“Then, Shadow, you should stay here in the Fourth Division and rest for a few days!” Yoruichi Shihōin said with a smile.
“I have to participate in the practical exercise against simulated Hollows tomorrow, so I won’t be able to come see you for the next few days.” “Tomorrow?
The practical exercise against simulated Hollows?” Shadow froze.
“How long was I unconscious?” “Three days!
It’s been three days!” Before Yoruichi could answer, Kaien Shiba complained from the side.
“I told you that as soon as we came in!
Did you completely ignore me?” “Three days already?” Shadow frowned.
“Yoruichi-sama, I…” “I told you to rest properly!” Yoruichi narrowed her eyes.
“What?
Are you…
not going to listen to me?” “N-No…
that’s not…
I mean…
Yes, Yoruichi-sama!” Seeing the murderous look in Yoruichi’s eyes, Shadow immediately shrank back and lowered his head helplessly.
Still, considering the condition his body was currently in, he truly wasn’t fit to do anything.
“See?
That’s much better!” Yoruichi planted her hands on her hips and laughed.
She patted Shadow on the head, said goodbye, and soon everyone began taking their leave.
Shadow lay in bed, staring at the white ceiling as his brows furrowed slightly.
He carefully recalled the battle from three days earlier and couldn’t help sighing.
Had he still been too arrogant?
Had he underestimated the power of Shinigami?
No.
I’m a shinobi, not some Shinigami.
Shadow pursed his lips.
Yoruichi-sama would be heading to the Human World tomorrow for the practical exercise.
Should he make some Explosive Tags?
They might not be particularly useful, but they would still give her another way to protect herself.
At the very least, he would feel a little more at ease.
Outside the window, the sky was already beginning to darken.
Shadow struggled into a sitting position and rubbed his head.
Fortunately, after three days of rest, his mental energy had recovered somewhat.
It should be enough.
He needed to find the Spirit-Conductive Paper required to make Explosive Tags while there was still some daylight left.
He had to hurry.
By the time darkness had completely fallen, Shadow was walking along a street in Seireitei lined with shops selling miscellaneous goods.
He checked one general store after another, but none of them seemed to sell what he needed.
Shadow looked up at the night sky and sighed helplessly.
Could it be that this world didn’t even have paper capable of conducting spiritual power?
After turning down street after street and winding through several intersections, he finally discovered a small general store hidden at the end of a remote alley.
He didn’t have much hope, but he entered anyway, deciding to try his luck.
What Shadow failed to notice was that three heads appeared around the corner of the alley he had just passed.
Retsu Unohana, Shunsui Kyōraku, and Jūshirō Ukitake.
“What is he looking for?” Kyōraku asked curiously.
“Something,” Unohana answered with a pleasant smile.
“…” Kyōraku fell silent.
Beside him, Ukitake gave an awkward laugh, having no idea what to say.
…
“Finally found it!” Shadow emerged from the store carrying a stack of paper.
He breathed a sigh of relief, only to feel somewhat helpless again.
In Soul Society, this kind of paper was apparently nothing more than ordinary writing paper.
Every time he thought about that, Shadow couldn’t help sighing.
The most ordinary paper had an extraordinarily useful property.
Shadow shook his head.
What a waste.
Then again, what did that have to do with him?
After returning to the Fourth Division barracks, Shadow didn’t bother resting.
He took out one sheet of paper and placed it on the table.
Picking up a brush, he carefully controlled the small amount of mental energy he had recovered and began drawing across the paper, forming intricate seals through a succession of strokes and curves.
In his previous life, Shadow had deliberately learned how to create Explosive Tags.
Because he had found the normal process troublesome and time-consuming, he had even modified the sealing pattern to make it more efficient.
As a result, making them now came relatively naturally to him.
The sealing pattern required for an Explosive Tag, essentially a complex network of lines, was both the most important and the most difficult part.
Every line had to be drawn in a single uninterrupted motion, without the slightest pause.
At the same time, the amount of mental energy flowing into each stroke had to be carefully varied, stronger or weaker, faster or slower depending on the section.
It was extremely difficult to control.
A line.
A turn.
Another stroke…
Finally, the last line was completed.
A flash of light passed across the entire sheet.
Shadow exhaled in relief.
It worked.
His technique had become much rustier, though.
When drawing, one first had to form a clear image in the mind, engraving what one wanted to create into one’s thoughts.
Once the proper feeling came, the entire piece had to be completed in one continuous flow.
Making an Explosive Tag followed essentially the same principle.
Shadow rubbed the corners of his eyes, forcibly gathered his mental energy again, and began working on the next one.
Only when he had overused his mental energy to the point where the familiar needle-like pain returned did he finally have no choice but to put down the brush.
Shadow shook his head and looked at the dozen or so completed Explosive Tags lying on the table.
He wasn’t satisfied.
Still, this truly was his limit.
His body was already beginning to give out.
Shadow sighed, carefully stored the Explosive Tags away, and collapsed face-first onto the bed.
…
Soul Society, Seireitei, Shin’ō Academy, before the Senkaimon.
“All right!
Everyone, enter the Senkaimon in an orderly manner according to the groups you drew beforehand!
And remember, even though these are simulated Hollows, getting bitten by one is no joke.
Group leaders, keep a close eye on your members!” The goateed instructor stood in front of the Senkaimon, shouting loudly.
Before him stood a group of students wearing every imaginable expression.
Some were excited and practically itching for a fight, such as Kensei Muguruma and Hiyori Sarugaki.
Others were constantly complaining about how boring everything was, like Kisuke Urahara and Lisa Yadōmaru.
Some, such as Mashiro Kuna, were curiously looking around at everything.
Others wore completely confident expressions, including Yoruichi Shihōin and Kūkaku Shiba.
And then there were those trembling with fear.
In short, every possible reaction could be seen among the students.
Which, if anything, was perfectly normal.
“Huh?
Isn’t that Shadow?” Standing near the back, Kisuke Urahara was idly looking around when he happened to notice a familiar figure.
He immediately cried out in surprise.
Hearing Urahara’s voice, Yoruichi followed his gaze.
The moment she saw Shadow approaching, irritation surged through her and her expression darkened.
“Y-Yoruichi-sama!” Shadow flinched at the sight of her face.
“What are you doing here?” Yoruichi demanded.
“I still…
couldn’t stop worrying about Yoruichi-sama.” Shadow frowned.
“I keep feeling like something isn’t right.” “You’re the one who isn’t right!” Yoruichi snorted.
“Go back to the Fourth Division right now!” “Yes, Yoruichi-sama.” Shadow gritted his teeth before slowly nodding.
Then he reached into his clothes and took out the dozen or so Explosive Tags he had made the previous night, holding them out to her.
“In that case, Yoruichi-sama, please take these with you for protection.” “What are these?” Yoruichi accepted them and curiously examined the strange sheets covered in markings she couldn’t understand.
Then she pursed her lips.
“They’re ugly.” “U-Ugly?” The corner of Shadow’s mouth twitched.
He looked utterly helpless.
“Yoruichi-sama, these are called Explosive Tags.
If you’re in danger, inject Reiatsu into one and throw it at the enemy.
It’ll explode and can be used as an attack.
They aren’t especially powerful, but for Yoruichi-sama, they should be more than enough as a backup.” “Inject Reiatsu into them?” Yoruichi raised an eyebrow as she looked at the small slips of paper in her hands.
“These little things are really that powerful?” She knew Shadow wouldn’t lie to her, but she still found it difficult to believe.
Kisuke Urahara’s eyes suddenly lit up.
He said nothing, but his eyes began moving thoughtfully as countless ideas seemed to race through his mind.