Katori Nanatsuki lowered his stance, every muscle in his body tensed. He concentrated his Spiritual Pressure into his right arm, waist, and legs.
His eyes sharpened—then in a blink, he vanished.
Katori-ryu: Shunpo Iai!
In the next moment, Nanatsuki appeared behind Unohana.
His right hand was raised, the blade held high.
A few drops of blood slid down the sword's edge.
Spurt—
Nanatsuki's face turned pale as he suddenly coughed up blood.
Looking down, he saw a massive gash across his abdomen—so deep it nearly split him in two.
His vision went dark. He collapsed, unconscious.
Unohana still stood where she was, her expression subtly changed—not the gentle softness from before, but a lidded gaze hiding an icy killing intent in those cold eyes.
A fine cut now marked her abdomen.
As she savored the moment when the blade had kissed her skin, a chilling smile crept across her lips:
"You actually made me lose control, Katori-kun. How delightful you are."
...
"You're awake?"
Nanatsuki felt dazed. He'd just had a strange dream—golden hands dissecting his body.
"Katori-kun?"
His eyes snapped open, and he saw Captain Unohana's gentle smile.
Gentle, my ass!
He'd nearly become sashimi!
He remembered how, in a moment of madness, he'd agreed to spar with Unohana.
He recalled that just before losing consciousness, he had unleashed a fully mastered Shunpo Iai.
Apparently, his technique had exceeded Unohana's expectations. She hadn't managed to block it in time, choosing instead to counterattack instantly.
Her counter had nearly sliced him in half.
Nanatsuki immediately examined his body.
His upper garments had been stripped. His abdomen was tightly bandaged.
Unohana had treated him—no doubt about it. The wound seemed stable, and he felt okay.
"Don't worry. I've healed you up pretty well. There won't be any lingering damage," Unohana said gently.
"Thank you, Captain Unohana." Nanatsuki sighed in relief—no worries about becoming a torso today.
Then he realized this wasn't Squad Four's medical ward—it was a bedroom.
"This… isn't the infirmary, is it?" he asked curiously.
The room was simple, with a painting on the wall and fresh seasonal flowers in a vase by the window, filling the air with a lovely scent.
That scent felt familiar…
Wait. This bed was far from the window—how could he smell the flowers?
Nanatsuki took a deep breath and remembered—he'd smelled this scent before, just before passing out, when he was fighting Unohana up close.
"The infirmary is a bit far from the courtyard. I figured Katori-kun might not make it that far," Unohana said with a sweet, unnerving smile. "My bedroom is right next to the garden, so I brought you here to treat you."
Nanatsuki's realization hit him—he was lying on Unohana's bed.
Ah… So this was Captain Unohana's room.
No wonder it smelled so good.
"Katori-kun, your body's so tense. Relax. It'll affect your healing. Don't worry, I've already gauged your level of swordsmanship."
She paused, then continued, "Still, for someone with such poor Shunpo, your Shunpo Iai is surprisingly good. If your Shunpo catches up, that strike might've seriously injured me."
Of course, her "injury" only referred to her while she was suppressing her spiritual pressure.
If she hadn't held back, Nanatsuki's blade wouldn't have even scratched her—their difference in power was simply too vast.
"My Shunpo's definitely weak. I've focused most of my training on swordsmanship," Nanatsuki admitted.
His Shunpo wasn't on par with his sword skills—especially since his Shunpo Iai had been leveled up using a skill scroll.
Still, the fully mastered skill had proved powerful enough to actually wound a suppressed Unohana.
Nanatsuki glanced at her status panel.
[Unohana Retsu]
Talent: S+
Spiritual Pressure: Lv98
Reputation Level: Friendly
Status: Joyful
Her spiritual pressure was the most terrifying he'd ever seen. In all of Soul Society, there were likely very few who could match her.
"Can I move?" he asked.
His abdomen felt fine, but he worried about opening the wound—what if his body just fell apart?
"You're okay to move. That cut didn't touch your spine. The wound is mostly healed, but you'll need a few days of rest. No intense activity. I've prepared medicine for you—separate from Batsu'unsai's—make sure to take it when you're home," she said, lifting a pouch of herbs from the table.
Nanatsuki got up and tested his movements—no issues.
He got dressed and quickly grabbed the medicine to leave. He didn't want to linger—Unohana might get another idea and suggest "one more round," with a blade in one hand and healing Kido in the other.
As she watched him hurry off, Unohana whispered, "I'm looking forward to seeing how far you grow, Katori-kun."
...
Later, Nanatsuki reviewed his status panel.
He noticed something new—a trait faintly flickering in the background.
[Born Battle Maniac (Active)]: Glory belongs to the battle-born! Reduces the effect of injuries on movement. The more you fight, the stronger you become—until death.
This trait was different from Cooking Immortal or Patient Mentor.
It flickered faintly, marked "active."
Focusing on it, he saw more detail—it was a hidden trait he'd possessed all along, activated by accumulating injuries in combat.
Even in its semi-active state, it helped him stay focused while wounded.
So sparring with Unohana had unexpectedly unlocked something valuable.
Nanatsuki returned home.
"What?! Unohana dared hurt you?!" Batsu'unsai Katori roared. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to grab her sword.
Nanatsuki quickly pressed down on her shoulders, easing her back into her chair.
"It was just a spar. Drink your medicine first," he said helplessly.
Batsu'unsai had been improving, but today's medicine had a new, bitter formula—she sipped it slowly, dragging her feet.
Slouching, she grumbled, "Can't you add sugar? It's so bitter!"
"I already did…"
"Add more!"