Chapter 41

"Hey, what are you looking at?" Uryū Ishida asked with a frown. He had noticed Miyako Amamiya constantly surveying the surroundings, as though searching for something.

"Oh, sorry. I was getting a little impatient. Anyway, let me answer your question first. We should be fine here," Miyako Amamiya said.

"Here? Were you afraid someone would overhear us in the Seireitei?"

"Yeah, something like that." Who knew whether the Wandenreich was watching them?

"All right, let me answer the question you're most concerned about. It's not impossible to restore the Quincy powers you lost."

"How do you know I lost my Quincy powers?" Uryū Ishida asked in a low voice.

"Because I watched your entire battle with Mayuri Kurotsuchi. That form was so dazzling..."

"Even if you saw my fight, you couldn't have concluded that I'd lost my powers from that alone."

"I can barely sense your Reiatsu anymore. That's the biggest clue," Miyako Amamiya said casually.

Hearing that, Uryū Ishida couldn't help clenching his fists. Now that it had been pointed out, Ichigo Kurosaki and the others might have noticed too...

"But although I said there was a way for you to regain your powers, the method isn't in my hands."

"Who is it? Who can restore my Quincy powers?!" Uryū Ishida asked urgently.

"Your father..." Miyako Amamiya said calmly.

"My father?! Ryūken?!" Uryū Ishida couldn't believe what Miyako Amamiya had just said.

Miyako Amamiya was prepared to be questioned by Ryūken Ishida, but Uryū Ishida had already been drawn into the vortex six years ago. At this point, making Uryū Ishida stronger would attract more attention from the Wandenreich, making it more likely that Miyako Amamiya's plan would succeed...

"No, that man abandoned that power a long time ago. How could he possibly do what you're talking about...?"

"You don't know your father well enough. There's more to him than that."

"How could that be...?" The shocking revelation made Uryū Ishida take a few steps back, his mind racing.

"That man dissected my mother's body and stood by while Grandpa died. And now you want me to beg that man for help...?"

Miyako Amamiya sighed. Being a father was truly not easy for Ryūken Ishida. To protect his son, he could let his son despise him this much without showing it on his face. It was truly...

"Uryū, lies and concealment exist in this world, but facts cannot be shaken. If your father refuses to tell you, then the facts as you see them will always be fabricated."

"Are you saying... Ryūken has been lying to me and hiding things from me all along?"

"I'd really like to tell you the whole truth outright..."

"Then hurry up and tell me! Everything about the Quincy and Ryūken! Tell me all of it!" Uryū Ishida grabbed Miyako Amamiya by the collar and spoke angrily.

"Your father has done me a favor, so I won't speak of this without his permission. You'll have to ask your father for help yourself." Looking at the furious Uryū Ishida, Miyako Amamiya still didn't tell him.

"Damn it!" Uryū Ishida let go of Miyako Amamiya and fell silent.

"Your father doesn't know you snuck into Soul Society, does he?" Miyako Amamiya asked.

"He doesn't need to know about my business." Uryū Ishida still hadn't calmed down, and his voice was full of disgust.

"Then take a message to him for me. He might be willing to help you regain your Quincy powers," Miyako Amamiya said calmly.

"?"

"The timing is just right. That man's return is unstoppable. As the only mixed-blood who came through unharmed, he should at least have the power to protect himself."

"What does that mean...?" Uryū Ishida asked with a frown. Miyako Amamiya's cryptic behavior was driving him up the wall.

"Nothing. Just pass the message along. This is an agreement between your father and me. If he's willing to tell you, then I'll tell you everything too." Miyako Amamiya shook their head.

With that, Miyako Amamiya stopped talking and resumed searching for the destination.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"To find a lake or a river. I'd be glad if you came along." As the only Quincy Miyako Amamiya knew who had experience using the Sanrei Glove, Uryū Ishida's experience might prove useful.

"A lake?" Uryū Ishida followed, wanting to find out what Miyako Amamiya was up to.

Before long, Miyako Amamiya finally found a lake in the Rukongai.

The two stared at the lake, and Uryū Ishida spoke first. "What do you need a lake for?"

"To train and attain Quincy: Letzt Stil."

"What? What are you talking about?" Uryū Ishida asked in shock.

"All matter in Soul Society is made of Reishi, and there's Reishi in the atmosphere too. If the Sanrei Glove disperses highly concentrated Reishi, then the water in Soul Society is also an environment with a high concentration of Reishi, and it's difficult to gather Reishi there."

Uryū Ishida immediately understood what Miyako Amamiya meant. Miyako Amamiya wanted to surround themself with a high concentration of Reishi and train their Quincy abilities, thereby reaching the highest level a Quincy could attain.

"Wait. How do you know about the Sanrei Glove and the highest level a Quincy can reach? I never told you any of that," Uryū Ishida said warily.

"That I can tell you. Mayuri Kurotsuchi isn't the only one in Soul Society with records on the Quincy. If anything, his understanding of the Quincy is rather shallow."

"Soul Society actually..." Uryū Ishida had already heard so much shocking news today that he was having trouble taking it all in.

"What do you think? Is my method feasible?" Miyako Amamiya asked.

"Why should I tell you?" Uryū Ishida didn't trust Miyako Amamiya enough yet. Even when it came to the news about his father, he was only half convinced.

"You're impossible." Miyako Amamiya sighed and took out the Quincy Cross that had gone unused for a long time.

"I couldn't let anyone see this in the Seireitei. But since we're here, I'll show you." Miyako Amamiya picked up the Quincy Cross. Reishi gradually gathered in their hand, eventually forming a blue-and-white Spirit Bow.

"It really is a Quincy Cross and Reishi Convergence..."

"I got this Quincy Cross from your father too. Does that make things clear?"

"..." Uryū Ishida believed Miyako Amamiya a little more now. Despite being a Soul Reaper, Miyako Amamiya not only possessed a Quincy Cross but had actually used Reishi Convergence.

In the World of the Living, Uryū Ishida knew of only one Quincy: himself. Perhaps he now had one more to add to that number.

Uryū Ishida didn't want to owe a Soul Reaper a favor, so he told Miyako Amamiya the truth.

"If all the matter in Soul Society really is made of Reishi, like you said, then underwater would indeed be an environment with a high concentration of Reishi. Training your Quincy abilities underwater could produce much the same effect as the Sanrei Glove."

"Is that so? Looks like my guess was right. That's good..."

"But even if you do reach the highest level a Quincy can attain, once you use it, you'll lose your Quincy powers too. Why are you still pursuing that power...?"

Miyako Amamiya shook their head without answering.

Before long, Uryū Ishida said goodbye to Miyako Amamiya and returned to the Seireitei.

Miyako Amamiya watched him leave.

"Mr. Ishida, your son has been extraordinary since birth. He can't escape it."

"And neither can I. The only difference is that my being extraordinary began with my death..."

"Or are you watching me too, Soul King...?"

Without forming a Spirit Bow, Miyako Amamiya jumped straight into the lake.

Before long, the ripples on the lake faded, and it seemed to return to its usual undisturbed stillness.

Underwater, Miyako Amamiya tried to shape Reishi into a bow and gather it, but there was no response at all.

The Reishi being gathered seemed to meet some kind of obstruction, preventing Miyako Amamiya from continuing. Nevertheless, Miyako Amamiya held the pose of drawing a bow underwater and kept trying to gather Reishi.

After a while, Miyako Amamiya surfaced, took a deep breath, and dove back down.

This went on for a long time, but there was something more important to do today. Miyako Amamiya practiced for only a few hours before leaving the lake.

Miyako Amamiya looked at the Spirit Bow in hand and began gathering Reishi on the shore. After the long training session, Reishi Convergence went noticeably more smoothly this time, leading Miyako Amamiya to think it had become much faster, though it was unclear whether that was just an illusion.

Miyako Amamiya returned to the Seireitei, having made a note of the lake's location and planning to return for more training next time.

Before that, though, there was still the matter of telling Yoruichi Shihōin about the Hōgyoku...

This isn't something I can keep hiding. I'll just tell her. Miyako Amamiya shook their head.

Now that it's inside me, it's mine. How could I give it back? Besides, I still have to stay in Soul Society for a while, and there's no one who can make a tool to remove a foreign object from a soul right now.

Miyako Amamiya arrived at the Second Division but was stopped at the gate.

"Please tell Captain Soi Fon that I'm here to see Miss Yoruichi Shihōin. We made an appointment earlier."

"Understood."

Miyako Amamiya waited outside for a while before a member of the Second Division led them in.

At the Second Division barracks, Miyako Amamiya was led to the door of the Second Division's guest room. Soi Fon smoothly opened the door and looked at them.

"Lieutenant Miyako Amamiya of the Thirteenth Division, what business do you have with Lady Yoruichi?" Soi Fon asked with a frown.

"Miss Yoruichi and I agreed beforehand to meet after everything was over. I'm just here for that meeting," Miyako Amamiya said helplessly.

"Unfortunately, Lady Yoruichi is resting right now. Please come back another time," Soi Fon said, barring Miyako Amamiya's way warily.

"Captain Soi Fon..." Seeing her like this, Miyako Amamiya really didn't know what to say.

"Hey, Miss Yoruichi, I'm here!" Miyako Amamiya raised their voice a little toward the room.

"What? You!" Soi Fon glared at Miyako Amamiya, a trace of killing intent spilling from her.

The guest room door finally opened, revealing Yoruichi Shihōin in human form. "Oh, it's you, Amamiya. Have your injuries healed that quickly? You've come to see me so soon."

"Lady Yoruichi! Please allow me to teach this rude wretch a lesson!" Soi Fon said aggressively, about to draw her sword.

Yoruichi Shihōin patted her on the head. "That's enough, Shaoling. Amamiya and I agreed to meet beforehand, and the matter is extremely important." Yoruichi Shihōin's expression gradually grew serious.

Soi Fon also realized how serious the matter was and didn't dare say any more.

"Shaoling, guard the door for me. Don't let anyone in, and don't let anyone eavesdrop."

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!" Soi Fon said, dropping into a crouch.

Miyako Amamiya entered the guest room, and the door closed behind them. Yoruichi Shihōin finally asked seriously, "So, where did you hide the Hōgyoku you extracted?"

Miyako Amamiya had already come to an agreement with Kisuke Urahara in the World of the Living: if the Hōgyoku was extracted, Miyako Amamiya would hide it for the time being. It was something only Miyako Amamiya of the Thirteenth Division could do in secret.

But the tool Kisuke Urahara had developed to temporarily conceal the Hōgyoku's fluctuations would have more or less stopped working by the end of the execution, so the Hōgyoku needed to be moved to another hiding place.

Kisuke Urahara had asked Yoruichi Shihōin to take the Hōgyoku from Miyako Amamiya before making further plans.

"Miss Yoruichi, that's a little hard to explain..." Miyako Amamiya began vaguely.

"What is it? Is the hiding place embarrassing to mention? That's fine. You managed to keep it from Aizen, so I won't laugh at you, wherever it is." Yoruichi Shihōin waved a hand dismissively.

"The Hōgyoku... is here." Miyako Amamiya pointed at themself.

"?" Yoruichi Shihōin looked in the direction Miyako Amamiya was pointing, then slowly asked, "Kid, don't tell me you've been carrying the Hōgyoku on you this whole time..." Yoruichi Shihōin felt cold sweat beginning to break out. If it really had been on Miyako Amamiya the whole time, then everything he had done earlier had been far too dangerous.

"No, Miss Yoruichi. I mean, the Hōgyoku entered my body on its own just after I took it out..."

"What?!" Yoruichi Shihōin shouted.

"Lady Yoruichi! What happened?! Do you need me to get rid of this scoundrel for you?!" Hearing Yoruichi Shihōin's cry, Soi Fon flung the door open and demanded an answer.

"No, it's all right. Thank you, Shaoling. Please keep guarding the door for me..." Yoruichi Shihōin held her head and spoke to Soi Fon weakly.

"Yes!" After answering, Soi Fon looked at Miyako Amamiya. "If I find out you dared to be disrespectful to Lady Yoruichi..." Her gaze was icy, as if threatening Miyako Amamiya.

Miyako Amamiya could only spread their hands helplessly.

Once the two of them were alone in the room again, Yoruichi Shihōin asked with a headache, "You mean it flew into your body on its own the moment you took it out?"

"You should know this too, Miss Yoruichi. It's not so easy to put the Hōgyoku inside someone else's body. I don't have the ability to make it enter my soul directly either."

"Then the Hōgyoku stayed inside you all that time without Aizen noticing?!" Yoruichi Shihōin spotted the gap and hurriedly pressed for an answer.

"That actually has to do with my Zanpakuto's ability. You could say my Zanpakuto sealed off the Hōgyoku's presence." Miyako Amamiya hid nothing and told Yoruichi Shihōin directly.

"...Now this is a headache. How am I supposed to explain this to Kisuke?" Yoruichi Shihōin scratched her head in frustration, unsure what to do.

"Did Aizen really not notice the Hōgyoku inside you, even at the end?" Yoruichi Shihōin continued.

"...You'd better prepare for the worst, Miss Yoruichi. I'm not sure whether he noticed." Miyako Amamiya guessed that Aizen probably hadn't noticed, because their Shikai's ability was indeed outstanding in that respect, but still needed to warn them.

Extracting the Hōgyoku from Rukia's soul and placing it into another person's soul took quite some time. Aizen probably wouldn't have imagined that the Hōgyoku would enter someone else's soul of its own accord.

"What are we supposed to do now...?" Yoruichi Shihōin lay down, looking as though she had lost the will to live. The fact that the Hōgyoku hadn't been taken was certainly more advantageous to them, because it gave them more time to prepare for war with Aizen. But wherever the Hōgyoku was, it was a ticking time bomb they had to guard against.

If the Hōgyoku had been taken, they wouldn't have had to worry about any of that. They could simply wait for war with Aizen.

"Forget it, I understand. The Hōgyoku can stay with you for now. I'll explain it to Kisuke." Yoruichi Shihōin decided to stop thinking about it and leave all the troublesome matters for Kisuke Urahara to solve himself. He was the one who had insisted on developing this troublesome thing in the first place.