ตอน 109: Chapter 105 - Unohana's Help
"I think we start walking in the right direction only after we start getting our counterparts beside us." — Itachi Uchiha.
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The two of them engaged in conversation solely centered around Kaidō and it seemed to go on for over forty minutes as Itachi absorbed every theoretical knowledge concerning Kaidō that Unohana shared. As someone that was always eager to learn new things in his youth, Itachi had a rather well-hidden thirst for knowledge which he sated a fair bit with their discussion-turned-pseudo-lecture. He didn't exactly have enough time on his hands now to be experimental and practical with what he'd learnt.
He never for one second forgot the reason he came here but he had to keep it to the side for a bit as he picked the brain of the best healer in Soul Society, so he did that while also making sure telling her about Gin wasn't a flight risk.
Maybe it was because of how forthcoming and genuine she always portrayed herself in everything she did, or it was something else. All Itachi knew was that there was nothing 'more' to read. The Unohana he sees is the Unohana he'll get. No underlying intentions or hidden maliciousness.
"While I'm always glad to see a Lieutenant like you wanting to learn Kaidō this deeply, a worry has been nagging at the back of my mind for a while now."
"What is it?" Itachi urged her on.
"Do you know someone in need of such deep medical attention?" She asked tentatively, but unlike the hesitation she was expecting if her guess was right, the casual nod Itachi gave her surprised her a little.
"Is it someone close to you?" She asked curiously, her mind now focusing more on her yet-to-be admitted patient.
It was obvious that Itachi would not have let her know about this if he had other choices to explore, not like that mattered to her right now. The complication of his request aside, along with whatever him and this unknown patient's relationship was, the only thing she was sure of was that she was taking the patient from Itachi.
Itachi shook his head. "No. In fact it's the direct opposite. It's just that him being alive might give me a potential advantage down the line."
Those specific words made her pause her action of putting down her cup. Those words of Itachi pointed at the fact that the nature of his request was as formal as it was informal. And with Itachi being as duty-bound as he was, the fact that he didn't just bring in the person to be admitted hinted at possibly a complicated identity. An enemy of Seireitei perhaps?
Unohana decided to remain silent for now and listen to all what the young Shinigami in front of her had to say.
"Your thoughts were somehow on point. His name is Ichimaru Gin, the Fifth Division's 3rd Seat…"
Unohana, at this point, did not have the faintest idea where all this was going but she still remained silent to hear all what Itachi had to say.
… And the brief explanation that followed was one of unexpected twists and shocking surprises.
After hearing the web of tales from Itachi, Unohana remained silent for a few minutes before asking him a simple question.
"Can you prove your words about Ichimaru Gin killing his fellow Shinigami?"
"Yes. Other than Gin not being on active duty, I kept a reading of the Reiatsu and Reishi level of the place when I arrived."
She picked up her cup and slowly brought it closer to her lips. "What is it you are asking of me, Itachi?" For the first time since knowing her, this was the most serious Itachi had ever seen her.
This was no longer the homely and respected healer of the Shinigami that everyone loved. The woman in front of him was one of the oldest Shinigami Captains and also a member of the founding group of Captains that formed the Gotei 13 some thousands of years ago.
"A favor. Help me heal Gin but keep it from reaching the Head Captain's ears, at least for now."
"If you have unearthed such a daring conspiracy, why still wait and not just tell the Head Captain?"
"Because Gin's supposed death will prompt a reaction out of whoever is behind this." Itachi answered, remaining vague on the main point.
The mask of aloofness on her face unnerved Itachi more than a little bit because he knew that her reaction from his words could only go two extreme ways.
"You are fully aware that your words are treason given the order that the Head Captain has just issued, right?"
And her words were doing just that.
"I do." He replied.
She showed no reaction to his admittance and simply stated. "In order words, you don't trust the competency and ruling of the Head Captain and Gotei 13."
The two of them stared at each other in silence after Unohana's statement because at this point they both knew that her words were the truth.
This was similar to a conversation they had years ago and Unohana, looking at the current Itachi, found that not much had changed between the current Itachi and the one she had met decades ago.
"You're still trying to do everything on your own. Why?"
Itachi let a frown show on his face upon hearing her words. He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off before he could.
"I guess you'll want to rebut by saying the few you can trust aren't capable enough." She stood up and turned around to leave, stopping briefly at the door to say something before leaving.
"I'll see you in the valley near the West Gate."
Itachi closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. He still didn't know her stance on the whole thing but it wouldn't hurt to trust her on this – well it could but he didn't have much of a better alternative.
"Trust huh."
He pondered Unohana's words as he made for the West Gate and though he hated to admit it he really couldn't when he knew she wasn't exactly wrong.
He was different from how he was in the past, true, but he didn't really have that many people he trusted. And the few he did were either out of bounds, oblivious, or wasn't strong enough that he'll be comfortable letting them help him.
He was a little bit surprised when Unohana appeared beside him when he arrived at the valley without him being able to sense her beforehand. His eyes slightly narrowed at that but paid it little mind. She was a Captain after all.
"My position requires me to be in the vicinity of the Seireitei at all times. My decision will come after I've spoken to Ichimaru Gin and for your sake I genuinely hope this doesn't turn out to be a waste of my time."
Though she said it with such casualness, without her Reiatsu even flaring the tiniest bit, Itachi felt the phantom feeling of a blade drawn to his neck.
'I really can't underestimate a Captain.'
While they moved, Itachi found that Unohana's use of Shunpo was the best he's seen after Yoruichi's. Her seamless use of it was even better than both of his.
"You've been busy, Itachi." She commented when they arrived at the hideout where he kept Gin.
He didn't say anything and just led her in while avoiding all the traps he'd set in place. They weren't set to kill an intruder or stop them from progressing forward but were instead mechanisms that'll blow up the place after the third trap gets set off.
Whatever thought she had on the little contraptions Itachi had set up, which she probably had an idea about – Itachi thought –, she said nothing, remaining impassive the whole way until they arrived at the bed where Gin was kept.
"What happened?" She asked with a surprise cast now apparent on her face. She broke all the Kidō seals placed on Gin without Itachi's input or even permission and likewise proceeded to envelope him in a green glow.
"He forced his Bankai to activate."
Unohana looked between Itachi and Gin in shocked surprise. "I never knew something like that was possible. Releasing an immature or incomplete Bankai, yes, but forcing one to release? I've never heard of something like that."
Itachi stood by in silence as she examined her new patient and when she was finally done, she turned to Itachi after a long sigh.
"Whatever it is you want to do, do it fast. I'll only keep this silent for so long. I won't, under any circumstances, support something that'll threaten the security of Soul Society." It was both a light warning and a show of trust, something the Shinobi was immensely grateful for.
She was choosing to trust in his judgment over that of the Head Captain, at least for a while, which was more than Itachi could hope for.
"Thank you." He thanked her sincerely but she shook her head.
"Take it as me repaying a favor for you attempting to correct a mistake I made." She said cryptically, greatly confusing Itachi.
She saw his confused look and just smiled like she always did before focusing back on Gin.
"You did a barely decent job stabilizing him… but then considering the situation he put himself in, maybe it wasn't that bad." She weaved a sign on top of Gin's head and one over his heart, a Kaidō seal Itachi noted, and did binds for his wrists and ankles. "I'll be questioning him once he regains consciousness. That won't be a problem, will it?"
"Not in the slightest."
"Good. Now find a way to sneak him inside the Seireitei without anyone knowing. I'll put him in a secret location where I can easily access his situation."
With that done, the both of them left, separating themselves to their respective tasks.
With Unohana temporarily granting him this favor, Itachi now had a bit more room to act. He'd wanted a light probing upon his return but catching Gin was a stroke of luck he just happened to come across.
Caw caw.
His messenger crow perched on his arm and relayed the response it got from Soi Fon.
Truly, having competent people to rely on made complications a whole lot easier to tackle.
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