Even with her back to him, the brisk, fearless aura rolling off her was unmistakable.
Short purple hair—clean, sharp, and efficient.
She wasn't wearing the Academy's uniform either. Instead, she had on a fitted short top and something like knee-length shorts.
The moment Shizuya saw that outfit, he understood.
She wasn't a Shin'ō Academy student.
And paired with what Aizen had said earlier—
She was the "professional" brought in from outside?
But this was ridiculous…
The people sprawled across the floor—if it wasn't a hundred, it was at least seventy or eighty.
And she still looked completely at ease, as if she hadn't exerted herself at all.
Sensei.
You want me to fight someone like that?
Do you think I've gotten tired of living?
Shizuya cast Aizen a strange glance. Aizen only chuckled softly and stepped forward at an unhurried pace.
"Lady Yoruichi. It has been some time. I hope you have been well?"
She kept her hands on her hips and turned halfway around.
Shihōin Yoruichi.
Brilliant golden eyes.
Brown-toned skin.
A tall, lean body that radiated something almost feral—her face still carrying a faintly displeased look.
But when she met Aizen's gaze, her expression shifted into confusion. She turned fully toward him, lifting her right hand halfway, suspended in midair.
Yoruichi looked genuinely surprised.
"Oh? You—you are…?"
"If I recall correctly, the last time would have been nineteen years ago, when I met you at the Twelfth Division barracks…"
Ah!
Yoruichi clapped her hands together, her expression blooming bright as a flower.
"I remember! You're that glasses guy who was pretty close with Urahara!"
Shizuya almost lost it on the spot.
To think the world's number-one hair-gel tyrant could be called "glasses guy"—that had to be a first.
He even saw Aizen's back twitch as if he'd barely held himself together.
Damn. Even the King of B could almost get knocked off balance.
Shihōin Yoruichi—you're terrifying.
There were too many things to complain about.
But honestly, it wasn't that unexpected either. Shizuya didn't react too dramatically.
In canon, Aizen and Yoruichi's relationship was never described in much detail. Given their respective statuses, there was no way they were close friends.
That left only one intersection.
—Urahara Kisuke.
At the time, he was Captain of the Twelfth Division, as well as the first Director of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
Yoruichi and Urahara were childhood friends.
And Aizen's interest in research would have naturally brought him into contact with Urahara as well.
That was probably why Aizen had needed to mention the man's name.
Because just look at Yoruichi's face—
She was clearly delighted.
Her mood seemed to brighten immediately. She stepped lightly over the students lying scattered around, moving quickly through the chorus of groans as she approached.
Stopping in front of the two of them, Yoruichi's smile widened even further.
"Yeah, it really has been years since I've seen you. Sorry about that, Aizen."
The fact that she remembered his name meant they weren't strangers.
Aizen pressed his lips together and bowed respectfully.
"Those of high standing are often burdened with much and forget small things. It is merely the name of an insignificant man. You are too kind."
"You still talk like that—so stiff and fancy!" Yoruichi laughed. "So? You came all this way for something?"
Aizen nodded slightly. As he raised his right hand, he rested it on Shizuya's shoulder with a light pat.
Shizuya's face instantly became a work of abstract art.
Wait—hold on, Sensei!
You brought me here… don't tell me you expect me to trade blows with Yoruichi?!
Me? Fighting Yoruichi?
Are you serious?!
Shizuya's desperate, pleading look went completely unnoticed by Aizen.
Yoruichi, on the other hand, lowered her gaze and looked Shizuya over.
"What's this~? You brought some rookie trash here for special training or something? Let me say this up front—I'm not interested in weaklings."
Aizen gave an awkward laugh. He patted Shizuya's shoulder again, his meaning unclear.
"Of course I understand your preferences. I only came today so that we might observe this sparring session."
At that, Yoruichi seemed to lose interest on the spot. She clicked her tongue and turned away with a lazy air.
"Just for that? You really are something… Fine. I guess the people up top like you stiff, proper types."
Then she snapped back to full energy.
Shihōin Yoruichi strode forward, clapping her hands and barking at the "corpses" sprawled across the floor.
"Up! Get up! You're fifth-years—if you can't handle injuries at this level, that's pathetic."
"You can't stand? Don't make me laugh! Even if your bones are broken, if you've still got strength in your waist, you can keep struggling!"
"This is where willpower comes in—willpower! Come on, get it together! Start the next round of sparring!"
"Yeah, yeah—those faces are what I want to see. Tighten every muscle, force up one breath… that's it!"
"I'll say it now—if you can't even last three rounds of offense and defense, I'm not recognizing your strength!"
Her voice was fierce and invigorated.
Compared to the Yoruichi from the canon timeline, this version—this era—felt even more lively.
Aizen led Shizuya to a spot near the edge and sat down calmly.
There were plenty of spectators—other instructors as well.
People treated Aizen with visible respect… and a few female students were already whispering to each other.
Guh…
Shizuya even felt more than a few glares on him.
A mood like—
Why do you get to sit next to Aizen-sensei?
It made him wear a painfully awkward expression.
How popular are you, Sensei?!
"Shizuya-kun."
Aizen's voice pulled him back before he could dwell on it.
"Yes, Sensei."
"Watch Lady Yoruichi's movements carefully. She is the head of the Shihōin clan, and the commander of the Onmitsukidō."
Aizen tugged his clothing straight where it had bunched from sitting, smoothing the wrinkles. His tone remained even, but behind the glasses he wore a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
"In Hakuda and Shunpo, Lady Yoruichi's accomplishments are unrivaled. With her own ability, she can even step out from her ancestors' shadow and forge her own path."
"The world calls her…"
"Yoruichi the Flash Goddess."
Shizuya nodded faintly.
"I see."
So even a hundred years earlier, this dark-skinned "big sis" had already made a name for herself.
Truly an outstanding figure.
"By the way… why is Lady Yoruichi here?"
Aizen paused, then lowered his voice.
"…Because of her personal eccentric tastes."
"…Huh?"
"She often makes time to come to the Academy. Under the name of 'assisting education,' she provides class-based instruction to upper-year students."
That's not instruction.
That's just beating them up.
"Yes," Aizen said, the smile in his eyes deepening, as if he'd read Shizuya's thoughts. "It is, as you imagine, a one-sided act of violence. But at the same time, it is a rare opportunity."
Aizen's eyes curved even more.
"Because if someone truly has talent, Lady Yoruichi will take notice—and recruit them directly into the organization under her command."
The order of things might have been backwards, but only now did Shizuya fully understand the origin of this "sparring session."
So that's how it works.
His mind flashed through related details about Shihōin Yoruichi.
Second Division. Onmitsukidō. First Division—Punishment Force.
Compared to obscure postings, her sphere of influence was unquestionably prestigious.
To get in without exams—simply by catching her favor—and then coast…
No wonder so many people were charging forward just to get beaten.
But still—
Watching the older students curled up, vomiting, some even writhing on the floor in agony…
Shizuya couldn't help sweating a little.
Even if she wasn't trying to kill them, Yoruichi was hitting hard.
He couldn't even track her movements clearly. One after another, students who struggled to stand were instantly sent flying straight backward.
Forget resisting—being allowed to lie down comfortably was a luxury.
She's brutal…
Money's hard to earn. Shit's hard to swallow.
This kind of "work" wasn't something an ordinary person could handle.
As his thoughts rose and fell, Shizuya watched Yoruichi sweep through them like she was pounding practice dummies.
Forget three rounds—no one even made it through the second.
And yet, precisely because he couldn't see the movements clearly, because he was witnessing the full process right beside it—
Familiar text flashed before his eyes.
[You witnessed the Flash Goddess Yoruichi's Hakuda. Hakuda +10]
[You witnessed the Flash Goddess Yoruichi's Hakuda. Shunpo +10]
Holy—
It jumped that much in one go?!
From his past experience, Shizuya immediately understood the reason.
Her Hakuda and Shunpo were so far beyond him, the gap was like clouds and mud.
Only in situations like this did his attributes increase without training—through observation alone.
A double champion.
You really are terrifying.
And as those ten points were added, movements that had been blurry moments ago suddenly became far clearer.
Strange, incomprehensible actions gained meaning.
Shizuya continued watching intensely—
Completely unaware that beside him, Aizen had begun to watch him in silence.
Until the man's lips curved into a subtle, pleased smile.
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