CHAPTER 94: Refusal

A/N: The uploads have been inconsistent lately. I blame my sinus infection and Baldur's Gate 3. This is the start of Volume 2 more focused on the Soul Society.

...

Yoruichi hadn't expected things to go smoothly with Kaien. Then again, she hadn't taken Kazuya's voice into consideration. She couldn't give enough praise to his mesmerizing voice that went against all the logic.

'How did he get that?"

Even Kisuke, a man known for his relentless pursuit of knowledge, found the enchanting quality of Kazuya's voice a mystery, ultimately labeling it as Kazuya's "natural gift." While some people faltered in the cycle of reincarnation, becoming memory-less "Blanks," Kazuya had somehow reaped immense rewards from an 'imperfect' reincarnation.

'It can't all be coincidences. There has to be a reason for it.'

Her curiosity ignited like a wildfire. His ability to switch between Quincy and Hollow had shattered the barriers of established lore and history. Furthermore, he was on the brink of attaining a Zanpakutō and becoming a full-fledged Shinigami.

'He is nowhere close to his ceiling.'

If he survived, he'd undoubtedly reach a level beyond Captain Commander Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, perhaps reaching near the level of Soul King, the god reigning over the Soul Society. Then again, he never looked like the type to reign over people. A whimsical, carefree nature that was similar to her own. She could somehow trust him and his group to never walk the path of evil.

Lying under a tree, she glanced at the silver-haired man leaning against the tree.

'I'm excited to see his future.'

It wasn't everyday she'd stumble into a man of his potential. To increase the odds of his journey to his completion, she had a couple of plans. One of them was imparting him with the knowledge of Shunkō, the highest form of Hakudo techniques.

Kazuya noticed her glance and raised a brow. "What's up?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "No place can match the Soul Society's air."

"That's because you grew up here," he said with a smile. "Nostalgia is one hell of a drug."

Silently nodding in agreement, Yoruichi studied him. "You don't look so cheerful now. Regretting your decision to come here?"

Kazuya widened his eyes before he burst into laughter — a contagious laughter that could make even the sternest person crack a smile. Had Yoruichi been a little weak-willed, she would have started laughing alongside him.

"Yoruichi, you're a dumbass. Wanna know why?"

The black cat narrowed her eyes at his cynical remark. "Why?"

"You keep thinking I'm here to finish your stupid mission." He leaned back against the tree, hand resting on his forehead, a smirk of disdain on his face. "I didn't volunteer to sacrifice my peaceful life for your cause. I have no love for the Soul Society or anyone here. In fact, I wouldn't mind watching it disappear into flames."

Yoruichi's Reiatsu flared. Despite being exiled and treated like a criminal, she very much loved the Soul Society.

He continued, "I'm here on my volition because I've got something to gain. What is it? Figure it out yourself."

Apart from meeting Unohana and awakening his own Zanpakutō as a Shinigami, he had his own ulterior motive behind helping them. Making Yoruichi and Kisuke, two of the best teachers in the Bleach world, owe him a huge favor. His strength would reach another level with their help. They were a necessary piece in bringing his fusion plans to reality.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "Knowing you, it's probably some chick."

{Distracting her mind from worrying… Partner, you're too soft.}

Nami saw through his cynical display with ease. They weren't soulmates for nothing.

'I hate to see her acting all concerned. She looks the best when cracking shitty jokes and being a tease.'

Making a woman fret needlessly was not his style.

He scooped up the black cat, settling her on his lap. "What if I say it's you, Lady Yoruichi?"

"I'll say, you're a hundred years too young to chase me."

"Eh, I'm not gonna wait a hundred years. What do you want in your lover?"

"Not a single thing." Yoruichi wriggled out of his grip and sprang away. Looking over her shoulder, golden eyes glinting, she tilted her head. "There is no man in this world who can tie down Flash Goddess Yoruichi."

Instead of disappointment, she was met with his bubbly laughter.

"Then I have a chance," he said with a mysterious smile. "Don't go yet. I need your help with something."

Yoruichi walked back to him and hit him with her soft paws. "What is it?"

"Mind teaching me some Kidō?"

"Huh, why? You'll eventually learn them in the academy anyways."

Kidō was extensively covered in the academy since the students hardly awakened the Shikai form of their Zanpakutō. Kidō spells continued to serve as the main source of offense/defense of the students even after they became Shinigami.

Kazuya patted her head. "I'd prefer to learn from you. Teach me everything—from the basics to the most advanced. Make these seventeen days count."

The Shinigami's admission was still seventeen days away. Kaien had proposed to get him admission right now with his influence. He, of course, declined. He didn't want to stick out like a sore thumb by being associated with the Shiba Clan.

Yoruichi rolled on her back, cutely swinging her paw in the air. "You mistake me for someone else. 'Coz I'm just a lazy cat, riding the waves to the sunset~."

"Stop that. Teach me!"

"'Coz I'm just a lazy cat~."

"You know what, I'm going back to the living world."

With that, Kazuya rose and headed towards Kūkaku's house. Yoruichi yawned, her golden eyes following his retreating figure. Like most cats, Yoruichi was prone to afternoon drowsiness, particularly in a cozy and comfortable environment.

She hopped onto a branch, allowing her body to relax. However, a surge of energy abruptly disrupted her drowsiness, snapping her back into alertness. She recognized this energy — a byproduct of the spatial distortions caused by Senkaimon, the dimensional gate. The gate had barely opened before it snapped shut, and every hint of Kazuya's Reiatsu went absent.

He had left the Soul Society.

"He... He wasn't joking..."

A sudden restlessness gripped her as she dashed to his last known location with her Shunpo. She couldn't help but feel that her laziness and negligence had jeopardized the success of her crucial mission.

'Dammit. When did he become such a snowflake?'

Arriving at the location where the Senkaimon had opened, she found Kaien's wife, Miyako, standing there with a somewhat solemn expression.

"Where did Kazuya go?" Yoruichi asked with urgency.

"Karakura Town," Miyako answered. "He missed his wives. I can empathize with that sentiment, so I requested Kaien to accompany him."

It was against Shinigami's rules to open a Senkaimon for personal reasons but the Shiba couple had no qualms against breaking a few rules for him.

Yoruichi's breath left her in a weighty sigh. "What…?"

Kisuke and her had extended Kazuya the freedom to visit his family at any time. However, an undercurrent of unease stirred within Yoruichi — a nagging dread that he might not return after she ignored his request to teach him.

"Miyako, take me to Karakura Town."

"Why?"

"Don't ask."

"...Okay."

…

Elsewhere, nestled in the far reaches of the First District, a duo of youngsters sat languidly outside their modest home, indulging in the sweet delight of a ripe watermelon. Suddenly, they felt a shockwave that seemed to ripple through the very fabric of their beings, drawing their attention towards the northern reaches of the district.

The young girl with short twintails knitted her brow in confusion. "What was that?"

The young boy with short silver hair mirrored her frown. "It was the second one, wasn't it? I'm going to check it."

"Shiro-chan, let's go!"

"Don't call me that!"

Thus, the naive pair of Momo Hinamori and Toshiro Hitsugaya set off on an adventure to uncover the mysterious fluctuations of spiritual energies within their district. At their current age, they were mostly oblivious to the concepts of Reiryoku and Reiatsu. However, their world was about to expand in ways they could never have anticipated.

...

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