Shunkō (Flash War Cry) was a technique created by Shihōin Yoruichi—one of her trump cards—and for the longest time it had only ever been mastered by a tiny handful of people.
Soi Fon was one of them.
Back then, Higashino Shuuichi had once considered cozying up to Yoruichi so he could learn Shunkō (Flash War Cry) from her directly.
But midway through putting that plan into motion, it got shelved… because of Urahara Kisuke.
Still, as a transmigrator who fully understood Shunkō's fundamentals, Higashino Shuuichi might not have been able to "eat the pork," but he'd watched the "pig run" more than enough times.
After Shihōin Yoruichi left Soul Society, Higashino Shuuichi could still give Soi Fon some help in understanding and refining Shunkō (Flash War Cry).
So when Yoruichi, facing Soi Fon head-on, unfolded her Shunkō stance—high-density compressed Kidō (Demon Arts) wrapping her back and shoulders at the same time—Soi Fon, across from her, also activated a Shunkō form that was uniquely her own.
Unlike Yoruichi's Shunkō stance, Soi Fon's Shunkō (Flash War Cry) coiled that high-density Kidō (Demon Arts) around her slender arms and legs instead.
That was the training direction Higashino Shuuichi had suggested after countless sparring matches with Soi Fon and repeated analysis of Shunkō's combat techniques.
"Looks like we're both finally showing a little real skill~"
Shihōin Yoruichi crouched low and burst forward, slipping beneath Soi Fon—then spun around with a sweeping kick. Violent lightning flared, the friction between it and the air detonating into a sharp explosion, and with Yoruichi's strike it turned into a massive shockwave sent straight into Soi Fon's body.
By prior experience, Soi Fon shouldn't have been able to withstand that ferocious rush.
Because Yoruichi's Shunpo (Flash Step) was simply beyond Soi Fon's reaction time.
But this time, Yoruichi kicked nothing but empty air.
The lightning beam dragged a chain of explosions up into the depths of the sky—while Soi Fon crossed her arms, layering overlapping high-density Kidō (Demon Arts) to shield herself.
It was the invisible, violent wind swirling around Soi Fon!
Soi Fon really couldn't react in time to Yoruichi's attack—
…but the wind could!
"Yoruichi-sama, this is my result of training!"
Soi Fon wasn't surprised in the slightest, because this technique had already been tested and proven.
Compared to Yoruichi's attacks, the techniques Higashino Shuuichi used back when he sparred with her were far stranger and far more unpredictable. It wasn't a matter of whether she could react fast enough—it was whether she could even think of what he was going to do.
Countless times, Soi Fon had been taken down by Higashino Shuuichi from bizarre timings, bizarre angles, with bizarre techniques—until one day he finally couldn't stand watching it anymore and gave her a solution:
"Shaoling, doesn't your Shunkō (Flash War Cry) let you borrow the power of wind?
Don't underestimate those invisible winds you gather around you. Sometimes, they can do things you can't do at all.
Remember—using everything you can use, that's your only chance to beat the strong while you're weak."
Those were the words Higashino Shuuichi had said to Soi Fon that day.
And now, Soi Fon was going to show Yoruichi-sama her Shunkō (Flash War Cry)!
"Shunkō: Retsufū (Rending Wind)!"
Hovering in midair, Soi Fon spread her limbs wide. The high-density compressed Kidō (Demon Arts) that had been wrapped around her arms and legs, guided by the wind, transformed into blade after blade, slashing toward Shihōin Yoruichi.
Feeling the power behind it, Yoruichi tried to use Shunpo (Flash Step) to withdraw immediately—
only to realize the space around her had been sealed.
Those omnipresent invisible winds had already, at some point, completely encircled her.
"Interesting~
Shaoling, your way of fighting is making me think of someone I haven't seen in a long, long time!"
Shihōin Yoruichi laughed, abandoned her original plan, clenched her fists, and smashed straight into the incoming wind blades.
If she couldn't dodge, then she simply wouldn't.
She'd just shatter them!
Shihōin Yoruichi had that kind of confidence.
And reality answered her confidence accordingly—no matter how tricky the angle, no matter how fast the speed, the wind blades rushing in looked utterly fragile before Shihōin Yoruichi, famed as the Shunshin (Flash Goddess).
"…But this is far from over, Yoruichi-sama."
In the distance, Soi Fon panted hard and spoke softly in Yoruichi's direction.
As if that single move had already taken an enormous amount out of her.
"I don't like one-hit kills, because they're too easy to go wrong.
The way I prefer to fight is luring the enemy deep… and hiding the truth in plain sight.
Hide your real intent. The moment the enemy believes what they see is the whole picture—their defeat is already decided.
Shaoling, remember this: if the damage isn't enough, make up for it with variations~"
It was still the inspiration and approach Higashino Shuuichi had provided—even the style of fighting. Soi Fon had executed the planned tactic almost perfectly.
The result was that Shihōin Yoruichi watched as a sky-covering swarm of finely cut, high-density compressed Kidō (Demon Arts), without a single gap between them, converged on her.
Powerless.
Yes—powerless. Even for Shihōin Yoruichi, facing something like this for the first time, she couldn't think of a better way to break it.
Each individual piece of compressed Kidō (Demon Arts) wasn't strong—at least, Yoruichi was confident she could smash them again—
but after smashing them, then what?
Would they split into even smaller units of compressed Kidō (Demon Arts)?
These attacks were just like the invisible wind itself—something you could "feel," something you could "cut," yet no matter how many pieces you carved it into, it was still… wind.
A white-hot brilliance bloomed in the air. A terrifying explosion tore the ground apart, collapsing the street, and the sky abruptly darkened.
Because this wasn't the original space of Soul Society—it was a special space created by Urozakuro by borrowing Yushima Ōko's ability. So, to keep the space from collapsing entirely, Urozakuro grit her teeth and discarded everything unnecessary, leaving behind only a pitch-black void.
"This… isn't Rukongai?"
And it was precisely because of Urozakuro's "adjustment" that Soi Fon finally realized she wasn't in Rukongai at all.
At some point, she'd been dragged into a strange space.
Was it Yoruichi-sama?
Soi Fon couldn't be sure.
But she was sure of one thing—
that explosion just now wasn't much of a threat to Yoruichi-sama.
Because in the heart of the blast—within the blackness—several streaks of golden lightning now appeared.
Then came the thunder god's horns… and the thunder god's signature ring formed from six taiko-magatama shapes.
And in front of that ring was Shihōin Yoruichi—her clothes already blown away, her entire body now shockingly bare of fabric, with only a few scraps covering the truly critical places.
Shunkō: Raijin Senkei (Thunder God Battle Form)!
Soi Fon recognized this form. Back when Yoruichi-sama first taught her Shunkō (Flash War Cry), she had demonstrated it once right in front of her.
Only that time, Yoruichi-sama had shown it for just a few seconds.
But this time…
"I will defeat you, Yoruichi-sama!"
Soi Fon silently cheered herself on.
Then, still in midair, she spread her hands and made the winds that had just dispersed gather once more around her body.
"Looks like you really have improved a lot in the years I was gone, Shaoling. But that's enough. I have more important things to do—and this isn't a suitable place!"
Seeing Soi Fon panting hard yet still forcing herself to draw in those invisible winds, Shihōin Yoruichi could easily guess she was winding up for another big move.
Yoruichi didn't mind playing with her a bit longer—
but the sudden change in the environment made worry rise in her chest. She was concerned that the missing Urozakuro might still be nearby, spying on the fight between her and Soi Fon.
It was exactly the kind of thing that slightly unhinged woman would do.
And if that was the case, then continuing to fight Soi Fon was basically performing like a monkey for someone else's amusement—something Shihōin Yoruichi absolutely could not accept.
So, as Shihōin Yoruichi's hands flowed through rapid seals before her chest, the black world began to spawn massive waves of consecutive lightning strikes.
In an instant, the entire world became a land of thunder.
Everywhere the eye could see—golden lightning.
Even those invisible winds, within that endless lightning, could only become scurrying "insects," desperately seeking the tiniest chance to survive in the cracks.
"Damn it…"
The Soi Fon who had been brimming with momentum just moments ago now could only dodge the endless lightning in a miserable scramble, while still trying to gather even a trace of invisible wind again.
But she failed.
The moment the lightning got even slightly close, the little bit of high-density compressed Kidō (Demon Arts) she'd painstakingly gathered would be completely shattered.
It became so hard that even maintaining her Shunkō (Flash War Cry) form was difficult—let alone getting close to Shihōin Yoruichi.
Soi Fon refused to accept it. She knew she still had one chance—maybe it could work.
Her Bankai, Ichigeki Hissatsu: Jakuhō Raikōben.
But even setting aside the difference in reiatsu between her and Shihōin Yoruichi—whether the "one-hit kill" would even take effect;
and even setting aside whether her "slow" one-hit kill could even hit Shihōin Yoruichi—
even if it really could work…
Did she truly want to kill Yoruichi-sama?
Soi Fon asked herself, and the answer was obviously no.
She only wanted to bring Yoruichi-sama back to Seireitei, have her accept an investigation, and make Central 46 clear Yoruichi-sama's name.
Suddenly, Soi Fon felt something lift her cheeks.
She focused her eyes—
and in the brief moment she'd blanked out in helpless frustration, Yoruichi-sama had already appeared right in front of her, gently cupping her face in both hands.
"I know you believe me, Shaoling… but unfortunately, right now, I can't believe in this Soul Society.
Not until I completely figure out what happened back then. Not until the truth is fully brought into the light…
Shaoling, I'm truly sorry. I can't come back.
But I believe—no, you're already an outstanding Captain of the Second Division now~
I didn't choose wrong~"
Before Soi Fon could react, Shihōin Yoruichi pulled her head into a light embrace.
It was so brief, almost a touch-and-release—
but for both Shihōin Yoruichi and Soi Fon, it was enough.
"Hey—how did it end up like this? Shouldn't those two have fought to the death?"
In another space, Urozakuro propped her chin with one hand, looking rather dissatisfied.
"That's not the point. The point is… she's here~"
Beside her, that "Higashino Shuuichi" with the dull eyes opened his mouth and said.
The moment he finished speaking, Urozakuro casually swept her hand—and erased that "Higashino Shuuichi" on the spot.
She could guess how Shihōin Yoruichi had realized she was here. The lightning earlier hadn't been mindless; even while countering Soi Fon, Yoruichi had been searching for the abnormality in this space.
Clearly, she'd found it.
Even though Shihōin Yoruichi couldn't Hollowfy and didn't have the ability to tear open space—
for Urozakuro, the fun of this little "game" was already gone, and there was no longer any reason to keep maintaining this space.
"Then, little kitty, I'll say goodbye for now~"
From within her space, Urozakuro stuck out her tongue at the Shihōin Yoruichi charging toward her.
And then, very quickly, her figure vanished from that space.
With Urozakuro's disappearance, both spaces collapsed at the same time.
Soi Fon returned to the Rukongai street where she'd originally been—
while Shihōin Yoruichi, thanks to Urozakuro's malicious sense of humor, was banished into a men's bathhouse somewhere in Rukongai.
Fortunately, Shihōin Yoruichi reacted fast. She turned into a black cat and landed amid the steam, preventing any real commotion.
As for the unfiltered "wardrobe malfunctions" of the men inside…
For Shihōin Yoruichi—someone who had done plenty of similar things before—it was hardly anything new.
She even let out a couple of meows as she passed certain men, offering her "review":
"Meow (thin)~ Meow (short)~"
But as Captain of the Second Division, Soi Fon obviously couldn't be like Shihōin Yoruichi and just set aside what had happened.
For Soi Fon, unexpectedly seeing Yoruichi-sama—and failing to bring her back to Seireitei—was already frustrating enough.
But how she had been dragged into another space in the first place, and how she had gotten out again—
that was an equally serious problem.
Was it Yoruichi-sama?
Soi Fon didn't think so.
But if it wasn't her… then who did it, and why?
If it were any ordinary matter, Soi Fon could simply report it—let the Captain-Commander and Central 46 decide.
Or she could quietly tell Shuuichi-sama and ask his advice.
But this time, Soi Fon realized… it seemed she could only rely on her own intelligence.
It was just that she didn't know whether her little head…
was actually enough.
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