First, let's start with a report on the current situation since last time.
Regarding Tankaho-san, I arranged for him to work in the Fourth Division doing chores.
He's been helping with cooking and sewing.
(Ah, of course, I explained the circumstances to Captain Unohana and obtained permission beforehand.)
As for his residence, there was a squad member who quit the Fourth Division in the past and opened a restaurant, so I asked that shop to let him live in. Since he's living in, he's also helping out at that restaurant.
Tankaho-san was an amateur at cooking, so I taught him the basics.
Naturally, I explained everything properly to Tankaho-san as well.
"I can shelter you. I can also pass you work. However, the job is completely different from the Executive Militia; are you okay with that?" I asked. Then he said, "No problem." So I responded, "Then let's go with that," and it was decided just like that.
Since there's quite a bit of manual labor involved, he seems to be surprisingly useful.
Also.
Just in case, we have discussed cover stories that can feign ignorance and escape routes from assassins.
I'm the one who picked up the trouble, so I prepared that much.
In the worst case, I will eliminate the assassins. Without leaving even a trace.
'Actually, I am the one in charge of eliminating them! If possible, I would be happy if the assassins were female!! ...Kunoichi captured by the enemy play... Fishnets and rubber suits... Dyufufu...'
He's saying something disturbing, but let's pretend I didn't hear it.
So, regarding Tankaho-san—although he's using a pseudonym so he doesn't go by this name right now—that's about it.
-----
Next is regarding Soifon...
"Umm... Is it really okay? I am an outsider, so..."
"It's okay, it's okay."
I call out to her to reassure her as she looks bewildered at the Fourth Division training grounds.
The Fourth Division's training grounds are rarely used except during scheduled training times... Occasionally the Captain uses it with someone, but other than that, not at all.
So people hardly ever come here.
...Other divisions have members who do voluntary training, so Soifon asked in the sense of "Is it okay for me to use it? Won't I be in the way?"... so...
"People rarely come here, so rest assured. Now then, shall we begin training?"
So, we are training together to fulfill the promise of becoming stronger.
Our days off meshed well—Soifon is off duty and I just finished the night shift—so we could start from the morning like this.
Since I didn't know her ability well, I decided on the training grounds as the location.
"For now, could you attack me with full power?"
"Full power... you say!?"
Hearing that, she shows a bewildered look.
"Yes, of course. Otherwise, I won't know Soifon-san's current ability."
"U-Understood!"
"That's right, of course, you can use your Zanpakuto too. Literally full power, please."
"...!?"
This time she gasped.
"...Understood. Then, here I come!"
As expected of someone from the Executive Militia.
Though bewildered, she seemed to immediately separate her emotions from her thoughts. She attacked me with eyes free of hesitation.
The opening move seems to be Hakuda—in other words, unarmed close-quarters combat.
She showed movements that utilized her petite physique to compete with speed.
"Hmm hmm..."
Using Shunpo—no, this is slightly different again. Is it a unique movement technique of the Onmitsukido or the Fon family?
While trying not to let the opponent read her movements, she unleashes punches and kicks flowingly. The speed is excellent too; is this the result of being favored by Yoruichi-san and receiving instruction from Tankaho-san?
"I can't... hit...!"
However, I have also been trained by Captain Unohana.
I can't let myself be hit by this level.
Right fist, left fist... this is a feint, this one is the real deal. This kick is a countermeasure for when Shunpo is dodged, right? Rather, dodging poorly would be dangerous, perhaps?
Stepping in? Sweep, thrust...
"Kuh...!"
Oh, she threw a hidden weapon.
She released it in sync with the movements of her close-quarters attack. Moreover, another one in the shadow of the weapon.
This is quite a "first-sight killer"...
"Hup."
"She caught it!?"
I catch each of the two thrown daggers and stop them.
Compared to the Captain's sword, it's too slow, so this much is a service.
"...In that case!"
She drew her Zanpakuto, huh...
What she held was short like a kodachi or wakizashi—ninja sword, was it called? It's a shape that looks easy to handle.
If she intends to utilize speed, this is natural.
I wonder what happens from here?
"Aaaaaaaahhh!!"
Her spirit is good, but her sword line is... hmm hmm.
In addition to speed, she skillfully intertwines sword and fist; her technique is quite something. However, because she is inferior in arm strength and physique, she inevitably tends to focus her consciousness on the sword.
The fact that her attacks are becoming less reserved is proof that she's getting into the training, I suppose?
This is more than enough for observation, but naturally, I think "I want to see everything" while we're at it.
"Here."
"Aah!?"
Riding the movement of her thrust, I grab the opponent's body and use that momentum to throw her lightly.
Perhaps she didn't expect a counterattack; although she barely managed to break her fall, Soifon flew lightly through the air and was slammed onto the ground.
...Normally, if I throw someone, I immediately follow up with an unavoidable instant kill attack, but since this is training, naturally there's none of that. She would die.
"Soifon-san, I said 'full power,' didn't I?"
"!?"
Her posture of trying to get up immediately is good.
While grimacing slightly in pain and trying to regain her stance, she seemed genuinely surprised by my words.
"Full power... is it really okay?"
"Of course."
"...Understood!"
Really, she's an honest and understanding child...
Leaving such a good child behind, Yoruichi-san is cruel.
She readied her sword as if steeling herself further, and then—
"Jinteki Shakusetsu! Suzumebachi!"
—She released her Shikai.
The Zanpakuto entwined around her right hand like a strange gauntlet or ring-shaped bracelet, transforming to cover only her middle finger.
It feels like a so-called armor ring accessory.
As the name suggests, the contrast of gold and black reminiscent of a hornet's body color has a beauty that looks like a unique ornament at a glance.
...So this child has already achieved Shikai too... I took a hundred and fifty years...
"Here I come... Yaaah!!"
Round two start, you could say.
As expected, the basis of her tactics is unarmed combat. Perhaps thanks to the enhancement from Shikai and both hands becoming free, her movements became visibly sharper.
However, since the tactical pattern itself hasn't changed, it doesn't appear that threatening.
"Why...!? Not even a scratch...!!"
...But you know... If I recall, this child's Zanpakuto ability is...
In that case, maybe I should take a hit at least once... Yeah, let's do that.
"Yah!"
"Here, right."
"...Ah!!"
I catch the thrust from her right hand's sword hand with my left hand as if grabbing her fist.
Naturally, the sting of Suzumebachi pierced my palm.
"I-I'm sorry!!"
"You don't need to apologize; it's a wound I took willingly."
Since I've already used Kaido at an unconscious level, not a single scar remains on my palm.
"More importantly, what is this?"
There, a strange pattern was carved instead of a wound.
"Eh... W-Why is the wound... N-No, more importantly!! That is called the Hōmonka, it is my Zanpakuto's ability!!"
Looks like my memory wasn't wrong after all.
"By launching another attack with Suzumebachi on that pattern, it inevitably brings death to the opponent—that is the ability! I'm sorry, I'll release it right away..."
"Ah, it's fine. If it's just this much..."
I pour spiritual pressure guuu into the affected area and suppress the pattern.
The pattern becomes smaller, and then...
"It, it disappeared...!?"
After all, it's like a brawl between spiritual pressures; I can erase it by force like this.
"Why...!? It was just carved, so there should still be time remaining..."
"It depends on the opponent, but if you pour spiritual pressure into it, you can do this much."
Even with the explanation, her surprise seems to continue, and she is blinking her eyes rapidly.
"More importantly, I generally understand. Is it okay to proceed in the direction of improving Hakuda and Taijutsu for the Executive Militia basically?"
"Eh, ah... Yes! Please do!!"
Like that, the training began.
And there, an unexpected event occurred!!
...Training together means I end up learning techniques like the secret traditions of the Executive Militia and the Fon family one after another.
Is this okay!? Is information security and compliance and stuff okay!?
When I got scared and asked, she declared with a good smile, "If it is Yukawa-sama, there is no problem!"
Is it okay? Is it really okay!? I can't take responsibility anymore!!
Since I got a little scared, I decided to teach her a new technique too.
It was one of Captain Unohana's sword techniques, something that manipulates the flow of the opponent's movement to break their stance or deflect attacks.
It feels close to what is now called Jujutsu. Like making that more practical for combat.
With this, I think it will be useful enough even for the physically weaker Soifon.
Also, I let something slip just a little... but I think this much is no problem. Sooner or later she would have arrived there on her own, so it just became a bit of a shortcut.
Rather, I made her worry...
Since I taught her generally everything, it became lunchtime, so we ate bento together.
This is also made using the "technique to become stronger by eating" taught by former Captain Hikifune, so it's full of nutrition and outstandingly effective.
I did Jinzen properly before eating, so hygiene is no problem.
Soifon eating extremely deliciously was impressive.
When she's not being twisted, she really is cute, this child.
The afternoon is for reviewing the morning and raising the base level through basic training.
This kind of plain training is tough alone, but you can do your best with someone, right?
Soifon also seems focused on training, and I don't feel a speck of tragedy on her face. At least it seems she doesn't have gloomy emotions.
Above all, I think training where you don't face the danger of death is wonderful.
We continued training until evening came.
...Yup, let's just invite her!
-----
"I can't... hit...!!"
She continued to unleash the techniques she had learned so far, every fighting method she could think of, everything she had trained without any reservation, yet none of it worked on the Shinigami—Airi Yukawa—in front of her.
It was as if she were trying to grasp a cloud.
Won't you train together?
She was happy to be invited like that, but when she calmed down, Soifon was a little anxious.
There is no room to doubt Airi's medical skills, but what about her martial arts skills? It is said she made a name for herself in the war against the Quincy about a hundred years ago, but isn't that just rumors spreading with exaggeration?
In conclusion, that was nothing but a needless worry.
Even though she keeps throwing everything she has built up without sparing anything, she can't reach her at all.
Pulled by the woman in front of her, her attacks continue to become sharper, and the leeway to hold back has long since vanished.
Yet she is no match for her.
Airi still seems to have plenty of leeway, while she is already at her limit.
She can't see the bottom at all.
She couldn't imagine the difference in ability between the two.
"Haa... haa...!! Guh!!"
"Soifon-san, I said 'full power,' didn't I?"
"!?"
She had no intention of letting her guard down. But before she knew it, she had been thrown.
Not only that, Airi demands full power—even telling her to show her Shikai.
"Jinteki Shakusetsu! Suzumebachi!"
Already, there isn't a speck of words like reservation or holding back in Soifon.
She does Shikai as told and continues attacking, but she didn't feel the gap shrink even a step. Rather, by doing Shikai and heightening her spiritual pressure, she clearly understood the difference in ability she had vaguely felt.
Far, far, even further... How far ahead has the woman in front of her gone?
I want her not to leave me behind.
Soifon's deep psyche birthed such a wish.
"Ah!"
Before she knew it, Airi had caught a blow from Suzumebachi with her hand, and this chilled Soifon to the bone—not only because she was surprised that the wound she certainly inflicted disappeared without a trace in an instant, but more than that.
From her perspective knowing the ability of Nigeki Kessatsu, what she did just now was like exposing a weakness.
In front of Soifon who tried to release the ability immediately, she forcibly erased the Hōmonka with the difference in spiritual pressure.
(That's... impossible...)
Because she is still immature, the Hōmonka will disappear on its own over time.
If she masters it, it might be possible to keep the pattern carved forever, but it's impossible now.
To put it bluntly, it is an incomplete Shikai.
But no matter how incomplete it is, this shouldn't happen.
She knows such a phenomenon occurs when there is too much difference in spiritual pressure, but against someone currently enrolled in the Executive Militia, this treatment shouldn't be possible.
To crush the Hōmonka with spiritual pressure.
When she lightly probed the spiritual pressure, she understood immediately.
She wasn't hiding it with illusions or anything; she really erased it with just spiritual pressure.
"—Is it okay to proceed in the direction of improving Hakuda and Taijutsu for the Executive Militia basically?"
"Eh, ah... Yes! Please do!!"
Being called out to while she was dumbfounded, Soifon returned to her senses.
Let's become strong.
If I become strong, it won't be impossible to take everything back or make Yoruichi my subordinate.
Because the opponent in front of her undoubtedly possesses enough power to make that word worthy of belief.
having the Hōmonka nullified so easily, there was no room for doubt.
The subsequent training was like a dream for Soifon.
"A-Awawawa!?"
"How is it? Does it seem useful?"
Just when she thought she launched an attack, her movements were dominated, and before she knew it, she was thrown.
Sometimes, a strike from a knife hand was manipulated to attack her own body.
All attacks were sealed off with soft movements.
It was a very strange technique.
It is different from the entire Onmitsukido, and different from the combat techniques the Fon family has inherited.
But if mastered, it will definitely be useful.
It was enough to convince her so.
"Thank you very much! It looks very convenient!!"
If she can be taught this, what hesitation would she have in offering everything she knows, such as Shunpo and Taijutsu?
Enough to make her think so from the bottom of her heart.
"Setting aside today, let's train Kido firmly after a while."
"Eh, Kido...?"
During training, being told such a thing suddenly by Airi, Soifon was a little bewildered.
Naturally, she has learned the basics of Kido, but due to the nature of the unit, it is rarely used. From the perspective of Onmitsukido tactics of assassination and surprise attacks, conspicuous flashy spells are a bit inconvenient to use.
In the first place, if one deals with Kido, there is the specialized Kido Corps.
She won't say it's useless, but aren't there plenty of skills that should be prioritized more?—She ends up thinking like that.
"Yes, because Kido is essential to use Shunko, right?"
"Shun... ko...? What is that...?"
"If I recall, it's a technique where you gather Kido in your limbs and explode it simultaneously with punches and kicks—"
"Eeeeeeeeeh!? S-Such a method exists!?!?"
However, Soifon's thoughts were easily overturned.
Cladding Kido like Hakuda or Shunpo and using it as an attack method—she has not only never heard of it but never even thought about it.
"—Ah! I'm sorry! This, I recall only the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido was supposed to inherit it..."
Seeing Airi panicking and starting to apologize, Soifon was convinced, "I see, this was the reason she was speaking as if squeezing out memories."
She judged that the reason she let it slip inadvertently must be because Airi didn't remember it clearly.
"So, pretend you didn't hear it... is impossible, right..."
"That is, well... I'm sorry, it's impossible! I can't forget it!!"
"That's true..."
"B-But, but it's okay!! Because I will become the next Commander-in-Chief!! So Yukawa-sama has not leaked a secret!! The order just swapped a little!!"
Soifon's desperate follow-up.
-----
"Wah...! This, this is...!!"
"Don't hold back, eat up. I made it all for Soifon-san."
"All of this, for me...?"
In front of the jubako (tiered food box), Soifon's eyes were sparkling like a child.
Inside the three-tiered box—one tier is packed with onigiri, though—colorful dishes are packed.
Every single one of the visually vivid dishes stimulates the appetite, making one wonder which one to start with.
Every dish seems to be inviting her, saying "Eat me," but they look so vivid that it feels wasteful to eat them.
"Th-Then... starting with this one...!"
After much hesitation, she touches one with her chopsticks.
"How is it?"
"Delicious... It's delicious...!!"
"I'm glad. It seems it suits your taste."
It tasted so gentle that tears spilled from Soifon's eyes.
From there, she ate engrossed.
Everything was delicious, delicious, and surprising...
She was further surprised to learn that this food was the rumored Fourth Division special cuisine that "makes you stronger against injuries and illnesses just by eating."
Training resumes after the meal and a rest.
There, perhaps because the effect of the meal appeared immediately, Soifon showed sharp movements completely different from the morning.
Even plain basic ability improvement, power overflows so much that she feels she can continue indefinitely.
But more than anything, what makes her happy is that there is someone always watching her next to her.
Watching her movements constantly, matching her carefully and politely. The moment she thinks she stumbled, a hand reaches out to her.
This person is far, far ahead of me, but she will absolutely never leave me and go somewhere! Even if she goes ahead, she will wait for me!!
There is no basis. But she could believe so unconditionally.
However, no matter how much Airi waits, time waits for no one.
"It's already this time... Shall we end it soon for today?"
"...Yes."
The surroundings were dyed in the sunset, and the sun was setting.
The sound of the closing bell can be heard from afar. Before she knew it, night was approaching close.
Soifon murmurs with a somewhat regretful look.
If she said something like, "I want to train how to fight in the dark too!", surely the woman in front of her would accompany her. But she can't drag her around just for her own selfish convenience.
Hopefully, now—the time with Airi—would continue more, she ends up thinking dissatisfiedly.
Perhaps her wish reached the heavens.
"That's right, Soifon-san, do you still have time?"
"Time, is it?"
"If you'd like, want to stay over at my place?"
"......I would love to, please!!"
For the current her, there was no need to hesitate.
Or rather, the moment she understood the words Airi spoke, she was soaring with a feeling like ascending to heaven.
How much was she soaring?
(Brother... Shaolin might become an adult today...)
—She was soaring enough to call herself by her childhood name, which she was supposed to have changed.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]