World of the Living, Karakura Town, Dark Night Residence.
He took off Yoruichi Shihōin's messy tights from the battle and put them on the bed. Shadow filled a basin of warm water and gently wiped her body with a towel. When all was done, he pulled the quilt and carefully covered her body.
Pulling the corner of the quilt, his dark eyes with a little bit of strange red light looked at Yoruichi Shihōin who was breathing steadily without blinking. The wheat-colored face was full of fatigue. Thinking of what happened before, Shadow couldn't help but tighten the palm of Yoruichi Shihōin's hand.
"Ugh!" He groaned, slightly opening his golden topaz-like eyes, Yoruichi Shihōin looked at the man sitting beside his bed; "It hurts, Shadow!"
"Sorry, Lady Yoruichi!"
Suddenly being called out by Yoruichi Shihōin's voice, Shadow hurriedly let go of Yoruichi Shihōin's little hand and scratched his head in embarrassment.
"It's okay!" Yoruichi Shihōin said in a soft tone as if he didn't have any strength at all, "Shadow, hug me to sleep!"
"Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow was stunned.
But Yoruichi Shihōin then closed her eyes and pursed her pale lips. She was really tired. Shadow gently raised the corners of her mouth, said nothing, took off her coat, lifted up the quilt and lay down in it.
As if she felt Shadow coming in, Yoruichi Shihōin moved her body slightly, and was hugged into Shadow's arms knowingly. She put her hands around Shadow's waist, rubbed her face against the generous chest, and then fell asleep deeply.
Shadow, however, was not even half sleepy. He patted Yoruichi Shihōin's smooth back gently in his arms, but his eyes were fixed on Zanpakutō, who was placed at the door. His eyes were heavy and inexplicably complicated.
······
The night passed quickly, but today's weather was not as gloomy as yesterday. Because winter was about to begin, the morning breeze was mixed with a hint of coolness, and the dazzling sunlight shone into the room through the half-opened window, shining on the wheat-colored face of the woman on the bed.
After a while, it seemed that he had slept enough. Yoruichi Shihōin sat up in a daze, and the quilt on his body slipped down, revealing his beautiful body. The full bulge on his chest reflected the perfect arc in the sun. He rubbed his unopened eyes with his hand, and probed around with his other hand. Feeling the bed without any warmth, he kept shouting, "Shadow, Shadow!"
"······"
However, after waiting for a long time without any answer, Yoruichi Shihōin finally opened his golden eyes, looked around, and muttered, "Where has he gone, that guy Shadow!"
"I'm so hungry!"
Rubbing his belly, Yoruichi Shihōin shook his head helplessly, picked up the pajamas he had put aside and put them on, got out of bed and walked towards the kitchen.
······
In the forest outside, where Yoruichi Shihōin and Shade fought yesterday, the man was walking slowly with Zanpakutō.
The slightly long black hair was fluttering in the wind. On the forehead without a forehead protector, the mark that looked like a six-pointed star was looming under the hanging hair. The angular and indifferent face seemed like ice that had not melted for thousands of years. The dark eyes with a little bit of strange red light looked around, flashing a solemn expression and an almost imperceptible, complex sad look.
"It should be right here!" He held Zanpakutō tightly with his fingerless half-glove, and Shadow frowned slightly; "What I can clearly feel is the residual aura of the guy who disappeared yesterday, who last appeared here, but why is there nothing? This shouldn't be the case! The remaining aura has completely disappeared here!"
"No, there should be another person who was completely wiped out. This person is a master, and his strength is definitely no less than mine. This is just the most conservative estimate. So, their purpose here is..."
Shadow gritted his teeth, and there was another most important reason that he did not say out loud. The suspected expert Reiatsu always gave him a familiar feeling. That familiarity seemed to have been integrated into his bones and flesh, just like the Zanpakutō in his hand...
Why, Shadow doesn't know. Even if he is confused, he has never looked into it. He is afraid...
He was looking forward to the answer, but at the same time, he also subconsciously refused to know the answer.
This Zanpakutō was born almost at the same time as him and Soul Society. The inexplicable connection cannot be erased. But now, Shadow can easily detect the difference. That connection has disappeared. It is precisely because of this that he came here. He is uneasy, not because he is afraid of anything, but...
His brows furrowed further and further, and Shadow's hand that was leaning on the tree trunk suddenly stopped. Just above the tree trunk, a claw mark was clearly visible. From that appearance, it seemed that someone had grabbed it forcefully.
Observing carefully, Shadow's body shook in vain, and his eyes flashed with shock and disbelief.
"This claw mark, this shape of claw mark, could it be... No, it's impossible, how can this be possible, are you kidding! I saw it wrong, yes, it must be like this!"
······
"Ah!"
Suddenly there was an angry shout, and Yoruichi Shihōin closed the refrigerator door angrily; "Why is there nothing! Really, I'm so hungry. Where did Shadow go? It's been so long and he's still not back!"
Muttering angrily, Yoruichi Shihōin had no choice but to go back to the kitchen, planning to make something by herself. However, with her skill of not distinguishing between salt and sugar, what could she make.
After just a moment, thick black smoke came out, which made Yoruichi Shihōin choke and cough non-stop. Shadow's expression suddenly changed when he came back, and he quickly opened the door and ran in.
"Lady Yoruichi!"
"Shadow, I'm here!"
Hearing the voice of Shadow, Yoruichi Shihōin wiped her face that was blackened by smoke and responded loudly. But as soon as she finished speaking, thick black smoke immediately rushed into her mouth and nose, choking her and coughing non-stop.
"Lady Yoruichi, you come out first!"
Hearing Yoruichi Shihōin's voice coming from the kitchen, Shadow frowned and hurriedly ran in. He took Yoruichi Shihōin's hand and rushed out. Then he ran in again and opened the closed window to let in the air.
"Lady Yoruichi What are you doing!"
Looking at Yoruichi Shihōin's face that looked like a little cat, Shadow sighed helplessly, took the wet towel on the side and wiped it gently.
"I don't want to either!" Shadow obediently let Shadow wipe his face, and Yoruichi Shihōin pouted and said pitifully, "But I'm hungry! You weren't here, and there were no snacks in the refrigerator, so I had to make them myself, and then it became like this, and then you came back!"
"······"
Hearing this, Shadow's wiping hand paused in vain. He lowered his head slightly, then raised it. Without saying anything else, he pursed his lips and started wiping his hand again.
"What's wrong, Shadow!"
Yoruichi Shihōin was startled, his golden eyes stared at Shadow's angular face, and asked in a deep voice, "There is something really wrong with Shadow like this. If it were the same in the past, depending on his character, he would have felt apologetic, sorry, etc."
"Nothing!"
As if he realized what he had revealed unknowingly, Shadow rubbed his nose, and moved his eyes with a strange red light in the darkness a little, and said with a dry smile, "Lady Yoruichi What are you talking about! How could something happen to me? It's not like you don't know about me. It's okay, it's okay, don't worry!"
"Really!"
He took a deep look at Shadow, only to look at him with some fury. Then Yoruichi Shihōin looked back and shrugged indifferently, "It's okay, forget it!"
"By the way, Shadow!" Yoruichi Shihōin suddenly said as if he remembered something; "Let me compete with Shade sometime! There are some things I want to verify!"
"Ah! This... this..."
"Is there a problem!"
From the corner of his eyes, he stared at Shadow who suddenly hesitated a little, and Yoruichi Shihōin frowned slightly.
"No, no problem!" Shadow waved his hand hastily, and there was already a slight cold sweat on Shadow's head; "It's just, Lady Yoruichi, you have already defeated Shade, and it is just a waste of time to continue the competition!"
"You're right!" Yoruichi Shihōin thought for a moment while holding his chin, "Then forget it! Shadow, hurry up and cook, I'm so hungry!"
"Yes, I understand!" Shadow took a long breath and said; "Then Lady Yoruichi go take a shower first! I'll be fine soon!"
"Got it!"
With a faint response, Yoruichi Shihōin turned around, but his golden eyes narrowed slightly...
Shadow, this guy!
If she said there was no problem, Yoruichi Shihōin would never believe it. She knew this man too well and would never lie to her. Moreover, he was cold and arrogant and would not lie, let alone lie.
So since he doesn't want her to know, Yoruichi Shihōin thinks it's better for her to pretend not to know.