abnabooks #164 - The source of terror that plagues the three realms! The dark hand behind it!
#164 - The source of terror that plagues the three realms! The dark hand behind it!
Retsu Unohana's eyes gleamed with a madness that many Captains remembered well, and she said, "Captain-Commander, these are our old enemies. I didn't expect that after more than a thousand years, they not only haven't been completely exterminated, but they've even been hiding in the Seireitei."
Nodding slightly, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni said, "Letting them live until now was our mistake back then. Now is the time to make up for that mistake."
The moment his words fell, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni erupted with a chilling killing intent.
"The Gotei 13 shall strictly guard all locations. Once any trace of the Quincies is discovered, execute them without mercy, leaving no survivors."
At this moment, everyone felt just how terrifying the Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, who single-handedly established the Seireitei in the chaotic era, truly was.
Remember the original website domain name 𝕥 𝕨 𝕜 𝕒 𝕟 . 𝕔 𝕠 𝕞
After the Captains accepted their orders and left the 1st Division barracks.
After separating from the other Captains, Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen were on their way back to the 5th Division barracks.
Greatly shocked, Aizen said, "Gin, Tōsen, it seems our plan needs to be moved up."
"Captain Aizen, aren't we waiting for the other half of the Hōgyoku? Are we going to leave the Soul Society now?" Tōsen asked, puzzled.
Aizen pushed up his glasses and said, "I feel like there's a hidden hand that has revealed the existence of these Quincies."
After a slight pause, Aizen said, "You may not have noticed, but before these Quincies blatantly exposed themselves, three Shinigami from the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force entered the Seireitei under the pretext of reporting important information, but after they entered the Seireitei, they quickly disappeared."
"Captain Aizen, do you think the exposure of these Quincies is because of those three Shinigami from the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force?" Gin Ichimaru looked at Aizen in surprise.
Shaking his head, Aizen said, "No, I suspect those people probably weren't Shinigami from the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, or… perhaps two of them have already died at the hands of the guy who revealed the existence of the Quincies."
"Then who does Captain Aizen think is the one who revealed the existence of the Quincies?" Gin Ichimaru asked curiously.
Not just Gin Ichimaru, but even Tōsen Kaname was extremely wary of this hidden figure.
After all, they prided themselves on hiding deep enough, but who would have thought that the seemingly ordinary Soul Society would actually have such a terrifying existence like the Wandenreich, hidden for thousands of years.
After pondering for a moment, Aizen said, "I can't be sure who it is, but… if I'm not mistaken, the mastermind behind all of this is probably our former 4th Division's 6th Seat."
"Rofu?"
Gin Ichimaru and Tōsen Kaname were both stunned at the same time.
If it were before, mentioning Rofu, the 6th Seat of the 4th Division, Shinigami might be surprised by the special healing effects of Rofu's Zanpakuto.
But as for Rofu himself, not many people would care.
After all, Rofu's shallow Reiatsu had been judged by many Captain-level Shinigami to mean that he didn't even have a chance to awaken Bankai.
Under such circumstances, Rofu, whose Zanpakuto's Shikai ability was relatively unique, but whose four basic Shinigami abilities—Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō—were all at the bottom, and whose Reiatsu was so shallow that he was unlikely to awaken Bankai, would not be taken to heart by anyone.
But before, Rofu had accidentally revealed a Reiatsu so powerful that it could only be described as terrifying, and even managed to escape after a confrontation with 4th Division Captain Retsu Unohana in the presence of all the Gotei 13 Captains, instantly making Rofu the most terrifying traitor in the Soul Society to date.
Even Gin Ichimaru and Tōsen Kaname had to admit that if this wasn't some old monster like the Wandenreich, who had been hiding for who knows how long, plotting in the dark, then the mastermind could very well be Rofu.
"It seems our 6th Seat Rofu also has his own plans," Gin Ichimaru's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "If this was really done by 6th Seat Rofu, then he must have his own purpose. Captain Aizen, it seems we've encountered some trouble!"
"It doesn't matter!" Aizen said indifferently, "Gin, you need to know that our goal is clear. No matter how many people are hiding in the dark, there will be no match for our advance."
The exposure of the Wandenreich completely overturned Yhwach's previous plans.
Under his orders, a large number of Quincies immediately launched a brutal revenge against the Shinigami.
In the shadows of the Soul Society, almost any corner would suddenly reveal one or even several powerful Quincies, launching attacks on the caught-off-guard Shinigami.
The entire Seireitei was plunged into a desperate situation of war everywhere in a short period of time.
The Human World.
Inside the Urahara Shop.
"Your new arm is simply disgusting," Yoruichi Shihōin, in her black cat form, looked at Kisuke Urahara, who was testing his new arm, with obvious disgust in her eyes.
Kisuke Urahara's new arm, because it couldn't dissolve the special Reishi left in his body by Rofu.
At this moment, he had created a special bionic arm for himself with a flash of inspiration.
This arm wasn't a mechanical structure, but an arm made of long, earthworm-like flesh strips intertwined with each other. If it were covered with a layer of skin, it would really be no different from a normal human arm.
But at this moment, this arm was simply like an arm made of condensed tentacles.
Even the air was crackling as it was whipped by the tentacles split by this arm.
Yoruichi Shihōin suddenly jumped back as if her fur had exploded, and said, "I warn you, don't show this disgusting ability in front of me again."
"Alright! Alright!" Kisuke Urahara moved his mind, and countless tentacles instantly condensed, piecing together the shape of an arm again.
After moving his fingers, Kisuke Urahara said, "This kind of ability, although unexpected and very powerful, doesn't seem very suitable for display in front of Yoruichi-san."
Just as Kisuke Urahara's voice fell.
Tessai Tsukabishi came to this special space located in the basement of the Urahara Shop in a hurry.
"Shopkeeper, Yoruichi-san, something happened in the Soul Society."
With a condensed expression, Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin said in unison, "Did Aizen do something?"
Tessai Tsukabishi shook his head and said, "It's even more terrible than Aizen being exposed!"
Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin were stunned.
More terrible than Aizen being exposed?
You must know that in the eyes of Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin, and others, the biggest trouble in the Soul Society now is Aizen, who is hiding extremely deep.
But now, Tessai Tsukabishi said that something more terrible than Aizen being exposed had happened in the Soul Society.
For a moment, whether it was Kisuke Urahara or Yoruichi Shihōin, they were all a little unable to react.
Tessai Tsukabishi didn't beat around the bush either.
He directly informed Kisuke Urahara and the two of the information he had just received from the Soul Society.
"Quincies?" Yoruichi Shihōin said in surprise, "Our Shihōin family still has some records about the extermination of the Quincies when Captain-Commander Yamamoto established the Seireitei. Now, even if the Quincies haven't been completely exterminated in the entire human world, I'm afraid there are only a few left. I didn't expect them to be hiding in the Soul Society!"
"Compared to the problem of these Quincies hiding in the Soul Society for thousands of years, their strength is even more crucial," Kisuke Urahara pondered for a moment, and said, "What is the situation in the Soul Society now?"
With a solemn expression on his face, Tessai Tsukabishi said, "Under the orders of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, the Soul Society has fully launched an offensive against the Quincies. The two sides are currently in fierce battle."
After a slight pause, Tessai Tsukabishi's tone became heavy.
"It's just… according to the information we've received, the Quincies' strength has increased terribly over the past thousand years, and the Seireitei has now been completely suppressed."
"No," Yoruichi Shihōin's entire body was bristling, and she said urgently, "We must return to the Soul Society immediately."
Don't look at Yoruichi Shihōin, Kisuke Urahara, and others, who seem to have fled the Seireitei on the surface, as a betrayal of the Seireitei.
But in fact, Yoruichi Shihōin can almost be regarded as the direct heir of the four noble families. Unless she clearly states that she wants to be an enemy of the Seireitei, the problem with Yoruichi Shihōin is at most just a matter of a slap on the wrist.
And Yoruichi Shihōin has never forgotten the Seireitei and her family in her heart.
At that moment, hearing that the Seireitei was actually at a disadvantage in the battle against the Quincies, she immediately became anxious.
"Don't worry," Urahara Kisuke comforted, then said, "We currently have limited knowledge of the situation in the Soul Society. Even if we want to go in and help, we need to first understand the details."
Noticing a hint of something else in Urahara Kisuke's tone.
Yoruichi Shihouin calmed down a bit and said, "You seem to imply..."
"I suspect that the sudden appearance of the Quincies this time is not as simple as it seems on the surface. Don't forget, Aizen is still hiding in the Soul Society, and Roufu is now nowhere to be found."
"You think the Quincies in the Soul Society are related to Aizen or Roufu?" Yoruichi Shihouin frowned.
Shaking his head, Urahara Kisuke said, "No, it's just a feeling. My intuition tells me that the appearance of these Quincies must be related to Roufu, and Aizen will definitely not let go of such a good opportunity."
A decision seemed to form in his mind in an instant, and Urahara Kisuke said, "Mr. Tsukabishi Tessai, please make a trip to bring Kuchiki Rukia and Kurosaki Ichigo here."
Being Urahara Kisuke's friend for so many years, Yoruichi Shihouin instantly guessed Urahara Kisuke's thoughts.
Surprised, she said, "You want to take out the Hogyoku hidden in Kuchiki Rukia's body? Are you crazy? Don't you know that what Aizen wants most right now is the other half of the Hogyoku in your hands?"
Urahara Kisuke gave a wry smile and said, "Of course I know, but... the Quincies have caused such a big commotion, even targeting the entire Soul Society. Their goal is definitely not just to simply take revenge for what happened back then. The situation and the overall picture are completely chaotic now. What we can do is to gather as much information as possible. Between Aizen and Roufu, we must make a choice."
With a flicker in her eyes, Yoruichi Shihouin's eyes lit up and she said, "You hope to let Aizen deal with Roufu?"
"That's right." Nodding affirmatively, Urahara Kisuke said, "Aizen only has half of the Hogyoku in his hands, while Roufu seems to have completely integrated the Hogyoku's power into himself. We have been investigating Aizen for so many years, and we have a vague understanding of him, but Roufu..."
Just thinking about the brief confrontation with Roufu before, Urahara Kisuke couldn't help but feel like a mountain was pressing down on his heart.
You should know that although Urahara Kisuke was the former director of the Research and Development Department, he was not the kind of Captain-level Shinigami who was good at fighting, but Roufu could easily cut off his arm without suffering any injuries himself.
In addition, he personally witnessed how Roufu transformed an ordinary Hollow into an Arrancar.
At this moment, in Urahara Kisuke's heart, Roufu was a more terrifying schemer than Aizen.
Not only was his strength unfathomable, but more importantly, his actions after coming to the human world made Urahara Kisuke feel the ambition in Roufu's heart that had no trace of awe.
It was because he noticed this that Urahara Kisuke had decisively chosen to attack Roufu before.
It was a pity that he overestimated his own strength and underestimated Roufu. Not only did he fail to kill Roufu, but he also lost an arm.
If Yoruichi Shihouin hadn't arrived in time, and Yoruichi Shihouin's speed was indeed the best in the Soul Society, he might not have been able to escape from Roufu's hands.
Now, if Urahara Kisuke were to rank the threats between Roufu and Aizen, then Roufu would undoubtedly be above Aizen.
At least Aizen still had some awe, otherwise he wouldn't have relied on his superb acting skills to be the captain of the Fifth Division for so many years.
But what about Roufu?
The moment his identity was exposed, he decisively chose to defect from the Soul Society.
What was even more disturbing was that Roufu's actions after coming to the human world simply did not take the Soul Society and the Seireitei seriously.
This kind of unbridled, willful character, coupled with his powerful strength and the ability to transform into a humanoid Hogyoku, made Roufu, in Urahara Kisuke's heart, a terrifying source of future disasters for the human world, the Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo.
Aizen was hiding very deeply, and Roufu was not to be underestimated either.
Since this was the case, then in this situation where the Soul Society was invaded by the Quincies and could not spare any manpower, of course, he had to find a way to make Roufu and Aizen hostile to each other.
As for whether his plan would succeed, Urahara Kisuke was not worried about this.
Roufu was unbridled, and his character was unruly, with no trace of awe in his heart.
Aizen had been hiding for many years, and he was not an easy person to deal with either.
After so many years of investigating Aizen, Urahara Kisuke could feel the unruly nature in Aizen's character.
Even without anyone's provocation, the two of them could not possibly stand together.
Not to mention that Urahara Kisuke was now determined to make Roufu and Aizen fall into a struggle with each other, leaving them with no time to care about the Soul Society.
When the Soul Society completely quelled the turmoil of the Quincies and freed up manpower, they would then find a way to target Aizen and Roufu.
Although Yoruichi Shihouin understood and approved of Urahara Kisuke's approach.
However, she was still a little worried in her heart. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Aren't you worried that Aizen or Roufu will kill the other and completely obtain everything from the other, making their strength even more terrifying?"
Urahara Kisuke was immediately silent.
How could he not be worried?
But was it useful to worry now?
The news that Tsukabishi Tessai had just sent was not comprehensive, but the fact that it could force the Soul Society to be at a complete disadvantage was enough to make people feel how terrifying the accumulation of those Quincies who had been lying dormant for thousands of years was.
Instead of worrying about these things, it was better to think about how to solve the Quincies' trouble first.
Otherwise, if the Seireitei was defeated by the Quincies, who would win and who would lose between Aizen and Roufu, who would be strong and who would be weak, would not be their concern or the Seireitei's.
For the Seireitei, the most important thing now was to survive first.
Only by surviving could they consider other things, even if they knew that doing so was like drinking poison to quench their thirst.
But if they couldn't get through this hurdle, the Soul Society would have no future, so why bother considering other things?
Seeing that Urahara Kisuke had not spoken for a long time, Yoruichi Shihouin seemed to understand something, and said in a displeased tone, "It seems that you are very optimistic about the Quincies? Do you think these Quincies hidden in the Soul Society really have the strength to defeat the Seireitei?"
"I don't know. But I hope they don't," Urahara Kisuke said insincerely.
In the short time that the two of them were talking.
Tsukabishi Tessai, who had just left not long ago, but knew how urgent the situation in the Seireitei was at this moment, smoothly brought Kuchiki Rukia and Kurosaki Ichigo to the basement of the Urahara Shop.
Compared to the fussing Kurosaki Ichigo, Kuchiki Rukia, after arriving in the underground space.
At most, she was surprised that Urahara Kisuke actually had such a foundation, being able to transform the basement of the human world into such an incredible space.
"Shopkeeper Urahara." After just glancing at the surrounding space, Kuchiki Rukia complained unhappily, "Do you know that we were just in class? You let this uncle bring me and Ichigo here. Do you know how much trouble you have caused us?"
"This little trouble is no longer important." Urahara Kisuke was not joking at all at this moment.
In a serious tone, he briefly explained what was happening in the Seireitei at this moment.
Kuchiki Rukia felt that Urahara Kisuke's words were simply a joke.
The Seireitei had been established for thousands of years.
Not only had it completely quelled the turmoil in the Soul Society back then, but it had also established order.
Whether it was the human world or Hueco Mundo, they had been deeply penetrated by the Seireitei's tentacles.
How could such a powerful Seireitei, which even seemed to truly govern the three realms, be overthrown by some Quincies?
"Do you think I'm joking?" Urahara Kisuke looked at Kuchiki Rukia unhappily and said, "The information I received is not that detailed, but even so, now, in the Seireitei, the number of Shinigami who have died at the hands of those Quincies has already exceeded three digits, including the Sixth Division!"
The Sixth Division was the noble-led team among the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and the captain was none other than Kuchiki Rukia's brother, or rather, Kuchiki Rukia's brother-in-law, Kuchiki Byakuya.
Upon hearing that even the Sixth Division, the noble-led team, had suffered casualties, Kuchiki Rukia immediately became anxious, and even forgot to doubt the truth of the news.
"Then what about my brother? How is he now?"
With a slight flash in his eyes, Urahara Kisuke said, "I don't know. I've already said that the information we received is not that detailed, but, Captain Kuchiki Byakuya is also a Captain-level Shinigami after all. I think that even if he suffers losses in the battle with those Quincies, at most he will be injured, and he is definitely still alive."
While breathing a sigh of relief, Kuchiki Rukia said nervously, "No, I have to return to the Soul Society immediately. Shopkeeper Urahara, please help me."
What Urahara Kisuke was waiting for was this sentence from Kuchiki Rukia.
After all, the other half of his Hogyoku was in Kuchiki Rukia's body.
Perhaps, Kisuke Urahara's various preparations could deceive ordinary people, but for Aizen, who had also created the Hogyoku.
As long as Rukia Kuchiki was sent to Soul Society, the half of the Hogyoku within her body would naturally fall into Aizen's sight.
"Of course, I can," Kisuke Urahara readily agreed, but then changed the subject, saying, "But are you sure? You don't even seem to have the power of a Soul Reaper anymore. Even if you return to Soul Society, what can you do? Instead, you'll become a burden to Captain Kuchiki. You don't want to drag Captain Kuchiki down, do you?"
Rukia Kuchiki's expression immediately became conflicted.
"Rukia, your powers are with me," Ichigo Kurosaki said impulsively, seeing her distress, "Now that you're in trouble, how can I just stand by and watch? How about this, I'll go with you to that Soul Society thing and help protect your brother first."
"Hoo hoo hoo..." Kisuke Urahara chuckled, his laughter carrying a clear hint of mockery, and said, "Ichigo Kurosaki, are you really clear on what it means to be a captain?"
Ichigo Kurosaki shook his head frankly and said, "I don't know, but I do know that Rukia's brother is in trouble, and she gave me her powers, so I can't do nothing."
Kisuke Urahara nodded approvingly, his tone suddenly carrying a seductive undertone that no one but Yoruichi Shihouin could detect.
"Your strength is now at most at the level of a Soul Reaper who has graduated from the ordinary Soul Reaper Academy. Your swordplay, hand-to-hand combat, Kido, and footwork are all pathetic, while the captain-level existences are the strongest among the Soul Reapers." Kisuke Urahara deliberately provoked him, saying, "If you want to help Rukia Kuchiki's brother, at the very least, you must first release your Zanpakuto, right?"
Ichigo Kurosaki wasn't stupid. Although he didn't know that Kisuke Urahara had been paying attention to him for a long time and even had many plans for him.
At this moment, Ichigo Kurosaki understood that Kisuke Urahara seemed to want to help him obtain the ability to release his Zanpakuto.
He glanced at Rukia Kuchiki beside him, who had a conflicted expression, and Ichigo Kurosaki nodded almost without thinking, saying, "Please tell me, shopkeeper, how can I release my Zanpakuto?"
A sly smile appeared on the corner of Kisuke Urahara's mouth.
Kisuke Urahara then took Ichigo Kurosaki and officially began teaching this special existence, who possessed the bloodline abilities of a Soul Reaper, a Hollow, and a Quincy, how to release his Zanpakuto.
After Ichigo Kurosaki began his training to awaken his Zanpakuto, Rukia Kuchiki couldn't stay peacefully in the Urahara Shop and wait for the results of Ichigo Kurosaki's training.
After all, Rukia Kuchiki was very clear about the difficulty of Shikai.
In Soul Society, awakening Shikai was almost standard for seated officers.
Many Soul Reapers might not even be able to open the door to Shikai in their entire lives.
In Rukia Kuchiki's opinion, no matter how amazing Ichigo Kurosaki's strength was or how outstanding his talent was, it was impossible for him to complete the training for Shikai in a short period of time.
She couldn't stay in the human world forever, waiting for Ichigo Kurosaki to succeed.
After watching Ichigo Kurosaki truly begin his training with Kisuke Urahara.
Rukia Kuchiki looked at Tessai Tsukabishi beside her and said, "Mr. Tsukabishi, Shopkeeper Urahara is currently busy instructing Ichigo. Let's not disturb them. So, please, Mr. Tsukabishi, send me back to Soul Society, okay?"
Yoruichi Shihouin, in her black cat form, said with curiosity in her voice, "Are you sure? You must know that you have violated the rules by giving your Soul Reaper powers to a human. Even if Seireitei is currently at war with the Quincies, it still won't easily tolerate someone who has made such a mistake."
"Once you go back, I'm afraid even your brother, Byakuya Kuchiki, won't be able to protect you. You're practically walking into a trap by returning to Soul Society at this time. Have you really thought it through?"
Rukia Kuchiki nodded forcefully and said, "That's right, I've already thought it through. I did indeed violate the rules of Seireitei, but... even so, I can't hide in the human world just to avoid punishment."
A human-like look of satisfaction appeared on Yoruichi Shihouin's cat face, and she said, "Then let Mr. Tsukabishi personally send you on your way."
Don't think that Yoruichi Shihouin seemed to be moved by Rukia Kuchiki's determination, which is why she agreed to her request.
In fact, even if Rukia Kuchiki hadn't made the decision to return to Soul Society on her own initiative, Yoruichi Shihouin would have used other methods to achieve the same goal.
Now, Luo Fu, Aizen, and Kisuke Urahara each have their own plans.
And the Wandenreich, which was unexpectedly exposed in advance due to Luo Fu's appearance, has also launched its revenge against Seireitei after a thousand years.
Yhwach is even more ambitious and一心wants to replace the Soul King.
In this situation where everyone has their own plans, the only way Kisuke Urahara can think of to give Seireitei a breather is to bring up Aizen.
Let Aizen and Luo Fu be trapped in a dilemma of targeting each other, unable to plot against the already disadvantaged Seireitei.
Although Seireitei seemed to have been caught off guard after the Wandenreich suddenly appeared, it was caught in a dilemma.
In fact, Seireitei simply hadn't consolidated its strength yet. After a short period of passive beatings, once Seireitei thoroughly understood the strength of the Wandenreich, the two sides would inevitably fall into a stalemate for a period of time.
It was even possible for Seireitei to turn defeat into victory.
Of course, Kisuke Urahara also knew that above the First Division of Seireitei, there was also Squad Zero, which was specifically responsible for protecting the Soul King.
When Seireitei's life and death were at stake, once Squad Zero personally intervened, those arrogant Quincies would inevitably face their doom, just like they did a thousand years ago.
And at this critical moment, Kisuke Urahara naturally wanted to do his best to share the burden for Seireitei.
He absolutely couldn't let the Aizen bomb explode in Seireitei and further weaken Seireitei's strength.
In this way, Rukia Kuchiki naturally became a victim of Kisuke Urahara's plan.
Even Yoruichi Shihouin shared the same goal in this regard.
Although Rukia Kuchiki was nominally the sister of the head of the Kuchiki clan, one of the four great noble families of Seireitei, in fact, her background was no secret to Yoruichi Shihouin, Kisuke Urahara, and others.
If it were targeting a direct descendant of the true Kuchiki clan, perhaps they would still hesitate, but someone who could only be considered to have been granted the surname, who was previously just a wandering soul from Rukongai.
Being able to sacrifice herself to protect Seireitei was, in the eyes of Yoruichi Shihouin and Kisuke Urahara, an honor for Rukia Kuchiki.
At worst, they would give Rukia Kuchiki enough mourning after Seireitei suppressed all rebellions and insubordination.
With Tessai Tsukabishi's help, Rukia Kuchiki quickly entered Soul Society.
At this time, Ichigo Kurosaki was completely immersed in Kisuke Urahara's teachings, completely unaware that Rukia Kuchiki had entered Soul Society as if walking into a trap.
This news was actually not hidden for long.
Or rather, after confirming that Rukia Kuchiki had entered Soul Society.
Kisuke Urahara took the initiative to inform Ichigo Kurosaki of this news.
Ichigo Kurosaki, who was immersed in training, was stunned when he learned that Rukia Kuchiki had returned to Soul Society.
He looked at Kisuke Urahara in disbelief, and an unprecedented rage surged in Ichigo Kurosaki's heart.
The hand holding the Zanpakuto was now bulging with veins and trembling slightly.
"Why? You clearly knew that Rukia gave me her Soul Reaper powers. If she returns to Soul Society, she will definitely be severely punished. Why didn't you stop her?"
Faced with Ichigo Kurosaki's angry questioning, Kisuke Urahara held a folding fan, opened it with a swoosh, covered half of his face, and said with a sighing tone, "Ya lai ya lai, it's not that I didn't want to stop her, but I didn't have any reason to stop her."
Before Ichigo Kurosaki could continue to get angry, Kisuke Urahara said, "You care about Rukia Kuchiki because she gave you the power of a Soul Reaper, or because she's your friend, but don't forget that Seireitei is also her home. Could it be that you can remain indifferent when you know that your hometown is being invaded?"
Ichigo Kurosaki fell silent.
After a long time, he said in an unprecedentedly firm tone, "How long do I have to obtain the ability of Shikai so that I can go to Soul Society to save Rukia?"
"Ah lai?" Kisuke Urahara looked at Ichigo Kurosaki meaningfully and said, "Are you also planning to save Seireitei together with Rukia Kuchiki?"