Sasuke's breathing seemed to halt for an instant.
His usually calm eyes widened sharply, reflecting the wild, beautiful form before him. His mind went blank for a moment.
The steam from the hot spring seemed to truly take effect only now. A wave of scorching heat surged from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
Sasuke sharply turned his head away, his gaze fixed intently on the monotonous patterns on the rock, as if trying to burn a hole through them with his eyes.
The sound of his heartbeat is clearly audible in his ears.
A highly unnatural flush rapidly climbed from his neck to the tips of his ears, finally dyeing his cheeks red.
"Oh?" A voice tinged with lazy laughter came from behind… no longer a low male voice, but a slightly magnetic, mature female voice.
"What's wrong with our little genius?"
Yoruichi, barefoot, took silent, cat-like steps, slowly walking to the edge of the hot spring pool.
The water's surface reflected her tall, athletic figure. She looked with interest at Sasuke's rigid profile.
"I thought a little brat like you only had that cold expression on his face." Her voice held a light laugh, the teasing unconcealed, "Turns out you can get shy too?"
"Boring." Sasuke's body stiffened even more. He gritted his teeth, forcing the words out from between them, "...Put. Your. Clothes. On."
This blustering but inwardly flustered appearance was a stark contrast to his usual cold image.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you." Yoruichi knew when to stop. She could sense that if she teased him further, this prickly kitten would truly lose his temper.
She snapped her fingers. A black, form-fitting combat suit appeared out of thin air, perfectly enveloping her explosive body.
"Can you turn around now?" Yoruichi crossed her arms, looking at him amusedly.
Only after hearing the rustling sounds of dressing did Sasuke's stiff body relax slightly.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the inexplicable restlessness within, and slowly turned around.
He still tried hard to maintain that icy expression, but the not-yet-faded blush and slightly evasive eyes completely betrayed him.
He saw Yoruichi, now fully dressed, sitting cross-legged on a rock by the pool, chin propped on one hand, her golden eyes watching him with interest.
"Seen enough?" Sasuke's voice was somewhat hoarse. He subconsciously sank deeper into the water, only his head showing.
"Hmm... just about." Yoruichi nodded solemnly, but the faint smile at the corner of her mouth betrayed her current good mood, "Not bad physique, just a bit too thin. Looks like we'll have to have Tessai add some extra meals for you."
"…"
Sasuke chose silence. He found that talking to this woman always left him at a disadvantage.
"Well then, let's get down to business." Yoruichi looked at the youth who still only showed half his face, her voice turning serious again.
"Want to learn Bankai, Uchiha Sasuke?"
Hearing this, Sasuke's eyes finally calmed. He slowly raised his head to look directly at Yoruichi.
"I admit your abilities are special, but that doesn't mean you are qualified to instruct me."
"Oh?" Yoruichi raised an eyebrow with interest, "Back from a shy kitten to a prickly porcupine so quickly? What an unlovable child."
"I need proof." Sasuke ignored her teasing, his tone brooking no argument, "Before discussing Bankai, let me see your capacity first."
"Capacity, huh?" Yoruichi let out a light laugh, a trace of understanding in it, "Fine. Since my adorable student has a request, the teacher naturally must satisfy it."
She slowly stood up, stretching her wrists and ankles.
"Let's use the Hakuda you just learned from Kisuke the other day." She tilted her head, confidence flashing in her golden eyes, "As long as you can touch me, inflict even the slightest injury, you win."
"…"
'That feeling of being looked down upon again.'
Sasuke's eyes turned completely cold and he stopped talking nonsense.
He leaped out of the hot spring pool. With a casual wave, he evaporated all the water droplets on his body.
After getting fully dressed, he walked step by step out of the spring and onto the open ground. His entire aura continuously rose during this process.
His center of gravity sank. His feet slid silently on the damp rock. His whole body was like a fully drawn bow.
The next instant, the bowstring was released!
Sasuke's figure became a blurry black line, instantly closing in on Yoruichi. A heavy fist imbued with spiritual pressure shot straight for Yoruichi's face.
This was a technique he had learned from Urahara… pure and direct.
However, facing this strike, Yoruichi's expression didn't change in the slightest.
She merely raised her right hand, gently meeting Sasuke's fist with her palm.
The moment they made contact, Sasuke felt as if his punch had landed on a ball of cotton. It was completely dissipated at an impossible angle.
The strike missed. Sasuke was inwardly horrified.
But his combat instincts made him change moves immediately. His left leg swept out like a whip, carrying a sharp whistling sound, aiming for Yoruichi's lower body.
Yoruichi, as if foreseeing it, lightly tapped her toes on the ground, floating back half a meter.
Then, before Sasuke could retract his attack, Yoruichi's figure swayed slightly, instantly closing in on the opening Sasuke had left from his attack.
'Too fast!'
Sasuke's pupils contracted sharply. He only saw an afterimage flash before his eyes.
Yoruichi's elbow tapped Sasuke's nape, not too lightly, not too heavily.
"Ugh..." Sasuke grunted. A numbing sensation instantly spread throughout his body. The scene before his eyes began to spin.
His body fell backward uncontrollably.
'How is this possible...'
Sasuke's mind went blank.
The Hakuda Urahara had taught him... techniques he felt had greatly improved... before this woman, he didn't even have a chance to react.
Just as he was about to hit the ground, a hand reached out from the side, gently supporting his shoulder.
Then, that hand gave a follow-up push. Sasuke's body fell uncontrollably onto his back in the hot spring, splashing up a small spray of water.
Silence returned to the edge of the hot spring pool.
Sasuke floated in the spring, staring blankly at the simulated sky above.
He had lost.
He was defeated so cleanly and decisively. He hadn't even touched the hem of her garment.
Yoruichi slowly walked to Sasuke's side, crouched down, and looked into his eyes that were full of unwillingness.
"Well then, let me reintroduce myself."
She extended a hand toward Sasuke, a confident smile belonging to a powerhouse on her face.
"Shihoin Yoruichi. Former Captain of the 2nd Division. Former Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido. Starting today, I am the teacher responsible for guiding you to master Bankai."
She paused, her golden eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yoroshiku, my adorable... little disciple?"
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