Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35 - 35: Floral Materials

By the time Masatsuki Aozaki accompanied Yoruichi Shihōin to the 4th Division the following evening, his mind was still somewhat distracted.

He wasn't some naive fledgling—he was a seasoned Zanjutsu prodigy who had seen his share of battles.

Under normal circumstances, last night shouldn't have been enough to shake his focus.

Could it be that Rangiku Matsumoto had somehow unlocked the power of the "Soul King's Nail"? That would be... disastrous.

Masatsuki rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on. He had a hunch that Rangiku might awaken some rather "unusual" abilities.

Beside him, Yoruichi walked through the dimly lit streets, clad in a black night-suit. She made no effort to conceal herself, moving with the confidence of someone who belonged wherever she went.

Now and then, a passing Shinigami recognized her, their expressions shifting in alarm before they hurriedly got out of her way. Clearly, her reputation as a troublemaker was well established.

Even wrapped in her stealth gear, Yoruichi exuded an undeniable charm.

Masatsuki glanced at her and asked, "Once we hand the hot spring over to Kisuke, when will we actually get to use it? I'd rather not wait until I've surpassed my master, only to find it's still just an empty pool."

"It shouldn't take more than a few years," Yoruichi replied in a low voice. "Kisuke has already studied most of the Urahara family's research. All he needs now is the real hot spring as a test subject."

"So where exactly is it?"

"In the safest and most dangerous place in the entire 4th Division—the captain's quarters. That's our target," Yoruichi said.

Safe and dangerous were relative terms.

For the 4th Division, the captain's quarters were the most secure location. But for intruders? It was the riskiest place to be.

"No wonder you needed me to distract Captain Unohana," Masatsuki said. "That just leaves one more problem—Lieutenant Seinosuke Yamada."

"That guy is practically Unohana's fanatical devotee."

Masatsuki had simply recalled a name from the original timeline, but Yoruichi took it as a deliberate heads-up and nodded.

"He's not the combat type. His Reiatsu is only at a Lieutenant's level. With his strength, he shouldn't be able to detect me."

Masatsuki shook his head slightly. "I trust you. But since we're almost at the 4th Division, shouldn't we at least pretend to follow protocol and split up here?"

Yoruichi rolled her eyes at him. "I'm off, then. And you—be careful. Don't let that woman, Unohana, train you to death."

"Uh..."

Masatsuki grimaced.

Everyone in the 4th Division had a loose tongue, so it was no surprise that even Yoruichi had heard about the humbling experiences he had suffered under Unohana's tutelage.

Then again, showing up unannounced in the middle of the night, claiming he wanted to practice Zanjutsu, might be a bit too suspicious.

Thinking it over, Masatsuki decided to take a different approach and doubled back.

"Hey, where are you going?" Yoruichi Shihōin asked.

"Just out to buy a few things. Wait for me outside the 4th Division," Masatsuki Aozaki said with a faint smile. "Don't act on your own—let me find Captain Unohana first."

"Alright." Yoruichi shrugged. "I'll wait for you there."

Masatsuki glanced around, his eyes lighting up as he spotted his target deep in the street.

...

A quarter of an hour later, he arrived at the 4th Division's gate, carrying a colorful assortment of flowers. He informed the Shinigami on duty before heading inside.

"Him? Buying that many flowers?"

Hidden in the shadows, Yoruichi narrowed her eyes in confusion.

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