Shihōin.
In Soul Society, this was a surname that drew much attention.
Because the family bearing this surname was, like the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans—one of the oldest noble families in Soul Society, and also a very unique one.
This family excelled in the development of various divine weapons and instruments, possessing numerous incredible tools, and thus was known as the "Divine Armaments House."
The Sōkyoku atop Sōkyoku Hill, used to execute criminals and said to possess the destructive power of a million Zanpakutō, was fundamentally tied to the Shihōin Clan.
Shihōin Yoruichi—just from the name, it was clear she was a member of that clan.
She was the 22nd head of the Shihōin Clan, as well as its first-ever female head. Former Captain of Division 2 of the Gotei 13, former Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, and Corps Commander of the Executive Militia—her esteemed status was in no way inferior to Byakuya Kuchiki.
She grew up with the former Captain of Division 12; they trained and matured together, childhood friends and close companions. So over a hundred years ago, when the former Captain of Division 12 was falsely accused by Central 46 as the true mastermind of the Hollowfication experiments and sentenced to death, she did not hesitate to storm the trial grounds, rescue him, and flee Soul Society alongside him.
As a result, Soul Society's higher-ups branded her a criminal for aiding in the escape of a felon and stripped her of all her titles within the Gotei 13 and Onmitsukidō.
Now, after more than a hundred years, this former Captain of Division 2 and head of the Shihōin Clan—disguised as a harmless black cat—had finally returned to Soul Society.
"Bzzz…"
Amid the bright light that stirred the Reishi in the air, the black cat gradually took on a humanoid form, revealing her true appearance to Kaiser's eyes.
She had long purple hair, golden cat-like eyes, brown skin, and a tall, toned figure. She gave off the impression of combining both vitality and grace, a woman with an exotic beauty.
"Huu…"
The woman gently exhaled, flipped her purple hair, stretched her long and athletic limbs, and a slightly predatory smile appeared on her face.
"It's been so long since I last returned to this form. I'm not quite used to it yet."
Shihōin Yoruichi's tone carried a maturity to it—her word choice made her sound older, oddly contrasting with her youthful and healthy appearance.
"You…"
Kaiser, who had previously been watching Yoruichi with a calm smile, suddenly stiffened, unable to speak for a moment.
"What's with that reaction?" Yoruichi stretched and looked at Kaiser in puzzlement. "Didn't you already know who I was? Why do you look like you've seen something unbelievable after seeing my appearance?"
She truly seemed confused, her face showing nothing but doubt.
Kaiser's mouth twitched slightly. After a while, he closed his eyes and said:
"Can you put on some clothes before you say that?"
Yes, that's right.
At this moment, Shihōin Yoruichi wasn't wearing a single stitch of clothing—completely naked!
Kaiser hadn't seen anything "unbelievable," but everything that should and shouldn't be seen—he had seen all of it!
"Clothes?"
Yoruichi froze for a moment, then looked down—and let out a sudden shriek.
"Oh oh! I forgot!"
Forgot?
That's… what kind of shameless explanation is that?
How could such an important thing be so casually forgotten?!
"Sorry, sorry—it's been so long since I returned to this form, I forgot that when I'm in cat form, I can't wear clothes."
Yoruichi gave an utterly unconvincing apology as she casually pulled out some clothes from who-knows-where and dressed right in front of Kaiser.
Kaiser didn't look and instead focused on something strange.
"Forgot you can't wear clothes in cat form…?"
So that means, most of the time she's in cat form… she's naked underneath?
That's… kinda wild.
"All done."
While Kaiser was getting lost in wild thoughts, Yoruichi finally finished dressing.
Instead of a Shihakushō, she wore a black bodysuit designed for movement, layered with an orange hoodie. A scarf was wrapped around her neck, her hands were wrapped in gloves, and her long purple hair was tied into a ponytail—instantly transforming this exotic beauty into a gallant warrior.
"Let's have a talk, brat."
Yoruichi looked at Kaiser with blazing eyes and a fearless grin.
"I'm not 'brat.' I'm Kaiser," he responded, turning back to look at her. "Are you here to plead for that other brat over there, Lady Shihōin?"
Hmm… with Kaiser's current age, he really could call Kurosaki Ichigo a brat.
After all, Ichigo was still just a high school student—he was even younger than Kaiser had been when he first arrived in Soul Society.
After all this time in this world, he finally met someone who was actually younger than him… Kaiser felt a bit emotional for some reason.
"I'm no longer the head of the Shihōin Clan, nor am I the Captain of Division 2 or the Commander of the Onmitsukidō. I'm just an exiled criminal."
Yoruichi crossed her arms and said, "Just call me Yoruichi. Leave the 'Shihōin' name out of it from now on."
"You sure are detached," Kaiser said with a half-smile. "Someone still clings to the memory of the old you, and you've already cleanly abandoned your past."
"…You mean Suì-Fēng?"
Yoruichi's smile faded slightly. Scratching her cheek, she asked, "How is she doing?"
"That's a pretty pointless question, don't you think?" Kaiser rolled his eyes. "You know so much about me—a newcomer—down to the details, and I'm supposed to believe you haven't been keeping tabs on the flower you cultivated yourself?"
The current Captain of Division 2 and Commander of the Onmitsukidō, Suì-Fēng, had been born under the name Shāolíng Fēng, the ninth-generation successor of the Fēng Clan.
The Fēng Clan was a lower noble family in Soul Society, with generations of duty to the Shihōin Clan, traditionally serving as executioners and assassins—closely tied to the Executive Militia. They even had the cruel tradition of exiling family members unqualified to join.
Suì-Fēng was the youngest of the ninth-generation successors. All five of her older brothers died in the line of duty. The name "Suì-Fēng" was inherited from her grandmother. Influenced by her family, she had been deeply loyal to the Shihōin Clan since childhood.
At the time, the head of the Shihōin Clan was Yoruichi, so Suì-Fēng had been utterly devoted to her—to the point of worship, obsession, even reverence.
Because of Suì-Fēng's outstanding personal achievements, Yoruichi took notice of her early on, nurturing her, trusting her, and treating her like a younger sister.
But after Yoruichi's defection from Soul Society, everything changed.
The one Suì-Fēng had served, worshipped, and adored had betrayed them. Suì-Fēng took Yoruichi's place as Captain of Division 2 and Commander of the Onmitsukidō—but also developed deep resentment toward Yoruichi out of a broken heart.
When Kaiser confronted Suì-Fēng and mentioned Yoruichi, she immediately lost her composure—that was all the proof one needed.
"She might still be frantically searching for you out there right now, you know?" Kaiser said meaningfully. "Not only did you not go see the little fangirl who's been heartbroken over you for more than a hundred years, you even joined up with a bunch of humans and infiltrated Seireitei, protecting them along the way—isn't that a bit too much?"
"Or do you have some unavoidable reason to do this?"
Yoruichi sighed at those words.
"Don't try to sound so confrontational. I may be retired, but I was once Commander of the Executive Militia and the Onmitsukidō—your intimidation tactics won't work on me."
Threats and manipulation? The Onmitsukidō had long since mastered such things.
So Kaiser's tactics really wouldn't work on her.
"Enough chit-chat with you, brat. We don't have time to waste."
Yoruichi's tone regained its vigor as she smiled and said, "Sorry, but I'm taking that kid. I won't give you another chance to lay a finger on him."
"Is that so?" Kaiser raised an eyebrow, also smiling. "And if I insist on striking him?"
Yoruichi's smile didn't fade in the slightest.
"The one I want to take…"
Before the sentence was finished, Yoruichi vanished.
"…you won't be able to keep, brat."
The rest of the sentence came from directly behind Kaiser—sudden and jarring.
Yoruichi had somehow appeared at Kaiser's back, as if they were back-to-back, whispering in his ear.
Kaiser's eyes shimmered slightly, but he didn't turn around or move. Instead, he offered a calm compliment.
"As expected of the Flash Goddess Yoruichi. That Shunpo was exquisite."
"Flash Goddess" was the title others had given to Yoruichi.
She was exceptionally skilled in Hakuda and Shunpo—not only the most gifted in Hakuda in the history of the Shihōin Clan, but also the fastest, most proficient Shunpo user.
Byakuya Kuchiki had once used the stealth technique "Shihō Step Three: Utsusemi"—which he had learned as a child from Yoruichi.
As a former Captain of Division 2 and Commander of the Onmitsukidō, her Shunpo techniques were absolutely on par with Suì-Fēng's—if not superior.
"I'm taking that kid and leaving," Yoruichi said. "We'll meet again next time."
With that, she disappeared again with Shunpo, darting toward Kurosaki Ichigo's location.
Unfortunately…
"No need to rush."
Just as Yoruichi vanished, racing toward Kurosaki Ichigo at blinding speed, Kaiser's voice sounded right beside her.
"It's rare that I run into all of you. Can't we have a proper conversation?"
The voice was close.
So close that Yoruichi, still in Shunpo and reduced to a blur, felt her pupils contract and her heart tremble.
If she looked to her left at that moment, she'd see that the distance between her and Kaiser… wasn't even one meter.
The Flash Goddess Yoruichi—had been caught mid-Shunpo!
"Shun!" "Shun!" "Shun!"…
Yoruichi immediately pushed her Shunpo to the max, flickering several times in another direction like a teleporting shadow.
"Pa!"
Yet mere moments after her retreat, a hand landed on her shoulder.
"!!!"
Yoruichi's eyes shrank again, her heart pounded again. Instinctively, she spun her body and lashed out with a powerful axe kick—her leg like a spinning wheel, whistling through the air.
"Boom!"
Kaiser raised his arm and blocked the kick. With a muffled impact, the two separated, putting some distance between them.
"Your Shunpo…!"
Yoruichi's gaze toward Kaiser had completely changed.
Now it was filled with astonishment, disbelief.
"What about my Shunpo?" Kaiser suddenly smiled. "Is it unworthy of the Flash Goddess's eyes?"
"…If it weren't, then back when I was Captain of Division 2, I would've disbanded the Onmitsukidō."
Yoruichi paused, then smiled wryly. "Compared to you, what Flash Goddess am I?"
She was truly shaken.
She'd kept a close watch on Soul Society's developments, so she was very familiar with Kaiser—if not able to recite everything, then at least very informed.
She knew he was one of the most exceptional geniuses in Soul Society's history, that he graduated Shin'ō Academy after just half a year, and immediately became the Captain of Division 3.
But she had never expected that his Shunpo would be this fearsome.
Just now, his Shunpo had shocked and overwhelmed her.
That level of movement—she hadn't just never reached it; she had never even imagined it.
"I've trained for decades. If I didn't have this level of results, I'd be disappointed in myself."
Kaiser spoke honestly.
In these decades, he hadn't focused on Zanjutsu or Hakuda. After mastering Kidō, he'd devoted himself entirely to Shunpo—rarely slacking.
To train Shunpo, he had even infiltrated the Onmitsukidō for a time, and often constructed intense gravity fields using Gravisheath to practice under heavy pressure.
Now, he could move at high speed under extreme gravity, leaving behind multiple afterimages. Once the gravity was removed, his Shunpo became faster, more agile, and more natural than ever.
At this point, in terms of Shunpo alone, he could truly be called the best in Soul Society—perhaps even in all of its million-year history, no one could surpass him.
Yoruichi was right about one thing.
The title of "Flash Goddess" really ought to be given to Kaiser.
He was the true God of Shunpo.
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