"Huh? Oh—sure."
She probably wanted to confirm things first. As the person in charge, that was responsible of her.
Arima Shizuya rolled up his sleeve, revealing the bruises on his forearm from repeated strikes with a wooden sword.
"This is…"
The woman leaned forward slightly. Her thick brows knit together in a tight frown.
"Blunt-force trauma… Did you not do any emergency treatment?"
"What do you mean?"
"Cold compresses, for example. Leaving contusions like this untreated—are you trying to develop long-term complications?"
Seeing Shizuya's sheepish expression, she seemed to understand immediately and let out a long sigh.
"Are all this year's freshmen this reckless…? Fine. Sit down."
Without waiting for agreement, she guided him to a seat and rolled up her own sleeves, her expression turning serious.
Her exposed arms were pale and smooth, slender in that distinctly feminine way. Shizuya almost failed to look away.
Long arms.
And… thin.
"I know some Kaidō. I'll handle this."
He didn't know her, but from the brief exchange, she didn't seem unreliable.
Shizuya sat still as her hands hovered over his arm.
Soft green light spilled forth.
The injury began to recover at a visible rate, and Shizuya's eyes widened.
"How does it feel?"
After she withdrew her hands and sat back down, he lifted his arm and flexed it gently.
"Incredible…"
There was still a faint sting, but compared to earlier—when even a slight touch made him flinch—it was dramatically better.
He grinned.
"Senpai, your Kaidō is really good!"
It wasn't empty flattery.
He'd experienced Aizen's Kaidō before. Even if he wasn't an expert, he had a baseline for comparison.
Her Kidō proficiency was clearly above that of an ordinary student.
At his praise, her expression twitched. She leaned back slightly and turned her head aside.
"N-not at all. I just… happen to be interested in it."
Her profile flushed faintly. One hand lifted awkwardly, scratching lightly at the corner of her mouth.
She'd seemed perfectly normal earlier, yet she blushed at something like this?
That was…
Kind of cute.
Shizuya straightened up and bowed politely.
"My name is Arima Shizuya, Class 1–5. May I ask your—"
She hurriedly turned back, returning the bow with equal urgency, forcing a somewhat anxious smile.
"Kotetsu Isane, Class 3–6. I'm also the area supervisor for the student council."
It was only when he heard the name that Shizuya truly reacted.
Kotetsu Isane.
The future Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division.
She hadn't had much screen time in the original story. Even when she did step forward, she was quickly overshadowed by the ever-brilliant Kurosaki Ichigo.
Not exactly top-tier in presence.
Though she would later become Captain of the Fourth Division after the Thousand-Year Blood War, she'd never left a particularly deep impression on Shizuya.
To his embarrassment, most of his prior "knowledge" of Kotetsu Isane centered around the fact that she looked quite impressive in a swimsuit.
He hadn't expected her to have entered Shin'ō Academy at this point in time.
The lifespan of Shinigami was absurdly long.
Even in the original story, same-generation timelines were rarely emphasized. There was no easy way to calculate these overlaps.
He coughed lightly, dragging his thoughts back to the present.
"Senpai… this might be a bit much, but could I trouble you once more?"
Shizuya lifted his shirt slightly.
Isane's eyes widened instantly and she snapped her head away.
"W-wait! What are you doing—"
"I've actually got several more injuries like this."
Isane's expression trembled. Her gaze shifted, landing on the swelling and bruising along his waist and abdomen.
Lean body. But the injuries were serious enough to make her frown deeply.
Once it crossed into professional territory, her demeanor shifted entirely.
Instead of immediately casting Kaidō, she reached out first and lightly pressed against the wound.
Shizuya's face distorted.
"Th-that hurts—!"
"You've fractured several ribs. Were you… beaten by someone?"
Isane looked up at him seriously. Her androgynous face carried a firm, almost resolute expression.
"While the Academy doesn't explicitly prohibit bullying, injuries like this cannot be ignored. I'll take you to the administrative office. They should help you seek justice."
It was obvious—Kotetsu Isane had a strong sense of justice.
Shizuya simply smiled and waved lightly.
"It's not that dramatic. Just sparring. I wasn't skilled enough—that's all."
Isane cast him a strange look.
This level of injury from sparring? It was the kind of damage you took during prolonged grappling.
"...If that's the case… Fine. I'll treat you first."
As the future Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division, her Kaidō being this good wasn't surprising.
And since he'd finally found a reliable healer—
He was absolutely going to make the most of it.
He could already tell: Isane was the cold-on-the-outside, warm-on-the-inside type.
Perhaps because of her height, her androgynous features, and her difficulty smiling easily—she seemed introverted.
Shizuya sensed she wasn't very good at refusing people.
"Kotetsu-senpai, you're amazing! Healing something like this so easily."
"Your Kaidō is probably better than some instructors'."
"Wow… it feels like soaking in a hot spring. Kotetsu-senpai is the best!"
After a few rounds of praise, Isane was visibly overwhelmed.
She couldn't suppress the corners of her mouth anymore.
A faint "heh-heh-heh" escaped her.
Her face turned bright red, like a tomato, as if Shizuya had lifted her onto a pedestal.
That was… way too easy.
When everything was finished, Shizuya stood up refreshed.
There were still faint twinges in places, but compared to before, it was night and day.
A body free of injury felt light.
He wanted to thank her again—but when he noticed her wiping sweat from her forehead, he realized—
Maybe he'd gone a bit too far.
He'd basically worked her like a draft animal.
Though Isane hadn't complained, Shizuya felt a bit guilty.
"Thank you very much, Kotetsu-senpai."
She waved casually.
"It's nothing. Just a small effort. Besides, my technique still needs polishing. I rarely get opportunities like this… If you need help again, Arima-kun, you're welcome to come."
She was far too accommodating.
Shizuya almost felt ashamed.
Before he could say more, Isane stood and pointed gently at the clock.
"Save the thanks for next time. It's almost class time, isn't it?"
He glanced over.
Three minutes left.
Oh no.
"Then what about you, Kotetsu-senpai—?"
"I have off-campus practicum today. I can stay a little longer."
No time to hesitate.
Shizuya bowed deeply and dashed off.
…
"Kidō is vast and profound. It contains three distinct branches. Master any one of them, and you can stand independently."
After class, confirming his panel gains, Shizuya went straight to Aizen.
When in doubt—Aizen.
"You want to find someone proficient in Hakuda who is willing to spar with you?"
Seated in his chair, Aizen looked contemplative, as though the request was genuinely difficult.
"If it were only the first condition, that would not be an issue."
"With my connections, reaching such individuals is not difficult."
"But the second condition… is more troublesome."
Sparring required mutual agreement.
"To be frank, at your current level, Arima-kun, professionals would treat you as a punching bag."
Exactly.
That was precisely what Shizuya wanted.
No pain, no growth.
That was his path.
Even without words, Aizen read the determination in his eyes.
A faint smile curved across his face.
"I see. If your resolve is this firm, then I assume you are mentally prepared."
Aizen stood and gently placed a hand on Shizuya's shoulder.
"It may be excessive for others… but if it is you, Shizuya-kun, perhaps you can endure it."
"Come. I will introduce you to someone who happened to be here today for a guest lecture."
…Who?
The answer came quickly.
During lunch break, Aizen led Shizuya through several buildings.
This seemed to be the area designated for fifth-year students.
Are we still in the Academy? Where are you taking me?
Lost in thought, Shizuya followed him into a spacious dōjō.
Inside—
He saw a sharp, commanding back.
And a crowd of students collapsed at her feet.
"Pathetic! You're about to graduate, and this is all you've got?!"
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