Although a portable Senkaimon was far more convenient than the official large-scale Senkaimon, and much easier to conceal, the difference between the two was in fact enormous.
The large Senkaimon was the officially sanctioned gateway of the Soul Society.
Whenever a high-ranking Shinigami passed through it, they would automatically be marked with a Gentei Reiin—a Limiter Sealdesigned to suppress the Shinigami's Reiatsu and prevent excessive spiritual pressure from destabilizing the World of the Living.
Ordinarily, Shinigami at the vice-captain or captain level would be restricted to roughly 20% of their original Reiatsu, meaning their spiritual power output was limited by approximately 80%.
Of course, this restriction had its limits.
If a Shinigami's Reiatsu was overwhelmingly powerful several times greater than that of an average captain then even under a limiter seal, they would still retain combat strength equivalent to or exceeding a captain-class opponent.
While the official Senkaimon imposed this restriction, it also provided several undeniable advantages.
First, it was safe.
One would not encounter spatial turbulence, sudden collapses, or dangerous distortions during transit. Secondly, Hell Butterflies were assigned to guide travelers, ensuring that they would not lose their way within the interdimensional space.
By contrast, portable Senkaimon lacked these safeguards.
Because of their compact nature, no Hell Butterflies guided the traveler. If one were unlucky, they could encounter spatial disruptions within the Dangai (Precipice World) and be crushed, lost, or erased entirely.
In that sense, both methods had their advantages and disadvantages.
However, for Gosuke Shigure, the portable Senkaimon was far more practical.
First, it was a private route.
He could travel freely between the Soul Society and the World of the Living without leaving official records. By avoiding sanctioned channels, his movements would not attract the attention of the Gotei Thirteen or Central 46.
Second, there was no Gentei Reiin.
His Reiatsu would not be suppressed in any way.
That said, not just anyone was qualified to use a portable Senkaimon.
These devices were exclusive to the noble houses, and even among the nobility, only a few families possessed them in any significant number. They were privileges reserved for the highest strata of Soul Society.
Ordinary Shinigami had no such luxury.
Unless officially dispatched, most Shinigami would never set foot in the World of the Living. Among the divisions, only the Thirteenth Division, tasked with Hollow purification and soul guidance, frequently crossed over.
After carefully installing the portable Senkaimon within the hidden chamber of his residence, Gosuke Shigure activated it.
A dark, swirling portal opened before him.
Without hesitation, he stepped through.
Within the Dangai, darkness stretched endlessly in all directions.
Traveling from the Soul Society to the World of the Living through a portable gateway was similar to traversing toward Hueco Mundo one had to use their own Reiatsu to solidify a foothold in the void and advance manually.
Moreover, because portable Senkaimon had limited operational duration, Gosuke Shigure could not afford to move slowly. If the gateway collapsed before he exited, he would be trapped.
Fortunately, this was far from his first journey.
Gosuke Shigure had crossed worlds countless times before.
He had even ventured into Hueco Mundo.
With practiced ease, he accelerated through the Dangai, using Reiatsu to anchor each step, and soon emerged successfully into the World of the Living.
What greeted him was a world still steeped in relative backwardness.
Yet Gosuke Shigure was not particularly concerned with its level of development.
What truly caught his attention was the extremely low density of Reishi in the atmosphere.
Although Shinigami could still stand upon the air and move freely, such an environment was undeniably harsh. Sustained activity felt subtly uncomfortable, as if one were constantly fighting against the thinness of the spiritual medium itself.
Gosuke Shigure was not unfamiliar with this sensation.
A century ago, during operations against the Quincy remnants in the World of the Living, he had personally led a unit and remained here for an extended period.
But that had been one hundred years ago.
Returning now, the contrast was striking.
Cities had expanded, industries had risen, and the pace of human civilization had accelerated dramatically.
Compared to this rapid transformation, the Soul Society felt almost unchanged.
This disparity stemmed from the Shinigami's long lifespan.
When one lived for centuries, even decades passed like fleeting moments.
"Still not quite the modern era," Gosuke Shigure muttered.
"And it's unclear whether Karakura Town even exists yet."
Finding Urahara Kisuke in such a world would not be easy.
Both Urahara and Shihōin Yoruichi were officially wanted by the Soul Society. With Urahara's cautious nature, he would have immediately employed specialized tools to mask Reiatsu, preventing detection.
Relying on Kidō-based sensing alone was unlikely to yield quick results.
Even so
Gosuke Shigure began searching.
He expanded his spiritual perception, casting a wide net.
Urahara Kisuke.
Shihōin Yoruichi.
Hachigen Ushōda.
Tessai Tsukabishi.
Hirako Shinji.
Muguruma Kensei.
Kuna Mashiro.
Aikawa Love.
Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō.
Yadōmaru Lisa.
Sarugaki Hiyori.
So many powerful Reiatsu signatures.
Even if most were suppressed or obscured, it was impossible that all traces were gone.
As long as he found one
He could follow the trail.
Eventually, his perception caught something.
A faint anomaly.
A clue.
This country, having undergone the Meiji Restoration, was in the midst of aggressive industrial expansion. That very ambition would, in the distant future, drive it toward invasion and war.
Moving unseen among humans, Gosuke Shigure followed the faint spiritual disturbance until he arrived at an abandoned factory.
Its smokestacks were blackened with residue, remnants of the toxic byproducts once expelled during its operation.
Such pollution was the unavoidable cost of industrialization.
Within the factory, signs of habitation were evident.
Thanks to Urahara Kisuke's barrier techniques, the area was hidden from ordinary humans. The surrounding region was sparsely populated to begin with, making it an ideal temporary refuge.
After fleeing the Soul Society, Urahara and the others had taken shelter here.
At present, Urahara Kisuke was attempting to resolve the crisis involving Hirako Shinji and the others.
They had been victims of Aizen Sōsuke's machinations, hollowfied through deliberate experimentation.
While still in the Soul Society, Urahara had used the Hōgyoku to temporarily stabilize their condition.
However, under the scrutiny of Central 46 and the subsequent trial, there had been no opportunity to fully resolve the issue.
Now, in the World of the Living
Urahara continued his work.
Because of Aizen's calculations, the Hollow power had fused completely with the Shinigami's original spiritual structure.
Yet, if approached from a different perspective—
If that power could be accepted, controlled, and trained
Then it might not be a curse.
It could become strength.
And Gosuke Shigure had arrived just in time to witness the beginning of that transformation.
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