After clashing with Shiraishi's Heavenly Sword, Unohana Yachiru had been willing to cease hostilities.
Facing Shiraishi as he gripped that divine blade had sparked a memory of her encounter with the Captain-Commander a thousand years ago.
Is this a miraculous man who combines the traits of both Aizen and the old man?
"Now, pray tell me, what kind of world is this?"
In their brief skirmish, she had relied solely on basic Hakuda techniques, yet the minuscule amount of spiritual power she expended was proving difficult to replenish.
It would take a long time to recover naturally. Understanding the nature of this world was no longer a curiosity, but a necessity.
In her original world, a single breath would suffice; here, it would take an entire day to recover even a fraction of her Reiryoku. Even the simple act of standing mid-air required a significant drain on her reserves.
The laws of the Three Realms were entirely different from the laws of this world. As for the "Chakra" and "Natural Energy" Shiraishi mentioned, Unohana had gained a rudimentary understanding and could already manipulate a small portion of them.
Of course, those energies could never replace the importance of the Zanpakuto in her hand.
After a brief overview from Shiraishi, Unohana had a basic grasp of the situation.
As one who had originally sought death only to be resurrected in an alien land, she held far fewer lingering attachments than Ace did.
When Shiraishi brought her back to the Hidden Sand Village, she didn't show much emotional fluctuation—unlike Ace, who had been stunned by the village's scale and prosperity.
After all, she had seen the skyscrapers of the Living World in her own time.
However, she did feel a sense of admiration for Shiraishi as a builder; this "village" had long since transcended the concept of a mere settlement.
With the Kazekage Office at its core, the Hidden Sand had laid the foundation for a massive urban sprawl, which Unohana found herself comparing to the early days of the Seireitei in the Soul Society.
"Is your ideal to unify the ninja world?"
"Yes. It is all for the sake of ending this chaotic era."
Unohana lapsed into a pensive silence at Shiraishi's words. After a moment, she asked, "Is there a library?"
"There is."
The two entered the Sands' largest library. Unohana flipped open a book and let out a small, relieved smile. "Fortunately, the records here are also written in Han characters (Kanji)."
With a shared written language, the process of learning and integration would be much smoother.
Over the following period, Unohana immersed herself in study. Shiraishi, meanwhile, returned to his office to add her basic profile to the Anbu records.
"You wish to join the Medical Corps?"
At the mention of this, Unohana offered her trademark gentle smile. "Yes. The duties I held in my original world align with your Medical Corps. It is best to return to the work one enjoys."
And here I thought the thing you enjoyed most was cutting people... Shiraishi thought.
Since Unohana was to stay in the Sand, she needed an official identity, but her request to join the medical team was unexpected.
"I have gained a basic understanding of Chakra usage in this world," Unohana explained. "Basic medical ninjutsu is, at its heart, an application of technique. In that regard, it is much the same as what I know."
As she spoke, she performed a basic medical ninjutsu on a fish laying on the desk. The wounds on the fish began to knit together rapidly.
Shiraishi was surprised to see that her level of chakra control was exceptionally high—she was indeed a natural fit for a medical ninja.
"This vessel—this 'Gigai'—should possess similar latent abilities. I have read the fragmented memories left within it."
Rie had died when her body was seized by Yamaji Mochiharu, so the brain likely contained remnants of both their memories.
However, as a Shinigami who specialized in soul manipulation, Unohana naturally had unique methods for repairing and accessing those memory segments.
"These specialized water-energy threads are quite suitable for surgical procedures."
Numerous threads of Water-Attribute Chakra danced under Unohana's control. They pierced the fish she had just saved, carving countless new incisions, only for her to immediately begin suturing them back together with the same threads.
A big sister who loves slaughter is actually a doctor?
"I feel as though you are thinking of something very rude," she noted calmly.
"No... It's nothing." Shiraishi gave a dry laugh. "Very well. I will arrange your transfer to the Medical Corps. Also, Ace just returned to the village today; he's been clamoring to meet you."
According to the Kazekage, the young man named Ace was a fellow traveler from another world. Unohana smiled. "Good. I would like to meet him as well."
Over the past year, "Fire Fist" Ace's name had skyrocketed within the Navy and across the seas.
He was recognized as one of the "Three Admirals" of the Navy, while the rarely seen Uzumaki Tomoki and Yukihime had both been classified as S-rank threats by the other villages.
Finding out there was another like him, Ace was naturally excited to meet this legendary swordmaster.
As Shiraishi and Unohana set out for the Navy headquarters, they were met at the entrance of the Kazekage Office byShirohebi-hime.
In the last two years, Shirohebi-hime's strength had recovered rapidly. While not yet at the peak of the Great White Snake Sage, she had regained enough power to no longer fear Orochimaru's attempts to turn on her.
"Lord Kazekage, it has been a long time."
A smile touched her lips when she saw Shiraishi, but her eyes narrowed as they landed on Unohana. Her gaze became one of cold scrutiny. "Woman, I find you quite repulsive. Please leave; I have matters to discuss with the Kazekage."
Shirohebi-hime had met every guest Shiraishi brought from the other worlds, but this was the first time she had shown such unmasked hostility upon a first meeting.
Why on earth are you provoking her...? Shiraishi groaned internally.
"Heh."
Unohana smiled. It was the kind of smile that made the skin on Shiraishi's head go numb.
"A mere monster... dares to act so presumptuously."
Her voice was soft, but the effect was immediate. Shirohebi-hime's expression shifted drastically. "What sort of common woman dares to be so insolent to me?"
The moment the words left her mouth, the ground beneath Shirohebi-hime melted through Inorganic Reincarnation, sending countless jagged earthen blades lunging toward Unohana.
Her mastery of Inorganic Reincarnation had matured; she could now directly absorb the earth's energy to fuel her offense.
However, such tactics were useless against Unohana. With a flicker of Shunpo, she vanished, her blade carving a path of sword-light.
A strange frost erupted, instantly neutralizing the Inorganic Reincarnation technique. In the next heartbeat, Unohana appeared directly behind Shirohebi-hime.
Reacting instantly, Shirohebi-hime used a shedding technique to evade the strike, but she emerged pale and trembling.
Unohana was still wearing that incredibly "kind" smile, but the killing intent radiating from her Zanpakuto made every hair on Shirohebi-hime's body stand on end. She felt a sudden, visceral certainty: this woman wanted to kill her.
Moreover, what was this intense feeling of dread?
How could I—a Sage who has lived for a thousand years—be afraid of this woman?
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