Restricted Death

Chapter 206 Suspicious Companions

Shin put the artificial body back on, then took out a pocket watch from his pocket and glanced at the time.

"It seems like the time is about right."

Urahara Kisuke and Hirako Shinji were taken aback by these words: "What time?"

The letter says, "Naturally, it is the time when the people who are coming to rescue him will arrive soon."

These words startled everyone present. Hirako Shinji frowned: "What do you mean? The Soul Society found out so quickly?"

Kisuke Urahara also seemed thoughtful: "Since they arrived in the mortal world not long ago, everyone has only made their move after the barrier has been set up."

Could it be because he made Tessai Wakehime use the communication device to send a message to Soul Society?

Shin casually uttered a statement that caused everyone's expression to change drastically: "I informed Soul Society before I came out."

"What do you mean?!"

Shinji Hirako coldly questioned, "If the Soul Society has already learned of this operation, they will most likely face a large number of Shinigami from the Soul Society to surround them. Not to mention whether they can escape, even if they do escape, they will have to live a long time of hiding and running away in the future."

Xin said, "Don't worry, the Grim Reapers who come later are all my team members and will not pose a threat to your safety."

Even so, the faces of everyone present were still grim. They couldn't be sure if what the letter said was true, and besides, revealing their whereabouts would bring them great risks.

Kisuke Urahara pondered for a moment, then asked, "Can you tell us your reasons for doing this?"

Shin then looked at Gin Ichimaru in front of him, met his gaze, and said with a slight smile, "Naturally, Aizen needs to know some things. Otherwise, even if we eventually reach an agreement, it will be difficult for Lieutenant-Captain Ichimaru to explain to Aizen when he goes back."

The letter pointed to the other side of the barrier, to the Shinigami who were still unconscious: "You certainly won't have the heart to deal with all of these people. They will become a hidden danger. The Fifth Division's field mission this time was to support a Shinigami from the Thirteenth Division stationed in the human world. If everyone returns safely, but everyone except Vice-Captain Ichimaru is unconscious and doesn't know what happened, it will definitely cause trouble for Vice-Captain Ichimaru. Therefore, Vice-Captain Ichimaru needs to take the initiative to tell Aizen some of the truth."

"Am i right?"

Gin Ichimaru was speechless at Shin's words. Shin was right. Aizen didn't really care about his loyalty. As long as he felt he could easily control him, he would be extremely lenient with himself. Aizen was such an extremely confident person.

Just like during the last cultural festival, even though Aizen didn't realize that Shin's spiritual pressure had been with him, Gin Ichimaru still took the initiative to confess to Aizen about meeting Shin.

On Hirako Shinji's side, he first exchanged glances with the others, and Yadomaru Lisa and Yushōda Hachigen left the place together.

He then walked up to the letter and said, "This is different from what we discussed before. Didn't you think about informing us beforehand before doing this?"

The letter countered, "If I had told you beforehand, would you still have been willing to take this risk?"

Hirako Shinji sneered: "You're really confident. Let me make this clear: we're far from being able to trust you. You think you can lead us around as soon as you arrive? That's a bit too arrogant!"

Xin then reached out and gently scratched his cheek, looking helpless: "So, why is it that after hiding and lying in wait for more than forty years, your situation remains unchanged?"

Hirako Shinji's face showed anger: "You?!"

Kisuke Urahara then called out softly, "Hirako, it's alright."

He explained, "The place we are in is a copy space created by a Kido barrier. First of all, no one outside can detect any spiritual pressure fluctuations when they enter here. Secondly, we can also move this space to another place at any time. As for what Mr. Takami mentioned, it is that after we have dealt with things here, we should proactively reveal our whereabouts to the Soul Society. It will not pose any threat to our current safety."

He was someone who had a fairly clear understanding of the current situation, and before the operation began, he had already made enough preparations to deal with all kinds of emergencies.

Kisuke Urahara had also placed devices emitting spiritual pressure signals in many places throughout the city in advance, which would be activated to interfere with the Soul Society's search should anything change.

With Urahara Kisuke's reassurance, Hirako Shinji calmed down, but everyone was still dissatisfied with Shin's actions.

Ultimately, it's because Xin, as an outsider, repeatedly displayed an overbearing attitude of wanting to dominate everything during their interactions with them. No one likes such a person, especially when they were already wary of him.

Shin then looked at Gin Ichimaru again and said, "You don't have much time left, Vice Captain Ichimaru."

Gin Ichimaru met his gaze and grinned, "You guys don't really trust each other, do you? And you still want to recruit an outsider like me? Even if I did join you, before I could do anything, I'd probably have to face all sorts of suspicions from you, right?"

"..."

Ichimaru Gin's words left Hirako Shinji and the others speechless. They didn't trust Tachikawa Shinto much, let alone Ichimaru Gin.

But at that moment, Xin said, "I believe you."

Gin Ichimaru was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Captain Tachikawa, I really don't understand you," he said quietly. "If I were in your position, I wouldn't believe myself in this situation either, so why are you?"

The letter said, "Because we have a common enemy, and I know your story."

His story?

Gin Ichimaru was surprised. Could it be that he had seen it in the Great Spirit Book Corridor again?
He suddenly realized something was wrong! If the Great Spirit Book Corridor could really record everything, then how could Aizen's deeds not be exposed?

Although the Great Spirit Book Corridor is a highly confidential location with extremely high access levels in Soul Society, there are still people who can enter it.

His thoughts raced, and in a flash, as if he had grasped something, he stared blankly at the letter.

Xin responded with a faint smile.

"..."

Then, Gin Ichimaru slowly stood up and said, "Did she tell you?"

But Rangiku's knowledge is extremely limited, so what gives him the right to determine his stance based on that...?

This time, Xin didn't answer, but instead looked down at the pocket watch in his hand again.

The enclosed space fell into its longest silence since they entered.

Until Yadomaru Lisa's figure reappeared here.

"A portal to another dimension opened above the city. There are four Shinigami (death gods) there. Their spiritual pressure is not strong. One of them is probably at the level of fourth-grade spiritual power."

A fourth-rank Spirit Might is only at the level of a vice-captain.

This news brought a sigh of relief to the Masked Army and their group.

Shin sighed, "It seems we ultimately failed to reach an agreement." Gin Ichimaru: "..."

After Xin finished speaking, the members of the Masked Army looked at Gin Ichimaru with cold eyes, seemingly intending to make a move.

Ignoring the hostility from those around him, Gin Ichimaru looked at Shin and said, "I can't be your comrade."

He lowered his gaze and glanced at the chains binding his hands.

"but……"

"I am quite pleased to see you all. I think Captain Aizen wouldn't want him to be too lonely on this journey. If I can leave alive today, I will tell him about some of the things that happened here. Similarly, if we have the chance to meet again, I might convey some of Captain Aizen's thoughts to you."

Xin smiled enigmatically: "Just some things?"

Gin Ichimaru's face once again broke into a foxy smile.

"What, Captain Tachikawa, do you want Captain Aizen to know that you were involved? If that's your idea, I'll consider it. It wouldn't be bad to see a look of surprise on Captain Aizen's face."

"Forget it then."

Before Hirako Shinji and the others could speak, Urahara Kisuke approached, waving his folding fan, and said with a smile, "Congratulations on joining us, Vice Captain Ichimaru. We really enjoy making friends; after all, having more friends means having more options."

Kisuke Urahara's opening remarks startled Shinji Hirako and the others, who then fell silent.

With the chains removed from Gin Ichimaru's body by Shinji Hirako, he felt that the previously dormant spiritual power within him could finally be reactivated.

Kisuke Urahara waved again to Lisa Yadomaru in the distance: "Miss Yadomaru, please let Tessai and Hachigen in."

Tessai and Hachigen Ushōda, who had been outside, returned to this space. After a brief exchange with Kisuke Urahara, Hachigen Ushōda took the initiative to step forward and first cast a special Kidō spell, an oval miniature barrier that enveloped Gin Ichimaru and several Shinigami lying unconscious to the side.

Tessai Wakehime also used Kido, and in Ichimaru Gin's sight, the people in front of him, along with this space, disappeared in an instant.

After a moment of disorientation, he snapped back to reality and found himself on a city rooftop.

Gin Ichimaru's gaze swept around thoughtfully.

And that's how it came out...

He looked somewhat wistful, and as he recalled what had just happened, there was a sense that it all felt unreal.

From the moment he fell into the trap and was captured, to the standoff between the two sides, they finally reached an agreement, an agreement that was not binding on either side.

He could have easily disobeyed the agreement without any punishment, but even so, these people still released him.

On what grounds? Just because of Tachikawa Shin's pale "I believe you"?
Their positions are not aligned simply because they share the same enemy. So where does Tachikawa Shin's confidence come from?
Or perhaps he was simply gambling...

Before long, a small team flew in from the sky, led by a silver-haired boy.

"Vice Captain Ichimaru!"

These people are all members of the 10th Division, and it's quite a rare thing that they can come to the human world.

After Hitsugaya and the others arrived, they first checked on the members of the Fifth Division and the Thirteenth Division, and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that they were just unconscious.

"Why are you here?" Gin Ichimaru asked.

“In our squad’s records, there’s a rather special Hollow that matches the spiritual pressure fluctuations of the Hollow that appeared in the mortal realm this time. Our captain sent me to investigate, saying you might be in danger,” Hitsugaya explained. “What about that Hollow? Have you dealt with it?”

"Ah..." Gin Ichimaru's narrowed eyes made it impossible to read his gaze.

"It was quite dangerous. I put in a lot of effort and almost died here."

Hitsugaya was also taken aback; Gin Ichimaru was a Shinigami with the strength of a captain!
He looked at the other party and pondered for a while, thinking that it was probably because of the limited spiritual seal. However, this was probably an exaggeration. Since the Hollow was defeated without the limited spiritual pressure being released, it meant that the Hollow's strength was far from being able to threaten the other party's life.

He said, "Anyway, it's good that nothing happened. I'll contact Soul Society first and have the members of the Fourth Division get ready behind the Transcendental Gate."

Gin Ichimaru looked at Hitsugaya for a moment, then suddenly said, "Third Seat Hitsugaya, Captain Tachikawa thinks highly of you."

Hitsugaya replied helplessly, "It's not that I value you, it's just that I'm easy to boss around."

He was somewhat sensible and didn't speak ill of his boss like Matsumoto Rangiku did.

Gin Ichimaru said, "Hitsugaya Sansuke has reached this position at such a young age, his future is limitless."

Hitsugaya's expression was strange. He had heard many such compliments before, but it felt odd to hear them from Gin Ichimaru. His own resume was indeed outstanding, but the person in front of him was no less impressive. He had also graduated from the Spirit Arts Academy in just one year and had become the third seat in the Thirteenth Division as soon as he joined. When Hitsugaya heard the other person praising him, it was as if the other person was also praising him.

"Vice Captain Ichimaru is too kind. I am too inexperienced and have many shortcomings. I still need to learn more from Vice Captain Ichimaru."

To be honest, he didn't really like the vice-captain who always had a fake smile, but he couldn't be cold to him because of his pride, especially since they were on a mission.

Hitsugaya then thought that if one day in the future a vacancy arises among the captains of the thirteenth squad, that person would most likely be his rival.

Gin Ichimaru looked at Hitsugaya with a smile and said, "I feel like Hitsugaya, the third seat, is a bit hostile towards me."

Hitsugaya was surprised to hear this: "Really? You must have misunderstood."

Perhaps.

As Gin Ichimaru spoke, he reached into his pocket again, but Kisuke Urahara did not return the messenger to him.

Just right.

This explanation would be more believable when given to Aizen.

After the members of the 10th Division who had arrived searched the area and confirmed that there were no other Hollows, Hitsugaya used the communication device to send a message to the Soul Society.

Above everyone, the portal reopened.

Before stepping through the interdimensional gate, Gin Ichimaru turned and looked at the city one last time. Every time he came to the human world, he always felt a sense of unfamiliarity, perhaps because they did not belong to this world.

Gin Ichimaru was also unsure what the consequences of his choice would be.

(End of this chapter)