XX-level Hokage

After her pupils contracted slightly, Yoruichi's lips slowly curved into a smile, and a relieved heat rose in her golden eyes. She obediently closed her eyes and rubbed against Mashiro's palm, like a cat that had let its guard down: "Yes, Master."

The air inside the door gradually became thicker, and the moonlight seemed to take on a warm hue.

In the shadows of the corridor outside the door, a petite figure was pressed tightly against the wall, as if trying to embed herself into the darkness.

Soi Fon's back was pressed against the cold wall, her hands tightly rubbing against the front of her clothes, her knuckles turning white from the force, and her breathing was suppressed to a shallow depth.

Originally, she had come to see Yoruichi. During the day, by the pool, Yoruichi suddenly came over and kissed her cheek, saying it was a "joke after losing a bet." But that kiss, warm as sunshine, burned in her heart all afternoon. She wanted to ask if it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing, or... or if it held some other meaning.

But as soon as she reached the master bedroom door, she saw Yoruichi push the door open and go inside.

When the carved wooden door closed in front of her, Soi Fon's feet seemed to take root, unable to move an inch. She knew she should leave and wait until tomorrow to find Yoruichi, but her body wouldn't obey her commands, and her ears even subconsciously moved closer to the crack in the door.

The villa wasn't badly soundproofed, but the people inside didn't seem to be making any effort to lower their voices.

The first sound was the rustling of fabric against fabric, followed by Yoruichi's soft, amused whisper, and then Mashiro's response—a voice even hoarser than before, with a touch of magnetic charm that made one blush.

Then, those sounds... came intermittently from the crack in the door, like tiny hammers striking Soi Fong's heart.

"Hmm...please be quiet, that's Yoruichi's voice."

It was no longer its usual cheerfulness, nor its assertive command when directing covert operations; instead, it had become sweet and soft, like a tamed beast that had sheathed its claws and was now acting coquettishly towards its master.

Soi Fon's body trembled violently, her fingertips digging into her palm, the pain making her eyes sting.

Shame, jealousy, anger, and a desire she dared not even admit to pound inside her chest, threatening to explode. She remembered the shiver that ran through her when Mashiro cornered her against the wall in the Second Division's training grounds during the day, his fingertips brushing against her wrist; she remembered the warmth of Yoruichi's kiss on her cheek, carrying the scent of sunshine; she remembered the Shihouin family crest she kept hidden under her pillow—a gift from Yoruichi long ago, which she had always carried with her.

The two most important people in her life, one being "Master Yoruichi" whom she had followed her whole life, and the other being Mashiro whom she both respected and feared, were now doing the most intimate thing just a door away.

And she could only hide in the shadows like a despicable voyeur, listening to all of this.

"Shameless..." Soi Fon bit her lip, tasting a hint of blood. She told herself to leave, to escape this suffocating place, but instead of retreating, her feet moved half a step towards the door as if possessed—she could even hear Mashiro's soft laughter and Yoruichi's whimpers. Every sound was like a needle piercing her heart, yet she couldn't bear to move her feet.

Just then, a very soft sigh came from the other end of the corridor, carrying a faint fragrance of tea.

Soi Fon snapped back to her senses, instantly concealing her aura. She touched the ground with her toes and disappeared around the corner using the afterimage of Shunpo. She had practiced Shunpo for over a decade, making it fast enough to take someone's head in the blink of an eye, but now she only used it for "escape".

Chapter 321: Expectation

A few seconds later, Retsu Unohana appeared at the end of the corridor. She was wearing a light purple silk coat, her long hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, and she was holding a cup of steaming green tea in her hand. There was still a tea leaf stuck to the rim of the cup. It was a fresh green tea that she had picked in the yard that evening, saying that it "could calm the nerves".

She glanced at the tightly closed master bedroom door; a faint scent of red wine seemed to linger from the crack. Then, her gaze shifted to the corner where Soi Fon had just disappeared, a very faint, meaningful smile playing on her lips.

"Youth is wonderful... But, Mingming is just as old as me, really." She sighed softly, her voice carrying the gentle warmth of time, as lingering as brewed green tea.

After saying that, she turned around with her teacup in hand, her footsteps so light they made no sound, and went back to her room. In the guest room diagonally opposite the master bedroom, the atmosphere was completely different – ​​oppressive.

Matsumoto Rangiku lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She crumpled her pillow into a shapeless mess. Her room was closest to the master bedroom, and although she couldn't hear the specifics, the faint noises tickled her heart like cat claws.

She reached up and touched her lips, her fingertips still feeling the warmth of that kiss from earlier that day—it was also by the pool, when Mashiro came over and said, "This is a reward for helping me beat Yoruichi," and then kissed her. That kiss was more intense than Yoruichi's, carrying the taste of red wine, and a hint of possessive domineering. She cherished it then, neither pushing him away nor responding, but simply watching Mashiro turn and walk back to Yoruichi's side, her heart feeling like it was being choked by something, a bittersweet ache.

"I'm going crazy." Rangiku buried her face in the pillow, letting out an annoyed groan. "What am I even expecting?" She was Matsumoto Rangiku, the lieutenant of the 10th Division, a Shinigami who had seen it all, but now she was like a lovestruck young girl, tossing and turning, unable to sleep because of a kiss and a vague sound. She even wondered what would have happened if she had responded back then? The thought had barely surfaced when she extinguished it—how could she have thought that?

The room in the far corner of the villa, originally a storage room, was temporarily converted into a "maid's room." The atmosphere here is even more complicated than in the guest rooms.

Tia Heribel sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the wall, resting with her eyes closed. She was wearing the maid outfit she had been forced to wear during the day—a black short skirt, a white shirt, and a pink bow at the collar. This made her, who was used to her combat uniform, feel very uncomfortable.

But her face remained expressionless, though her brows were furrowed, and her fingertips occasionally rubbed unconsciously against the hem of her skirt, betraying her inner turmoil. She could hear sounds coming from the master bedroom in the distance, and the tossing and turning in Rangiku's room next door. These sounds reminded her of her days in Hueco Mundo—a time of only fighting and survival, without so many tangled emotions.

Lilukado Kukamina, meanwhile, was rolling around on the bed in a fit of rage, clutching her doll Anko.

The maid outfit's skirt was crumpled from her crumpling, and the pink bow was askew to one side: "Pervert! That woman is definitely a pervert!" Her voice was low and menacing.

Her voice was low, but filled with a habitual, gnashing rage. "How dare she make me wear such childish clothes, and make me serve her tea and water... and... and touch my head!"

When Mashiro asked her to hand over some snacks during the day, he casually patted her head. The gesture was somewhat comforting, but it made Liluka feel like she was being treated like a pet. She was a Fullbringer, a "comrade" who had fought alongside Ginjo. When had she ever suffered such humiliation? But when she thought of Mashiro's words, "You must unconditionally obey any of my orders, no matter how absurd they may be," she shuddered. She had witnessed Mashiro's power and knew she couldn't possibly resist him.

“It’s so noisy.” Heribel suddenly opened her eyes, her voice cold, like ice shards hitting the ground.

Liluka sat up abruptly, clutching her doll and glaring at her: "What did you say?! You cold-blooded woman..."

"Quiet." A cold glint flashed in Heribel's icy blue eyes as she interrupted her, "If you don't want to be put in extra training by that woman tomorrow morning." She was referring to what Mashiro had said during the day: "Run ten laps around the villa every morning at six o'clock." Yesterday, Liluka was five minutes late and was made to run five extra laps, eventually collapsing on the ground from exhaustion.

Liluka's words caught in her throat. She remembered Mashiro's gaze back then, that half-smiling, half-looking look, as if she were looking at an "interesting toy," which made her feel both resentful and afraid.

He snorted, hugged his doll, and crawled into bed, burying his face in the pillow, but still couldn't help secretly pricking up his ears to listen to the sounds in the distance. That night, everyone in the villa was preoccupied with their own thoughts, and no one was destined to sleep peacefully.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting long shadows on the floor like knots that could never be untied. The next morning, the sunlight of the present day shone through the French windows, filling the villa's dining room.

Golden sunlight fell on the dining table, illuminating the golden-fried eggs, steaming milk, and crispy toast on the plate. But the atmosphere around the table was even more eerie than the night before.

Mashiro sat in the main seat, wearing a beige silk shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing a faint red mark on her collarbone. Her skin glowed in the sunlight, and she looked refreshed. She was slowly picking up a fried egg with a fork, a signature lazy and satisfied smile on her lips, as if she had just had a very comfortable nap.

Yoruichi, who was sitting to her left, was in a worse state.

She was wearing a black tank top with a loose white cardigan over it, her hair casually tied back. She was wearing an eye mask, her eyes showing a hint of weariness, and even picking up her milk glass seemed a beat slower than usual.

The red marks on her neck were more noticeable than her fair skin, appearing particularly alluring against her bronze complexion, clearly indicating that she hadn't slept much last night.

"Hmm... Milk tastes best when it's hot in the morning." Yoruichi took a sip of milk, yawned, and her eyes reddened slightly, her golden eyes still looking a little sleepy.

Sitting across from her, Soi Fon had noticeable bruises under her eyes—she had stood at the corner of the corridor for half the night, and couldn't sleep even after returning to her room. Her mind was filled with those blush-inducing voices. She was intently poking at the fried egg on her plate, repeatedly stabbing the yolk with her fork until it was mushy and the yellow yolk spilled all over the plate. She hadn't drunk any milk or eaten any toast; she was just wiping her fork, her knuckles white, even her breathing was a little stiff.

Mashiro put down her fork, picked up her milk glass, took a sip, and looked at Soi Fon. She greeted her with a smile, "Good morning, Captain Soi Fon. Looking at the dark circles under your eyes, did you sleep well last night?"

Soi Fon's hand suddenly paused, the fork scraping against the plate with a piercing "hissing" sound, causing Rukia next to her to involuntarily shrink back, raise her head, her eyes filled with undisguised resentment and fear, but her voice was as hard as a rock: "...Very good."

"Really?" Yoruichi rested her chin on her hand, a hint of amusement flashing in her golden eyes as she looked at Soi Fon with a half-smile. "But last night I thought I heard mice running around in the hallway, and they ran for quite a while." She deliberately emphasized the words "ran for quite a while," clearly knowing that Soi Fon was outside the door last night.

Chapter 322: Shopping (Part 1)

Soi Fon's face instantly turned red, from her cheeks to her ears. She opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but didn't know what to say—she couldn't possibly admit that she had been eavesdropping outside the door last night, could she? That would be too embarrassing.

She could only grit her teeth, lower her head, and chop the plate even harder with the fork, almost cutting a hole in it.

Sitting next to Soi Fon, Orihime Inoue, noticing the strange atmosphere, cautiously nudged Soi Fon's arm: "Captain Soi Fon, aren't you going to eat something? This toast is delicious; it was baked by Mashiro herself this morning." She had slept soundly last night and hadn't heard a thing, so she was unaware of the undercurrents at the table, only noticing that Soi Fon's behavior was a bit odd.

Soi Fon turned her head and glanced at Orihime, her sharp gaze softening slightly. She hesitated for a moment, then picked up a slice of toast but didn't eat it, simply placing it on the plate and letting it slowly cool.

Rukia, sitting next to Orihime, also sensed the awkward atmosphere. She glanced at the tacit understanding between Mashiro and Yoruichi, then at Soi Fon's embarrassment, and recalled the commotion she had vaguely heard last night. She had a rough idea in her mind, but dared not say it. She could only silently drink her milk, pretending that she knew nothing.

"Alright, now that everyone's full," Mashiro put down her milk glass, clapped her hands, and her voice broke the awkward silence at the table, "Let's begin today's itinerary."

"Itinerary?" Rukia looked up, her eyes full of curiosity. She and Orihime were the only two people at the table who were "out of the loop." They had slept exceptionally well last night and were now filled with anticipation for the "itinerary"—she hadn't been to the human world many times and hadn't had a proper chance to explore its streets.

Orihime nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling: "Are we going to the beach? The sea was so beautiful yesterday, I want to go see it again."

“We already went to the beach yesterday, let’s go somewhere else today.” Mashiro smiled and shook her head, tapping her fingers lightly on the table. “Of course, we’re going on a date.”

Since I've finally come to the real world, how can I not experience the joys of being an ordinary girl? Shopping, buying clothes, watching movies, eating desserts... I have to try them all.

As she spoke, she pointed to the three "maids" standing in the corner of the restaurant—Heribel, Rangiku, and Liluka. They were still wearing the maid outfits from last night, but their expressions were all different: Haribel was expressionless, Rangiku's eyes darted around, and Liluka looked unwilling. "Besides, the three of them need to buy some decent clothes. They can't keep walking around in those cheap maid outfits, even though I like them, but you have to do as the Romans do."

Liluka's eyes lit up when she heard "buy clothes," but then her face fell again: "Who wants to go shopping with you..." Even as she said that, her hand unconsciously touched the maid outfit she was wearing—she had wanted to change out of this childish outfit for a long time.

Rangiku's eyes lit up. She had always been interested in clothes from the modern world, but had never had the chance to browse them properly before. She glanced at Mashiro, then quickly looked away, a faint blush rising on her cheeks—the indistinct sounds from last night, and the kiss during the day, always made her feel a little awkward around Mashiro.

Harribel didn't speak, only nodded slightly. She wasn't interested in shopping, but she didn't want to wear her maid outfit all the time, so she acquiesced to the arrangement. Soi Fon felt a pang of sadness upon hearing the word "date." She looked up, about to say "I'm not going," when she heard Yoruichi's voice: "Okay, let's go shopping..."

"The street's just right. I was thinking of seeing if there are any clothes in the real world that would suit me." Yoruichi turned to Soi Fon, her golden eyes crinkling with laughter. "Little bee, why don't you come along? You can help me get some suggestions."

Soi Fon's refusal caught in her throat. Looking at Yoruichi, the awkwardness in her heart suddenly lessened, replaced by a barely perceptible hint of something else.

She hesitated for a moment, then softly hummed in agreement, her voice barely audible.

Mashiro observed all of this, her smile deepening. She stood up and straightened her shirt cuffs: "Let's go back to our rooms to change first, and meet at the door in half an hour."

Everyone got up and went back to their rooms. Yoruichi walked behind Soi Fon, deliberately slowing her pace to walk alongside her: "Let me help you pick out an outfit later, I guarantee it will look good."

Soi Fon's ears turned red, but she didn't refuse. She simply nodded and quickly walked back to her room. Watching her retreating figure, Yoruichi's lips curled into a gentle smile—she actually knew that Soi Fon had been outside the door last night, and she knew Soi Fon's thoughts, but some things still needed time to be said slowly.

Half an hour later, at the villa entrance.

Mashiro emerged first, now wearing a black spaghetti strap dress that reached above her knees, revealing her long, slender, fair legs. She wore a beige knitted cardigan over it and carried a black handbag. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, shimmering softly in the sunlight, making her appear both elegant and lively.

Yoruichi followed behind her, wearing a black cropped t-shirt and high-waisted denim shorts that revealed her flat stomach and long legs. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, making her look energetic, and her golden eyes sparkled with excitement. She also held a pair of sunglasses in her hand, which were hanging from her collar.

"Miss Yoruichi, you look so beautiful today!" Orihime looked at Yoruichi, her eyes brightening.

Yoruichi smiled and ruffled Orihime's hair: "Orihime has good taste. I'll buy you some dessert later."

Soi Fon was the last to emerge, wearing a white shirt and a black pleated skirt, her hair neatly tied in a ponytail. She had originally wanted to wear her Shinigami uniform, but Yoruichi had stopped her and forced her to wear this "more human-style" outfit. Standing at the doorway, she awkwardly tugged at her skirt, her cheeks flushed slightly—this was the first time she had worn such a "girlish" outfit.

"Captain Soi Fon, you look great in this outfit!" Rukia couldn't help but compliment.

Soi Fon blushed even more, whispered "thank you," and quickly went to Yoruichi's side, as if she had found someone to lean on.

Haribel, Rangiku, and Liruka also emerged one after another. Haribel wore a deep V-neck black fitted T-shirt and blue jeans, which accentuated her stunning figure. Although she was still expressionless, she looked much better than when she wore her maid outfit. Rangiku wore a bohemian-style red long dress with floral patterns on the hem, and her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, exuding the charm of a mature woman. Liruka chose a pink Lolita dress with lace trim on the hem and held her doll "Enko," looking like a delicate porcelain doll.

"Alright, everyone's here, let's go." Mashiro, carrying her handbag, walked first towards the black sedan parked at the door—this was what she had Urahara Kisuke prepare yesterday, saying it was for "convenient travel."

The group boarded a car and headed towards the most bustling commercial street in Karakura Town. The car window slowly rolled down, letting in the breeze carrying the lively atmosphere of the modern streets. Orihime and Rukia leaned against the window, curiously watching the scenery outside, occasionally letting out exclamations of surprise; Yoruichi leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes to rest, a faint smile on her lips; Soi Fon sat next to Yoruichi, secretly watching her profile, her awkwardness gradually replaced by anticipation; Rangiku looked at the street outside the window, her eyes full of curiosity; Harribel leaned against the window, watching the pedestrians outside, lost in thought; Liluka hugged her doll, whispering something to "Encore".

Mashiro sat in the passenger seat, turning to look at the people in the back, a satisfied smile on her lips. The sunlight, the bustling streets, the people around her... this leisurely time didn't seem so bad. She only knew that this tranquility wouldn't last long; the storm was coming soon. But at least for now, she wanted everyone to enjoy this last bit of peace.

The car stopped at the entrance of the commercial street. Mashiro got out first and looked up at the bustling street in front of her—the shops on both sides had colorful signs, pedestrians were coming and going, and the air was filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, laughter, and music coming from the shops.

Chapter 323: Shopping (Part 2)

This is a unique kind of liveliness, full of vitality.

“Let’s go, let’s start by browsing that clothing store up ahead.” Mashiro pointed to a beautifully decorated clothing store not far away and walked over first. The others followed behind. Orihime and Rukia looked on with curiosity, Yoruichi was excited, Soi Fon was a little reserved, Rangiku was expectant, and Haribe…

Er remained expressionless, while Liluka looked reluctant yet couldn't help but be curious.

The appearance of this uniquely styled group immediately attracted the attention of passersby—some were drawn to the looks of Mashiro, Yoruichi, and Retsu Unohana (who had also joined the shopping group that morning), some to Harribel's figure, some to Lilucar's Lolita dress, and others to the relationship between them.

"Wow, the clothes in this store are so beautiful!" Orihime walked into the clothing store and her eyes lit up as she looked at the clothes hanging on the racks.

The store offers a wide variety of clothing styles, including cute, elegant, casual, and uniquely designed pieces, leaving her overwhelmed with choices.

Qi Bai found a sofa and sat down, leaning back like a leading lady. She took the lemonade from the shop assistant and said, "Please feel free to pick anything you like and try it on. Don't be shy." She pointed to the fitting room next to her and said, "The fitting room is over there. You can ask the shop assistant for help if you need anything."

Yoruichi pulled Soi Fon to the women's clothing section, picked up a white T-shirt with a cat pattern, and handed it to Soi Fon: "Little bee, try this on, it'll definitely look cute."

Soi Fon looked at the T-shirt with the cartoon cat printed on it and her face instantly turned red: "I...I don't want to wear such childish clothes!" She is the captain of the Second Division and the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido. How can she wear such cute clothes?

"Hey, just try it on. If it doesn't look good, you can change it." Yoruichi shoved the T-shirt into Soi Fon's hands without another word and pushed her towards the fitting room. "Go try it on, I'll be waiting to see."

Soi Fon looked at the T-shirt in her hand, then at Yoruichi's expectant eyes, and finally gave in. She blushed and went into the fitting room to change into the cat T-shirt.

When she walked out of the fitting room, Yoruichi's eyes lit up: "It looks really good! Look, how cute this cat pattern is, it suits you perfectly."

Soi Fon walked to the mirror and looked at herself—a white cat-themed T-shirt paired with black shorts, looking very refreshing, and definitely better than before.

Her white pleated shirt made her look even more vibrant, and her cheeks were flushed, but she was secretly pleased: it seemed... it really wasn't difficult.

"I told you, my taste is never wrong." Yoruichi walked over with a smile and reached out to straighten Soi Fon's T-shirt collar. "I'll buy this one, and I'll pick out a skirt for you later."