Teasing (2)

Sosuke sat in the seat beside Shijimi Tamako, clapping softly.

He smiled as he looked at Miss Tamako before him.

Beside him, Tamako looked like a startled rabbit, her wide, clear eyes fixed in alarm on Sosuke, who had suddenly appeared at her side.

Her adorable expression made Sosuke's smile grow even wider.

It was hard to imagine that the same willful princess he had met that morning could make such a cute, startled, crestfallen face. Sosuke couldn't help finding it amusing.

Under Kyoka Suigetsu's Complete Hypnosis, anyone who had seen his Shikai would never escape its eternal prison. Their five senses were entirely under Sosuke's control.

In other words, whatever he wanted them to see, they would see; whatever he wanted them to hear, they would hear. Once they had seen his Shikai, they would be trapped in this nightmare forever.

Just then, Shijimi Tamako's eyes brimmed with tears. Her hand trembled as she pointed at Sosuke, as if she wanted to say something aggrieved.

Suddenly!

She abruptly joined two fingers and slashed sharply at Sosuke's neck!

The tearful expression on her face had already been replaced by cold indifference, and the corner of her mouth curled into a scornful smile.

"So ninjas are nothing special after all! You're far too confident! Pay the price for your arrogance!"

In the moonlight, a faintly transparent object clutched between her fingers glinted with a sharp sheen.

The maids nearby stared in astonishment as their princess suddenly counterattacked.

But what happened next shocked them all over again!

Shijimi Tamako's swift, decisive attack struck empty air in full view of everyone. The sudden lack of resistance nearly threw her off balance, and she lurched forward!

Her face was filled with disbelief!

How is this possible?! How could that man disappear right in front of me?!

But what the maids saw with their wide eyes was different: the instant Sosuke was struck, his body vanished. Then he appeared behind their princess, standing with perfect composure and an air of calm.

Sosuke gently swung Kyoka Suigetsu, resting its scabbard against Shijimi Tamako's slender neck.

He lightly steadied her as she leaned forward.

Looking at the astonishment on Shijimi Tamako's face, he smiled and said,

"Miss Tamako, tell your subordinates to stand down. After all, we were sent by Konoha. If the Feudal Lord learned that you'd treated us this way, you might face some punishment."

Sosuke's voice was slow and rich, yet his words carried an unmistakable authority.

Shijimi Tamako's lovely face turned cold as she stared at his mask, seeming to etch Sosuke's image into her memory.

"Tell them to stand down!" she ordered her subordinates, her voice edged with anger.

Sosuke simply watched, seemingly unconcerned.

The princess had some skill, and her acting was excellent, but in his eyes, none of it amounted to much.

What had really stuck with him was her pitiful, tearful expression. She really did look like a big-eared rabbit.

At the thought, Sosuke chuckled softly.

Perhaps she heard his quiet laugh. Shijimi Tamako glared at the man who had subdued her in an instant, her face full of indignation!

The humiliating defeat made her furious with Sosuke!

Of course, she wasn't unreasonable. At first, she had only wanted to prove that her strength was no worse than that of the so-called ninjas.

But Sosuke's performance had deeply shaken her. Was this the kind of power a ninja could wield? she wondered. Against such strange abilities, could an army really stand a chance against ninjas?!

"Hey! What's your name? I admit it! You're strong!"

Though deeply embarrassed, Shijimi Tamako stared at Sosuke and asked without hesitation.

"Aizen. You may call me Aizen, Miss Tamako. After tonight's fight, I believe you understand our abilities. So, starting tomorrow, please allow us to stay by your side."

Sosuke spoke softly. He merely smiled at the calculating princess.

Before long, everyone dispersed.

The samurai surrounding the residence lay scattered across the ground, and they were carried away one after another.

Shackle and Pupil had escaped serious injury. They stared in surprise at Sosuke, who had somehow resolved the situation.

They were both astounded by his strength.

That guy! When had he slipped away during the fight? Why hadn't they noticed him leaving at all?

Sosuke, of course, had no intention of explaining any of it to them.

In an elegant room,

Shijimi Tamako couldn't sleep. Her beautiful eyes were wide open, glimmering faintly as she lay on the wooden bed, replaying the moment she had attacked Sosuke over and over in her mind!

He had dodged her fierce attack so effortlessly, as if teasing a child. No—perhaps the word "fierce" was a joke when it came to facing him.

She had even put on a convincing show of surprise in front of him. He must have seen through her act from the start. The thought made Shijimi Tamako feel a little embarrassed and annoyed!

Arrogant man! Still, tomorrow seemed like it would be more interesting!

The next day.

Early that morning, Shijimi Tamako received them again.

This time, Shijimi Tamako was no longer the willful, spoiled princess she had been the day before. She faced Sosuke and the other two with calm composure, smiling at them as though she hadn't been the one who had looked down on them the previous day.

It had to be said that Shijimi Tamako was an impressive daughter of the Feudal Lord. At the very least, she was strikingly beautiful, with long eyelashes, large, soulful eyes, and a dainty cherry-like mouth.

If Sosuke hadn't seen her lose her temper the day before, or watched her pretend to be pitiful before suddenly launching a sneak attack, he might have been fooled by her performance today.

But now, seeing how she acted, Sosuke only smiled faintly beneath his mask. He wanted to see what Miss Tamako was planning.

Perhaps sensing Sosuke's amusement, Shijimi Tamako stopped pretending to be pleasant.

She turned to the three of them and calmly made her request.

"I'm actually very interested in ninjutsu. My father is the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire, and though he possesses unrivaled authority, that isn't what I want. I want power beyond that of ordinary people, and the power you've shown is what I seek."

As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at Sosuke from the corner of her eye.

Of the three, she was certain Aizen was an exceptionally powerful man. The fact that he had reached her side without anyone noticing was proof enough of his ability!