At the Second Division barracks, headquarters of the Onmitsukidō, a dark and oppressive atmosphere brewed within the dimly lit room, fostering a growing sense of fear.
A small figure sat cross-legged at the long table, head down, sorting through essential intelligence reports received that day. As the captain of the Second Division, commander of the Onmitsukidō, and captain of its First Division, Suì-Fēng's workload far exceeded that of some other captains.
However, having taken on these responsibilities since Shihōin Yoruichi's time, she had grown accustomed to them over the years.
Suddenly, a prominent, rotund figure squeezed through the doorway, bringing a greasy smell and the sound of crunching snacks.
"Ōmaeda! How many times have I told you? No snacks in the Onmitsukidō headquarters!" Suì-Fēng's smooth forehead creased with veins of frustration as she snapped the writing brush in her hand.
Her fierce gaze locked onto the prominent figure, who immediately flinched, his abundant body fat jiggling in response.
Panicking, Ōmaeda Marechiyo, the Second Division's lieutenant, grabbed the remaining bag of oil-fried rice crackers and shoved them into his wide mouth, swallowing them in one big gulp. The greasy aroma filled the room, shattering the severe atmosphere.
"C-Captain," Ōmaeda stammered nervously, handing the patrol report with utmost care. "Here's the detailed status of today's patrols. Everything is peaceful except for a small skirmish near the Kasumioji Clan's estate."
With Suì-Fēng's authority, Ōmaeda's courage seemed inversely proportional to his size.
Suì-Fēng furrowed her brows, taking the report. As she noticed the greasy handprints on it, her expression grew even more displeased. She would have done so long ago if she could replace her lieutenant. But, unfortunately, the entire Second Division barracks had been furnished by the Ōmaeda family.
As one of the wealthiest clans under the noble families, the Ōmaeda family's wealth was enviable to anyone.
After briefly scanning the report, just as she was about to issue instructions, another voice interrupted her.
"You're quite diligent, Captain Suì-Fēng."
In an instant, Suì-Fēng's body tensed instinctively. Without looking back, she lashed out with a Hakuda technique, Tsuri-Kaki, delivering a decisive blow.
Bang!
A muffled collision echoed through the room, immediately drawing several black-clad figures who surrounded the area in an instant.
"Intruder! Release the captain at once!"
Only then did Ōmaeda react, drawing his Zanpakutō and pointing it forward in what he thought was a menacing manner.
"It seems Lieutenant Ōmaeda has poor eyesight," Tokikaze sighed. "With your skill level, how did you become head of the patrol team? Even if Marechiyo forced you into it, you should at least have some professionalism."
"Kan—Kanemiya Tokikaze!?" Ōmaeda Marechiyo gasped in shock, his stammering making it evident that he was petrified.
Among all the captains of the Gotei 13, aside from Captain-Commander Yamamoto, he feared most was Tokikaze, heir to the noble Kanemiyadai family.
"When addressing a captain, please use honorifics," Tokikaze said coolly.
Tokikaze had initially held a sliver of hope for Ōmaeda, one of the supposed "Five Special War Powers," but seeing him in action dashed his expectations.
Ōmaeda's display was nothing short of embarrassing.
Suì-Fēng pulled herself free from Tokikaze's grip, more curious than shocked by how he had bypassed the Second Division's surveillance systems.
As the Gotei 13's covert division, the Second Division's headquarters were filled with monitoring and security measures, so much so that even Suì-Fēng herself couldn't sneak into the Onmitsukidō without being detected.
"Alright, Captain Tokikaze…" Ōmaeda's voice was trembling, his respect for the noble family all too apparent.
Suì-Fēng's expression soured further as she watched. Ōmaeda's incompetence never failed to disappoint her.
"Please, speak plainly, Captain Tokikaze," Suì-Fēng said, regaining her composure as she hid some classified documents from view. Her face was unreadable. "What brings you here?"
"I want you to help me train!"
Suì-Fēng: "???"
...
Tokikaze observed the black cats decorating the ceiling and walls in the captain's private training hall. He couldn't help but shake his head. In some ways, Suì-Fēng's obsession as a fan was a bit frightening.
Noticing the teasing look in Tokikaze's eyes, Suì-Fēng blushed and quickly explained, "These were all left by the traitor Shihōin Yoruichi. I kept them to remind myself to bring her to justice!"
Tokikaze nodded. "And what about this new black cat pendant? If I recall…"
Before he could finish, a blur of motion passed, and the black cat pendant on the wall was quickly snatched away.
Suì-Fēng, flushed with embarrassment, insisted stubbornly, "You're mistaken—that's an old model. It's from five years ago!"
"Alright, alright. Old model it is," Tokikaze relented, unwilling to argue. It was clear to anyone with eyes that Suì-Fēng still harbored deep feelings for a particular black cat.
"Let's get to the point," Tokikaze said, taking off his haori and hanging it on the wall before removing the top half of his Shihakushō.
Suì-Fēng, still blushing, awkwardly removed her captain's haori, revealing the special open-back Shihakushō underneath. Usually, she had no qualms about wearing it during missions or executions, but undressing in front of Tokikaze felt... strange.
"Before we begin, I want to know where you got your information," Suì-Fēng asked, her expression somewhat tense. "I never told anyone about training in Shunko."
When she mentioned Shunko, her face reflected a strange mix of emotions—she felt like someone had been spying on her.
Suì-Fēng believed she had developed Shunko herself, but Tokikaze revealed that Yoruichi had been researching it long before her. The Shihōin family had even passed down Shunko techniques through the generations.
Upon learning this, Suì-Fēng's expression had darkened considerably, as if her lifelong love for someone was suddenly shattered by the news that they had already moved on. It was a profoundly unsettling realization.
"I guessed," Tokikaze replied, cracking his neck as the sound of bones popping filled the room. His muscular physique radiates raw power.
Suì-Fēng scowled, feeling as though Tokikaze was just brushing her off. "Fine, if you don't want to explain, whatever. But I won't waste any chance to become stronger."
Without turning around, Tokikaze casually remarked, "Don't worry, you won't get that chance. Even if you train for another hundred years, you won't beat that black cat."
Suì-Fēng's face darkened further, shadows seeming to creep across her features as anger welled up inside her.
"Damn bastard…" she muttered under her breath, unsure whether she was cursing Tokikaze or Yoruichi.
...
The Shunko training session officially began. After explaining the basics of Shunko, Suì-Fēng demonstrated it herself.
In an instant, her spiritual pressure erupted. White energy surged from her bare shoulders and back, forming a powerful gust of wind that whipped around her.
The highly compressed Kido-based spiritual energy spiraled through the training hall, creating a roaring sound as it swirled around her.
"Hmm, looks impressive enough," Tokikaze commented, assessing her performance. "But I wonder how effective it is in practice."
Suì-Fēng shot him a cold look, responding, "You'll find out soon enough."
She didn't expect Tokikaze to seem eager to test it out. "Alright, don't mind if I do."
"Wait, you—" Suì-Fēng began, but Tokikaze had already vanished, appearing behind her in a flash of Shunpo.
Smack!
A large hand rested on her bare shoulder.
In that instant, Suì-Fēng's pupils contracted. She had been watching Tokikaze closely but hadn't noticed his movements. His hand, glowing with spiritual pressure, effortlessly withstood the force of her Shunko.
It was a completely one-sided confrontation!
"Never lower your guard in battle, Captain Suì-Fēng," Tokikaze said calmly.
With those words, the explosive Kido-based energy surged from Suì-Fēng's shoulders, the force instantly pushing Tokikaze back.
Windmill Strike!
Her petite figure spun into the air, launching a powerful kick like a windmill crashing down.
Boom!
An enormous crater formed in the training hall's floor, with wood splinters flying everywhere.
Watching from a distance, Tokikaze was somewhat impressed by the destructive power. Suì-Fēng's Shunko wasn't fully mastered, and her spiritual pressure was limited, but the technique had enormous potential.
Of course, it was still a far cry from the Shunko that Yoruichi had demonstrated in the real world.
Seeing that Tokikaze wasn't attacking, Suì-Fēng breathed a sigh of relief and deactivated her Shunko. She knew her spiritual pressure was much lower than his, but she had been cautious not to injure him with her incomplete technique.
After all, in some ways, Tokikaze had saved her life. Without him, her battle against the rebel Soi Fong could have ended in severe injury, if not worse.
"Shunko is extremely dangerous," Suì-Fēng said, frowning. "Next time, give me some warning before pulling something like that."
"As for the finer details…" she continued.
As Tokikaze listened carefully, Suì-Fēng went over the subtleties of the technique, breaking it down step by step.
Compared to the "hands-on" approach of Yamamoto's training, Suì-Fēng's method was far gentler.
"That's the gist of it. Got it?" she asked after finishing her explanation. "If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask."
"That is, as long as you're not too dumb…"
Before she could finish, Tokikaze's body suddenly erupted with a familiar, overwhelming pressure.
Highly compressed Kido-based energy surged from his shoulders and back, creating a wild gust that tore through the training hall.
The sturdy floor groaned under the strain as cracks formed, spreading outward from where Tokikaze stood.
The explosive power didn't last long. When Tokikaze withdrew his spiritual pressure, he looked down at the small figure of Suì-Fēng.
"Now, what were you saying…?" he asked.
(Side note: Shunko was initially learned by Suì-Fēng a century later in the original timeline, but it has been introduced earlier here.)