Bleach [32-36] (Patreon)

Chapter 32: Heading to the World of the Living

After returning home, Yoshio was still a bit puzzled about what the Tsunayashiro Clan wanted him to do.

What exactly did they want from him?

He had just become a Lieutenant, and the Tsunayashiro Clan already had their eyes on him?

As a Lieutenant, Yoshio had the authority to refuse requests from the Tsunayashiro Clan.

But there was no need; he also wanted to see what exactly they intended for him to do.

In Seireitei, there are two special power structures.

The first is, of course, Central 46, the highest judicial authority in the Soul Society; once the Central 46 makes a decision, even the Gotei 13 has no right to oppose it and must carry it out without question!

The second is the Noble Houses, the governing body over all nobles in Seireitei, headed by the Five Great Noble Families—especially the Tsunayashiro Clan, the leader among the five.

On the surface, these two structures appear to have different roles, and the Central 46 seems to be the supreme authority. But on closer look, that's not really the case.

The Central 46 is indeed the public, recognized highest authority—but the so-called "wise men" who make it up are themselves nobles.

Since they are nobles, they naturally fall under the authority of the Noble Houses, which rules over the nobles.

In other words, by controlling the nobles, the Tsunayashiro Clan can easily control the Central 46, which is controlled by those nobles.

Thus, the "Five Great Noble Families"—especially the "Tsunayashiro Clan"—hold an extraordinarily elevated position in the "Soul Society."

A newly minted Lieutenant-level Shinigami like him might be a prominent figure within Seireitei, but to the Tsunayashiro Clan, which has ruled Seireitei for hundreds of millions of years, he probably doesn't amount to much.

If he became a Captain, that would be another story—but a mere Lieutenant…

That's hardly worth mentioning.

Still, Yoshio was happy to "cooperate" with the Tsunayashiro Clan; after all, that clan has a wealth of good stuff.

He wanted to see whether he could snatch a little benefit from those people.

With that thought, Yoshio didn't go back to sleep.

There were still three days until the mission. He planned to spend them training hard and improving his strength as much as possible.

So for those three days, he didn't go out to build goodwill with others; instead, he kept to a strict routine: work, train, brief rest.

…

On the third day, just as Yoshio entered the Fifth Division, he saw a Jigokuchō fluttering in the distance.

The Jigokuchō alighted on his finger, and the next moment the message flowed into his mind.

"Hm?"

Yoshio froze for a moment, then couldn't help but chuckle. "Just as I thought."

He'd received a mission from the Tsunayashiro Clan—sure enough…

It was to go to the Human World and help the Tsunayashiro Clan investigate a group of people.

A group of humans with special abilities!

This was the conclusion Yoshio had reached after three days of thought.

To people from Soul Society, the Human World is a world where ordinary humans live. In such a reishi-thin environment, spirit bodies feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Why would a noble family like the Tsunayashiro take a liking to the environment of the Human World?

So, in the Human World, what could possibly attract them? After thinking it over, the only answer was the Fullbringers, who possess fragments of the Soul King.

Yes, Fullbringers have those strange abilities largely because they carry Soul King fragments within them.

Soul King fragments lure Hollows to attack pregnant mothers, resulting in the emergence of "Fullbring."

But asking him to investigate Fullbringers…

That was interesting.

Those guys…

Did they also see him as some part of the Soul King?

It wasn't impossible.

The Tsunayashiro Clan oversees surveillance of the entire Seireitei; many of his movements couldn't be fully hidden from them.

Though his fights had all taken place in Rukongai, traces might inevitably have been left in Seireitei, which the Tsunayashiro Clan may have noticed.

Do they suspect he might possess the Soul King's power?

Maybe they even planned to make a move against him in the Human World this time.

Knowing the Shinigami's schemes, he knew the Tsunayashiro Clan would sooner or later act against the Fullbringers. This time he would investigate their intel.

Once things were clarified, the Tsunayashiro Clan would likely eliminate those Fullbringers along with him and even frame him for it, claiming he killed them.

Yoshio felt he had already figured out the truth of the matter. Tsk, tsk—you little schemers dare to play games with me.

Yoshio let the Jigokuchō go and headed to the Fifth Division's office.

Aizen was processing the division's paperwork; when he saw Yoshio approach, he didn't react immediately.

It had to be said, Aizen's work ability was indeed outstanding; he arranged the Fifth Division's tasks meticulously all by himself.

Ichimaru Gin didn't look like someone who would work diligently, and clearly he himself wasn't—that meant most of the Fifth Division's work depended on Aizen's earnest efforts.

Thanks for your hard work, Aizen.

Yoshio walked in, greeted him, and said, "Captain Aizen, I'm heading to the Human World on a mission. Want me to bring you back some local specialties?"

Only then did Aizen look up, fixing his gaze on Yoshio. "Since it's a task assigned by the Tsunayashiro Clan, just go do it. The division doesn't need you anyway."

"Saying that really hurts my feelings—it's like I'm just someone you can casually sacrifice." Yoshio sighed. "I'm off, then. Oh, by the way…"

He turned as he spoke, looked back at Aizen, and added, "Since I'll be in the Human World, Captain, do you want me to say hi to an old acquaintance for you?"

"…"

Aizen was silent for a moment, then smiled. "That's your freedom. I never interfere with my subordinates' freedom."

"Alright." Yoshio then left the division office and headed for the Senkaimon.

Captain-class Shinigami have Zanpakutō permissions to open the Senkaimon, but Yoshio's mission was a "covert operation," so he couldn't go through the official Gotei 13 channels.

Following the intel received via the Jigokuchō, he made his way to a Senkaimon and then, through it, entered the Dangai.

The Dangai is a special spacetime corridor separating the worlds. Time density here is two thousand times that of the outside—an intimidating passage, to say the least.

There's also the Kōtotsu cleaner that appears once every seven days—if it touches you, even your soul will be cleansed.

Shinigami are no match for such an existence; no matter how strong you are, as long as you're a Shinigami, you cannot contend with that rule-born construct.

Yoshio did want to test whether his Special Beam Cannon could harm the Kōtotsu, but it wasn't time for it to appear, and he had no interest in waiting indefinitely for the cleaner to enter the Dangai.

What if it didn't work? He'd be done for!

Chapter 33: Heir of the Quincy World, Tokyo.

It's been twelve years since that maddening world war ended.

Tokyo has developed again; cars race beneath towering skyscrapers.

As the Shinigami, Yoshio, appeared over Tokyo,

he looked down at the city below and then vanished in a flash.

As a Shinigami from a reishi-based world, he couldn't interfere with the material world. In fact, in his memory, the Soul Society was very displeased with the outbreak of the last world war in the human world.

First, "Human World" lost a vast number of lives, which forced "Shinigami" to work frantically during that period, guiding souls to the "Soul Society."

Second, among the dead were not a few depraved, crazed war criminals; before long after death, their minds twisted and they became Hollows, causing no small number of casualties among the Shinigami.

But in any case, at least Tokyo now had no Hollows.

The task he received from the Tsunayashiro Clan was to investigate the movements of "supernatural entities" in Tokyo. After completing the investigation, he wasn't to act rashly, but to record their names and locations and report back to the Tsunayashiro Clan.

This mission was top secret; it couldn't be recorded in Soul Society's archives, meaning even Aizen didn't officially know what he was doing in the Human World.

Of course, that was only on the surface—who knew what he knew in the shadows.

That maniac Aizen even had eyes in the Human World; it was possible his every move was still being monitored.

Yoshio felt he needed a way to obtain some sort of disguise ability. Nelliel's [Size Alteration] could be considered a disguise, but he currently had no chance to raise her favorability.

He appeared atop a building and opened his spiritual sense, feeling out people's spiritual power in the area.

"Let me think…"

He felt it would be too slow to search place by place.

Thinking carefully, the Fullbringers he knew probably hadn't been born yet.

He remembered Kugo Ginjo was only twenty-eight during the Fullbring arc, and the current time was about forty-four years before the main plot—so roughly forty-six years before the Fullbring arc.

Which meant Kugo Ginjo wasn't even born yet!

Among Fullbringers older than Kugo Ginjo…

There was Kutsuzawa Giriko, though he likely hadn't reached fifty yet.

Another one… should be Aura Michibane … her father, perhaps?

Aura Michibane appears later in the novels as a Fullbringer. She carries the "Soul King's Saketsu" component, and her father was also a Fullbringer.

Her father's name is Tenshiyo Agata; Yoshio thought he might already have been born by now.

Wait, why am I fixated on individuals?

Can't I search at the family level?

There are only so many people in this country with surnames like Tadazawa and Tsukishima—couldn't I just track those surnames and find their future selves?

Of course, Yoshio wouldn't go around reporting this kind of thing; he was just thinking about how to use such information later.

Could he go in advance to the future Fullbringers' birthplaces and start raising their favorability from a young age?

Good—that's exactly what he would do.

And the Tsunayashiro Clan's mission?

Who cares?

Yoshio hadn't come to the Human World to work for the Tsunayashiro Clan; he came to raise the favorability of certain people in the Human World.

For example…

The Ishida Clan, the Quincy families?

Hmm, the Ishida Clan should be in Karakura Town, Tokyo, and Kisuke Urahara is there too—so he would go take a look.

Since he was in the Human World, he was naturally familiar with Tokyo's map, and as a Shinigami, his speed far outstripped ordinary people, so he reached Karakura Town quickly.

In Karakura Town, the Ishida Clan was something of a "distinguished family," or at least wealthy, so they weren't hard to find.

The Ishida estate was spacious; besides the main house, there were several training grounds. Yoshio didn't barge in—relations between Quincy and Shinigami were bad.

He had to first see if these people's "Souls Abilities" were worth anything before he'd bother to raise favorability.

Especially since the Ishida Clan was a traditional Quincy family with hostility toward Shinigami; going there would be like offering a warm face to a cold backside, wouldn't it?

He concealed his spiritual pressure and noticed a young man training at a distant practice field.

His Souls Ability was labeled ["Quincy Heir."]

["Quincy Heir: once activated, you can train within the Quincy power system."]

!

Yoshio was instantly excited—this was an unbelievably powerful ability!

If he could obtain it, he could be both Quincy and Shinigami at once!

What's the strongest growth system in the Shinigami world?

Shinigami? Hollow? Quincy? Fullbring?

A hybrid!

I want all four!

Ishida Sōken, as Ishida Uryū's grandfather and the one who passed on Quincy powers, probably left the impression of "teaching Quincy training," which is why he possessed such a Souls Ability.

Yoshio narrowed his eyes; he had made up his mind—he had to become friends with Ishida Sōken.

But how?

After all, he was a Shinigami, and there was a deep grudge between Shinigami and Quincy.

Damn, he should've brought a Gigai.

Wait, he could find Kisuke Urahara and ask for a Gigai, right?

With that, Yoshio left the Ishida estate and started searching for Kisuke Urahara.

Come to think of it, he didn't know whether the Visored had been cured by now.

Though the Visored were brought to the Human World by Kisuke Urahara, Yoshio didn't remember any clear record of when they were successfully healed.

If the "Visored" were still around, he could check what their "Souls Abilities" were.

Thinking as he wandered around Karakura Town,

he didn't find the Urahara Shop—perhaps Kisuke hadn't opened it yet.

No matter; Karakura Town wasn't that big. If he searched carefully…

He'd find some clues.

Most importantly, Yoshio had the ability to probe others' Souls Abilities directly. No matter how well someone hid, if he saw they had a Souls Ability, he could confirm they weren't ordinary.

Of course…

If he really couldn't find him, then Yoshio would have to meet Ishida Sōken as a Shinigami and test his luck.

Sure enough, after about two days, Yoshio came across traces of Kisuke Urahara during a stroll.

Chapter 34: Meeting Kisuke Urahara

Yoshio was certain Kisuke Urahara would notice him.

Even if he didn't seek Kisuke out, Kisuke would obligingly show up before him.

Simple: he was wearing the Fifth Division armband on his arm—proof enough of his identity.

He was a member of the Fifth Division, and not only that, he showed up in Karakura Town as if searching for something—would Kisuke Urahara just do nothing?

Impossible. The smarter you are, the more you overthink.

His appearance in Karakura Town—did it represent Aizen's intent? Had Aizen already discovered their whereabouts?

Or was Aizen brewing some new scheme?

So Yoshio was sure that as long as he stayed in Karakura Town long enough, even if he did nothing, Kisuke Urahara would take action.

What confirmed Yoshio's hunch was the appearance of a black cat. It looked ordinary, mingled with other cats, and walked past him.

But no matter how well you hide, your Souls Ability cannot be disguised.

When he saw that black cat stride right in front of him with the ["Lightning Cat"] Souls Ability, Yoshio felt nothing outwardly—and even wanted to laugh a little.

["Lightning Cat: can transform into a black cat with powerful lightning abilities."]

A perfect fit for Yoruichi—and quite interesting—a "disguise" type of ability that Yoshio especially wanted.

He was thinking: could he turn into a black cat to win people's favor?

After all, some people find it hard to feel strong goodwill toward men, but toward cats—it's easy. "Cat slaves," as they say.

Especially younger girls—they're more likely to adore cats.

Excellent. Yosh—I must get this ability!

So, when Yoruichi showed up near him, he walked over and scooped up the black cat in both hands.

"What a cute little kitty."

Yoshio lifted the cat over his head.

The black cat struggled in Yoshio's hands; he tried to forcefully restrain it, but in the end it broke free.

The black cat gave him a deep look and leapt away quickly.

Although he was currently a spirit body, the spirit bodies of the Shinigami world are a bit peculiar.

Spirit beings in the Shinigami world can still touch physical matter—or rather, powerful spirit beings can interact with the physical.

People just can't see Shinigami and Hollows; it's not that they can't touch them.

Chad, before his powers awakened, once smashed a Hollow with a utility pole.

And if a person has spiritual aptitude, they can see spirit entities.

Especially cats—black cats, in many people's eyes, are spiritual creatures for a reason.

Many black cats can see spirit beings, so Yoshio holding one wasn't a problem.

But Yoruichi wasn't stupid; she knew Yoshio's action meant he had noticed her.

So, shortly after the black cat vanished, a tan-skinned beauty appeared before Yoshio.

Yoruichi wore a tight suit, her long purple hair tied in a ponytail, golden eyes fixed on Yoshio.

"You're Aizen Sōsuke's subordinate, aren't you?"

Yoruichi glanced at the armband on Yoshio's arm and said coldly, "What's this? After all that patience, you're finally making a move?"

"Uh…" Yoshio hadn't expected Yoruichi to be so blunt. He shrugged. "Miss Yoruichi, you misunderstand. I may be from the Fifth Division, but I bear no hostility toward you or Mr. Urahara. On the contrary, I greatly admire Mr. Urahara's intellect."

Inwardly he cursed the gap between himself and the protagonist. Yoruichi would transform from cat to human right in front of Kurosaki Ichigo and didn't care at all about being seen naked during transformation.

But what about him?

Ah—who told him to have such humble origins?

Yoshio grumbled inwardly.

After hearing Yoshio's words, Yoruichi's expression turned fully serious, because the implication was that he knew about the situation between Aizen and them—which meant he couldn't be treated as an ordinary Shinigami anymore!

After all, the number of people in Seireitei who knew Aizen's plot was small; even Aizen's current Lieutenant might not know—very likely they, like others, were fooled by Aizen's facade.

But the fact that Yoshio could speak about matters between her and Kisuke Urahara meant he knew Aizen's schemes.

Yoruichi would never believe Aizen would allow a Shinigami who knew his true face to live—unless…

They were on the same side.

"You think I'll believe that nonsense?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed slightly; she was ready to act.

Yoshio raised both hands in a surrender gesture. "Miss Yoruichi, you may not believe me, but Mr. Urahara certainly will."

"Isn't that right, Mr. Urahara?"

Yoshio looked past Yoruichi. There was nothing visible there, but he saw another Souls Ability.

["Universal Countermeasure: can be used after fighting the enemy for a certain time. Once used, you can create a tool to counter your opponent."]

Excellent—very Kisuke Urahara.

Although, to be fair, this would also suit Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Scientists like them always produce gadgets mid-fight to counter the opponent and "turn the tables."

So when Yoshio saw that ability, he knew Kisuke Urahara had arrived.

Sure enough, after Yoshio spoke, ripples shimmered in the seemingly empty space. Kisuke Urahara pushed back his black hood and regarded Yoshio with equal seriousness.

Yoshio said, "I may know about matters between Mr. Urahara and Mr. Aizen, but I'm not interested in your feud."

"I actually told Mr. Aizen the same thing."

"Not interested?" Kisuke Urahara murmured. "That sounds rather arrogant."

"Arrogant?" Yoshio blinked, then explained, "That's not what I meant—I just genuinely think that way."

"To me, both Mr. Aizen and Mr. Urahara are very interesting people, so I simply want to be friends with you both. That's all."

"Interesting? That sounds even more presumptuous." Kisuke glanced at Yoshio, stepped to Yoruichi's side, and spoke in a low voice.

"Alright, unknown Shinigami, can you tell me your background?"

"Your relationship with Aizen Sōsuke…"

"Your purpose in coming to the Human World this time is to see me."

"Depending on your answers, I'll decide whether to treat you as an enemy."

Chapter 35: A Conversation with Kisuke Urahara

In a somewhat dim room, Yoshio walked in and immediately caught a peculiar scent.

Yoshio fanned his hand and said, "What a strange smell."

Kisuke Urahara, who had already arrived, smiled kindly. "Oh, I just finished an experiment. I noticed Mr. Yoshio had come, so I didn't have time to tidy up."

Yoshio glanced at him, and found a place in the room to sit down.

"All right, looks like I came at a bad time."

Yoshio looked around, but there didn't seem to be anything new or interesting.

Kisuke Urahara sat opposite Yoshio. At this moment, the smile on his face also faded.

"Okay, let's talk about you, Mr. Yoshio, just like I mentioned before."

"Based on your answers, Mr. Yoshio, I'll decide whether to treat you as an enemy."

"But," Yoshio said a little helplessly, "I really don't know what to say. I'm just an ordinary Shinigami who accidentally learned Captain Aizen's plan. I don't even know why Captain Aizen didn't kill me."

"In short, I promised Captain Aizen I wouldn't reveal his plan to anyone else, and given the current situation, even if I wanted to, I couldn't."

"With Captain Aizen's abilities, even if I tried to get him to meet Captain-Commander Yamamoto, he'd probably make it look like I was plotting treason and an assassination on Captain-Commander Yamamoto, right?"

Urahara was a smart man; of course he wouldn't just take Yoshio at his word.

So after listening, he simply smiled and said, "Then tell me about your background."

"No problem," Yoshio said immediately. "My name is Yoshio Kamado. I'm from the Kamado Clan, just a minor noble house in Seireitei. I graduated from the Spiritual Arts Academy about six years ago."

"Oh? Lieutenant in just six years?" Kisuke Urahara asked curiously.

That promotion pace could only be called extreme, since a Lieutenant was already captain-class, among Seireitei's absolute upper echelons.

"I only just became Lieutenant," Yoshio said a bit sheepishly. "Captain Aizen wanted Lieutenant Ichimaru to be promoted to Captain, so he had a Hollow parasitize the Third Squad Captain."

"I got lucky, took down the heavily injured, parasitized Third Squad Captain, and was then appointed Lieutenant."

Yoshio was very honest; he hadn't considered lying to Kisuke Urahara about something so easily verified.

After all, honesty is needed to make friends!

"Mr. Yoshio makes it sound easy, but taking out a seriously injured captain less than six years after graduating isn't simple."

"You must have some ability, right?"

"So, Mr. Yoshio, can you tell us what happened when you were with Mr. Aizen?"

"No problem." Yoshio casually recalled his earlier conversation with Aizen in Hueco Mundo.

Then he said, "I told Captain Aizen I'd stay neutral regarding the conflict between you. So, Mr. Urahara, don't make this hard for me."

"I see." Kisuke Urahara frowned slightly, then suddenly asked another question.

"Did you come to the Human World this time on Aizen's orders?"

"No, I was sent by the Tsunayashiro Clan. The Kamado Clan is a vassal house of the Tsunayashiro Clan, so whenever the main house gives an order, I have to come."

"Oh? And the mission?"

"I can't say. It's top secret, and Captain Aizen doesn't know either."

"Then never mind." Kisuke Urahara smiled and stood up from his seat.

He walked up to Yoshio and said, "Mr. Yoshio, that thing… did you hand it over to Mr. Aizen in Hueco Mundo?"

"…" Yoshio was silent for a moment, then said, "Although I'd like you to see it with your own eyes, I can't. Taking out a piece in the short term is a bit troublesome."

"I see. I think I understand."

Kisuke Urahara fell silent as well. He patted Yoshio on the shoulder and said, "Let's end today's discussion here."

"Then I have a favor to ask," Yoshio said. "Please send me a gigai, a good-quality one. I have to carry out a mission in the Human World, so I can't remain in spirit form all the time."

"No problem," Kisuke Urahara said. "Just follow me."

Saying that, he led Yoshio out and produced a gigai.

Yoshio accepted the gigai and said, "Thank you, Mr. Urahara. I may come visit again soon."

"Then you'd better hurry," Kisuke Urahara said with a smile. "This place will probably be discovered by Aizen soon. I have to leave before he finds me."

Yoshio smiled as well, then left.

After watching Yoshio depart, the smile finally faded from Kisuke Urahara's face.

"Hey, why did you let him go?"

At that moment, Yoruichi appeared behind him and asked doubtfully, "He's Aizen's man! Do you really believe what he said?"

"Anything else?" Kisuke Urahara also took two steps forward toward the door. Just then, he saw Yoshio's back as he was about to leave the alley.

He said slowly, "Do you really think he's just a Lieutenant?"

"…Even if he's stronger, there are just the two of us." Yoruichi walked over as well, arms crossed. "Anyway, I didn't see anything unusual about that guy."

"Daring to show up alone in front of us, fully aware of the grudge between us and Aizen—that in itself is the most unusual thing."

Kisuke Urahara spoke softly. "And I think I roughly understand why Aizen arranged for him to be by his side."

"Why?"

"The reason… is probably similar to the Tsunayashiro Clan's." Kisuke Urahara said immediately.

"The Tsunayashiro Clan?"

Yoruichi frowned, even more puzzled.

Seeing Kisuke Urahara acting so cryptic, she couldn't help getting a little angry. She kicked Urahara on the butt and said, somewhat irritably, "Quit being mysterious! Just tell me!"

Kisuke Urahara awkwardly rubbed his backside and smiled. "Miss Yoruichi, as a member of the Five Great Noble Families, you should know this well, right? Besides those things, what does the Tsunayashiro Clan care about most… what else?"

"You mean…" Yoruichi also realized it. Her brows knit even tighter, then she suddenly showed a shocked expression.

"That guy has soul king fragments in his soul?!"

The Tsunayashiro Clan's move this time was indeed unusual—suddenly sending a Lieutenant to perform a mission in the Human World, and this Lieutenant had nearly severed ties with the Tsunayashiro Clan before.

It was almost like he had offered himself up.

Chapter 36: Disguise: Kurosaki Yoshio

"Do you still remember Miss Kakyō from back then?"

Only then did Kisuke Urahara speak in a low voice. "Back then, in order to get close to Miss Kakyō, the Tsunayashiro Clan actually had a family member marry her. For the self-important Tsunayashiro Clan, that was an enormous humiliation."

"That's true." Yoruichi recalled the Tsunayashiro Clan's actions and couldn't help mocking them. "Those people treat anyone outside the nobility like trash. Forget ordinary Shinigami—even lower-ranked nobles are trash in their eyes."

"To make them treat someone like a person, you'd at least have to be a high-ranking noble."

"Indeed," Kisuke Urahara agreed. "Don't you think this time feels similar?"

"How is this similar?" Yoruichi complained. "The Kamado Clan is already a subordinate house of the Tsunayashiro Clan. Isn't it normal for the main family to order them around?"

"So, based on that alone, I could only be about thirty percent sure," Kisuke Urahara said. "But combining it with his own experiences and… his conversation with Aizen, I can basically confirm…"

"Even if Yoshio's soul doesn't contain soul king fragments, at least the Tsunayashiro Clan and Aizen both believe it does."

"And it might not be just an ordinary, simple fragment."

Kisuke Urahara's gaze grew deeper.

If it were only an ordinary fragment, the Tsunayashiro Clan might indeed take action, but Aizen probably wouldn't 'value' it this much.

"I don't get either of you," Yoruichi sighed at last after listening to Kisuke Urahara.

"Forget it, do as you wish. What do you plan to do with Yoshio Kamado?"

"Monitor him for now," Kisuke Urahara said with a wry smile. "I'm afraid Aizen's attitude toward Yoshio is also 'observe.' If we make a move on him, Aizen won't let us off easily."

"Do you want me to go? But my identity might be recognized by him."

At this, Yoruichi became even more puzzled.

"How did he notice me?"

Yoruichi's transformation into a black cat was a secret technique of the Shihoin clan; under normal circumstances, no one would discover it.

But as soon as she appeared near Yoshio, that guy picked her up.

"I'm not the Almighty," Kisuke Urahara said with a wry smile. "How would I know something like that?"

In fact, he himself had been discovered.

If Yoshio could detect Yoruichi by sensing spiritual pressure, then what about him?

He had used a cloak that could conceal spiritual pressure and had layered some invisible Kido over it.

With it on, he was basically invisible; no one would notice him.

Yet when he walked over, Yoshio spotted him at a glance.

Kisuke Urahara had confidence in his inventions, of course.

In fact, it was precisely Yoshio's behavior that made Kisuke Urahara believe his earlier hypothesis even more.

He became more convinced that Yoshio's soul contained a portion of the Soul King.

Because among the Soul King's powers, the most renowned is the legendary Soul King's eye, which can see through everything.

He didn't know Yoshio's objective, nor what Aizen intended to use Yoshio for, but he knew Yoshio would definitely be an important figure in the future and had to be monitored.

At the very least, he needed to be monitored in the Human World.

"Don't worry. Even if Mr. Yoshio notices you next time, he probably won't say anything."

Kisuke Urahara said this.

…

Indeed, as Urahara said, Yoruichi subsequently watched Yoshio for three days, and during those three days, Yoshio didn't expose Yoruichi again.

And what Yoshio did over those three days left Yoruichi somewhat puzzled.

After leaving, Yoshio didn't do anything special. After switching into a gigai, he began roaming around Karakura Town, completely unlike someone on a covert mission.

And that day, Yoshio arrived once more at the Ishida Clan's gate.

He slipped in with ease.

At the fifth training ground, Yoshio sat in a tree, watching Ishida Soken training earnestly below.

He wasn't sure of Ishida Soken's age at the moment, but it felt like he hadn't reached adulthood.

Compared to him—a man in his fifties—there was no doubt Ishida Soken was still a "kid."

The greatest advantage of being a Shinigami is…

Longevity.

For someone like Yoshio, who feared death, this was simply wonderful.

In other stories, the longevity people might spend half their lives chasing was almost within his grasp.

All Yoshio needed to do was strengthen his soul, and his lifespan would increase.

If he were like Yamamoto, living three or four thousand years wouldn't be a problem.

Orochimaru next door would be crying with envy!

In a few decades, Ishida Soken would become an old man, while he would be almost unchanged.

Yoshio shook his head. Come to think of it, the Quincy in the Wandenreich were different—they were all monsters who had lived for hundreds or even thousands of years, but because they remained in a reishi state within the Soul Society, they showed no signs of aging. Humans, with flesh and blood, inevitably suffer from aging.

Yoshio felt like a poet now, a melancholy slowly rising in his heart.

He shook his head, then jumped straight down from the tree.

He landed right in front of Ishida Soken startling him.

He immediately fell back onto the ground. Looking at the suddenly descended Yoshio, he asked in surprise, "Who… who are you?"

Yoshio scratched his head and said with some "confusion," "Strange, where is this?"

Then he looked at Ishida Soken and said, "You… are also a Quincy?"

"Huh?" Ishida Soken asked in surprise. "Of course I'm a Quincy. My name is Ishida Soken. Who are you?"

"Me? I'm Kurosaki Yoshio, also a Quincy, from the Kurosaki clan. I've heard of your Ishida Clan—it's a rare pureblood line, right?" Yoshio clicked his tongue.

Right—he had never intended to befriend Quincy as a Shinigami.

If he wanted to befriend a Quincy, then naturally he had to be a Quincy himself.

But this method would only work in front of Ishida Soken.

First, Ishida Soken was still young; he wouldn't be able to verify whether Yoshio was a Quincy right now.

Second, Ishida Soken's Soul Ability was ["Heir to the Quincy."] As long as he gained his favor—even just sixty points—he could use Quincy abilities once in front of the Ishida Clan.

In this way, his identity would basically be established.

Thus, when Ishida Soken drew his bow and demanded that Yoshio show his own bow, he merely sighed.

"Sorry, I used the Quincy's Final Form and completely lost my Quincy powers."

"I… am no longer a Quincy."