Bleach : I Need To Rizz To Become Stronger ?!

Chapter 81: A Healer Who Can Fight

Chapter 81 - A Healer Who Can FightWithin the 4th Division, improving one's combat strength was far from a priority. What mattered most was skill in Kaidō and medical expertise.

As a result, there were only two official dōjōs available for training. Many of the squad members had been assigned here by necessity rather than choice, and often sought ways to transfer out. Even so, some spent their spare time training for exactly that purpose.

For Shin, finding a quiet place to train was proving difficult.

So he went to Kotetsu Isane.

"Training?"

In the vice-captain's office, Isane pondered his request seriously.

"We have several unused infirmaries in the barracks. If we move the beds and equipment to the sides, they'd be spacious enough for you to train in... though it's a bit of a hassle."

"It's no trouble at all. May I use them?"

"Of course," Isane smiled. "Those rooms are empty unless there's a crisis. Just be careful while using them."

"Thank you, Vice-Captain Kotetsu."

She tilted her head curiously.

"Are you getting used to life in the 4th Division?"

"Quite well. Iemura-senpai has been very supportive."

"I'm glad." Isane smiled, then added, "I was a little worried you might struggle with some of the routines here. Like, say... street cleaning?"

Shin, though grumbling inwardly, replied with a straight face:

"It's not like I never cleaned at the Academy."

Which was technically true. He'd just slacked off there too.

"Originally, I planned to have you moved to the Pharmacology Unit," she continued. "But Captain Unohana assigned you to the Emergency Relief Corps. Perhaps she thought it suited you better. Iemura mentioned you've been performing very well."

Pharmacology, huh...

Shin suddenly realized—Isane herself was head of the Pharmacology Unit.

So he'd missed his chance to see her daily. And that elusive Unohana... he'd barely had any interactions with her since joining.

"What kind of work does the Pharmacology Unit handle, exactly?" Shin asked, feigning humility.

Isane was happy to explain:

"We're a medical re

Isane blinked, confused.

"Come again?"

"I'm saying that especially as doctors, we should know how to defend ourselves. Not to rush into battle, but to survive it. Right now, we're so weak we always need others to protect us. That's why squads like the 11th look down on us."

"But what does that have to do with people not wanting to join?"

"Everything. If we change that mindset—if we train ourselves to fight and heal—people will respect us more. Other squads will treat us with dignity. That kind of pride, that sense of belonging... It'll make recruits think twice before turning us down."

Isane rubbed her temples.

"But people only have so much energy. They already struggle to study Kaidō. Now we expect them to train in combat too?"

Shin chuckled.

"How many of our current members are really studying Kaidō that hard? Most are just waiting to get transferred. If we give them something concrete to work toward, something that strengthens them, I bet they'll have the energy."

Even within the 4th, Kaidō-type Zanpakutōs were rare. Most Shinigami had offensive or Kido-based types. Asking them to become Kaidō experts was unrealistic.

"But doesn't that defeat the purpose of a medical division?" she asked weakly.

"We'll never fully change that. The 4th Division's identity is tied to Kaidō. But nothing says we can't also be competent fighters."

Isane fell silent.

Shin hadn't expected it, but her Favorability stat ticked up by 3 points.

[Favorability: 65]

She looked up again, eyes shimmering with something unreadable.

"I understand now, Shin. Everything you've said makes sense. I'll share it all with Captain Unohana."