Strictly speaking, no one had ever bothered to remind Shirō about such restrictions. After all, who would think he could even use Kidō, let alone draw a Zanpakutō? So while he hadn't deliberately tried to exploit a loophole, his obsession with defeating Yoruichi drove him to use any means at hand. In that state of mind, he instinctively ignored such "unspoken rules."
"Forgot, did you? Heh… you're full of excuses, aren't you? What's next, drawing your Zanpakutō and then saying you forgot again?!" Yoruichi sneered, her tone dripping with menace.
But the very fact that she was teasing him like this showed she had calmed down. Otherwise, Shirō would already be dead without even knowing how it happened. Her words were more about scaring him than truly condemning him.
Yoruichi was never the arrogant, narrow-minded type. In combat, she didn't waste time blaming others, she only ever asked herself what she could do better.
Win or lose, the outcome was all that mattered. If she lost, what good would it do to cry about the opponent being shameless or underhanded? That wasn't her way.
So even though Shirō had technically broken the rules, his power was still laughably low. His Kidō hadn't surpassed the limits, it had only been unexpected.
Once she'd beaten him half to death, Yoruichi's anger had already cooled. Instead of lingering on his "crime," she reflected on her own flaws. Shirō's Byakurai had indeed been sudden and swift, but she had sensed it coming.
The problem was her speed. Too slow, relatively speaking. Surrounded and distracted, she simply hadn't been fast enough to dodge. If only she had been quicker, if only she had used utsusemi in that moment, she would never have been hit.
So the conclusion was simple: she wasn't strong enough. Yoruichi swore then and there to sharpen her flash step until it reached perfection. One could say that the legend of the "Flash Goddess" began right here.
People are always forged by pressure. Shirō Emiya was forced to grow this way, but so too was Yoruichi. She was a prodigy, yes, but also a noble-born daughter of the Shihōin clan. Her training had always been more game than crucible. Now, for the first time, she felt something close to real tension, even if it wasn't yet a true fight for her life.
Shirō's presence changed everything. He wasn't just a playmate; he pushed her instincts sharper, gave her the alertness of a beast, and now even drove her to refine her flash step.
To Yoruichi, Shirō was a treasure, fun to spar with, yet capable of genuinely making her stronger. Someone like that was rarer than a lantern lit in broad daylight.
Otherwise, why would Yoruichi, after being injured by him, still personally carry him to the Fourth Division? True, his wounds were her doing, but for the Shihōin clan's lady to escort him herself was extraordinary.
Would an insignificant figure like Shirō ever normally receive personal treatment from Captain Unohana? Of course not. It wasn't because Unohana was bored, nor because her subordinates weren't capable. It was Yoruichi's face that made it happen.
If Shirō ever found out, he would probably brag to everyone:
"Do you know how the Flash Goddess trained her steps? She had to dodge my attacks, that's how!"
When that boast eventually reached Yoruichi's ears, he was beaten so badly that he had to change it to:
"Do you know how the Flash Goddess trained her steps? She honed them by chasing me down!"
That word "chase" could be read in many ways, some even took it as a hint of romance. But only the two of them knew the truth: it was pure "pursuit and kill."
Back in the infirmary, Shirō was still trembling under Yoruichi's grip on his ear.
"I won't do it again! I swear I'll massage your arms and legs, take care of you properly!" he begged.
"You? Take care of someone? With those clumsy hands?" Yoruichi scoffed, loosening her grip just a little.
At that moment, Captain Unohana spoke softly from the side:
"Miss Yoruichi, this isn't how you treat an injured patient."
She may not have been defending Shirō so much as simply speaking as a doctor, but in Shirō's ears her voice was pure heavenly music.
Suddenly remembering that another goddess was right beside him, he shouted desperately,
"Lady Hana, save me~~~!"
The words slipped out, a habit carried over from his past life. The whole room froze.
Unohana touched her cheek and smiled faintly, saying nothing. Perhaps she was remembering how long it had been since anyone called her by such a familiar name.
Yoruichi, on the other hand, twitched at the corner of her mouth. This brat really didn't miss an opportunity, did he? Calling her "Yoruichi" was fine, they were close in age, after all, but Hana-nee? Did he know how ancient Unohana really was?!
In Soul Society, where age spans could stretch across millennia, forms of address were always tricky. But here, the safe bet would've been "Captain Unohana."
It was only sheer luck that both women had good tempers. Anyone else, and Shirō would've been crushed under the fury of not one but two captains.
To say he was "taking advantage of the moment" wasn't even right, because there hadn't been a "moment" to take advantage of! He was just shamelessly barging straight in.
"You little brat! I'll teach you what manners really mean today!!"
Yoruichi ruffled his hair furiously, shouting in mock rage.
"Ha?! You're lecturing me about manners?!"
Forget fear, Shirō snapped right back without thinking. Yoruichi, of all people, preaching about etiquette? Better leave that to someone else.
"Hehe… looks like you're recovering well. I'll leave you two to it."
With a knowing smile, Unohana excused herself, her tone carrying a faint hint of mischief. In her eyes, Shirō might have no status, but with Yoruichi he was clearly something like a childhood companion.
A curious little pair indeed.
Her playful remark left neither of them blushing, not because they were thick-skinned, but because the idea hadn't even crossed their minds.
Shirō reached out toward her departing back, panicked. A spotlight seemed to shine as a "drama scene" began in his head.
"Wait, wait… I think… I can still be saved…"
"Go ahead and scream!" Yoruichi laughed. "Even if you scream your lungs out, no one's coming to save you now~~!"
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150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter