"What are you planning to do?"
Yamamoto watched him with clear wariness.
Naraku put on a mysterious smile. "You just need to answer my question, Teacher. I promise I won't cause you any trouble."
Out of trust, Yamamoto thought for a moment, then said in a low voice:
"There's no explicit rule, but when it comes to internal conflicts over noble interests, those are generally resolved by the nobles themselves. Other Seireitei institutions are forbidden from interfering."
"And as long as their conflict doesn't cause serious damage to Soul Society or Seireitei, the Central 46 or the Noble Council usually won't pursue the matter."
Naraku nodded. "Then there's no problem."
"I recorded everything you just said with Kidō. If anyone comes making trouble later, I'll be counting on you to testify."
Yamamoto immediately had a bad feeling.
"Wait— you're not thinking of…"
Naraku said solemnly:
"Just like you told me when you first taught me Genryū: as Shinigami, especially those in high positions, we must have a clear understanding of ourselves."
"I know I'm not a good person, and I'm not some broad-minded saint either."
"Quite the opposite."
"Petty and vengeful—that's who I am."
"Besides, Ishikawa Sāsuke already said it himself—I've blocked their path. This time it was a vice-captain-level Shinigami. Next time it might be a captain."
"They've already declared war. Am I supposed to just walk over and hand them my head?"
"So those people have to pay a price."
Yamamoto stared at the boy in front of him for a long moment, then narrowed his eyes, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
"But remember this: never underestimate others."
"Arrogance and complacency will always invite disaster."
He stood before Naraku could answer and walked out of the dōjō.
Watching his teacher's back recede, Naraku smiled, satisfied.
He might hit a bit hard sometimes, but he wasn't as rigid as he looked.
That old man's mouth and heart weren't exactly aligned.
...
...
"Yoruichi-sama, these are today's documents."
A petite figure staggered in with a stack of papers taller than she was and piled them on the desk like a small mountain.
"Mm. Thanks."
The dark-skinned girl behind the desk answered without looking up.
Even though the response was a bit perfunctory, the girl beside her blushed, as if being acknowledged by Yoruichi was something incredible.
"The Maggot's Nest has rioted again."
"How many times is that this month?"
Yoruichi flipped open the top document and immediately frowned.
"That oaf Ōmaeda only knows how to patrol. What, he can't help with this at all?"
"There are still too few people I can really use. The only halfway-competent one is a lazy slob who refuses to get serious. Totally unreliable."
"Sui-Feng, you must never turn out like him."
Hearing that, the girl at her side seemed to steel herself, nodding hard and letting out a tiny, mosquito-like "mm."
Yoruichi didn't pay much attention to her reaction. She kept skimming and signing off on documents.
Everything from personnel changes in the Punishment Squad and top-secret directives from the Central 46, down to new recruit training and assignment of assassination and investigation missions for the Onmitsukidō.
For all her usual laziness, Yoruichi knew exactly what she needed to do when it counted.
At first it had been rough, but after enough repetition, she'd gotten used to the whole administrative grind.
"An application from the Central Prison?"
Soon she found a special document, its format the same as any routine request.
Since the Onmitsukidō frequently handled dirty work, they often dealt with the Central Prison—secret orders and written requests weren't unusual.
But the name on this one looked… familiar.
"Sui-Feng, I'm going out. Stand guard at the door. Don't let anyone in."
"Yes, Yoruichi-sama!"
...
...
"So you finally decided to join my Second Division?"
The familiar voice came from the dōjō window. Naraku, in the middle of training, glanced over and saw a short-haired, violet-haired girl grinning at him.
"I saw the name on the paperwork and came straight over."
"I've already approved the transfer forms. You just need to sign."
Naraku glanced at the document she held out, then quickly waved his hands.
"Until you sort things out with that woman Shutara, let's not talk transfers. I called you here to ask something else."
Yoruichi arched a brow. After comparing herself to Shutara Senjumaru for half a second, she wisely jumped to the next topic.
"What is it?"
"Do you know Ishikawa Sāsuke?"
At the mention of that name, Yoruichi thought for a moment, then her expression hardened into a scowl.
"He came after you?"
Just as Aizen had guessed, Yoruichi knew exactly who Ishikawa Sāsuke was.
Naraku nodded, then went over what had happened at Koi-Fushi Mountain.
As he spoke, Yoruichi's face shifted from light to dark. Her teeth ground audibly more than once.
Clearly—
She'd assumed the filth at the Araki estate had been backed by other nobles. She hadn't expected that after going full circle, it would come back to the Shihōin name.
There was no hard proof, but if a retainer like Ishikawa Sāsuke had already been dispatched in secret, even an idiot would smell something.
"…So what are you planning to do?"
Naraku suddenly asked.
Yoruichi froze, then frowned deeper.
With her current level of control over the Shihōin family, she couldn't touch those people.
If she deployed the Onmitsukidō for an assassination, it would only end up hurting the Shihōin house further.
As Second Division captain and head of the Onmitsukidō, she was free to hate her position—but she couldn't betray the people who trusted her.
And who knew how many spies the elders had planted inside her own corps?
Every move she made would be scrutinized.
"I'm sorry," Yoruichi said quietly, shoulders sagging like a defeated cat. "Right now, there's nothing I can do."
"The elders sit at the top of the family. My status is too sensitive. If I strike at them directly, it'll only trigger a bigger crisis."
Naraku walked over, sat down cross-legged in front of her, and looked her in the eye.
"That's exactly why I called you here."
"I need a legitimate identity—one that gives me the authority to strike at those old bastards."
At that, Yoruichi's head snapped up, violet hair bouncing as her golden eyes locked onto him, burning even brighter.
~~~
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