"Sora, when did you get here?"
Yoruichi's face lit up with joy, showing absolutely no sign of the embarrassment one would expect from being caught by her fiancé.
"Just now. I was also lov—*ahem*, I arrived right when you and Soifon were sparring."
He was almost led astray by Yoruichi, but thankfully, his willpower was firm enough to forcefully steer the conversation back on track.
Beside them, Soifon kept her head down, too afraid to speak. She wished she could bury her head into the great plains of the Feng clan. No matter how hard she racked her brain, she never imagined Lord Naraku would witness such a scene.
Speaking of which, shouldn't a normal person be angry about this sort of thing?
*Lady Yoruichi is your fiancée, the one you are engaged to! Why do you look so happy?*
The young girl felt deeply ashamed of her disrespectful behavior. Even the roots of her ears had turned soft and red. She stood frozen to the side, not even daring to breathe too heavily.
Yoruichi, on the other hand, didn't care at all. Like a fickle woman, she focused her attention entirely on the object in Naraku Sora's hand.
"What is this?"
"Unit 01."
"?"
Although she didn't understand what Naraku Sora was talking about, his suddenly serious expression made it sound incredibly impressive.
"Also known as the simplified version of the Soul Pager."
"An invention by Urahara Kisuke and Kurotsuchi Mayuri. It's a little toy embedded with Kidō that can record images."
Truth be told, if he hadn't noticed that every squad needed to be equipped with a communications officer during outside missions, Naraku Sora wouldn't have realized that the Soul Pager hadn't been invented in this era yet.
Considering the future development of the Soul Society, he shared this idea with the two of them.
Through the combined efforts of Urahara Kisuke and Kurotsuchi Mayuri, the Soul Pager Unit 01—the very model in Naraku Sora's hand—was successfully developed.
Aside from short-range communication, it also featured functions like photography and recording.
Once the Spirit Wave Measurement and Research Department is established, that will be the moment for the Soul Pager to truly shine.
After hearing the explanation, Yoruichi's eyes lit up. As the Captain of Squad 2 and the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, no one understood the strategic value of the Soul Pager better than she did.
With this device, the casualty rate of squad members on intelligence-gathering missions would drop significantly, while the mission success rate would skyrocket.
Seeming to read Yoruichi's thoughts, Naraku Sora shook his head.
"Mass production is still a bit difficult for now. The embedded Kidō is too complex. We'll have to wait until they optimize a few versions. With those two's brains, it won't take long."
"When the time comes, I'll make sure Squad 2 is the first to get them."
Yoruichi's lips curled into a bright, hearty smile.
"It's a deal."
"By the way, at the last Golden Seal Noble Assembly, which I attended as the head of the Shihōin clan, I heard you rode the Tenchūren to the Soul King Palace?"
Naraku Sora nodded, though he had no intention of sharing his experiences in the Soul King Palace with Yoruichi.
Some muddy waters were better left un-waded.
He and Aizen were already pitch-black to the core, so they didn't care about such minor issues.
"Actually, your timing is perfect."
Yoruichi raised her relatively slender arm, striking a pose that showcased her strength.
"After your guidance last time, I've fully mastered Shunko. Furthermore, inspired by your lightning mode, I've developed the second phase of Shunko."
"How about it? Want to give it a try?"
"The current me is definitely not weaker than that Shunko state you showed before!"
Looking at Yoruichi's proud expression, Naraku Sora felt it was necessary to make a move.
"I couldn't ask for anything better."
He took off his haori and stripped the top half of his Shishakushō, tying it around his waist. For pure Hakuda combat, this look was much more refreshing.
He shoved the haori into Soifon's hands, completing his pre-battle preparations.
Seeing this, the corners of Yoruichi's mouth lifted, revealing her white canine teeth, which formed a sharp contrast with her wheat-colored skin.
Crackling arcs of electricity surged through the air, spreading like an untamed beast, recklessly exuding ferocity.
Bathed in the electric arcs, Yoruichi's purple hair danced wildly. Her aura continued to soar, as if it had no upper limit.
Kidō Reiatsu erupted from her shoulders, and a visible halo flashed for a fleeting moment.
In the next second, her figure abruptly vanished.
Her athletic body left a string of afterimages across the arena as she instantly dashed toward Naraku Sora, attacking from above.
Yoruichi raised her right leg high. Her long, elastic leg slammed down like a battle axe. The crackling lightning filled the surrounding area with a scorched scent.
It was as if even the air itself had been burned.
Boom!!
At the moment of impact, visible shockwaves rippled outward in all directions, tearing up the floorboards and the air below, kicking up a relentless, howling gale.
Unconcealed lightning crashed down, its ripple-like aftermath stacking layer upon layer.
Naraku Sora crossed his arms in front of his chest, a flash of surprise passing through his eyes.
At such close range, he clearly felt the continuous surge of immense power, as well as the tearing sensation brought by the violent lightning.
Although it wasn't enough to break his defenses, in terms of pure destructive power, it had already surpassed Kensei.
It was at least at the level of ten Kenseis!
Most importantly, her Flash Step speed had been greatly enhanced by the lightning. The naked eye could hardly track her; one could only see arcs of electricity flashing and weaving through the training grounds.
For Yoruichi, speed would always be her top priority.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, if she couldn't crush other Soul Reapers in the realm of Flash Step, she would have a hard time commanding their respect.
Clearly, in terms of pure Flash Step talent, few Soul Reapers could compare to her.
The current Yoruichi already showed glimpses of the future "Goddess of Flash."
But unfortunately, she was still a bit lacking compared to him.
"Your speed is sufficient, but your power is still lacking."
Naraku Sora raised his right arm. The calf, wrapped in lightning, landed precisely on his sturdy forearm.
Hierro.
Lightning storm descending!
Like divine punishment, the rampaging golden lightning plummeted from the sky, viciously crashing into the earth and completely swallowing the figure within.
Rumble!!
The ground suddenly cracked and collapsed. Countless fissures appeared, and as dust billowed into the air, half of the dojo was instantly pulverized into fine powder, leaving behind a ruin-like landscape.
As if it were a signal, the real battle completely erupted at this moment.
Soifon stood at the edge of the battlefield, looking enviously at the figures continuously clashing in the distance. She desperately yearned to join the fight and become a part of it.
However, the gap in their strength was simply too vast. No matter how hard she tried to catch up, she could only watch their retreating backs from afar.
Soifon's talent was actually quite formidable, but it depended on who she was being compared to.
Being able to develop Shunko on her own without any guidance already spoke volumes.
Unfortunately, the ones she was facing were absolute monsters.
Setting Naraku Sora aside, it was almost impossible for her to even surpass Yoruichi.
But even so, she couldn't give up easily.
Hard work might not yield results, but without hard work, there would definitely be no gains.
Gazing at the restless lightning and the tall, monument-like figure standing in the center, Soifon's eyes filled with determination.
The spectating audience was a bit anxious, but in reality, Yoruichi, who was in the midst of the battle, was even more anxious.
She originally thought that by bringing out the second phase of Shunko, she would be able to ruthlessly crush Naraku Sora and let him experience the taste of defeat.
To her surprise, the other party merely activated a standard version of Shunko and was fighting her to a standstill, even having the spare energy to point out the angles of her force exertion.
When he first joined the squad, he was the one being completely overwhelmed. How long had it been since then?
*Is this guy a monster?*
Yoruichi gritted her teeth, letting out a low, cat-like growl. The surrounding lightning instantly became restless.
As if out of control, it danced wildly among the ruins.
Under Naraku Sora's surprised gaze, a dark cloud gathered in the sky, from which a terrifying, continuously brewing Reiatsu could be felt.
Golden lightning constantly surged into the dark cloud, causing it to grow steadily.
The atmosphere gradually became oppressive and heavy.
"Sora, I can't fully control this move yet, so you'd better be careful."
After giving a warning, Yoruichi lowered her body under Naraku Sora's unblinking gaze. Her long purple ponytail danced behind her.
Her athletic body stretched to the limit, arching into a captivating curve.
Reiatsu rioted, and a pillar of lightning descended from the sky.
The tyrannical electric arcs swallowed the figure on the ground, completely covering Yoruichi's body amidst the roaring thunder.
Golden cat ears materialized on top of her head, and lightning attached to her limbs, making her resemble a feline even more. A black cat tail swayed continuously in the air, drawing the eye.
Whether it was strong or not remained to be seen, but this posture completely captured Naraku Sora's attention.
Compared to when she was soaking in the hot spring, this appearance seemed even more enticing.
The moment the lightning armor was completed, a golden arc flashed across the ruins. Like teleportation, she appeared directly behind Naraku Sora.
His eyes couldn't track her in time; he could only rely on instinct to block the sudden attack.
Claws wrapped in lightning tore through the air, landing viciously on Naraku Sora's left arm amidst the piercing shriek of tearing fabric.
Caught off guard, he only had time to reach back and block.
Something that surprised Naraku Sora happened. Pain transmitted, his skin was sliced open, leaving several long claw marks, accompanied by a faint scent of burning.
His defense was actually broken!
Looking at the lacerations on his arm, Naraku Sora didn't activate High-Speed Regeneration. Instead, he carefully observed the wounds.
Aside from the pure cutting force, there was also a lightning burning effect.
The Reiatsu lingering on it was even constantly shifting.
"What an astonishing technique."
Naraku Sora grinned and praised, "In that case, I'll get a little serious too."
As soon as his words fell, leaping lightning once again tore through the sky, the shrieking of the air ringing close at hand.
The golden lightning cat claws turned into afterimages, and dozens of flashes and electric arcs poured out like a violent storm.
Naraku Sora didn't dodge. The moment his Reiatsu erupted, he directly activated his Lightning Release mode. His instantly enhanced neural reflexes allowed him to keep up with Yoruichi's speed.
Now, Soifon completely lost sight of the battle's progression.
In her vision, there were only continuously flashing lights and surging Reiatsu, pressing down like ocean tides.
Wave after wave.
Bang!!
Accompanied by a deafening roar, the ground beneath the two instantly caved in. Dust violently churned, only to be annihilated in the erupting scorching heat.
Gradually, the Reiatsu fluctuations subsided, and the battle seemed to be drawing to a close.
When the dust settled, an enviable scene appeared before their eyes.
In the center of the ruins, Naraku Sora was sitting cross-legged on the ground, completely disregarding his image. Yoruichi was still wrapped in lightning, but the previous restlessness was gone.
She was quietly lying on his lap, peacefully enjoying the scratches under her chin, occasionally letting out a purring sound.
Seeing this scene, Soifon's eyes couldn't help but turn a little red.
*Damn it, why isn't the person sitting there me?!*
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