"You don't even draw your Zanpakutō? Are you just planning to deal with my Shunkō barehanded?"
Shihōin Yoruichi had a faint smile on her face.
"Don't… be too trusting."
Immediately, Yoruichi waved her hand, and an unimaginable wind of spiritual pressure crushed everything in front of her.
Kakakakakaka!
Her spiritual pressure completely turned into substance.
It wasn't simply wind-it was like a massive blade.
It plowed the ground ahead, kicking up clouds of smoke and dust.
After the smoke dissipated, it revealed that the ground hundreds of meters away had been ripped open-pits several feet deep scarred the terrain.
Only the spot where Yuta stood remained completely intact.
His position had now turned from flat ground into elevated terrain.
Yoruichi and Yuta stood facing one another with smoke around them, neither making the first move. They stared silently across the distance.
Yoruichi was in no hurry to attack-
As she had said before, she couldn't fully control the strength of this technique.
It would be devastating if she accidentally hurt someone she liked-and having feelings for this boy made it even riskier.
She began to explain, "Shunkō is a fighting technique that combines Kidō and Hakuda."
"When executed, highly compressed Kidō gathers at the user's back and shoulders. By detonating it internally, Kidō surges into the limbs to enhance blows."
"My Shunkō belongs to the lightning attribute."
"It's violently powerful. Once it strikes, even I might not be able to stop it."
Yoruichi stood tall-her long legs firm and powerful, packed with explosive strength at first glance.
Her waist was slim and flexible, coiled like that of a lithe predator ready to strike.
Behind her, spiritual pressure transformed into visible thunder-crackling fiercely like the mantle of some divine monarch.
No-at that moment-Yoruichi herself had become thunder made flesh.
She now carried lightning's speed and thunder's destruction in every heartbeat.
It was the perfect fusion of Kidō's destructive might, Shunpo's speed, and Hakuda's precision-all brought together in one overwhelming technique.
[You watch Shihōin Yoruichi perform Shunkō and successfully comprehend Shunkō.]
Yuta didn't raise his guard or prepare defensively. He merely beckoned with his hand at Yoruichi.
"Sure, I managed to learn Shunkō just by watching it... but that's not enough. I want to feel what it's truly like."
"Come at me with everything you've built up. Show me the limits of your power."
Yoruichi's mouth pulled into a barely controlled sneer.
Physical body versus Shunkō?
Was this boy serious?
Even if Urahara had drunken fake sake, he wouldn't have said anything so absurd.
Yoruichi feared she might actually hurt him with one miscalculation... but if he was hurt, she'd take responsibility for it later.
Following him didn't seem like much of a loss after everything anyway…
In the next instant, Yoruichi vanished-replaced by thunder that streaked toward Yuta in blinding light.
Her fist surged forward-charged with thunderborn Kidō so dense it lit up the air around her. The scent of ozone flooded everything. The punch itself distorted heat and space-
It seemed to be burning through the atmosphere itself-
Yuta raised his hand casually in response-
Two fingers extended toward the incoming blow-
They moved gently forward-not with force or tension-but as if brushing against someone intimately. A lover's caress, hesitant and careful not to leave bruises-
Yet those fingers were unwavering-rooted to the earth-deeper than ocean trenches-
And they stopped her punch dead in its tracks.
Before that immense thunderburst could erupt outward-it fizzled harmlessly at his touch-
Lightning surged toward him like floodwater-
And just as quickly halted-dissipating upon contact with those fingers-
Like trying to drown stone under tap water-
No matter how violently energy raged-it couldn't pass that barrier-
Thunderous spiritual pressure rippled outward across either side of Yuta-and only outward-not forward.
"...What?"
Yoruichi's eyes widened in disbelief.
Cold sweat pearled across her brow, her cheeks, even behind her ears-
How could her most devastating strike be neutralized so easily?
All her previous fights while using Shunkō had ended in domination-always one-sided victories-
Yet now-a simple gesture had stopped her cold?
What kind of abyss separated them?
She thought-no-believed-that as one of the captains-as nobility-as the pioneer of Shunkō-that she'd reached the summit of her craft.
Now-she couldn't even break through his defense?
It felt like being slammed across the chest with a sledgehammer aimed at her pride-
Yoruichi couldn't understand how this boy could be so far beyond her-
Was he some kind of unmatched prodigy? A walking calamity? Some ancient hollow reborn?
She couldn't stop the sinking feeling inside her heart-
Yuta smiled slowly-his teeth white as light.
"Your Shunkō… doesn't seem very strong."
Yoruichi clenched her jaw-grinding hard side to side-as if restraining herself from lunging forward with her teeth-
He really had no shame in his words-
Forget it-that boy was obnoxious as hell-
With no hesitation this time-Yoruichi became lightning again-
She launched herself at Yuta from every angle-front-back-above-below-from his flanks-
Her speed under advanced Shunpo blurred reality itself-multiplying her attacks until they seemed to pour from every axis-
She believed-finally-this would break past him!
Even if his hand could block one blow-
How many hands did he have?
Could he block dozens at once?
Could he answer them at this speed?
And even then-
Even when she blurred into countless forms-the fury of thunder exploding off each strike-
Every punch met impenetrable defense-
No opening revealed itself-not one movement breached his guard-
Her deepest fear began to form into certainty-
There wasn't just skill separating them anymore-it was pressure itself-
Spiritual pressure so vast she couldn't match it-
They weren't even playing on the same battlefield-
When realization sank in fully-Yoruichi faltered-and stopped moving-
Shock rooted in place where thunder once roared-
She had once led the Onmitsukidō command corps-held power acknowledged across Soul Society-
Now-a century later-even she was outpaced by some nameless boy?
It made everything feel meaningless in that moment.
Her limbs sagged-
Energy drained until sparks flickered out from her body-
Shunkō collapsed entirely from around her frame-
She fell backward onto the ground without form or reaction left in her limbs-
Her body laid openly exposed in that state-with curves rising and falling in shallow breath-and legs stretched across the soil without tension-
Her head tilted back-eyes staring at clouds without shape or meaning now-
Was she insane-or had the world simply changed without her?
How was it possible she couldn't even touch someone she hadn't known existed before today?
Yuta floated down beside Shihōin Yoruichi, watching her breath as it rose and fell. Her body was stretched out across the cracked ground, limbs heavy from exhaustion.
He couldn't help but glance along her sweat-slicked figure-firm legs, taut waist, the dip of her hip hugging what little fabric remained in place. Every inch of her was honed, but right now, she looked spent.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked as he hovered beside her, both feet barely grazing the ground.
Yoruichi rolled her eyes at him. "What do you think?"
She kicked out lazily; half-hearted, easy to catch. He snatched her ankle and held it firm while she gave one last wriggle, realized she wouldn't break free, and stopped bothering altogether.
"Too tired?" he asked with no rush to move his hand away.
Her foot was compact and smooth, the skin tight from exertion. She probably trained every day-every inch of her shaped by movement and strength. The arch of her foot was deep enough that his thumb could press against it and feel the stored tension in her muscle. Her calf hardened under his gaze-dense and knotted with explosive potential that had just been spent entirely against him.
Her waist was narrow, hips tapered clean toward the slope of her core. He eyed her navel glinting with sweat and her ribs shifting with every breath.
She wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her hand and sighed deeply. "I didn't expect... not even once... You're not human, are you?"
Yuta gave no answer-just reached for her foot again and pressed into the center of her sole with the knuckle of his finger.
"Ah!" Her gasp wasn't loud, but it was enough for her to try and jerk away on instinct.
"Stay put." He gripped just below her ankle. "It'll help you recover faster."
Yoruichi turned her face aside, cheeks flushed red. She said nothing after that-just kept herself relaxed as his thumb rolled over the pads of her foot again and again in methodical circles. Her breathing slowed to match the pace of his hands.
At first, she winced every few seconds. The spots he pressed were tense knots left behind from battle-tight with residual strain-but soon, those winces softened into sighs and then no sound at alI except the occasional exhale shaping her chest beneath the ragged cut of cloth.
She lay back completely now-limbs stretched out and unguarded while she accepted it. No resistance, no shame, no speech. Her eyes barely open, long blinks shielding whatever thoughts flickered behind them as Yuta worked his way down from sole to ankle-then calf-then switched her leg entirely.
Her body shifted slightly with the change in position-hips tilting so he could lift her other leg into his lap. She allowed that too without complaint.
It was only minutes later that she asked softly between breaths, "By the way... I don't think I ever asked your name."
"Yuta," he replied without looking up.
"Yuta..."
She repeated it again under her breath, lips barely moving. Her head tilted back onto the ground as though committing it to memory through muscle instead of thought.
When he finally set her leg down gently, she gave him a confused look. "It's over?"
"Try standing." Yuta offered his hand down toward her face.
Yoruichi frowned faintly but reached for it anyway-she barely pushed herself before crumpling forward and falling straight into him. Her balance gone, muscle slackened past function.
Her tits pressed full into his chest as she collapsed against him-nothing subtle about the contact when she finally found support in his arms. Her hands pushed against his chest briefly before settling there instead-palms flat against muscle she hadn't expected to be this firm.
"Since I lost to you…" Her eyes didn't leave his chest now. "I owe you one condition."
"Anything?" Yuta asked with the shadow of amusement tugging his mouth up again as he looked down at her body pressed to him.
Yoruichi's face darkened and flushed deeper. Her mind drew conclusions he hadn't spoken aloud-but ones the weight of his stare made impossible to ignore. She bit the inside of her cheek too lightly to conceal what she was thinking.
"I've... I've actually... Never done that sort of thing..." she admitted so softly she almost hoped he hadn't heard it. "I don't really know what it's supposed to feel like."
"Whatever you want," she said at last-and turned into her black cat form in barely half a second-perched suddenly at his feet with tail curled low behind her legs.
"If you're not even letting the cat go," she whispered next in her own small feline tone, "then... I guess I'll accept it."
Yuta stared for only a second before kneeling down slowly and lifting her into both arms again-her entire form curling into herself as his grip settled across her back and under her belly.
From this view-it was easy to forget just how dangerous she had been minutes ago.
She mewled once faintly when his fingers drifted too far down and brushed along the base of her tail-
"Don't touch people's tails carelessly..." Yoruichi protested under her breath, head buried against his chest again-
And then the world around them melted away-layers of ink fading from their vision-
City lights overhead replaced empty sky as they entered the human world once again beneath pale yellow streetlights flickering above pavement choked in shadows.
Yuta stared ahead while holding her close-her body nestled under his chin while buildings lined either side of them and weeds pushed out along the posts of metal guardrails nearby-
"It feels kinda nice being back here," he said aloud-not sure if he was talking to himself or to her directly anymore-
"Where will you go next?" Yoruichi asked softly from somewhere below-her tone clear now that she was back in human shape again-even if it trembled faintly for reasons deeper than cold wind or exhaustion-
"If you've nowhere else in mind... come by Urahara's place."
Yuta nodded once-the name drawing its own thoughts from behind his eyes-
"Let's go."
By now they were already walking straight toward it-with no hesitation in their stride-
At Urahara's shop-the stove crackled inside-
Its warmth wrapped around everyone gathered there-even Kisuke and Tessai who had just returned moments before-
Kisuke sat up sharply when he felt that familiar spiritual pressure brush across him-and stood quickly with narrowed eyes beneath the shadowed brim of his hat-
"Yoruichi is back-" he said aloud at first before freezing midstep before opening the door-
His fingers stopped on the handle instantly-a single bead of sweat slid down from his temple across his cheekbone-
Tessai furrowed his brow and leaned forward slightly-
"What's wrong?"
Kisuke shook his head slowly. "Nothing-it's just... That pressure outside... It's strong."
Too strong for comfort-
When they finally opened the door-they saw Yuta standing there with Yoruichi resting calmly in his arms-
And that same calm smile stretched wide across Yuta's face before he spoke clearly:
"Hello there. I'm Hideki Yuta."
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