Shirō could tell, even Yoruichi didn't fool around in front of that old man. That alone made it clear: this elder was no simple character. If Yoruichi couldn't afford to provoke him, then Shirō had no chance at all. In both status and strength, he lagged far behind.
So Shirō never thought about "getting even." As for holding a grudge, what nonsense. In the world of Soul Reapers, strength was everything. Being looked down on when weak was normal. As long as you weren't killed, you were already lucky. Of course, he wouldn't just let it slide. He swore that once he grew strong, he'd return the favor, make that old man taste what his spiritual pressure felt like.
If the elder didn't "respect the young," why should Shirō "respect the old"? Fair's fair.
What Shirō didn't notice was that the old man's eyes actually glimmered with approval. This boy isn't bad. So young, and he can already withstand my pressure… he has potential.
In Soul Society, spiritual pressure didn't just measure power, it also revealed talent. The younger one was when one's pressure showed, the more gifted they were. Shin'ō Academy's entrance exam relied heavily on this: those who failed to reach the minimum were simply unfit to become Soul Reapers. By contrast, those with high readings at entry often went on to be lieutenants or even captains.
And those who were both absurdly young and absurdly powerful? Those were the true prodigies, like Gin Ichimaru or Hitsugaya Tōshirō.
Shirō, in the elder's eyes, already carried a spark of that potential. What would come of it remained to be seen, but if he grew normally, he'd at least become a noteworthy officer one day.
"Enough for today. I will be taking my leave now."
Finally! Under Shirō's desperate, praying gaze, the elder capped his brush and slowly turned, bowing slightly to Yoruichi.
Yoruichi rose at once, tugging Shirō up with her, even pushing his head down into a bow. "Thank you for your guidance," she said politely.
The old man nodded, cast one last amused look at Shirō's sulking face, and then, whoosh!, vanished from sight in a single step.
"Whoa! That half-dead geezer, looked like he could barely walk, yet he ran off like lightning?!" Shirō blurted. Of course, he was mocking him as much as marveling. The elder might've been aged, but he hardly looked frail. Not something Shirō could've say aloud, but behind his back? Fair game. Still, he was genuinely stunned. Could that have been the legendary shunpo?
"Ahem." The old man's voice whispered suddenly in Shirō's ear. He reappeared without warning, making Shirō's jaw drop. Casually, he muttered, "Ah, old age… the memory fails. Forgot my textbook." He picked it up as if nothing had happened.
"…If he's really that old, his hearing should've gone too, right?" Shirō muttered nervously toward Yoruichi.
Her eyes narrowed, barely hiding the laughter trembling at the edges.
"What's that? I didn't quite hear you!" The elder's roar exploded right in Shirō's ear. This time it wasn't spiritual pressure, it was like taking a full blast of a lion's roar.
By the time Shirō stopped reeling, the elder was long gone.
"That bastard! He did it on purpose! Damn geezer!" Shirō yelled, then instantly slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes darting around. He was still terrified the old man might somehow hear him again.
"Hahaha! Relax, he's gone for real this time. Oh man, kid, you're hilarious! Even more fun than I expected!" Yoruichi slapped his shoulder, laughter ringing as she finally dropped the icy mask and returned to her true mischievous self.
"Pfft. Picking on a kids, what a joke. Yoruichi, who is that guy, anyway? Making such a big scene?" Shirō asked with disdain.
Yoruichi blinked, not because of his question, but because he'd called her by name, so casually. For most people, even hearing her name was enough to make them kneel. When Yoruichi actually invited others to call her that, they trembled in fear. Only peers of her rank, like Shiba Kaien, ever try. Yet here was Shirō, a nobody from a minor family, calling her name without hesitation.
But instead of anger, Yoruichi felt a strange thrill. She hadn't ordered him to do it; he'd just started calling her "Yoruichi" on his own. It was like in those stories, where a scrappy rascal called the king "buddy" instead of "Your Majesty." Refreshing.
Shirō, oblivious, carried on. For him it was just habit from his past life. "Yoruichi" rolled right off the tongue.
"Oh, him? One of our family elders. Stiff as a board, boring as hell. Probably won't live much longer." Yoruichi smirked.
Shirō nearly faceplanted. Yep, that's Yoruichi all right. Even dares to jinx her own elders… if he overheard, he'd keel over in rage.
Seeing the puzzled look he gave the blackboard, Yoruichi explained, "That's done by channeling reiryoku into the fingertips to leave marks. Once the person leaves, the energy dissipates and the writing vanishes."
"Wow…" Shirō nodded, then shook his head with a sigh. "Basically a self-erasing chalkboard. Saves having to clean it. Pretty convenient, really."
"Pfft, hahaha!" Yoruichi burst into wild laughter, collapsing onto the floor with legs sprawled out like a carefree boy. Even Shirō, usually the most unrefined one, felt embarrassed. If this were before, he'd have walked off muttering, I don't know this person.
But thinking of her identity, he clenched his teeth, tossed aside his carefully practiced noble air, and sprawled down too, mirroring her.
Yoruichi's grin widened. She thumped her stomach and banged the low table. "Hungry! Bring out the food already!"
"Right away, my lady!" The door slid open instantly. Clearly, the meal had been prepared long ago. The steward entered with trays of food, bowing. "My lady, please remember your manners."
"Yeah, yeah, just give me the big bowl!" Yoruichi waved dismissively.
"Heh… heh…" Shirō's face twitched. Finally, he couldn't take it. With an awkward laugh, he leaned toward the steward and whispered, "Actually… I don't really know her. Honestly."
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150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter