Restricted Death

Chapter 249 Rangiku's Favorability
Matsumoto Rangiku's recent mood can be described as extremely volatile.

Her initial panic stemmed from the news of Gin Ichimaru's arrest; that instant shock left her completely disoriented.

Upon learning of his long-hidden sorrow, the heaviness was immediately replaced by indescribable joy and heartache.

She went to Captain Xin's office again and again, only to receive the cold replies of "under interrogation" and "waiting for the results." With each passing day and night, her heart felt like it was being fried in a pot of boiling oil, burning with anxiety.

Then, not long ago, Shin suddenly told her the surprise that Gin Ichimaru had been pardoned. The turn of events came so quickly that it almost made her dizzy.

However, when she actually saw Gin Ichimaru in the dark corner of the cell, her joy froze instantly.

His hands and feet were shackled with heavy chains, and he looked so lonely. But when her gaze fell on him, the joy of regaining what she had lost was immediately replaced by intense pain.

Silver's face was devoid of its usual smile, and he was even reluctant to utter a gentle word. His calmness was like the coldest ice surface, radiating a profound sense of alienation.

When she excitedly told him that everything was resolved, that the Captain-Commander had not only pardoned him, but was also going to send him to the legendary, supreme Spirit King Palace for special training, Gin's reaction was as cold as ice. Gin Ichimaru simply gave a brief reply to the letter's routine inquiry, ignoring her burning gaze and silent concern.

In an instant, the immense joy was extinguished as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head, leaving only a chilling sense of bewilderment and an unspeakable dull pain.

Why is he acting this way? After going through so much, shouldn't he be happy? Does he want to continue carrying this shadow? Countless questions churned in her mind.

Matsumoto Rangiku felt that the distance between herself and Gin had not narrowed at all; on the contrary, it had grown deeper and farther apart in the silence.

But when the three finally left that cage-like prison and basked in the warm midday sun of Seireitei, the heavy chains were completely removed from Gin Ichimaru's hands and feet. The moment they fell to the ground with a tinkling sound, the sense of relief at having regained what was lost was like a resilient warm current, dispelling the gloom that had settled in their hearts and leaving behind a sense of genuine relaxation.

Gin Ichimaru was taken away by the Shinigami to meet the Captain-Commander. Rangiku Matsumoto took a deep breath, turned to Shin, and bowed deeply with utmost solemnity: "Thank you, Captain!"

The gratitude I feel at this moment comes from the bottom of my heart.

She knew that without Captain Shin's reasoned arguments and the guarantee he made with his own prestige at the brigade meeting, Gin Ichimaru would never have been able to gain his freedom, let alone this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Xin replied calmly, "I've already said that, there's no need to thank me."

Matsumoto Rangiku understood, of course, that Shin's actions were not purely to fulfill her wishes, but to confront the enormous crisis hanging over her head, and to utilize Ichimaru Gin's power. But at this moment, in her heart, this frankly acknowledged "utilization" was intertwined with a heavy sense of trust, a precious opportunity to give Ichimaru Gin a chance to get back on the right path and wash away his past stains.

【Favourability: 75】

"..."

After a moment of silence, Shin suddenly asked Matsumoto Rangiku, "Do you still hate me?"

Matsumoto Rangiku was taken aback by his words. She immediately realized what he meant. Her light golden hair danced in the sunlight streaming through the corridor window. She lowered her head slightly to avoid his probing gaze, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible sullenness and unnaturalness.

"...So many years have passed, I've long forgotten some things."

Matsumoto Rangiku lowered her head slightly, sunlight streaming through the latticed windows of the corridor, casting dappled patterns of light on her pale golden hair. After she uttered the word "forgot," the air froze briefly. She didn't truly look Shin in the eye; her gaze lingered on the barely perceptible folds in the hem of his haori.

Xin's gaze lingered for a moment on her downcast face. The subtle change in her expression did not escape his notice: the old wounds that were not yet fully healed, which were covered by forced relief, and the complex mixture of gratitude and heavy old resentment, were clearly reflected in his eyes.

He didn't ask any further questions, but simply gave a very light, almost silent "hmm," like a gentle breeze rippling across a calm pond.

Too many words at this moment would only be like pebbles thrown into a lake, completely shattering the fragile facade of "peace" that the two had painstakingly built up.

With regard to Gin Ichimaru, everything else followed naturally.

A day later, Shiba Kaien, Hitsugaya Toshiro, and Ichimaru Gin were all ready and, together with Shutara Senjumaru of the 12th Division, prepared to leave Seireitei on the Heavenly Pillar and ascend to the Soul King Palace.

Shin and Kyoraku Shunsui came to see them off.

Shiba Kaien's smile was as bright and sunny as ever. With brotherly affection, he patted Shin's shoulder firmly and said directly and with trust, "Please take good care of things back home."

Shin naturally understood that these intimate words referred to Ichigo Kurosaki. Upon hearing this, he remained silent and simply nodded in agreement.

The Heavenly Pillar Carriage, carrying the three of them, took off under the control of Shutara Senjumaru and quickly disappeared into the sky, which was dyed with the colors of the sunset.

Only when the light disappeared completely did Kyoraku Shunsui let out a long sigh of relief, his voice light and relaxed: "Phew, finally one thing is done."

After seeing him off, Shin didn't rest for a moment. He immediately went to the First Division barracks to meet with Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni and briefly reported that he would be going to the human world with Urahara Kisuke.

Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni did not ask many questions or inquire about the details. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded and said, "Granted. Return immediately."

These four simple words carry a heavy weight of trust.

Shin could sense that the Captain-Commander trusted him more than before, and he wondered if it was because of what Hyosube Ichibei had said when he met him earlier.

Before leaving Seireitei, Shin went to see Ishida Sōgen and told him about his trip to the mortal world and whether there was anything he needed to do.

Ishida Sogen pondered for a moment, then simply said, "Please tell Shingo to be careful."

Xin nodded: "I understand."

Ishida Sogen then asked, "Does what you said before still stand?"

"nature."

As he turned to leave, his eyes met Ishida Sogen's again, and he saw the solemnity in the other's eyes as he faced the unknown future.

Within the sealed walls of Seireitei, the prelude to an invisible iron curtain and the perils of war is unfolding.

Shin and Kisuke Urahara left Seireitei through the interdimensional gate prepared by the Technology Development Bureau.

Within the rift, space resembled stacked, distorted sheets of paper, with only a temporary foothold formed by condensed spiritual particles below. A surging torrent of time enveloped them; its flow here was two thousand times faster than outside, each step feeling like traversing a viscous medium.

Shin walked ahead, with Urahara following half a step behind. The two moved through the strange light and shadow at a leisurely pace.

The silence lasted for quite some time, until halfway through the journey, when Kisuke Urahara's slightly hoarse voice suddenly broke the silence. He spoke calmly, as if casually posing a question: "Captain Tachikawa, what are your thoughts on the future of the Three Realms...?"

Shin paused slightly, but didn't stop. He simply turned his head slightly and glanced at Urahara behind him out of the corner of his eye: "What do you mean?"

Urahara's voice betrayed no obvious emotion, but the question itself carried immense weight: "Do you think... we'll win?"

Xin turned back, then looked straight ahead and asked, "Don't you have any confidence?"

Kisuke Urahara chuckled, his usual flippant and casual tone: "Yes, after all, the enemies are so strong, one Aizen and one Yhwach. Neither of them is someone a nobody like me can match. To be honest, I can't even imagine what their power is like, so I'm really scared."

Xin scoffed at this, dismissing it as a joke: "Don't be ridiculous. I don't believe you'd be scared of this."

However, Kisuke Urahara suddenly stopped, the spirit pedal beneath his feet swaying slightly. The relaxed smile on his face vanished abruptly, replaced by a rare seriousness:

“I’m not joking, I’m genuinely scared. I don’t know where Captain Tachikawa gets his confidence in me from. I don’t even have that kind of confidence myself.” Kisuke Urahara put away his frivolous expression and looked serious. “From the moment we met, Captain Tachikawa seemed to have an unconditional trust in me, a trust that I find inexplicable.”

letter:"……"

Kisuke Urahara stared intently at the letter. "Could you please explain why you trust me so much? Why do you think we're guaranteed to win?"

Faced with Shin's silence, he continued to press, "Captain Tachikawa, it seems that you know much more than us from the very beginning, and also much more than the Soul Society. Sometimes I really wonder if you've even been to the Great Spirit Book Corridor."

Upon hearing this, Shin couldn't help but smile bitterly. He hadn't expected that Kisuke Urahara had been paying attention to him all along. It seemed that he had also underestimated this number one "wise man" among the Shinigami.

Originally, because Kisuke Urahara and his group did not share information with Soul Society, Urahara did not have much of a thought about Shin.

However, now that they have reached a reconciliation with Soul Society, information has begun to be integrated and shared, and some subtle, previously overlooked clues have been connected by Urahara, forming reasonable doubts.

Fortunately, the two of them were on the same side.

Shin said, "Mr. Urahara, is your suspicion of me based on a lack of self-confidence?"

"..."

“And my trust in you also stems from my distrust of myself.” Xin shrugged. “It seems we are somewhat similar in some ways, both of us being the kind of people who are unwilling to shoulder too much, but are always forced to do so.”

"..."

Kisuke Urahara remained silent, his eyes fixed on the letter.

"As for why I think we will win, it's because I have no other choice. I have to maintain an optimistic attitude. Otherwise, I can't keep spreading negativity among everyone. If the Captain-Commander finds out, he'll tear me apart."

Facing his gaze without backing down, Shin met it head-on: "And the reason I chose you is because I also wanted to find someone to share the burden with me. After thinking it over, Mr. Urahara, you are the most reliable one."

"..."

Within the deathly silent boundary, Kisuke Urahara suddenly opened his paper fan, obscuring half of his face.

"Captain Tachikawa's words make it sound like we're very good friends."

"Is not it?"

Kisuke Hara gave a subtle, enigmatic smile, waved his fan a few times, but did not answer the question.

The halo of light swirled, and the exit from the boundary was right before our eyes.

The two took a step forward and appeared in the clear sky above Karakura Town. A gentle breeze blew, and below them lay the familiar silhouette of the city.

Kisuke Urahara took out an inconspicuous, balloon-shaped gadget, put it to his lips, and gently blew on it. With a "poof," a "person" that looked exactly like him appeared in his hand.

"A portable prosthetic body, would you like one?" Urahara said with a grin. "You probably haven't applied for one, have you?"

Xin nodded and said, "You didn't say that there were things that could only be done by wearing a prosthetic body when we returned to the real world. Moreover, because I came back with you, I subconsciously put the matter of the prosthetic body out of my mind."

Kisuke Urahara then tossed Shin a capsule: "Just inject your spiritual power into it, and it will automatically generate a cyborg adapted to your spirit body."

After saying that, he put on the artificial body and fell downwards.

Xin did as instructed, channeling his spiritual energy into the capsule in his palm. The capsule instantly expanded, stretched, and deformed, quickly transforming into another "Xin" whose appearance was identical to his own. Without hesitation, Xin's spirit sank, completely merging into this temporarily generated body, and then fell to the earth.

The two landed lightly in the small, slightly dilapidated open space in front of Urahara Store. Urahara Kisuke dusted himself off, then suddenly turned his head and asked with a mischievous smile, "How does it feel? Because it's a portable prosthetic body, the material is special, so it's less comfortable than a normal prosthetic body."

"Not bad." Shin moved his hands and feet, feeling the subtle but real stiffness that the Gikai brought to his movements, but his mind had already turned to the important matter.

He guessed that Urahara's trip was mostly to check whether the crucial Hōgyoku core's hidden location in the mortal world was still safe.

Unexpectedly, Kisuke Urahara suddenly opened his signature paper fan with a "whoosh," once again covering half of his face, revealing only a pair of smiling eyes. His tone became mysterious and unpredictable, as if he had seen through Shin's thoughts: "Captain Tachikawa must have other things to do in this world, so go and take care of your own business. I don't need Captain Tachikawa's help for the time being."

"..."

Shin was speechless for a moment, looking at Urahara's "triumphant" smile, feeling only helplessness.

This guy is clearly making excuses to avoid acting alone.

(End of this chapter)