Yoriichi gently shook his head at the soaring tone, unsure what to say.
While Yoruichi's change in attitude was somewhat unexpected, it was also understandable for her.
Of course, they couldn't leave now; their things weren't ready yet.
Upon learning that they needed a few more minutes to prepare, Yoruichi sat directly on the sofa, a slight smirk on her lips, her posture exuding an unrestrained air.
She said loudly, "It's fine, just a few minutes."
"Rukia, come here, let big sister have a look at you. I heard your Zanjutsu training has made great progress recently. I wonder how it compares to Rangiku's?"
Rukia paused slightly, a sudden sense of caution rising in her heart as she looked at Yoruichi's enthusiastic invitation.
She suddenly remembered what happened last time and quickly shook her head, "Sister Yoruichi, you might have misheard. How could I possibly compare to Sister Rangiku?"
"Brother Byakuya said she can already become a Shinigami, and her skills are comparable to a Seat Officer."
"Oh? Really?" Yoruichi raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"I remember she's been enrolled for less than a year, and she already has Seat Officer level combat power? That talent is truly impressive."
"Rukia, you really need to work hard. Although she's decades older than you, age is never a reason not to surpass someone. Look at Yoriichi..."
"You're Yoriichi's sister, after all."
...What a strange comparison, Rukia thought, full of speechlessness.
She was only an adopted sister, not a true sister, so it was naturally impossible for her to possess Yoriichi's unimaginable talent.
Her current strength was the result of her tireless efforts day and night.
Surpass Matsumoto Rangiku? Perhaps only after she turns a hundred years old.
Rukia felt a bit tired and sighed softly.
Before she could speak, Yoriichi, who was beside her, took charge and skipped the topic, signaling not to discuss it further.
Yoruichi's personality was truly like a child's. Why pick on Rukia for no reason? However, Yoriichi could understand.
It was probably because of the smile Rukia gave her last time... That seemingly normal smile, given Yoruichi's mindset at the time, was probably misinterpreted.
Watching everyone pack their things, Yoruichi leaned idly on the sofa, feeling bored.
What could be more fun than teasing a little girl?
It was a pity Rukia didn't respond normally; otherwise, she would have been able to watch Rukia and Rangiku spar.
...
...
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ishida Ryūken looked at the skiing equipment in his hands, finding it quite an eyesore.
He completely failed to understand why his father wanted him to relax at this time, when winter was clearly the best time to train one's will.
Practicing archery in the ice and snow would yield twice the results with half the effort.
He was about to work hard to restore the Ishida's former glory...
He didn't expect... Ishida Ryūken exhaled a puff of white air, his gaze sweeping over Katagiri Yae beside him.
Seeing her looking somewhat flustered by the equipment, he paused for a moment before going over to help.
"Young Master, you don't have to..." Katagiri Yae said with a hint of distress, "If the old madam sees you..."
Before she could finish, Ishida Ryūken interrupted, "Mother isn't here."
"Although I don't know why Father wants me to do these things at this time, let's just consider it a test."
"The sooner the test ends, the better. We can't waste time."
Ishida Ryūken was always a man of action; no matter how unreasonable his parents' commands were, he would carry them out without fail.
He would just stay on this snowy mountain for a few days.
Surely, he wouldn't encounter Shinigami.
That would be too unreasonable.
Or...was this also part of the test?
...
As the saying goes, what you fear will come to pass.
On this vast snowy mountain, two groups of people unexpectedly met.
Ishida Ryūken's mouth twitched violently a few times, his heart filled with a surging tide of bewilderment that almost drowned him.
He stared blankly at the scene before him, completely unable to tell whether this was a trick of fate or a strange coincidence.
In this snowy mountain, he saw the person he least wanted to see—Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
The last time they met, Yoriichi left such a deep impression on him, like an indelible mark, deeply etched into his heart.
Ishida Ryūken wanted to surpass him for his entire life.
But now, the path to surpassing him was still far off, yet Yoriichi appeared before him again...
And he wasn't alone; he was with a group of people...
Ishida Ryūken felt as if his world instantly plunged into darkness.
He felt a little dizzy.
At this moment, Yoriichi also noticed Ishida Ryūken.
Although equally surprised, he chose to remain silent.
After all, the Quincy identity was too sensitive, and Yoruichi was beside him.
Yoriichi wasn't sure of Yoruichi's attitude towards Quincy, but from Kisuke Urahara's words, he knew there must be animosity between them and the Quincy.
The war a thousand years ago, the Second Division led by the Shihouin Clan was one of the main forces.
Yoriichi subtly glanced at Ishida Ryūken, then quickly collected his thoughts, no longer paying attention.
This scene fell into Ishida Ryūken's eyes. While he breathed a sigh of relief, a strong sense of resentment also surged in his heart.
Seeing him but pretending not to see him, what did that mean? Was he looking down on him?
Although his current strength was indeed a bit weaker, and the Ishida was no longer as glorious as before, this attitude was truly difficult for him to accept.
Ishida Ryūken fell into deep conflict, his complex expression seen by Katagiri Yae, who sighed inwardly.
The young master seemed to become a different person whenever he encountered Shinigami. What if he were to have a mental breakdown one day from their provocation?
These Shinigami too, why don't they stay in Soul Society and come to the Human World?
However, since they were already here and in large numbers, as a mixed-blood Quincy, she had neither the strength nor the ability to drive them away.
Forget it, let them be. She only hoped they wouldn't affect the young master.
She gently tugged on Ishida Ryūken's sleeve, signaling him to walk in the opposite direction from the Shinigami.
As long as he didn't see them, the young master wouldn't be provoked, and perhaps they could spend these few days peacefully on the snowy mountain.
However, things did not go as planned.
Karakura Town was previously known as a highly spiritual area, which was related to both its local topography and the high-reishi humans living within it.
Their presence would attract Hollows.
Although Yoriichi was using a Gigai, and his reishi was temporarily suppressed and shielded, Ishida Ryūken was different.
He followed his father's will to relax here, but he never forgot to train.
The reishi fluctuations generated by his reishi arrows suddenly triggered a Black Cavity here, and the Hollow's reishi instantly emanated.
The Soul Pager on Yoriichi's person keenly detected this reishi, and its buzzing sound immediately attracted everyone's attention.
On the snow, Yoruichi was fiercely sparring with Rangiku in Hakuda, the kicked-up snow making the surroundings misty.
Upon hearing the buzzing, she immediately stopped her movements and looked towards Yoriichi:
"Is there a Hollow?"
It was really strange. How could a Hollow appear in such a remote place?
She thought she could finally get a few days of good rest.
...
Since the reishi was not particularly strong, the few of them didn't pay too much attention at first.
However, when they arrived at the scene, the Hollow had already vanished without a trace.
The lingering reishi in the air told Yoriichi that this was the work of a Quincy.
Yoruichi Shihouin, who was beside him, carefully observed the surroundings.
Suddenly, a tree wound caused by an arrow penetration caught her eye.
This made her frown slightly.
At the same time, she recalled Yoriichi's expression earlier.
Turning around, she asked, "Yoriichi, if I'm not mistaken, those two guys should be Quincy, right? Those from the Ishida?"
Because the area under the Second Division's jurisdiction was not Karakura Town, she wasn't very familiar with the Ishida Clan of Karakura Town.
It was only because of Shihouin Sennich that she paid a little attention, and she almost didn't remember.
No wonder a Hollow appeared in this remote place, she gently exhaled:
"Let's go meet them, to prevent this from happening again. What are they doing training in a place like this?"
Yoriichi quietly looked at her and asked, "Are you okay with that?"
"What's there to be okay with? They're just Quincy. The more people, the livelier it is. You don't think I hate them like those old fuddy-duddies, do you?"
Yoruichi gently shook her head.
"How many years ago was that? We Shinigami aren't executioners either."
"Back then, we only eliminated the radical ones. The Ishida line was considered the moderate faction."
"Ultimately, no one likes war."
"I see." Yoriichi finally understood Yoruichi's thoughts.
He nodded slightly.
"It seems I misunderstood. If that's the case, then let's go."
"But I remember that little guy doesn't seem to welcome us very much. The misunderstanding between these two clans is really too deep."
In this regard, Ishida Ryūken's performance was far inferior to his father's.
Yoriichi certainly understood, but this was not conducive to protecting and integrating humanity.
He wondered when his personality would become more steady. He felt like Byakuya.
However, it is said that Byakuya has also become a bit more composed recently for some unknown reason.
Time really does change a person, probably because Kuchiki Sōjun has recovered his health.
Sighing softly, the group soon arrived at Ishida Ryūken's location.
The latter had just opened the door, one hand in his pocket.
Yoruichi glanced at Ishida Ryūken's movements, then put both hands on her hips and spoke bluntly:
"Kid, put away your bow and arrow. Standing in front of you are two Captains."
"Your name is Ishida Ryūken, right? How about coming with us?"
Although the original intention of the words was an invitation, it sounded nothing like it.
Ishida Ryūken's expression instantly darkened when he heard this.
Before he could respond.
Suddenly, a blue arrow shot out from behind him, directly at Yoruichi.
However, the next second, Yoruichi firmly grasped the arrow and then crushed it.
The blue reishi turned into points of light, scattering like snowflakes. She clicked her tongue: "You've got guts, but not much strength."
"We already told you we're Captains, Brother Ryūken. Is this your answer?"
Ishida Ryūken snorted softly.
He pushed up his glasses, facing forward, but in fact speaking to the person behind him: "Katagiri, stop. We are no match for these people."
Then, he stared intently at Yoruichi Shihouin: "May I ask, what is the purpose of you Shinigami Captains gracing us with your presence?"
...
Although the intention of these people showing up was very obvious, Ishida Ryūken would not easily admit it.
In his heart, his actions were not wrong.
He secretly mused that if these people were here to demand an explanation, he would play dumb and try to muddle through.
After all, he had not left any so-called evidence.
Arrows? There were hunters in the mountains, weren't there?
And if they weren't here to demand an explanation… then he would say something else.
Although the conversation seemed to happen in an instant, countless thoughts had already flashed through his mind.
Ishida Ryūken's muscles tensed slightly, ready to counterattack at any moment.
Yoriichi swept his gaze over these things, sighed softly in his heart, and stepped forward, saying: "I'll do it."
He patted Yoruichi's shoulder, then looked towards Ishida Ryūken, "Ryūken-kun, put away your hostility. We mean no harm."
"I met your father last time, and I already know his attitude."
"If possible, I hope we can cooperate wholeheartedly."
"Because in the end, no matter how strong you become, your techniques and power exist to protect your family."
"Cooperating with us can also accelerate the realization of this process."
Ishida Ryūken didn't believe it at all. No matter how beautifully Yoriichi Tsugikuni spoke, he could not forget the blood feud of that year.
However, his attitude indeed did not seem hostile.
He slightly loosened his grip on his weapon, his voice low: "I cannot trust you."
"In the end, you killed so many of my clansmen… Now to talk about cooperation, don't you think it's hypocritical?"
"My father's attitude does not represent mine."
"Then what is your attitude?" Yoriichi retorted.
Ishida Ryūken subconsciously opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word, his speech caught in his throat.
Thinking carefully, he seemed to have no clear attitude.
Revitalize the Ishida? No, that has nothing to do with Shinigami.
The so-called attitude is a stance, and there are often only two stances: cooperation and resistance.
The existence of the Ishida Clan was built on the former, that was his father's stance.
Himself… He took a slight breath: "I cannot tell you, but I will absolutely not cooperate with you."
"If that's all you have to say, then please leave."
As soon as he finished speaking, Rukia, who had come with Yoriichi, was already impatient.
How could this young man, who looked only a few years older than her, be so slow?
Rukia said loudly: "We're not going back!"
"When we came, Sister Yoruichi told us that you Quincy would destroy the Three Realms."
"Why do you think everything that happens to you is undeserved?"
"Is it only right for the Three Realms to be destroyed because of you?"
"If the Three Realms are gone, where will you live?"
"You just killed a Hollow, didn't you? It died completely, unable to even reincarnate in Soul Society. Don't you think that's very cruel?"
"You deprived it of a chance to live another life!"
The words were crude but not unreasonable. Even Hell didn't do things as absolutely as the Quincy.
And the reason the Quincy did this was because their reishi antibodies to Hollows were almost zero.
In other words, killing them was out of selfishness.
If it were out in the open, no matter how eloquently they spoke, it would be useless.
Ishida Ryūken wanted to refute, but he didn't know how to.
He opened his mouth and looked at Rukia, rendered speechless by a little girl for the first time in his life.
Although he could quibble, it would be meaningless and he couldn't get past that hurdle in his heart.
He knew in his heart that the Quincy's reason for killing Hollows was definitely not out of protecting humans and the Living World.
The surrounding atmosphere suddenly fell silent as Rukia's words ended.
Yoriichi spoke, breaking the silence: "Invite us to sit inside. I also want to hear your thoughts on these matters."
"By the way, I want to ask, are there only two of you here?"
Ishida Ryūken looked up and slightly moved aside.
He didn't speak, but merely pondered in his mind the purpose of these Shinigami seeking him out.
The current Quincy were already difficult to use; cooperation, in his view, was about squeezing out his last bit of value.
Of course, it was also possible that they wanted to obtain the Quincy's techniques… Although the Quincy had declined, their heritage had not disappeared with the decline.
If the Shinigami obtained it, the consequences would be unimaginable…
Frowning slightly, Ishida Ryūken believed that if the Shinigami's purpose in seeking him was this, then he absolutely could not agree to it.
However, it turned out he was overthinking.
Yoriichi just wanted to know what other Quincy, besides him, thought of the Shinigami.
He also wanted to ask about Yhwach, because in the end, Yhwach was their ancestor.
As a pure-blood Quincy clan, they probably knew some information about him.
Kisuke Urahara was right before; mysteriously disappearing was never a good thing.
Just like himself, in his original world he appeared to have died, but three hundred years later, he returned with a vengeance, catching Kibutsuji Muzan completely off guard, didn't he?
Heaven knows what Yhwach went through.
If he experienced the same script as himself, then Yamamoto Genryusai, who sealed him back then, would probably suffer the same fate as Kibutsuji Muzan.
In the end, from the Quincy's perspective, Shinigami were purely villains, calling them demons wouldn't be an exaggeration.
...
When Yoriichi brought up Yhwach, everyone's attention was immediately drawn to him.
Ishida Ryūken's pupils constricted slightly, clearly not having expected Yoriichi to ask that.
Was this the dagger revealed?
Ishida Ryūken didn't want to answer, because once he did, it would be tantamount to betraying his ancestor.
But unfortunately, no matter how small his micro-expressions changed, Yoriichi noticed them.
If Ishida Soken were here now, he might have used clever rhetoric to change the subject.
However.
Ishida Ryūken was just a youth. Influenced by his subconscious, he didn't think of this point, and even if he did, limited by his experience, it would be difficult to have any substantial effect.
Katagiri Yae was about to interrupt, but Yoriichi spoke before her, looking at Ishida Ryūken:
"What do you know, Ryūken-kun?"
Yoruichi Shihouin also looked at him at this moment, showing an intrigued expression.
Her look seemed to say, "If you don't explain yourself today, you won't be able to leave."
Feeling the sudden change in the atmosphere around him.
Ishida Ryūken imperceptibly swallowed.
—This is a disaster!