The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

Not to mention Erlang, even Gu Shi himself was starting to doubt his own judgment. He could clearly see that while the big rabbit was admitting defeat and apologizing, its two little feet were still making subtle, silent, and efficient movements, digging at the soil beneath its feet, as if it were trying to quietly dig a hole and escape.

The big rabbit is now a Vacuum, too big to be counted. A few digs and a pile of dirt is dug up. If it were before it evolved, this tactic of admitting defeat while secretly digging a hole would have been a pretty good way to escape.

After all, almost all effeminate personalities have a tyrannical nature. Seeing that their prey is so timid and easy to bully, they will inevitably play with it, or at the very least, mock it a few times before killing it. Judging from the speed at which the big rabbit digs its burrows, a few words should be enough time for it to burrow underground and escape.

...Such honed escape techniques couldn't have been developed just for deception, could they?

"Ahem, stop digging for a second, I have something to ask you."

Seeing that the hole dug by the giant rabbit was getting bigger and bigger, Gu Shi quickly coughed to interrupt. Otherwise, the sight of a 30-meter-long giant monstrous creature actually digging its way out of the ground would be too much of a torture for the eyes and brains of onlookers.

The big rabbit, who was still desperately apologizing, froze. It hadn't expected that its foolproof escape technique would be discovered. It trembled even more violently and secretly peeked at Gu Shi through its claws. Seeing that he really didn't intend to eat it, it relaxed a little and hurriedly made a loud promise.

"Go ahead and ask me anything, I'll answer honestly!"

"Hmm, don't be so nervous. I just wanted to ask, you evolved so quickly, which shows that you had a good foundation before. You must have consumed a lot of Void Spirits. Did you hunt those Void Spirits yourself?"

As time went on in the virtual world, Gu Shi became more and more straightforward, too lazy to play those roundabout games, and directly asked the questions that were on his mind.

Hearing Gu Shi ask this question instead of asking himself if rabbit meat tastes good, the big rabbit visibly relaxed and quickly answered.

"No, I stole them all!"

Then, before Gu Shi could ask any further questions, the big rabbit very perceptively offered an explanation.

"Some very powerful Hollows will kill many Hollows in one go when they hunt, and then eat them all at once. I stole their prey."

"It's very simple. Every time, I just wait until they start eating, then sneak underground and dig down the ground under their uneaten prey. Once the carcass falls down, I just carry it and escape underground. I can run very fast underground; they can't catch me!"

Becoming a Hollow did change the rabbit's personality a little, giving him a bit more courage than before. Although it was still insignificant, he couldn't help but raise his voice slightly when talking about his area of ​​expertise.

Gu Shi was stunned for a moment. After thinking it over in his mind, he found that the method the big rabbit mentioned was actually quite feasible. Before evolving into a Hollow, the vast majority, or even almost all, Hollows did not have the ability to fire Cero. A freak like Bat, who could fire Cero in the early Hollow stage, was probably one in tens of thousands of Hollows.

Hollows that can't use Cero can only fight with their claws and teeth. How are they supposed to chase down enemies underground? By digging their claws into the ground? Or by pounding the ground, hoping to kill their prey?

Given the limited attack methods available to the small Hollow, the large rabbit can be considered completely safe once it burrows one or two meters underground, unless it encounters other Hollows that are skilled at digging.

However, this big rabbit seems quite clever; it must have observed whether its target would burrow before stealing its prey.

...So, this big rabbit really is timid and cowardly, and has accumulated quite a bit of experience without much hunting on its own?

Gu Shi glanced at the ditch under the big rabbit's feet and nodded in agreement.

"Your skill in digging tunnels to save your life is indeed impressive, but it's basically useless once you reach the Hollow stage. A Cero can easily penetrate tens of meters of soil, and the underground is no longer a safe zone."

Startled by Gu Shi's words, the big rabbit realized that its secret life-saving technique had failed. The rabbit was filled with fear, its body trembling violently, and it withered quickly like a small flower thrown into the desert.

"Wait until you're disappointed. I have another question. If you're going to steal things slowly this way, you'll eventually evolve into a Hollow. Why are you actively coming out to provide us with information? Aren't you afraid that we'll change our minds after we find what we're looking for and just kill you?"

Ignoring the big rabbit's listlessness, Gu Shi patted her head and asked the question that mattered most to him.

"The rabbit is too lonely and wants friends."

The dejected rabbit seemed to have developed some strange habit, and, looking like it was about to die, rubbed against Gu Shi's hand and gave a hollow reply.

"The rabbit found you in the desert and thought you would kill them. The rabbit wanted to steal your prey, but unexpectedly, you not only didn't fight, but the atmosphere was also very good."

"The rabbit is so envious! The rabbit wants friends too!"

The big rabbit's voice unconsciously grew louder, but then immediately became low, and it hugged Gu Shi's leg, wiping away its tears in resentment.

"But the rabbit is too weak. The rabbit is afraid of being eaten by you, so it can only secretly follow you underground. The rabbit can do addition and can recite ancient poems, but the rabbit just doesn't dare to be your friend!"

"Later, you fell down, and the rabbit fell down with you. The rabbit was so scared that it burrowed into the ground and ran away. Unexpectedly, you turned into Hollows, and the rabbit was even more scared and dared not be friends with you anymore."

"Rabbit also wants to become stronger. If I become a Hollow, maybe I can become friends with you. So when I heard that I could become a Hollow by helping you, Rabbit couldn't help but crawl out."

"Rabbit wants to help you! Rabbit wants to become a Hollow! Rabbit wants to be your friend!"

As the rabbit spoke, it grew increasingly heartbroken, its voice trembling with sobs, and the torrent of tears completely soaked the hem of Gu Shi's black robe.

"Waaaaah, but the rabbit is going to die! The rabbit's escape plan is useless! The rabbit is going to die!"

Gu Shi listened patiently to the big rabbit's lament, secretly surprised. He hadn't expected that this guy had been following him since the surface desert. Fortunately, the big rabbit didn't have any bad intentions. Otherwise, if it had suddenly jumped out from underground to ambush him, he and Erlang might not have been able to handle it. Perhaps only the bat, which could fly, could have done it with an easier time.

"Don't cry, don't cry. You won't die. You're already a Hollow, very strong. You can survive without running away."

While surprised, Gu Shi didn't forget to comfort the big rabbit as gently as possible, like coaxing a child. He really couldn't feel any ill will towards this "little guy" who had no bad intentions and just wanted to be friends with him.

Gu Shi's words of comfort, though simple, were quite effective. Although the big rabbit's tears hadn't stopped, at least it had stopped sobbing. Staring at Gu Shi with its big, bloodshot eyes, it looked up at him with teary eyes, still seeking his reassurance.

"Rabbit, rabbit is very strong?"

"Of course, you are a Great Hollow, very strong, just lacking a bit of combat experience. You've been with us for so long, you must know what martial arts are. Go back and learn martial arts with Erlang, make up for your weaknesses, and you won't have to worry about not being able to beat others."

Gu Shi's words were truly heartfelt; they were not just simple words of comfort, but he even came up with a solution for Big Rabbit.

However, to his surprise, the big rabbit secretly glanced at Erlang and carefully lowered its voice to protest.

"Erlang, Erlang's martial arts are so good, how can I not learn them? I want to learn from you."

Erlang was initially quite moved by the big rabbit's heartfelt plea to be friends with them, and even showed a rare gentle expression. However, he was furious that the rabbit dared to criticize his martial arts skills. He grabbed the big rabbit's head and his cold voice came out from between his teeth.

"From today onwards, you are my first disciple. Don't worry, I will train you well and teach you real skills."

Chapter 84 We are Friends

"This should be the place, right?"

The black cat quietly jumped down from the branch and landed lightly on the ground. Not only did it make no sound, but it didn't even break the dry grass under its feet. Visually, it looked as if it was floating at zero distance from the dry grass rather than standing on it.

With a slight twitch of its tiny nose, the little black cat's golden eyes showed a hint of doubt. With a light step, accompanied by a puff of smoke, the black cat transformed into the appearance of a young girl.

"Could there be a problem with the stealth maneuver technology? The tracking device is pointing right here, isn't it? Why haven't we found any clues after searching so many times?"

The girl, Yoruichi Shihouin, muttered to herself in frustration. She had thought that the biggest challenge in capturing Yoruichi Saito would be how to deprive him of his ability to resist without killing him.

But to her surprise, the first step of the mission went wrong. She had the most advanced tracking device in her possession, but she couldn't find any trace of the other party. Saito Yoru's spiritual energy had vanished into thin air in a wasteland in the present world. She searched carefully for several rounds but found no clues.

This was Yoruichi Shihouin's first time carrying out such a formal mission, and she was filled with enthusiasm, eager to bring the target back immediately, both to prove her abilities and to uphold the dignity of the Execution Army and the Shihouin family.

Under the pressure of these psychological expectations, even though she kept telling herself not to rush and to calm down as soon as possible, a sense of anxiety still rose uncontrollably in her heart.

The sound of the autumn wind seemed to have turned into whispers, as countless people were talking about her. Her elders accused her of ruining the thousand-year-old reputation of the Shihōin family, her peers mocked her for having only the reputation of a genius, and other nobles who were waiting to see her make a fool of herself ridiculed her for her lack of ability.

"Ugh!!! So annoying!!!"

With an angry roar, Yoruichi Shihouin unleashed her Shunpo to its fullest potential, sprinting across the wilderness at top speed. This was both to vent her emotions and to expand her search area in hopes of finding useful clues.

After a while, Yoruichi Shihouin returned to the starting point. Although she had gained nothing and found no clues, the continuous cold wind that hit her face while she was running calmed her anxious emotions and allowed her to rationally rethink the doubts in the problem.

"It's impossible for her to disappear into thin air. Even if she was eaten by a Hollow or committed suicide, there should still be some spiritual energy left behind. She must have cleaned up the traces herself."

Yoruichi Shihouin frowned in thought. Her superb Shunpo skills, which were deeply ingrained in her instincts, allowed her to remain "floating" on the grass even without conscious effort, with the withered grass beneath her feet not bending in the slightest.

"But what kind of cleansing method did she use? It's one thing to be able to hide it from me, but even the special tracking equipment can't detect her spiritual energy."

"The instrument stopped responding when it reached this point. Could it be that she didn't continue running away at all, but actually stopped here and hid on the spot? Did she use a material similar to a killing stone to completely wrap herself up and prevent her spiritual power from leaking out?"

Where could she hide? Underground? Or in the sky?

Yoruichi Shihouin looked up at the sky. The weather was perfect today, with not a cloud in the sky. With just a slight tilt of her head, she could see the entire azure sky and not a single sign of anyone hiding above it.

Next, Yoruichi Shihouin looked at her feet. The soil itself has a certain blocking effect on spiritual energy. Although the effect is far less than that of the Killing Stone, theoretically speaking, if the hole is dug deeper and some Killing Stone fragments are embedded in the hole, it should also be able to block the spiritual energy.

Could it be that Saito Yoru had long anticipated his imprisonment and thus prepared an underground base here beforehand, hiding there immediately after escaping Soul Society?

If that's the case, the situation becomes quite troublesome. Finding the underground base would be like searching for a needle in a haystack, and even with a large investment of manpower and resources, success is not guaranteed.

Thinking of this, Yoruichi Shihouin felt a surge of irritation and quickly took a deep breath to calm himself down.

If Kisuke were here, he would definitely have a way to solve the problem.

Just as Yoruichi Shihouin was thinking this, a portal suddenly appeared in the air. As soon as the portal opened, before anyone could step out, a nonchalant voice floated out.

"Oh dear, it seems you've run into trouble, Yoruichi. No wonder the old man suddenly dragged me to the Shihōin family and kicked me through the Transcendental Gate without even exchanging a few pleasantries. It seems he wants me to help you."

A somewhat sleazy voice fell, and a blond boy, who looked like he had been staying up for three months straight and sleeping less than three hours a day, walked out of the portal with an unseemly scratching of his messy hair and a listless expression. He casually waved to Yoruichi as if that was all there was to say hello.

"Yoruichi, I really don't mean to sow discord, but the old man's actions clearly show he doesn't trust your abilities. Yoruichi, someone as proud and talented as you doesn't need friends' help; you can handle everything on your own!"

As he spoke, the boy, who seemed about to fall asleep at any moment, suddenly perked up and, with the air of a "good brother who values ​​loyalty," patted his chest, which was practically devoid of muscle.

"I'm different. I completely trust you, Yoruichi. How about it? Just say one word, Yoruichi, that you don't need any help, and I'll go back immediately and absolutely won't interfere with your mission!"

"Kisuke, if you say another sarcastic remark, I'll beat the shit out of you!"

With a fierce roar, Yoruichi Shihouin's expression softened quickly, revealing a hint of guilt.

"Kisuke, it's not that I didn't think about asking you for help. It's just that this is my first time carrying out a mission independently, and I hope to take it down beautifully by myself and shut up all those who were planning to laugh at the Shihōin family."

Kisuke Urahara raised an eyebrow, casually found a rock to sit on, and remained as lazy as ever, looking up at his friend who bore the name of Shihouin.

"So, you just left without saying anything, without even a goodbye? When I came to your door this time, were the servants of the Shihouin family able to tell me that you were out on a mission? Will I be able to find you next time you disappear?"

Will there come a day when you just quietly and completely disappear from my life?

Yoruichi Shihouin understood what Kisuke Urahara hadn't said yet, and fell silent. Putting herself in his shoes, if one day Kisuke Urahara suddenly disappeared and she couldn't find her best friend no matter what, she would definitely be very angry, very sad... very scared, right?

A silence hung heavy in the air between them, making them feel increasingly drowsy. It was as if they had both lost the ability to speak, until a cool autumn breeze blew by, and it was Urahara Kisuke who broke the suffocating silence first.

"Yoruichi, I'm sorry."

"……sorry."

"Okay! Then I forgive you!"

Kisuke Urahara clapped his hands, and the gloom on his face vanished.

Yoruichi Shihouin stared in astonishment at the smile on Kisuke Urahara's face, not understanding why he had so easily forgiven her with just a casual "I'm sorry." If their positions were reversed, she would at least have given that despicable "Yoruichi Shihouin" a couple of good punches.

Kisuke Urahara ignored Yoruichi Shihouin's confusion, his face full of a frivolous smile, and started making faces.

"Don't worry, Yoruichi. The Urahara family is just an insignificant little family, and Urahara Kisuke of the Urahara family is an unknown nobody. In the eyes of those high and mighty nobles, I am just a little follower following you around. Even if you accept my help, it will not diminish the glory of you as the heir of the Shihouin family."

"Even if I stand openly beside you, the only thing they'll discuss about me will probably be whether I'm responsible for carrying your water bottle or running errands. So, you can rest assured and ask me for help!"

Kisuke Urahara stood in the afterglow of the setting sun, arms outstretched in a cheerful mood, his face full of mockery for those "high and mighty," his tone unusually light.

"I'll help you, Yoruichi."

"I'll always help you. Until you subdue everyone who dares to look down on you, until your authority as the head of the Shihouin family is unshakeable, Urahara Kisuke will always be a lowly errand boy. Remember to save me a spot in the Second Division~"

"Kisuke, I disagree! This is unfair to you!"

Yoruichi Shihouin could not accept Kisuke Urahara's proposal. She knew that Kisuke Urahara was a genius, no less than herself.