Shadow

"Lady Yoruichi..."

"Wait!"

Kawasaki Ming's gloomy voice suddenly rang out. "What qualifications do you have to stay by Lady Yoruichi's side? Do you think having spiritual power and a Zanpakutō is enough? You're still far too lacking!"

As he spoke, the heavy blade in his hand raised, and he slashed down fiercely.

"Stop!"

"Stop, Kawasaki Ming!"

Kawasaki Jie's and Yoruichi Shihōin's voices rang out almost simultaneously, but it was already too late.

The blade struck Shadow's back, but the savage grin at the corner of Kawasaki Ming's mouth suddenly froze. His pupils dilated instantly, filled with utter disbelief, and Yoruichi Shihōin and the others beside him wore expressions of shock.

"Im... Impossible, how can this be?!"

Kawasaki Ming roared with a pale face. The blade had indeed landed on Shadow's back, but there wasn't the slightest trace of injury, nor was there even the slightest damage to his clothes. In stark contrast, Kawasaki Ming's sword-wielding hand was bleeding profusely.

"There's nothing impossible!"

Without turning his head, Shadow reached out, grabbed Kawasaki Ming's blade, and casually tossed it to the side.

With a loud bang, that seemingly casual force slammed Kawasaki Ming straight into the wall.

Immediately, Shadow's cold voice rang out. "You're too weak, and your blade is too dull. Without the resolve to face death, you can never hope to injure me!"

Shihōin Shanqing frowned. Only he could tell that this formidable force relied purely on physical strength. Just how immense must one's strength be to pull off a feat like that?

Suddenly, Shihōin Shanqing thought of a possibility. Could that wave of Reiatsu earlier, which rivaled Captain-class, have belonged to Shadow? If it truly was his, this boy was truly extraordinary at such a tender age! This was no longer just a genius; it was a monster.

In that case, if he treated Yoruichi with such an attitude, could he be harboring some conspiracy? However, this thought merely flashed through his mind before Shihōin Shanqing dismissed it.

There were no such coincidences in this world, let alone...

"Yoruichi!" Shihōin Shanqing spoke softly.

"Father!" Yoruichi Shihōin turned back in confusion.

"Accept him," Shihōin Shanqing said. "Didn't you want to take him in just a moment ago?"

"Of course I know!"

Yoruichi Shihōin nodded, pulled Shadow up, and a wide smile bloomed on her wheat-colored face. "Although I'm surprised that you've gained spiritual power, we had a deal beforehand. So, I look forward to working with you!"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow lowered his head and said respectfully, "Shadow understands!"

"Many thanks! Many thanks to Lord Shihōin and Lady Yoruichi for granting this dog's son a chance to show his loyalty!"

Seeing how the situation stood, Kawasaki Jie immediately seized the opportunity, completely ignoring Kawasaki Ming who had passed out nearby, and entirely forgetting how much he had loathed Shadow just moments before.

"I have no father!" Shadow stood behind Yoruichi Shihōin and spoke coldly.

"What are you saying? Your name is Kawasaki Dao, you are my, Kawasaki Jie's, son, the third young master of the Kawasaki Family, the future head of the Kawasaki Family, you are..."

"When Mother passed away, she said she didn't hate you, and told me not to seek revenge!" Shadow said coldly. "Otherwise, do you think you'd still be alive today?!"

"..." Kawasaki Jie was left speechless.

"I've made myself very clear. My name is Shadow, and I am merely Lady Yoruichi's shadow. Nothing more!"

With that, Shadow bowed to Yoruichi Shihōin and said, "If there is nothing else, Lady Yoruichi, Shadow will take his leave!"

Before his voice faded, Shadow's figure vanished in an instant, silent and noiseless as though he had never appeared at all.

Such blinding speed. This boy truly gives me too many surprises and shocks, Shihōin Shanqing thought.

After walking a long way out of the Kawasaki estate, Ōmaeda Xizhijin finally couldn't help asking, "Captain, are you really so willing to let him follow Lady Yoruichi?!"

"Why wouldn't I be willing, Ōmaeda?" Shihōin Shanqing smiled and countered, "Well then, what is your first impression of him?"

"First impression?" Ōmaeda Xizhijin thought for a moment before spitting out a few words after a while. "Cold, arrogant, powerful, and mysterious!"

"Indeed!" Shihōin Shanqing nodded, saying in a deep voice, "People like him possess talent, drive, and the heart of a powerhouse. But precisely because of that, they never easily pledge loyalty to anyone. Yet once they do, it is usually a pledge of eternal loyalty!"

"Captain!" Ōmaeda Xizhijin was still somewhat perplexed. "How could you tell all that?"

"A feeling," Shihōin Shanqing laughed. "An indescribable feeling. With him by Yoruichi's side, I can rest easy! When Yoruichi succeeds my position in the future, he will undoubtedly be her strongest pillar of support!"

In the days that followed, Shadow faithfully stayed by Yoruichi Shihōin's side. Wherever she went, he followed; no matter what Yoruichi Shihōin did or said, Shadow always maintained an attitude of absolute obedience.

Having heard from Shihōin Shanqing that Shadow possessed immense strength, Yoruichi Shihōin now had someone to back her up. In just these few short days, she caused no end of trouble—the kind where she never committed any major offenses, yet minor troubles arose endlessly, turning the Shihōin estate into a scene of utter liveliness.

However, while Yoruichi Shihōin was having the time of her life, her old man Shihōin Shanqing wore a gloomy face with nowhere to vent his anger. True, Shadow being obedient was a good thing, but being too obedient wasn't necessarily a good thing—especially since he only listened to Yoruichi Shihōin.

Soul Society, Seireitei, the Four Great Noble Families, the Shihōin estate, Yoruichi Shihōin's courtyard.

Inside the room, an old man holding a book stood before the blackboard, lecturing on Reiatsu and Kido. Sitting below the podium was the eldest Miss Yoruichi Shihōin, wide-eyed yet clearly spacing out with her mind wandering far away.

At that moment, the old man put away his book, turned around slowly, and asked, "Did you understand?"

"What?"

Fine! The old man's voice had at least one benefit: it snapped Yoruichi Shihōin back to her senses in an instant.

"I asked if you understood!"

The old man had no choice but to repeat himself, though he had clearly guessed the answer in his heart.

"It's already noon!"

Sure enough, young lady Yoruichi Shihōin answered irrelevantly. After a moment of thought, she turned her head toward the door and shouted, "Shadow, hurry up, I'm hungry!"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!"

With that voice, the door slid open. Shadow and the head butler, who had long since prepared the meals, walked in one after the other. They placed the food from the trays onto the table and retreated to the side.

"However, Miss Yoruichi, today's lessons haven't—"

"Scram!"

Her voice, cold and devoid of a trace of emotion, seemed to explode right beside his ear. Terrified and with no time to say anything more, the old man snatched up his books and fled. What a joke—if he stayed any longer and infuriated that God of Slaughter, his little life really wouldn't be safe. He didn't want to die yet.

Yoruichi Shihōin didn't care whether the old man had left or not, already devouring a chicken leg like a wolf, her hands and the corners of her mouth smeared with grease.

That crude eating manner, utterly lacking the decorum a noble young lady should possess, made the head butler on the side look terribly unsightly. He simply could not condone such conduct that fell short of noble behavior.

Therefore, unable to hold back any longer, the head butler spoke up, "Miss Yoruichi, please mind your noble etiquette!"

Yet before the head butler had even recovered from the sound of his own words, a pitch-black blade tip was already pressed against his throat. The chill and killing intent radiating from it brought cold sweat to the head butler's forehead, leaving him filled with regret as he wondered how he could have forgotten that this God of Slaughter was still here!

"Scram!"

It was still that single word. Shadow didn't even glance at him, withdrew his Zanpakutō, grabbed a wet towel, and handed it to Yoruichi.

The head butler used Shunpo to leave, his face full of lingering fear, never daring to say another word.

And just after the head butler left, Yoruichi Shihōin, who was still gnawing on her chicken leg, burst out laughing. She flashed a grease-covered thumb at the expressionless Shadow, her eyes rolling around with a face full of craftiness.