"Blazing Twin Flames!"
The low roar sounded like a beast's howl as two plumes of flame erupted from Yushiro's shoulders, filling the air with scorching heat. Yushiro charged forward, his entire body becoming a streak of white flame as he closed the distance to Tokikaze.
Concerned with Yoruichi Shihoin's whereabouts, Yushiro abandoned his usual timidity, his golden eyes burning with intense fury.
As his fist rushed forward, the air around it roared, splitting and heating up, forming fierce flames from the high-speed friction.
Boom!
Yushiro's attack hit the target, but it wasn't the one he intended. A star seal dropped from the air, landing right where the fist would strike. Flames burst from it, creating a massive crater in the ground. The sides of the crater began to flow with a crystalline red liquid resembling lava.
Seeing this, Yushiro's expression changed drastically.
"Shunko is quite impressive."
Tokikaze's voice came from behind him, "But your Shunpo skills are far inferior to Lady Yoruichi's. As her brother, your level brings shame to the title of 'Flash Goddess.'"
Yushiro reacted as quickly as he could, launching another Blazing Twin Flames to drive away the figure behind him. But before he could turn, a powerful roundhouse kick struck his waist.
The pain was unbearable, and Yushiro's body folded like a hinge, flying towards the dojo wall.
Boom!
Another crash and a cascade of debris buried him. With just one strike, the head of the Shihoin family met the same fate as his subordinates.
Seeing this, the other Shihoin members no longer hesitated, launching their attacks on Tokikaze. Despite their battle formation enhancing their speed and strength, it wasn't enough to bridge the gap between them and Tokikaze.
In no time, the dojo, newly constructed, was once again reduced to rubble, the Shihoin members buried under the debris, their reiatsu weak.
Tokikaze had no intention of being lenient. Aside from ensuring Yushiro wouldn't die, he ruthlessly broke the necks and extinguished the reiatsu of the others who attacked him with deadly intent.
He then followed Yushiro's reiatsu to the ruins, lifting the stones with a gust of wind to reveal the pitiful figure. Tokikaze had held back against Yoruichi, but he showed no such restraint with her brother. If not for the potential of escalating tensions between the two noble families, he might have killed him outright.
With the number of enemies targeting the Soul Society, an all-out war between two noble families would only hasten its destruction. Tokikaze and even the current top combat force, Yamamoto Genryusai, did not want to see that happen.
Bending down, Tokikaze grabbed Yushiro by the collar and lifted him, their eyes meeting.
"Tell me where my sister is," Yushiro muttered, bruised and barely conscious.
"Sorry, Yushiro. Your sister made me promise not to reveal her whereabouts to you before she left," Tokikaze said with mock sympathy. "But I do have a question for you."
"What is it?" Yushiro asked weakly.
"If the Shihoin and Kanimata families were to unite through marriage, could that bring everlasting peace to the Soul Society?"
Yushiro's pupils contracted like a cat's, and he found new strength despite his injuries, his reiatsu surging again. He clenched his fist, ready to strike Tokikaze for his disrespect.
However, even at his peak, Yushiro was no match for Tokikaze, let alone in his current state. Tokikaze effortlessly pushed him back into the rubble, leaving only his legs sticking out.
"Anyone else left breathing?" Tokikaze scanned the ruins, looking for a less injured Shihoin member.
After a moment of silence, with no response, he shrugged. "Fine then. Sato Tani."
At his command, a figure darted from the other side of the dojo, revealing Sato Tani, the seventh seat of the Ninth Division.
"Captain!"
"Go to the Shihoin family's residence in the Noble District and tell them their head, Yushiro, is with us. They need to come with enough sincerity to redeem him," Tokikaze instructed. "Also, include the cost of the dojo's damages—ten times the amount."
Sato Tani winced, anticipating this but still wanting to protest. Couldn't the captain fleece someone else for a change? He had been sent to the Kuchiki family the last two times and now the Shihoin family, too. At this rate, he'd be on the noble families' wanted list soon.
"Yes, Captain!" Sato Tani replied, keeping his thoughts to himself to avoid ending up buried like the others. He glanced at Yushiro's legs sticking out of the rubble and hurriedly sped towards the Noble District.
Meanwhile, Nanao Ise stood in the centre of the dojo ruins, still shocked by the rapid turn of events. Even with her sharp mind, she struggled to process everything.
When Nanao finally snapped out of it, Tokikaze was already standing in front of her, so close she could feel his breath.
"C-Captain!" she stammered, stepping back in panic. Unfortunately, she stepped on the rubble and fell backwards.
Thud!
Nanao landed hard, but the impact was cushioned, causing more embarrassment than pain. The suddenness of it left both of them momentarily speechless.
Tokikaze had thought she might have been hit with an unseen Kido spell, so he approached to check on her, only for things to turn out this way.
Realising the situation, Nanao quickly stood up, bowed deeply to thank Tokikaze for today's lesson, and hastily used Shunpo to leave, unable to bear the embarrassment any longer.
Tokikaze, unfazed, ordered his subordinates to clean up the mess and then left the Ninth Division barracks, heading towards the inner court. With the incident involving Yushiro, Yamamoto Genryusai was sure to inquire, and there was also the matter of learning the essence of the Genryu style as he had promised.