Chapter 19: Second Trip

It wasn't until this moment that Aunt Inoue realized Su Li's commanding attire.

"A Li, you are..."

Aunt Inoue's eyes widened slightly, a glint of bewilderment in her gaze.

"I passed the test, Auntie," Su Li replied with a beaming smile.

Aunt Inoue's gaze darted to the "two" on Su Li's arm.

"Then this..."

"I've joined the second team, Auntie."

"What about the dashes beneath those two words?"

"I'm the vice-captain, Auntie."

For what felt like an eternity, Aunt Inoue couldn't quite regain her composure. She continued to gaze at Su Li's vice-captain armband, entranced.

Su Li remained silent, wearing a patient smile.

Finally, after some time had passed, Aunt Inoue took a sharp breath and her eyes widened dramatically.

"The student they're talking about... it's you?!"

"I suppose so."

Su Li touched his nose in embarrassment, a hint of pink on his cheeks.

Aunt Inoue took another deep breath, her chest rising and falling even more profoundly with each inhale.

After a lengthy pause, a cacophony of ecstatic cheers rang out in the courtyard.

"Wow!! My God!!"

"A Li, you're beyond incredible!"

"I've known since this child was a little one that they'd have an extraordinary future!"

"A Li, you've made me so profoundly happy!"

Aunt Inoue embraced Su Li tightly, her face reflecting tears of joy and exhilaration.

Su Li was held tightly, his face blushing.

"Cough...cough...Auntie, I can hardly breathe..."

Sometimes, happiness comes with its own set of discomforts.

But happiness is often paired with a touch of pain.

Su Li found himself in a happy yet slightly agonizing state.

Aunt Inoue paid no attention; she was wholly immersed in ecstasy.

"My dear nephew and aunt, we must celebrate exuberantly tonight!"

"Vice-captain! This is an astounding achievement! Those old folks rushed to the tavern before nightfall just to inquire about you!"

"Hmph, if I were to tell those chaps that my nephew is the one they're talking about, they'd be utterly flabbergasted!"

"Hee hee, let's have a grand celebration tonight! Just don't overindulge!"

Aunt Inoue pumped her fists, her face radiating enthusiasm, resembling an ardent reveler.

Su Li: "...(speechless)"

...

Late at night, Su Li finished packing the last wine bottle and finally took a moment to rest. Aunt Inoue had become unconscious due to her excessive excitement and alcohol consumption, so he gently assisted her back to her room.

The night enveloped everything in a serene calm, and after a hectic day, Su Li was finally able to find a moment of tranquility.

He gazed up at the moon in the sky, lost in his thoughts.

It had been a year since he arrived in the Shinigami world. With less than two years remaining before Aizen's rebellion and just under four years before the invisible empire invasion, time was slipping away quickly.

There wasn't much time left for him to prepare. While he had made significant progress in terms of his own strength, there were still many challenges he wasn't ready to confront. Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu and the seemingly omniscient and omnipotent Juhabach were among them.

His current mastery of Ultra Instinct had just reached the stage of "sign", but it was far from being the true "ultimate freedom."

Despite relying on his newfound freedom, Su Li had managed to outmaneuver Sui-Feng's instant attack during their confrontation.

However, the thought of facing Sui-Feng's Bankai head-on left him doubtful of his chances of survival. His physical strength still fell short of the superhuman levels exhibited by characters like Kakarot, so he primarily relied on evasion rather than direct confrontation.

Moreover, he was well aware that his current arsenal of abilities was insufficient. His victory during the assessment was a result of time manipulation rather than overpowering his opponent.

As he lamented the need for more skills, an unexpected sound broke the silence of the courtyard – a frog's croak.

"Quack! Quack quack!"

Su Li's spirits were suddenly lifted.

"Oh, I almost forgot about you, my big baby!"

Su Li hurriedly opened the system space. The frog cub appeared, looking a bit drowsy, as if just waking up.

"Cuck!"

The frog cub pointed to its mouth.

"Are you hungry?! Good! Dinner is coming soon!"

Su Li's excitement was palpable as he began tossing pieces of turf around the courtyard. Within no time, a pile of plump, green worms gathered in front of the frog cub.

The frog cub didn't hesitate and gobbled them up in one go.

"Cuck!"

"Not enough? Okay, just wait! I'll make sure your stomach is fully satisfied!"

Under the moonlight, Su Li tirelessly continued his work in the courtyard. After half an hour, he had successfully fed the frog cub to its heart's content.

Then, Su Li eagerly pressed the "travel button" on the system interface. Just like before, the frog cub picked up its package, leaped into the air with a resounding thud, and disappeared into the night.

Su Li immediately reopened the system interface, eager for what might come next.

"It's going to take more than a month this time? That's quite a wait..."

Su Li examined the travel coupon in his system backpack, feeling a touch of impatience. But then, a sense of resolve washed over him.

"Never mind, a little extravagance won't hurt."

Without hesitation, he used the expedited coupon, dramatically reducing the travel time to a mere 5 minutes.

Su Li sat down on the steps, anticipation building within him.

It wasn't long before the system sent him a message. He opened it, and just like the last time, it was a photo from the frog cub.

The image revealed a vast, ancient battlefield. Countless figures, all clad in ninja attire, lay lifeless on the ground, and the earth was stained crimson with their blood. Above them, a gigantic moon hung ominously in the sky.

On the battlefield, several formidable individuals stood poised, confronting a man wielding a black staff.

In the center of the picture, a man dressed in green was enveloped by swirling red energy.

At the sight of this familiar scene, Su Li's excitement knew no bounds.

"Damn it! Might Guy!"