The underground training ground of Urahara Shop.
Sasuke had no interest in listening to Urahara's lecture to Kurosaki Ichigo any further, so he came down alone to train.
At the moment, he was soaking in a subsidiary hot spring within the training ground.
According to Urahara, this spring was specially formulated to alleviate the fatigue of training.
The surroundings were silent, only the occasional sound of dripping water.
Sasuke slowly closed his eyes, leaning against the warm pool wall, recalling the events of the day.
That man, Kuchiki Byakuya.
He hadn't even made a move, hadn't released his Zanpakuto, hadn't shown a hint of killing intent.
Just standing there quietly had made Sasuke feel an invisible pressure.
This pressure...
It was just like the helplessness he felt facing that man's Mangekyo Sharingan three years ago.
For the first time, he so clearly recognized the gap between himself and truly top-tier powerhouses.
In the past, he only vaguely knew he needed to get stronger, but he had no concept of how strong he needed to be.
Now, he finally had a clear goal.
At least Captain-level strength.
To get revenge, to kill Itachi with his own hands, he must possess strength that could confront head-on and even surpass Captain-level powerhouses like Byakuya.
Perhaps because there was no worthy opponent, since Sasuke joined the 11th Division, Kenpachi hadn't displayed his full strength.
This was also why Sasuke didn't set Kenpachi as his target.
'With the help of Hatake Clan's Kenjutsu, my strength had indeed increased, but such skills were probably still insufficient in the face of a Captain.'
'This alone was far from enough.'
'I must have something stronger... power that could fundamentally change the course of a battle.'
'For example...'
'Bankai!'
Just as Sasuke was immersed in his longing for Bankai, his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden voice.
"It seems you've found a new goal."
Sasuke's eyes snapped open. A completely black cat was crouched on a rock beside him, its golden cat eyes particularly bright in the steam.
It's Yoruichi.
Sasuke closed his eyes again, leaning back against the pool wall, offering no response.
He was already used to this cat that was always observing him from the shadows.
Yoruichi didn't seem to mind his aloofness, casually licking a paw.
"Kurosaki-san has decided to go to the Soul Society to save Rukia."
"None of my business." Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, but he still didn't open his eyes.
Yet, a sliver of confusion flashed in his heart.
'Hadn't I personally destroyed that orange-head's Saketsu and Hakusui?'
'How could a guy with dissipated Reiatsu talk about going to the Soul Society to save someone?'
"You're thinking he has no power left, right?" Yoruichi seemed able to read his mind. After a pause, she provided the answer, "Kisuke has a way to restore his power, even make him stronger than before."
Sasuke finally turned his face, staring at the black cat before him.
"Why are you telling me this?"
The implication was clear: this still has nothing to do with me.
He even found it somewhat ridiculous, 'So what if that idiot regained his strength?'
'The Seireitei was full of experts, Captain-level powerhouses were like monsters. Did he think he could go to the Soul Society alone to save someone?'
In Sasuke's view, even if Ichigo had that bizarre power within him, there was no way he could succeed.
This was purely a suicidal act.
"I'm telling you this because I want you to go with him." Yoruichi finally stated the true purpose of her visit.
Hearing this, Sasuke looked at Yoruichi as if she had told the world's biggest joke, his gaze that of someone looking at an idiot.
"You seem to overestimate my strength too much. And..." He paused, the sarcasm in his tone unconcealed, "Why would I take such a risk to save that woman?"
"I am an active Shinigami of the 11th Division." He casually picked up the towel draped on the rock and began drying himself, "If you want to save someone, wouldn't it be more efficient for Urahara to go himself?"
"Kisuke can't go." Yoruichi's voice turned serious, "Once he appears in the Soul Society, it will only make things worse. At that point, forget saving someone, I'm afraid even you yourselves wouldn't be able to return."
Although Sasuke felt disdain internally, he had to admit Yoruichi was right.
In the current Soul Society, the name 'Urahara Kisuke' itself was a huge trouble.
"So, you want me to go die with that idiot?" Sasuke sneered coldly.
Yoruichi leaped down from the rock, landing lightly on the ground in front of Sasuke. She raised her head, her golden cat eyes looking directly at him.
"No, this is our trust in you." She threw out the real bargaining chip, "Consider it a trade. We can teach you how to master Bankai."
The moment the words 'Bankai' were uttered, all of Sasuke's movements stopped. He looked down sharply at the black cat before him, his breathing unconsciously quickening.
"Is it Urahara's decision?" he pressed, a hint of suppressed excitement in his voice.
But after the excitement, doubt surged again.
'Although according to Soul Society's convention, death row inmates had a one-month reprieve before execution, such a short time was fundamentally insufficient, right?'
'Ordinary Shinigami typically took decades to master Bankai, and becoming proficient could take over a century. What could one month accomplish?'
"Even he wouldn't be confident he could teach me Bankai in such a short time, right?"
"Indeed, with normal teaching, no one has that confidence." Yoruichi confirmed Sasuke's suspicion.
Sasuke's brow furrowed tighter, a flash of anger at being toyed with in his eyes.
"Then what did you mean just now?"
"What I mean is, there indeed is a method to quickly master Bankai." Yoruichi unhurriedly swished her tail, then dropped an answer Sasuke hadn't anticipated.
"But the one teaching you isn't Kisuke."
The black cat paused, explaining, "He needs to focus his time in the coming days on guiding Kurosaki Ichigo, helping him recover and master his own power."
"So, I will be teaching you."
"You?" Sasuke let out a derisive laugh, the disdain in his eyes completely unconcealed.
He admitted this cat was special… intelligent, with considerable knowledge, probably some kind of Mod-Soul created by Urahara.
But teach him Bankai?
This is the ultimate secret of Shinigami power, the absolute strength that surpassed all techniques.
Taught by a cat?
This joke wasn't funny at all.
Yoruichi didn't seem angered by Sasuke's rudeness. Instead, she tilted her head with interest, a playful glint in her cat eyes.
Her black tail swayed unhurriedly behind her.
"Oh?" Yoruichi's voice held a trace of laughter, "So in your view, are talking cats common cabbages you can find anywhere?"
This question made Sasuke's eyebrow twitch slightly.
"Or perhaps..." Yoruichi took half a step forward, her posture elegant, "Do you have some misunderstanding about my strength?"
The moment her words fell, a sudden change occurred!
Bang!
A slight muffled sound rang.
Sasuke only felt his vision blur. The black cat originally crouched on the rock was completely enveloped by a cloud of white smoke.
The smoke dissipated.
The black cat had vanished. In its place stood a tall woman with long hair and dark skin.
She was completely naked, her purple hair cascading down like a waterfall, concealing her private parts. Those golden eyes were watching him with amusement.
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