**Shin'ō Academy, Swordsmanship Dojo**
Kaelith Yurei knelt on the floor in a less-than-perfect posture, with a bamboo practice sword placed in front of him.
For a mont, it felt like he was back in class yesterday afternoon.
He found himself lost in thought.
How did he end up here again when he was just in Kido class?
Half an hour ago, he'd been in the classroom, gathering the rabbits used for healing practice, when Unohana Retsu suddenly spoke up.
"Students, I just confird that the next Hakuda (t/n: hand-to-hand combat) class teacher is also out sick, so I'll be covering one more period."
"However, I'm not very skilled in Hakuda, so we'll be switching it to swordsmanship instead."
"Please take a ten-minute break and then et in the Kendo Dojo."
Kaelith couldn't help but feel puzzled at her announcent.
He'd been standing right next to Unohana the entire ti—how could he have missed the news that the next instructor had fallen ill?
If his old PE teacher from before he ca to Soul Society had seen this scene, they'd definitely feel a sense of familiarity.
So, after a brief break, Class 7 students arrived at the Kendo Dojo.
Under the eager gazes of the students, Unohana Retsu slowly stepped to the front of the dojo.
Holding a bamboo sword, her deanor seed to shift slightly.
In the Kido classroom earlier, she had been gentle and serene.
Now, there was a faint sharpness in her presence.
"Alright, everyone, the Zanjutsu (t/n swordsmanship) class is now starting."
"As I'm not entirely sure of your current skill levels, today's class will be a bit unusual."
"From now on, each of you will take turns sparring with . I'll evaluate your level and help identify areas for improvent this way."
"Let's start with this student here."
Before the students could react, Unohana was already smiling, her gaze landing on a student in a blue-and-white uniform.
The student froze for a mont, then quickly stood up and walked over, holding his bamboo sword.
Watching this unfold, Seinosuke Yamada couldn't help but feel curious.
"What's going on here…? Isn't the Fourth Division supposed to prioritize healing abilities as a asure of skill?"
"While I don't doubt Captain Unohana's expertise in Kido, swordsmanship…? I hope she doesn't mislead them with unorthodox techniques."
"If her instruction isn't up to standard, it might leave students with bad habits."
Hearing this, Kuchiki Sōjun smirked slightly.
"On that point, Seinosuke, you don't need to worry."
"Captain Unohana holds the title of a tenth-dan in swordsmanship, certified by the Seireitei." (see notes)
Seinosuke stiffened.
"What?"
*Bang!*
At the sa mont he spoke, Unohana effortlessly parried a few strikes from the student and then, with a slight movent, knocked his bamboo sword aside.
She lowered her bamboo sword, her voice calm and gentle, "You're focusing too much on your upper body and neglecting your footwork. Moving forward, work on harmonizing your footwork with your swordsmanship until it becos second nature."
Upon hearing Unohana's advice, the student appeared enlightened and quickly nodded, bowing deeply to express his gratitude.
Next, the second student stepped forward.
After just a few moves, Unohana subdued her opponent effortlessly.
"Your sword stance is not very stable. During regular training, you don't seem fully focused when practicing with your blade, and your form falters. This might seem like a minor issue now, but as your skills improve, a shaky foundation will lead to more severe problems. Keep this in mind."
The second student's eyes widened in surprise.
In truth, he often slacked off during his training swings, and even Kinoshita hadn't noticed it.
He hadn't expected Captain Unohana to pinpoint his flaw so quickly with only a few exchanges!
He hurriedly bowed. "Thank you very much for your guidance. I'll rember it!"
As the third, fourth… and more students stepped up, each one was quickly defeated while receiving precise, targeted feedback. Gradually, Seinosuke Yamada's eyes began to show interest.
Aizen stepped forward with his bamboo sword and exchanged four or five moves with Unohana before he was defeated.
Looking at the young man in front of her, his expression calm and unbothered by his loss, Unohana gave an approving nod.
"Your basics are solid, and you respond well under pressure. Keep practicing diligently, just as you are. I look forward to seeing your future progress."
Aizen gave a slight bow. "Thank you for your guidance."
The students around them looked surprised by Unohana's praise for Aizen.
Since the class had started, this was the first ti Captain Unohana had offered such a comprehensive complint to a student.
Aizen Sōsuke… the quiet guy who kept a low profile, the one mostly known as a mber of "Kaelith's crew"—who knew he had so real skill? (t/n HAh don't let him hear what you call their gang)
As Aizen walked back, Kaelith raised an eyebrow. "So you decided to show a bit of your strength, huh?"
Aizen knelt beside him, sighing slightly. "It wasn't 'a bit' of strength—I used my full effort."
Kaelith grinned. "You say it seriously, so I'll take it seriously."
Hearing this, Aizen turned to him with curiosity.
"Kaelith, why are you so convinced that I'm hiding my true strength?"
Kaelith raised his head confidently. "Sōsuke, I know you better than you think. No one understands Aizen Sōsuke better than I do."
Aizen couldn't help but feel puzzled, seeing Kaelith's confident expression.
He could tell that this guy genuinely believed he knew him well.
So where did this confidence co from?
Could it be, as Kaelith claid, that he really saw through him and knew everything about him?
…Impossible.
While Aizen pondered this, at the front of the dojo, Kuchiki Sōjun and Unohana Retsu had entered an intense duel.
Unlike the other students who had faced Unohana before, Kuchiki Sōjun displayed the bearing of a true heir to one of the Four Great Noble Clans, eting Unohana's level of skill head-on.
With both hands gripping the bamboo sword, he moved like a finely tuned machine, blocking each of Unohana's strikes at lightning speed, all while seizing any opening to counterattack.
Unohana's goal was to assess the student's abilities, not to overpower them, so she limited her strength to a certain level.
Facing Sōjun's perfect blend of offense and defense, she was pleasantly reminded of the thrill of a real duel.
After a few more exchanges, she seized an opening and delivered a swift diagonal slash that sent Sōjun's bamboo sword flying.
Looking at the refined young man before her, she nodded.
"Ginrei has truly raised an outstanding successor."
Hearing this, Kuchiki Sōjun paused in surprise.
Then, he bowed deeply.
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