prevent unnecessary friction with the Eleventh Division, whose values are very different from yours.
"Is that not the best of both worlds?"
Hearing this, Isane could not help nodding.
"That actually makes some sense," she murmured.
"Isane."
Unohana's posture did not change, but her head turned slowly toward her like an owl.
Her tone and smile were as gentle as ever.
Yet Isane suddenly felt all the hair on her body stand on end, her scalp prickling.
"Y yes, Captain? What are your orders?"
"You are speaking too much."
"Yes!"
Isane felt a powerful sense of deja vu.
Oh, right.
Not long ago, she had made a small noise behind the dormitory and interrupted someone's training, almost getting herself killed for it.
That moment and this one felt eerily similar.
Unohana let out a long breath and turned her gaze back to the young man across from her.
"Takeru kun," she said calmly, "I will offer two hundred million. That is as far as I can go. If you want to bring in any other buyers, they will also require my permission before they can even approach the table, because this matter has already been entrusted to me."
"Two hundred million, huh?"
Under the table, a new character appeared in front of Takeru's eyes.
[Yes]
"Then it is settled," he said.
It was indeed not a small sum.
There would be plenty of ways to make money in the future. There was no need to box himself in here.
As the two sides reached an agreement, a gentle smile returned to Unohana's face.
"The money will be transferred tomorrow to the account you registered at the Household Registration Management Bureau," she said.
"I trust Captain Unohana's integrity," Takeru replied. "Here is the location. There is a barrier over it, but I doubt it will cause you any trouble."
He readily provided the coordinates of the hot spring, his manner perfectly sincere.
"Thank you for your trust. If possible, I truly wish that trust had come a little earlier," Unohana said with a soft laugh. "Then you would not have spent so much time thinking I was plotting all sorts of incomprehensible things."
She narrowed her eyes into slits and covered her mouth as she chuckled.
"Just a small opinion. Please do not take it to heart."
"How could I?" Takeru answered smoothly. "You are a Captain of the Gotei 13, after all. And I am supposed to be a future pillar of the Seireitei, with battlefield achievements even before joining any division. It would be a shame to let a trivial matter delay my training."
"So if you do not mind," Unohana said gently, rising to her feet, "why do I not accompany you to continue that training you left unfinished today?"
"…"
Takeru watched her stand up, lips pressed into a thin line, and did not speak for a long moment.
"What is the matter, Takeru kun?" Unohana tilted her head slightly. "I am, at the very least, a Captain, and I have a certain degree of confidence in my swordsmanship. I should be adequate as your sparring partner."
"…"
A faint sense of pressure washed over him.
Takeru fell silent, then turned to Rindo Yu.
"I just remembered," he said, voice suddenly serious, "Ichigo's Bakudo has not been progressing very well lately. Since Captain Unohana happens to be free, hurry and call him over to seek guidance from his senior."
P@treon Christmas Discount: 20% OFF
<><><><><>
[Check Out My Patreon For +40 Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]