Naruto: Copy System#753+754: The Scent of a Catfight, I Don't Have the Heart to Crush Your Dreams

"Excuse me," Yoruichi Shihōin said, stopping a member of the 4th Division in the middle of the barracks. "Is Captain Shin Uzumaki around?"

"Ah, Captain Shin isn't here," the young woman replied, her eyes darting nervously.

Yoruichi’s gaze sharpened. 'You're a terrible liar. It's written all over your face.'

"I can smell that idiot from a mile away. He's definitely in there," Yoruichi said with a huff, brushing past her and heading deeper into the barracks.

"Should I stop her?" the squad member wondered, hesitating for a moment before giving up. 'Besides, it's not like I could stop her anyway.'

"So you are here."

Yoruichi pushed open the captain's office door and strode in, her eyes landing on Shin, who was casually chatting with Captain Retsu Unohana. Her expression soured instantly.

"I thought you'd left. What are you doing back here?" Shin asked, turning to face her. He had specifically waited for Yoruichi to leave before coming to see Unohana, but somehow, she’d tracked him down.

"If I hadn't come back, how would I have known you were sneaking off to slack off?" Yoruichi shot back with a cold snort.

"As the future head of the noble Shihōin Clan, don't you think you're being a little rude?" Unohana said, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Yoruichi.

"Really? I don't feel rude at all." Yoruichi met Unohana's gaze, completely unfazed. She had no idea just how formidable Unohana truly was; the captain of the 4th Division hadn't drawn her sword in a long, long time. Very few in the Soul Society still remembered the power of the first Kenpachi.

"Shin, your student seems a bit unruly. Would you like me to help you discipline her?" Unohana suggested, her voice deceptively sweet.

"I'm not his student, and I never acknowledged him as my teacher! And I certainly don't need the captain of the 'medical' squad to teach me anything," Yoruichi retorted, putting a sharp emphasis on "medical." In her mind, the captain of a healing squad couldn't possibly be that strong.

"Let's not go there, Captain Unohana. She doesn't have a lick of talent with a sword," Shin said, shaking his head.

He saw the gentle smile on Unohana’s face, but her eyes held a chilling glint. 'If he let Unohana "train" her, Yoruichi would probably end up with a permanent bed in the 4th Division'

He was saving her from a world of hurt.

"Why are you here?" Shin asked, turning back to Yoruichi.

"I… I came about tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" Shin asked, confused.

"My first day at the Shin'ō Academy, of course! You need to come with me," Yoruichi declared.

"You need me to escort you to the Academy?" Shin gave her a strange look. She wasn't a child anymore.

In truth, Yoruichi’s skill already surpassed most of the students at the academy. But her family insisted she attend—it was a gesture of respect toward Captain-Commander Yamamoto, who had founded the institution. It was a formality, a credential. Besides, graduating from the Academy was a prerequisite for joining the Gotei 13, a rule even the Great Noble Clans had to follow. No one wanted to get on Yamamoto's bad side.

But Yoruichi asking Shin to accompany her was just an excuse. She had simply wanted to find him, but her pride wouldn't let her admit it.

"So, will you do it?" Yoruichi asked. "If you don't, I'll make your life a living hell."

"Now you're threatening me? If I wasn't afraid of making you cry, I'd smack you one right now."

Shin playfully tapped her on the head and nodded. It wasn't a difficult request.

"Shin, didn't you promise to spar with me tomorrow?"

Unohana's sudden question made Shin freeze. Yoruichi's expression changed instantly.

Shin was speechless. He had made no such promise. He hadn't sparred with Unohana in ages. She had mellowed out considerably, losing her insatiable thirst for battle. She was almost a different person now. If he hadn't known the old Unohana, he would have thought she was nothing but a gentle soul.

"Sparring can be rescheduled, but my first day of school only happens once!" Yoruichi shot back, glaring at Unohana. This woman was getting more and more infuriating.

"I just remembered I have urgent business back in the 2nd Division. I'll see you later."

Shin sensed the air crackle with tension—a classic lover's quarrel in the making. Time to bail. He immediately activated Yomotsu Hirasaka and vanished, leaving the two women to stare each other down.

With Shin gone, Yoruichi and Unohana were left in a tense silence. Finally, Yoruichi let out a sharp "Hmph," turned on her heel, and left. There was no point in staying now that Shin was gone.

Unohana watched her leave, her eyes narrowed in thought. It was clear that Yoruichi had feelings for Shin. After ten years under his tutelage, it was only natural.

She didn't see Yoruichi as much of a threat, but it was always wise to be cautious. You could never be sure with little girls and their schemes.

With a final, thoughtful glance, Unohana turned her attention back to her work. Unlike Shin, she was a diligent captain who took her duties seriously. Shin, on the other hand, was perfectly happy to leave everything to his lieutenant and sit back with a cup of tea.

<><><><><><><><>

The next morning, Shin walked into Yoruichi's room with a resigned sigh.

"You're going to sleep the day away, lazybones? Did you forget something important?" he asked, his voice laced with exasperation.

"Ugh, you're so loud. Can't a girl get some sleep?" Yoruichi grumbled, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at him.

"Heh, feisty, aren't we? Fine, I won't disturb you. But you're going to be late for your first day at the Academy."

With that, Shin turned and walked out. The word "late" finally registered, and Yoruichi shot up in bed.

"Right, I almost forgot! If Grandpa finds out I skipped the first day, he'll kill me."

Her sleepiness vanished in an instant. Then, a crucial detail hit her like a ton of bricks.

'I sleep naked. That means Shin just saw... everything.'

"No way, that's a total loss! I’m going to make him pay." She decided, throwing on some clothes and storming out to find Shin.

"Hey! Did you see something you weren't supposed to see?" she demanded, slamming her hands on the table where Shin was sitting.

"Nope. My eyes must have been on a coffee break. What was there to see?" Shin asked, playing dumb.

Seeing his feigned innocence, Yoruichi gritted her teeth, her body trembling with rage.

"I don't care! You saw everything, so what are you going to do about it?"

"What, you want me to take responsibility for you? Don't even think about it," Shin said, rolling his eyes.

"In your dreams! Even if you begged me to, I wouldn't let you," she shot back with a cold laugh.

"Good. You had me worried for a second there. I thought you were going to pin this on me. Glad that's settled."

Shin let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, which only made Yoruichi even more furious.

"If I could actually land a punch on you, you'd be on the floor right now. You know that, right?"

She clenched her fists, wishing she could wipe that smug look off his face. But she'd tried ambushing him plenty of times before; with his Observation Haki that could practically see the future, it was impossible.

"Aren't you going to the Academy? Are you really not worried about being late?" Shin reminded her.

"You're taking me." Yoruichi grabbed his arm.

"Me? You're a grown woman, and you want me to take you to school? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Shin asked, looking her up and down.

"Why would I be? I'd like to see who dares to laugh at me. If anyone does, I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget." Yoruichi cracked her knuckles with a grin. She was known for her explosive temper.

"I can see you're not busy. So, are you coming or not? If you don't, don't blame me for telling Grandpa you took advantage of me," she threatened.

"Hey, watch what you're saying. When did I ever take advantage of you? Besides, there's nothing on you to take advantage of, is there?"

Shin's eyes swept over her from head to toe, a look of faint disdain on his face that made Yoruichi's expression darken. Of course, since her skin was already dark, Shin couldn't tell.

"You just wait. I might not be a match for you now, but that won't be the case forever."

Yoruichi was convinced that with Shin's lazy personality, it was only a matter of time before she surpassed him.

Little did she know, Shin's laziness stemmed from the fact that he was already invincible. In the entire Soul Society, who could possibly defeat him?

"Seeing your ambition, I don't have the heart to crush your dreams."

Shin patted her on the shoulder, which only annoyed her more. She couldn't stand how he always acted like he was so much stronger, even though he was. She still believed that the older captains were the truly powerful ones, not realizing that some of the most senior captains in the Gotei 13 were actually quite weak.

"Let's go, or we'll really be late," Yoruichi said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the Academy.

"By the way, I heard you spent a lot of time at the Academy. What's it like?" she asked curiously.

"For someone like you, it'll probably be boring," Shin replied.

"If it's that boring, I don't even want to go. Ugh, I don't know why Grandpa is making me do this." Yoruichi sighed. It felt like a complete waste of time.

"Actually, I think you should cherish this time. You might not have the chance in the future."

Shin's words made Yoruichi look at him with confusion. Shin didn't explain. How could he tell her that her grandfather didn't have much time left? It was better not to say anything.

Seeing Shin go quiet, Yoruichi pouted. He was always so mysterious. She knew he had secrets, secrets that Unohana probably knew but she didn't...