"Really bad guys!"
She scrunched up her little face, brows knitting tightly.
Bad guys?
Midoriko and the others exchanged glances. One of them asked, "What kind of bad guys?"
"Hmm"
Nel's face contorted in thought. Then she spread her arms wide and gestured, "They've got two big horns on their head, and they're really tall"
As she described them, realization dawned on Midoriko and her group.
Humanoid Hollows? That matched the kind of target they were looking for.
"Alright, thanks for the warning." Midoriko crouched down and gently set Nel on the pale sand, patting her small head.
Although it was kind of hard. That skull mask really didn't make for a soft touch.
"So this little one... was probably a humanoid Hollow too?"
"One of the Arrancar, maybe? Just like Lord Lynn mentioned."
Midoriko fell into thought.
Elsewhere, not far from Las Noches, in a well-hidden spot
Dondechakka Birstanne and Pesche Guatiche stared at each other in panic.
"N-Nel sama?!"
Realizing what had happened, they scrambled. "Quick! We've got to find her before that bastard Nnoitra Gilga spots her!"
Meanwhile
The very same Nel sama, who was absolutely not supposed to be spotted by Nnoitra, was now proudly leading Midoriko and the others straight toward Las Noches!
Her tiny feet padded across the white sand, leaving a trail of cute footprints behind.
Tilting her head, she asked sweetly, "Sister Midoriko, you'll protect Nel, right?"
Midoriko patted her head with a warm smile. "Of course. If any bad guys try to grab you, I'll chase them all off!"
"Mhm!"
Nel nodded hard, then raised her tiny fists and declared seriously, "Chase off the bad guys!"
Seeing her like that, Midoriko's smile softened even more.
Naturally, Nel volunteered to guide the way.
Even though she'd just warned them about the "bad guys up ahead," her eyes were clearly sparkling with excitement when she heard they were moving forward.
That palace She'd been dying to sneak in and play there!
Of course, Midoriko's team wasn't just charging in blindly.
They still took detours here and there to hunt a few Adjuchas and level up a bit.
As a result, their pace was a little slow.
But with Nel as their guide, finding Hollows to fight was a breeze.
Yup. Totally betraying her own kind.
In the third layer of Hell.
After taking out the last of the sinners, Soifon finally let out a sigh of relief.
Clap clap clap!
Suddenly
A sharp, crisp sound of applause echoed around her.
Soifon's muscles tensed instantly.
"Who's there?!"
Then a lazy voice drifted out.
"Well, well. You've really grown stronger over the years, haven't you?"
The second she heard that voice, Soifon's eyes flew open wide. Her pupils shrank, and her body started trembling just a bit.
She stiffly turned her head, not daring to believe it.
A woman with dark skin, wearing a bright orange bodysuit and her hair tied in a long ponytail, stood calmly before her.
"Shihoin Yoruichi!!"
The moment she laid eyes on her, Soifon's fists clenched tightly. Her gaze locked onto her like a hawk, voice shaking with barely concealed fury.
In the blink of an eye, her expression twisted into a snarl.
"Why are you here?!"
Yoruichi's face stayed calm. She shrugged casually, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
Then her eyes turned sharp. "Soifon, what are you doing in Hell?"
If they were in the human worldor even the Soul SocietyYoruichi probably would've ignored her presence.
But here? This was Hell.
More importantly
This was Hell that now belonged to her familia.
Even though she'd been toying with the idea of recruiting Soifon into their Familia, what really worried her was that Soifon's recklessness might piss off someone she shouldn't.
And if that happened, there might not be a chance for redemption.
She had to nip that danger in the budnow.
Because no matter what Soifon was someone she'd watched grow up.
She couldn't pretend she didn't care.
"..."
Upon hearing Yoruichi's words, Soifon looked briefly confused.
She replied on instinct, "There was a sudden surge of Hell's miasma that started affecting Soul Society. The Captain-Commander sent me to"
"Wait!"
Soifon suddenly caught herself, gritting her teeth. "Why am I even telling you this?!"
"Ara~"
Her teasing tone returned. "Still the same cute Soifon, aren't you?"
C-c-c-c-cute?!!
.
.
.
Still So Easy (Bonus)
Cute??
Soifon felt a little dizzy.
Just one sentence from Yoruichi Shihoin had completely thrown her off.
Did... did Lady Yoruichi just say she was cute?
Soifon stood frozen, her eyes a little unfocused, cheeks steadily turning red.
It took her a full minute to snap out of it.
"N-No way!"
She shook her head furiously, trying to clear it.
Why the hell would she feel happy just because of a compliment from her?
Soifon mentally screamed at herself, utterly frustratedand honestly, ashamed.
Trying her best to suppress the storm inside her, Soifon fixed her gaze on Yoruichi with a cold, expressionless face. She slowly raised her hand, golden finger armor pointed straight at her, and said icily:
"I don't care why you came to Hell. But now that we've crossed paths"
She paused, her eyes narrowing sharply.
"Today will be the day you die."
For a moment, silence reigned in Hell.
Yoruichi didn't even seem to be listening.
She had one hand on her chin, deep in thought over what Soifon had just let slip.
The miasma of Hell actually affected the Soul Society?
That shouldn't be possible. Right?
Yoruichi suddenly remembered that time when Lynn's Reiatsu erupted.
That surge of power had reached all the way from Hell to the Soul Society?
She clicked her tongue. That was insane af.
Lynn was even stronger than she'd imagined.
On the other side, Soifon clenched her jaw at Yoruichi's obvious distraction and snapped, "Are you seriously ignoring me right now?!"
"Ah"
Yoruichi blinked, then scratched her head with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, sorry. Spaced out a bit. Can you say that again?"
Soifon trembled with rage: "You don't deserve to hear it again!"
The moment the words left her lips, she vanished from sight.
Feeling the sudden burst of wind at her back, Yoruichi smiled faintly.
"Soifon"
"Have you already forgotten what they used to call meafter just a hundred years?"
With a whisper, Yoruichi's body blurred and disappeared, leaving behind nothing but an afterimage.
Thwack!
Soifon's golden armor pierced through the illusion.
Her face darkened as she turned to where Yoruichi reappeared, and muttered through clenched teeth: "The Flash Goddess Yoruichi."
"Glad to see you still remember," Yoruichi said with a shrug.
"Hmph!" Soifon shot back coldly. "A hundred years is more than enough time for me to surpass you!"
Rip
She tore off her outer sleeve, revealing her black uniform underneath.
"The Executive Militia uniform, huh" Yoruichi paused for a second, a rare flicker of nostalgia crossing her face. "Been a while since I've seen that."
Soifon narrowed her eyes. "I'll take that other title of yours, too."
BOOM!!
As the words left her mouth, a massive burst of Reiatsu exploded from her back.
But in the next instant, it was compressedtightly, precisely.
Shhh
The air screamed as space itself twisted behind her.
Soifon grinned, eyes glinting with pride. "This is the result of a hundred years of training. Let me show you what I've become!"
She launched forward. With a thunderous crack, the white ground of Hell shattered beneath her feet as she vanished againthis time moving even faster.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared in front of Yoruichi, palm striking forward with deadly speed. Her face was calm, but her lips curled up just slightly.
She could already see it: Yoruichi pinned beneath her.
Victory.
Yoruichi remained calm. Before the strike even landed, she raised her hand.
Vmm
A wave of energy burst from Yoruichi's palmexactly matching the pressure of Soifon's own.
Crack!
The moment they clashed, Soifon's compressed Reiatsu was completely neutralized.
Yoruichi's voice was calm. "This kind of power is still too early for you."
Soifon's eyes widened, heart skipping a beat.
"And one more thing."
A golden gleam flashed in Yoruichi's eyes. Behind her, Reiatsu erupted like a tidal wave.
"This technique is called Shunko."
Soifon stared, stunned. She bit her lip hard.
"You You've known how to use this all along?!"
Yoruichi casually brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Hmm? Oh yeah. I've had it for maybe a hundred years now?"
A hundred years?
From the look on her face, Yoruichi wasn't lyingand honestly, she had no reason to.
"Damn it!!"
Why?! Why is she still ahead of me after disappearing for a century?
Why am I always chasing after her, never catching up?!
Soifon's fists trembled, her face twisting with frustration.
"I I'll never accept that!"
With a roar, she lunged forward again, slashing wildly with her golden finger armor.
But Yoruichi only shifted her body slightly, easily dodging every strike.
To her, Soifon's proud speed looked like a child flailing.
Suddenly, Yoruichi caught her wrist in one clean move and said gently, "Feel better now?"
Soifon yanked her arm, trying to break freenothing.
She could attack in other ways, but she didn't.
She just glared coldly at Yoruichi. "You think this is just me venting?"
Yoruichi looked her in the eyes and said seriously, "I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye back then."
"!"
Soifon's eyes went wide.
Her heart skipped. She froze on the spot, completely stunned.
Silence fell again.
She stopped struggling.
After a long pause, she lowered her head and muttered, "There's no point saying that now"
"Still." Yoruichi pulled her into a hug.
"Mmph!"
Soifon hadn't expected that at all. Her eyes popped open, and her entire face turned red in a flash.
"Y-You! Y-You!"
She stammered, trying to find something to say.
Doesn't she realize how dangerous this is?! What if I took this chance to attack her?!
Why why does she trust me so much?
Soifon's anger and bitterness began to melt away. A strange warmth filled her chest.
Maybe this this was healing.
Healing the hundred years of silence and distance between them.
Nowhat hundred years?
Lady Yoruichi didn't disappear.
She just went out to explore the world, that's all!
With that thought, and wrapped in Yoruichi's warm embrace, Soifon convinced herself, even going so far as to make up a reason for her.
Seeing this, Yoruichi's lips curled up in a soft smile.
Soifon oh Soifon~ still so easy to please.
Perfect.
After comforting her for a while, Yoruichi gently asked, "Soifon will you come with me?"
.
.
.
Karakura Town?
Go with Lady Yoruichi? W-Was she finally inviting me?!
"Haaa~"
Soifon's breath caught slightly, her heart racing.
Why didn't she take me with her back then?
That question had haunted Soifon for over a century.
From the moment Yoruichi left Soul Society, it was all she could think about.
But today, that no longer mattered.
This time, Lady Yoruichi had extended her hand to her.
Soifon looked up, dazed, staring at Yoruichi's face.
Her lips parted slightly, the words "I will" practically on the tip of her tongue.
But then
"Boss~!!"
A goofy, booming voice echoed from afar.
Omaeda?
That snapped her back to reality.
In a flash, Soifon wriggled out of Yoruichi's embrace and straightened up, her expression instantly shifting to something far more serious.
"I'm the current captain of the Second Division," she said firmly. "There's no way I can just leave with you."
Still, as she said those words, a twinge of regret stirred in her chest.
She sheathed her Zanpakut, raised her chin slightly, and crossed her arms.
"I'll let you go this time. I'll act like I didn't see anything and won't report you to the Seireitei," she said coldly. "But next time we meet, I won't hold back."
With a huff, she turned and walked away.
Yoruichi didn't stop her. She just offered a quiet warning:" Don't go poking around in Hell anymore."
Soifon's steps pausedbut she didn't reply. She just kept walking.
Yoruichi watched her go with a hint of emotion. "Soifon," she murmured. "You've grown up."
It was obvious that Soifon still wanted to go with her.
But she turned her down anyway.
"Because of those subordinates, huh" Yoruichi said to herself, watching the Second Division members gather protectively around Soifon.
She chuckled softly. "Way more responsible than I ever was."
Back then, Yoruichi had abandoned everythingher division, her comradesand vanished without a word.
That was probably why Soifon could never truly forgive her before.
But maybe this was for the best.
For now, Yoruichi shelved the idea of pulling Soifon to her side.
"We'll meet again."
She whispered it like a promise.
Thanks to Lynn, she already knew a bit about Hell's next move.
Just like Soul Society, Hell was preparing to start transferring souls from the human world.
And when that happens The balance between the three realms will be shattered.
The Soul Society definitely won't stand for it.
It's only a matter of time before Hell and Soul Society end up on opposite sides.
The thought gave Yoruichi a headache.
After all, this was still her world too. She had grown up in the Soul Society.
She still cared about it deeply.
If not for what she'd learned about Aizen's plans, she never would've left in the first place.
And yet now, she was on the opposite side.
There had to be another waya way to avoid open conflict.
There had to be a solution!
Her eyes sharpened with resolve.
Yoruichi took one last glance in Soifon's directionthen disappeared.
Not far away, Marechiyo Omaeda scratched his head. "Captain, something good happened just now?"
"Huh?"
Soifon blinked. "Why do you say that?"
"Well, uh" he fumbled. "You were smiling."
Smiling?
She froze for a second, instinctively glancing in Yoruichi's directionbut of course, she was already gone.
Soifon pressed her lips into a thin line, face returning to its usual sternness.
"You were imagining things."
"Huh?! But I definitely saw"
