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Several hours passed, and in a blink, it was morning.
It was still the underground training ground.
"My Reiatsu has improved again!" Aozaki Reiji muttered softly, his spiritual power surging within him, a look of delight on his face.
His Hakuda training hadn't been in vain; he hadn't slept all night, but he was still full of energy.
Behind him, Yoruichi Shihōin, wearing the haori that symbolized the authority of the Captain of the 2nd Division, lay on the ground, peacefully asleep.
She was sleeping soundly, a satisfied smile still on her lips.
Aozaki Reiji turned his head to look at the sleeping Yoruichi Shihōin, then found the clock placed in the training ground, realizing it was already late.
The sleeping Yoruichi Shihōin seemed to sense Aozaki Reiji's gaze, and her eyes slowly opened.
Because Aozaki Reiji was facing away from her at the moment, she immediately stood up and climbed onto Aozaki Reiji's back.
Like a little woman, she looked at Aozaki Reiji with an eager gaze, immersed in love and contentment.
"Did I wake you?"
Aozaki Reiji turned his head to look at her, reaching out to touch her face.
Yoruichi Shihōin, like an excited kitten, tilted her head and rubbed against Aozaki Reiji's neck, even sticking out her tongue to lick him.
"What time is it?" she asked softly, her voice carrying an indescribable charm, completely unlike the eccentric girl she usually was.
If one had to describe it, it was probably the difference between a woman and a girl.
"The sun is high in the sky," Aozaki Reiji said, supporting her thighs with his hands, carrying her on his back.
Although Yoruichi Shihōin had an older sister vibe, she was actually less than 1.6 meters tall. When she was on Reiji's back, her feet couldn't reach the ground, and she hung on him like a koala.
Aozaki Reiji supported her not to take advantage, but simply because he was afraid she would get too tired hanging there.
They had done everything, both what they should and shouldn't have.
Thinking of taking such small advantages now would indeed be a bit petty.
Hearing this, Yoruichi Shihōin was immediately startled, then moved her gaze past Aozaki Reiji to look at the ticking clock.
"It's time for work!" Yoruichi Shihōin jumped down, exclaiming in surprise.
Aozaki Reiji was a bit speechless.
This woman usually jumped at any chance to slack off, so why was she so energetic today?
"Did you forget that we took a month's leave to train Shunko, and the teacher approved it?" Aozaki Reiji said helplessly.
He felt like this woman had become silly overnight.
"Oh, right."
Taking the final step, Yoruichi Shihōin had none of the shyness from last night, completely unashamed of her body, as she stroked her chin.
"Ōmaeda and Ichimaru are handling all the work, so we can openly slack off."
"What slack off… Don't forget the purpose of our leave," Aozaki Reiji said irritably.
"How can we train Shunko in this state? Let's take a hot spring bath first to adjust our condition," Yoruichi Shihōin said with a joyful smile, shrugging. "I wonder if the hot spring is still usable."
After a night of hard work by two Hakuda masters, when they came out, the hot spring water had changed significantly.
"It should be usable now,"
Aozaki Reiji looked at the gradually clearing recovery hot spring, saying meaningfully.
From the rockery by the hot spring, clean water flowed continuously into the hot spring.
Anything produced by Urahara Kisuke was bound to be a masterpiece.
He had thought of everything, and the hot spring's circulation system was perfectly constructed.
Besides the hot spring pool in front of them, there was also a huge filtration system below.
The filtered hot spring water would flow back into the hot spring via the rockery, achieving the purpose of reuse.
Yoruichi Shihōin nodded, excitedly jumping into the hot spring and laughing, "It's so comfortable, Reiji, come quickly."
Watching Yoruichi Shihōin splash in the water, Aozaki Reiji smiled slightly and followed her into the hot spring.
The two quickly drew close in the water.
Today, they would be very happy, extremely happy.
......
In Seireitei's Central District, at the Squad One Barracks.
Yamamoto sat in his Captain's Office, quietly listening to the reports from Chōjirō Sasakibe and Matsumoto Rangiku.
Matsumoto Rangiku was now the Seventh Seat of the First Division, and an assistant to Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe.
Yamamoto glanced at her, feeling a touch of emotion.
That boy Reiji was truly lucky to find such a girl as a companion.
He was aware of the relationship between this girl and his young apprentice.
But what concerned him most was not this, but the girl's talent.
Graduating early from the Shin'o Academy as a first-year student, and reaching Six-Tier Spiritual Power within half a year of joining the Squad.
Such talent was second only to Aozaki Reiji, a rare genius seen only once in a millennium.
Don't underestimate Six-Tier Spiritual Power.
In other Squads, Six-Tier Spiritual Power was enough to become the third or fourth-ranked Seated Officer in the Squad.
But this was the First Division, the most elite Squad in the entire Gotei 13.
Vice-Captain Chōjirō Sasakibe was a strong Captain-class individual.
The Third to Sixth Seated Officers either possessed Captain-class Reiatsu but hadn't learned Bankai, or were standard Vice-Captain-class Shinigami.
So even though Matsumoto Rangiku's Reiatsu level reached the top Seated Officer rank, she could only be the Seventh Seated Officer in the First Division.
Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto's gaze shifted slightly, and he couldn't help but sigh.
He still remembered that when Aozaki Reiji recommended Matsumoto Rangiku to join the First Division, he had some reservations.
He was training Aozaki Reiji as his successor, and this boy hadn't even achieved much himself, yet he was already thinking of helping others through the back door.
Which teacher would be happy about that?
Now he realized he had misunderstood him.
Sending such a genius to him for training clearly showed that he trusted his teacher's abilities!
He hadn't expected that this boy, who usually liked to make him angry, would still think of him, his teacher, at crucial moments.
Thinking this, Yamamoto's stern expression softened, and his gaze towards Matsumoto Rangiku gradually became benevolent and kind.
He looked exactly like a family elder doting on a junior.
"Captain-Commander, the elders of the Tsunayashiro Family sent people last night with many gifts," Matsumoto Rangiku said, looking at the documents in her hand.
"Are they for Reiji?" Yamamoto asked.
"Some are intended for Third Seat Reiji, but most are for you," Matsumoto Rangiku nodded. "They reportedly also prepared a large mansion for Third Seat Reiji in the Noble District."
Yamamoto was somewhat puzzled, remaining silent.
Even he couldn't understand what those nobles were thinking; who gives gifts to their enemies?
Although openly they were still colleagues working together to maintain the order of the Soul Society, in reality, they were not much different from enemies.
What was the use of sending gifts? Shouldn't they be trying to cut off the enemy's head instead?
Chōjirō Sasakibe frowned, saying, "Should we send the items back?"
"Sending gifts secretly at night clearly indicates they don't want to be discovered, so it can't be anything good."
Yamamoto pondered for a moment, then struck his cane on the ground, his eyes sharp, and said in a deep voice:
"No need. Let Reiji accept them. I want to see what they are trying to do."
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