With a triumphant laugh, Shihōin Yoruichi tightened her grip around Uehara Shiroha, her lithe body coiling around him like a snake. "I caught you! You can't escape this time!" she declared smugly.
Just as she applied more pressure, Uehara Shiroha smirked. With minimal effort, he shrugged off her hold, causing her to lose her balance and fall straight into his arms.
Taking full advantage of the situation, he wrapped his arms around the dusky-skinned beauty, her bare body pressed against his. A teasing grin tugged at his lips.
"Heh, I could eat this chocolate for the rest of my life," he mused, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Tsk! Failed again," Yoruichi huffed, her tone carrying both frustration and reluctant admiration. Despite her complaint, she didn't resist. Instead, she lazily draped her arms around his neck, accepting her fate with a resigned sigh.
Uehara Shiroha tilted her chin up with two fingers, his gaze locking onto her captivating golden irises. "So tell me," he murmured, his voice low and provocative. "Are you planning to sleep with me, or are you trying to kill me?"
His large hands roamed her smooth, flawless skin, tracing every curve with ease. Her body was as soft as the finest silk, warm and enticing beneath his touch.
Yoruichi scoffed, refusing to acknowledge the shiver that ran down her spine. "Hmph! My sneak attack almost worked this time," she insisted, her voice laced with defiance. Though her body betrayed her, heat pooling beneath her skin, her stubborn nature refused to admit defeat.
Uehara Shiroha smirked at her persistence. "A bold witch like you dares to assassinate me? Looks like you need to be taught a lesson." He tightened his grip, his tone playful but firm.
As she pondered their playful skirmish, Yoruichi's thoughts shifted back to the real reason she had sought him out. She lifted her head, her expression turning serious.
"You've been making some big moves lately," she noted, watching him carefully. "After keeping such a low profile for so long, you're finally taking action. Why now?"
Ever since Shiroha had arrived in Karakura Town and crossed paths with Kisuke Urahara, he had rarely revealed the full extent of his strength. He had spent most of his time either completing necessary missions or indulging in a carefree lifestyle—eating, drinking, and entertaining himself while ignoring everything else.
As a result, his once-legendary reputation had gradually faded into mere stories and whispers. The Court Army, the force that followed him, had also ceased its expansion, taking a defensive stance rather than engaging in outright conflict. It was as if they had been waiting for something.
However, Yoruichi and Urahara knew the truth.
The foundation of the Court Army was Uehara Shiroha himself. He was a man who could remain dormant for years, appearing to do nothing, only to unleash his power in a single moment that would shake the world.
And now, after all this time, his army was moving again.
That meant one thing—Uehara Shiroha had decided it was time to act.
She was eager to know what had changed. That curiosity had led her to seek him out—though she had taken the opportunity to test her skills against him as well.
Uehara Shiroha remained silent for a moment, seemingly unfazed by her observation. He leaned back, his posture relaxed, only acknowledging her words when she rolled her eyes and began massaging his shoulders, trying to coax a response out of him.
Only then did he lazily reply, "I do plan to take action. That's why the Court Army has begun to stir again. However…" He paused, a slow smirk forming on his lips. "My actions have nothing to do with you."
Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what are you planning to do?"
"I'm going to start with the nobles," he answered simply.
Unlike others who might see the Court Army as their life's work, Uehara Shiroha viewed it merely as a tool—a means to an end. He enjoyed the power and the benefits it provided, but he had no grand ambitions of turning it into an empire.
It wasn't that he was irresponsible.
He simply understood how the world worked.
In a world as extraordinary as this, the strength of an organization was entirely dependent on its leader's personal power.
If Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto didn't wield the overwhelming might of Ryūjin Jakka, the Soul Society and the Gotei 13 would have collapsed long ago. If Aizen and Yhwach weren't biding their time, restrained by the fear of losing in direct combat, they would have made their moves long before now.
In the end, the strength of a force was meaningless without an individual strong enough to support it.
For that reason, Uehara Shiroha had never concerned himself with matters like governance or expansion. His only priority was becoming stronger.
Yoruichi listened quietly, then nodded in understanding. "I see. So those arrogant nobles are in trouble, huh?" A dangerous glint flashed in her golden eyes. "Kill them all. Paint the streets red. I want to see a river of blood."
Her voice carried a chilling edge, a stark contrast to her usual playful demeanor.
Though she was born into one of the Five Great Noble Houses—or rather, the Four Great Noble Houses, now that the Shiba Clan had fallen—she had long since abandoned any loyalty to the aristocracy.
After the Hollowfication Incident, it was those very nobles who had condemned her closest friends, sentencing them to execution without a second thought.
Even after she defected from the Soul Society, the nobles, led by the Tsunayashiro Clan, had attempted to seize control of the Shihōin Clan, targeting her brother in her absence.
Had it not been for Uehara Shiroha's intervention, her family's downfall would have been inevitable.
Later, when Shiba Isshin chose to remain in the human world, the Tsunayashiro Clan had used his absence as an excuse to strip the Shiba Clan of their noble status, reducing the Five Great Houses to four.
This had enraged Shiba Kūkaku, one of Yoruichi's closest friends.
So when it came to those corrupt, self-serving nobles?
Yoruichi despised them.
Though she couldn't openly move against them herself, she had no qualms about sitting back and watching someone else tear them apart.
And if there was anyone who could do it, it was Uehara Shiroha.
As she leaned back in the hot spring, a grin spread across her face, anticipation flickering in her gaze.
Meanwhile, Uehara Shiroha simply sighed, watching her amusement with mild exasperation.
This woman… she loved chaos too much.
"Women may be a mistake for the country," Uehara Shiroha mused, a smirk tugging at his lips, "but I choose beauties anyway."
His tone was light, dismissive even, as if he truly did not care about the affairs of the world. To him, such concerns were nothing more than fleeting troubles—trivial distractions that held no real weight in his life.
At that moment, Shihōin Yoruichi seemed to recall something. A thoughtful frown crossed her features as she tilted her head, a hint of confusion flickering in her golden eyes.
"Those nobles are wolves," she said slowly, her voice carrying a trace of disbelief. "Vicious, greedy wolves that devour everything in their path without even spitting out the bones. Especially the Tsunayashiro family. They didn't even spare the Shiba Clan, one of the Great Noble Houses."
She paused, her gaze sharpening.
"But when it comes to the Court Army… they've been strangely quiet. Even though you've been acting low-key, they haven't tried to sink their fangs into you. In fact, they've actually backed off and voluntarily ceded their interests. That's not like them at all."
Her brows furrowed. "How did you pull that off?"
To be honest, the situation was nothing short of bizarre.
From what she knew, the Tsunayashiro family's Video Hall, a crucial facility that had been seized from the other noble families long ago, had somehow fallen into Uehara Shiroha's hands.
That in itself was insane.
The Tsunayashiro family had spent decades solidifying their control over the Video Hall, refusing to relinquish it even under immense pressure from other noble houses.
Yet now, they had handed it over willingly?
When had the Tsunayashiro family become philanthropists?
It made no sense.
This went against everything she knew about noble politics. The more Yoruichi thought about it, the more she felt as if her usually sharp mind was struggling to comprehend the absurdity of it all.
"There's no grand secret behind it," Uehara Shiroha said nonchalantly, his tone devoid of any concern. "The answer is simple—as long as you're more ruthless and arrogant than the nobles, they have no choice but to back down."
Yoruichi blinked. "That's it?"
"That's it," he confirmed.
These so-called nobles only ever bullied the weak—they preyed on those who hesitated, those who played by the rules. They thrived in a system where the strong restrained themselves out of fear of disrupting the so-called balance of Soul Society.
But Uehara Shiroha?
He didn't play by their rules.
Soul Society, at its core, was a broken system—a rotting empire propped up by archaic traditions and an illusion of order.
The Soul King was nothing more than a severed, mutilated god, bound in chains to maintain an existence that benefited the few while exploiting the many.
The nobles—power-hungry parasites—sat atop their ivory towers, treating Soul Reapers like disposable pawns while ensuring their own comfortable survival.
And the Shinigami themselves?
They had grown so accustomed to this corrupt cycle that they accepted it without question. They didn't fight it—instead, they simply submitted, as if their fate had already been sealed.
But Uehara Shiroha?
He refused to accept such a fate.
He wasn't a hero, nor did he claim to be one. He had no interest in reforming Soul Society.
But if he wanted something, he took it.
If someone stood in his way, he removed them.
That was all there was to it.
The Tsunayashiro family had simply learned that lesson the hard way.
Of course, not all nobles were equal in his eyes.
For those he favored, he allowed them to remain.
For those he disliked, their only fate was death.
Simple.
That was why, despite being a noble herself, Yoruichi acted so obediently around him—why she transformed from a wild, untamable cat into a docile, purring kitten when she was in his presence.
And that was why even Tsunayashiro Tokinada, a man destined to be one of the greatest villains of the future, was currently working under him, whether he liked it or not.
Three Days Later – The Grand Palace of the Wandenreich
A technician hurried across the grand hall, clutching a stack of documents in his trembling hands. His breath was heavy, but he forced himself to maintain composure as he reached the imposing figure standing before him.
With a deep bow, he respectfully presented the documents to Jugram Haschwalth, the Sternritter Grandmaster and second-in-command of the Wandenreich.
Haschwalth accepted the report without a word.
He merely nodded, a silent command for the technician to leave.
As the footsteps faded into the distance, he carefully unfolded the classified report. His piercing gaze scanned the contents—until, suddenly, his pupils contracted in sharp surprise.
"Special Combat Power List... Uehara Shiroha!"
The words echoed in his mind like a thunderclap.
Not long ago, Yhwach—the King of the Quincy—had awakened from his centuries-long slumber.
Though his heartbeat had returned after 900 years, his powers had only just begun to reawaken. As such, he remained in a state of hibernation, regaining his strength in intervals while issuing battle plans from the shadows.
Even so, his first act upon waking had been to compile a list—a list of six individuals.
Six beings marked as Special War Potentials.
Individuals whose power, mystery, and unpredictability made them uncontrollable variables.
They were threats that Yhwach could not afford to ignore.
And Uehara Shiroha's name was on that list.
The other names were already infamous:
Ichibē Hyōsube – Leader of the Zero Division, wielder of true name manipulation.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto – The strongest Soul Reaper in history, master of Ryūjin Jakka.
Sōsuke Aizen – The king of deception, ruler of Hueco Mundo.
Kisuke Urahara – The unparalleled genius, father of modern Soul Reaper technology.
And now... Uehara Shiroha.
What set Uehara Shiroha apart was his mystery.
The Wandenreich had scoured every source they had. They had interrogated informants. They had searched for traces of his movements.
Yet—nothing.
They couldn't even pinpoint his location.
All they could do was make vague speculations, tracking rumors and whispers that barely offered a glimpse into his true capabilities.
That was precisely why he was so dangerous.
Even to Yhwach, the man who saw all...
Uehara Shiroha remained an enigma.
And Jugram Haschwalth knew, deep in his soul—
This man was not to be underestimated.
When Yhwach awakened from his slumber, Jugram Haschwalth did not hesitate. He immediately stepped forward, bowing respectfully before delivering his report.
"Your Majesty," he stated solemnly, "the special war potential, Uehara Shiroha, has left Soul Society and traveled to the human world."
Yhwach, however, remained indifferent. He did not even glance at the report, merely resting his chin on his hand as a small, dismissive smile played at his lips.
"Haschwalth," he said, his tone calm yet absolute, "that Uehara Shiroha will not be an obstacle to us."
With the blood of the Soul King coursing through his veins, Yhwach was born beyond transcendence. Even though he had not yet fully regained his omniscience, his power alone placed him at the pinnacle of existence.
Uehara Shiroha?
A mere insect in the grand scheme of things.
"Even in his prime, he is nothing more than an anomaly—one that relies too heavily on the power of his Zanpakutō," Yhwach continued. "He may have defeated Kenpachi Zaraki while the latter was sealed, but that alone does not make him a true threat. His potential is worth noting, yes, but nothing more."
Haschwalth remained silent, his expression unreadable.
"Had he been truly dangerous," Yhwach mused, "then my ability would have warned me of him. Yet, I have not seen him in the future." His voice was firm, unwavering. "That alone proves he is insignificant. The mere fact that he is being acknowledged as a special war potential is already a courtesy."
Haschwalth, however, did not share his master's certainty.
He hesitated, fingers twitching slightly against the parchment in his hands.
"Your Majesty," he ventured carefully, "I do not mean to question your foresight, but…" He paused, his eyes darkening as an unpleasant memory surfaced in his mind. "That man… he is strange."
A cold chill ran down his spine as he recalled the bone-deep sensation of dread that had gripped him that day.
"At times, it feels as if he is deliberately avoiding the shadow of your power," Haschwalth murmured. "As if he is moving beyond your gaze."
Yhwach's crimson eyes flickered with mild interest before his expression hardened once more.
"He is but a temporary enigma," Yhwach declared. "And even if he is avoiding my sight, it does not matter. Once his Bankai is stolen, he will be no different from any other powerless Soul Reaper."
A calculated pause followed.
"Until then, merely monitor his movements," Yhwach ordered. "There is no need for unnecessary action."
The King of the Quincy leaned back in his throne, expression unreadable.
"Patience," he said simply. "We need only wait for the perfect moment to strike in one fell swoop."
Despite Yhwach's confidence, a lingering doubt settled in Haschwalth's mind. He had served his Majesty loyally for centuries, and he trusted in his power.
But even so…
That unease refused to leave him.
Present Day - The Human World
At a secret base, hidden from both Soul Society and the Wandenreich, Uehara Shiroha stood calmly as he gazed upon a familiar face.
Before him stood Michibane, a woman he had not seen in years.
The last time he had met her, she had been a graceful, naive girl, one who still carried the flaws of inexperience.
Now?
She had blossomed into a voluptuous and enchanting beauty, her once-innocent demeanor replaced by a quiet confidence.
Her alluring figure, with its perfect proportions, exuded both elegance and temptation. She was like a ripened fruit, rich with an irresistible sweetness.
And yet—despite the undeniable maturity in her presence—her skin remained soft and delicate, as if untouched by time.
A contradiction. A woman who was both tender and dangerous.
"Sir!" Michibane greeted, her voice smooth and intoxicating. Her large, expressive eyes shimmered with a depth of emotion—an attachment that went beyond mere admiration.
Years ago, her eyes had been empty—lifeless, devoid of warmth or purpose.
But after meeting Uehara Shiroha, that light had been rekindled.
Now, she lived for him.
A soft chuckle escaped Uehara Shiroha's lips as he pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her curvaceous waist.
This woman… truly irresistible.
Her body was soft yet firm, a perfect balance between delicacy and strength. She was gorgeous, but never vulgar—the kind of beauty that inspired obsession.
As she melted into his embrace, he smirked.
Perfection.
And yet, even in this moment of indulgence, Uehara Shiroha did not forget his purpose.
Breaking the silence, he spoke in a low, commanding voice:
"You will continue to lurk within Ginjo Kūgo's Xcution," he instructed. "But do not get too close to the Fullbringers."
Michibane blinked, tilting her head slightly.
"As you command, sir," she responded smoothly.
Ginjo Kūgo—once an part time Soul Reaper, now a wanted criminal—had been framed by the Tsunayashiro family and cast aside by Soul Society.
In retaliation, he had gathered fellow Fullbringers and formed the underground group known as Xcution.
On the surface, the Fullbringers were not particularly strong, but their abilities were highly unique—dangerous, even.
Among them, the most troublesome was Tsukishima's Book of the End, an ability so broken that it could rewrite history itself.
Even Ichigo, a prodigy among Soul Reapers, had struggled against it.
But Uehara Shiroha was not concerned.
Once Tsukishima and his allies fell, Michibane would take control of the organization, bending them to his will.
Another pawn for his ever-growing empire.
Another step toward his true goal.
His purpose had never been about world peace.
The Court Army existed solely for his own pleasure.
"Yes, sir," Michibane whispered, a soft blush dusting her cheeks. "I will satisfy you in every way possible."
Her devotion to him was absolute.
To her, Uehara Shiroha was the only light in the world—her reason for existence.
Once, she had been nothing. A hollow shell, drifting through life without meaning.
But now?
She was whole.
Like a vine wrapping around a towering tree, she clung to him, her only desire being to serve, to please, to remain by his side forever.
And she would gladly give him everything.
As she surrendered herself to him, Uehara Shiroha's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
With his Observation Haki, he reached out—searching for a certain someone.
Kurosaki Ichigo.
He knew trouble would always find the protagonist. And where trouble appeared, so too would watchful eyes.
But he had no interest in interfering with their game.
For now, he would simply observe.
After all, time was on his side.
And in due time—
He would have everything he desired.
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