Secret Base

After continuing his practice for over an hour, Yamamoto's swordsmanship guidance for the day concluded.

"You'll be entering Shino Academy tomorrow," Yamamoto said, his tone as casual as everyday conversation. "Will suppressing your spiritual power be a problem?"

"As long as it's the same old method, there won't be any accidents."

Hearing Hongjiang's answer, Yamamoto nodded with satisfaction.

Shino Academy is the only Shinigami academy in Seireitei. To become a Shinigami, or more specifically, a Shinigami in the Gotei 13, one must study at the academy.

Although the rules stated this, individuals with special status, such as the heirs of the next generation of the five noble families, or Captain Commander Yamamoto's personal disciples, would not need to go through the academy to join the 13th Division.

The reason for this seemingly unnecessary step was twofold: partly to avoid special treatment, and partly as a form of concealment and protection for Hongjiang.

He was about to say a few more words when someone rushed in from outside the courtyard, causing Yamamoto to retract what he was about to say.

"Reporting to the Captain Commander, Your Highness Yoruichi of the Shihoin family requests an audience!"

"Oh~ Yoruichi? Isn't the little one already here?"

The messenger was taken aback and turned to look beside him. The little girl in a white floral kimono, currently sprawled on the outer veranda, was none other than the so-called Your Highness Yoruichi of the Shihoin family.

"Your Highness Yoruichi, didn't I tell you to wait outside? Why did you come in again without permission!?" the messenger asked with a bitter expression. Judging by his words, this wasn't the first time this had happened, and the little girl was indeed troublesome!

The little girl looked at the two inside the room with an innocent expression, as if unaware she had caused trouble. However, Diezuka Hiroe, who had his back to her, knew that she was perfectly aware and that her current innocent act was just acting.

"Didn't Hongjiang say we were going out to play tonight?" Yoruichi asked timidly, her voice trailing off with a hint of pitifulness. "I waited for you for so long and you didn't come out, I thought you had fallen asleep~"

Hearing Yoruichi's voice, Hongjiang shivered, goosebumps erupting all over him. "So disgusting! This malicious attempt at cuteness is truly revolting. And to imagine Yoruichi's pitiful act, forget it, why make things difficult for myself?"

"So Hongjiang, you have a date?"

"Not at all, Teacher. I think we need to practice another round!" Hongjiang quickly shook his head. Strictly speaking, he did have an appointment tonight, but it was Yoruichi's unilateral command, and he had never explicitly agreed to it.

Before Yamamoto could reply, Yoruichi outside the door burst into tears, crying and accusing Hongjiang of being unkind, putting on a show of being abandoned and desolate.

Watching the farce outside the door, the usually stern Yamamoto actually smiled, a kind smile like an old father looking at his daughter-in-law.

Hongjiang felt utterly ashamed, covering his forehead and lowering his head in embarrassment. He looked at the wooden floor, thinking, "This crack looks quite large. If I try hard enough, I should be able to crawl into it, right?"

"We won't practice today. You go out and play with Yoruichi."

"No take-backs, Grandpa Yamamoto!" Yoruichi's tears instantly turned into a smile upon hearing this, but looking at her still smooth little face, her crying had been purely for show.

"As long as you don't forget that tomorrow is the academy's entrance ceremony and you're not late," Yamamoto replied, nodding. He stood up and walked towards the inner room. "Hongjiang, you don't need to see me out."

Yamamoto's "you don't need to see me out" was truly a divine assist, but unfortunately, it went to the opponent. What to do now that there was no excuse?

Hongjiang thought about it. There was truly no other way. With a sigh of helplessness, Hongjiang slowly turned around. Even if the end of the world was upon him, he would have to face what he had to face.

"Yo, you're here!" Hongjiang greeted with a smile, trying to dispel the awkwardness of his earlier desire to escape.

However, Yoruichi wasn't buying it. With a wicked grin, she placed one hand on her hip, pointed behind her, and then turned and left without a word.

The meaning was clear—come out, let's talk slowly!

What would happen if he didn't go out? Hongjiang had considered simply going back to his room to rest, but if he did that, the consequences would likely be dire. So, no more fanciful ideas, he should just follow her obediently.

As soon as they left Yamamoto's residence, Yoruichi, who was walking ahead, suddenly turned and delivered a flying kick towards Hongjiang's face.

Talking equals fighting; this was common sense, at least for Yoruichi. Hongjiang naturally knew this.

He raised his right hand, palm facing forward, and blocked Yoruichi's attack. Grabbing her foot, he said, "Girls shouldn't be so violent. Learn from someone like Hua..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Hongjiang was hit squarely in the side of the face by Yoruichi's changed move, a right sweeping kick. Accompanied by a cloud of dust and a wail, he was sent flying more than two meters away.

As the dust settled, a smiling face with light yellow hair appeared before Hongjiang. "Good evening, Hongjiang."

"Looks like you couldn't escape her clutches either, Urahara!"

Everyone has a few close friends when they're young, and Shinigami are no exception. The person before him was Urahara Kisuke, and along with Yoruichi, the instigator, her full name was Shihoin Yoruichi. They were the only two close friends Hongjiang had in his fifteen years of life in Seireitei.

Hongjiang knew that these two would become figures of great renown in the future, but for now, they were still young and didn't deserve the term "figures." They could only be considered geniuses.

"Did you upset our Your Highness Yoruichi again?" Urahara said, reaching out to pull Hongjiang up from the ground.

"I'm exhausted from practicing swordsmanship with Old Man Yamamoto! Can't I take a break?"

Yoruichi, who was a short distance away, heard this and her recently calmed emotions were stirred again. She flashed over and stomped down again, causing the half-risen Hongjiang to fall back to the ground.

"You're quite arrogant now, Dead Fish Eyes! Saying you're slacking off so righteously!"

"Who are you calling Dead Fish Eyes! My eyes are just a little small, are you insulting me!"

"Do you have a problem with the future head of the Shihoin family calling you Dead Fish Eyes?"

Urahara Kisuke, seeing that their conversation was starting to drift, interjected, "We don't have much time, we have important matters to attend to."

"Right!" Hongjiang retorted, patting the ground. "Are we going to do this or not? Hurry up and get your foot off me!"

"Calm down, calm down!" Urahara quickly advised, seeing Yoruichi clench her fists. "If you hurt him, we'll be the ones suffering."

"Hmph, later Dead Fish Eyes will do half the work, got it?" Seeing Hongjiang nod, Yoruichi released her foot. "Hurry up, our mission tonight is heavy!"

Seeing Yoruichi's energetic demeanor, Urahara and Hongjiang exchanged a look, smiled, and quickly followed.

Sokyoku Hill, the highest point in Seireitei.

However, this was not the center of power in Seireitei, but an execution ground.

Therefore, even if the scenery here were beautiful, no one would ever want to come here to admire the moonlight. And yet, this was the destination for Diezuka Hiroe and the other two tonight.

Of course, they weren't here to sightsee; to be precise, their destination was the underground area beneath Sokyoku Hill.

Before they were about to enter Shino Academy, the three of them decided to establish a secret base within Seireitei—a secret base that belonged only to the three of them.

This proposal was first brought up by Urahara Kisuke, though "first" really just meant this morning. It received the approval of everyone, including Diezuka Hiroe.

Yes, Diezuka Hiroe had agreed as well. There was no trickery or threats from anyone; he agreed immediately, and was even the first to do so. So, thinking back on Yoruichi's behavior just now, she was actually quite restrained, wasn't she?

At this moment, three hundred meters underground, a massive space nearly fifty meters high and about half the size of a soccer field had taken initial shape, though it was still far from what the three had envisioned.

"We've only finished a tenth! Everyone, put your backs into it!" Yoruichi punched through the rock wall in front of her and turned to shout at Diezuka Hiroe in the distance: "Especially you! Double your speed!"

Although Diezuka Hiroe's face was full of reluctance, the speed at which he swung his pickaxe noticeably increased. "We could have solved this so quickly with Kido, do we really have to dig it out by hand?!"

Urahara Kisuke, who was busy hauling away rubble nearby, nodded silently as well, though he didn't speak up. He knew Yoruichi would have a retort ready, and no matter how ridiculous it might be, it was the absolute truth among them.

"You talk too much. This is a form of training, do you understand? Training!"

As expected, Yoruichi had her own logic, and Diezuka Hiroe didn't bother resisting. Even if he did, would it be of any use? Not making him dig with his bare hands was already Yoruichi's greatest mercy; he had to be content with that.

Just like that, after working hard for most of the night, a secret base nearly five soccer fields in size was finally completed through their combined efforts. At this moment, all three were lying on the ground, gasping for air, clearly exhausted.

"Rest, let's rest for a while, then we'll start laying the stone tiles."

"Let's just leave it at that. Stone tiles or whatever would just break after a few training sessions anyway." Diezuka Hiroe voiced his opinion weakly, nudging Urahara on his right. "What do you think?"

"Agreed!"

Under normal circumstances, Yoruichi would have insisted on her own way, but this time she actually had nothing to say. The sun must have risen in the west.

Diezuka Hiroe looked to his left and saw that their Lady Yoruichi had already fallen asleep at some point. Diezuka Hiroe and Urahara high-fived with a smile; regardless of anything else, the matter of the stone tiles was settled.