Within the gynecology department, Makoto subtly glanced toward a particular spot outside the window, muttering to himself.
"Hmm? Has the Second Division's surveillance finally ended? Soi Fon didn't show up today…"
"Or… have they switched to someone else?"
The thought made Makoto feel a headache coming on.
If it was Soi Fon, thanks to the "Seed of the Forest" within her, Makoto could roughly sense her presence by tracking the distance between himself and the seed. This ability stemmed from his mastery of spiritual manipulation.
But if they swapped her out for someone else, things would get tricky. Unlike Fon, who was still essentially an innocent young girl, others wouldn't be so easily fooled.
At this stage, Fon was... too green!
Of course, this assessment only applied to her non-combat abilities.
After some hesitation, Makoto whispered softly to the air around him.
"Urozakuro, can you check if there are any Shinigami monitoring me nearby?"
"Wait" Urozakuro's voice rang in his ear.
"Alright."
Makoto nodded.
In the next moment, the translucent form of Urozakuro materialized before him again and said,
"The answer is... no. That little tagalong Soi Fon who's been shadowing you every day? She's been teased to death by Shihōin Yoruichi."
??
Makoto blinked.
Though the word 'teased' puzzled him, he still let out a faint sigh of relief.
Even though he felt he had more or less led Fon astray to the point of no return, being under constant surveillance was still uncomfortable.
However, relief was short-lived as Urozakuro launched into a relentless barrage of chatter, her words flying around his ears like a swarm of dozens of buzzing flies.
So noisy...
Yet, due to the nature of their agreement, Makoto had to respond to her incessant babbling to fulfill the "conversation" aspect of their deal.
After a month of intermittent interactions with Urozakuro, Makoto had come to two solid conclusions:
1. The imprisoned Soya Azashiro must be an absolute, stoic introvert...
2. Urozakuro was an unparalleled chatterbox, not only excessively talkative but also an all-knowing gossip repository for everything happening in the Seireitei.
Unable to indulge her need for conversation through her original master, Soya Azashiro, Urozakuro had completely shifted her focus to Makoto.
It was a peculiar form of equivalent exchange: Urozakuro provided him with the intelligence he needed, and in return, he engaged her in extended "chats."
For someone like Makoto, who valued peace and quiet, such noisy interactions borderlined what he deemed as 'torture'.
Yet amidst Urozakuro's chaotic outpour of gossip, there were occasional scoop of some valuable information.
For instance: the captain of the Eighth Division, Kyōraku Shunsui, would often sneak away without telling his Vice-captain, Lisa Yadōmaru, to visit a certain *izakaya known for its "romantic transactions." He frequented the place on odd-numbered days, as well as whenever he was in an exceptionally good or bad mood.
*(TL/N - The Japanese word izakaya (居酒屋) is made up of three kanji with the meaning, in order, "stay-drink-place." A spot to grab a drink, settle in, and get comfortable.)
Key intelligence extracted: the address of the izakaya with "romantic transactions."
Unfortunately, with Fon tailing him every day, Makoto hadn't had a chance to verify Urozakuro's Reliability.
"By the way…"
Urozakuro, who had been enthusiastically gossiping, suddenly paused and directly asked, "Makoto-kun, what do you think of Soi Fon?"
Makoto glanced at Urozakuro while continuing to organize the various patient files he had handled this month and replied truthfully, "She's inexperienced."
"What kind of answer is that?"
Urozakuro pressed further. "Be specific—how is she inexperienced?"
"In terms of combat abilities, she's decent. But in intelligence gathering, analyzing human behavior, stealth, and concealment? Still a long way to go. She's got plenty of room for improvement."
Makoto's nonchalant response left Urozakuro visibly disappointed.
"What the heck? That's it?"
"What else were you expecting?" Makoto shot back.
Urozakuro hesitated, ultimately deciding against sharing the juicy details of how Yoruichi had teased Fon to the point of fainting. Though Makoto appeared innocent and sunny on the surface, Urozakuro, having been outwitted by him for information too many times, instinctively held back. She chose to save that tidbit for when it could buy her more conversation time later.
The rest of the afternoon passed quietly, seemingly because Fon wasn't around. Even the number of patients seeking consultations was unusually low.
After wrapping up his chat with Urozakuro, Makoto strolled back to the courtyard with a light step, planning to take the evening off and wander through the Seireitei for a bit of exploration.
However, as soon as he returned, he was surprised to spot Unohana and Yoruichi chatting in a nearby pavilion.
To his further surprise, Unohana bent slightly toward Yoruichi, as if making some kind of request.
What?!
Makoto froze. His instincts immediately told him that something was amiss.
Could it be… Unohana-sensei secretly sold me out?
Step by step, Makoto began retreating, planning to return later. But just as he moved, his back collided with something that bounced him forward.
And Yoruichi… was gone.
So fast! I couldn't track her Shunpo at all!
This is the "Goddess of Flash Yoruichi"?
If I were the target of an assassination, what I just felt against my back could've been a blade!
Even though a simple piercing wound wouldn't faze him, the sheer gap in raw power left Makoto deeply shaken.
"Well, well, trying to run, Makoto?"
The next moment, Yoruichi's tanned arm draped casually over his shoulder. Her tone was light but teasing.
"My little Fon has been under your care this past month, hasn't she?"
"Huh?"
Makoto turned his head, looking confused. "Captain Shihoin, I'm not sure what you mean."
"This brat…" Yoruichi bared her teeth in a mischievous grin. "Because of you, Fon ended up fainting, and now you're playing dumb?"
She leaned closer, her tone playful yet intimidating. "Unohana-sensei has decided to hand you over to me. Don't you think you should say something to beg for mercy?"
What?!
Makoto immediately looked towards Unohana. But she remained calm and elegant, sipping her tea with a serene smile. She even waved at him cheerfully, as if bidding him farewell.
The next thing he knew, the arm gripping his shoulder tightened, and the scenery around him began to blur as everything sped past in reverse.
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