"Kid, where are we going next?" Yoruichi asked after leading the two of them into a deserted corner.
"Orihime's abilities are mainly support-based," Tsuna replied. "I'm still not comfortable letting you wander around the Seireitei alone."
Orihime's direct combat power relied almost entirely on Tsubaki. If Tsubaki were restrained, she would have almost no means to fight back.
"I'm sorry…" Orihime lowered her head slightly.
Goten Kyōshun was already the best result of her training, yet it still hadn't improved her offensive ability.
"It's not your fault," Tsuna said. "It's just that this isn't the moment for your role yet. According to the original plan, at least one combat member of our group was supposed to stay with you. Who would've thought the Shiba Family's cannon would be so unreliable."
"I'll make sure Kūka pays more attention next time," Yoruichi added. "That kind of mistake won't happen again."
Shiba Kūkaku was her friend, and even she felt embarrassed about such a low-level error.
"Anyway," Tsuna continued, "you should have a safe place somewhere in the Seireitei, right? Let Orihime stay there for a few days."
"I do. Follow me," Yoruichi said, taking the lead.
"Where are we going, Yoruichi?" Orihime asked curiously.
"If you need somewhere safe for a few days and somewhere that solves food and lodging…" Yoruichi glanced back.
"There's only one place. My home."
That answer surprised Tsuna.
Originally he had thought Yoruichi would hide Orihime somewhere beneath Sōkyoku Hill.
Instead, she went straight to the Shihōin Estate.
Yoruichi was still technically the head of the Shihōin Clan, which meant the entire estate was under her authority.
Naturally, it was one of the safest places in Soul Society.
Following Yoruichi through a hidden back entrance, Tsuna and Orihime entered the Shihōin residence.
Both of them were left speechless.
The enormous mansion.
The vast courtyard.
The elegant decorations they couldn't even name.
Truly worthy of one of the Four Great Noble Houses.
Entering Yoruichi's private room, she slipped behind a folding screen and quickly transformed back into her human form.
"Sit down," she said. "I'll arrange someone to handle your daily needs. Orihime, just stay here and rest for the next few days."
"As expected of the current head of the Shihōin Clan," Tsuna said with a grin. "By the way—you're still officially a fugitive from Soul Society. Aren't you worried the Gotei 13 will come knocking?"
After all, night had already fallen. If a room in the estate suddenly lit up, anyone would suspect Yoruichi had secretly returned.
"Hmph. The Gotei 13 doesn't have authority over the Shihōin Clan," Yoruichi replied.
The power of the noble houses was evident in that one sentence.
"Tsuna," Orihime asked anxiously, "how are the others doing?"
"Don't worry," Tsuna said. "None of their Reiatsu signatures have fluctuated much inside the Seireitei. That means they haven't run into anyone too strong yet. I only came to find you because I sensed your Reiatsu."
The scattered members of their group weren't completely safe, of course.
For example, Ichigo had already encountered Ikkaku earlier.
But that fight wasn't dangerous—Ichigo defeated him in just a few moves.
The others had also encountered Shinigami patrols to varying degrees, but ordinary Shinigami simply couldn't handle them.
So Tsuna hadn't rushed to gather everyone together.
Instead, he allowed them to experience some valuable training inside the Seireitei.
But seeing the anxious shine in Orihime's eyes, Tsuna quickly relented.
"I'll check on them."
He switched the communicator to Emergency Channel Two.
"Testing, testing. Anyone in danger? Need backup?"
"Damn it, Tsuna! You scared the hell out of me!" Ichigo's voice came first.
At the moment, he was sneaking around and playing hide-and-seek with a group of Shinigami.
"I'm fine. Completely safe," said Tatsuki, who was hiding inside a bush with no patrols nearby.
Uryū and Chad also reported in—they were being chased by several Shinigami but were still safe.
"Whoa, that startled me," Ginjo said last. "Is someone in danger?"
He was still with Ukitake, and had excused himself to the restroom just to answer.
"Oh, nothing serious," Tsuna replied. "Just stay safe."
"…You're insane," Ichigo and Ginjo said simultaneously.
"See?" Tsuna shrugged. "Everyone's having their own adventure in the Seireitei. If we call each other for small talk, we'll just get yelled at."
That was why he normally didn't use constant communication.
He only sought people out when he sensed unusual Reiatsu fluctuations.
"I'm sorry," Orihime said sincerely.
"It's fine. In a day or two, someone will probably end up here to keep you company anyway."
Their luck as intruders wouldn't last forever.
The Seireitei had over twenty captains and lieutenants.
Eventually, one of them would collide with Tsuna's group.
In truth, Orihime's strength was already impressive.
Defeating a Fourth Seat officer alone was no small feat.
If her opponent had been a straightforward fighter instead of someone like Jirōbō with multi-directional attacks, she might have defeated an even higher-ranked officer.
"Hmm?" Tsuna suddenly sensed something.
"Yoruichi, did your attendants arrive already?"
After his reminder, Yoruichi also noticed the sound of many approaching footsteps in the hallway.
Her expression turned strange—part headache, part resignation.
She glanced at Tsuna and Orihime, then suddenly used Shunpo.
In an instant she appeared behind them, grabbing both of them and hiding behind their backs.
"Don't say I'm here."
The moment she finished speaking—
BOOM!
The wooden door exploded open.
The first thing they saw was a foot.
Then came a dark-skinned boy who looked somewhat similar to Yoruichi.
Clearly, he was the one who kicked the door open.
"Big Sister!"
He shouted excitedly.
But when he saw two complete strangers standing in the room, his face darkened immediately.
"Who are you? Why are you in my sister's room? Do you know the crime of trespassing into the Shihōin Clan?!"
Seeing the accusations piling up, Tsuna decisively reached behind him, grabbed Yoruichi, and tossed her forward.
"Your problem. You handle it."
The moment the boy saw Yoruichi, his eyes lit up again.
"Big Sister!"
He rushed forward and hugged her.
Seeing her younger brother behave so embarrassingly in front of outsiders gave Yoruichi a massive headache.
Her little brother was the ultimate siscon.
No matter the setting or who was watching, he would always act spoiled in front of her.
"This is my younger brother," Yoruichi said politely.
"Shihōin Yūshirō. Please bear with him."
"Big Sister, who are they?" Yūshirō asked, pointing at Tsuna and Orihime.
Seeing the boy's obvious sister complex, Tsuna couldn't resist a mischievous impulse.
"Us?" Tsuna said casually. "We're the people who stay with your sister every single day."
Yūshirō's face immediately filled with rage.
He vanished from Yoruichi's arms and appeared in front of Tsuna, unleashing a rapid barrage of punches.
The blows fell like rain.
But Tsuna blocked every single one effortlessly.
His calm expression only angered Yūshirō further.
"Damn it!"
"Yūshirō, stop!" Yoruichi shouted.
But it was already too late.
"Shunkō!"
A powerful surge of Kidō-infused Reiatsu exploded from Yūshirō's back, blasting apart part of the roof of Yoruichi's room.
Wrapped in lightning-like spiritual power, he launched a devastating punch at Tsuna.
THUD!
A dull sound echoed.
The punch stopped instantly.
In front of Tsuna was a shield decorated with two bull horns, faint sparks of electricity dancing across its surface.
Fullbring — Lambo's Shield.
Yūshirō stumbled backward in disbelief.
Why did this man's power also contain lightning?
He remembered clearly that Yoruichi's Shunkō also manifested as lightning.
Could this man be related to his sister in some way…?
Yūshirō collapsed onto the floor.
His throat trembled.
A look of deep sorrow appeared on his face.
"What nonsense are you imagining now?" Yoruichi smacked him on the head.
"Sister… you and him… could it be…"
He couldn't even finish the sentence.
Tsuna immediately interrupted.
"Relax. I'm just Yoruichi's friend. Your future brother-in-law only has one candidate—that shady shopkeeper."
Hearing that he supposedly had a brother-in-law, Yūshirō finally burst into tears.
His sister… was being taken away by a villain.
And a shady merchant at that.
Yoruichi shot Tsuna a murderous glare.
He had said too much.
But she didn't have time to comfort Yūshirō.
The Shihōin Clan guards had already gathered outside.
"Yūshirō—handle it!"
Hearing Yoruichi's serious tone, Yūshirō instantly stopped crying.
He wiped his face, put on the dignified expression of the future head of the Shihōin Clan, and walked outside.
"Everyone disperse. I had a small accident during training. Everything's fine."
After receiving Yūshirō's order, the guards quickly withdrew.
For now, Yoruichi and the others remained undiscovered.
"Big Sister, everything's handled," Yūshirō reported.
"Good job," Yoruichi smiled. "You're starting to look like the future head of the Shihōin Clan."
Only when facing outsiders did Yūshirō show a side that made her proud.
"Orihime," Tsuna said, "help treat the burns on our future clan head."
When Yūshirō turned earlier to address the guards, Tsuna had noticed the burn marks across his back.
"No need for your help—"
Before he finished speaking, Sōten Kisshun enveloped him.
The healing effect was even faster than Kaidō.
"Your brother's Shunkō still needs work," Tsuna said quietly to Yoruichi. "But since Shunkō is such a powerful offensive technique… congratulations."
The injuries clearly came from forcing the ability too early.
Yoruichi rolled her eyes.
"With your control over Reishi, if you wanted to train Shunkō you could easily reach the next stage. Honestly, I'm curious what your elemental attribute would be."
"Obviously the same as the future Shihōin head—fire," Tsuna replied casually.
"As for Shunkō… if I learned it, I'd have to call you 'teacher' every time we meet. That would feel too distant."
Yoruichi didn't believe a word.
She knew Tsuna already had too many abilities to train.
He simply didn't have time to learn Shunkō.
On the other hand, that girlfriend of his who copied his Reishi control had already grasped the essence of Shunkō under Yoruichi's guidance.
As for Tsuna claiming his element was fire—
She didn't believe that either.
Judging from the wide variety of abilities Tsuna had already displayed, there was no way his power was limited to something so simple.
While Tsuna and Yoruichi chatted—
A high-level emergency meeting was already taking place within the Seireitei.
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