Soi fong instantly bristled.
She even forgot to ask where the two of them had gone—her beautiful eyes locked tightly onto Yoruichi.
Maybe it was just her imagination.
But why did the bruises and reddish marks on Yoruichi's body look so familiar?
It felt like she'd seen them somewhere before.
Cole sat on the couch-bed, looking speechless at the dark-skinned beauty in his arms.
"Miss Yoruichi, I'm not trying to be rude, but why did you suddenly turn back into a human? And what's with the injuries on your body?"
With a Soul Reaper's recovery ability, injuries at this level should've healed long ago, right?
Don't tell him she was some kind of masochist too.
Yoruichi's face reddened. She glared fiercely at Cole.
"Wasn't it because I wanted to stop you from going back?!"
"How would I have time to treat them?!"
If the Quincy noticed something was off while they were gone, what then?
Wouldn't the war explode instantly?
Of course, she wasn't worried about Soul Society losing. What she was worried about was the "Soul King substitute" problem Cole had mentioned.
Beside them, Soi fong watched the two of them chatting like it was nothing, her expression complicated.
In the end, she couldn't take it anymore. She hurriedly grabbed a blanket and covered Yoruichi's enticing wheat-colored skin.
"Lady Yoruichi, you need to be more careful. This little brat is super lecherous."
As she spoke, Soi fong shot Cole a vicious glare.
The moment her words fell, a flash of realization struck her mind—she finally remembered where she'd seen bruises like that.
Wasn't it… her own reflection in the mirror after she'd been bullied by Cole?!
Back then, her wrists, forearms, thighs, and calves… all had faint bruises.
And on her chest, lower abdomen, and neck… there had been light red kiss marks.
The more she thought about it, the redder Soi fong's face became.
She glared at Cole even harder, then pounced like a tiger and pinned him down.
"Brat! Tell me—what did you do to Lady Yoruichi?! You actually dared to bully Lady Yoruichi! I'll never forgive you…!"
"Ow, ow, ow…!"
Cole winced from the pain.
He wasn't using spiritual pressure to protect himself right now, so the pain was very real.
Seeing Soi fong bite down on his arm and refuse to let go, Cole lunged back just as hard, pinning Soi fong beneath him.
"You sick yandere yuri flower—I've put up with you for a long time. Watch me teach you a harsh lesson."
Yoruichi sat at the head of the bed, watching the two of them wrestle and roll around on the bed, her expression utterly speechless.
"You two… are you done yet?"
As they tussled, Soi fong's face grew hotter and hotter, and her body grew softer and softer, until she finally looked at Cole weakly, all flimsy and powerless.
"You… bastard…"
This brat had bullied her before—he knew all her sensitive spots far too well.
"Soi fong, I win!"
Cole sat smugly on Soi fong's pale lower abdomen, looking down at her in triumph.
Then he casually flicked her stomach with a finger.
Soi fong bit her lower lip, cheeks flushed, and shyly looked at Cole's face—before she couldn't help closing her eyes.
Facing that gorgeous sight, even Cole couldn't help swallowing as he slowly leaned down.
"Soi fong… you're so beautiful…"
Bang!
A soft bare foot slammed into Cole's face.
Yoruichi pulled her leg back, face slightly flushed, and glared fiercely at Cole.
"Brat, what do you think you're doing to Soi fong right in front of me?!"
She had a feeling that if she hadn't kicked him, those two would've put on a live adult show right in front of her.
And Soi fong too.
They'd clearly agreed she was going to punish Cole—so why did she end up looking like she was waiting to be picked and eaten?
That shy, eyes-closed expression…
Even Yoruichi felt her heart twitch a little when she saw it, alright?!
Cole rubbed his face and complained, "Miss Yoruichi, it's really rude to interrupt someone at a time like this."
He'd basically loaded the bullet.
And still didn't get to fire a single shot.
Soi fong was already so embarrassed her whole face was burning red. She hurriedly shoved Cole away with her foot.
"Get off, get off…!"
Because of all the fooling around with Cole, she'd completely forgotten Lady Yoruichi was on this bed too.
It wasn't like she'd been desperately needy lately or anything!
Seeing that, Yoruichi lifted the blanket off her body, walked over, grabbed Cole's hand, and said in a low voice:
"Alright, alright. You've already returned to Soul Society. The two of us need to hurry back."
They'd finally come up with a plan to split the Wandenreich—she didn't want to waste precious time now.
"Huh?!"
Cole was extremely unwilling.
"Miss Yoruichi, I've been back in Soul Society for less than ten minutes. Besides Soi fong, there are still a lot of people I haven't seen—like Rukia and Hana-nee…"
"No. You have to come back with me."
Yoruichi grabbed Cole's hand and tried to drag him off the bed by force.
Soi fong stared, stunned.
What was going on?!
Lady Yoruichi was taking Cole away?
Where were they going?
More importantly… during the time those two disappeared, where exactly did they go, and what did they do?
Thinking about the bruises and kiss marks on Yoruichi…
A bold guess started forming in Soi fong's heart.
Could it be… those two fell for each other, went to some unknown place, and went wild there for over half a month?
And after that, Lady Yoruichi completely fell in love with the feeling Cole gave her, and wanted to drag him away to live in seclusion there.
But Cole refused—he forcibly returned to Soul Society because he wanted to check on Rukia and Unohana and the others.
So Lady Yoruichi was trying to pull him back…
Trying to keep Cole all to herself.
After reaching that bold conclusion, Soi fong's eyes, watching the tug-of-war, became unbearably conflicted.
No!
Lady Yoruichi stole Cole away.
No, wait!
Cole stole Lady Yoruichi away.
No, that's not right either…
So who stole who, exactly?!
Soi fong grabbed her hair in frustration, then charged at the two of them, pouncing hard, and snarled viciously:
"No! You two can't leave me behind! Wherever you're going, you have to take me with you!"
The woman she loved most and the man she loved most were running away together—then what was she supposed to be?
A lonely little girl guarding an empty room?!
Yoruichi looked at the ferocious Soi fong and held her head, exhausted.
"No. That side's Quincy Schrift abilities are way too weird. If you go over there, you might get discovered."
She also wanted to bring a few people over so someone could help think of ideas.
But the problem was…
What if they got discovered?
Cole smiled and said, "About that—I've got an idea. We can just use Gigai (Faux Body), right?"
Yoruichi froze for a moment and stared at him suspiciously.
"Gigai (Faux Body)?!"
"Are you sure?!"
Of course she knew what a Gigai was.
It was a tool designed for Soul Reapers staying in the Human World, used to let them recover injuries.
Its biological structure could simulate human physiological functions, letting a Soul Reaper in spirit form obtain a physical body and act like a living person.
The minimum spiritual pressure threshold to maintain that vessel was about 15% of an ordinary Soul Reaper's total spiritual pressure.
But fundamentally, that thing was just a temporary flesh puppet for Soul Reapers—completely different from a real human body.
With such a big difference…
Wouldn't it really be detected?
"Relax. I'm a Quincy now too—this level of knowledge, I understand."
Cole patted his chest confidently.
A Soul Reaper using Gigai tech wasn't considered human, but it still counted as possessing a temporary flesh-and-blood body.
As long as they didn't use Soul Reaper abilities, Quincy couldn't tell the difference at all.
As for how Uryu Ishida discovered Rukia's identity in the original story—that was only because he saw her use her powers.
Hearing this, a flash of joy appeared in Yoruichi's eyes.
"Then Captain-Commander Yamamoto could also—"
"No. That old man can't. Give it up."
Cole cut her off ruthlessly.
"With his level of spiritual pressure, do you really think any Gigai (Faux Body) could hold his soul?"
Yoruichi thought about it and realized he was right. She immediately deflated.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto's spiritual pressure is too strong. Even in a normal state, a standard Gigai (Faux Body) couldn't withstand it."
Making Yamamoto enter a Gigai (Faux Body) was like a snake swallowing an elephant.
The elephant's massive body would instantly burst the python apart.
At this point, Soi fong was completely lost, staring at the two of them in confusion like she was hearing medical jargon she didn't understand.
"Um… Lady Yoruichi, Cole… what are you two talking about?"
She couldn't hold it in anymore and interrupted, utterly baffled.
"What Quincy? What Schrift? What Gigai? What are you two even saying? I can't understand a single sentence!"
Yoruichi thought for a moment, then turned to Cole and asked,
"Can we tell Soi fong about what's going on over there?"
"Well…"
Cole subconsciously rubbed his chin, thinking back to Yhwach's ability.
They called it Zenchizenno (The Almighty), but it wasn't truly all-knowing and all-powerful.
The Soul King's Zenchizenno (The Almighty) was the real deal.
Yhwach, as the Soul King's "child," had a flawed, incomplete version.
In essence, its true ability was to change the future.
He first saw scenes of the future, then used his Schrift ability to alter that future.
It wasn't as absolute as true omniscience and omnipotence, but it was still an outrageously unsolvable power.
Any future Yhwach didn't like would be rewritten by his ability.
Leaving behind a future that was nearly perfect.
In the Thousand-Year Blood War, the reason Yhwach was defeated was partly because Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu played a role, and partly because Ichigo had protagonist-level luck.
Maybe… this time, Yhwach really could succeed.
Thinking of that, Cole also thought about his own ability. After pondering for a moment, he finally spoke slowly:
"We can tell Soi fong—but there's a condition."
"After learning everything, you must stay by my side at all times."
Soi fong's face instantly turned red again. She was just about to lash out at Cole when she heard Yoruichi ask seriously:
"Because of the Quincy Schrift ability?"
"That's right."
Cole nodded slightly.
His Nyoi Kin'kobou (As-You-Wish Golden Cudgel) could block Yhwach's Seibetsu (Holy Selection).
Most likely, it could also block Yhwach's Zenchizenno (The Almighty) seeing and rewriting the future—like a protective net.
But that net only existed within the range around him.
If someone left that net, they would reappear inside Yhwach's "future."
Running into danger would be a small matter.
But if Yhwach learned the whole cause and effect…
Maybe even the Three Realms would be in danger.
Seeing Cole's expression turn so serious, Yoruichi tensed up as well and looked at Soi fong with the same solemn gaze.
"Soi fong, if you want to know, then from now on, you'll stay by Cole's side."
Soi fong's face grew even redder.
She knew that wasn't what Yoruichi meant, but she still felt shy.
Because it sounded like Yoruichi was marrying her off to Cole—even though he was a shameless womanizer.
Still, Soi fong nodded.
Because she was overwhelmingly curious about the things they were talking about.
Quincy?!
Schrift?!
What were those?!
Weren't the Quincy basically extinct?
Why did it sound like there were a ton of them?
Yoruichi took a deep breath, pointed to the shadow beneath the table, and began explaining to Soi fong with a grave expression.
"Soi fong… within the shadows of our Seireitei, there's actually a colossal force hidden there, called the Wandenreich…"
"That is the world of the Quincy. Inside it live more than a hundred thousand Quincy…"
"And there's also the Sternritter, comparable to the Seireitei…"
(End of Chapter)
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