Chapter 177: Urahara Kisuke Breaks Through, Araki-sama I Really…

"Tenth Division" Captain Shiba Isshin, hear my orders!

Since you failed to report to me, disregarded advice and went to the Human World on your own, even fraternizing with the Shinigami's enemies, the Quincy, and consequently lost your Shinigami powers, I now sentence you to exile for one hundred years!

Under normal circumstances, a Shinigami sentenced to exile in our Soul Society would have their spiritual power dispelled before being sent to the Human World; but since you have already lost your Shinigami powers, I will not bother with that extra step.

However, precisely because you have lost your Shinigami powers and become an ordinary mortal, if you die as a mortal during your hundred-year exile in the Human World, failing to complete the full term……

then the soul you become after death will not return directly to the Soul Society, but will be exiled by me as an ordinary wandering soul to Hueco Mundo, where you will continue serving your exile until the hundred years are up! Shiba Isshin, do you understand?!

Araki looked at Shiba Isshin kneeling before him with both knees on the ground, and spoke solemnly.

"'I, I understand…'"

Although Shiba Isshin, having lost all his Shinigami powers, could see no spiritual beings, he still clearly heard Araki's voice, for Araki's voice rang directly in his mind.

"'Then regarding your matter, let's consider it settled for now.'"

Araki looked at the trembling Shiba Isshin and lightly nodded.

"'Hah.'"

Isshin heard the words and slowly let out a breath.

"'Ah! Congratulations, congratulations indeed! Isshin~'"

"'Now you can legally and properly live in the Human World.'"

Urahara held a white small fan in his hand, gently swaying it as he chuckled down at Isshin.

"'Cut the chatter a bit! Urahara Kisuke…'"

Isshin glared at the gleeful Urahara beside him and spoke harshly.

"'Now then, the matter concerns you, Urahara Kisuke.'"

Araki then turned his gaze to Urahara Kisuke beside him.

"'Eh…'"

The moment Urahara Kisuke felt Araki's gaze, his body stiffened in place and the smile on his face vanished without a trace.

"'Urahara Captain, why aren't you smiling?'"

"'Weren't you just smiling happily?'"

Isshin stared at the stiffened Urahara beside him and suddenly showed a faint smile.

"'The smile won't disappear; it will just shift…'"

"'Silence!'"

Upon hearing Isshin's words, Araki frowned slightly, and the sheath of his Soul-Cutter Sword lightly tapped the ground.

"'Boom!'"

Araki seemed to forget they were in the Human World, so he did not hold back. He merely tapped the ground with his sword sheath, and the entire spiritual realm of Karakura Town experienced a minor earthquake, causing many people strolling the streets to fall directly to the ground.

However, that was not the end! The next second, a howling gale swept the streets, the sky's heavens‑covering dark clouds instantly split open, and for a moment the earth trembled, the sky wailed, and the weather of Karakura Town underwent a huge change in an instant……

"'Captain‑General Araki, please calm down! Please calm down!'"

"'If you keep getting angrier, this world will be destroyed!'"

Although Isshin could not see Araki's figure, he felt the trembling ground beneath his feet and knew Araki was apparently furious; he immediately bowed repeatedly, pleading.

"'Hmm…'"

Araki, hearing that, withdrew his spiritual pressure.

"'Captain‑General Araki, may I ask what business you have with me?'"

At that moment, the hitherto silent Urahara Kisuke finally steeled himself, looked toward Araki, bowed slightly, and asked respectfully.

"'Urahara, you must have been in the Human World for too long, causing temporary amnesia, right? No worries—I'll help you recall…'"

"'Urahara, listen clearly: you are no longer an idle person, but a fugitive from the Soul Society. As the Captain‑General of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, what should I do upon encountering you, an A‑rank wanted criminal who fled from the Soul Society?'"

Araki coldly questioned Urahara.

"'Um… uh…'"

Urahara Kisuke, hearing that, was momentarily at a loss for words.

"'Please, Captain‑General Araki, let me explain!'"

"'The reason I originally fled the Soul Society was justified!'"

"'I never conducted any hollowfication experiments with He Pingzi Zhenzi…'"

"'The Sixth Division Captain Liuju Quanxi and the others weren't killed by me! In fact, they're fine—even now they're alive and well! If you don't believe me, I'll summon them all and let them explain to you.'"

"Urahara truly is a man who can bend and yield; the moment Araki looked at him, he dropped to both knees and loudly proclaimed his grievance."

"Indeed, Urahara is just that shameless; were it not for his shamelessness, he would never have won the favor and trust of the Shihoin family's eldest daughter, Shihoin Yoruichi."

""Run? So you think I'm wrong?!""

""Is it that I, a hundred years ago, indiscriminately blamed you, Urahara Kisuke, without distinguishing right from wrong?""

Araki retorted to Urahara.

""Well, that certainly isn't…""

""How could we possibly blame you?""

""No matter who's at fault for this, I will never say it's your fault!""

""Besides, back then it wasn't you who sentenced us; the blame lies with the sages and judges of the Central Forty‑Six, who indiscriminately punished the innocent.""

Upon hearing Araki's words, Urahara shuddered further, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

""Let's set aside Urahara Kisuke's past for now; tell me about the present. It's almost been a hundred years since you defected from the Soul Society, and you've surely been investigating what happened back then all this time. So I ask you: who was the mastermind behind the scenes, the one who toyed with you all those years ago?""

Araki continued questioning Urahara.

""Well…""

Urahara, hearing that, immediately showed a troubled expression.

「Captain Araki, actually, up to now we still have some doubts and haven't figured it out; regarding the selection of the person behind the scenes, we are still in heated discussion! Please, you must give us some more time; we will surely uncover the truth and clear our names of this injustice... 」

Urahara continued. In fact, during this hundred-year period, Urahara had also used the Shihōin family's World Crossing Gate to secretly return to the 'Soul Society' for investigation hundreds of times, yet still found no trace whatsoever of the mastermind behind the scenes!

Therefore, Urahara Kisuke had to admit that the person who had been secretly plotting everything was someone with meticulous thoughts, extremely strong logic, and exceptionally steady in action, who would absolutely not reveal their identity until the very end, an incredibly terrifying individual.

「That is to say, you have spent nearly a hundred years in the World of the Living, making such great efforts! Yet even now you don't know whether the person who plotted everything a hundred years ago, who framed you and Pingzi and others and masterminded the so-called Hollowfication incident, is male or female, whether they are an officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, a high-ranking noble, or a member of one of the five great families! 」

After hearing Urahara's words, Araki was somewhat speechless.

「This... 」

「...... For now, yes. 」

Urahara listened to Araki's words and nodded helplessly.

「If you keep going like this, even if I give you another hundred years, you still won't figure it out! 」

Araki looked at Urahara and spoke coldly.

Even Aizen Sosuke is about to make a move, and yet you, Urahara Kisuke, tell me you still haven't cleared up what happened a hundred years ago? Isn't that completely useless?!

「Urahara Kisuke, I foolishly believed Yoruichi of the Shihōin family; I originally thought you were a smart person, but in the end you're nothing special—truly disappointing... 」

Araki thought of this and sighed helplessly.

「Ah?! 」

When Urahara heard Araki's words, his expression changed slightly; it was the first time he had ever heard someone say he wasn't smart enough.

For a moment, Urahara felt the pride deep inside his heart beginning to crack; for some reason, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation in his heart...

After Ishida Ryuugen, Urahara Kisuke also began to break down.

「Forget it, let's leave it at that! 」

「Urahara Kisuke will punish you: continue your exile in the 'World of the Living', and find everyone who framed you back then! If you can't find them, then like Shiba Isshin, you must never return to the 'Soul Society'—coming back would only embarrass me! 」

「Just thinking about it now, back then you, Pingzi Zhenzi, Aichuan Luowu, Fengqiao Lou Shilang, Liùju Quánxī, Shijuwan Lisha, Yuanshi Rishi Li, Jiunan Bai, Youzhaotián Bocuan, and Woling Tie Zhai—ten individuals of vice-captain level or higher, nearly half the fighting strength of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads—could actually be schemed against like this, filling me with anguish and rage! If the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were all as weak as you lot, then when the Quincy or other enemies of the Soul Reapers invade the Soul Society again, that would surely be the end of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads! 」

Araki angrily scolded Urahara Kisuke.

「Yes, yes, yes... 」

「What you said is correct! Indeed, it's our fault! 」

「The responsibility for this lies entirely with us; we are indeed too weak, and what you said is completely without problem! Please give us another chance... 」

「This time we will absolutely not make the same mistake again... 」

Urahara Kisuke was like a child who had made a mistake, apologizing and admitting his faults in front of his parents while continually promising not to repeat it.

「Urahara Kisuke and Shiba Isshin, I advise you two to behave yourselves. 」

Araki spoke as a light shone behind him—that was the brilliance of the 'World Crossing Gate'.

As Araki's words fell, he had already disappeared before Urahara and Isshin.

Exactly at the moment Araki left the 'World of the Living', the dark clouds that had shrouded the sky completely dissipated, and the sunlight after the storm shone down upon the people on the ground.

「Phew, we're saved! 」

Shiba Isshin and Urahara Kisuke immediately slumped to the ground after Araki left.

「Crack~」

Exactly at the moment Isshin and Urahara showed expressions of having survived a catastrophe, the door of Urahara's shop opened once again, and a black cat ran in.

「Urahara, where is Teacher Araki?! 」

The black cat asked Urahara.

「Miss Yoruichi, you're too slow—Captain Araki has already left. 」

Urahara looked at the black cat in front of him and chuckled.

「Cat! A cat actually spoke! 」

Isshin, upon seeing the speaking cat before him, exclaimed in shock.

「Shiba Isshin? You're really just as rude as ever! 」

「I'm Yoruichi of the Shihōin family, you bastard! 」

Yoruichi saw Isshin, first blinked slightly, then furrowed her brows, and spoke.

「Eh? Yoruichi of the Shihōin family? How did you turn into a cat? 」

Isshin heard this and turned pale with shock.

「In short, a lot happened... 」

Yoruichi sighed helplessly, because back then the materials in Urahara Kisuke's hands couldn't make too many human artificial bodies, but she couldn't delay, so she used the remaining materials to make a cat's artificial body for herself. Although in the nearly hundred years since, Urahara has had ample resources and finances to craft a properly fitting human artificial body for her, she has grown accustomed to the cat's body and thus couldn't be bothered to change.

「Looks like your days in the World of the Living have been tough too! 」

Isshin spoke with some feeling.

「So what's your situation then? 」

Yoruichi looked at Isshin and asked.

「Well, the story is long... 」

Isshin, hearing that, scratched his cheek somewhat embarrassedly.

「I'll explain this~」

Urahara listened to Isshin's words and sighed helplessly.

「The matter starts from when Isshin came to the 'World of the Living'... 」

Urahara told Yoruichi what he had learned.

「I see, it looks like the enemy is starting to move again~」

Yoruichi, hearing that, licked her lips somewhat excitedly.

「Yes, our plan can finally begin~」

We have been preparing a revenge plan for nearly a hundred years~

Urahara Kisuke said, his eyes gradually lighting up with a sharp gleam. In fact, Urahara Kisuke also harbored a breath of anger in his heart; he absolutely could not admit he was an idiot—this was his last pride! He wanted to change his impression in Araki's heart.

Anyway, for now we should first take care of this girl~

Urahara said this, then looked toward Kurosaki Masaki lying on the sickbed.

Huh!!

At this moment, Kurosaki Masaki's chest hole had completely vanished; her brows furrowed slightly, as if she were struggling against something, and she already showed signs of waking up.

So then...

Urahara Kisuke said, looking through the shop window at the clear sky after the rain outside.

Several hours later, the pure-blood Quincy family, the Ishida household.

Masaki!!

So it was just a dream?

After Ryuugen's surprise, he gazed at the familiar ceiling and muttered to himself. He had just had a nightmare in which Kurosaki Masaki appeared with hollowfication symptoms, and was involved with a Shinigami named Shinpo Isshin, their paths drifting further apart……

Furthermore, Ryuugen dreamed that the Quincy history he had learned was completely wrong; although his Ishida family were Quincies, they bore no grudge against the Shinigami, but instead shared a deep, extermination-level blood feud with the pure-blood Quincies of the Yhwach lineage, the Quincy progenitors. In other words, he and Masaki were not childhood friends, but enemies!

At the same time, that Quincy progenitor of the Ishida family was also the commander-in-chief of all Shinigami in the "Soul Society" and the "Guardian Thirteen Squads"—truly absurd, yet what made Ryuugen feel most dread was that their progenitor seemed to have come after Masaki, who inherited the Yhwach lineage.

What if it isn't a dream?

Thinking this, Ryuugen's pupils suddenly trembled as he ran downstairs.

No, I must go check!

Ryuugen muttered to himself and rushed straight into the dining hall.

Then Ryuugen saw……

His father Ishida Souken, his mother, and Kurosaki Masaki sat together, wearing peaceful smiles as they enjoyed their meal.

So it really was a dream?

Ryuugen finally relaxed, smiling happily.

Fortunately, it was just a dream; nothing between him and Masaki had changed.

Sorry! I just found the toilet……

The Ishida family is truly huge! No wonder they're the richest in Karakura Town—I searched for half an hour and still couldn't find the toilet, and I even ended up in the garden by mistake!

Just then, a voice Ryuugen utterly despised suddenly sounded in his ear. Ryuugen turned, his pupils narrowing: 'How can it be you? Hateful Shinigami, you shouldn't be appearing in my dream, so why are you before my eyes? Could it be……'

All that appeared before Ryuugen's eyes was Shinpo Isshin, who had taken human form.

It turns out everything just now wasn't a dream……

Ryuugen murmured to himself.

First update, and there's more!