Upon hearing Urahara Kisuke's proposed solution, Shimo furrowed his brows slightly.
"Although my Zanpakutō's release is somewhat unique," he said, "the power of time isn't something that belongs to me alone, is it? If I recall correctly, certain forbidden Kidō arts also touch upon time manipulation."
Urahara's tone carried a barely contained excitement.
"The difference lies in essence, Shimo-kun.
A Shinigami's Zanpakutō release stems directly from the soul itself, while Kidō—even the most forbidden kind—is merely a structured circulation of reishi.
They may appear similar in effect, but fundamentally, they are worlds apart."
Shimo's expression softened into understanding.
Though he'd never practiced Kidō forbidden spells, his mastery of the art rivaled the former Grand Kidō Chief, Tessai Tsukabishi.
He immediately grasped Urahara's meaning.
A Zanpakutō's power was unique because it was born of the wielder's very soul.
Even if Kidō could mimic the effects, it could never truly replicate the essence of that bond.
"So," Shimo asked, "what you're suggesting is…?"
Urahara's excitement dimmed, giving way to composure.
"That's precisely the next problem.
I need a suitable vessel—something strong enough to contain a portion of your temporal energy."
"But according to my calculations, even with immense resources, I might only manage to seal away an infinitesimal fragment of it.
Time, after all, is far too high a concept to bind completely."
He exhaled deeply.
"Compared to most Zanpakutō—Kidō-type, elemental-type, or direct-offense types—yours… feels as though it surpasses all classifications."
Shimo's heart tensed for a moment, though his expression remained unreadable.
The mention of this possibility brought to mind the Throne of Time within his inner world—its form still veiled, yet emanating an aura that felt endless.
He knew the climb ahead would only grow harder.
Strengthening himself was no longer the path of an ordinary Shinigami; it was an ascent beyond their dimension entirely. He had already obtained his pass to the next plane.
Urahara, oblivious to the internal storm, continued eagerly.
"I've experimented with sealing Kidō energy and creating simplified versions of it."
He turned and retrieved several small, pitch-black spheres from his workbench.
"Please brace yourself, Shimo-kun."
Curious, Shimo watched as Urahara flicked his fingers, sending three of the black orbs hurtling toward him.
He raised his right hand and traced a small gesture in the air—an azure shield materialized before him.
"Bakudō #8: Seki. (Repulse)"
The orbs detonated in a swirl of crimson fire and blue lightning.
The combined force battered his shield violently. Shimo frowned slightly and added another layer.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen. (Round Lock Fan)"
The circular barrier expanded outward. Flames burst across it first, followed by the surging lightning, until the energy was finally spent.
Urahara grinned.
"Instant-cast Kidō—no incantation needed.
So, what do you think?"
Shimo took a moment to consider.
"In terms of power, it's about one-third of normal Kidō cast without incantation.
But the spiritual pressure consumption seems minimal—only a trace is required to trigger it. Overall… the advantages are clear."
Urahara's grin widened.
"But," Shimo continued calmly, "the production cost must be enormous, right?"
The scientist blinked in mild surprise.
"Didn't expect you to catch that. You're right—each orb consumes over three times the reiryoku needed to cast the same Kidō directly."
He admitted the flaw without hesitation.
For all his genius, Urahara remained a pragmatic researcher—rarely blinded by pride in his inventions.
Shimo nodded thoughtfully.
"Even so, it's still impressive. If mass-produced, these could drastically reduce casualties among the lower-ranked Shinigami."
Urahara shook his head.
"The method itself isn't hard, but the materials limit us. These orbs can only handle Kidō below level forty."
"Anything higher increases the cost tenfold—it's not worth it."
Shimo sighed softly.
"That's unfortunate."
He could identify the Kidō sealed within the orbs—Hadō #31: Shakkahō, Hadō #33: Sōkatsui, and Hadō #1: Shō.
Useful, but ultimately too weak to turn the tide of a real battle.
A clever invention, yet one destined to remain a curiosity.
"It's fine," Urahara said with an easy smile.
"This was only one experiment. I'll need your cooperation for more.
Once I succeed in sealing a forbidden Kidō, I'll attempt to seal Zanpakutō power next."
"Understood," Shimo replied. "I don't mind helping."
Lending a fraction of his spiritual pressure was trivial for him—it replenished faster than anyone could imagine.
Then, as if remembering something, Shimo reached into his sleeve and produced a stack of papers.
"By the way, I need your opinion on this.
It's the research data I received from Mayuri during our exchange—his notes on Baraggan's Power of Aging. I suspect it could aid your work."
Urahara's eyes gleamed with curiosity as he took the pages.
He read carefully before chuckling.
"Surprising. Mayuri seems to have behaved himself this time—no falsified data, no traps.
But unfortunately, this won't help much.
Aging may be related to time, but it's merely a derivative aspect."
"In fact, its corrosive effect on the soul is even stronger than Hollowfication itself."
Shimo handed the notes back casually.
"Then analyze it anyway. Simplify the technical jargon if you can—I don't have patience for Mayuri's convoluted language."
"Consider it done," Urahara said, giving a thumbs-up before diving back into his research.
Finding the lab atmosphere stifling, Shimo excused himself. He preferred the open air—the world outside always felt more alive.
---
Several Years Later
The Human World had gradually returned to stability.
Hinamori Momo remained stationed in Karakura Town, now fully familiar with her post.
With Urahara's group watching over the city, even an Arrancar-level Hollow would likely meet its end before causing any chaos.
Rukia, meanwhile, continued her duties in her station.
Years passed quickly.
Aside from the birth of a certain orange-haired "anomaly," nothing particularly world-shaking occurred.
---
Then, one morning—
"Saa, Shimo-kun!"
Urahara's cheerful voice echoed through the shop, broadcasted through a loudspeaker bearing his own smiling face.
"Come down to the underground lab! This time—it's definitely going to work!"
From the living room came a sigh.
"How many failures is that now?" asked Yoruichi, sprawled lazily in her feline form.
"Let me think… one, two… around three hundred ninety-six, give or take," Shimo said with a helpless smile.
"His persistence is… admirable."
Even Shimo couldn't deny his respect. To fail hundreds of times and still chase progress so earnestly—that was a kind of strength too.
"Alright, Yoruichi-san," he added, lifting the cat by the scruff. "Out of my arms you go. I'll check on his latest attempt."
"Got it, meow," she murmured sleepily, curling back up on a pillow. Daytime was, after all, nap time.
---
Underground Research Lab
Over the years, the lab had transformed completely—now filled with bizarre machines, colorful liquids, and glowing sigils.
Urahara stood clad in a long white coat and optical headgear, buzzing with anticipation.
"Shimo, this time, it will succeed!"
Shimo, calm as ever, replied:
"Steady, dude. You've failed hundreds of times already—a few more won't hurt."
But Urahara was too absorbed to hear him.
He raised a strange container shaped like a beating heart, etched with countless Kidō inscriptions.
"Same procedure as before," he said.
Shimo stepped forward and extended a single finger into the vessel.
The Power of Time began to flow.
Even without releasing his Zanpakutō, Shimo could accelerate or slow the passage of time around him—one of the many results of his relentless training.
Urahara wasn't particular about how it manifested. He only needed it sealed into the prepared vessel.
As the energy poured in, the Kidō runes flared red, spreading upward until the entire heart pulsed with crimson light.
"Stop!"
Urahara's voice broke the silence.
Shimo withdrew his hand.
"That's enough?"
"Yes. If my theory is right, this vessel can now stabilize within a Hollow's core."
He paused, his tone lowering.
"Unfortunately, it can only slow down Quincy Hollowfication—not stop it entirely."
Even so, a rare look of satisfaction crossed Urahara's face.
He knew this was the limit of what could be achieved within their current constraints.
After three days of monitoring, he confirmed success.
In the underground lab, he proceeded to perform the long-awaited operation—transferring Shimo's time energy into Kurosaki Masaki, replacing Isshin's sacrificed Shinigami powers.
Shimo stood by as the final safeguard, ensuring the procedure didn't spiral out of control.
"Kisuke," he asked quietly, "won't the Gotei 13 detect a surge of reiatsu?"
"No worries," Urahara replied, waving him off. "The reiatsu-isolating Gigai handles that perfectly."
A few seconds later, the monitor displayed a single line of text:
[Power Substitution Successful]
[Time Energy has replaced Shinigami Force]
[Hollowfication Completely Suppressed]
Urahara exhaled in relief.
The experiment that had consumed years of effort had finally succeeded.
"At last…" he whispered, smiling faintly.
"The substitute power works."
-------------------------///
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