Chapter 89: Torrent of Time

Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Torrent of Time "Can you feel the pressure from the waterfall?" Katori Nanatsuki asked. Muguruma Kensei could no longer speak; he could only nod slowly. Standing beneath the waterfall, he swung his blade with great effort. The concentration of Reishi in the waterfall’s flow was extremely high. Standing beneath it felt like enduring an unending storm of chaotic Reiatsu currents. Muguruma Kensei held out for a dozen seconds before being swept into the pool below. "This is tough, Sensei!" he shouted as he climbed ashore. "But getting hit by chaotic Reiatsu currents actually feels kinda good—like I’m taking a barrage of hits all at once!" Katori Nanatsuki continued, "Kana, Kensei, Shinji—you three can train under the waterfall for up to one hour a day. Yūsuke and Yoruichi can go for one extra hour. Jin’emon will train for thirty minutes. Isane and Rie get one session each per day." "While training in chaotic Reiatsu currents is effective, it does put heavy strain on the body. Don’t push yourselves too hard. Every night, I’ll heal you all." "So make sure you finish your daily drills before entering the waterfall." "Yes, Sensei!" ×8 Once Nanatsuki finished assigning the disciples their training, he used Shunpo to leap to the top of the waterfall and sat on a large rock. The wide view allowed him to observe their training progress clearly. Since this was their first time experiencing chaotic Reiatsu current training, he had to keep an eye on them. "Sensei! I’ve mastered a secret technique!" Shihōin Yoruichi’s face lit up with excitement, eager to show off her ability. "A secret technique?" Nanatsuki raised a brow. "Watch this!" Yoruichi’s body suddenly shrank and morphed, vanishing entirely—only her clothes remained behind. Something wriggled inside the clothing, and then a black cat crawled out from under the pile. Yoruichi had turned into a black cat! The black cat leapt into Nanatsuki’s arms, raised her small head, and said: "Pretty cool, right?" "Amazing!" Nanatsuki exclaimed, surprised to witness this transformation. He cradled the black cat in his arms. "Is this a secret technique passed down in your family?" "Yup! But it’s really difficult to learn. Most of my clan can’t master it. I can’t believe I picked it up so fast—guess I’m just that good!" Her eyes gleamed with pride. Nanatsuki smiled gently. When a disciple is given a training assignment, their learning aptitude increases by three levels. That meant Yoruichi’s learning potential had now reached SS rank! That put her on par with Aizen Sōsuke and Captain-Commander Yamamoto. No wonder she mastered the secret technique so quickly. "Do your senses work like a real cat’s now?" Nanatsuki asked curiously. "Probably...? I mean, I’m not a normal cat. I don’t know what they feel like," the black cat said, flicking her tail. "Why don’t you pet me and find out?" Nanatsuki used practiced, gentle strokes to smooth the fur on her back. Then, with deft fingers, he scratched beneath her chin, near her neck. The black cat immediately melted in his arms, her expression one of total bliss. Nanatsuki was amazed—this reaction clearly showed the transformation gave Yoruichi a cat’s sensory feedback. Even her sensitive spots were the same! This transformation technique wasn’t a mere illusion or mimicry—it completely altered her physical structure! Just then, white mist began to emanate from the black cat’s body. Her form grew rapidly. Her paws stretched into limbs. Purple hair sprouted from her head. The fur faded away, replaced by smooth, sun-kissed skin. Two soft, sun-kissed bundles bounced around in Nanatsuki’s lap. "The technique... it wore off!!!" Yoruichi’s control over the secret technique was still unstable. The emotional excitement earlier had disrupted the transformation. Her cheeks flushed crimson. She wasn’t wearing anything. And she was lying right on top of her teacher! She immediately sprang to her feet. If this went on any longer, her teacher might end up marrying into the Shihōin family! Grabbing her clothes, Yoruichi vanished in a flash. Fwoosh—Nanatsuki let out a deep sigh. That tight, soft sensation had nearly killed him! Guiltily, he glanced toward the base of the waterfall. Thankfully, no one seemed to have noticed what had just happened. Meanwhile, in the Dangai, the exiled Kasumioji clan trudged forward, their expressions numb. Staying too long in the Dangai was extremely dangerous. They had to find a suitable Kakyoku space before the rest of their clan perished. Surrounding the Dangai were many small and large pocket dimensions, known as Kakyoku. Sometimes, souls trying to pass from the World of the Living to the Soul Society would get lost in the Dangai. These lost souls would gather and form a Kakyoku. Kakyoku spaces were more stable in terms of Reiatsu compared to the Dangai or the Garganta—making them the best possible refuge for the Kasumioji now. Kasumioji Shin no longer carried the ease and composure he once had. He followed his clansmen through the Dangai, scanning for a sheltering Kakyoku . Only twenty or thirty of them remained now. The elderly and young of the Kasumioji clan had all died in the maw of the Hollow swarm during their execution. Those who survived the exile were the ones with formidable combat strength. At its peak, the Kasumioji clan, including retainers, guards, and their families, had numbered in the hundreds. Their estate alone had been the size of a small town. And now... this. "Shin, even if we find a decent Kakyoku, the Kasumioji won’t recover from this," said Kasumioji Ryū gravely. Any Kakyoku suitable for long-term habitation had likely already been claimed by other exiles. The Soul Society had a long and turbulent history. Banishments to the Dangai weren’t uncommon, and the most stable Kakyoku were already occupied. Their Zanpakutōs had all been confiscated. Wandering through the Dangai consumed massive amounts of Reiatsu. To enter such territories blindly was extremely risky. "I have a hidden cache in Rukongai," said Kasumioji Shin, brows furrowed. "It holds a batch of Shikai-less blades and supplies. The Central 46 likely never discovered it. But we’re still under surveillance—we can’t return to Soul Society." Kasumioji Ryū’s eyes lit up. "I have an idea. We can use the Kōtotsu to evade surveillance!" A flash of intent passed over Shin’s face. He gave a small nod. "That could work." In a warped space deep in Rukongai, a dimensional gate shimmered into existence. Several shadowy figures in black cloaks leapt out from the gate, wolf-fox masks covering their faces. "That was close—we almost got swallowed by the Kōtotsu." "Time might’ve shifted way off what we expected." They had intended to retrieve a batch of Shikai-less blades and supplies from Rukongai, using the Kōtotsu to avoid detection by the Soul Society. But instead, they had been swept into a torrent of time. "Whatever. Let’s just get what we came for." Without delay, they vanished from the scene.