Time passed in a flash, and the day of Shisui's leave from the academy arrived.
Kenma, after a word with Yoruichi, left the Shihoin estate with Shisui.
Watching Kenma's departing figure, and thinking that she wouldn't be satisfied for the next few days, Yoruichi pouted her lips in displeasure.
"That Shisui fellow, is Kenma really that fond of him?"
"Somehow… it feels like he's more important than me, his wife on our honeymoon."
As she spoke, she looked at her attendant by her side, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"I say, Mikoto, I've found it strange for a while now. Are you all hiding something from me?"
Uchiha Mikoto's expression remained unchanged as she said, "Lady Yoruichi, you're overthinking things. Lord Kenma has a serious personality and never lies."
"He also loves you deeply and has always been very caring towards you, which you can surely feel for yourself."
Yoruichi nodded; she deeply felt the truth in Mikoto's words.
After spending this time together, she could truly feel her husband's love, and in small details, she could also sense his respect for her.
Then, she asked again, full of doubt, "Then what's the deal with your clan?"
"First there was Shisui, then Yashiro and the others, and then you and Fugaku. You all possess considerable spiritual pressure, and your every move has the style of the Onmitsukidō, you must have received professional training."
"For all of you to be so outstanding, and yet you all recognize Kenma as your master, there must be a secret behind it all."
A hint of difficulty appeared on Mikoto's face.
"We all possess spiritual pressure… I'm truly not sure about that."
She changed the subject.
"However, as for professional training in the style of the Onmitsukidō, the members of our clan have indeed all received it."
"Oh?"
Yoruichi hadn't expected to get anything out of Mikoto this time, but seeing her start to speak, her interest was instantly piqued.
She hurriedly pulled Mikoto back into the room and set out tea and cookies.
After having Mikoto sit down, Yoruichi ate a cookie and drank her tea, her bright eyes fixed on the gentle-mannered woman before her.
"Tell me in detail."
Mikoto didn't speak directly, but first asked, "Has Lady Yoruichi heard of people called 'ninja' in the world of the living?"
Yoruichi nodded repeatedly; she was naturally aware of them.
They were a profession similar in nature to the Onmitsukidō, specializing in covert work such as stealth, assassination, and intelligence gathering.
"Could it be that your clan is a clan of ninja?"
"Yes, Lady Yoruichi."
Recalling her past life, Mikoto's expression became much more somber.
"Our Uchiha clan were a clan of ninja in our previous lives. Later, because we were feared by those in power, the entire clan, over a thousand people, were slaughtered in a single night…"
"What!"
Yoruichi was utterly shocked.
"A thousand people… clan anni- annihilation?"
Even in the long history of the Soul Society, a clan annihilation event involving a thousand people was extremely rare.
At least, Yoruichi had never encountered or even heard of such a thing before.
Mikoto nodded gravely. "After we died, we happened to meet the merciful Lord Kenma. Lord Kenma brought us to the Soul Society and gave us wandering souls a new place to live."
"Seeing that some in our clan had the aptitude to become Shinigami, Lord Kenma gave us another chance, a chance to realize our worth once again."
"Therefore, our clan has recognized Lord Kenma, who has shown us great kindness, as our master, and we have sworn to serve him for life."
Yoruichi gradually recovered from the shock of the clan's annihilation.
Hearing Mikoto's final, grateful words, she was filled with emotion.
"How tragic, it hasn't been easy for you all…"
"From the looks of it, Kenma has done quite a few good deeds."
Mikoto nodded heavily.
"Yes, to us, Lord Kenma is a noble lord, like a god."
Yoruichi had never imagined that this staid and uninteresting husband of hers held such a high status in these people's hearts.
"So Shisui is the most talented person in your clan? That's why he's being taught by Kenma's side."
Speaking of this, Yoruichi couldn't help but complain, "That fellow Kenma dotes on Shisui so much, he's practically treating him like his own son."
Although Shisui was indeed extraordinary.
Whether it was his conduct in the Shihoin household, his academic performance at the Shin'ō Academy, or the praise he received from others, he was indisputably excellent.
Mikoto puffed out her chest and said, "Whether in life or in death, Shisui's talent has always been the best in the clan, and he is also the strongest in the clan."
Meanwhile, the subjects of their conversation, Kenma and Shisui, had already left the Seireitei.
The two were riding in a very long carriage, heading towards the outskirts of the Junrinan district.
On the cart bed behind the carriage was a very, very long wooden box, a full six or seven meters long. It was so long that it even extended beyond the specially lengthened cart bed, hanging out by two meters.
Shisui sat on the rear cart bed, leaning against the wooden board in front, holding a dagger in his arms, as well as a lunchbox-sized wooden box on which a sealing Kidō was inscribed.
He tilted his head slightly to look at Kenma, who was driving the carriage in front.
"My lord, aren't we going to see Lord Shimazu and the others? Looking at the direction now, we are heading to the Uchiha clan's territory."
Kenma held the reins in one hand and lifted his straw hat slightly.
"I just contacted them. They're drinking with Newgate right now."
"So they went to the clan territory."
Shisui tightened his grip on the wooden box in his arms.
An expression of disbelief appeared on his face.
"I never would have thought that a youth-restoring potion could be created so easily."
Although he had gone with Kenma to Squad Twelve, he had never imagined it would be so easy to get a practical result.
And in such a short time.
He still remembered his shock when he received this item from the hands of the Squad Twelve member earlier.
It was because he had obtained this medicine that Kenma had set out, intending to deliver it along the way.
Hearing Shisui's musing, Kenma said in a deep voice, "Whether it's Urahara Kisuke or Mayuri Kurotsuchi, they are undoubtedly geniuses."
"You are right, my lord. It's fortunate that they have become your subordinates, otherwise…" Shisui's voice turned cold. "Such extraordinary talent… if it cannot be used by my lord, then they have no need to live in this world."
The scientific research capabilities they had displayed were already a huge threat.
Shisui would never allow such people to be outside of Kenma's control.
If he couldn't have them, then he would ruthlessly destroy them; he could not let them be.
Even if he would be punished by Kenma for it, he could not leave things that were disadvantageous to Kenma in the world.
Kenma glanced sideways.
"I didn't expect you to have such thoughts, and you're still just a boy…"
"My lord, please don't underestimate me. Even if I'm not yet an adult, I am a ninja who has experienced battle."
Shisui puffed out his chest, his voice carrying a proud laugh.
No one would like killing for the sake of it.
But for the sake of those worth protecting, he would not hesitate.
He was a cold-hearted ninja with blood on his hands!
Kenma thought for a moment and instructed, "With the abilities of those two, they might be able to bypass me and break their contract with me. If there is any sign of that…"
"We will not hesitate. Please rest assured, my lord," Shisui said decisively.
Kenma nodded silently, saying no more.
After traveling for a while, they were about to reach the Uchiha's residence.
A thought struck Shisui, and he suddenly said, "By the way, my lord, I wonder if there is a large quantity of these potions. I would like to bring some for some of the elders in the clan…"
Faced with Shisui's request, Kenma would naturally not refuse.
"You can. There's plenty of this medicine anyway."
Mayuri had made enough doses to restore youth to over a hundred people in one go, more than enough for him to be generous with.
The few elders of the Uchiha family had also been excellent ninja in their youth, and Kenma had already intended to restore their youth.
Now that Shisui had brought it up, he would consider it granting his wish.
Besides his grandfather's trio and the elders of the Uchiha clan, there was one more person Kenma was eager to restore to his youthful state.
Whitebeard!
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