“Got it, got it.
This is such a hassle!” Kurosaki ichigo complained loudly, “Don’t you dare die in some forgotten corner, Rukia!”
Rukia turned back and saw Kurosaki ichigo impatiently carrying his disproportionately large blade, but in the eyes beneath his orange hair, there was a hint of concern he couldn’t hide.
She said nothing more, just gave Kurosaki ichigo a deep look, then, dragging her heavily injured body, she disappeared step by step into the night.
Only when that petite figure was completely out of sight did Kurosaki ichigo withdraw his gaze, looking down at his outfit and the exaggerated sword in his hand.
“What kind of situation is this…” He ruffled his hair in distress, letting out a long sigh.
Meanwhile, on the quiet streets of Karakura Town.
Rukia Kuchiki leaned against a cold wall, every step sending sharp pain through her abdomen, and cold sweat soaked her bangs.
At this moment, she had lost all her Shinigami power and was even weaker than an ordinary Soul.
“I can’t return to Soul Society for now,” she panted, beginning to calmly assess her current predicament.
The most urgent task was to find a place to settle down and figure out how to restore her spiritual power.
But as a Shinigami who had lost her power, staying in the Human World as a spiritual body for too long was not only dangerous for her but would also cause her Soul to be eroded by the Human World’s Qi, eventually dissipating.
“Damn it,” Rukia bit her lower lip unwillingly, “I really don’t want to go to that swindler unless it’s absolutely necessary…”
But at this point, there seemed to be no other choice.
In the Human World, only Kisuke Urahara could provide her with a special container—a gigai.
The so-called “gigai” was a disguised body invented by the Department of Research and Development, allowing Shinigami who had lost their power or needed to hide their identity to live in the Human World like ordinary humans.
It not only protected against the Human World’s erosion of the Soul but also helped Shinigami slowly recover their spiritual power.
Though it was highly likely that the swindler would extort a hefty sum from her…
She looked up, identified the direction, and, relying on memory, staggered towards an inconspicuous corner of Karakura Town.
She didn’t notice.
A hundred meters away, on the edge of a high-rise rooftop, another figure stood silently like a statue.
Uchiha Sasuke had not actually gone far.
He just watched, watching that figure walk step by step towards a predetermined direction.
Finally, when that figure turned the street corner, about to disappear from his sight, Sasuke’s lips slowly curved into an almost imperceptible smile.
He muttered a few words to himself.
“…That saves trouble.”
The next second, his figure also vanished, leaving only an empty rooftop.
The night gradually deepened, and the faint Gekko barely illuminated the secluded street corner.
Rukia, dragging her weary body, finally arrived in front of a dilapidated general store.
Seeing this familiar place, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, raised her hand, and prepared to knock on the door.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch the wooden door, a figure appeared silently beside her like a ghost.
Rukia’s movements instantly froze.
She turned sharply, and after seeing who it was, her face was full of vigilance.
“Uchiha Sasuke, are you following me?!”
Sasuke didn’t look at her; his arms were crossed over his chest, his gaze completely drawn to the wooden sign that read “Urahara Shop,” his eyes devoid of emotion.
Hearing Rukia’s question, he seemed to snap back to reality, speaking in a flat tone mixed with a hint of mockery: “Since we are companions, isn’t it only natural to be concerned about your injuries and to confirm that you’ve safely reached your destination, Miss Kuchiki?”
These words left Rukia’s face alternating between green and white, unable to retort.
Sasuke slowly shifted his gaze from the sign to Rukia’s small face.
“Kisuke Urahara, right?”
Rukia’s pupils suddenly constricted: “How do you know that name?!”
One must know that Kisuke Urahara was expelled from Soul Society over a hundred years ago.
How could a newcomer who had just graduated from Shino Academy know that name?
Sasuke didn’t answer her question, merely stepping past her and glancing at the seemingly unremarkable general store.
“It seems I’ve found the right place.”
Just as the two were in a standoff, the old wooden door of the shop suddenly opened by itself.
A man wearing a green and white striped bucket hat, holding a small fan half-covering his face, poked his head out, revealing only a pair of smiling eyes.
“Oh my, oh my, two distinguished guests, it’s not good to argue at the entrance of my humble shop.
If there’s anything, why not come in for a cup of tea and discuss it slowly?”
…Inside, under the dim yellow light, the aroma of tea wafted.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Rukia sat upright on the tatami, holding the warm teacup with both hands, politely expressing her gratitude.
Sasuke, meanwhile, leaned against the wall, silently observing the room and the seemingly harmless man before him.
“Not at all, Miss Kuchiki’s visit truly brightens my humble shop.”
Kisuke Urahara still wore his smiling expression; he gently tapped his palm with his fan, “So, could you tell this humble one what brings such a distinguished guest as yourself to my dilapidated place?
From your appearance, it seems you’ve encountered no small amount of trouble.”
Rukia put down her teacup and, with a serious expression, explained how she had lost her powers and her request for a gigai.
“Oh~ I see.”
Kisuke Urahara listened, his smile unchanged, as if all of this was within his expectations, “But transferring Shinigami power to a human is a grave crime, Miss Kuchiki, your courage is truly extraordinary.”
While he spoke teasingly, his actions were swift; he called out to the back room: “Ururu, Jinta, bring out the merchandise prepared for our guest!”
Soon, two children laboriously carried out a human-shaped object, which was precisely the gigai Rukia needed.
“You’ve truly gone to great trouble.”
Rukia breathed a sigh of relief and then entered the gigai; though her face was still pale, her spirits had lifted considerably.
“Alright, since everything is settled, I’ll take my leave now.” She stood up, preparing to depart.
“Wait a moment.”
Kisuke Urahara stopped her, “Miss Kuchiki, you seem to have forgotten something.”
He took out a strangely shaped tool from under the counter, resembling a pecking bird, and handed it over with a grin.
“Surely you’ll need this, too?”
“Memory Replacer, exclusively from my shop, fair dealing guaranteed.
Just aim it at the target and tap gently, and it will make them forget everything about Shinigami and Hollows, replacing their memories with ordinary events like being affected by a gas explosion.”
“It’s quite convenient for dealing with the messes you’ve left behind.”
…..