Passing through the basement door on the first floor, Higashino Shuuichi stepped into the alternate space that Kisuke Urahara had carved out.
Unlike the lively scene upstairs, this place felt especially quiet. Compared to when Shuuichi had first arrived, several wooden beds had been added, lined neatly with the sleeping forms of Hirako Shinji and the others.
In the vast space, at a glance, the only "living person" was Kuna Mashiro.
"Come to think of it, I thought you only woke up after mastering Hollowfication. Kensei, it doesn't look like you've mastered it either, right?"
Seeing Mashiro in Shinigami form reminded Shuuichi of a fact he'd overlooked because of what had just happened with Nagasawa Satomi.
"That's 'cause he's a hot-blooded idiot—him and the Hollow inside him both. Couldn't even beat the other guy, and still let it out."
Before Kensei Muguruma could answer, Kuna Mashiro—Shuuichi's former fukutaichō (vice-captain)—fired off the reply first.
"What do you mean 'hot-blooded idiot'?! It means it recognized my effort, okay?!"
Hearing his former vice-captain rag on him like that, Kensei couldn't help arguing back.
Mashiro's response stayed merciless. "Then turn back into a Shinigami and show me. Like this."
With that, Mashiro entered Hollowfication, then swiftly dispelled it, returning to Shinigami state.
"Hey—Mashiro! That's going too far. I'm telling you—"
Kensei instantly forgot he'd called Shuuichi down here planning to have a bout, and rolled up his sleeves, ready to charge Mashiro and have it out.
Shuuichi, meanwhile, couldn't be bothered with the love-hate squabbling between a captain and vice-captain.
If anything, he welcomed Kensei's attention drifting elsewhere.
Because the real reason he'd come down was to find Kisuke Urahara.
"So, you're interested in those people in the World of the Living who can see us Shinigami?"
After listening to Shuuichi's description, Kisuke Urahara set down what he was doing and looked over.
"Aren't you interested, Kisuke?"
Shuuichi met Kisuke's gaze. "I always thought only Quincies could see us in the World of the Living. But the girl who showed up today clearly isn't Quincy."
"It doesn't have to be a Quincy to see us."
"So you know what she is, Kisuke?"
The air froze for a beat.
After a long moment, Kisuke said, "Shuuichi, knowing too much isn't always a good thing."
The instant he heard that, Shuuichi was sure—Kisuke Urahara did know about Fullbringers.
That also fit Shuuichi's own judgment. The existence of Fullbringers would certainly be known to the five great noble houses in Soul Society, which meant Yoruichi Shihōin would know.
And if Yoruichi knew, it basically meant Kisuke Urahara knew.
The reason Shuuichi had come down here to ask anyway was twofold: first, to make a final confirmation; second, to prepare a clean reason to leave.
Aizen wanted him to stay obediently by Kisuke's side and scout intel on the Hōgyoku—but how could Shuuichi possibly do as told?
Right now he and Aizen were separated, one in Soul Society, one in the World of the Living. Unless Aizen could deal with Tokinada Tsunayashiro and get the Eizō Hall, whatever Shuuichi said about his relationship with Urahara—whether they were still in contact—would be whatever he, Shuuichi, chose to say.
If Kisuke was willing to help him study Fullbringers, figure out how Fullbring was converted through fragments of the Soul King, that would be the best outcome. Shuuichi could stick with Kisuke, find Fullbringers, capture Fullbringers, and ride things out until the plot began.
If Kisuke wasn't willing, then Shuuichi would have to do it himself.
After all, who doesn't love powers that play with rules?
Without flipping on any "cheats," this was the simplest, bluntest way to leap social strata—bar none.
"Do you understand how serious the consequences of this are?
Given our situation, shouldn't we be using every resource at hand as well as we can, so that one day we can strike back at Sōsuke Aizen?"
Shuuichi pressed Urahara.
But Kisuke only shook his head.
Fullbringers—powers linked to the Soul King. Kisuke knew. And precisely because he knew, he wouldn't dig deeper.
The Soul King—that was taboo.
Just to deal with Aizen, Kisuke didn't believe he had to touch taboo.
"You don't understand, Shuuichi."
"Maybe I don't. But Kisuke—if I decide I want to understand it, will you stop me?"
Shuuichi pushed, deliberately.
It wasn't as though he didn't know about the Soul King taboo.
At worst, some monk might set his sights on him.
Even then, with so many alternative targets available, Shuuichi didn't think his priority would be high.
Especially as long as he could ensure Kurosaki Ichigo's birth, and later set the stage for Ichigo to slay a god. In that case, the one most likely to become the next Soul King's living linchpin would be Yhwach.
Kisuke didn't know this—but Shuuichi did, very clearly.
That counted among the few bits of foresight he had left that were still useful.
Sure enough, faced with Shuuichi's resolve, Kisuke's eyes flickered—but he didn't move to stop him.
From Kisuke's perspective, the worst case was simply that Shuuichi would violate taboo.
It had nothing to do with Kisuke—and wouldn't affect the big picture.
And so, after confirming where Kisuke stood, Shuuichi set out the next day with Kisaragi Shūsuke and Nagasawa Satomi in tow.
Poor Matsumoto Rangiku—she'd drunk herself under the table and didn't even get to see Shuuichi before he left.
"You're really Shinigami?"
On the road, inside the carriage, Nagasawa Satomi eyed Shuuichi across from her, voice small and tentative.
"Genuine article."
In the cramped carriage, Shuuichi casually showed a bit of kidō (Demon Arts)—Shōtenkyū.
(Alright—Higashino Shuuichi finally found another use for this Hadō (Destructive Way).)
He hadn't hidden his identity from Satomi at all.
Because at this point in time, while the nobles at the top of Soul Society were aware of Fullbringers, they hadn't taken them seriously yet. The future massacre of Fullbringers ordered by Tokinada Tsunayashiro hadn't happened.
And given that Shinigami and Fullbringers shared a natural common enemy—Hollows—exposing his identity to earn trust wasn't all that difficult.
What's more, after learning more from Kisaragi Shūsuke, Shuuichi was all the more certain that Nagasawa Satomi belonged to the lawful camp among Fullbringers.
Who could've guessed that the job Shūsuke had found in the World of the Living was debt collection for a predatory loan company?
Shūsuke had no basic concept of the mortal world; Shuuichi knew it all too well.
From Satomi's perspective, then, trying to seek justice for those who'd died because of Shūsuke's collections absolutely counted as a good deed.
But the person behind Satomi, the one directing her—that piqued Shuuichi's curiosity.
Because from Satomi's description, Shuuichi knew this person understood very well that Satomi had a special ability.
And they had many subordinates.
As to whether those others were also Fullbringers, Satomi didn't know.
Which was why Shuuichi set out early this morning with Satomi and Shūsuke.
If this turned out to be a Fullbringer organization similar to the future Xcution—that would be a windfall.
He could parse their abilities and round them all up at once. That would be the same as obtaining a countless number of Soul King body fragments in one go.
Only when Shuuichi finally followed Satomi to the "stronghold" she'd mentioned did he find himself thrown.
A ramshackle house, people in rags, children thin as sticks—nothing like the picture he'd imagined.
"Miss Satomi!"
"Miss Satomi, you're back!"
They had barely stepped off the carriage when the people, seeing Satomi, hurried over to greet her as best they could.
This was nothing like Satomi's earlier claim that she was just a hired hand.
If Shuuichi still couldn't tell he'd been played, he'd have been living all these years for nothing.
He'd never expected—he who hunted geese every day—would one day get pecked by a goose.
"The 'leader' you told me about—is you, isn't it?"
Standing behind Satomi, Shuuichi's voice went cold.
Satomi spun and dropped to her knees before him at once. "Shuuichi-sama, I'm sorry!
But if you truly are Shinigami, could you please take them to your world?
I heard that in your world, commoners don't suffer hunger…
I've tried my best, but I still can't provide enough food for all of them. I don't want to watch people die of hunger in front of me every day…"
"You heard?"
Shuuichi caught on the key phrase at once.
So Satomi had already known about Shinigami?
Now that was interesting.
Ordinary Fullbringers—even if they knew Shinigami existed—couldn't possibly know about the lives of the common folk in Rukongai.
Shuuichi was just about to press this point when a troop of fully armed samurai rode in—backs bristling with crimson pennons, mounted on tall warhorses.
"Nagasawa Satomi! Zuobu-sama summons you. Come at once!"
The black-helmed leader leapt from his horse, voice cold as he issued the command to Satomi.
From beginning to end, he didn't spare so much as a glance for Shuuichi.
"Shuuichi-sama…"
Beside him, Kisaragi Shūsuke frowned and spoke low.
"Mm."
Shuuichi nodded and turned his gaze on the intruding black-helmed samurai.
Today really was one twist after another. He'd thought he could make some breakthrough through Satomi, only to be led by the nose.
He'd then caught a tantalizing thread in her words—only to be interrupted before he could ask.
And last—most importantly—the man who'd cut him off was radiating a not-inconsiderable reiatsu.
So were the red-helmed samurai who came with him.
That stirred Shuuichi's keen interest in this black-helmed warrior—and in the Zuobu-sama he served.
Because ordinary Fullbringers didn't have reiatsu like this.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810