"Isn't it just a piece of paper?" Hiyori Sarugaki curled her lip disdainfully.
"Shadow wouldn't give something like that to Yoruichi!" Kūkaku Shiba nodded, looking interested.
"Why not just try it?" Lisa Yadomaru pushed up her glasses and spoke calmly.
"But who should we test it on? Kensei?" Mashiro Kuna puffed out her cheeks cutely.
"What does this have to do with me?!" Kensei Muguruma snapped.
Just then, a grating duck-like voice rang out beside them.
"Morning, everyone!"
Long golden hair, a pure white captain's haori—the captain of the Fifth Division, Shinji Hirako.
"Ah! Baldy Hirako!"
Hiyori Sarugaki was the first to shout. Her eyes darted around as she snatched an Explosive Tag from Yoruichi Shihōin's hand, infused it with Reiatsu, and quickly hurled it at Shinji Hirako.
"Hiss... hiss... hiss..."
"What's this? It's burning!" Shinji Hirako looked at the Explosive Tag burning beneath his feet, then raised his head with a strange grin. "Hey, shorty Hiyori, are you planning to use those little sparks to... Oh no, that fluctuation is... Run!"
As he spoke, Shinji Hirako suddenly sensed an intense fluctuation coming from that tiny piece of paper. His pupils contracted sharply, and he immediately tried to flee, but...
BOOM!!!!!!
The violent explosion shook the entire Shin'ō Academy. After the smoke cleared, the spot where Shinji Hirako had stood was a complete mess, with shattered stone flying everywhere.
Once the round golden barrier vanished, Shinji Hirako's slightly disheveled figure was revealed.
"S-So powerful!"
Kensei Muguruma's eyelids twitched wildly. Mashiro Kuna, Lisa Yadomaru, and Kisuke Urahara were all speechless.
Kūkaku Shiba did not even notice when the dry pipe at her lips fell to the ground. Her mouth hung open in shock.
Hiyori Sarugaki pointed at Shinji Hirako, dumbstruck, with an expression of utter disbelief.
As for the students around them, they all looked utterly confused, having no idea what had happened.
Yoruichi Shihōin was the first to react. She cheered excitedly. She had always been lively by nature and loved playing around most of all.
"Shadow, do you have any more?"
Yoruichi Shihōin blinked her golden eyes and asked eagerly.
"Sorry, Lady Yoruichi." Shadow shook his head. "There wasn't enough time, and my spiritual power hasn't fully recovered yet, so I could only make this many."
"Is that so?" Yoruichi Shihōin smiled. "This is already enough. Thank you, Shadow!"
"I cannot accept such words from Lady Yoruichi. This is simply my duty!" Shadow dropped to one knee and spoke respectfully. "Please do not say such things again, Lady Yoruichi!"
"..."
If nothing unexpected happened, each simulated Hollow combat drill lasted three days. During those three days, Shadow needed to heal his injuries and restore himself to peak condition. Even if he could not fully recover, he had to at least regain half his strength!
Yoruichi Shihōin entered the Senkaimon, and Shadow left the Fourth Division right afterward. No one understood his own injuries better than he did.
On the afternoon of the second day, Shadow, having recovered half his strength, walked through the streets of the Seireitei.
"Have you heard? The Shin'ō Academy students who went to the World of the Living for the simulated Hollow combat drill were attacked by Menos Grande!"
"Really?"
"You'd better believe it. I heard there were quite a few Gillians! There were even supposedly Adjuchas-level Menos Grande!"
"I heard that too!" Another person leaned closer. "They say the casualties were terrible. If Captain Hirako of the Fifth Division hadn't arrived in time, the entire force might have been wiped out!"
"That serious? How are things now?"
"The survivors seem to be receiving treatment in the Fourth Division! As for the dead, who knows!"
"..."
Listening to the endless discussions on the street, all of which more or less said the same thing, Shadow's expression darkened. His figure suddenly vanished from the street.
Body Flicker Technique!
Soul Society, Seireitei, Fourth Division Barracks.
"I really didn't expect it. It was just an ordinary combat drill, yet Menos Grande showed up!" Kensei Muguruma lay on a bed, grimacing as he spoke.
"But Kensei, you looked pretty excited while fighting!" Mashiro Kuna immediately retorted.
"Stop yapping!"
Kensei Muguruma shouted in embarrassment and anger, but accidentally tugged at his wound and began coughing repeatedly.
"Idiot!" Hiyori Sarugaki curled her lip. "You're so badly hurt, yet you still dare move around!"
"Well, anyway, thank goodness the Explosive Tags Shadow gave us bought us some time. Otherwise, we wouldn't have made it back alive!" Kūkaku Shiba shook her head.
"That's true." Kisuke Urahara spoke somewhat regretfully. "It's just a shame about those Explosive Tags. If only there had been one left for me to study!"
"..." Everyone fell silent.
Realizing that he had said something foolish, Kisuke Urahara awkwardly scratched his head. "By the way, why hasn't anyone come to treat us yet?"
"They're probably busy saving the people who are about to die." Lisa Yadomaru spoke softly. "Nearly three thousand students from ten classes in the entire grade took part in this combat drill. But at most, only a little over a thousand returned, including the seriously wounded. Going by that, the casualty rate..."
"What the hell is the Gotei 13 doing?!" Kūkaku Shiba snapped angrily. "If they had discovered it earlier, things wouldn't have ended like this!"
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
"There was nothing to be done. It happened too suddenly!" Kensei Muguruma sighed.
"Come on, everyone, try to look on the bright side!" Kisuke Urahara tried to lighten the mood. "Isn't this just how Bleach are? No one can guarantee whether they'll live or die the next moment!"
"What are you talking about, Baldy Urahara?!" Hiyori Sarugaki shouted, glaring at him sideways.
"Hiyori, honestly..." Kisuke Urahara sighed helplessly, then turned his head. "Yoruichi, why haven't you said anything? That's not like you! Are you still worried about Shadow?"
"Ah, yes!" Yoruichi Shihōin lowered her head. "Captain Unohana said Shadow went out yesterday and still hasn't returned!"
"What are you worried about?" Hiyori Sarugaki curled her lip. "He's so strong, what could possibly happen to him? Maybe, just like usual, he'll go 'whoosh' and appear..."
"Lady Yoruichi!!!"
"Ah!" Hiyori Sarugaki cried out, her brows twitching. "He appeared! Just as expected, I was right!"
"Hiyori really is amazing!" Kisuke Urahara said with a smile.
"Mind your own business, Baldy Urahara!"
"..."
"Lady Yoruichi, you're injured!" Shadow dropped to one knee, a trace of anxiety beneath his cold expression.
"Shadow, you bastard!" Yoruichi Shihōin roared. "Didn't I tell you to stay put? Why were you running around?! What if something happened to you?!"
"Yes, yes, Lady Yoruichi."
Shadow felt both moved and heartbroken.
Seeing Yoruichi Shihōin's body covered in wounds, he extended his hand. A faint green glow emerged and spread over her body.
Medical Ninjutsu!!
"I never expected Shadow to know how to heal!" Kūkaku Shiba said in surprise.
"Looks like I'm not needed here anymore!" Retsu Unohana walked in from outside, followed by Shinji Hirako.
After finishing the treatment, Shadow helped Yoruichi Shihōin up and asked softly, "Lady Yoruichi, how do you feel? Is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable?"
"I'm fine now, Shadow!" Yoruichi Shihōin nodded.
"Then let's go back. Lady Yoruichi needs proper rest too!"
"But Kukaku and the others..."
"Isn't someone here?" Shadow lifted his chin toward Retsu Unohana.
"It's fine, Yoruichi. You should head back first!"
Kūkaku Shiba smiled, while Kisuke Urahara and the others nodded as well.
"All right, then! I'll come see you tomorrow!" Yoruichi Shihōin did not insist. "Captain Unohana, sorry for the trouble!"
"Don't worry, Yoruichi!" Retsu Unohana smiled gently. "This is the responsibility of our Fourth Division!"
Shadow carried Yoruichi Shihōin on his back and activated the Body Flicker Technique, vanishing in a flash.
Retsu Unohana smiled. "What an elusive Shunpo! Every time I see it, I'm amazed!"
"Why don't I feel that way?" Shinji Hirako tilted his head.
"That's because you're too stupid, Baldy Hirako!" Hiyori Sarugaki opened fire again.
"What does this have to do with me, shorty Hiyori?!" Shinji Hirako complained.
Before you continue