Chapter 570: Sparring (Thanks to the Alliance Leader of the Great Empire of Lace)
Chapter 570: Sparring (Thanks to the Alliance Leader of the Great Empire of Lace)
"Indeed, he has passed."
Soifon bowed her head slightly, whispering to herself.
While the members of the Onmitsukido were closer to Yoruichi, including the close-guard unit, the Second Division was slightly more distant. However, as a vice-captain who constantly followed Yoruichi, it was only natural that Soifon expected nothing less than exceptional strength.
Now that Feng Ye had achieved Bankai, even if he had only recently mastered it, his power far surpassed those vice-captains who could only perform Shikai. Thus, there was no question about his qualification for the position.
Furthermore, upon learning that Feng Ye had attained Bankai, Soifon's attitude towards him had shifted slightly, infusing a hint of respect. After all, she herself was still far from attaining Bankai, and a Shinigami who had achieved such a feat deserved recognition from their peers.
"... "
Lilith sat obediently behind Feng Ye, her pure red eyes quietly observing Yoruichi, Soifon, and the others.
Joining the Gotei 13 would undoubtedly benefit her in understanding and honing her Shinigami powers, but for Feng Ye, it made little difference whether he joined or not. Therefore, in Lilith's eyes, Feng Ye was merely interested in experiencing the life of a Shinigami, and she would quietly follow suit.
If Soifon's admiration for Yoruichi was a 90, then Lilith's admiration for Feng Ye was a solid 120.
Noble, calm, great, powerful, omniscient, omnipotent... no existence could compare to Feng Ye, not even the creator of this world, Zero.
"Alright, Omaeda, take Feng Ye to familiarize himself with the barracks and introduce him to the other team members. Soifon, you come along too, so Feng Ye can get to know the members of the Onmitsukido."
"And tonight, we'll hold a celebration for Feng Ye's induction."
Yoruichi stretched her body and instructed Omaeda and Soifon, who immediately acknowledged her orders.
By now, most of the Second Division had received the news about the new vice-captain. Under Omaeda's command, they quickly assembled at the designated gathering spot within the division.
Upon learning that Feng Ye was a Shinigami who had attained Bankai, there were no objections to his direct appointment as vice-captain. The look in the eyes of the division members as they gazed at Feng Ye was almost reverent, clearly aware of the significance of Bankai!
Additionally, some of the female Shinigami blushed upon seeing Feng Ye's gentle and sunny appearance. Feng Ye, for his part, took it all in stride.
There were almost no unusual gazes directed at Lilith.
This pleased Feng Ye somewhat. A division without perverts and lolicon tendencies was a relief. Although he personally found girls cuter, he could travel freely between the past and the future, and time and age held no meaning for him, so he was different.
Life has two most stunning and beautiful moments: the moment of birth and the moment of growth.
The introductions within the Second Division were quickly concluded, and Omaeda soon dismissed the assembled members, instructing them to return to their duties.
After that, Soifon led Feng Ye to the Onmitsukido's area.
The situation here was even simpler.
The members of the Onmitsukido mostly wore face masks, concealing their identities. Since Feng Ye didn't oversee the Onmitsukido, there was no need for him to recognize them; they just needed to know who he was. So, under Soifon's guidance, they basically just took a quick tour.
...
The banquet was held in the central area of the Second Division.
In attendance were all the seated officers of the Second Division, seated according to their rank, as well as the various squad leaders of the Onmitsukido, who were also seated in order.
Seated to Yoruichi's left was Soifon, as was customary, and to her right was Feng Ye, now dressed in the black uniform of a Shinigami and adorned with the vice-captain's epaulet of the Second Division.
"Alright!"
"Let's toast to my new vice-captain's induction!"
Yoruichi picked up a tall glass in her left hand, containing a small amount of orange liquid. With a smile on her face, she leaned to her right and put her arm around Feng Ye's neck, raising her drink.
Since Shinigami were prohibited from drinking alcohol during work hours, this was a special type of beverage. Although it was expensive, as the head of one of the Four Great Noble Houses of Soul Society, Yoruichi naturally didn't concern herself with such trivialities.
"Yoruichi-taicho!"
Soifon, upon witnessing this, couldn't help but speak up, her voice gradually softening. "Please be a bit more mindful of your image, Yoruichi-taicho."
Feng Ye glanced to his left. "You're a bit too close, Captain Yoruichi. I'm not interested in that kind of teasing."
However, having said that, compared to Soifon, although they both had slender builds and were agile, the difference was quite noticeable.
"You're too close, Captain Yoruichi."
"Don't worry about that. Come on, cheers!"
Yoruichi released her hand with a flourish and raised her glass, downing its contents in one go.
The other team members seemed accustomed to Yoruichi's behavior within the division, and they all raised their glasses and followed suit, drinking along with Yoruichi.
And so.
Feng Ye officially joined the Gotei 13's Second Division as its vice-captain, beginning a life as a Shinigami that he had been eager to experience.
...
Several months later.
Training area of the Second Division.
Feng Ye stood with his Zanpakuto in hand, skillfully swinging it up and down, effortlessly deflecting and countering the attacks coming at him.
His opponent was Lilith, who, over these past few months, had become much more adept at controlling her spiritual pressure. She had also learned some Kido and Shunpo.
While these abilities weren't as powerful as her dojutsu, they were all applications of spiritual pressure, aiding in her control over it, so she diligently practiced them.
"Hado No. 31: Shakkaho!"
After clashing with Feng Ye several times, Lilith leaped into the air, releasing her sword hilt and pushing her palm towards Feng Ye below. A ball of crimson light formed in her palm.
Omaeda, who was observing from a distance, couldn't help but be amazed. "She's already able to forgo the incantation for Hado No. 31?
Feng Ye swept his sword with a smile, knocking away Lilith's Crimson Cannon.
Lilith remained unfazed as her attack was blocked, her gaze cool and collected. With a slight movement of her delicate hand, her Zanpakuto glowed with a vibrant red sheen.
"Be stained red, Blood Tongue," she commanded.
Her Zanpakuto instantly enlarged as she brought it down towards Feng Ye.
Lilith's Zanpakuto's Shikai ability drew power from her own blood, and the more blood she sacrificed, the stronger the power contained within her sword became, resulting in more potent attacks.
Clang!!
Feng Ye didn't release his Zanpakuto. Instead, he calmly swung his sword upwards, effortlessly blocking Lilith's strike and holding her sword in place mid-air.
Lilith exhaled softly, her skin visibly paling at an alarming rate until it resembled smooth white jade. Her Zanpakuto, in contrast, glowed with an even more intense crimson light.
Boom!!!
The second collision reverberated through the training ground, causing the ground beneath Feng Ye's feet to shatter and crack. Yet, his sword remained unwavering, steadfastly blocking Lilith's strike.
"..."
Soifon watched from the sidelines, assessing the battle between Feng Ye and Lilith, curious to see how they would fare against her in their Shikai state.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind and rested on Soifon's shoulder, causing her to startle. Instinctively, she lashed out with a swift hand strike.
Slap!
Yoruichi caught her slender wrist, a smile playing on her lips as she said, "Not bad, your alertness is commendable."
Although Soifon had already realized her mistake after striking out, her combat instincts took precedence, and she completed her initial action. To her, these combat instincts were of utmost importance, especially during a battle.
"Captain Yoruichi," Soifon said, her cheeks tingeing with a hint of pink. She bowed slightly after Yoruichi released her wrist.
Yoruichi folded her arms across her chest and turned to observe the ongoing battle. "You've already familiarized yourself with a Shinigami's combat style, haven't you? These siblings are indeed geniuses. Soifon, what do you think?"
Soifon's eyes remained fixed on the battle as she replied, "Setting aside spiritual pressure, Lilith's attack style is rather crude and aggressive. While her movements are flexible, there are still many openings that can be exploited. As for Vice-Captain Feng Ye... he's handling the fight calmly and is only defending. It's hard to discern his true abilities at the moment, but if they've only been training for a few months, their combat talent is indeed terrifying."
Yoruichi glanced at Soifon, deep in thought. "Is that so? Then, what do you think would be the outcome if you were to fight them?"
Soifon pondered for a moment before answering, "I believe I could defeat Lilith. As for Vice-Captain Feng Ye... if he doesn't use his Bankai and maintains his current spiritual pressure, I'd say I have about a 30% chance of winning."
"Oh?" Yoruichi's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Then why don't you give it a try?"
"Yes, Captain," Soifon replied.
Sparring within the squad was a common occurrence. What Soifon admired most about Yoruichi was her formidable strength. Even without a Zanpakuto, Yoruichi's hand-to-hand combat skills and Shunpo were enough to single-handedly overpower the entire Onmitsukido, including Soifon herself and the rest of the Onmitsukido's first squad.
She was also known as—the Instant God!
Aside from Yoruichi, now that Kisuke Urahara had stepped down, Soifon and Omaeda were the strongest members of the Second Division.
With the addition of Feng Ye, who had mastered Bankai, Soifon knew she now ranked below him. However, if Feng Ye refrained from using his Bankai, she didn't consider herself any weaker than him.
After all, she had been training since childhood and had endured countless brutal battles, while Feng Ye had only recently become a Shinigami and started his training a few months ago.
Talent was important, but it wasn't everything!
Recently, Soifon had also deepened her understanding of her Zanpakuto, and her spiritual pressure had improved. She felt that it wouldn't be long before she crossed that threshold and mastered a Shinigami's ultimate ability—Bankai!
Swish!!
In the next instant, Yoruichi vanished from her original spot, leaving behind only a fleeting afterimage. She appeared between Feng Ye and Lilith, her hands imbued with spiritual pressure, and simultaneously slapped their Zanpakuto, sending both swords flying to the sides and interrupting their spar.
"Good morning, Captain Yoruichi," Feng Ye said, lowering his Zanpakuto with a serene expression.
Yoruichi tilted her chin up, a playful glint in her eyes. "So early in the morning, and you're already at the training grounds. I hope you didn't skip breakfast. Your enthusiasm is admirable."
Before Feng Ye could respond, she continued, "You've been training as Shinigami for over three months now, and your progress is impressive. I think it's time to test your skills."
Feng Ye offered a gentle smile. "Lilith hasn't mastered Bankai yet. If you wish to spar, Captain Yoruichi, I'll be your opponent."
Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "This is a regular training ground without any barriers. If you use your Bankai here, you'll end up destroying the Second Division!
As she spoke, she raised her hand, thumb pointing backward. "You can spar with Soifon, but no using Bankai."
"Very well," Feng Ye agreed amiably.
Yoruichi turned her head to look at Soifon, who was standing behind her. "Soifon, come over here."
As she spoke, she stepped aside to make room, and Soifon strode forward to stand before Feng Ye.
"Please go easy on me," Soifon said, drawing her Zanpakuto and addressing Feng Ye with a serious expression.
Feng Ye was one of the few members of the Second Division to whom Soifon didn't display coldness. On the one hand, she acknowledged his formidable strength, and on the other, his warm and sunny disposition was genuinely infectious. His humble and unpretentious character also made him likable.
After receiving Feng Ye's acknowledgment, Soifon raised her Zanpakuto to her chest, pointing it at Feng Ye, her eyes intense with focus. She had entered a battle-ready state and said in a low voice, "Here I come."
"Come," Feng Ye replied.
(End of Chapter)
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