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Chapter 337: Meeting an Old Friend

What the hell?!

Gin Ichimaru and Zaraki jumped up almost reflexively.

Both of them looked into the distance, their expressions conveying a sense of solemnity in their own ways.

As a member of the Gotei 13, I am naturally extremely sensitive to this level of change—especially given the immense spiritual pressure involved.

Has it reached a level comparable to a captain-level figure? No—that's not right.

"Even more outrageous than some team captains—"

Gin Ichimaru squatted on the ground, shouting as his brain raced.

"The situation is unclear—is it an intrusion?!"

Zaraki sprang up from the ground as if by reflex, revealing a ferocious grin, and chuckled as he stepped forward.

He preferred finding his own value in this way rather than engaging in endless arguments and discussions that yielded no results.

"I'll stop them! Ichimaru, you organize the men!"

The latter began to act without saying a word, and the level of tacit understanding between the two was self-evident.

In fact, after growing up over the years, the two of them have basically gotten used to this way of getting along.

Even when Matsushita Yusuke doesn't participate in administrative work, the two of them can handle things separately and manage them in an orderly manner.

That's why I wanted to kick them out — why keep them here, just to let them get moldy?

Matsushita Yusuke saw this, his mouth slightly open, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he chose to remain silent.

The reason is also very simple.

The identities of Kurosaki and his son are already somewhat complex. While it's theoretically feasible to force others to accept the status quo through administrative means—

But this will also make subsequent problems more apparent.

Admittedly, it would be difficult to explain to the nobles, but if one's strength reaches the level of Matsushita Yusuke and one acts in the name of the Soul King, these are all minor issues.

But for Isshin Kurosaki, it was something he couldn't accept.

Matsushita Yusuke had spoken with him before, and at that time, Kurosaki Isshin expressed his desire to rebuild his life and split up the family.

This is actually quite tricky.

Although he was not a nobleman, Yusuke Matsushita knew a little about these people because of Soi Fon.

Conservative, relying on seniority, and preoccupied with weighing pros and cons—

Honestly, spending too much time with these people makes you feel a bit rotten, so it's understandable that Aizen would hate them.

If the Shiba clan wants to revitalize itself, building good relationships with these people is an essential step.

In other circumstances, Matsushita Yusuke would have had to carefully consider and choose the right time for the meeting, etc.

But now there's obviously no need to worry about that, because there are ready-made solutions.

Let your fists do the talking.

Of course, this does not refer to a threat in a direct sense.

Rather, it was to make these people realize the reasons why the Shiba family was able to rise again.

A brilliant and intimidating victory is the best stepping stone.

As Matsushita Yusuke pondered this, a subtle expression naturally appeared on his face.

He touched his chin thoughtfully, and after a moment of contemplation, he seemed to burst out laughing.

In the past, he would never have imagined this situation. But the current situation is quite different—it seems that the saying that environment changes people is indeed true.

Yusuke Matsushita has been influenced by Soul Society and has changed far too much since then.

He also learned to compromise and think, considering how to maximize benefits when conditions allowed.

Especially in this situation where no blood was shed.

Yusuke Matsushita felt that he seemed to understand something now—why Aizen was so fond of manipulating other people's thoughts and lives.

Compared to ordinary communication, this top-down perspective is indeed refreshing.

If this state continues for a long time, and people treat others as things to be used, then it seems only natural that they will become complacent.

With a sigh, Matsushita Yusuke gathered his thoughts and pondered for a while.

As Ichigo Kurosaki's first opponent, it wouldn't be bad to let Gin Ichimaru and Zaraki test him out.

But correspondingly, he also needs to lay more groundwork to make the conflict seem attractive enough.

"It seems we'll have to work on it a bit more."

With that thought in mind, Matsushita Yusuke stood up and disappeared from the office in the blink of an eye.

And at almost the same time.

Matsushita Hikari, who was lying in the courtyard of the First Squadron barracks eating a sweet potato, seemed to sense something and turned her head to the side.

"----Um?"

Her reaction was somewhat novel, but it quickly turned into a subtle sense of excitement.

"That guy really came!"

The girl suddenly stood up, clutching half a sweet potato in her hand, as if she was about to leap out at any moment.

But a figure nearby stopped them in their tracks.

"Don't exercise so soon after eating, or your intestines will clump together."

Yamamoto chuckled and pulled the girl to a stop. His face, which was usually serious, was now just smiling gently.

"And someone has already gone there to handle it—it's better for us to just wait and see."

"But Ichigo is my friend, and I was thinking of introducing him to Yama-san."

"Hehehe, there's always a chance, there's always a chance~"

The old man smiled happily, freeing his left hand to pat the girl's head, his eyes filled with emotion.

Although he has no children of his own, it does not stop Yamamoto from expressing his fondness for children—perhaps people become more sentimental as they get older, and for Yamamoto, he now enjoys playing with girls.

Of course, Yamamoto didn't care whether the other party was respectful or not—this was just a child's nature, and he wouldn't blame them.

Matsushita Hikari returned to her seat, plopped down, her eyes darting around before she spoke hesitantly.

"But—if I don't intervene, the others probably can't beat Ichigo, right?"

"Is that kid some kind of amazing person?"

"Yeah, Dad said he's really strong. I didn't believe him before—but now he really is pretty good. If I don't use my full strength, I'm no match for him!"

"yes."

Yamamoto's gaze became somewhat unfocused. He seemed to have carefully considered these words, then chuckled and said softly.

"In that case, we should see how good this kid is—hehe, let's wait and see."

There are quite a few people who think like Yamamoto. Now that Matsushita Hikari has been dragged to the spot, she scratched her head and showed a rather helpless expression.

There's just no way to deal with that old guy —

Meanwhile, on the other side, Kurosaki Isshin, who had just landed with Ichigo, looked around at his surroundings.

Returning to this familiar place, his expression inevitably showed some excitement. However, beyond that, it was mostly a look of wistful emotion.

It really hasn't changed at all!

Although this is the true nature of Soul Society, such feelings become even more pronounced after a long trip and subsequent return.

It gives one a feeling of being speechless and amused.

"Hey! Dad, is this where you grew up?"

Hearing Ichigo's voice behind him, Kurosaki Isshin couldn't help but chuckle, then sighed.

"You idiot—what did I tell you before? This place is called Rukongai," and

This is not one of the main bases of operations for us Grim Reapers!

But then again—

"It's actually the place where your old man grew up."

After all, the Shiba family is no longer a noble family.

Both Shiba Kaien, from the main family, and Shiba Isshin, from the branch family, are now residents of Rukongai.

The situation is similar for characters like Shiba Kukaku in the original work, so there's really no room for argument on this point.

Speaking of which...

Kurosaki Isshin briefly observed the surroundings, then grinned.

"Since you're already here, let me introduce you to some distant relatives. To be honest, their relationship with you isn't that far off—"

Ichigo, who had been observing his surroundings, paused for a moment.

"Huh? Didn't we say we had to go to some team, number 13, to explain the situation first?"

"Haha, being adaptable is a sign of an adult's confidence. When you're already on a long trip, it's common for plans to fall short of reality—you have to get used to it."

"Don't try to make your haphazard arrangements sound so good—"

Despite his complaints, Ichigo Kurosaki was still observing his surroundings, his curiosity undiminished.

After all, this was a completely unfamiliar world to him.

More than ten years of life experience, education, and other things have shaped Ichigo Kurosaki's fixed values ​​long ago.

The Earth is round, there is gravity, the moon revolves around the Earth—these are the kinds of things he knows.

But now, he sees a completely different world.

Where do people go after they die?

A long time ago, Ichigo Kurosaki had thought about something similar, but it was just a casual thought during his leisure time.

If we analyze it further, it is ultimately nothing more than a small delusion born from a lingering longing for his mother.

All of these ideas underwent a dramatic change at this moment.

Knowledge such as "Death God, Three Realms, Hollow" kept pouring in, and at this moment, the world called "Soul Society" unfolded before his eyes, presenting a bizarre and wonderful scene.

It's truly amazing.

"Ichigo, Ichigo?"

"————Huh? Ah!!!"

Kurosaki Isshin's face came into view, and he raised his hand to gently pat his son's cheek.

"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly become so dazed? Is something wrong with your body?"

"No—no, I was just suddenly struck by how big the world is, and I was a little scared."

"Yeah----"

Kurosaki Isshin took a half step back, put his hands on his hips, and looked his son up and down.

This made the latter feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"W-what's wrong?"

"Ha! I just suddenly realized that you can be so helpless sometimes—even though you act so assertive at home. So, do you ever feel guilty?"

Before Ichigo could reply, he had already turned his back and waved with a smile.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Since this is a rare opportunity, let me tell you about the local customs and culture. I remember you're quite interested in these things, aren't you?"

How did you know?

"Is this all the kind of books you usually read? — I'm your father, how could I not understand your personality and temperament at all?"

Hearing these words, Ichigo Kurosaki's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.

"Then tell me, what's different about this place?"

"Hmm~ To be precise, it's roughly like a period a little before the Edo period. But the zoning system is a bit different, and the jurisdiction and police systems are also quite different —"

The father and son chatted for a while, but after walking only a few dozen meters, they stopped.

There is no other reason.

A sudden figure blocked their path, preventing them from advancing even an inch further.

The opponent fell straight down from the sky, crashing into the ground and creating a deep crater, raising a cloud of dust—Ichigo Kurosaki raised his right hand to shield himself, glancing nervously to his side.

"Hey, Dad—"

The latter's expression was also somewhat serious.

As the smoke and dust in front of him gradually dissipated, he turned his head slightly and spoke to Ichigo behind him.

"This is what I told you about before, the captain of the Gotei 13—can you feel it? This is the spiritual pressure. Yes, in our Soul Society, this is the symbol of strength."

It seemed they had noticed the tone of the person's voice.

The figure that was walking out suddenly paused, as if hesitating for a long time, and only after the smoke and dust gradually dissipated did the figure appear.

It was Toshiro Hitsugaya.

He wore a suspicious expression, his gaze piercing through the smoke and dust as he looked at the two people in front of him.

As a member of the inner palace guard, this kid had the fastest reaction speed—and after arriving at the scene, he was also a little uneasy.

After all, he could also sense the constantly changing spiritual pressure emanating from the other party.

The intense pressure also stirred a sense of unease within him.

When did people like this become allowed to freely enter and leave Soul Society?

Logically, waiting for others to act together would be the safest option, but given his responsibilities, Toshiro chose to act alone.

"You two, what exactly are you trying to achieve by trespassing into Soul Society—"

"Oh! It's Hitsugaya!!!"

Kurosaki Isshin pointed his right hand at him, his face beaming with joy as if he had seen a giant panda at the zoo.

"You've really grown a lot, kid! I almost didn't recognize you just from sensing your spiritual pressure—so, you're already a captain? You're really capable, hahaha!"