"Meow Meow meow"
A cat with completely black fur emerged from the bedding, its yellowish-brown eyes looking at Kenma in the room.
The cat stretched out its tongue to lick its foreleg, letting out soft meows.
Its appearance was charmingly naive and extremely cute.
Looking at the cute cat, the worry he had just felt about the unknown disturbance in the Seireitei brightened considerably, and his brows relaxed unconsciously.
When he recalled Uchiha Mikoto's reminder before entering the room, even though it was the first time Kenma had seen this cat, he recognized it immediately.
He walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and stretched out a finger, gently touching the cat's nose.
The cat didn't react with fear or resistance; instead, it moved closer affectionately, extending its small, pinkish-white, barbed tongue to lick Kenma's finger.
From the fingertip, across the finger pad, and onto the palm, Kenma, tickled by the licking, quickly pulled his hand back.
The cat suddenly raised its head to look at Kenma, tilting its head slightly and meowing.
"Meow?"
The call was soft, as if questioning why Kenma had pulled his hand away.
Kenma pretended to frown, putting on a stern face, and stared straight into the cat's eyes.
"Yoruichi, how long are you going to keep playing?"
The cat's head shrank back slightly. It continued to tilt its head and meow, its expression so innocent and unknowing, just like a real cat.
Kenma wouldn't be fooled by this cute appearance. With a quick hand, he grasped the scruff of the cat's neck—its fated weak spot—and lifted it up with one hand.
"Still not changing back? I saw through you long ago."
Seeing that she really couldn't keep up the act, the cat stopped its cute movements and expressions. Its four limbs dangled, and an unusual, masculine voice came from its mouth.
"You knew it was me just now, yet you kept teasing me. What's the meaning of this?"
"Since you knew it was me, hurry up and put me down!"
Kenma didn't let go. Instead, he lifted it in front of his face and shook it.
The cat extended its two front paws to scratch at Kenma's arm while yelling repeatedly, "Let me go! Damn it, let me go!"
Unfortunately, the cat's front paws were too short. They couldn't reach Kenma at all and could only flail about, which Kenma found very amusing.
An unprecedented satisfaction.
'Yoruichi really is cute sometimes.'
"How long are you going to hold me like this?" The cat, seeing it couldn't scratch Kenma, gradually stopped flailing.
Kenma raised an eyebrow and asked, "How did you turn into this form? I've never seen you like this before."
"You won't let go, huh? In that case, then…"
Before the cat finished speaking, her whole body glowed with a faint white light. Spirit particles surged, and her form gradually grew larger.
Kenma only felt a weight in his hand, pulling it down, and he involuntarily loosened his grip.
The cat seized the opportunity, immediately extending its not-yet-devolved front limbs, its claws hooking onto Kenma's sleeve.
As her body continued to grow, the cat landed on the bed, her upper body leaning back, pulling Kenma forward as well. His entire face pressed into two brown mounds.
"Yoruichi!"
"What tricks are you trying to pull now?"
Kenma pushed himself up. What met his eyes was a land of undulating brown earth, with mountains rising in the distance, and a relatively flat plain closer in.
Right in front of his nose was a lush and fertile land.
A delicate fragrance wafted over, filling his nostrils.
Kenma blinked, the beautiful scenery filling his vision. Unconsciously, his breathing quickened, and the warm air he exhaled turned into clouds and rain, making the fertile land even more lush, moist, and bright.
The entire brown earth trembled with a slight earthquake. Gurgling streams flowed from the earth's veins, gradually flooding the fertile land, making it overflow with water.
As if possessed, Kenma lowered his head and tasted the flavor of the fresh rain.
That post-rain freshness was mixed with the briny saltiness of the sea breeze.
After the brown earth experienced a series of tremors, Yoruichi bit down hard and endured it, finally letting out a long sigh.
Her forehead was covered in fine sweat, and a blush spread across her face, making it look dark and red, incredibly alluring.
Kenma sat up, gently wiping the moisture from the corner of his mouth. He looked down at Yoruichi, who looked like a peeled century egg, delicious and appetizing, whetting his appetite.
"Yoruichi, what did you need me for? And what happened in the Seireitei while I was gone?"
His hands didn't stop moving, but Kenma's voice was as deep as usual.
"You fraud, stop pretending with me…"
Yoruichi shot Kenma a look, her eyes like silk, winding around him.
She propped herself up and hammered Kenma's chest lightly with her fist.
Her voice became gradually muffled and intermittent.
"Ah… I called you here, mmm~ precisely for this."
Under Yoruichi's gentle fists, Kenma fell back, pulling back his glittering hand.
Seeing this, Yoruichi got up and straddled him directly, pulling open his robes to reveal the broad chest half-tattooed with roses and green leaves.
"These three days you were gone, I was starving."
"Let me eat my fill first, then I'll tell you."
Seeing Yoruichi like this, Kenma figured that even if something had happened in the Seireitei, it probably didn't involve the Shihoin family.
He relaxed and cooperated with Yoruichi's movements.
After a round of intense panting, Yoruichi slowed down. Only after catching her breath did she climb off, picking up a silk cloth from the bedside to wipe herself.
Kenma had also recovered and immediately asked, "Had your fill? If you're full, tell me what happened."
Yoruichi had a satisfied smile on her face. While wiping her body, she asked, "First, you tell me, how did you know that black cat was me? I've never changed into that form in front of anyone."
"When I returned, it was Mikoto who showed me in," Kenma said.
"So it was that Mikoto." Yoruichi pouted and grumbled, "I was trying to scare you. I even told her not to tell you…"
"She didn't tell me. She just gave me a few hints in her words, and I guessed from there."
Kenma sat up and pulled her into his arms, leaning against the headboard. He stroked the mountain peaks, soft yet firm.
His whole face buried into Yoruichi's purple hair, the fragrance of her hair filling his nose.
"Tell me, what exactly happened in the Seireitei these past few days?"
Yoruichi was tickled by Kenma's hand and quickly grabbed his large, thick hand.
Her initially rapid breathing gradually calmed down.
"You fraud. Remember that time when you just graduated from the Shin'ō Academy, the title of the 'Three Great Talents' was floating around?"
"It's the one from the Kuchiki family, who was named one of the 'Three Great Talents' alongside you. He committed a crime yesterday. He's now locked up in the Squad Six prison."
Kenma suddenly sat up straight. His eyes, looking at Yoruichi, narrowed slightly, and his brow showed astonishment.
"You're saying Kōga… he…"
"What on earth happened to him?"
Realizing his reaction was a bit much, Kenma immediately suppressed his expression, making himself look calm as usual.
Yoruichi saw Kenma's unusual reaction, gently took his hand, and said, "Just yesterday, two Great Hollows appeared outside the Rukongai. The Captain-Commander sent squad members to subjugate them, and Kuchiki Kōga was among them."
"When they returned, someone accused Kuchiki Kōga of attacking his fellow squad members. And the wounds on those dead Shinigami, after examination by the captain of Squad Four, were indeed found to be caused by a sword."
Kenma's brow furrowed, and he couldn't help but rub his forehead.
"I know Kōga relatively well. Although he's a bit arrogant and self-centered, he wouldn't do something like attacking a comrade."
"This is clearly a frame-up. Anyone with eyes can see it. How could he still be locked up?"
Back when he had just graduated, there was an internal conflict among the nobles in the Seireitei, and Kuchiki Kōga had been caught up in it.
Kenma, seeing his outstanding talent and unable to bear seeing it wasted, had put in a little effort. Coupled with his father-in-law's desperate protection, he had managed to escape disaster.
Later, the internal conflict ended quickly, and Kuchiki Kōga officially returned to his squad, becoming the 3rd seat of Squad Six. Although he later made one or two insignificant mistakes due to his arrogant nature, at most he was confined to the Kuchiki house for two or three days as a token punishment.
But it would never be like this, being directly imprisoned.
Yoruichi sighed and said, "Of course that can be seen, but the problem is the mastermind behind it did a perfect job. The witness testimony and physical evidence are all there, making it impossible to explain."
"The Central 46 was planning to sentence him directly to death. The old master of the Kuchiki family has been running around, on one hand asking me for help, having the Onmitsukidō investigate for him, and on the other, putting pressure on the Central 46. That's the only reason he's been able to protect his son-in-law until now, having him merely imprisoned in the Squad Six jail, under the old master's own supervision."
"As long as that guy stays put quietly, I believe with the old Kuchiki master's ability, he'll be able to clear his name soon."
Hearing this, Kenma's brow relaxed, only to furrow again.
"Yoruichi, do you think… could it be the Central 46 or other high-ranking officials who are afraid of Kōga's ability, and that's why they want to get rid of him?"
"Kuchiki Kōga's ability is dangerous, but…"
Yoruichi paused. When she thought about the nature of those people, her voice gradually trailed off.
'That situation... is not impossible!'
Kenma got up from the bed, walked over to the desk in Yoruichi's room, sat down, dried his hands, and then picked up a brush and ink, writing quickly on a piece of paper.
Yoruichi asked curiously, "What are you writing?"
"Kōga has an impulsive personality. I'm afraid he won't stay quiet," Kenma said without looking up. "I'm writing a letter. At least it might persuade him."
Yoruichi got out of bed, walked over, and leaned on Kenma's shoulder to look. What met her eyes was a pile of messy handwriting.
[To my elder brother Kōga, I hope this finds you well. Your noble character and worldly talent, your courage which surpasses all in the Seireitei, truly make you a hero of the Three Worlds. That you are now imprisoned must be the work of treacherous villains…]
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]