Higashino Shuuichi had always believed his Karin (Resurrección) wasn't particularly strong. Once the enemy understood it, it was very easy to counter.
But as a first-encounter kill move, it couldn't be more fitting.
At the very least, the First Generation Captain Entetsu Kumoi hadn't managed to defend against Higashino Shuuichi's sudden burst.
"You could send me back to Hell."
Entetsu Kumoi stood on the dock, with crowds flowing around them.
"Because there's no need.
"Calling you back from Hell—judging by the results—hasn't been bad for us."
Higashino Shuuichi stood opposite him, facing the sun.
"Us?"
Entetsu Kumoi's gaze slipped past Higashino Shuuichi, landing on Kisaragi Shūsuke and Yushima Ōko behind him.
Both of them looked rather disheveled.
He didn't think he had any connection to Higashino Shuuichi's group.
"When it's necessary, I'll tell you. Of course, if Entetsu Kumoi-taichō wants to know earlier, it's not impossible—equal exchange. I respect your principles~"
Higashino Shuuichi smiled.
Like a Western devil…
Entetsu Kumoi could no longer look at Higashino Shuuichi the way he had before.
He'd lost due to an information gap, yes—but a loss was a loss.
Besides, who knew what other nasty tricks this sly young Shinigami was still hiding?
"I'm not in a hurry."
"Funny. Neither am I."
Higashino Shuuichi looked into the distance.
"But someone out there is definitely in a hurry right now. Entetsu Kumoi-taichō… are you interested in meeting that person together with me?"
"Hoh. I smell conspiracy, crafty young Shinigami. Don't tell me you just happened to beat me once and now you want to use me as a gun?"
Entetsu Kumoi stared at Higashino Shuuichi.
Under the gentle sunlight—
was Higashino Shuuichi's brilliant smile.
Seven days later.
In another important port city of the island nation—Yokohama—a tall, dark-skinned woman pulled an enormous suitcase to the cargo inspection point.
"Shihōin Yoruichi-san?
"Sorry, but your luggage exceeds our company's maximum allowance for a single passenger by a wide margin—both in size and weight.
"This can only be checked."
The inspector looked at the item they'd verified no fewer than three times, and spoke with helpless resignation.
Sure, the woman's skin tone was a bit unusual, but her face and figure were absolutely top-tier—still, that wasn't a free pass to keep making unreasonable demands!
He was just a working man.
Why make his life harder?
"But this item is extremely important to me. If it's checked… I can't feel at ease."
Shihōin Yoruichi lifted her sunglasses slightly.
"Ma'am, what do you want me to say?
"I've assured you repeatedly that our checked-luggage service will not have any problems!
"If you don't trust us, you're welcome to choose another ferry company!"
"You say that, but the only passenger ferry going to London is yours, isn't it?"
"Exactly! That's why, Shihōin Yoruichi-san, the fact we aren't price-gouging you already shows our sincerity. You can absolutely放心—hand that luggage over to us for checking!"
The staff member tried to persuade her earnestly.
But he didn't understand Shihōin Yoruichi's core need.
In truth, Shihōin Yoruichi was frustrated too. As the Flash Goddess, even if she wanted to carry the Reigai—one that held the power of the First Generation Captain Sakahone Saizō—across an ocean, that shouldn't have been hard at all. That had been Plan C.
But who could've guessed that Kurotsuchi Mayuri—the madman Urahara Kisuke had pushed as successor Twelfth Division taichō—would, without even confirming whether she'd left the island nation, directly order the Thirteenth Division operatives in the Living World to place the entire country under a reiatsu lockdown?
During this period, anyone with reiatsu in the island nation could enter, but could not leave.
Unless Shihōin Yoruichi completely suppressed her reiatsu and treated herself like an ordinary human.
If she didn't want to face the entire Soul Society's hunt alone, then she could only temporarily act like a normal human.
"Actually, it's not that there's no way at all, my beautiful lady. I do have a solution—would you be willing to hear it?"
Just as Shihōin Yoruichi considered whether to risk it and wait for the next ferry leaving the island nation, an elegant man approached—typical Western attire, a top hat, and a gentleman's cane. He removed his hat and bowed.
"You are…?"
Shihōin Yoruichi narrowed her eyes. Beneath the sunglasses, her gaze was full of wariness.
"I am Musashi Kojirō. A pleasure to meet you, beautiful lady~"
He extended his white-gloved right hand and bent slightly.
A Western hand-kiss?
Shihōin Yoruichi remembered seeing it in the West Administration—a formality that inspired zero goodwill. So she didn't respond, only asked:
"What's your solution?"
"According to the rules of the ferry company we both chose, the luggage allowance can change depending on passenger status.
"For example, if it's a married couple, the luggage allowance is calculated jointly.
"A family is the same: a couple plus one child becomes a three-person allowance~"
Musashi Kojirō smiled as he explained. Yet as he spoke, his eyes kept roaming over Shihōin Yoruichi, lingering too long on certain especially prominent places.
"So I can understand this as… you want to pretend to be my husband?"
Shihōin Yoruichi disliked his gaze, but she didn't chase him off either. She looked toward the staff member instead.
"Uh… actually, we do have that policy. And it's not that strict—couples can apply too."
The staff member didn't know why, but suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Was it his imagination?
"Heh. What an interesting policy~"
After receiving confirmation, Shihōin Yoruichi turned back to Musashi Kojirō, smiling without smiling.
"I think so too, beautiful lady~
"By the way, you might not know this—but the ship we're about to take has another nickname: the Wheel of Venus.
"And Venus is the goddess of love in Western myth~"
Musashi Kojirō's gaze became even more blatant, openly fixing on Shihōin Yoruichi's loose neckline.
Clearly, he thought he had her cornered.
"Then what are we waiting for? My boyfriend—take our luggage, and let's go together~"
As if exactly as he'd expected, Shihōin Yoruichi stepped up, lightly hooked one arm around Musashi Kojirō's, and lifted the huge suitcase containing the Reigai with effortless ease.
Soon, the two of them were on the ship.
They'd originally bought separate tickets and should've had separate suites. But because the company considered them a couple, they assigned them a single double-bed room.
Unfortunately, things didn't progress the way Musashi Kojirō imagined—or rather, Shihōin Yoruichi was still a fierce stallion.
They sat in the cramped room, staring each other down.
The ship set sail, left port, entered the sea…
As though everything outside had nothing to do with the room.
Only when Shihōin Yoruichi felt herself pass through a defensive, alert-style reiatsu network did she finally speak.
"Musashi Kojirō… not a bad name, and very common. But let me ask you.
"How many names is that now?"
"What are you talking about, Shihōin Yoruichi-san? Musashi Kojirō is my name."
Musashi Kojirō frowned, confused.
"Is it? Then why is it that every time you finish a sentence, your right index finger twitches unconsciously?
"That little habit is exactly like a Shinigami I once knew.
"You might've heard his name too—Higashino Shuuichi~"
Shihōin Yoruichi smiled.
"Heh heh. So I really can't hide anything from you, Yoruichi-taichō. Your observation is as excellent as ever~
"I made just a tiny mistake, and you caught it!"
Musashi Kojirō spread his hands. He didn't deny it—meaning he admitted it.
He was Higashino Shuuichi.
"How did you find me?
"And why did you deliberately approach me like this, disguised?"
Shihōin Yoruichi threw the questions at him the moment her guess was confirmed.
"Normally, as former allies, I should answer you, Yoruichi-taichō," Higashino Shuuichi said. "But before I answer those—
"I need to confirm one thing first. Your stance… or rather, the stance of Urahara Kisuke-taichō behind you. What is it?
"Only if our positions don't conflict do I have a reason to answer you. Isn't that right?"
Higashino Shuuichi countered.
"I heard you accepted recruitment from the Tsunayashiro clan, Shuuichi."
If Higashino Shuuichi wouldn't answer her, then Shihōin Yoruichi wouldn't answer him.
But the tone of her question already revealed part of her position.
So… not cooperating with the Tsunayashiro clan?
Higashino Shuuichi quietly exhaled.
He'd known it was low probability—but if it were true, it would've been a catastrophic blow to several plans.
So this was unquestionably good news.
"Recruitment is an exaggeration," Higashino Shuuichi said. "But I think you understand, Yoruichi-taichō, what the consequences are for secretly taking prohibited items out of Soul Society."
"If I remember correctly," Shihōin Yoruichi replied, "when I left Soul Society, your identity had returned to 'Soul Society traitor' again, hadn't it?"
They traded barbs, neither able to gain the upper hand in a short time.
Until Shihōin Yoruichi grew bored.
Reiatsu gathered, arcs of electricity formed around her, and a scorched smell began to creep into the air.
Shunkō (Flash War Cry), kai!
Facing Higashino Shuuichi, she didn't bother hiding anything—she went straight to maximum output.
Yet Higashino Shuuichi didn't choose to force a direct clash.
(To be precise… Shihōin Yoruichi didn't give him that chance.)
Because despite looking like she wanted to fight him to the death, her first choice was actually to escape the ferry with the Reigai.
Once she left the island nation, she wouldn't need to keep entangling with the East Administration's Shinigami.
That would be meaningless.
Her priority was to bring the Reigai back to the West Administration.
That was her mission.
And after seeing Shihōin Yoruichi leave with the Reigai, Higashino Shuuichi made no further move—not because he didn't want to pursue, but because there was no need to deal with that Reigai at all.
Because less than ten minutes later, Shihōin Yoruichi returned to the very place she'd first fled from.
Was she lost?
What a rare attribute.
Higashino Shuuichi wished it were so.
But it wasn't.
"Why am I back here again?!"
That was the sentence she repeated most.
"Do you want to know the answer?" Higashino Shuuichi sat at the edge of the bed, smiling at her.
Only then did Shihōin Yoruichi realize the "room" that should've been on the ferry's second level—where you couldn't see the deck at all—had somehow appeared on the deck itself.
And Higashino Shuuichi was inside it.
"This world… is fake. But that shouldn't be possible. From start to finish, I was guarding against you."
"Yeah," Higashino Shuuichi said lightly. "But have you ever considered something, Yoruichi-taichō?
"What if I deliberately let you notice my habitual flaw?"
"…"
"In fact…"
Higashino Shuuichi's smile deepened.
"You only guarded against me~"
"Long time no see, Yoruichi-taichō."
"Long time no see, Yoruichi-san~"
"Nice to meet you, Shihōin Yoruichi-dono!"
Facing the trapped Shihōin Yoruichi, Kisaragi Shūsuke, Kabuma Sayako, and Yushima Ōko appeared one after another at Higashino Shuuichi's side and greeted her.
"Looks like you came fully prepared, Higashino Shuuichi. Then tell me—what exactly are you trying to do?" Shihōin Yoruichi asked, seeing both old acquaintances and unfamiliar faces among the newcomers, unable to read Higashino Shuuichi's intent.
"Didn't I already state my question clearly, Yoruichi-taichō?" Higashino Shuuichi replied. "Tell me—what do you and Urahara Kisuke actually want to do?
"If everything you're doing right now benefits Soul Society, then there shouldn't be anything you can't say, right?"
"Then what about you, Higashino Shuuichi?" Shihōin Yoruichi's gaze swept across the group. "What is your stance?"
"The past me only wanted to live," Higashino Shuuichi said. "The current me only wants to live better.
"So: staying alive, while maintaining overall peace in this world so order doesn't collapse and everything can continue developing normally—that is my stance."
There was a saying: the highest level of lying is deceiving even yourself.
That was exactly what Higashino Shuuichi was doing now.
Maybe it could fool Kisaragi Shūsuke and the others.
But to Shihōin Yoruichi…
"You think I'd believe that?" Shihōin Yoruichi scoffed. "In the short time I returned to Soul Society, I heard plenty of stories about you, Shuuichi. With what you've done before, you could be standing on any side right now!"
She didn't even need to verify the truth.
Just the fact that Higashino Shuuichi accepted the position of Grand Blade-Hunting Chief was already a stain on his life.
"Not trustworthy" might as well have been stamped on his forehead.
So from Shihōin Yoruichi's standpoint, she could smear him however she wanted.
What she didn't realize was—
she was, in fact, right.
"Yoruichi-taichō isn't wrong at all~
Isn't that right, Rangiku?"
At that moment, in the beachside villa—watching a special large screen—Aizen Sōsuke spoke with a smile.
"Yes, yes, whatever you say is always right!" Matsumoto Rangiku had lost count of how many times Aizen had asked her in that tone. Wasn't it just to show off how much he knew?
Did he really have to keep showing off in her face?
Why didn't Shuuichi-sama take her with him back then too?! Why leave her here to keep Aizen company—this was torture!
But honestly, that wasn't really Higashino Shuuichi's fault either. He simply couldn't leave Kisaragi Shūsuke and Yushima Ōko alone with Aizen—if Aizen got any crooked ideas about their Bakkōtō or Zanpakutō, Higashino Shuuichi, tangled up with Shihōin Yoruichi, might not be able to rush back in time to stop him.
Before, Higashino Shuuichi didn't worry about that because, in name, he was still Aizen's underling. With Aizen's arrogance, he wouldn't deign to touch the things of his underling's underlings.
But now it was different.
Now Higashino Shuuichi had broken away to work independently—partner and rival.
And when it came to a rival, Aizen had no reason to bother with courtesy.
Higashino Shuuichi absolutely believed Aizen was capable of setting up Kisaragi Shūsuke and Yushima Ōko, then taking the chance to acquire their ability data for research.
After all, one could seal Shinigami Zanpakutō releases, and the other could freely control space—both had enormous research value.
Only Matsumoto Rangiku was still a little weakling for now, so Higashino Shuuichi wasn't worried Aizen would develop any crooked ideas about her.
As for romance, lust, and the body—
even less likely.
Higashino Shuuichi firmly believed that kind of thing only existed in the hearts of vulgar people like him. A "high-class, ambitious villain" like Aizen had long since moved beyond that low-level taste.
"By the way—this thing is called 'surveillance bacteria,' right? It seems pretty useful~
I wonder if you have any extras lying around?"
Aizen glanced at Matsumoto Rangiku, found her boring, and shifted his interest away. Compared to Higashino Shuuichi, the Shinigami following him were simply too uninteresting.
"If Aizen-sama wants it, you could just go take it from the Twelfth Division in Soul Society," Nagasawa Satomi answered respectfully. "This was originally Kurotsuchi-taichō's invention~"
Unlike Matsumoto Rangiku, Nagasawa Satomi had already heard about Aizen's terrifying strength from Kisaragi Shūsuke.
A monster who could beat Kisaragi Shūsuke senseless without even using Zanpakutō release—there was no such thing as being "too cautious" around someone like that.
"So it's that guy's invention?
Then that's normal."
Aizen's lips twitched slightly.
If you asked which names he least wanted to hear right now, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's would definitely rank near the top.
Because not long ago, he'd been hit with several dirty tricks in a row using Mayuri's inventions, and in the end, he'd even lost to Higashino Shuuichi because of them.
In Aizen's eyes, seventy percent of that defeat belonged to Higashino Shuuichi.
The remaining thirty percent belonged to Kurotsuchi Mayuri for providing those inventions.
(Kurotsuchi Mayuri: Are you forgetting I also have a Lieutenant who's a diehard Higashino Shuuichi fan?)
Originally, Aizen had only come this time to share real-time intelligence from the Hollows he'd scattered—possible traces of Shihōin Yoruichi—and to deliver a few Gillian and Adjuchas that Higashino Shuuichi had requested.
He hadn't expected Higashino Shuuichi to actually find Shihōin Yoruichi using that information.
After learning Higashino Shuuichi intended to make a move on Shihōin Yoruichi, Aizen chose to stay and watch without hesitation.
Of course, there was a price: it canceled out the "value" of the information Aizen had provided this time.
But as Aizen watched what Higashino Shuuichi did next, he felt a hint of disappointment.
The fight he'd expected between Higashino Shuuichi and Shihōin Yoruichi never happened.
Instead, it was the First Generation Captain Entetsu Kumoi who clashed with Shihōin Yoruichi.
Still…
maybe that wasn't a bad result.
On the other side of the surveillance screen, after Higashino Shuuichi's group and Shihōin Yoruichi finished that brief round of "greetings," the true main act finally appeared.
"Tell me, little girl Yoruichi—where are you taking Sakahone Saizō's Reigai?
"I remember we had an agreement, didn't we? If we First Generation Captains suffered misfortune and our souls returned to Hell, then you must destroy the Reigai that carries our souls!
"If not, we wouldn't have agreed back then to return from Hell to Soul Society!"
Entetsu Kumoi opened with a bombshell. The information density nearly overturned some of Higashino Shuuichi's previous assumptions.
"So these Reigai with First Generation Captain power… may not have been made solely by Miyazaki Sakai Masato at all, but only completed with Urahara Kisuke's help?"
Higashino Shuuichi never expected things to develop like this.
But thinking carefully, the result wasn't that surprising either.
Even without Miyazaki Sakai Masato, decades later—when the "original plot" truly began—Urahara Kisuke had already mastered the technology to create Reigai with souls.
All that had happened now was that the timeline had been advanced by a few decades.
As for how it was possible—Higashino Shuuichi didn't know.
He wasn't a scientist. He didn't research. He didn't understand.
But the truth was probably just that.
"Entetsu Kumoi-senpai, please forgive me, but I cannot disclose that!"
Shihōin Yoruichi opened her mouth, but after glancing at Higashino Shuuichi behind Entetsu Kumoi, she swallowed the sentence she'd originally intended to say.
And with that—
the curtain rose on the battle between her and Entetsu Kumoi.
Lightning took shape.
Shunkō (Flash War Cry)!
Against Entetsu Kumoi, Shihōin Yoruichi opened at her strongest form.
Entetsu Kumoi also refused to yield. After realizing that his Shikai was practically incapable of touching even a corner of Shihōin Yoruichi's clothing, he unfolded his Bankai right in front of her.
"Dawn in the Darkness—Bankai, Zaibatsu (Sin Punishment)!"
"First, I judge your sin of pride! You dare believe you can oppose me—oppose the Arbiter of Sin and Punishment—that is blasphemy!"
Entetsu Kumoi pronounced judgment at Shihōin Yoruichi, then flicked his Zanpakutō upward.
A bloody cut appeared on Shihōin Yoruichi's left arm.
And in the instant that wound formed, Shihōin Yoruichi could clearly feel her left hand grow heavy and weak.
But that minor negative effect wasn't too big a problem for Shihōin Yoruichi. At the very least, she could still maintain Shunkō.
Only, the change wasn't limited to the moment the wound appeared.
It persisted at any time after.
"Next is your sin of greed! You've already gained so much of our First Generation trust, yet again and again you squander it—and greedily desire even more!
"This is the sin of greed!"
Entetsu Kumoi's voice slipped into the darkness.
Then Shihōin Yoruichi felt her legs grow heavy as well. The Shunkō Shunpo that had been so fast Entetsu Kumoi couldn't even react now fell to the level of an ordinary Shinigami.
"And then… the sin of envy…"
Entetsu Kumoi practically dragged every item of the "Seven Deadly Sins" that Higashino Shuuichi remembered out of his mind, and forced them onto Shihōin Yoruichi one by one.
Some of them, in Higashino Shuuichi's view, were outright nonsense—Entetsu Kumoi spouting whatever he wanted, the classic "if I want to accuse you, I'll find a charge."
Yet the absurd part was—
Entetsu Kumoi's ability actually accepted these punishments, even when they barely related to reality.
Of course, how severe the punishment became still depended on how close Entetsu Kumoi's "reasoning" was to the truth.
The closer it was to the truth, the more tragic the verdict and outcome.
If it was far from reality, it would be like the earlier "sin of pride"—only producing minor changes, unable to directly kill Shihōin Yoruichi.
So Entetsu Kumoi's Bankai wasn't truly terrifying because he could always find a perfect, fitting sin for every opponent.
It was terrifying because—
the final authority of interpretation belonged to Entetsu Kumoi himself.
As long as he wanted to, he could slap a "Seven Deadly Sins" label onto an opponent at will.
Watching Shihōin Yoruichi accumulate who knew how many debuffs, Higashino Shuuichi felt genuinely relieved he'd ambushed Entetsu Kumoi earlier.
Otherwise, fighting Entetsu Kumoi would inevitably have been a grueling battle.
As for now?
It looked like Entetsu Kumoi had completely suppressed Shihōin Yoruichi—but in truth…
As streak after streak of lightning erupted around Shihōin Yoruichi, the negative effects imposed by Entetsu Kumoi's Bankai began disappearing one after another.
Then, within the boundless lightning—
Shihōin Yoruichi flickered, and with a lightning spear, pierced Entetsu Kumoi's heart.
For any normal Shinigami, that strike would be fatal.
But Entetsu Kumoi wasn't a normal Shinigami.
A Reigai didn't fear having its heart blown out.
On the surface, it all looked like a perfectly normal clash between old and new Captains.
They traded blows back and forth.
Only Aizen Sōsuke, far away in the beachside room, voiced a different view.
"Is that First Generation Captain's ability… really that weak?"
Even if he couldn't personally sense the true power of Entetsu Kumoi's ability with his spiritual perception, a buff-type ability having its negative effects dispersed by lightning?
That felt like something out of those Living World cultivation novels—lightning being the bane of all evil.
But this was Soul Society.
This was Shinigami.
Lightning was just lightning.
Why would it be able to disperse Entetsu Kumoi's ability effects?
And it was only then that Aizen noticed—
he didn't know when it had started, but Higashino Shuuichi's movements and expression hadn't shown any major change for quite a while now.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.