Chapter 209: eptance


    <span style="font-weight:400">After telling Shunsui to find Sung-Sun’s flower shop, Kazuya made his way back to his mansion to pick up Yoruichi.


    <span style="font-weight:400">{Izumi epted you quite easily, Partner. I thought she’d go through another meltdown.}


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘She loves me that much, I guess.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">{More like she’ll cling to you like a parasite.}


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘Come on, Nami. You two should get along as fellow yanderes.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya harbored no illusions about all his lovers living in perfect ord. However, he had to maintain a semnce of peace among the yanderes, or things might escte to a battle royale.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Nami clicked her tongue in annoyance. {The only thing we have inmon is our love for you… But I’ll try for your sake, Partner.}


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘I knew you’d understand me.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">{That’s because we’re soulmates~.}


    <span style="font-weight:400">{By the way, Partner. Are we letting Shinji go?}


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘I’ll see him next time.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Revealing the secret lifted a massive weight from his shoulders, though it consumed more time than necessary. Now, with his conscience clear, he could direct his undivided attention towards bringing down Aizen.


    <span style="font-weight:400">{Partner, don’t you want to take the Hōgyoku from Kisuke and merge it with yours?}


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘I’ll try to hit my natural limits before taking the Hōgyoku.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">He had yet to reach his full potential as both Shinigami and Arrancar. Mastering them both would bring the most out of the Hōgyoku’s benefits.


    <span style="font-weight:400">{Aren’t you just chickening out because of Aizen’s monstrous forms?}


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘Nope.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">With the power of rebirth at his disposal, he could change his features and figure by simply thinking about it. The only concern was Soul King’s Royal Guards, Squad Zero. Aizen’s Hōgyoku transformation didn’t alert them but Kazuya, who was born from a Soul King’s fragment, could very likely bring the attention of Ichibei and the rest.


    <span style="font-weight:400">{Better safe than sorry…}


    <span style="font-weight:400">Entering the mansion, he greeted Api with a kiss at the door and made his way to his room. Standing before the door, he couldn’t help but recall Schr?dinger''s cat experiment.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘Will she be back to her usual self or will she be a feral cat?’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">{Just kick down the damn door!}


    <span style="font-weight:400">Hisughter echoed softly as he swung open the door, revealing Yoruichi sitting on the bed’s edge. Her cat ears twitched as she gazed at the ground, surroundedby an aura of mncholy.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Her somber demeanor was the least expected oue after that life-changing experience tonight.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yoruichi.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">His soft call ended her daydreams, bringing her attention back to the room.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Kazuya!” she eximed, her eyes alight with an unbridled joy that contrasted sharply with her previous disposition. Gathering herself, she pounced towards him. “Catch me!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Today seemed destined for catching women mid-air. Casting aside his musings, he weed the embrace of the dark-skinned catgirl.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I have never seen you like that… is it about your Hollowification? I’m sorry I let that happen.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">If only he had reached her side sooner, he might have spared her this transformation.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yoruichi drew back and narrowed her eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She had been grappling with her decision to stay with the students, a choice that, in hindsight, had kept her from helping him fight the Arrancars. Herck of caution had nearly allowed Aizen to leverage her as a pawn, threatening Kisuke and nearly securing the Hōgyoku — a move that could have spelled disaster on a grand scale.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She lightly punched his chest. “I let my guard down and got thoroughly bested by Aizen. By all ounts, I should have met my end at his hand... yet, you were there to save me. Are you sorry about that?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Of course not.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Her demeanor softened, a smile breaking through. “Then, it is I who owes you an apology. I chose my duty to the students over standing by your side against the invaders. Both apologies cancel each other out, don’t they?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He couldn’t help but chuckle. Her way offorting him was downright threatening. “Understood. Can you switch into your cat form?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Her head tilted in curiosity. “Are we leaving?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She took a few steps back and leaped at him. With a puff of smoke, she transformed mid-air, leaving her ck bodysuit behind. Taking a seat on his shoulder, she let out threatening hisses, her ring Reiatsu switching its signature between Hollow and Shinigami.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Her Shinigami Reiatsu thoroughly squashed her Hollow Reiatsu in a one-sided battle.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t you try that again,” she hissed and climbed atop his head. “Sorry for that, Kazuya. My Hollow tried to take over my body.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Theck of seriousness in her voice conveyed her eptance of her Hollow side. She wasn’t against living as a Visored.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, it did take over your body when you were unconscious.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He ryed his experience with her feral side without leaving out a single detail.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yoruichi wentpletely silent for a few seconds, then she burst outughing. “Out of all possibilities, you gave it themand to sleep. Kazuya, you could’ve made me do every perverted thing on your mind. You missed a golden opportunity.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He shook his head. “The thought never crossed my mind. I was more upied with ‘Will Yoruichi stay like this forever?’”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She reached out and patted his cheeks with fluffy paws. “This one is quite ted that you didn’t lose your mind in the face of temptation… more ted that you didn’t join thedies gang.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That transformation was a one-time measure tobat Aizen. It won''t happen again.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Even if my life is in danger?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He refused to answer her tricky question, which would lead to even trickier questions.


    <span style="font-weight:400">She giggled and rxed on his head. “Kazuya, tell me everything that happened today. I wanna know more.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sure.”