"…Former Captain… why are you here?"
Shiba Isshin's gaze sharpened as it fell upon the unexpected figure inside Urahara's shop.
"Shigure Sōsuke."
His tone carried both suspicion and restraint.
The situation had already exceeded normal understanding.
First, Urahara Kisuke a man exiled from Soul Society for forbidden research.
Then Shihōin Yoruichi, former head of one of the Four Great Noble Houses.
And now
A former captain, someone who should by all rights still be within Seireitei
Standing here, in the World of the Living.
No matter how one looked at it
Something far deeper was at play.
Was Shigure an ally?
Or something else entirely?
Shigure met Isshin's gaze calmly.
"I'll explain later," he said in an even tone.
"For now… focus on the girl."
His eyes shifted slightly toward Masaki.
To Shinigami, whose lifespans stretched across centuries
A human like Masaki was, indeed, little more than a fleeting existence.
Isshin clenched his jaw slightly.
He didn't argue.
Instead, he turned back immediately.
Masaki's condition had deteriorated further.
Her breathing was shallow.
Her Reiatsu
Faint, unstable
Being eroded from within.
If nothing was done
She would not survive the day.
Isshin's gaze locked onto Urahara Kisuke.
"You said you can save her."
"Then stop stalling and tell me how."
Urahara adjusted his hat, his expression losing its usual levity.
He had already explained the principle earlier
The imbalance between Quincy power and Hollow Reiatsu within Masaki.
Now, he elaborated further.
"A Quincy's body rejects Hollow power completely. The two cannot coexist."
"That rejection is what's destroying her."
He tapped his cane lightly.
"To stabilize that conflict, we need to introduce a third element."
"One that can act as a buffer."
Isshin's voice was low.
"…Shinigami power."
Urahara nodded.
"Exactly."
But this time
He did not stop there.
Walking deeper into the shop, Urahara searched through a storage shelf before retrieving something carefully.
It was
A Gigai.
But not an ordinary one.
Unlike standard Gigai used for temporary residence in the Human World
This one was different.
Urahara held it up.
"This is a specially modified Gigai."
"It's constructed in a way that allows a soul to integrate with a human framework… permanently."
He looked directly at Isshin.
"If you enter this "
"You will cease to exist as a pure Shinigami."
"You'll become something closer to a human."
Ryūken's eyes narrowed slightly.
He understood immediately
This was no simple vessel.
This was a transformation.
Urahara continued:
"To counterbalance Masaki's condition, your Shinigami power will act as a stabilizing force against the Hollow within her."
"But to sustain that balance…"
"You must remain connected to her."
"Continuously."
Isshin frowned.
"…Connected?"
Urahara's answer was calm and absolute.
"You will bind your soul to hers."
"Your power will suppress the Hollowfication inside her."
"But in exchange "
"You will lose access to your Shinigami abilities."
"Your Reiatsu will be sealed within this Gigai."
"You will no longer be able to return to Soul Society."
"And as long as she lives "
"You will remain bound to her existence."
Silence fell over the room.
Heavy.
Irreversible.
Isshin lowered his head slightly.
For a moment
He said nothing.
The weight of the decision was undeniable.
To abandon everything
His position as Captain of the Tenth Division.
His identity as a Shinigami.
His place in Soul Society.
All of it.
Then
He exhaled.
"…That's all?"
Urahara blinked faintly.
Isshin looked up.
His expression
Was clear.
"My life was saved by her."
"If this is what it takes to return that… then there's nothing to think about."
He gave a faint, almost carefree smile.
"As for being a Shinigami…"
He shrugged.
"I'll just live as a human instead."
"And protect her that way."
Ryūken's eyes widened.
This time
The impact was different.
Before, Isshin's resolve had been impressive.
Now
It was undeniable.
This wasn't impulse.
This wasn't recklessness.
It was a deliberate choice.
For the first time
Ryūken's view of Shinigami shifted.
Slightly.
"She's fading," Isshin said sharply.
"Enough talk. Let's do it."
Urahara nodded.
No more hesitation.
He began preparing the process immediately.
Spiritual instruments were arranged.
Barriers were set.
The atmosphere shifted
From discussion
To action.
And yet
No one asked for Ryūken's input.
No one sought his approval.
Because the truth was simple:
He could do nothing.
As a Quincy
He had no means to save Masaki.
All he could do
Was watch.
"…It's been a long time since I've seen a Quincy."
A calm voice broke the silence beside him.
Ryūken turned sharply.
Shigure Sōsuke stood nearby, observing quietly.
Ryūken's expression hardened instantly.
"And yet you Shinigami still remember us?"
His voice carried restrained hostility.
"Wasn't it your kind that drove the Quincy to near extinction?"
Shigure did not react with anger.
Instead, he answered plainly:
"I won't deny that."
"The fall of the Quincy is tied to the actions of the Shinigami."
He paused briefly.
Then added:
"But history isn't one-sided."
"Over a thousand years ago, under Yhwach, the Quincy invaded Soul Society."
"They lost."
"And as with any war "
"The losers bear the consequences."
Ryūken's eyes darkened.
But he did not interrupt.
Shigure continued, his tone steady:
"If the outcome had been reversed…"
"If the Quincy had won "
"Then perhaps it would be the Shinigami facing extinction instead."
The words were not mocking.
Nor defensive.
They were simply
Matter-of-fact.
In the distance
Urahara began the procedure.
Isshin stepped forward.
Without hesitation.
Without regret.
And as the process to bind a Shinigami's power to a Quincy began
The course of fate itself
Shifted.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 346
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