Kisuke Urahara sheathed Benihime and fled Funbari Hill at top speed.
He knew that the Seireitei's response to a spiritual disaster of this magnitude could range from a slap on the wrist to severe punishment. He had to get out of there before more Soul Reapers arrived.
"Oh my, this is quite troublesome. I gave Director Kurotsuchi so much core data. If he actually creates some terrifying monster in the future, wouldn't that make me an accomplice?"
"If Yoruichi finds out about this, she'll definitely kick me all the way to the moon."
He chuckled bitterly as his figure quickly vanished into the shadows.
Watching him leave, Mayuri Kurotsuchi let out an arrogant scoff. "Sosuke Aizen..."
"What can he possibly do? Even if Aizen is actually conducting some interesting experiments, I will just have to join in..."
"No, perhaps I can use the results of his experiments as higher-grade materials and integrate them into my Nemuri..."
In the early hours of the morning in Karakura Town, only stray cats roamed the streets.
The battered wooden door of the Urahara Shop let out a faint creak in the darkness before swiftly closing again.
With the muffled thud of a tatami mat being lifted, Yoruichi gracefully leaped into the absurdly spacious underground training ground.
Behind her followed Asuka, clad in a Shihakusho.
"Phew... we finally made it back." Landing on her feet, Yoruichi casually brushed the dust off her shoulders.
She turned to look at Asuka, whose aura was now completely different, and flashed her fangs with a grin. "Hey, how do you feel?"
"Very calm," Asuka replied, casually throwing a punch to feel the surging spiritual power within his body. "It feels like... a dried-up riverbed finally receiving water again."
"It seems this little accident actually turned out to be just the remedy you needed," Yoruichi chuckled.
Before long, the clacking of wooden sandals echoed from above.
Kisuke Urahara walked down the stairs with his hands behind his back, casually tucking his folding fan into his robes.
"My, you two look a bit worse for wear, but your spirits certainly seem high."
Urahara approached at a leisurely pace, his gaze circling Asuka as if examining a delicate, recovered antique.
"Kisuke, you're too slow," Yoruichi said, raising an eyebrow. "Did you manage to send that Kurotsuchi packing?"
"It took quite a bit of talking, and I had to hand over a lot of my most closely guarded research data..." Urahara sighed dramatically before his expression turned serious.
"Mr. Asuka, you wouldn't mind if I gave you another physical examination, would you?"
Without waiting for an answer, Urahara stepped forward swiftly, his slender fingers accurately pressing against the pulse point on Asuka's right wrist.
At the same time, a subtle yet highly penetrating wisp of Spiritual Pressure rapidly circulated through Asuka's meridians.
Asuka did not resist.
He knew that although this shady merchant was quite unscrupulous, he wasn't a bad person. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken him in for so long.
As the examination deepened, Urahara's eyebrows twitched upward, a flash of surprise darting through his eyes.
"Incredible."
Urahara released his grip and took a half-step back, circling Asuka while clicking his tongue in amazement.
"I originally estimated that even with the stimulation from the Gillian, your restored Spiritual Body would still need to rest in a Gigai for at least three months just to barely stabilize your Spiritual Pressure..."
"But now... your Spiritual Pressure is not only completely stable, it has even grown more refined."
He pulled down the brim of his hat, his tone growing profound. "Mr. Asuka, what did that boy do to your soul? I can feel that your soul density is a whole magnitude higher than before."
Asuka recalled the boy sitting on the scorched earth, smiling so breezily.
"It was nothing much. He just extracted my soul and circulated it through his body using his Furyoku."
Hearing Asuka describe such a terrifying process so casually caused Yoruichi and Kisuke Urahara to exchange a look of sheer disbelief.
"Furyoku... what an intriguing power..." Urahara rubbed his chin thoughtfully before letting out a chuckle. "Is that how you realized Funbari Hill wasn't part of the World of the Living? That boy... he isn't from our world, is he?"
Asuka nodded, offering no further elaboration.
"I must say, Mr. Asuka, your luck... truly makes a scientist like me jealous," Urahara sighed.
"However, since we've been through life-and-death situations together, perhaps we could talk about your past?"
Asuka had anticipated this question.
He knew that sooner or later, they would take an interest in his unique nature.
Whether it was his Zanpakuto or his abnormal constitution, it was bound to attract attention.
"...I was born in District 78 of the Rukongai..."
Asuka gave a brief rundown of the backstory he had prepared countless times, but he didn't mention a single word about Aizen's experiments or his own vendetta.
He didn't plan on revealing all his secrets just yet. After all, traversing between worlds was something that even those who experienced it firsthand would find absurd.
"Is that so? That couldn't have been easy, reaching this level just by relying on a scavenged Asauchi! You remind me of a guy named Kenpachi!" Yoruichi patted Asuka on the shoulder, clearly moved by his tale of struggle.
But Kisuke Urahara listened to the entire story in silence, his brows furrowed tightly.
To someone as meticulous as him, this story was absolutely riddled with holes.
'Just who exactly is this boy...'
"Manager Urahara, Master Yoruichi,"
Having finished his tragic tale, Asuka suddenly spoke up, his eyes revealing an unprecedented resolve. "Thank you for taking care of me during this time. You not only saved my life but also offended the Soul Reapers of the Soul Society for someone of unknown origins like me."
He bowed deeply to the two of them, his posture solemn. "But I can no longer stay here. My power has recovered to the point where I can move freely, and I must go fulfill my promise."
Hearing this, Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi exchanged another quiet glance.
"Promise?" Yoruichi crossed her arms, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "You mean you're still going to look for that little girl named Shinobu Kocho?"
"Yes."
Asuka raised his head, his gaze clear. "I was the one who dragged her into this world. No matter what, I have to find her."
Kisuke Urahara gently tapped his folding fan against his palm. The rhythmic thudding sounded exceptionally clear in the spacious underground training ground.
"Shinobu Kocho, huh..." Urahara's voice was as light as a breeze. "Mr. Asuka, are you certain you are ready?"
Asuka frowned. "Do you mean sneaking into the Rukongai? I admit I don't know how to do that yet. I was planning to capture a couple of Soul Reapers and interrogate them."
"It's more than just that, Mr. Asuka."
Urahara's tone lost its previous lightness as he laid out the reality for Asuka. "Since you are from the Rukongai, you naturally know how massive of an area it is. Across the North, South, East, and West districts, who knows how many wandering souls reside there."
"Every single day, tens of thousands of souls travel there from the World of the Living. Without the help of the Seireitei, finding Shinobu Kocho will be like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Asuka's expression darkened. "That is exactly why I need to set out even sooner."
"No, you misunderstand." Kisuke Urahara suddenly took a step forward, and a terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the entire training ground.
"You plan to use the most brute-force method—barging into the Rukongai... If your current strength is merely enough to let you move freely, then your chances of finding her are infinitely close to zero."
Kisuke Urahara's Spiritual Pressure pressed heavily onto Asuka's shoulders, nearly making his knees buckle as his body instinctively wanted to collapse.
"Based on my understanding of your background, the power you currently rely on—aside from those mortal sword techniques—is just a half-baked application of spiritual power."
"You did somehow manage to release your Asauchi, and you've even mastered different Shikai abilities, but that doesn't mean you understand what it means to be a Soul Reaper, much less what a Zanpakuto truly is."
Urahara's gaze gradually sharpened.
Although the Zanpakuto at his waist, Benihime, remained unsheathed, its dangerous aura had already locked onto Asuka.
"Mr. Asuka, right now, you are like a child holding a firearm but only using it to smash walnuts."
"If you just barge in like this, not only will you fail to bring back Miss Kocho, but you will also get yourself directly wiped out by the dangerous figures lurking in Karakura Town."
Asuka stared at Urahara, his gaze solemn. "What are you trying to say?"
"What I am trying to say is—"
Kisuke Urahara abruptly drew Benihime, the sound of the blade slicing through the air crisp and melodious.
"Since you have regained your power, let me see it for myself."
"Let's see if this Zanpakuto you scavenged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood actually has the power to fulfill your promise."
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