"Ding.
You have defeated a Captain-level Expert.
Six more remain to complete the mission."
The System's notifications were always impeccably timed.
After dealing with Ichimaru Gin, Senya had originally planned to quietly observe Aizen's infamous "death" from the shadows.
Perhaps challenge a few more Captains along the way—nothing too serious.
Unfortunately, plans had a habit of going awry.
On the road leading to the Fifth Division barracks, a small black cat suddenly leapt into his path.
Any Shinigami fan would immediately recognize this form.
Shihōuin Yoruichi.
Former noble, former Captain, former Commander of the Onmitsukidō—and an absolute menace.
She was infamous for wandering Seireitei in cat form, showing up where she pleased and vanishing just as easily.
To this day, Senya had always wondered—
Was walking on four legs really more comfortable than two?
And why did a noble-born woman insist on acting like a stray?
The street was eerily quiet. Only faint, distant murmurs drifted through the air.
Senya didn't need to listen closely to know what was happening.
Hinamori Momo's tragedy… right on schedule.
Without hesitation, Senya activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, his crimson gaze locking onto the black cat ahead.
At the same time, Yoruichi sensed the sudden shift.
The small cat's fur bristled.
Golden eyes gleamed sharply in the shadows, filled with alertness and suppressed hostility.
"Hmm… keeping a cat around doesn't sound so bad."
Senya's tone was light, almost playful—yet the intent beneath it was unmistakable.
"Done playing hide-and-seek?"
"Come on. Let's go home."
He stepped forward casually.
But the moment his foot touched the stone pavement—
Crack.
The ground fractured beneath it.
Predatory pressure flooded the street.
The instant his words fell—
Senya moved.
His figure vanished, leaving only a faint afterimage behind.
Five fingers curved into a claw, tearing through the air with a sharp whistle—far faster than ordinary perception could track.
If it were truly just a cat, escape would have been impossible.
"Meo—!"
An indignant cry rang out—
And then—
The black cat blurred, rippling like water.
Not evasion.
Transformation.
Bang!
A surge of Spiritual Pressure exploded outward.
Where the cat once stood now landed a tall, agile figure.
Bronzed skin glimmered faintly under the dim light.
Long purple hair cascaded freely, untamed and wild.
Bare feet touched the shattered stone with effortless balance.
Shihōuin Yoruichi had revealed herself.
As the former leader of the Onmitsukidō and a master of intelligence gathering, she immediately realized—
This man wasn't trying to ambush her.
He was testing her.
A flicker of surprise crossed her face, quickly replaced by excitement.
Senya's claw—capable of tearing stone—was already inches from her face.
"Yo," Yoruichi grinned.
"Kid, how'd you notice me?"
Her voice was lively, confident, and brimming with arrogance.
Instead of dodging, she raised her hand—
Clap!
A sharp crack echoed as her palm intercepted his strike at an imperceptible speed.
"Tch."
Senya's attack was stopped—but his eyes only burned brighter.
The resilience of her wrist…
The depth of her Spiritual Pressure…
So this is the God of Flash.
Feigning ignorance, Senya tilted his head.
"Miss, you're not wearing a Shihakushō. Are you the ryoka the Captains are talking about?"
Yoruichi's smile widened dangerously.
"Less talking."
"Let big sister see what you can really do."
Her figure vanished.
The real battle had begun.
Boom!
The ground beneath Senya collapsed as Yoruichi reappeared.
His Sharingan caught her movement instantly.
He twisted his body and drove a heavy elbow backward—
Bang!
Yoruichi materialized mid-strike, her palm striking precisely at his elbow joint, neutralizing the blow.
But this time—
Senya was ready.
Muscles coiled like steel cables.
His stance sank.
"Break."
Explosive power surged outward, forcibly overwhelming her redirection technique.
The elbow continued forward.
Yoruichi's pupils narrowed.
"Reckless."
She used the rebound force to drift backward, landing lightly before transforming into a purple streak, widening the distance.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Afterimages flooded the street.
Yoruichi attacked from every direction—
Fists, kicks, knees, palms—
Pure Hakuda, amplified by terrifying speed.
Senya stood at the center of the storm.
Forced entirely on the defensive.
His Sharingan spun wildly, tracking every movement, every fluctuation, searching for a single opening.
Bang! Crack! Boom!
Flesh collided.
Stone shattered.
Spiritual pressure detonated.
Walls crumbled.
The ground collapsed.
Their movements carved destruction through the street like invisible blades.
A battle of speed and power.
A clash without restraint.
"How exhilarating!" Yoruichi laughed, delivering a whip-like kick toward Senya's neck.
He raised his forearm to block—
The impact sent him skidding backward, carving deep trenches into the stone.
"Brat," she grinned.
"You're no ordinary Shinigami."
Senya wiped a thin trail of blood from beneath his nose.
"…And yet."
"I still managed to touch you."
Yoruichi's eyes gleamed.
The fight was far from over.