Restricted Death

Chapter 243 Infernal Affairs
The sky above Seireitei was unusually clear after the dust of the fierce battle had settled. The afternoon sun shone unhindered into the solemn courtyard of the First Division's quarters, casting long shadows through the tall wooden corridors, cutting through the tranquil patches of light.

Kisuke Urahara leaned against a pillar, his signature green and white striped hat pulled low, almost obscuring most of his face. Despite his seemingly relaxed posture, his knuckles were unconsciously tapping lightly on the wooden pillar, producing a barely audible tapping sound, as if he were pondering something.

Hirako Shinji held the back of his head, staring blankly at the water droplets dripping from the eaves, his face empty, a mixture of complex emotions that had faded after the fierce battle.

Kensei Rokusha stood against the wall, arms crossed, his expression solemn. Hachigen Ushōda and the others sat quietly together, silent, yet subtly conveying a sense of alienation and bewilderment at returning to their homeland.

The heavy silence was broken by a slender yet upright figure at the corner of the corridor.

Soi Fon stood there, her petite figure outlined by the dark-colored haori worn by the Second Division Captain. Beneath her neat purple short hair were a pair of narrow eyes that were now fixed intently on the corner of the corridor. Her presence seemed to carry an invisible pressure, making the already tense atmosphere suddenly freeze.

Yoruichi Shihouin sat cross-legged on the corner railing, her posture languid and casual, like a cat feigning sleep. Her golden eyes were slightly narrowed, carrying a complex and unreadable, ambiguous smile, as she calmly met the pair of eyes that were tightly locked on her at the door, eyes that held a storm within them.

She wasn't surprised by Soi Fon's arrival. Their gazes met silently in the frozen air, stirring up an undercurrent that no one else could understand. Everyone's eyes also turned towards them, filled with inquiry, understanding, and a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Everyone's eyes turned to look at them.

"I'm going out."

As Yoruichi Shihouin spoke, she vanished from her spot in a flash with a Shunpo. The instant she disappeared, Soi Fon also sprang into action, both moving at incredible speed! A sharp, tearing sound rang out the moment they disappeared.

Everyone present knew about the past relationship between Yoruichi Shihouin and Soi Fon, so seeing this scene unfold was not surprising.

Not long after Yoruichi left, the light and shadow flickered again at the entrance of the corridor, and another person quietly arrived. She was dressed in the standard female Shinigami uniform, with glasses perched on her nose, and her demeanor was calm and intellectual—it was Nanao Ise, the vice-captain of the 8th Division.

When Yadomaru Lisa saw the newcomer, she couldn't help but feel a little dazed. After so long, returning to this familiar Seireitei and seeing her former friend now a capable vice-captain, everything felt both familiar and strange, filled with a strong sense of unreality, as if looking at the scenery on the shore through a flowing curtain of water.

Lisa Yadomaru hesitated for a moment, her fingertips unconsciously curling slightly, before she moved to meet her.

The gaze behind the glasses met Ise Nanao's calm eyes. No words were needed; the century-long gap seemed to be quietly connected at this moment by some invisible thread.

"I'm going out too."

Once Yadomaru Lisa's figure disappeared, only a few members of the Visored remained in the corridor. Hirako Shinji, who had been leaning against a pillar, suddenly chuckled softly. His laughter was short and slightly hoarse, breaking the brief silence.

"In the end, I just can't let go of it." He seemed to be talking to himself, but also sighing to his companions.

At first, when Captain-Commander Yamamoto appeared before them with his imposing face and unequivocally invited him to resume his post as captain of the 5th Division of the Gotei 13, he felt a strong sense of resistance.

So much happened today that he wasn't even mentally prepared, nor did he have a process to accept it.

Now it seems that although these people have been living in exile, the Soul Society is their root. Despite the painful things that have happened, now that the opportunity has been presented to them in such an almost forceful way, a chance to completely erase the darkness of the past and start anew... why should they be like stubborn children, clinging to those painful fragments?

Does clinging to the thorns of the past really make me live a better life? Whom can these resistances and awkwardness ultimately prove to, and who can they hurt?

He glanced sideways at his companions.

After a brief moment of confusion and estrangement, their gazes seemed to subtly change in response to Yoruichi, Lisa's actions, and his words at that moment.

A long-dormant sense of responsibility and belonging, belonging to them, began to quietly sprout like a seed buried deep in the earth, in the spirit-filled atmosphere of Seireitei.

"Kisuke."

Kisuke Urahara seemed to have already seen through his turbulent emotions, and without needing any further words, he simply said, "Stay."

His voice was deep and carried a sense of certainty, as if the dust had settled. His tone was not one of advice, but rather a statement of an inevitable conclusion.

"..." Hirako Shinji was silent for a moment, a last struggle before letting down his guard.

Kisuke Urahara continued, seemingly analyzing the unavoidable reality on behalf of Hirako and everyone else: "Next, we will face not only Aizen but also the Quincy. We cannot stand aside from either of them. The right way is to concentrate our power with the Soul Society."

Most of these people had served as captains of the Gotei 13, but since only the captain positions of the 5th and 9th Divisions were vacant, only Shinji Hirako and Kensei Muguruma had the opportunity to become captains again.

As for Rojuro Touhou, Rabu Aikawa, and Urahara, it's impossible for them to ask the current captains of the 3rd, 7th, and 12th Divisions to give up their captain positions, nor is there any reason for it. And they certainly wouldn't submit to anyone else.

So, stay.

This statement pointed the way for Hirako, and for all his companions who were still hesitating.

After Soi Fon and Lisa Yadomaru, another person arrived. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and found it was Shin.

Kisuke Urahara shifted his body and looked directly at him.

Was everything that happened today within your expectations?

Xin walked up to them with steady steps. He shook his head slightly, his face expressionless, appearing unusually calm: "Some are here, some are not."

He noticed that Yoruichi Shihouin and Lisa Yadomaru were missing from the group, but he didn't think much of it.

“Gin Ichimaru has been temporarily imprisoned. I originally told Aizen about the Quincy, and I guessed that he might retaliate directly, but I still underestimated Aizen. He had already noticed that something was wrong with Gin Ichimaru.”

Gin Ichimaru's move has been ruined.

Hirako Shinji frowned slightly and asked the most pressing question: "What are you planning to do next?"

The letter said, "I suggested to the Captain-Commander that I request the help of the Zero Division, and the Captain-Commander should have given his permission."

Zero Squad...

After a brief moment of thought, Kisuke Urahara slowly nodded. Faced with the threat of the Quincy and Aizen, which could shake the foundation of the three worlds, the power of the Zero Division was an indispensable key factor. At this time, the Soul Society did indeed need the Zero Division to intervene.

“Zero Squad… then wouldn’t that mean…” Hiyori Sarugaki, who had been sulking, suddenly spoke up in utter surprise, her voice rising several decibels, her expression instantly replaced by intense shock and anticipation.

Little was known about the existence of the Zero Division. This top-secret organization, dedicated to protecting the Soul King's Palace, rarely appeared in the Seireitei, shrouded in mystery. These former captains and vice-captains had only ever seen one member of the Zero Division in their long careers.

Kiryu Hikifune, former captain of the 12th Division, entered the Zero Division after developing a technique to implant "temporary souls" into the body, thus laying the foundation for the development of "Gi-Tonomaru".

However, they never saw each other again after that.

Hiyori Sarugaki, formerly the vice-captain of the 12th Division, had Kiryu Hikifune as her most respected superior. She held a deep, almost motherly, affection and profound respect for Kiryu Hikifune.

Therefore, when Kiryu Hikifune had just left the 12th Division and Kisuke Urahara took over as the captain of the 12th Division, she disliked Urahara for a period of time.

Shinji Hirako scratched his chin and said, "Ah, there's a chance to meet Ms. Hikifune, isn't there?"

Sarugaki Hiyori immediately said to Hirako Shinji, "Hey! Baldy, I want to stay too! I'll be your adjutant!" Hirako Shinji's lips twitched at this, and he turned his head away with utter disgust, "I'd rather die than do that!"

Snapped!
No sooner had he finished speaking than a slipper landed squarely and accurately on his face.

Sarugaki Hiyori roared angrily, "What do you mean? It's an honor for you that I'm your adjutant, and you're still not happy about it?!"

With that, she pounced on him, opened her mouth wide, and bit down on Hirako Shinji's head.

"Ah!!! You lunatic, let go! I'm really going bald!"

Urahara Kisuke watched the two of them playfully bickering, a faint, nostalgic smile involuntarily curving his lips. His gaze slowly swept across the sunlit courtyard, over the familiar building outlines, and over the unique spiritual particles that belonged to the Seireitei, slowly flowing in the air.

Indeed, everything before him, the noise around him, gave him a strong sense of being in another world. A hundred years seemed to be compressed and traversed in this moment, blurring the boundaries of exile. The familiar and the unfamiliar intertwined under this sky of post-apocalyptic life.

#
Technology Development Bureau.

After returning here following the captains' meeting, Mayuri Kurotsuchi did not conduct any further research. Instead, he directed some team members to move many items out of the warehouse and place them in a research room.

He then remained motionless in the research room, staring intently at the objects.

As the third seat of the 12th Division, Akin, passed by the door, he walked in and asked, "Captain?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi did not turn around, but only glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Ok?"

Ajin glanced at the items and noticed they were all things that weren't commonly used. After thinking for a moment, he said, "These things... I remember they were all products developed by the previous captain."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi snorted softly upon hearing this: "Not bad, but I've already improved them all."

Ajin asked curiously, "Why did you take them out?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi chuckled lightly, "You don't know yet, do you? He's already back."

“He…” Akin paused, then immediately realized, “You mean, Urahara…”

Mayuri Kurotsuchi continued, "He was lucky; he was exonerated for what happened back then."

Ajin: "..."

The third seatman suddenly glanced at his captain's back with a strange look, and he suddenly understood why his captain had suddenly taken out this pile of old antiques from the warehouse.

She's planning to show off in front of Kisuke Urahara.

He was well aware of his captain's feelings towards his predecessor.

Akin thought for a moment and asked, "Will Captain Urahara come here?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi smiled confidently: "They'll definitely come!"

As the night passed, Nie Jianli stood in the study all night, until A Jin's figure reappeared at the door.

"Captain, are you still waiting?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi gritted his teeth: "Damn Kisuke Urahara!"

#
Xin was summoned again and came to meet the chief commander.

Kyoraku Shunsui is also there.

“I’m taking you to see someone,” Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni said to him.

Upon hearing this, Xin couldn't help but wonder who the other person was referring to.

Could it be that the Zero Squad has arrived?
Shin then followed Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, and the three of them walked out of the First Division barracks.

Zhenyang underground prison.

Upon arriving here, Shin felt something was amiss, realizing that the person he was supposed to meet was not from the Zero Division.

The three of them went downhill until they reached the gate at the very bottom.

“Where is this…” Xin paused, taken aback.

“Avici Hell,” Kyoraku Shunsui said. “This is the largest prison in Soul Society, a place without a single gap and with infinite space.”

Avici Hell is the place where Soul Society inflicts extreme punishment on souls who have committed the most heinous crimes in history. Once a soul enters this place, it means that it has been forever abandoned by Soul Society, and its image will gradually disappear into the dust of history.

Shin was speechless for a moment. He knew that in the original history, Aizen was imprisoned here after his defeat.

But now, who's locked up here...?

The letter asked, "Whom do we want to see?"

Kyoraku Shunsui explained for him: "The eighth Kenpachi is Soujiro Azajo."

Kenpachi Yatsura... Mochishiro...

Xin was taken aback upon hearing this, and information about this person quickly flashed through his mind.

He remembered that this person was indeed a notorious criminal in Soul Society, and that his goal seemed to be to completely eliminate Hollows.

Moreover, in the original history, after Aizen was imprisoned in the Abyss, Sou Azajo also met Aizen and broke Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu.

He is also the only person in the world of Bleach who broke free from the Kyoka Suigetsu spell after being poisoned by it!

Xin's mind raced. After figuring out the man's identity, he still didn't quite understand why he had come to see him.

Is Soul Society seeking to bolster its forces? Is that why they're releasing this notorious criminal?

Kyoraku Shunsui added, "He should be the only one who can allow us to enter the Invisible Empire."

(End of this chapter)