"'A great noble second only to the divine tablet'…"
Cole's brow twitched. He pointed at the silhouette behind the golden curtain, speechless. "If I'm not mistaken, your 'great noble second only to the divine tablet' is reading manga… and it's an erotic one."
He remembered that series belonged to the deadpan Visored girl, Yadoumaru Lisa. No idea how it ended up in Yoruichi's hands.
"Keep your voice down!" Soi Fong gazed at Yoruichi with worship. "Even if Yoruichi-sama were doing something erotic, that would still be the act of a supreme noble…"
"Hearing you say that, she sounds exactly like a queen…"
"She is a queen—head of the Shihouin family, the uncrowned ruler of Soul Society…"
"Never seen a queen who turns into a cat…"
"Quiet. If the Shihouin nobles hear you, they'll come for your head…"
"Them? A bunch of weaklings. One swing of my staff and they'll owe me a few lives…"
"Lower your voice. The Shihouin have no shortage of powerhouses—many can match a captain…"
"Tsk, such a perfect place. I should recommend it to Kenpachi and Unohana later so they have somewhere to 'duel'…"
"Do not offend the nobles…"
While the two whispered, the nobles in the hall had already lost patience. An elderly noble stepped out and raised his voice.
"Yoruichi-sama, since you have returned, you must fulfill the Shihouin family's duty and resume the office we have passed down for generations."
As he spoke, he turned a stern gaze toward Soi Fong. "Soi Fong, hand over the position at once."
Soi Fong hesitated. "But… we must notify the Head-Captain, and even stepping down takes time—"
The old noble's eyes went glacial as he barked, "Do not forget your identity. You may be the Second Division captain, but you are also our Shihouin servant. Or are you about to—"
"I wouldn't dare!"
Soi Fong dropped to one knee with a thud.
Her Fēng clan had served the Shihouin for generations; betraying Yoruichi was unthinkable.
Cole curled his lip and lifted Soi Fong to her feet with one hand. "Why kneel to this relic? Your loyalty is to Yoruichi, not that old fossil. Who is he to speak for the Shihouin?"
Before Soi Fong could answer, the elder exploded as if mortally insulted. "Who are you? Who allowed you into the Shihouin estate? Guards! Throw him out and break his legs!"
"Yes, sir!"
Two black-clad Punishment Corps troopers approached.
Soi Fong paled. "Lord Tsuchima, Cole isn't an outsider. He's Yoruichi-sama's disciple—he has the right to be here."
While she spoke, Cole cupped his hands to his mouth and bellowed toward the curtain:
"Yoruichi!!!"
"I came to play!!!"
"Get out here and greet us!!!"
Spiritual pressure packed into his voice like a roaring gale. The air trembled, ripples shredding the hall's composure. Space itself seemed to twist; weaker nobles staggered, clutching their ears and screaming as the golden curtain rattled like a sail.
Lounging on a throne-like seat, the resplendent Yoruichi finally sensed something amiss. She blinked and plucked an earplug from her ear—delight flashed across her eyes.
"Soi Fong! Cole! What are you two doing here?"
Yoruichi leapt up in a manner entirely unfitting her regal robes and ran toward them, beaming.
"Yoruichi-sama!" Soi Fong's face lit with joy.
Yoruichi skidded to a stop before them, exhilarated. "Thank goodness you came. I'm bored out of my mind here, listening to these old fogies nag all day—"
Cole hooked an arm around her neck and jabbed a finger at the wrinkled elder. "Save it for later. That geezer made Soi Fong kneel and told her to hand your seat back. Hurry up and teach him a lesson."
Yoruichi's eyes chilled. "Tsuchima, is that true?"
"Bonk."
Cole rapped her on the head.
Yoruichi's eyes watered; she shot him a glare. "Brat, what was that for!?"
As she spoke, surprise flickered—she hadn't reacted in time. The brat had gotten faster.
Cole scowled. "Would I lie to you? He went way over the line. If he weren't your relative, I wouldn't have held back."
Rubbing her head, Yoruichi swallowed her anger and turned it on the elder. "Tsuchima, apologize to Soi Fong. She is the current Second Division captain—do not treat her like some little maid from the old days."
Soi Fong's eyes shone with tears. This—this was the Yoruichi she served. The one who would always cherish her, always shield her, never let her suffer the slightest grievance.
Cole deadpanned, "Lovely Lady Soi Fong, you should be thanking me. Otherwise Her Ladyship would still be reading her smut."
For once, Soi Fong didn't snap back. Her cheeks pinked as she looked at him. "Thank you, Cole."
Cole nodded, satisfied.
The elder's face curdled as he glared at Cole. "Family head, who is this? He dares treat you so rudely! He's an outsider—how can he meddle in Shihouin affairs?"
"Silence," Yoruichi said coldly. "His name is Cole, a hero who protected Soul Society—and a friend of mine."
"Cole…" The elder frowned. A younger noble whispered in his ear; understanding dawned—and rage followed. "A mere human, not even a true shinigami, daring to offend nobles? Are you tired of living!?"
Other nobles chimed in with icy contempt.
"An insect of a human…"
"With such low birth, how could Yoruichi-sama call him friend…"
"Throw him out…"
Yoruichi's face went frigid.
Before she could speak, a flash of gold streaked at her side.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang…"
Dozens of Shihouin nobles went flying under a single sweeping strike, bodies smashing into distant walls like cannonballs. Crackling impacts overlapped; agonized screams tore through the opulent hall. Clutching ribs, arms, or legs, they writhed on the floor—broken bones plain to see.
Cole slung the Ruyi Jingu Bang over his shoulder and snorted. "Lowly humans, is it? What makes you so lofty? Which shinigami wasn't human first?"
He loathed Seireitei's attitude toward the living. Hitsugaya, Kenpachi, Kyoraku, Ukitake… all had been human. Yet some souls died only to act superior to the living. These nobles were worse—looking at humans like trash. Disgusting.
Soi Fong whispered, "Cole, nobles are born in Seireitei. They truly never experienced being human."
Cole's mouth twitched; he flicked her forehead. "Thanks for the lecture—perfect timing."
The battered nobles, livid, shrieked at him.
"A mere human dared strike nobles! Unforgivable! We'll consign you to the deepest Hell—"
"Punishment Corps!"
"Seize this brat!!"
At their roar, more black-clad figures rushed in.
Soi Fong snapped, "Stand down!"
Yoruichi added, calm and cold, "Return to your posts. This doesn't concern you."
Hearing the past and present commanders together, the troopers melted away without protest.
The elders quivered with fury and turned their ire back on Yoruichi. "Family head, you are the Shihouin head! How can you allow a human to insult us?"
"Seize him at once!"
"Send him to Central 46 for judgment!"
The clamor swelled again.
Seeing they still dared to bluster, Cole arched a brow and hefted his golden staff, ready to give each one another tap.
Yoruichi hurried to stop him. "Cole, no more. If you keep hitting them, this will explode."
"Hah?" Cole shot her a look, then pulled a pouch from his robe and flicked something across the air. "You're the one who should be swinging. I only started for your sake."
The moment she saw the oncoming catnip, Yoruichi pounced on instinct.
"Nya!"
She snatched it, eyes sparkling, then gave Cole a playful little punch, cheeks going rosy as she realized what she'd just done. She shot him a fierce glare. "Brat…"
He kept using catnip to toy with her in the World of the Living—he'd practically conditioned her like a cat.
Nobles gaped, rubbing their eyes. Shihouin Yoruichi… just got trained into a cat-maid…?
"Bang! Bang! Bang…"
Another round of smacks, more howls echoing through the estate. By the time Cole left the hall, not a single noble could stand; all lay groaning on the floor.
"Cole, maybe you hit a bit too hard," Yoruichi sighed. "They are nobles, after all."
"Only broke a bone or two." Cole shrugged, then pointed into the distance with interest. "Yoruichi, is that the Tsunayashiro estate?"
Yoruichi's expression sharpened. "Why ask about them? That clan is dangerous—and their people have vile temperaments."
Cole relayed the revolting gaze he'd sensed earlier. He grinned. "So? Wanna go big with me and give that clan a proper thrashing?"
Yoruichi's eyes lit up. Though both were nobles, the Shihouin and Tsunayashiro didn't exactly get along. If it came to teaching them a lesson…
She licked her lips, then pointed toward a grove wreathed in falling cherry blossoms. "Let's bring in 'Little White' too. If he joins us, even if the Tsunayashiro notice, they won't dare make a fuss."
"Byakuya?" Cole hesitated. "Will that work? That ice block is the biggest stickler for rules."
"Relax. The Kuchiki and the Tsunayashiro have an old blood feud. If it's about them, Little White will help you," Yoruichi said with confidence.
Watching the two plot their crime with bright eyes, Soi Fong could only sigh. "Honestly… you two love making trouble."
Soon, the four reached a courtyard of drifting sakura. Byakuya reclined on a lounge chair, flipping through a photo album, lost in memories with Hisana.
A flicker of black light—
Yoruichi appeared at his side and kicked the chair hard. "Little White, up."
Byakuya didn't react in time. Chair and captain flew, crashing into the wall with a boom.
"Hahaha! Little White, your guard's down!"
Hands on hips, Yoruichi laughed triumphantly.
Byakuya finally stood, face dark, tucking his album away. He drew his zanpakuto with a cold voice. "Cat demon. So you've finally accepted death?"
(End of Chapter)
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