Above Tokyo-dō, the air was filled with joy.
The moment Zommari Rureaux heard Kisuke Urahara announce his own name, he was practically beside himself.
Because this was merit being delivered right to his doorstep!
Who knew how long Aizen-sama had had them Arrancar searching the Human World for Kisuke Urahara and those Shinigami—only for him, Zommari Rureaux, to run into the target himself.
Zommari Rureaux could practically see a spot among the top five Espada waving at him!
As long as he could take Kisuke Urahara down right here, then his current position as the Eighth Espada wasn't something that couldn't be nudged upward!
"Kisuke Urahara—running into me can only be called your bad luck!"
Zommari Rureaux said excitedly, then brought his hands together before his chest. A Cero (Hollow Flash) fired from one of the eyes beneath his body, streaking straight toward Kisuke Urahara.
He was going to take Kisuke Urahara down here!
"Watch out!"
Sōken Ishida's mother—who had just caught a brief breath after the death of the other Arrancar—shouted a warning to Kisuke Urahara.
She wanted to help, but her body was already at its limit.
"Ishida-fujin, just take care of yourself, okay~"
Kisuke Urahara replied calmly. Then he drew his Zanpakutō and swung once.
There was no earth-shattering force, no heaven-rending might. Yet beneath that surge of crimson Reiatsu (spiritual pressure), a shield formed in front of Kisuke Urahara.
"Nake, Benihime—Chikasumi no Tate (Blood Mist Shield)!"
Zommari Rureaux's Cero (Hollow Flash) struck the shield… and failed to raise even the slightest ripple.
At the same time, inside the beachside villa in Tokyo-dō—less than two hours after saying goodbye to Yoruichi Shihōin—Higashino Shuuichi was still in the room with Aizen Sōsuke, leisurely watching the battle over there between Entetsu Kumoi, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and the Shinigami arriving from Soul Society.
Then, all of a sudden, both of them froze at once.
"Hehe… so, Aizen-sama, you haven't been idle while staying with me these days, have you? That guy just released his Zanpakutō into Shikai, and you sensed his Reiatsu immediately?"
Higashino Shuuichi looked at Aizen and spoke unhurriedly.
By all logic, Tokyo-dō had long since been layered—under Higashino Shuuichi's advance preparations—with countless Reiatsu concealment networks, meant to prevent Soul Society's Shinigami from noticing anything when his side began to move.
And yet Aizen had sensed the anomaly almost at the exact same time he had.
That alone proved Aizen had already mapped out every detail of Higashino Shuuichi's arrangements in Tokyo-dō during the time he'd been in the Human World.
And he'd done it without informing Higashino Shuuichi in advance.
Of course, given Aizen's methods—and their currently tense relationship—there was no reason for Aizen to volunteer that kind of information.
Still… being exposed to his face like this was inevitably a bit awkward.
"Compared to that, Shuuichi-kun, you should be more worried about what he's trying to do. If I didn't sense wrong, Kisuke Urahara's current position seems very close to the Quincy family you were concerned about before~"
Aizen was still Aizen. Even now, he could keep a straight face, unflustered, and casually counterattack Higashino Shuuichi with a single sentence.
"Yes. So, Aizen-sama, are you interested in going over to take a look? After all, you've been searching for Kisuke Urahara for so long. Now that he's finally shown himself, wouldn't you like to meet him?"
Higashino Shuuichi was naturally anxious inside—but in front of Aizen, he absolutely could not show it. Otherwise, with Aizen's intellect, who knew what he might infer.
For example… that there was some unknown secret hidden within the Ishida family.
Aizen might not have cared before. Higashino Shuuichi had shown interest in Quincies more than once in the past—and he himself even possessed a Quincy clone.
But if Higashino Shuuichi displayed excessive concern toward the Ishidas, that would be a different matter entirely.
Originally, Higashino Shuuichi had intended to use this chance to build a good relationship with Sōken Ishida's family, and see whether he could learn something about their origins from them.
If they truly were—as Higashino Shuuichi suspected—from that shadowed "invisible empire" within Soul Society, then that would be best of all.
Because Higashino Shuuichi just so happened to want a way to slip into that invisible empire quietly, without relying on Aizen.
Otherwise, he'd be forced to take the risk of handing over the method he'd memorized long ago for entering that invisible empire to Mayuri Kurotsuchi, asking Mayuri to research it.
That carried far greater uncertainty and danger—and unless he had no other choice, Higashino Shuuichi would never attempt it.
Speaking of which… this was also because Yushima Ōko was so disappointingly slow. Higashino Shuuichi had actually told Yushima Ōko the relevant method a long time ago, but Yushima Ōko still hadn't produced anything concrete.
"Does it matter whether I meet Kisuke Urahara?
What I truly want, Shuuichi—don't tell me you've forgotten.
Of course, it's not impossible for me to meet him, but you'll have to produce the appropriate chips, Shuuichi.
Equivalent exchange—this is the foundation of cooperation between us. I believe you were the one who told me that, weren't you?"
Truthfully, Aizen also wanted to take a look at Kisuke Urahara—to confirm whether Urahara was carrying the Hōgyoku, even though that possibility was indeed very low.
But Aizen understood even more clearly: if he showed himself, then no matter what Kisuke Urahara had originally intended to do, Urahara's focus would immediately shift to Aizen Sōsuke.
Being used as someone else's gun—he, Aizen, would never do that.
"Then that's a shame. Looks like later on, I'll have to go greet this former Twelfth Division captain all by myself~"
Higashino Shuuichi said with a smile, then slowly turned and walked out of the villa, looking exceptionally composed and unhurried.
In reality, he was already using the special communication method between himself and Yushima Ōko to urgently contact him.
Because Higashino Shuuichi had actually arranged for Yushima Ōko, Matsumoto Rangiku, and Kabuma Sayako to go together to save the Ishida family.
In Higashino Shuuichi's plan, Yushima Ōko would serve as the muscle, Matsumoto Rangiku would provide support, and Kabuma Sayako would appear as the one calling the shots.
With Kabuma Sayako's increasingly strong presence—more and more like a head of one of the Five Great Noble Houses—plus someone as naturally friendly as Matsumoto Rangiku, earning the Ishida family's trust shouldn't have been difficult.
Originally, the best choice would've been for Higashino Shuuichi—who had already met Sōken Ishida once—to handle it personally. But since Aizen was here, Higashino Shuuichi needed to keep an eye on him, in case Aizen pulled some underhanded move while he was gone and calculated either him or Yushima Ōko's group into a trap.
And now look what happened.
Higashino Shuuichi had never expected that Aizen would actually behave… but Kisuke Urahara would appear out of nowhere halfway through.
Why would Kisuke Urahara show up here at this exact time?!
This was the one thing Higashino Shuuichi absolutely couldn't figure out.
Could it be that what Kisuke Urahara had Yoruichi Shihōin come here to do before… was only a cover on the surface?
That in truth, he had another objective?
But Yoruichi Shihōin hadn't said anything like that before.
Higashino Shuuichi was certain: in the state Yoruichi Shihōin had been in back then, she couldn't possibly have lied to him.
So that left only one "reasonable" explanation.
Could it be that the lies he'd used to fool Yoruichi Shihōin had backfired on him?
And that was only a small part of the problem. The bigger issue—the one that made a chill crawl up Higashino Shuuichi's spine—was this:
In Tokyo-dō, a place Higashino Shuuichi had spent several months arranging in advance like a headquarters… how exactly had Kisuke Urahara infiltrated right under his nose without being discovered?
And why had Kisuke Urahara targeted the Ishida family?
Suddenly, Higashino Shuuichi thought of a terrifying possibility—could Kisuke Urahara have seen his interaction with Sōken Ishida that day?
In other words… had Kisuke Urahara been watching his every move in Tokyo-dō all along?
If that was the case, then even so, Kisuke Urahara had still sent Entetsu Kumoi over…
Higashino Shuuichi realized he couldn't keep thinking any further. Right now, he could only worry about Kabuma Sayako and the others' safety.
And in fact, Kabuma Sayako and the others truly weren't doing well at all.
From the beachside villa to the street where the Ishida family lived, the distance wasn't far.
Yet at this very moment, Kabuma Sayako, Yushima Ōko, and Matsumoto Rangiku had already been split into three completely different battlefields.
They were jewel spaces, created by three dazzling gemstones.
Originally, they were rare tools specially used by the West Administration to detain the special creature known as a "Dragon." But after Kisuke Urahara's involvement and development, those gemstones had taken on brand-new uses.
About ten minutes earlier, inside the red jewel space, Yushima Ōko stared at the man opposite him—someone who looked like a friendly neighborhood uncle, with two thick, curled mustaches beneath his nose—and frowned.
"Oi—who the hell are you?"
"A nameless junior, nothing worth mentioning," the man said with a smile. "But if you insist on having a name to call me by… you may call me Tessai Tsukabishi~"
"Tessai Tsukabishi? That name sounds kinda familiar…
But whoever you are, you should know what's going to happen if you do this, right?"
Yushima Ōko felt the name was familiar, but for the moment he couldn't remember where he'd heard it.
Still, judging from the man's behavior—and the way he had deliberately split him away from Sayako-san and the others—Yushima Ōko had already decided this guy was an enemy.
Not an Arrancar—more like a Shinigami—but he couldn't see any weapon resembling a Zanpakutō on him.
Yushima Ōko considered that perhaps this man was one of those Fullbringers Higashino Shuuichi had mentioned existed in the Human World.
"The outcome, huh?
Naturally, I hope you can return on your own, my friend. The road ahead is not a place you should go~"
Tessai Tsukabishi stood there and spoke to Yushima Ōko.
If possible, he was happy to just chat with Yushima Ōko until morning. Their mission was simply to wait here and see whether Higashino Shuuichi's people came—if they did, they would stall them.
As for fighting, victory, and such… none of that was in the plan at all.
Everyone knew it: Tessai Tsukabishi was a Shinigami who loved peace and love.
"Hahaha! You're a funny talker—and you're also kinda arrogant!
You know something? Everyone who's acted this arrogant in front of me has gotten taught a lesson. I'm sure you won't be an exception!"
Yushima Ōko said confidently.
Of course, he knew Aizen Sōsuke was indeed arrogant too—only Higashino Shuuichi could barely defeat that guy, and he himself probably couldn't right now.
But that was fine. Just like before, whenever Kisaragi Shūsuke wasn't around, he could proudly declare to everyone that he was Higashino Shuuichi's eldest disciple.
Anyway, Aizen Sōsuke wasn't here—he could brag however he wanted.
"Is that so?
Many children have come to me and told me they didn't want to stay with me anymore, that following me had no future. But in the end, not a single one of them ever said such things again.
I believe your view will change as well~"
Tessai Tsukabishi kept smiling.
"...Heh. You really are arrogant!
Korogare, Sumitsukigasa!"
Yushima Ōko didn't believe a word of it. He immediately released his Zanpakutō.
"Raikū: Dangai (Precipice Rift)!"
As Yushima Ōko's voice fell, Tessai Tsukabishi could see countless cracks appear instantly across the stable space around them—visible to the naked eye.
There was no need to draw close. Even using spiritual perception, Tessai Tsukabishi could sense chaos clinging to those cracks.
The Reishi (spirit particles) within them were in a completely disordered, turbulent state.
It made Tessai Tsukabishi feel as though he truly stood within a shattered Dangai.
"Hahaha! I can see the shock on your face—so you know the Dangai exists, right?
If that's the case, then you're not a Fullbringer—you're a Shinigami, aren't you?
Only Shinigami understand the Dangai this well!"
Yushima Ōko said smugly.
This was a derivative ability he'd discovered on his own after training in the Dangai for so long!
Too bad his Reiatsu was still far too low compared to someone on Higashino Shuuichi's level—he could only affect a small portion of space. Otherwise, with this derivative ability alone, Yushima Ōko felt he could help Higashino Shuuichi massacre Aizen Sōsuke!
Because of the Dangai's chaotic Reishi properties, almost no Shinigami could effectively use that turbulent Reishi. Battles within the Dangai basically relied only on the Shinigami's own reserves.
And Yushima Ōko's ability pushed that trait to the extreme.
Under the influence of his Raikū: Dangai (Precipice Rift), the enemy could forget about their ordinary abilities remaining intact after touching those Dangai fractures.
So in a sense, it was a form of control.
And Yushima Ōko himself—because of the special nature of his Zanpakutō—was almost completely unaffected by this effect!
How could he lose?! Tell him!
Yushima Ōko could already see the scene of Tessai Tsukabishi begging him for mercy.
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