"Anyway, since it was my sister who brought him into our team, there's nothing more to say. From now on, we'll be colleagues. Oh, and by the way, I'm the team leader, and this is Shaoling Fon, the team vice-leader."
"And there are Lilynette, Tier Harribel, Little Kuruyashiki, who are your seniors."
Sōgo Shihoin introduced the people behind him to Tsunayashiro Tokinada, who was standing in front of him.
"I understand. I know who you all are, and I did my homework before coming, so you can rest assured."
Tsunayashiro Tokinada stood up, bowed slightly to the group, and smiled faintly.
"Do they know everything about our identities?"
"That depends on how well you know about our identities."
After hearing what Tsunayashiro Tokinada, Sōgo Shihoin placed a hand on Tokinada's shoulder.
"Hahaha... Please Lord Sōgo. Since I've been released by those old fogies of the Tsunayashiro Clan, it means that the Tsunayashiro Clan will absolutely not harm your interests, or at least I will absolutely not harm your interests. I will certainly fulfill my duty as your subject."
After hearing what Tsunayashiro Tokinada Sōgo Shihoin, Tsunayoshi Tokinada chuckled repeatedly.
"Your Majesty... there's no need to go to such lengths. It seems your Tsunayashiro Clan is planning something, but as long as it doesn't involve me, I don't care..."
After hearing what Tsunayashiro Tokinada, Sōgo Shihoin remained silent for a moment and then gently shook his head.
Please rest assured, everything is for your benefit.
Tsunayashiro Tokinada speaking to Sōgo Shihoin a light laugh, delivered the sermon.
"My interests? Do you even know what I want?"
After Sōgo what Tsunayashiro Tokinada, Sougo paused, then looked at Tsunayashiro Tokinada with a blank expression.
"..."
Tokinada smiled as he looked at Sōgo, but remained silent.
Just do your own thing.
Sōgo, speaking in Tokinada.
"Yes, sir!"
Tokinada knelt respectfully on one knee Sōgo, like a loyal subject.
"..."
Sōgo, feeling slightly bored looking at Tokinada, turned and left the training room, intending to take a bath to relax his restless mind.
"Truly a born king, his domineering aura is truly chilling."
Tokinada watched Sōgo leave and whispered something.
"Hey! Did you upset Sōgo?"
"You've already upset your squad leader the moment you joined; things are going to get tough for you from now on!"
Looking at the smiling tiger-like man in front of her, Shaoling Fon felt inexplicably uncomfortable and warned him.
"You must be Vice-Captain Miss Shaoling Fon! I've heard so much about you, and I've heard you're practicing Kidō techniques. I happen to have a Kidō training manual from the Tsunayashiro Clan I'd like to give you..."
Ignoring Tsunayashiro Tokinada's warning, Shaoling Fon pulled out a secret manual from his pocket. This manual contained various Kidō techniques summarized by the Tsunayashiro Clan. All the techniques in it were invented by Kidō geniuses in Soul Society over the years, and they were just the copyists of those geniuses.
"A secret manual for cultivating the Kidō?!"
"May I?"
After hearing Tsunayashiro's words, Shaoling Fon blushed slightly. It was the first time she had received a gift from a stranger, especially one so valuable, which made her feel a little flustered. She subconsciously looked to her side, wanting to ask Sōgo, but found that Sōgo was not in the training room, which left her at a loss for what to do.
"Of course." (After all, you are the king's woman.)
Tsunayashiro Tokinada nodded slightly to Shaoling Fon, but he didn't say the rest of his sentence. Instead, he took out more things and walked towards the other three people in the group.
"This is a bubble machine that can blow bubbles!"
Tsunayashiro Tokinada gave Lilynette a bubble machine that could blow endless soap bubbles by simply pouring Spiritual Power into it.
"This is a weight-bearing device for spirits."
Tsunayashiro Tokinada gave to Tier Harribel was a weight-bearing device that could increase the weight of the whole body by pouring Spiritual Power into it; its overall appearance looked like a watch.
"This is a Asauchi forged by our family. Although it cannot respond to your soul, it is sturdy enough to be used as a weapon."
Tsunayashiro Tokinada gave Little Kuruyashiki a training Asauchi, which was exactly what Little Kuruyashiki. He was worried that others would discover his Zanpakuto, but now that he had this sword, others would not be able to identify him because of the unique appearance of his Zanpakuto.
Please accept this secret manual!
Because everyone received a gift!
After giving gifts to each team member, Tsunayashiro Tokinada returned to Shaoling Fon and spoke softly.
"Then I shall accept your gift! Thank you for your generous gift Tsunayashiro!"
Shaoling Fon Tsunayashiro Tokinada, expressing her gratitude for the gift from the Tsunayashiro Clan.
"No, no!"
Shaoling Fon gently shook her Tsunayashiro Tokinada. He knew Shaoling Fon, the last child of the current generation of the Stealth Force Family, the Fon Clan. Several of her brothers died for their Tsunayashiro Clan (official setting). Originally, it wouldn't matter how many minor nobles like her died, but since she had latched onto the future 'true' king's coattails, they had to treat her with caution.
Wow! Bubbles are really coming out!
"It feels like I'm carrying a huge, heavy tortoise shell on my back."
Meanwhile, Lilynette and Tier Harribel, being simple-minded Hollows, have already started playing with the gifts from Tsunayashiro Tokinada.
"Huff! Huff! Huff!"
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi was already a bit dim-witted, swung his Asauchi without a care. Asauchi was a failed Asauchi that the Tsunayashiro Clan had secretly developed in order to break away from Ōetsu Nimaiya's control over Zanpakuto. It was a product that would never respond to anyone.
Three.
Tsunayashiro Tokinada stood in the corner, smiling as she watched the three women in the training field.
"Did the king only have three favorite concubines?"
"That's far too few. Should I introduce my sisters to the King?"
"Forget it! Those pampered, arrogant women will only annoy the king..."
Tsunayashiro Tokinada looked at Lilynette and the others, his mind raced.
Tsunayashiro Tokinada originally wanted to introduce his cousins to Sōgo, but looking at the three women in the room, he quickly made a judgment. He concluded that Sōgo didn't like those noble ladies at all. Sougo preferred someone more easygoing or with a more distinctive personality, rather than the arrogant and aloof members of his family.
On the other side... inside the bathtub.
"My older sister is really causing me trouble, bringing such an annoying guy over here."
Sōgo lay in the huge bathtub, rubbing himself in bubbles, and grumbled angrily.
"Speaking of which, that person looks kind of familiar... I feel like I've seen him somewhere before?"
"Um..."
"Never mind, I can't remember."
Sōgo thought about it carefully for a while and realized that he really couldn't remember when he had seen Tsunayashiro Tokinada, but he felt that the other person's face looked somewhat familiar.
However, this was quite normal. The other party was from the Tsunayashiro Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Clans. Since they were from the Tsunayashiro Clan, it was perfectly normal to have met them once or twice. Thinking about it this way, Sōgo understood...
"Ah... how strange, why can't I remember?"
"Understand my ass! "Sōgo tossed and turned in the bathhouse, unable to recall even the smallest thing, which made him extremely uncomfortable.
Just as Sōgo unwell, a man dressed entirely in a yukata walked in.
"Tsk~"
"Splash!"
With the sound of running water, Sōgo stood up from the bathhouse.
"Hey! Why did you come in?"
Sōgo stared at the figure with dark green hair, veins bulging on his forehead.
"In order to communicate with you."
The man with dark green hair was the one who used the power behind him to make Yoruichi Shihōin drop him into Sōgo's team, and he was someone Sōgo found slightly annoying.
I hate you and don't want to have any feelings for you.
Sōgo waved his hand at Tsunayashiro Tokinada, as if he didn't want to see Tokinada.
"It's okay, it's enough that I like you!"
Tsunayashiro Tokinada plopped down next to Sōgo, his face flushed, perhaps from the hot pool water. He sat beside Sōgo, gently stroking his cheek with one hand, looking at Sōgo with the eyes of someone appreciating a work of art.
"Tsk~"
Sōgo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and goosebumps rose all over his body. This was the first time in his life that Sōgo had ever felt fear.
Sometimes, unexpected kindness is more frightening than unfounded hatred.
Are you gay?
Sōgo took a few steps toward the pool beside him, and carefully 'looked' at Tsunayashiro Tokinada and asked.
"If you're willing, I'll divorce my wife right now!"
Tsunayashiro Tokinada gave Sōgo a twisted smile, his voice low and magnetic. (After all, it was voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda.)
"Splash..."
Sōgo stood up from the water with a gloomy expression, then left the pool without saying a word. He quickly cleaned himself up, dressed, and stiffly walked out of the bathhouse. The whole process was so fast it was touching.
" Lord Sōgo, do you realize there's something I did wrong?"
Not long after Sōgo left, Tsunayashiro Tokinada chased after him, looking very troubled.
Something was wrong the moment you appeared in front of me.
Sōgo strode forward; he was going to the captain's room to have a serious talk with his sister.
" Lord Sōgo, I truly want to help you."
Tsunayashiro Tokinada followed Sōgo, continuously giving lectures.
"Really? I didn't see that at all!"
Are you sure you're not here to cause me trouble?
Tsunayashiro Tokinada's words could not stop Sōgo from moving forward.
Soon, the two entered the team leader's room.
"Elder sister!"
Sōgo looked at Yoruichi Shihōin, who was sitting on the futon eating grapes in a rather unruly manner, and spoke up to remind her.
"Um?"
"Cough cough cough..."
"It's Sōgo? What can I do for you?"
Yoruichi, who was eating grapes, turned around and saw Sōgo and Tsunayashiro Tokinada suddenly approaching. She was taken aback at first, then quickly put down the grapes, tidied herself up, and changed her unrestrained and inelegant sitting posture back to a proper kneeling position.
"Elder sister!"
"Why... did this person join my team?"
Sōgo asked Yoruichi in a very calm tone.
"Well, it's basically all sorts of dirty dealings among the great nobles. Since the head of the Tsunayashiro Clan has spoken up, as the head of the Shihoin Family, I can't very well refuse, right?"
Yoruichi Shihōin said with a helpless expression after hearing Sōgo's words.
"Just because of that little thing between your family heads, you're willing to sacrifice your own brother?"
Sōgo persisted in his sermon.
"What do you mean by 'the little things between the heads of the family'?"
Do you know how exhausting it is to be the head of one of the Five Great Noble Clans?
"My shoulders have been aching terribly for a while now, I haven't had a proper rest."
Yoruichi Shihōin Sōgo, saying that what she couldn't stand the most was people saying that the head of the family's job was easy, when the head of the family's job was obviously extremely tiring.
"So this is your reason for sacrificing your brother's interests?"
Sōgo continued to ask Yoruichi Shihōin.
"Don't speak so harshly, Sōgo!"
"Actually, I'm doing this for your own good. I know Tsunayashiro Tokinada quite well, and as a genius of the Tsunayashiro Clan, his abilities are impeccable. He should be able to help you solve a lot of problems. In short, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks~"
"As for your Little Mimi, you don't need to worry about them at all... because the Tsunayashiro Clan has already discovered them!"
Yoruichi Shihōin spoke to Sōgo Shihoin with a hint of helplessness.
"Forehead..."
Sōgo knew what Yoruichi Shihōin was talking about—it was nothing more than the matter of Tier Harribel and the others being Hollows, and the issue of Kuruyashiki Kenpachi. Although the Squad Zero was ignoring it out of consideration for him, if someone insisted on bringing it up... While Tier Harribel and the Menos Grande might be okay, since many nobles raised Hollows to prepare their children for Hollow battles, he could manage that. However, the matter of Kuruyashiki Kenpachi was completely unacceptable, and Sōgo would likely be punished in some way... And a certain Captain-Commander would definitely seize this opportunity to force Sōgo to become a captain in the Gotei 13. In short, a whole host of troubles awaited Sōgo.
"They've already discovered it?"
Sōgo turned to look at Tsunayashiro Tokinada.
"Yes, it has been discovered."
Tsuna smiled and nodded at Sougo.
When did this happen?
Sōgo continued to ask Tsunayashiro Tokinada.
"We knew that as soon as you returned to Soul Society."
Tsunayashiro Tokinada had no intention of deceiving Sōgo and answered truthfully.
"Ah..."
Sōgo hearing what Tsunayashiro Tokinada, Sougo helplessly pressed his cheek; his mind was in a bit of a mess.
"Don't worry, Lord Sōgo! Our Tsunayashiro Clan will never mention this to anyone... We will always be your strongest support!"
Seeing Sōgo's hesitation, Tsunayashiro Tokinada quickly knelt on one knee and spoke to Sōgo Shihoin with utmost respect.
(End of this chapter)