"Urahara Shop?"
The next day, Yoriichi Tsugikuni stopped in front of a shop.
His gaze fixed on the sign above the door, he turned to Kisuke Urahara beside him with a puzzled expression and asked,
"You even have a business in the Human World?"
Kisuke Urahara scratched his head and laughed heartily:
"Haha, not at all. This is merely the Twelfth Division's after-sales department."
"As you know, our Twelfth Division is a research department, and over three thousand Shinigami in the Seireitei have purchased products from us."
"Because some Shinigami periodically travel to the Human World, to prevent their devices from malfunctioning, I established this Urahara Shop."
"This way, it not only prevents them from dying unexpectedly but also allows us to gather information about the Human World. It's a win-win situation."
As he spoke, Kisuke Urahara continued his eloquent explanation, while reaching up to slide open the door of Urahara Shop.
With a loud "boom," the interior furnishings and layout were instantly revealed to everyone.
He waved away the dust floating around his mouth, coughed a few times, and then continued:
"Ultimately, this is also for our reputation."
"The reishi-absorbing weapon that Yoruichi and I jointly developed earlier sold incredibly well."
"But the reishi-absorbing device built into that weapon is a consumable."
"If there were no after-sales department, Shinigami fighting Hollows might suddenly find their weapons ineffective mid-battle, and that would be a huge problem."
"Besides Karakura Town, we have branch stores in the neighboring Naruki City and other places."
"Don't you need a Soul Candy? Coincidentally, I have the latest model here, with a reishi-body compatibility of up to 95%!"
As items composed of reishi, Soul Candies in the Human World naturally couldn't exist in the Soul Society.
It was precisely for this reason that Yoriichi followed Kisuke Urahara to the Human World.
He hadn't expected the Twelfth Division to have done so much without his knowledge.
However, upon closer thought, there wasn't much of a problem.
Shinigami stationed in the Human World couldn't return to the Soul Society just to purchase supplies.
The existence of Urahara Shop indeed made operations much more convenient.
Thinking this, Yoriichi nodded and followed Kisuke Urahara into the shop.
The environment inside the shop was somewhat dim. He glanced around and asked, "No help?"
"Help? What do I need that for?"
"You know how it is here in Karakura Town; there's a Quincy family, and their presence has kept me from opening for a long time."
Kisuke Urahara waved his hand dismissively, then slightly turned his head to look at Yoriichi:
"Fortunately, Karakura Town isn't big, and there's only one Shinigami stationed here, so whether he patronizes us or not is irrelevant."
"And you know that Quincy family; I heard that the three First Generation Captains from the Spiritual Arts Academy were brought out from their home by you."
"I have to admit, their luck is really good. Not one of the First Generation Captains is easy to deal with; every one of them participated in the war against Yhwach a thousand years ago."
"In their eyes, there's never been a distinction between obedient Quincies and disobedient Quincies; only dead Quincies are good Quincies."
Upon hearing this, Yoriichi pondered for a moment, then looked up slightly and asked, "Actually, there's one thing I've wanted to ask for a long time, Kisuke, who is Yhwach?"
"Although there's a record in the Great Spirit Book Corridor, it's only a few brief strokes: 'In a certain year and month, he invaded the Soul Society with a large army, was defeated and sealed by Captain-Commander Yamamoto…' Why wasn't he killed?"
To be honest, just reading the text couldn't convey the ferocity of that war.
So Yoriichi had previously asked Chōjirō Sasakibe, who had experienced that incident firsthand.
Chojiro said the casualties were heavy, but of course, no one knew exactly how heavy.
Because some Quincies' abilities could reduce Shinigami bodies to ashes.
Ostensibly, a thousand casualties might actually mean two thousand.
But regardless, this number was shocking.
Afterward, the Shinigami bodies were piled higher than the division barracks.
With such heavy casualties, even if it wasn't the Captain-Commander, a normal Captain would not have let the perpetrator of this incident go.
However, Yamamoto Genryusai let him go, which Yoriichi truly couldn't understand.
It was like Kibutsuji Muzan killing hundreds of swordsmen, and then the person who finally defeated him, for some reason, spared his life.
Was this a crime that could be pardoned?
Kisuke Urahara sighed slightly: "Yhwach, huh… I don't actually know much about him either."
"I only know that he is the origin of all Quincies; all Quincies have his blood flowing through them."
"Regarding that battle a thousand years ago, I also looked into it a bit."
"To say he didn't die, well, that's not entirely accurate."
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto took away Yhwach's heartbeat, consciousness, and power. Even if he didn't die, he couldn't cause any trouble."
"There's just one thing that puzzles me: after Yhwach was sealed, he completely disappeared."
"Even the Shihouin Clan, who participated in the war back then, had no further records of this incident."
"It was as if he vanished from the Three Realms."
As Kisuke Urahara spoke, his voice gradually deepened.
The brim of his hat obscured his eyes, casting them in shadow, as if he were contemplating something of critical importance.
"Regarding this situation, several great noble families once jointly dispatched troops to search for him, but the result was nothing."
"Some people believe he is already dead, fallen into hell, but others believe he isn't dead yet, as seals can be broken."
"I personally lean towards the latter, especially since from the mouths of the three First Generation Captains you brought back, they haven't seen the so-called Yhwach…"
"Hmm…"
Just as he was speaking, Kisuke Urahara suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing he had inadvertently said too much, so he quickly chuckled:
"Sorry, sorry, I almost forgot about the main business."
"Five Soul Candies, right? For you, Uta, and Rukia, Hisana, and Rangiku…"
"Six, and Hinamori Momo," Yoriichi reminded him.
He didn't actually care whether Yhwach was dead or not.
If he was dead, all was well; if he wasn't, he would just defeat him again.
Hell… Although he hadn't thoroughly investigated it, he probably wasn't there.
If he were, as a master on par with Captain-Commander Yamamoto, he couldn't have remained unknown for so many years.
Kisuke Urahara nodded, and Hinamori Momo's image instantly appeared in his mind:
"Got it, the little girl, right? Don't worry, it'll definitely be ready before today."
"Oh, and do you want Soul Candies? Just in case you encounter a Hollow and your soul leaves your body, to avoid misunderstandings."
"I also have the latest models here, with over a dozen personalities to choose from, and even couple and family versions…"
…
…
"Wow, what beautiful snow!"
The surrounding air was bitingly cold. Rukia gazed at the snow-covered landscape, unable to help but exclaim.
The white breath she exhaled instantly vanished into the air.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the cold temperature.
Then, she turned to Yoriichi and Uta, who were following closely behind, and asked:
"Brother, are we really going to spend these few days here?"
Yoriichi nodded, holding a stack of skiing equipment in his hands.
"The rooms are already booked. It's not long, only three days."
"But for relaxation, it should be enough."
Then, he instructed, "Remember not to wander off, and always carry your Soul Candy with you."
"If you encounter danger, swallow it. It can protect you."
Soul Candy possessed combat power beyond human limits. While they might not be able to contend with a Seat Officer, they were more than sufficient to deal with ordinary Hollows.
Rukia listened carefully, then nodded vigorously, indicating she understood.
Rangiku, on the other hand, seemed a bit uncomfortable.
She had finally looked forward to a holiday, hoping to go to the Ninth Division for extra training to improve her strength.
She hadn't expected to be dragged to the Human World for skiing as soon as she returned home.
In her memory, snow represented disaster.
Whenever it snowed, the regions behind would fall into a state of destitution.
She clearly remembered meeting Ichimaru Gin one winter when she had fainted from extreme hunger.
Now, whenever she saw snow, the events of that day would surge into her mind like a raging tide… Perhaps it was psychological, but in any case, the snow truly made her uncomfortable.
But reluctantly, this was a family activity, and she had to participate.
Because compared to skiing with them, staying home would undoubtedly be even lonelier.
Rangiku sighed deeply in resignation.
In stark contrast to Matsumoto Rangiku's demeanor, Hinamori Momo, behind everyone, seemed both excited and shy.
After all, this was her first time in the Human World.
It was also her first time participating in an activity organized by others.
What did Rukia's invitation mean?
It meant that Rukia considered her family…
Thinking of this, a small wave of emotion welled up in Hinamori Momo's heart.
However, besides the emotion, she also had some worries.
She was afraid that she would not perform well and incur the dislike of others.
Before leaving, when she said goodbye to Toushiro, he had said that no matter how good her relationship with Rukia was, she was still an outsider.
Even though he was still a child, he spoke so maturely, which was not cute at all…
However, Hinamori Momo deeply remembered this sentence.
Precisely because of this, when she acted, she subconsciously hid herself behind everyone.
She wanted to avoid stealing the show and thought it would be better to keep a low profile.
Unfortunately, even if she kept a low profile, Hisana still noticed her.
Hisana slightly lowered her eyes, falling into a moment of thought.
Immediately after, she took small steps to approach Hinamori Momo.
The snow beneath her feet crunched with each step.
She came to Hinamori Momo's side, smiling, and softly said, "Are you very uncomfortable? Why do you have that expression? Be happy, Momo."
"There's no need to consider yourself an outsider."
"Brother is still very welcoming of you."
Hisana's words made Hinamori Momo suddenly snap back to reality.
Her cheeks inexplicably flushed slightly.
She lowered her head, a little flustered.
"No, I think this is fine. After all, this is your family activity, isn't it? I'm already very happy that you can invite me."
Hisana gently shook her head, denying, "You can't say that."
"This is not our family activity, but a common activity for all of us."
"Brother also said before that you are Rukia's friend, so naturally, you are also our friend. How can there be a distinction of status between friends?"
She looked at Hinamori Momo, her eyes full of concern, "You, you just think too lowly of yourself."
"You will eventually become a Shinigami. You can't still be like this then, can you?"
Hinamori Momo fell silent.
If it weren't for Hisana's reminder, she might really have continued to be like that in the future.
Because no matter how good her relationship with Rukia was, she never forgot that Rukia was a high-ranking noble, while she was just a commoner.
The reason she worked so hard to cultivate was also to try and bridge this gap, but she knew in her heart that it was futile.
Sighing softly, Hinamori Momo said in a low voice:
"I don't want to either. Although I know Rukia considers me a true friend, a friend is not the same as family…"
"Ms. Hisana, I appreciate your kindness, but let's leave it at that for now. It was already inappropriate for me to bother you, and I cannot continue to trouble you."
Knowing that Hinamori Momo was the type of person who disliked troubling others, Hisana could only sigh softly:
"As you wish, but you must remember, no matter what happens, you can always come to us."
"For Brother, all troubles are not troubles."
Perhaps so, because Yoriichi Tsugikuni was very strong, but Hinamori Momo still fell silent.
While they were talking, they arrived in front of a villa on the mountaintop.
As soon as the door opened, a low, powerful male voice came from inside: "My brother Yoriichi, why didn't you call me when you went out to play?"
Although the tone was a bit strange, this familiar phrasing made Yoriichi subconsciously think it was Yoruichi Shihouin.
So, he looked in the direction of the voice, but unexpectedly, what met his eyes was a black cat.
The cat was standing on the living room table, its emerald green eyes staring intently at him, with a human-like quality in its gaze.
There was no one else in the room, so if nothing else, the voice just now came from this cat…
Yoriichi frowned slightly, and asked in confusion, "Who are you? Yoruichi? Why did you turn into a cat?"
To be honest, if a normal person were here, they would definitely have fainted from fright.
After all, suddenly hearing a cat talk was even more terrifying than suddenly seeing a Hollow.
The latter might still be possible for a special effects show, but the former…
The black cat gently coughed, placed a paw over its mouth, and slowly began to speak:
"I didn't expect you to recognize me even in this form. Not bad, I really didn't misjudge you."
"This is a secret technique I developed, capable of reorganizing reishi throughout the body to transform into another creature."
"The Soul Society is really too boring. I happened to hear you were out for a stroll, so I thought I'd come and see."
"Yoriichi, take me with you. After I disappear, Suì-Fēng will definitely search for me like crazy, but I don't want to show myself…"
"Yoriichi, I'll leave this matter to you. Help me deal with her."
"As a reward… what do you think of this secret technique of mine?"
"Being in cat form also has its own unique charm, especially with Uta."
…
Cat Transformation Secret Technique?
This technique made it difficult for Yoriichi to determine its actual use.
If it was for infiltration, there was clearly Curved Light for invisibility, which was more effective.
As for combat, using a cat's small paws to scratch others seemed a bit too cute.
Overall, it seemed that its only real use was what Yoruichi mentioned: being able to see a world completely different from what humans see…
Turning into a cat was an extremely novel experience for anyone.
Yoriichi paused for a moment and said:
"Why are you hiding from Suì-Fēng? Isn't she your Vice-Commander, or temporary Vice-Captain…?"
"You could completely entrust the affairs to her temporarily, right?"
"Also, are you sure this technique that alters the entire reishi structure has no problems?"
It was indeed a bit dangerous, because a Shinigami's spirit body is a soul residing in a body made of reishi, similar to a container.
Once the body disappears, even the soul will die.
Yoruichi's technique was equivalent to changing the structure of the reishi body.
While changes to the body would not cause the soul to change, if she couldn't change back, then that would be a big problem.
Yoruichi smiled upon hearing this: "There won't be any problems. After all, this is the same as the Soul Candy technique."
"Under Kisuke's manipulation, Soul Candy can transform into any shape. Although my transformation only has one form, its safety is absolutely guaranteed."
"It's also not difficult to learn."
"Aren't you worried about Uta's safety?"
"If she turns into a cat, who would know that cat is her?"
"Just like how you saw me just now, even my voice changed."
That was true. The black cat Yoruichi at this moment had no trace of the human Yoruichi. Listening to her voice, one would even think she was a man.
If one didn't know her identity, no one would be able to guess that the soul hidden within the cat was actually a female.
Yoruichi continued: "As for why I'm hiding from Suì-Fēng, it's simple: because she'll move with me; wherever I go, she goes. There are only a few usable people in the Second Division in total. If I take her away too, I can't just let Ōmaeda Marechiyo handle official duties, can I?"
Ōmaeda Marechiyo's honest figure immediately appeared in Yoriichi's mind. He slowly exhaled:
"Is that so? If it's him, then it's fine. But let me state beforehand, we will only stay in the Human World for three days."
"If you want to teach your Cat Transformation Secret Technique, then teach it to Uta."
After speaking, Yoriichi suddenly remembered something and negated what he had just said,
"Wait… never mind. Let me try first, to avoid any accidents that could lead to irreversible consequences."
It wouldn't be too late to teach Uta after he had learned it.
Although Yoruichi's tone was confident, her teaching ability still needed improvement.
Though she understood the implied meaning in Yoriichi's words, Yoruichi did not object.
After all, confidence was one thing, but if she were to actually teach someone else, she would still be a bit nervous. If Yoriichi learned it, then there would be no problem.
She smiled, her black tail gently wagging, seemingly expressing joy:
"It's good that you agreed. By the way, you're going skiing, right? Take me with you, I'm an expert at it!"
As she spoke, she leaped up and jumped into a nearby room.
When she reappeared, she had already transformed into her human form, fully dressed, and brimming with energy:
"Let's go!"
"Let all those official duties of the Second Division go to hell!"