"Ugh, what's that smell? What are you doing, Soi Fong…?"
Cole blinked awake, face full of annoyance as he pushed Soi Fong's foot away.
Soi Fong was furious and kicked at his face. "You've got some nerve asking me that! I haven't slept for two days, you hear me?"
Yesterday it was Unohana.
Today it was Orihime.
She felt like she'd turned into some kind of human ear-trumpet—every night forced to overhear other people's flirtations, two sleepless nights in a row.
"What's wrong, Cole-kun…"
Orihime sat up drowsily, rubbing her eyes at Soi Fong. "Ah—it's Miss Soi Fong."
Seeing the love marks on Orihime's skin, Soi Fong couldn't stop herself from kicking Cole a few more times. "You've gone too far. Orihime isn't Unohana—she can't handle your body. Can't you be gentle?"
Cole coughed twice, a little embarrassed. That was indeed on him.
After being with Unohana so much…
He'd gotten used to… applying a bit too much force in certain moments.
Orihime finally came to, cheeks flushed, pulling the covers up. "Thank you for worrying, Miss Soi Fong, but I'm fine. This is Cole-kun's love. It felt… very nice."
Soi Fong snorted despite herself, a flicker of curiosity rippling in her heart.
Nice!?
She couldn't help wondering… what it would feel like with Yoruichi-sama.
"…"
Once Cole finished dressing, Soi Fong huffed twice. "Brat, where are you going today? Don't you dare cause a repeat of yesterday's mess."
"Relax."
Cole shook his head.
He'd already given up experimenting with Hollowfication on his own.
Some things required specialists.
If he wanted to fully control that state, he had to ask Hirako and the others for guidance.
"Then what are you going to do!?" Soi Fong stared, surprised. Was this kid suddenly turning over a new leaf?
"Well…"
Cole stroked his chin. "Go shopping?"
"…"
"So it really is just plain shopping."
Soi Fong followed him, half-convinced, half-suspicious.
And it wasn't just her trailing behind Cole—Orihime and Kyoraku were there too.
Cole sighed. "Captain Kyoraku, I get why they're following me… but why are you tailing me as well?"
Kyoraku lifted a small flask, sipping as he grumbled, "Because you're not exactly trustworthy. The old man gave orders—next five days, I stick to you like glue."
He glanced at the rubble up ahead and added, "Also—don't you dare absorb reishi here. These ruins were drained by you. The Twelfth Division are ready to skin you alive."
Cole coughed awkwardly.
Honestly?
A big reason he'd come to stroll around Seireitei was to absorb some spirit energy.
After those battles in Seireitei, he'd learned his weakness: he didn't have enough reiryoku attributes stocked. He could go even with Aizen now, but once Aizen fused with the Hogyoku, that might change.
But with Kyoraku here…
It'd be tough to just start absorbing again.
Thinking of that, Cole's eyes lit up. He poked Soi Fong's waist. "Hey, Soi Fong."
"What!?" She eyed him warily. Was this little perv about to get handsy again?
"Don't look at me like that. I'm a victim too—You know what Unohana's like…"
He couldn't help complaining. He hadn't planned to get all lovey-dovey with Unohana before coming to Seireitei. But faced with a great villainess with pent-up desires, he could only throw himself into the devil's embrace, bullying her weak with two kinds of "duels."
Thinking of Unohana and Kenpachi's twisted love of battle, Soi Fong could sort of understand. "So why are you poking my waist?"
Cole leaned to her ear, sneaky. "Do you know where Yoruichi lives?"
"Too close!"
Soi Fong flushed and pushed him away, ears tingling, her whole body a little weak. "What do you want with Yoruichi-sama?"
"To catch up. I've been in Soul Society a while, still don't know where her home is. Perfect time to pay a visit."
Soi Fong pouted—she didn't buy it.
This brat definitely had some scheme.
But she also hadn't seen Yoruichi-sama for days. So she nodded. "Fine. I'll take you to the Shihouin estate."
Kyoraku waved his flask lazily. "If you're going to Yoruichi, I'll pass—there's a tavern calling my name."
The three walked on through Seireitei.
It had to be said:
Seireitei was huge.
The Gotei 13 only occupied about half. The other half—even Cole hadn't been there.
"Incredible. Seireitei has a place this… elegant?"
Cole couldn't help marveling.
Unlike the Gotei 13's quarters, the architecture here was more graceful. Few people. Only the occasional shinigami passing through.
Patterns were carved into walls and paving stones.
As if to announce this was a land of nobility.
Seeing Cole's hand drift toward a wall, Soi Fong hurriedly warned, "Don't absorb reishi. This is where nobles live. Anger them and Central 46 will—"
"Nobles?"
Cole feigned surprise.
Soi Fong explained, "This is the domain of the Four Great Noble Houses. Ordinary shinigami have no right to step in. I can enter because I'm…"
She trailed off.
Cole knew this much.
Soi Fong's family—the Fēng clan—had served the Shihouin for generations.
She'd been able to take the Second Division captaincy after Yoruichi left because the Shihouin assented.
Otherwise she wouldn't have been qualified.
That seat was passed down through Shihouin hands.
Just like Byakuya's Sixth Division.
Thinking that, Cole couldn't help curling his lip.
In his last life watching the anime, he'd thought Seireitei was some free, democratic setup—every quirky character doing their own thing.
Only later did he realize—
Seireitei was a feudal state.
Rukongai for common souls; Seireitei the palace.
Here, the Four Great Houses—Kuchiki, Shihouin, Tsunayashiro, and Ise—were the palace masters.
The Gotei 13? Glorified security.
"Since when do bloodlines make kings? Why doesn't old man Yamamoto just wipe these parasites out?"
Cole grumbled—and without ceremony began draining the street's spirit energy. In an instant, the wall beside him vanished.
This wasn't Gotei 13 territory anyway. He felt zero guilt.
Soi Fong jumped in fright, face going pale. She hissed, "Cole, don't talk nonsense. If a noble hears you, they might drag you straight before Central 46."
Cole, however, didn't care.
He wasn't afraid of Aizen—why fear a few pompous nobles?
Orihime added gently, "Miss Soi Fong, in the World of the Living, regime changes aren't uncommon. Maybe it's not so serious?"
"You two don't understand." Soi Fong shook her head, solemn. "Unlike the Living World, Seireitei's Four Great Houses have existed since Soul Society was founded. They've ruled for— Cole, you're still absorbing!?"
She was about to blow a gasket and rushed up to thump his back.
Cole jogged on while absorbing.
Far away—
In a lavish open pavilion, a man with dark green hair in noble robes stood at the edge, eyes narrowed at Cole and Soi Fong's scuffle.
"Who is that, to dare act so wantonly here?"
Behind him, a kneeling servant answered respectfully, "Lord Tokinada, that youth is named Cole. He's the human shinigami who invaded Soul Society and exposed Aizen's plot."
"A human, huh? For lowly humans to produce such a strong one…"
Tsunayashiro Tokinada smiled, amused, and slowly drew his zanpakuto, aiming it at Cole's back.
"What if I just kill him here?"
The servant jolted in terror. "Please be calm, Lord Tokinada. That shinigami is said to be connected to Urahara, Tessai, and also knows Hirako Shinji and Muguruma Kensei. He's on good terms with Rukia and Shihouin Yoruichi-sama…"
Tokinada's brows lifted in surprise. He sheathed the blade. "So this human shinigami isn't ordinary."
"Yes!" The servant nodded quickly. "Not only those exiled 'traitors'—even Unohana, Soi Fong, and that Kuchiki family… outcast, are all close to him…"
Tokinada's lips curled into a cruel smile. He licked his lips. "Even so, letting such a base human set foot where nobles dwell stains this exalted soil…"
The servant could only sweat in silence.
"He's human, right? Barely a hundred years of life. Tell me when he dies."
Tokinada turned and strode away, laughter dripping venom. "I'll personally finish him then. I imagine the reactions of certain people will be… delightful. Hahahaha…"
"What a nauseating gaze…"
Cole stopped dead, eyes slitting toward Tokinada's pavilion. Cold light flashed as his hand gripped the Ruyi Jingu Bang.
"Even filthier than the Hollows I've met."
He'd boosted his five senses a lot while gorging on reishi—meant to help counter Aizen's Kyouka Suigetsu (Mirror Flower, Water Moon).
Never expected to pick up such a revolting stare here instead.
Cruel. Venomous. Lofty disdain.
Not looking at a person.
Looking at an ant.
At something filthy.
Feeling Cole's spiritual pressure boil—tinged even with a faint Hollow breath—Soi Fong went paper-white. She clung to his arm. "Wait, Cole—what are you going to do!?"
Cole pointed toward a distant hall. "I'm going to smash that building to dust and make the guy inside kneel."
Soi Fong glanced over, cold sweat sliding down her brow. "That's the Tsunayashiro estate. Don't you dare. Even Yoruichi-sama might not be able to save you."
"What's there to fear? Worst case, I vacation in Hueco Mundo."
Cole snorted, utterly unimpressed by nobles.
What were they posturing for?
If they were so mighty, then during the fights with Aizen… with Yhwach… why didn't they show their faces?
When it's time to fight, they're nowhere.
But on normal days, they strut and swagger.
Parasites.
"Enough—come with me…"
Soi Fong wrapped both arms around Cole's and dragged hard toward the Shihouin grounds.
"Orihime, help me hold him. Whatever happens, we can't let him go wild here."
Between the two women tugging him along, Cole finally shelved the idea of throwing hands. Held tight by the duo, he was hauled into the Shihouin compound.
"Lady Soi Fong!"
"Lady Soi Fong!"
"Lady Soi Fong!"
Passing servants bowed to Soi Fong, darting curious looks at Cole.
Who's this man?
Lady Soi Fong's boyfriend?
Cole grumbled, "Soi Fong, you've got this much status here and you're a captain—so why be scared of some so-called noble?"
Soi Fong shook her head. "I'm basking in Yoruichi-sama's light. Without her, I wouldn't be 'Lady' anything."
Hearing that, Cole's curiosity about Yoruichi's standing here only grew.
Queen?
Empress?
He strode forward and raised his voice. "Yoruichi! Yoruichi, where are you? I came to play—come greet me already!"
"Cole!!!"
Soi Fong practically exploded. She leapt on his back and clapped a hand over his mouth. "You must not be disrespectful to Yoruichi-sama!"
As expected, the moment Cole spoke, the nearby servants shot him hostile looks; some even gripped their blades.
Fortunately, with Soi Fong present, they made it into a lavish great hall.
The hall was opulent—rich red wood throughout, finished with materials that gleamed like gold.
It was packed with richly dressed nobles—elderly, middle-aged, young—all wearing identical haughty faces.
At the highest seat hung a golden curtain. Through its shimmer, a silhouette could be seen.
A woman with violet hair, clad in a pale yellow robe, gold hair ornaments crowning her—radiating unapproachable nobility.
She lounged on a throne-like chair, surveying the nobles below like a queen.
Cole was stunned. He pointed at the figure behind the curtain. "Don't tell me that queen up there is Yoruichi?"
It felt like he was looking at an Egyptian queen.
Absolutely nothing like the Yoruichi he knew.
Soi Fong whispered, "Do not show disrespect to Yoruichi-sama. As of now, Yoruichi-sama is a great noble—second only to the divine tablet."
(End of Chapter)
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