Makoto nodded seriously and replied firmly, "Yes, Teacher, I understand. There is no such thing as a truly weak ability, only a weak heart."
Upon hearing this, Unohana's eyes subtly brightened. She inexplicably felt that the young man standing before her was radiating a warm and unwavering light.
'Such a gentle yet resilient heart? No wonder his Zanpakutō ability is related to healing...'
Unohana thought to herself, her gaze toward Senju Makoto growing even softer.
Though their interaction had been brief, Makoto gave Unohana a very different impression from the other Shinigami. He wasn't obsessed with power or combat, nor did he waver because of the strength or weakness of his Zanpakutō's abilities. He valued life, was gentle but resolute, and completely lacked the so-called "bad habits" often associated with so-called "geniuses."
In that moment, Unohana found herself increasingly satisfied with this new disciple. A thought crossed her mind, and she asked, "Makoto, would you mind showing me your Zanpakutō ability? A wood-based, healing Zanpakutō is rare even in the history of the Soul Society."
Makoto's heart tightened slightly upon hearing this, but on the surface, he remained calm as he began to release his Zanpakutō.
"Endless vitality, Shinro Bansho!"
As the release words were spoken, grass sprouted around Makoto, emanating a resilient life force and a vibrant green hue.
Unohana Retsu, her crescent-shaped eyes now slightly open, carefully examined every detail of Senju Makoto's release. She even knelt down and grabbed a blade of grass, pulling on it forcefully.
"Mm?"
Suddenly, Unohana let out a small, puzzled sound.
Contrary to her expectations of fragility, the grass she was pulling didn't budge, even with her slight exertion.
"Quite resilient," Unohana commented.
Makoto's expression stiffened slightly. He hadn't expected Unohana, whose vision was as broad as the skies, to pay such close attention to the resilience of the seemingly ordinary grass.
Even though he had intentionally kept his release in a semi-unleashed state by using an incorrect release phrase, "Shinro Bansho" was still a part of the full release. Makoto couldn't make the grass weak, no matter how hard he tried.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed under Unohana's inquisitive gaze, Senju Makoto scratched his head and awkwardly said, "Teacher, after all, it's just grass... the only noteworthy things are its vitality and resilience."
"Mm."
Unohana gave a noncommittal response before asking, "Makoto, is your Zanpakutō ability just manipulating these grasses to heal others?"
"That's correct."
Makoto nodded and naturally provided the prepared answer.
"To be precise, I can use my spiritual energy to control the growth and extension of these grasses. They then absorb the spiritual particles in the air and channel them to others for healing, replenishing spiritual energy, and vitality."
He paused for a moment, then said helplessly, "But…"
"At this point, it seems that my understanding of the path of Reishi, medical techniques, and the structure of souls and spiritual bodies is still limited. Therefore, these Reishi can only heal minor injuries at the moment. For more serious wounds, I can only stabilize them temporarily."
Unohana Retsu, upon hearing this, stroked her smooth, pale chin, her gaze drifting into thought.
After a brief moment, she considered her words carefully before speaking.
"Makoto, have you ever thought about reversing the flow of Shinro Bansho? Absorb the Reishi and spiritual energy from your enemies? These green grasses possess considerable resilience. With enough of them entangling an opponent, even a Vice Captain-level Shinigami would find it difficult to escape. In this way, Shinro Bansho could potentially become an extraordinarily powerful control ability..."
"Yes, and further..."
Unohana's expression faltered, a mysterious glint flickering in her eyes as she fixed her gaze on Makoto. She murmured, as if pondering deeply.
"If this ability were fully realized... It could absorb unlimited Reishi from the air, replenishing its user's energy and healing wounds, allowing one to continuously fight without ever exhausting themselves..."
As she spoke the final words, a subtle shift occurred in her demeanor, her once gentle features becoming unsettlingly intense. She instinctively licked her lips.
"Gulp"
However, the strange moment was interrupted by the sound of Makoto swallowing nervously, his face now pale with shock.
Unohana froze, an apologetic look crossing her face as she quickly spoke.
"Apologies, Makoto. I suddenly remembered something unpleasant. I didn't frighten you, did I?"
"It's fine, Teacher."
Makoto shook his head, though his slightly ashen face betrayed his discomfort. The unease she noticed caused a small pang of guilt to form in Unohana Retsu's heart, halting her earlier thoughts about Shinro Bansho.
In truth, Makoto had indeed been frightened!
In that moment, he felt as though he had glimpsed a mountain of corpses and an endless sea of blood. The overwhelming bloodlust pierced directly into his very soul.
What was more terrifying was the look Unohana gave him, one that seemed as though she was eyeing an indestructible toy... or perhaps an unbreakable punching bag?
For a moment, Makoto couldn't help but question his choice to join the Fourth Division. It should have been the best choice, given his role in healing, but why... did everything seem so perilously dangerous now?
What terrified him further was that, within such a short time, Unohana had already inferred nearly all of Shinro Bansho's primary abilities, almost as though she had seen through the entire essence of his Zanpakuto's powers.
This woman... she was terrifying!
No wonder she was a Shinigami who had stood tall for a millennium. No wonder she was the "First Kenpachi," standing at the pinnacle of healing and the path of Reishi in Soul Society!
Even Kenpachi Zaraki, another Captain-level Soul Reaper, had only envisioned Makoto himself as a "healer" for the team, someone to restore health. But Unohana Retsu, after a close examination, had already deduced the true potential of Shinro Bansho.
With this in mind, Unohana Retsu, initially intending to offer advice to boost Senju Makoto's confidence and motivation regarding his Zanpakuto's abilities, now noticed his troubled state and, out of kindness, decided to stop discussing Shinro Bansho further. Instead, she smiled and said lightly.
"Makoto, you have the potential to awaken your Bankai. If you truly achieve it, the position of Fourth Division Captain will be yours. And... I will personally teach you the way of the sword. How does that sound?"
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