บท 119: Chapter 119 ⥤ Let's Take Off Your Clothes First
{T/N: I decided to keep his name as Takeda. Chishi has very poor readability.}
This stood in stark contrast to someone else's earlier behavior.
The 3rd Division served as a vital support unit for the Soul Society, lending their personnel wherever needed.
When other Divisions found themselves short-staffed, they would request reinforcements from the 3rd Division.
For Takeda, investigation missions like this were routine, having handled countless similar cases.
With confidence, he declared he could solve the case within three days, noting that disappearing souls were a common occurrence.
Genryūsai's brow furrowed slightly as if recalling something. His eyes scanned the crowd before settling on one person.
"Eleventh Division, Third Seat Kisaragi."
Akira: "..."
He knew the old man wouldn't let this slide. The tone alone revealed what Genryūsai would say next.
"You will investigate together with Captain Chishi. When you find the culprit — dead or alive doesn't matter!"
Akira agreed without enthusiasm.
Investigation work paled in comparison to combat. Though if necessary, he wouldn't mind another undercover operation.
His previous undercover mission had revealed his natural talent for such work.
The meeting concluded with the Captains addressing security concerns in the 6th District.
Tsunayashiro's downfall had plunged the district into chaos. Despite Ginrei's strength and the capable support of his son-in-law Kōga Kuchiki, they were struggling to maintain order.
With no alternatives, he requested aid from the Gotei 13, temporarily transferring Officers and Seated Officers from other Divisions to bolster the 6th Division and help maintain security.
At minimum, they needed to prevent brazen assassinations in broad daylight.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
2nd Division, Training Hall.
In the spacious venue, young men and women trained intensely, their collisions echoing through the air as bursts of fierce wind cracked the solid ground.
Yoruichi breathed heavily, sweat trickling down her temples and dripping from her chin, darkening her sleeveless Shinigami uniform.
Though she acknowledged the vast gap between them, she faced her opponent with unwavering determination, refusing to yield.
After catching her breath, the dark-skinned girl's athletic figure exploded forward like a hunting cheetah, instantly closing the distance to her target.
Her slender fingers danced through the air like plucking guitar strings before clenching into a fist. As she stepped forward, the movement created a devastating sonic boom — waves of air erupted violently, howling like a hurricane.
Bang!
A thunderous crack split the air as fist met palm, creating visible rings that rippled outward like accelerated smoke rings.
Without pause, she unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.
All hesitation vanished as Yoruichi channeled her full strength, combining Hakuda, Shunpo, and even Kidō.
With Akira's permission, she pushed beyond her limits, focusing entirely on the battle.
Yet to her amazement, he countered every technique perfectly.
His defenses appeared unstructured, almost crude, but remained impenetrable.
Then came an even more shocking revelation during their clash.
Akira's Reiatsu was significantly weaker than hers — in raw power, she should have overwhelmed him.
Despite this advantage, she remained completely outmatched, watching helplessly as he neutralized each attack.
Her masterful Hakuda techniques flowed one after another, her movements growing swifter and more ferocious like a rising tempest seeking to engulf him.
Like a breeze against a mountain, her attacks had no effect.
Akira had transformed dramatically since his academy days. Now terrifyingly powerful, he stood unmoved against her fiercest assaults.
Even without using secret techniques, Yoruichi's strength only matched Shiraki Shin'ichi's level.
Pressuring Akira proved impossible — his instincts alone were enough to suppress her completely.
Earlier at the hot springs, when Yoruichi had asked about his evening plans, he'd imagined practicing "wonderful positions" under moonlight.
Instead, she'd meant studying — specifically, Hakuda techniques.
Right after the Captains' Meeting, before he could voice his complaints to old man Genryūsai, Yoruichi had dragged him to the 2nd Division's training hall for intense sparring.
While he was lost in thought, she seized her chance. Using Shunpo, she flashed like lightning through the opening, launching high into the air. Her powerful thighs exploded with force as she dropped down like a battle axe.
Boom!!
The solid floor gained another massive crater.
Under Akira's counterattack, Yoruichi truly understood what it meant to be overwhelmed — like a mountain suddenly collapsing, an avalanche of stone and earth rushing forward to crush her final resistance.
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Members of the Onmitsukidō's Keigun conducted daily training and cultivation between missions.
{T/N: It's important to mention that basically, not all members but the majority of those who are present or hold important positions in the Onmitsukidō are also Officers of the 2nd Division.}
Suì-Fēng was no exception.
After her "embarrassing" incident during the princess kidnapping, she had become acutely aware of her weakness and inability to protect Lady Yoruichi.
Determined to improve, she doubled her training efforts, working late into every night to become strong enough to protect her idol. Her dedication made her the 2nd Division's most diligent member.
This evening, while walking back to the militia dormitory, Suì-Fēng's keen senses detected unusual sounds carried on the wind.
Following these sounds, she found herself outside the training hall.
The hall was eerily quiet as she crept closer, pressing herself against the wall to listen.
"Let's take off your clothes first."
A man's voice drifted from inside, and Suì-Fēng's eyes narrowed with murderous intent.
"It's all your fault for using too much force, now we're wasting time again."
Her pupils contracted, her petite face twisted with disbelief.
That was Lady Yoruichi's voice?!
Though she could scarcely believe her ears, there was no denying it. Could Lady Yoruichi...
Horror dawned in the girl's eyes as terrible possibilities crossed her mind.
"Mmph—"
A muffled groan of pain escaped from the young woman inside.
Suì-Fēng's pupils shrank to pinpoints as she struggled to continue listening, her mind flooding with forbidden scenarios.
As a member of the Keigun, she was well-versed in "interrogation" techniques through training, even without personal experience.
The sounds from the training hall began to match certain scenarios she recalled from her training.
Suì-Fēng's cheeks flushed as uncertainty gripped her heart.
"Hey, be gentler!"
Yoruichi's voice rang out, shattering her last shred of hesitation.
The young woman sprang into action.
Bang!
The training hall door flew open as she burst in, ready to intervene — only to stop dead in her tracks.
The scene before her was far from what she had imagined.
Yoruichi stood with her back turned, sleeveless Shihakushō removed but undergarments intact. Her right arm was twisted at an unnatural angle, clearly broken.
Behind her, a familiar yet strange figure channeled Kaidō with both hands, attempting to reset the tanned girl's arm.
"Oh, Suì-Fēng?" Yoruichi said with surprise, "What brings you here? Perfect timing — come help, this guy's technique is awful. Help me set it back first."
Realizing her misunderstanding, Suì-Fēng's face burned red as she stammered wordlessly.
At Yoruichi's urging, she gathered her composure and stepped forward to help correct the broken bone with practiced movements.
Soon after, Yoruichi's arm healed completely under Akira's Kaidō.
Though untrained in advanced healing, his basic Kaidō proved remarkably effective thanks to his "Miraculous Healing" Trait.
After setting the bone, Suì-Fēng stood quietly to the side, head bowed, motionless.
Akira studied the familiar young woman with interest, noting her reddened ears.
Yoruichi donned her Shihakushō and tested her newly healed arm before turning to the embarrassed girl with curiosity.
"By the way, Suì-Fēng, why are you at the training hall so late instead of sleeping?"
The young woman kept her head down, words failing her.
She could hardly say she had discovered Lady Yoruichi being violated and burst into the training hall in outrage, could she?
If she said that, her career in the Keigun would be over.
"I-I had finished training and heard noises from the hall. Thinking an enemy had infiltrated, I rushed in urgently..."
Suì-Fēng thought quickly to provide an answer, but when she raised her head, she found Akira staring at her with a knowing, almost smirking expression.
In that moment, the young woman's face turned bright red.
Yoruichi nodded thoughtfully, seemingly accepting this explanation.
"Alright, go get some rest. You have a mission to carry out early tomorrow."
Suì-Fēng nodded and quickly fled from the training hall as if escaping disaster.
Watching the young woman leave, Akira turned to Yoruichi, who was lost in thought, and sighed helplessly.
"Yoruichi, does your Second Division have any Kidō or Secret Techniques suitable for investigation? You heard what was said at today's Captains' Meeting — old man Yamamoto won't let me off."
Clearly, he was better at cutting people down than solving cases.
Genryūsai's judgment was failing him, showing no ability to assess character. He would eventually be replaced.
"The most basic one is the Kakushitsuijaku. As for the others, they're all tracking techniques that require lots of practice time — you wouldn't be interested."
{T/N: Kakushitsuijaku is the Bakudō she used in the previous investigation.}
Yoruichi knew Akira very well, naturally understanding his personality and preferences.
"Hmm, let me think." After a moment's consideration, she suddenly spoke up, "I actually developed a Secret Technique before that can be used to disguise oneself for investigations. It might be useful."
As she finished speaking, to Akira's surprise, her sleeveless Shihakushō suddenly fell off and dropped to the ground, and a black short-haired cat emerged struggling from the pile of clothes.
"Ahem — almost got tangled in the clothes."
Noticing the surprise in his gaze, Yoruichi's tone carried a hint of pride, like a child showing off their grades to a parent.
"Even the Shihōin elders can't see through this technique. In cat form, your Reiatsu is suppressed to that of a normal cat, and combat ability is similarly reduced. Only the body's durability remains unchanged."
As she explained, Akira began to understand the principles of this technique.
Simply put, it involved applying a Bakudō barrier inside one's body to suppress Reiatsu while transforming physical form.
The principles were somewhat similar to inscribing Kidō patterns, except one enhanced while the other weakened.
Seeing his interest, Yoruichi explained the technique's details again, as if trying to spoon-feed him the information, worried he wouldn't understand.
However, Akira quickly grasped the key points.
Then, to her shock, a faint light emanated from his body as his Reiatsu rapidly diminished. Complex Kidō patterns appeared on his skin, continuously transforming his body.
Akira raised his right hand, watching as dense soft fur sprouted from the back of his hand and between his fingers, quickly becoming fluffy.
Yoruichi narrowed her eyes slightly, staring at that fluffy paw.
She had chosen to develop a cat transformation technique not only because cats were agile and perfect for the 2nd Division's stealth work, but mainly because she simply loved cats.
Though surprised by his learning speed, she found herself drawn to his transformed appearance.
For Akira, who had similar experience before, mastering this technique wasn't particularly difficult.
⤫ Bakudō #?: Nekoka ⥤ Cat Transformation Technique! ⤬
When he came to his senses, the world around him had changed dramatically — everything appeared massive.
Struggling out of his clothes, he realized he had quite a bit more fur than expected.
"What kind of cat am I supposed to be?" Akira examined his paw pads, his sharp claws extending and retracting, feeling unfamiliar.
Yoruichi released her Reiatsu, forming a mirror-like screen of light.
The two cats stared wide-eyed at the reflection, and Akira finally saw his current appearance clearly.
Gray-white fur, thick and long dense fluff with black spots scattered throughout, slightly short limbs giving him a broad appearance.
Most striking was his fierce yet somewhat dopey wide face.
Wait!
After observing for a moment, Akira's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what cat breed he had become.
"A Manul is considered a cat?!"
{T/N:… I'm laughing right now…}
⤫⤬⤫
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!
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บท 120: Chapter 120 ⥤ Silencing the Witness
Akira was completely perplexed.
The same Cat Transformation Technique that made Yoruichi's black cat look noble and handsome had turned him into something comically clumsy.
While he circled the mirror lost in thought, the black cat beside him vanished in a flash of white light, replaced by a dark-skinned girl with smooth, taut skin.
Upon seeing the fluffy lynx, she could barely contain her love for cats. The dense, thick fur was impossible to resist petting.
Taking advantage of his contemplative state, her mischievous hands appeared under his front legs and lifted him without warning.
"Ahhh—" Yoruichi's eyes lit up at the feel of his fur and texture.
Suddenly airborne, Akira's limbs trembled instinctively, his large face filled with terror, his expressions comically animated.
Before he could speak, Yoruichi turned him around and hugged him to her chest, her small hands stroking the areas with the softest fur.
His head ended up buried in a soft and bouncy location.
Both parties found their spiritual satisfaction, and the training ground fell silent.
Until...
"Yoruichi, if you don't let go soon, I might suffocate here." Came a muffled voice from her front.
Yoruichi held him by the waist, lifting Akira to eye level, and grinned.
"As expected of the Shin'ō Academy genius, you've mastered my secret technique so quickly."
He placed his paws on her front, feeling the softness under his paw pads as he stared at her.
"Though I've seen it many times, I still want to remind you — in the future, when transforming from cat to human, you should try to avoid other people..."
Although he had seen it many times before, this was the first time being this close.
Yoruichi grinned, "Should I take this as you being possessive?"
"Let's say that." Akira nodded.
Having seen and touched, if he didn't stake his claim now, what if she ran off in the future?
{T/N: Protect your treasure, my man!}
Remembering how Yoruichi had once transformed from cat to human without hesitation in front of someone powerful, he decided to give her this gentle warning.
With obvious reluctance, Yoruichi set down the fluffy lynx and began putting on her sleeveless Shihakushō.
As he caught glimpses of her smooth back and graceful legs, Akira cleared his throat and strategically positioned his fluffy tail, protecting his "thing" from being seen.
Sometimes, seeing things from a new angle could reveal unexpected beauty.
And reactions.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
The next day, East Rukongai.
A group moved swiftly across the barren plain, their footsteps light and purposeful.
At the front, a white captain's haori fluttered in the wind, marked with the character "三" (three). Its wearer, Takeda Chishi, was utterly unremarkable — the sort of person whose face would be forgotten in a crowd.
Though he possessed enough presence and energy to barely qualify for his position as 3rd Division Captain, there was little else noteworthy about him.
Beside him walked the deputy commander for this mission.
His haori billowed dramatically, emblazoned with the eye-catching slogan "It's Free, Might As Well Believe A Little" — a detail that drew constant glances from the Shinigami Officers behind them.
{T/N: In Japanese: 無料だから,ちょっと信じてみても良いかも (Muryō dakara, chotto shinjite mitemo ii kamo). I really don't know how this could be fit in the haori…}
The field operatives of the 3rd Division were well acquainted with the Sakahone Shrine's reputation.
The shrine's fame had first spread through the Shin'ō Academy.
After one of its members graduated and joined the 11th Division, promotional slogans and advertisements began appearing throughout Rukongai's front districts.
Thanks to the 11th Division's enthusiastic promotion, the shrine had attracted many devoted followers.
The officers wondered if the famous Sakahone Shrine truly lived up to its reputation.
What sort of mind, they wondered, could devise such outlandish promotional slogans? And was it wise to have this Lord Kisaragi as deputy commander?
A third figure at the front drew attention.
With light purple eyes and golden wavy hair styled with small braids at the ends, he radiated the aura of a medieval gentleman.
Or as Akira put it: like a goat letting out a sheep's fart — stylish yet flashy.
For this comment, the 3rd Division's 3rd Seat, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, nearly came to blows with him. If the other Officers hadn't held him back, he would have struck without hesitation.
Regarding strength, Rōjūrō was supremely confident. Having recently mastered Bankai, he considered himself second only to Captain Chishi in power.
This mission was his chance to shine.
As dusk fell, the group arrived at their destination — the 78th District.
Takeda surveyed the boundless wasteland, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.
This was where the reported soul disappearances had occurred.
Intelligence from the 2nd and 8th Divisions had detected the culprit's Reiatsu fluctuations and tracked their movements.
The perpetrator was concealed within a Bakudō barrier, masking their identity.
This detail pointed to an active Shinigami from the Gotei 13. A Rukongai vagrant would have no need for such concealment — after all, Rukongai housed countless unregistered vagrants, outnumbering even the Gotei 13's Shinigami.
These vagrants were known for their violent nature and fighting prowess. They were behind ninety percent of Rukongai's unrest.
With vagrants ruled out, the list of suspects had narrowed considerably.
After a quick assessment, Takeda faced the group and began issuing orders, deliberately ignoring Akira.
To him, this operation had one commander alone. The deputy commander was merely there to pad his resume and steal credit.
Genryūsai had gone to great lengths to secure a position within the Gotei 13 for his disciple.
If he could claim that Ansai Tsunayashiro was killed by a mere rookie, what wouldn't Genryūsai dare to do?
Thinking this, Takeda narrowed his eyes and spoke in a deep voice.
"The culprit's activity is centered in the 78th District. Based on my analysis, they're likely on this plain. For efficiency, Rōjūrō and Third Seat Kisaragi will each lead a squad. I'll lead the remaining men. Notify us through Kidō if you spot the enemy. Any questions?"
The Shinigami answered in unison, "No!"
As 3rd Division Officers, they were well accustomed to Takeda's temperament. Akira had even less objection.
He had been forced into this situation, threatened by the old man. He had zero interest in solving cases.
The teams quickly split up, with two groups heading west and south to search, while Akira remained at the original location, waiting for signals.
The Officers exchanged glances but, as subordinates, kept their thoughts to themselves.
Finding people wasn't his strong suit. Though he had learned Yoruichi's Cat Transformation Technique, he didn't want to use it in public.
Avoiding public nudity was only one reason.
More importantly — what self-respecting person transforms into a Manul cat?
While Akira sulked alone, a squad member cautiously approached. The middle-aged man's weathered face wore a fawning smile.
"Lord Kisaragi..."
Akira raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"
The man smiled ingratiatingly, "I heard you're skilled at divination. I've been having some difficulties lately — could you do a reading for me?"
The priest's eyes lit up with interest, "Future, love, career, or fortune — which would you like to know about?"
"Future!" The middle-aged Shinigami replied eagerly.
Akira took out a fresh tortoise shell and began the divination with deliberate care.
The ritual incantations of the Sakahone Shrine echoed as faint red flames danced across the shell's surface.
Crackling sounds filled the air as cracks spread across the tortoise shell.
After studying the patterns, he interpreted them.
"Very good news — the reading shows promotion in your future. You'll soon become a Seated Officer."
Hearing this, the middle-aged Shinigami was overjoyed and thanked him profusely.
Seeing this, the others exchanged glances, their interest piqued.
⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬⤫⤬
Meanwhile, on the southern plains...
Takeda's squad encountered a group of wandering rogues.
After a brief exchange of words, conflict erupted into a small-scale skirmish.
Takeda single-handedly dominated the battlefield. His materialized Reiatsu burst forth, unleashing wild winds that swiftly subdued the rogues.
"Has anything strange been happening in the 78th District lately?" He questioned the surviving rogues, "Like people of unknown identity, or—"
Before he could finish, the terrified rogue spilled everything, his words tumbling out like beans from a bamboo tube.
"Yes, yes! Recently, people have seen a glowing figure harvesting the lives of rogues. Every time it appears, several people vanish. Some say it's a divine messenger, others say it's a demon from hell—"
The rogue's expression suddenly turned terrified.
Following his gaze, Takeda noticed something unusual.
A hazy, distorted light appeared ahead, surrounded by a faint pressure as dangerous energy spread across the wasteland.
"This is..." Takeda narrowed his eyes, "Bakudō #26: Kyokkō. The culprit has appeared! Surround them, don't let them escape!"
The Shinigami dropped the rogues and quickly formed an encirclement. Over a dozen Reiatsu signatures intertwined, casting a deadly atmosphere over the wasteland.
Looking at the Shinigami before him, a hint of pity flashed in Aizen's eyes.
Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
His blade fell, unleashing a flash of light through the crowd as blood sprayed brilliantly. The Shinigami at the front instantly collapsed, his chest stained deep red.
Seeing this, Takeda's heart leaped and his pupils contracted. The enemy was powerful — there was no room for carelessness.
Just as he prepared to join the battle, a calm voice spoke.
"If it weren't for Tsunayashiro's failure, you would have achieved your ambitions by now, wouldn't you?"
Hearing these words, Takeda's heart skipped a beat. He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the figure of light.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He said gravely.
The calm voice continued, as if stating simple facts.
"Third Division Captain, Takeda Chishi, once led fourteen Shinigami Officers to assist with duties in the Twelfth Division's jurisdiction due to their staff shortage. It was then that you learned about the Twelfth Division's internal details and the Artificial Soul technology that Kirio Hikifune was developing. Shall I continue?"
Aizen watched him expressionlessly, recalling the intelligence he had gathered recently.
As he had discovered, Takeda Chishi, like Okama Shinji, had allied himself with the Tsunayashiro family. Since the night raid on the 12th Division, he had been investigating the incident.
Each of the 13 Divisions' barracks had its distinct characteristics, and the 12th Division was no exception. While the surface structure and routes weren't secret — even regular division members, let alone Captains, were familiar with them — Kirio's core research facility was protected by extremely complex defenses and security patrols.
Yet that night, no alarms had triggered until the intruders reached the Soul Extraction Chamber. Even the guard Shinigami hadn't noticed anything amiss.
Combined with Akira's intelligence and Ansai's admission that "the 13 Divisions aren't unified", Aizen was certain there were more moles in high positions.
Upon confirming Takeda's identity, he realized the corruption ran deeper than the nobles — the Gotei 13, Soul Society's supposed protectors, had been infiltrated through and through.
Thinking of a certain someone's complete lack of cunning, Aizen felt inexplicably weary.
Could someone so foolish truly survive until retirement in the Gotei 13?
Noticing the shocked and suspicious looks from his division members, Takeda's expression darkened as his Reiatsu erupted, making the ground tremble.
Massive fissures split open beneath the Officers' feet, swallowing them whole before they could react.
"Now that they know my secret, these people cannot be allowed to leave alive."
Takeda's voice carried an intense threat as he justified his actions, his expression twisting with murderous intent. A cold atmosphere instantly enveloped the surroundings.
"Now it's your turn!"
Before his words faded, he vanished, reappearing before Aizen.
Cold light flashed as his blade left its sheath, slashing downward with tremendous force!
⤫⤬⤫
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!
For just $1 you can access all the extra content, and descriptive images, costs only $2!
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