Hearing the voice, both Satoru and Yamamoto turned toward the dojo entrance.
There, a short-haired, dark-skinned girl brimming with youthful energy walked in with a grin.
"Yoruichi Shihōin?"
Seeing the newcomer, Yamamoto frowned slightly.
Under their gazes, Yoruichi strolled over, laughing as she patted Satoru's arm.
"You're being so distant! I was trained in the Onmitsukidō—tracking, assassination, all that stuff? I'm the best at it."
Satoru's eyes lit up. "Oh right, how could I forget!"
"Learning from a pretty girl is way more fun than learning from an old man, isn't it?"
Yamamoto: "?"
A vein pulsed on the old man's forehead.
Yoruichi burst into laughter.
Yamamoto spoke gravely, "Satoru, why do you suddenly want to learn these things?"
"If you can't give a reasonable explanation, I can't just ignore this."
Hearing this, Satoru hesitated for a moment.
Though they hadn't known each other long, and their current relationship had formed under complicated circumstances, the old man had genuinely helped him a lot.
After some thought, he decided to tell the truth.
"I have a friend who might be facing a critical choice in life. I want to stay close to him and make sure he doesn't take the wrong path."
"So, I need to learn tracking techniques to keep an eye on his situation."
As he spoke, even Satoru felt a little moved by his own words.
To prevent Aizen from becoming that universally despised, lonely wretch in the future—he was really putting in the effort.
Surely, if Yamamoto had any conscience, he'd support this wholeheartedly…
But when he snapped back to reality, he found both Yamamoto and Yoruichi silently staring at him.
A few seconds later, Yoruichi snorted. "Satoru, you should come up with a better excuse."
"If you said this 'friend' was yourself, I might've believed you."
"With your skills, tracking your friend would be child's play—why would you even need tracking techniques?"
"You didn't even bother making up a convincing lie."
Satoru: "???"
What the hell—
He turned to Yamamoto, hoping for some validation.
But the old man just kept staring at him.
Seeing their reactions, Satoru couldn't help but snap, "Fine! I've got my eye on a pretty girl and want to know where she lives so I can launch a clingy, relentless, downright brutal pursuit! That's why I need tracking techniques!"
Yoruichi blinked, then put on a serious face. "Now that is a matter of great importance. Can't afford to delay."
Satoru: "???"
Yamamoto frowned slightly and cautioned, "Be careful not to do anything against the law. Once you confirm the other party's identity, it's best to inform me. I'll help verify their background."
Satoru: "..."
...
After bidding farewell to Yamamoto, Satoru followed Yoruichi to the Shihōin family estate.
Passing through the main gate, he found himself gazing at an endless expanse of traditional Japanese garden architecture.
Noticing Satoru's reaction, Yoruichi chuckled, "So, what do you think?"
Satoru clicked his tongue. "Nothing good, that's for sure... Look at these buildings. Every beam, every foundation stone was paid for with the blood and sweat of the working class."
"The nobility are truly despicable."
Hearing this, Yoruichi was startled.
In Soul Society, criticizing the nobility was a serious offense. If overheard by the wrong people, the consequences could be severe.
Just as she was about to warn Satoru, he added with a sigh:
"What's even more despicable is that I don't get to share in this despicableness."
It took Yoruichi a few seconds to process what he meant.
She made a face somewhere between amusement and exasperation.
For a moment, she had thought Satoru was the type who harbored extreme hatred toward the nobility.
Now realizing her mistake, she understood—if that were truly his nature, how could he be friends with Sōjun Kuchiki or actively seek her help?
Suddenly struck by an idea, Yoruichi leaned closer and said:
"Want to become nobility? I've got a great idea."
"What's that?" Satoru raised an eyebrow.
Yoruichi grinned. "Marry into the Shihōin family. Then you'd be one of the exalted Four Great Noble Houses."
"Satoru Shihōin—how does that sound? Pretty good, right?"
Satoru appeared thoughtful.
After a few seconds, he shook his head. "Changing my surname doesn't bother me, but marrying you would interfere with my plans to build a grand harem in Soul Society. So I'll pass."
Yoruichi: "..."
Though she had been joking, Satoru's reason for refusal still made her roll her eyes.
The two arrived at an open area and sat facing each other.
Yoruichi began tracing characters in the air with spiritual particles, explaining the tracking Kidō technique to Satoru.
"This Kidō is a new formula I developed by combining the secret techniques of the Onmitsukidō with Shihōin family technology."
"If you're careful when setting it up, even Shinigami stronger than you will have difficulty detecting its presence."
"But there's one thing to note—to enhance its concealment, this Kidō has a very short duration. Once activated, it lasts about three hours before dissipating automatically."
Satoru listened attentively, even more focused than during Yamamoto's lectures.
Yoruichi held nothing back, explaining every detail thoroughly.
When Satoru practiced the technique, she carefully observed his mistakes and provided targeted guidance.
Soon, Satoru mastered the technique.
Though his training aptitude paled in comparison to Aizen's, his comprehension was by no means weak.
If he had truly been completely talentless, he couldn't have become a top student among the prodigies of the first-year class even before bonding with Aizen.
Seeing that Satoru had fully mastered the technique, Yoruichi nodded in satisfaction.
"To learn this secret art so quickly, you really are suited for the Onmitsukidō."
Satoru rubbed his chin. "Is there a chance that I'm not just good at the Onmitsukidō, but also quick at learning techniques from other fields?"
Called out on her flattery, Yoruichi laughed heartily.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Satoru spoke up. "By the way, Yoruichi, you must be pretty familiar with the 12th Division, right? What's their captain like?"
Hearing this, Yoruichi looked puzzled. "The 12th Division… Captain Hikifune? I don't have much interaction with the 12th Division, but I've heard about her personality. She's straightforward and should be easy to get along with."
Satoru made a surprised sound.
The reason he thought Yoruichi would be familiar with the 12th Division was that, in his memory, Kisuke Urahara had been transferred from the 2nd Division to the 12th Division.
However, he wasn't entirely sure about the exact timeline.
The chronology of Bleach was too messy—even an ordinary viewer like him couldn't keep track, let alone the author themselves.
After a moment of thought, he asked, "Do you know Kisuke Urahara?"
Yoruichi frowned slightly, tilting her head in contemplation.
A few seconds later, she let out an "Ah!"
"Kisuke Urahara… I know that name. Before Captain Kirinji left, he left a list with the Shihōin family."
"The list recorded some promising newcomers he thought were worth observing and promoting when the time was right."
"That name was on the list!"
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