Soaking in the hot spring with Yoruichi Shihōin nestled in his arms, her face flushed with warmth, Masatsuki Aozaki couldn't help but narrow his eyes in satisfaction.
This—this was the life he had always dreamed of.
Why strive for power if not to live a carefree and fulfilling life?
Though he hadn't been practicing Shunkō lately, he had refined his Reiatsu. It wasn't wasted time.
Masatsuki let himself bask in the hot spring's restorative effects, feeling the soothing warmth wash over him.
The restorative hot spring was a replica of the White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hell, but naturally, it couldn't compare to the originals.
The true White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hell had been created using the Reiatsu of Tenjirō Kirinji.
Since Kisuke Urahara couldn't obtain a Reiatsu of equivalent potency, he had substituted other materials to produce a similar effect.
The difference in materials meant the effects were much weaker, but on the upside, the side effects were also reduced.
Even so, it was more than enough to replenish their energy after a physically exhausting night.
In less than a quarter of an hour, both Masatsuki and Yoruichi felt revitalized, as if they could go another three hundred rounds.
Masatsuki stood up, stretching a bit in the water, a satisfied smile forming on his lips.
"Fully recovered. Now it's time to get serious—I can't keep indulging like this."
He made up his mind to resume Shunkō training.
A Shinigami's lifespan could stretch for thousands of years; there would always be time for other forms of exercise.
But Shunkō? That was a direct path to real power.
And in the world of Bleach, strength was the only true currency for survival.
Yoruichi also stood, stretching her arms overhead without reservation.
She rolled her shoulder and rotated her arm twice, working out any lingering stiffness from the night's strenuous activity.
The soreness that had built up from maintaining high-intensity movements for hours had completely faded in the hot spring's warmth.
She felt refreshed and ready.
"Alright, I'm good too. Let's get started."
With that, Yoruichi flickered from the hot spring, swiftly dressing before flashing Masatsuki a playful wink.
Masatsuki was pleased—this was the energetic, unrestrained Yoruichi he knew.
That liveliness was part of what made her so captivating.
He cast her a glance before pulling on his pants, neatly folding his shirt and setting it aside.
Shunkō training would make wearing a shirt pointless. He'd only have to take it off again later, so why bother?
The two of them stood facing each other in the training hall.
Yoruichi's shoulders pulsed with streaks of white, lightning-like Reiatsu.
A faint glow surrounded her as she extended a hand toward Masatsuki.
He blinked, hesitating for a moment before realizing she was inviting him to take it.
Then, without warning, she reached out with her other hand, pulling him into her embrace.
Looking up at him, she smiled.
Masatsuki wanted to treat this as part of their training, but he had a feeling Yoruichi was just teasing him.
She was the type to be willful when she wanted to be—once she decided to play around, there was no stopping her.
He gave in, wrapping his arms around her, and in doing so, he suddenly became aware of just how soft she was—like a cat curling up against him.
Yoruichi's expression shifted ever so slightly, her eyes softening with something unreadable.
Whatever had put her in such a good mood, Masatsuki wasn't about to question it.
"Hey, hey, stop squirming. Focus on training and feel my Reiatsu."
Yoruichi was in an exceptionally good mood today, and she took it as a good sign. She suddenly felt that life could be even more enjoyable in the future, and a wide grin spread across her face.
She remembered the promise she had made to him and looked up.
Sure enough, the expression on that petty man's face had shifted. She didn't dislike it, though—if anything, she found a small sense of delight in it.
Masatsuki Aozaki frowned in frustration. "You didn't teach Yūshirō like this, did you?"
Yoruichi shook her head and smirked. "Are you an idiot? I've only ever used this method on you."
"But... you're really cute when you're mad. I like it!"
Masatsuki's frown eased, but something felt off.
Normally, he was the one saying things like this to Yoruichi. Now the tables had turned.
"Yoruichi, you're cute too. And I like you as well." Masatsuki pulled her into a tight embrace.
Yoruichi seemed caught off guard. A faint blush dusted her cheeks, and her golden eyes darted away, unable to meet his gaze.
"Focus on training," she muttered, biting her lip. There was a mix of pride and embarrassment in her voice.
"This isn't the time for sweet talk."
Masatsuki nodded.
She was still the same as always.
That was a relief.
He loosened his grip slightly, closed his eyes, and focused on sensing Yoruichi's Reiatsu.
Yoruichi studied his concentrated expression, a soft smile tugging at her lips. In a gentle voice, she whispered:
"Relax, don't be tense..."
"Remember, your Reiatsu is you. Your spiritual body is you. It's all a part of Masatsuki Aozaki."
"You need to fully engage your sixth sense—spiritual awareness—to perceive the changes in Kidō Reiatsu. Once it takes form outside your body, try to draw it in, merging it with yourself."
"Think of it as your bones, your blood, your limbs."
Her voice was as light as a breeze, brushing against Masatsuki's ear and echoing softly in his mind.
As she spoke, the noise around them gradually faded into silence. The once-present background sounds disappeared, leaving only a deep, peaceful stillness.
Within this quiet, Masatsuki became increasingly aware of a distinct power—Reiatsu.
It wasn't visible to the naked eye, yet it was undeniably there, surrounding him.
It felt like an invisible field, enveloping him completely.
At this moment, his perception of Reiatsu sharpened. It grew stronger, more distinct, its presence impossible to ignore.
In the world of Bleach, spiritual awareness was a unique ability—what could be considered a sixth sense, beyond the five conventional human senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
To put it simply, spiritual awareness was the ability to perceive Reiatsu.
Those with a strong spiritual awareness could detect fluctuations in the Reiatsu around them and even gauge an opponent's strength through it.
However, despite its impressive nature, spiritual awareness wasn't omnipotent.
Shinigami often relied on it in battle to track enemy movements and gain an advantage in combat.
But against masters skilled in concealing their Reiatsu, its effectiveness diminished significantly.
In battle, it was nearly impossible to fully suppress one's Reiatsu. However, for true experts, masking their presence outside of combat was a trivial feat.
Masatsuki attempted to merge his Reiatsu with his body.
His heart pounded.
A strange sense of familiarity washed over him.
Yet he knew he had never trained in Shunkō before.
The closest thing he had done was synchronizing his Reiatsu with his physical movements while using Ikkotsu and Sōkotsu.
The sensation was similar, but at its core, it was completely different.
Suddenly, white arcs of electricity erupted from his shoulders and back, crackling violently.
The surrounding Reishi surged toward him, drawn into his body at an alarming rate.
The lights in the training hall seemed to shine even brighter.
He was absorbing Reishi from the environment.
This was a technique he had only ever seen in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's research notes.
A technique that belonged to the Quincy.
But he wasn't a Quincy.
He was a Shinigami.
This ability shouldn't be his!
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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