2nd Division Barracks — in a secluded corner of the building, inside a "research lab" that barely qualified as such.
Urahara Kisuke was frantically sweeping a pile of spare parts and blueprints off the only desk that still held its shape. With his sleeve, he wiped the dusty surface in a half-hearted effort at cleanliness.
Then, as if pulling from a magician's hat, he produced a teapot and two cups that were… relatively clean. Smiling obsequiously, he slid a steaming cup of "tea" across the table toward Shiki Mirai.
Honestly, it wasn't surprising to see him this eager-to-please.
His current "projects" were still lightyears away from producing any real results.
And research, naturally, was a black hole that devoured money.
To Urahara, the man sitting across from him — Shiki Mirai — was the ideal angel investor. Or at least, a future one.
Sure, he looked broke now, but Urahara believed that was only temporary. After all…
He was currently the most talked-about figure in all of Seireitei — the "Most Beautiful Nobleman of the Soul Society"!
And if things really didn't pan out financially? Well, with that face and aura, marrying into a wealthy household wouldn't be hard at all.
…Actually, didn't the 2nd Division already have one such "extremely wealthy" lady with all the right credentials?
At that thought, his smile grew even more devout.
"Mirai-san! Such an honor to have you here! How may I be of service today?"
Mirai sipped from the cup. Instead of a tea fragrance, it was laced with a sharp, ginger-like kick.
He put it down and got straight to the point:
"Your machine is a good idea in theory, but it's ultimately useless."
He nodded toward the corner, where a large iron cylinder lay under a black cloth.
"Whether it's in the 2nd or 9th Division, artificially creating a 'Reishi vacuum' stands out like a bonfire in the night. It only draws attention."
"Yeah… that's my oversight," Urahara admitted, scratching at his bird's nest of a head.
"But if we don't fully isolate the spiritual waves, it's nearly impossible to hide them. Soul Society itself is composed entirely of Reishi. The moment you create a void, you create a beacon."
Mirai already knew this.
"Which is why we need a new approach. We find a place that's already remote and unnoticed, then install the Reishi suppression there."
"Say… an abandoned cave. Remote terrain means fewer eyes and lower risk of exposure."
As he spoke, his thoughts drifted to that future hidden base beneath Sōkyoku Hill, the one Yoruichi and Urahara would one day construct.
But the way things stood now, the two of them didn't seem all that close. They didn't have the childhood-friends dynamic he expected at all.
Could it be… that my appearance as a "variable" prevented them from meeting earlier in life?
That thought made him glance at Urahara with a subtle mix of sympathy… and a twinge of guilt.
"Oh! That's… actually a brilliant idea!" Urahara clapped his hands in realization. But then he caught Mirai's oddly pitying gaze and shivered a bit.
Still, his mind had already shifted gears — fully ignited.
A fully independent, secret base? That would mean freedom from the 2nd Division's oversight. He could finally conduct fun experiments without anyone breathing down his neck!
"Wait here!" he shouted, diving into a pile of junk.
"Aha! Found it!"
THUMP!
He slammed a massive map onto the desk.
Mirai leaned in — it was a highly detailed chart of Seireitei and its surrounding Rukongai districts. Even tiny footpaths and elevation shifts were marked.
He narrowed his eyes, then gave Urahara a long, meaningful stare.
This level of detail… what exactly are you planning, kid? Mapping escape routes for a rebellion?
Feeling the heat of that stare, Urahara laughed awkwardly and quickly deflected:
"H-haha, it's just a rough layout of Seireitei! Just includes the early-numbered districts of Rukongai! Totally normal, totally common!"
He pointed at a few spots on the map, hurrying to change the subject.
"If we're picking locations, I think District 62 — Hanakare — might work. Mountainous terrain, messy elevation, not too peaceful but not total chaos either. A natural cave there could be expanded easily. Plus, it's closer to the north gate."
Then he pointed toward the southern end:
"Of course, District 3 — Kofuzan — has a much nicer environment, and it's safer, but you'd get the occasional Shinigami or wandering soul hanging around. The risk of exposure goes up."
Mirai listened closely. Truth be told, he'd lived near District 1, Junlin'an, ever since he arrived. He was scouted by Shin'o Academy instructors before he had time to explore.
Even after 30 years in the area, he was still mostly unfamiliar with the outer zones around Seireitei.
Then—
"I've got just the place~"
A slender finger slid in from the side, tapping a specific point on the map.
Sōkyoku Hill.
"Deep underground, there's a huge natural cavern. Plenty of space. Ideal for building a secret base."
"Oh?! That good, huh?!" Urahara's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Sōkyoku Hill—aside from the execution platform, it's got nothing. Even patrols tend to overlook it subconsciously. Perfect blind spot. Maximum security!"
He looked up eagerly to see which genius had suggested it—only to be met with a pair of golden eyes glinting with amusement.
"Uhh?!"
There she was: Captain of the 2nd Division, Shihōin Yoruichi.
When she got there, no one knew. But she'd been standing right next to Mirai for who-knows-how-long, and the suggestion had been hers.
Mirai jumped slightly—his heart skipping a beat.
Anyone would be startled if someone materialized mid-conversation about secret planning.
His hand reflexively twitched toward his Zanpakutō—but he held himself back at the last moment, keeping a straight face.
He cleared his throat and forced calm into his voice.
"Yes… I think Yoruichi's suggestion is perfect. Let's set it underground beneath Sōkyoku Hill."
Yoruichi smiled contentedly, dragging over a chair and crossing her legs.
"But you know~ since we're building deep underground, with both stealth and functionality in mind, this is going to be a massive project."
She turned her head slightly, beaming sweetly at Mirai as she said something absolutely terrifying:
"If your new book doesn't sell at least 100,000 copies, the budget might get reaaally tight~"
Mirai didn't flinch.
He'd expected this.
The Ōmaeda family was a vassal house of the Shihōin. Their current Vice-Captain came from that line. There was no way Yoruichi didn't know he'd struck a deal with them.
But he didn't let her seize control of the rhythm. Calmly, he replied:
"Since this is going to be our secret base, shouldn't everyone pitch in?"
…