Chapter 4: CAN (NOT) REMAIN STAGNANT

Reviews:

Eternal Drakness of Light: There's plenty in store for Jaune! Also, while I would love for Soi-Fon to be one of his admirers (She is one of my favorites!) I have my own plans with her and another character!

triscythe59: Team RWBY might be seen later down the line as I do have an idea for an Arc of the story that involves the Bleachverse and Remnant, but they won't be getting their own Zanpakuto

GreenEyesOrigamiDragon: It's just an idea I had because of how easily Cinder hit Penny in the chest with her Grimm arm, which happened when Penny was still fully powered up with Aura and a maiden, so Cinder's Grimm arm had to bypass her aura in order to wound her, meaning Grimm can bypass aura.

listlessness: The reason for Jaune's Shikai being a Saber is simple... I just wanted to give him one, but also because the original and reforged look of Crocea Mors will play a bit of a part in Jaune's Bankai

Hairypen: No, Jaune's Shikai isn't based on any art piece, I just came up with it. As for asking the captain commander for help, yeah not gonna happen, simply because there's no way to get back to Remnant at the moment and what eventually happens in the TYBW Arc. Glad you like the chapter!

Misfit Fox: Glad you like the chapter! here's more!

GeneralSparda: I think that's a great idea as it would make sense for the direction Unohana want's to take her squad in! Plus, it's insane that they haven't though of that as it would be great in the middle of a war.

MM Browsing: Unfortunately, Jaune won't be learning Hakuda or Shunkō, but it's possible Jaune might meet Ichigo's friends during the Bount Arc and later actually meet Ichigo during the Fullbringer Arc, but I haven't planned that far ahead yet.

Crow Mahn: Thank you but you should really give Bleach a read or watch, it's absolute peak!

Guest: Behold! I have cooked! Here's another chapter!

A/N: I decided to do something a little fun for this chapter by giving it an "Opening" so here it is! The first opening of LOVE IS (NOT) DEAD:

OPENING: (Song: Hyakkiyakou - Hello Sleepwalkers)

*Instrumental*

Silhouettes of the Lieutenants slowly draw their Zanpakutōs, each unleashing their Shikai in turn. Finally, Jaune's silhouette emerges, drawing his sword and releasing a wave of spiritual pressure.

"Are kara obake wa biku tomo ugokanai"

In the 4th Division barracks, Jaune, Isane, Hanataro, and Kiyone sit around a small table, sharing a meal and cheerful conversation, their smiles lighting the room.

Renji and Rukia clash in a sparring match, their Shikai unleashed. Each strike meets its match, their skills appearing evenly balanced.

"Sugata o misenai kaibutsu ya hero"

Walking toward the 8th Division, Hisagi carries a stack of books, assisting Nanao as they chat. Unbeknownst to them, Kyoraku and Mashiro spy on the pair, the 8th Division captain grinning mischievously.

Meanwhile, in Toshirou's office, Rangiku lies sprawled on the couch, snoring loudly. Toshirou works diligently at his desk, pausing occasionally to glare at his drunk Lieutenant.

"Bokura wa zaibun oukiku natta keredo"

Momo and Izuru stroll through the bustling streets, curiously glancing at the shop displays. Nearby, Ikkaku and Yumichika slurp down bowls of ramen, sharing the table with Kenpachi and Yachiru, who eagerly dig into their meals.

Meanwhile, Soi-Fon browses a clothing store with Nemu by her side, hesitantly sifting through dresses while silently questioning her choices, clearly out of her element.

"Otona no nakama ni narai kirenai mama da"

Sasakibe sits with Yamamoto and Unohana, sharing a peaceful moment over tea. Their conversation drifts to stories of the past, their faces softening with fond smiles.

At his home, Ōmaeda watches over his little sister, playing games with her as the savory aroma of dinner fills the house.

Deep in the forest, Iba and Komamura train together, their movements synchronized as they push each other to grow stronger.

"Kaimei sare tsukushita hazu no sekai ni oyasumi"

All fifteen Lieutenants stand united, with Jaune at the forefront. In unison, they draw their swords, ready to face the wave of Hollows emerging through multiple Gargantas into the Soul Society.

"Kagakusha nemuri koketara saa saa tsudo e hajimeyou"

Sasakibe leaps forward, his blade striking true as he pierces a Hollow through the face, killing it instantly. Ōmaeda follows up with a powerful jump, smashing three Hollows at once with a single swing of his ball and chain.

Beside them, Izuru uses Wabisuke to weigh down a Hollow before swiftly beheading it. At the same moment, Isane obliterates two more Hollows with a precise Kido spell.

"Mata okashii yoru ga meguru yo gou suto tsurete tte"

Momo hurls a blazing fireball at a towering Hollow, striking its face and sending it crashing to the ground. Nearby, Renji releases Zabimaru, its segmented blade tearing through four Hollows, slicing them cleanly in two as they dissolve into nothingness.

Iba sprints past Renji, lunging toward another Hollow and taking its head with a decisive swing. Nanao, standing her ground, summons a Kido barrier to shield herself from the strike of a hulking Hollow.

"Mado no soto Odoru no da are"

Hisagi vaults over Nanao's barrier, his twin scythes tearing the Hollow apart in mere seconds. Above, Mashiro descends from the sky, her Hollow mask forming as she obliterates several Hollows with her devastating kicks and punches.

From another vantage point, Rangiku deftly evades the strike of a medium-sized Hollow. With a swift motion, she releases Haineko, the ash-like blade shredding the Hollow to pieces. Not far away, Yachiru grins mischievously as a horde of small Hollows rushes toward her. Calling upon Sanpo Kenjū, she and her spectral companions, Lumpy and Boney, leap into action, annihilating the tiny Hollows in a synchronized attack.

"Hitto shounen shoujo itsuka chotto zutsu wasurete tte"

Nemu sprints across the battlefield, her speed unmatched as she destroys several Hollows with nothing but her precise punches and kicks. Behind her, Rukia appears in a flash, freezing a group of Hollows that attempt to ambush Nemu before shattering them with a wave of her ice-like power.

Jaune dashes ahead of the others, cutting through multiple Hollows in his path with fluid precision. Without hesitation, he charges toward a massive Hollow, bringing his blade down in a powerful, decisive slash.

"Omoidasenai Natsu ga owaru dake!"

As the sun sets over the Seireitei, all the Lieutenants gather together at the edge of Sōkyoku Hill. Sasakibe stands tall with a proud smile, while Ōmaeda leans casually against a tree, munching on a bag of chips. Izuru shares a quiet smile with Momo, who beams back at him. Iba adjusts his shades with a confident smirk, and Hisagi wraps an arm protectively around Nanao, who smiles softly as she adjusts her glasses.

Rangiku leans back with her signature smirk, while Mashiro grins beside her, brimming with energy. Nemu offers a rare, gentle smile, Yachiru perched on her shoulder and cheering with her hands in the air. Renji and Rukia stand side by side, hands resting on their sheathed Zanpakutōs, a quiet determination in their gazes.

At the forefront of them all stands Jaune, a calm smile on his face as Isane places a reassuring hand on his shoulder, the weight of camaraderie and trust uniting them in the fading light.

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"Huh!? The 4th Division has a new Lieutenant!?"

"Yeah, I heard it's that Ryoka guy—the one who literally fell from the sky!"

"No way... What happened to Lieutenant Kotetsu?"

"She's still around. Apparently, she's sharing the position with him,"

"A Co-Lieutenant? That's rare, what's this guy even like?"

"No clue, but rumor has it he's pretty handsome,"

"Oh, please... You think every guy is handsome—you're just desperate to settle down with someone!"

"Tch, I have standards!"

Throughout the Seireitei, whispers and speculation spread like wildfire. The arrival of a new Lieutenant—especially one from another world—was not something that happened every day. Some were curious, others skeptical, and a few were outright dismissive. But one thing was clear: Jaune Arc had already become the talk of the Soul Society.

Meanwhile, the man at the center of all the gossip was finishing up his morning routine. Jaune adjusted his Shihakushō, pulling the sleeves into place before tightening the sash at his waist. Unlike the standard white cloth most Shinigami wore, he tied Pyrrha's crimson sash around him, securing his Zanpakutō at his side. The fabric, worn but well-kept, was a reminder of the past and a promise to never forget where he came from.

Today marked his first official day as the 4th Division's Co-Lieutenant. As he took a deep breath, steadying himself for whatever lay ahead, he couldn't help but hope—just this once—that this first day would go smoother than his first day at Beacon.

But knowing his luck... that was probably too much to ask.

After weaving through the quiet corridors of the Fourth Division's main building, Jaune eventually reached the room where he was supposed to meet Isane. The early morning light filtered through the paper windows, casting a soft glow along the wooden floors. Taking a steady breath, he slid the door open and stepped inside.

There was Isane, waiting for him as expected—but she wasn't alone.

Beside her stood a much shorter male, barely reaching Ruby's height. He had long, shoulder-length black hair that framed his face, and his posture was slightly hunched, making him seem even smaller. There was a nervous air about him, a meekness that was only made more apparent by the fresh bruises marring his arms and face.

Jaune's eyes immediately locked onto the injuries, concern flickering across his expression.

Isane met his gaze and offered him a slight, albeit uneasy, smile. She gave a small wave, though it was clear that something weighed on her mind. The tension in the room was palpable.

"Good morning, Jaune," Isane greeted, her voice steady but subdued.

Jaune returned the smile, though his gaze briefly flickered to the injured young man beside her. "Good morning to you too, Isane," he replied before nodding toward the battered figure. "So… what exactly happened here?"

Isane sighed, glancing at the smaller Shinigami before answering. "Hanatarō here had an unfortunate run-in with a few members of the Eleventh Division."

Jaune's brow furrowed as he turned fully toward Hanatarō, taking in the bruises more closely. "And they just… beat him up for it?" he asked, his tone edged with disbelief.

"Yes," Isane confirmed, exhaling a weary sigh. "It's not the first time, either."

Jaune groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Let me guess," he muttered. "The Eleventh Division treating our squadmates like dirt is just… normal around here?"

"Yes…" Isane and Hanatarō answered in unison, their voices tinged with reluctant resignation.

Jaune let out another groan, rubbing his temples. 'Great, so when Captain Unohana inevitably sends me to the Eleventh Division for training, I'll have to make sure to dish out a little payback while I'm at it,' The thought was petty, but honestly? He wasn't above it. Shaking off his frustration, he turned back to Isane. "Anyway, why'd you call me here?" he asked, eager to move the conversation along.

Isane gave him a soft smile, the tension in the room easing slightly. "Well, I called you here because today, you'll be learning all about your responsibilities as a Lieutenant," she explained. "There's a lot to go over—paperwork, administrative duties, coordination with other divisions, and of course, the proper protocols when dealing with medical emergencies,"

Jaune nodded, though a flicker of apprehension crossed his face. "Yeah… that makes sense," he admitted. "I guess I should've expected that this job wasn't all just fighting and looking cool in a uniform,"

Isane chuckled lightly at that. "You'd be surprised how much of a Lieutenant's work is not fighting," she teased. "Though, that said, you do have a lot to learn outside of leadership duties—especially when it comes to healing Kidō,"

Jaune winced slightly. "Ah right... that,"

Isane giggled softly, the sound lightening the atmosphere. "I thought it would be best for you to start with something simple," she explained. "Which is why Hanatarō is here with us, you'll just be healing his bruises—nothing too serious,"

Jaune nodded, rolling his shoulders as he took a deep breath. "Alright, sounds easy enough," he said, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Kneeling down beside Isane, Jaune turned his attention to Hanatarō, who sat patiently with his hands resting on his lap. Realizing they hadn't been properly introduced yet, Jaune extended a friendly hand.

"Oh, right, I don't think we've officially met," Jaune said with a warm smile. "I'm Jaune Arc, your new Lieutenant,"

Hanatarō blinked before quickly bowing his head, his demeanor polite but nervous. "Ah! I'm Hanatarō Yamada, 7th Seat of the Fourth Division, it's an honor to meet you, sir!" he said, his voice slightly flustered.

Jaune tilted his head slightly, his brow raising in mild surprise. "7th Seat?" he repeated, glancing between Hanatarō and Isane.

Isane gave a small nod. "Yes, Hanatarō is one of our division's seated officers," she explained. "In the Gotei, seated officers rank just below a Lieutenant, holding positions from 3rd Seat down to 20th Seat, with Captains and Lieutenants holding the 1st and 2nd Seat ranks, respectively, while the remaining 18 positions are for the division's most capable and experienced members,"

Jaune absorbed the information quickly, nodding in understanding. "Alright, that makes sense," he said. "So if Hanatarō's our 7th Seat, who's our 3rd Seat?"

"That would be Yasochika Iemura," Isane answered. "I'm sure you'll meet him soon enough,"

Jaune nodded again, making a mental note of the name. 'So, the division has a hierarchy beyond just the Captain and Lieutenant positions… Makes sense, but if Hanatarō is our 7th Seat, and he's getting beaten up by the Eleventh Division regularly, that probably says a lot about how our division is treated,' Jaune thought bitterly.

Shaking the thought away for now, Jaune turned his focus back to the lesson at hand.

"Well, it's good to meet you, Hanatarō," he said with an encouraging smile. "Let's see if I can actually heal those bruises without messing up,"

Hanatarō chuckled nervously. "I-I'm sure you'll do fine, Lieutenant."

Jaune hoped he was right.

Isane smiled softly as she observed the interaction between Jaune and Hanatarō. It was heartening to see that Hanatarō, who was usually anxious around higher-ranking officers, seemed to be at ease with Jaune already. The new Lieutenant's approachable demeanor was certainly helping, and that boded well for his integration into the Fourth Division.

Clearing her throat, Isane refocused on the lesson. "Now then, let me teach you the basics," she began, slipping seamlessly into the role of instructor. "Healing Kidō has its own classification—it's called Kaidō, Unlike Hadō and Bakudō, which are combat-focused branches of Kidō, Kaidō is purely designed for restoration, and because of this, it does not possess any formal names, numbers, or incantations to cast, it was developed to be as direct and efficient as possible,"

Jaune nodded as he listened, his analytical side kicking in. "That makes sense, if you had to chant an incantation every time you needed to heal someone, you'd be wasting valuable seconds," Jaune said. "It's better to just focus on getting the patient stabilized as fast as possible,"

Isane smiled approvingly. "Exactly," she said. "When dealing with battlefield injuries, every moment counts, Shinigami frequently sustain wounds while fighting Hollows and other enemies, so Kaidō was designed to be quick and practical,"

Jaune's brow rose slightly at that. "So if it's so simple, why isn't every Shinigami taught to use it?" he asked.

Isane chuckled at the question. "Because what's simple for us in the Fourth Division isn't necessarily simple for others," she explained. "Kaidō requires fine-tuned control over one's Reiatsu—something that not every Shinigami has the patience or skill to develop, for those of us in the Fourth, it's second nature, but for others, learning even the basics can be difficult,"

Jaune hummed in understanding. "Alright, so how does it work exactly?"

"Glad you asked," Isane replied. She lifted her hands slightly and gestured for him to watch closely. "The user places their hands over the patient's wounds, and their palms will glow with green spiritual energy as the healing process begins, but before that, the first step is Reiatsu restoration,"

Jaune tilted his head. "Reiatsu restoration?"

Isane nodded. "Yes, but before we can properly heal physical wounds, we need to stabilize and restore the patient's Reiatsu, this is crucial because the body and Reiatsu are intrinsically linked—if someone's Reiatsu is too depleted, their body's natural healing process slows down significantly, by replenishing their Reiatsu first, we allow their own energy to work alongside the healer's external Reiatsu, making the recovery process much faster and more effective,"

As Jaune listened, his eyes slowly widened in realization. 'That… sounds almost exactly like how my Semblance works,'

The explanation clicked into place in his mind like pieces of a puzzle. His Semblance, when used on others, extended his Aura externally, reinforcing and amplifying the target's own Aura so that their body could heal at a significantly accelerated rate. In essence, it was doing the same thing Isane was describing—strengthening someone's internal energy first, allowing their own natural recovery process to take effect.

A thought suddenly sparked in Jaune's mind, an idea forming as he pieced together what Isane had just explained about Kaidō and how it worked similarly to his Semblance. If Kaidō focused on restoring Reiatsu before healing the body, then what if he combined it with his own ability?

"Hey, Isane," Jaune said, turning to his fellow Lieutenant with an inquisitive expression. "How long does it usually take to heal something like bruises?"

Isane arched an eyebrow at the sudden question. "Not too long," she replied, folding her arms as she considered it. "Maybe five or six minutes, depending on how efficient the healer is. Why?"

Jaune smirked slightly. "I want to try something," he said.

Without waiting for further questions, he extended his hands in front of him, palms hovering just above Hanatarō's arms. A soft green glow flickered to life, signaling the activation of Kaidō. Spiritual energy flowed from his hands, beginning the process of healing the Seventh Seat's bruises.

But then, Jaune focused inward, reaching deep into himself as he called upon his Semblance. Almost instantly, a second glow—pale white and distinct from the green hue of Kaidō—surged around his hands. The two energies intertwined, blending seamlessly, and in the blink of an eye, the results became apparent.

Hanatarō's bruises vanished. Not gradually, not over the course of minutes—but instantly.

Isane's eyes widened in shock. "A-Amazing!" she breathed, taking a step closer to get a better look.

Hanatarō, still seated, blinked in disbelief before quickly grabbing a small mirror from a nearby shelf. He turned it toward himself, his fingers running over his once-bruised skin—only to find that there wasn't even the faintest trace left behind. It was as if the injuries had never existed in the first place.

"Whoa! That's incredible!" Hanatarō exclaimed, turning to Jaune with excitement. "How did you do that, Lieutenant Arc?!"

Jaune scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin forming on his face. "Well… when Isane explained how Kaidō works, I realized it was pretty similar to my Semblance," he admitted. "My ability lets me boost a person's physical capabilities, but it also enhances whatever power they already have, so I figured… why not try applying that to Kaidō? If my Semblance could amplify its effects, then theoretically, I'd be able to heal non-fatal or even moderately severe wounds much faster,"

Isane stared at him, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and admiration. "And you came up with that just by noticing the similarities between Kaidō and your Semblance?" she asked in disbelief.

Jaune nodded. "Yeah, pretty much," he said. "And if it works the way I think it does, I should also be able to boost anyone who's already performing Kaidō, that way, I wouldn't just be limited to healing people myself—I could make our healers even more effective,"

Hanatarō's expression lit up with excitement, his usual nervousness momentarily forgotten. "That's amazing that you figured that out so quickly, Lieutenant!" he said, his voice filled with genuine admiration.

Jaune chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck again, clearly not used to the praise. "Thanks, Hanatarō, and seriously, you don't have to call me Lieutenant, just Jaune is fine,"

Hanatarō blinked in surprise before nodding quickly. "A-ah, alright… Jaune," He hesitated for a moment before adding, "You know… your powers kind of remind me of Orihime's."

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Isane glanced at Hanatarō before turning to Jaune. "Inoue Orihime," she clarified. "She's a human girl with extraordinary abilities—one of Ichigo Kurosaki's allies,"

"Ichigo Kurosaki?" Jaune repeated, tilting his head slightly.

The moment the name left his lips, Hanatarō practically jumped in place, his expression shifting to one of pure disbelief. "Huh!?" he yelped. "You mean no one's told you about Ichigo and his friends!?"

Jaune blinked at Hanatarō's reaction. "Uh… no? This is literally the first time I'm hearing about this guy," he said, scratching his head. "Who is he?"

Hanatarō turned to Isane, as if silently asking: Can you believe this?

Isane, though less outwardly shocked, still looked mildly surprised.

"Well, I suppose it makes sense," she said, placing a hand on her chin thoughtfully. "You arrived here under unique circumstances, and your focus has been on adapting to Soul Society, not learning its most recent events,"

Hanatarō, however, still looked scandalized. "Ichigo's the biggest name outside of the Captains! He's saved Soul Society multiple times!"

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "Really? What did he do?" he asked.

Isane gave a small nod, and together, she and Hanatarō began explaining.

They told Jaune about Ichigo's origins—a human with extraordinary spiritual power, who first came to the Soul Society when Rukia Kuchiki, a Shinigami and fellow Lieutenant, was sentenced to execution for giving him her powers. Instead of accepting her fate, Ichigo charged into Soul Society with his friends, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora "Chad" Sado, Uryū Ishida, Ganju Shiba, and the former Captain of the 2nd division, Yoruichi Shihouin, storming through the ranks of the Gotei 13, clashing with several Captains, and ultimately managing to stop the execution.

Jaune's eyes widened slightly at that. "Whoa! He did all that!?"

"Yep," Hanatarō confirmed, nodding rapidly. "And he won! He even fought Captain Kuchiki—Rukia's own brother—and beat him!"

Jaune let out a low whistle. "Damn," he said.

Isane continued, detailing how Ichigo's involvement didn't stop there. He fought against the Arrancar, powerful Hollows transformed into humanoid warriors, and ultimately became the key figure in stopping Sōsuke Aizen—a name Jaune didn't recognize, prompting another brief explanation.

Jaune quickly learned that Aizen had been a former Captain of the Fifth Division, a genius with an almost unnatural level of cunning and power. He had orchestrated a grand betrayal, seeking to overthrow the Soul Society using the Hōgyoku, an artifact capable of breaking the boundaries between Hollow and Shinigami. With his army of Espada—elite Arrancar warriors—he waged war on Soul Society in what became known as the Winter War.

"Ichigo was the one who stopped him, right?" Jaune asked, listening intently to the story.

Isane nodded. "Yes, he was the only one strong enough to do it, however, from what I understand, the ability he used to stop Aizen caused him to lose all his shinigami powers in the process,"

"Wait! If he lost all his powers, where is he now!?" Jaune asked.

"Back in the world of the living with the rest of his friends," Isane replied. "We all owe him a great debt as without him, we would've lost everything,"

Jaune stood there for a moment, absorbing all of this. A human had fought against the best in the Gotei and won and then fought the strongest enemies Soul Society had ever faced, and even defeated someone with godlike power.

Hearing all of this, Jaune wished he could meet Ichigo just to see just what kind of person he was, and wondered if someone like him could defeat an immortal like Aizen... could he beat someone like Salem?

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After spending the morning learning how to properly use Kaidō, Isane led Jaune back to their shared office, where she began instructing him on the rest of his duties as Fourth Division's co-Lieutenant.

Jaune quickly realized that while fighting and healing were important aspects of the job, paperwork was just as vital. He found himself poring over documents detailing the number of wounded admitted to the hospital wards, the severity of their conditions, and the unfortunate instances where patients didn't make it. In addition, he was responsible for overseeing the upkeep of medical equipment, ensuring that all necessary supplies—bandages, medicines—were always in stock and accounted for.

Then there was the administrative work: checking and adjusting the work schedules for every member of the division, making sure shifts were evenly distributed, and ensuring that all personnel received their proper pay on time.

Jaune leaned back in his chair at one point, exhaling through his nose as he rubbed his temple. Okay, yeah… definitely not the most exciting part of the job.

Still, he understood how necessary it all was. Organization and efficiency kept everything running smoothly, and a division responsible for healing the wounded couldn't afford to have things thrown into chaos. Besides, it wasn't like this was the first time he had to do paperwork—he had been responsible for mission reports back at Beacon, and during his time in Atlas, every mission he undertook in Mantle required full documentation.

Did he enjoy it? Not really. But he could do it.

Just as he was getting into the rhythm of sorting through reports, a soft yet commanding voice filled the room.

"Ah, greetings, Jaune, Isane,"

At the sound of their captain's voice, both Jaune and Isane looked up from their desks. Standing in the doorway was none other than Captain Unohana, her gentle smile as warm as ever.

Jaune and Isane immediately straightened up, offering smiles and polite waves in return.

"Hello, Captain," Isane greeted, her tone respectful yet familiar.

"Good afternoon, Captain Unohana," Jaune said with a nod.

Unohana stepped further into the office, her gaze shifting toward Jaune with an amused glint in her eyes. "How are you handling your new duties, Jaune?" she asked, her voice as serene as ever.

Jaune chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Honestly? It's not all that different from what I had to do back in my world," he admitted. "I was the leader of my team, so I had my fair share of responsibilities, writing reports, keeping track of missions, making sure my teammates weren't slacking off… Lot of similarities, actually,"

Unohana gave a pleased nod. "I see, that is reassuring to hear,"

Isane smirked slightly. "And here I thought you were about to complain about the paperwork," she teased.

Jaune sighed dramatically, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, trust me, I want to, but I already resigned myself to this fate when I took the job," he said with a smirk of his own.

Unohana chuckled softly. "That is the correct mindset. A leader must not only be skilled in battle but also in discipline and management," She said. "I'm pleased to see you adjusting so quickly,"

Jaune smiled at the praise, feeling a small sense of pride settle in. He might still be new to this world, but at least he wasn't entirely out of his depth.

"Is there something you need, Captain?" Isane asked, tilting her head slightly. She couldn't help but wonder what had brought Unohana to their office so unexpectedly.

Unohana turned to her lieutenant, her ever-present smile still in place. "No urgent matters," she assured, her tone as calm as ever. "I simply wished to speak with Jaune about an idea I had recently discussed with the Captain-Commander,"

Jaune's brow rose in curiosity. "An idea?" he repeated, setting down the document he had been reviewing.

Unohana stepped closer, moving with the same effortless grace she always carried. She stopped in front of Jaune's desk, folding her hands in front of her as she regarded him. There was an air of quiet purpose about her now—this wasn't just a casual conversation.

"You see," Unohana began, her voice measured, "The number of fighters within the Fourth Division is… limited, for generations, we have been seen solely as healers, and while that is our primary duty, we cannot afford to remain only that, the Winter War made me realize something important—our division should not have to rely entirely on the protection of others,"

Jaune leaned forward slightly, listening intently.

Unohana continued, her tone unwavering. "That is why I would like you, Jaune—along with Isane on occasion—to help train select members of the Fourth Division in combat, additionally, I would like you to form a specialized team within our ranks—a squad of combat-capable medics who will accompany other divisions on dangerous missions, providing both medical support and defense if necessary,"

Jaune blinked, caught off guard. "Wait… you want me to train some of our division members and create an on-site medical team for field missions?" He sat back in his chair, processing the weight of the request. "I don't mean to question you, Captain, but… why me? Wouldn't Isane be better suited for something like this?"

Isane, who had been listening quietly, straightened slightly at the mention of her name but remained silent, curious about Unohana's reasoning.

Unohana's smile remained, but there was a knowing glint in her eyes. "Isane is an exceptional lieutenant and a skilled healer," she acknowledged. "However, this task requires something beyond experience—it requires a fresh approach, the reason I chose you, Jaune, is because you are uniquely suited to bridging the gap between healer and fighter,"

Jaune furrowed his brows. "How do you figure?"

Unohana's expression remained serene. "For one, your background, you said were a warrior long before you became a Shinigami, yet you have an inherent desire to protect others—traits that are invaluable in shaping what this new branch of our division should become, and, perhaps more importantly, you possess a level of camaraderie that would make training our division members far less daunting for them," She paused briefly before adding, "If I were to send our healers to train with the Eleventh Division, most would break before they could learn anything useful, but with you? They will be encouraged, not crushed, they will learn at a steady pace, from someone who understands both battle and the importance of protecting life,"

Jaune exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's… a lot of faith to put in me," he admitted.

Unohana gave him a small nod. "It is... But I do not make such decisions lightly,"

Jaune glanced at Isane, who smiled slightly. "You have been adapting quickly," she pointed out. "And, honestly? I think you'd do well in this role,"

Jaune let out a short chuckle, shaking his head. "Well… guess that means I don't really have a choice, huh?"

Unohana chuckled as well, though there was an unmistakable note of amusement in her voice. "I prefer to think of it as an opportunity, rather than a lack of choice,"

Jaune sighed, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Right, opportunity," He rolled his shoulders, the weight of responsibility already settling on him. "Alright, Captain... I'll do it, but I'll need time to get a feel for our division members—figure out who's got potential for combat training,"

Unohana nodded. "That is all I ask, and, of course, this will begin only after you have completed your training with the Eleventh Division,"

Jaune winced slightly.

Isane chuckled. "Try not to get yourself killed before you even start training others, Jaune,"

Jaune groaned. "No promises,"

Unohana merely smiled, her expression unreadable. But deep down, she knew—this was the first step toward transforming the Fourth Division into something greater.

And Jaune Arc would be at the heart of that transformation.

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Kon: ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO SOUL REAPERS!

Yasochika Iemura & Jaune: GOLDEN!

*Yasochika writing in his journal while observing Jaune*

Yasochika: {Ever since Lieutenant Arc joined our Division, I've noticed some of our older female staff have been rather... touchy with him}

Nurse 1: *Grabs Jaune's left arm* Oh, Lieutenant Arc! Why don't we get a drink after work, hm~?

Nurse 2: *Grabs Jaune's right arm* No! Come home with me Lieutenant! I can make you a nice homemade meal!

Jaune: *bashful smile* S-Sorry ladies, I have some paperwork I need to fill out!

Nurse 1& 2: AAAWWWW!

Jaune: 'Oh man, it's like Atlas all over again? Is it really the hair?'

Yasochika: {I don't know what kind of power he has over women, but perhaps I can use him to get the upper hand on the SWA! I can finally get my revenge on them for cutting the SMA's budget! I have to inform the president about this!}