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Nami and Nojiko felt their vision go dark.
When light returned to their eyes, they found themselves in a vast desert.
"Hey! This is the same desert as before!" Nami exclaimed, immediately recognizing the place where Ikki had previously demonstrated her Zanpakutō 'Gonryōmaru.'
Nojiko narrowed her eyes, quickly focusing on a gentle-looking woman standing hundreds of meters ahead. The woman had long black hair parted in the middle, with a braid hanging down in front of her, and she carried a sword at her side.
Although Nojiko hadn't been present during Ikki's demonstration of Nami's Zanpakutō Gonryōmaru, she had heard about it numerous times from Nami. Seeing an environment that matched Nami's descriptions, she immediately realized where they were.
"The sword's name is 'Minazuki,' and its original owner is Retsu Unohana, Captain of the 4th Division of the Gotei 13," Ikki explained.
"This is a Zanpakutō that possesses both healing and killing capabilities."
"Nojiko, watch carefully."
"I look forward to seeing you master it in the future."
Ikki patted Nojiko's shoulder and smiled encouragingly.
"Healing and killing?" Nojiko murmured, her curiosity about the Zanpakutō 'Minazuki' growing with Ikki's description.
As Nojiko finished speaking, a man covered in blood suddenly appeared before Unohana Retsu.
Nami and Nojiko could see the man's exposed internal organs through the massive wound in his torso.
Just as Nami was wondering why no monster like a 'Hollow' had appeared this time, Unohana Retsu slowly drew her Zanpakutō from its sheath.
"Purify all, Minazuki!" she commanded. (T/N: There is no release mentioned in the fandom)
After these words, Nami and Nojiko watched in astonishment as the Zanpakutō in Unohana Retsu's hand began to twist and transform.
It quickly formed into a huge, flat, strange creature floating in the air with a single eye, resembling a manta ray.
"What is that?" Nami asked, confused.
"Minazuki is a biological-type Zanpakutō. In its Shikai state, it transforms into this ray-like creature," Ikki explained.
"It can fly, so if Nojiko masters its Shikai, we could summon Minazuki and use it for aerial transportation."
Ikki laughed, clearly pleased with this possibility.
"Is that all?" Nami looked at Ikki strangely. "Flying is impressive, but does it have any other abilities?"
"Captain Ikki just mentioned healing! It must have healing powers," Nojiko pointed out.
Hearing this, Nami turned her attention back to Minazuki.
She watched as it opened its large mouth and 'swallowed' the injured man standing before Unohana Retsu.
"It... it ate him?!" Nami's jaw dropped in shock.
Not only Nami, but even the typically composed Nojiko now looked at Ikki with suspicion.
"Keep watching," Ikki instructed, crossing his arms. Rather than explaining further, he wanted his companions to observe the outcome themselves.
A few seconds later, Minazuki opened its mouth and expelled the man it had swallowed.
Nami and Nojiko looked closely and realized that the man, previously on the brink of death, had completely recovered. The fatal injuries that had covered his body had vanished entirely.
"I see—this is the healing power you mentioned, Captain Ikki," Nojiko observed.
"It's quite an impressive ability."
"With this power, our need for a doctor aboard our ship would be solved," Nami added with enthusiasm, hugging Nojiko's arm.
"For that to happen, I'll need to master this Zanpakutō's Shikai," Nojiko replied with a smile, glancing at Nami before turning her attention back to Unohana Retsu.
"The healing capability has been demonstrated; now comes the power of killing," Ikki announced.
Sure enough, Unohana Retsu recalled her Zanpakutō from its manta ray form.
Then, an enormous burst of spiritual pressure exploded from her body, radiating in all directions.
Nami and Nojiko felt their hearts constrict, as if some invisible force was squeezing them tightly.
"What... what is this?!"
"So terrifying!"
Nami and Nojiko clung to each other, trembling under the oppressive force.
At that moment, they felt that the Unohana Retsu before them was even more frightening than the Chōjirō Sasakibe they had previously witnessed in this illusory wasteland.
The injured man who had stood before Unohana had disappeared, replaced by dozens of Menos Grande Hollows.
"Bankai!" Unohana Retsu murmured in a low voice.
"Minazuki."
She ran her left hand along the blade of her sword. Blood began to seep copiously from the blade's edge.
Not only did blood flow from her sword, but the space around Unohana tore open, revealing multiple black holes from which torrents of blood poured forth.
Within seconds, both Unohana Retsu and the surrounding Menos Grande were engulfed in a sea of blood.
Nami and Nojiko shuddered involuntarily and retreated behind Ikki for protection.
Each grabbed one of his arms, holding tightly.
In that moment, Unohana Retsu no longer appeared human to them—instead, she seemed to transform into a terrifying skeletal figure.
As if sensing their gazes, Unohana Retsu turned toward Ikki and the others, the corner of her mouth lifting in a subtle smile.
"Eek! How frightening!" Nami cried, pressing Ikki's arm against her chest in terror.
Though Unohana Retsu was smiling, to Nami it resembled the grin of a shinigami from the depths of hell.
Nojiko also felt deeply unsettled. If Ikki hadn't steadied her with his hand, her legs might have given way beneath her.
The next moment, Unohana Retsu's eyes flashed crimson, and her figure vanished from Nami and Nojiko's sight.
As Unohana disappeared, more than a dozen Menos Grande beside her were sliced cleanly in half, their massive bodies collapsing in mid-air.
"That's amazing... ah!"
Nami had begun to express her awe when suddenly Unohana Retsu materialized directly in front of her.
The terrifying visage caused Nami to lose consciousness immediately.
"It's just an illusion. There's nothing to fear," Ikki reassured, shaking his head as he looked at Nojiko.
"Don't you agree, Nojiko?"
Wait—what's wrong with Nojiko?
Ikki gently shook Nojiko's body, only to discover that her eyes had rolled back, and she too had fainted, just like Nami.
"Well, that's understandable," Ikki conceded.
It truly was an intimidating sight.
"Should I be surprised? She is, after all, the First Kenpachi, Unohana Retsu," Ikki sighed, gazing at Unohana's image before him.
Meeting Ikki's gaze, Unohana Retsu offered him a meaningful smile.
Then her form dissipated, leaving only the sword Shigure—or rather, the Zanpakutō 'Minazuki'—floating before Ikki's eyes.
...
As the illusion faded, Ikki returned to the captain's cabin, carrying Nami in one arm and Nojiko in the other.
The image of Unohana Retsu's disappearance lingered in his mind.
For some reason, Ikki felt that it hadn't been merely a lifeless projection, but rather the true Unohana Retsu, complete with self-awareness.
'I must have been seeing things,' he thought to himself.
'How could Unohana Retsu actually manifest here?'
Ikki shook these stray thoughts from his mind and gently placed Nami and Nojiko on his bed.
Then he set Shigure, now housing the power of 'Minazuki,' beside Nojiko.
Just as Ikki was about to leave and return to the training room to continue Tashigi's instruction, an alarmed exclamation echoed through the captain's cabin.
"Ikki... Captain Ikki! You... you haven't done anything improper to Miss Nami and Miss Nojiko, have you?!"
Hearing this, Ikki turned to see Tashigi standing at the entrance to the training room.
She was holding her flushed cheeks, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Nojiko and Nami lying unconscious on the bed.