Answering Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Questions

The starry canopy hung low, countless stars scattered like shattered diamonds across the boundless dark sky. In this otherworldly space-time constructed by a Zanpakuto's power, the air seemed to have solidified into transparent amber, sealing the four Soul Reapers' conversation within an eternal present.

Retsu Unohana gazed up at the images flowing across the starry canvas, an elusive smile appearing on her lips. "Why didn't you use such a direct method when you revealed this information to me last time?"

The Imperial Sword trembled slightly in Liu Hao's hand, the star patterns on its blade echoing the galaxy around them. "My abilities weren't mature enough then. The Imperial Sword's true power requires Reiatsu and a spiritual state to match. When I spoke with you last time, I could barely maintain a basic spatial barrier, let alone construct such a complete space-time domain or manifest fragments of memory within it."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's gaze, like two blazing flames, remained fixed on the starry canvas. He saw Isshin Shiba hurrying across the Dangai, racing through the streets of Karakura Town, and finally stopping before a man holding an unconscious girl. The girl's face was twisted in pain, and deep within her soul, a dark power was frantically eating away at her.

"Is that the Quincy you mentioned?" Yamamoto's voice sounded especially deep beneath the stars, like an echo from ancient times.

Liu Hao nodded slightly, and the Imperial Sword's light flickered with the motion. "Masaki Kurosaki, one of the last surviving members of a Pure-Blood Quincy bloodline. The man holding her is her fiancé, Ryūken Ishida, the last descendant of the Ishida Family. He also has pure Quincy blood."

The images continued to flow. When Kisuke Urahara's distinctive green-and-white striped hat appeared in the scene, Yamamoto's brow furrowed deeply. "Kisuke Urahara... He was involved after all."

"As I said earlier," Liu Hao said, his voice calm as a still mirror, "it was thanks to Kisuke Urahara's technology and ingenuity that Captain Shiba was able to save Masaki Kurosaki. Without his Gigai technology and soul stabilization device, both the abnormal fusion of a Quincy soul with a Hollow's power and the temporary transfer of Captain Shiba's Reiatsu would have ended in tragedy."

Yamamoto fell silent for a moment and continued watching the images. When Urahara said, "I once used a Quincy's Reishi and a human soul to cure a Soul Reaper with similar symptoms," the thousand-year-old Captain-Commander's breathing faltered almost imperceptibly.

"Who... was the Soul Reaper he mentioned?" Yamamoto asked, some emotion held in check in his voice.

Liu Hao took a deep breath, and the air beneath the stars stirred with it. "The captains and Vice-Captains who underwent Hollowfication a hundred years ago. Shinji Hirako, Hiyori Sarugaki, Kensei Muguruma, Mashiro Kuna, Love Aikawa, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Lisa Yadōmaru, and Hachigen Ushōda, who was the vice-captain of the Kidō Corps at the time."

Silence spread beneath the stars, as though even time itself had come to a halt. Yamamoto closed his eyes, a rare, complicated expression appearing on his thousand-year-old face. When he opened them again, a heavy gleam flashed in his eyes. "In that case... he really was framed."

The words were as soft as a sigh, yet as heavy as a mountain. The trial a hundred years ago, the souls who had been exiled, the lives whose courses had been changed as a result—all of it might have rested on a carefully woven lie.

The images continued forward. They saw Isshin Shiba enter a specially made emergency Gigai, confront the being called White deep within Masaki Kurosaki's soul, and finally choose to seal White's power for eternity at the cost of all his Reiatsu.

Next came Isshin Shiba opening a small hospital called the Kurosaki Clinic in the World of the Living, his clumsy attempts to adapt to human life, and his eventual marriage to Masaki Kurosaki. The images finally froze on a scene: Isshin Shiba, his Soul Reaper powers restored, stood before an orange-haired boy whose face showed a mixture of shock, confusion, and anger.

Yamamoto's gaze was sharp as a hawk's. "Is that Isshin Shiba's child?"

"Yes, sorry for showing a little too much." Liu Hao swung the Imperial Sword, pausing the image. "The boy's name is Ichigo Kurosaki. He's one of the key figures in the future. He'll become the second Substitute Soul Reaper, and also... one of those central to saving the Three Worlds."

Yamamoto's gaze sharpened further. "There are obvious gaps in the images you showed us. Certain parts skip ahead, and details are missing. Why?"

"Because those images aren't memories of events I experienced myself," Liu Hao answered candidly. "They're fragments I glimpsed from the river of time when I first touched the domain of time upon achieving Shikai. I can only show the clearest, most important moments. I have no way of knowing the details that weren't clearly recorded in the river of time. What you're seeing now is mainly Captain Shiba explaining Ichigo Kurosaki's origins to him, so it focuses on the key events related to the boy."

"Are there other images?" Yamamoto pressed, his voice revealing a resolve that could not be evaded.

"Yes," Liu Hao replied curtly, swinging the Imperial Sword again.

The starry canvas shifted like flowing water, and a new scene slowly unfolded.

This time, the images went back to a much earlier era. They saw the daily lives of Fifth Division Captain Shinji Hirako and Vice-Captain Hiyori Sarugaki in the Seireitei. Their relaxed, casual, and even somewhat unruly way of interacting stood in sharp contrast to the serious, rigid atmosphere of the Gotei 13 today.

Next came the ceremony for Twelfth Division Captain Kirio Hikifune's promotion to the Zero Division. The ever-smiling female captain bid farewell to her division members, while her successor, Kisuke Urahara, stood beside her, reverence and unease both visible on his face.

Then an ominous shadow began to fall over the land.

The images showed records of the "mysterious soul disappearance incidents": the Pluses and wandering souls of entire districts vanished without a trace in a short time. There were no signs of battle, no trace of a Hollow's presence, as if an invisible hand had wiped them from the world entirely. Close behind came the "Soul Reaper disappearance incidents." Several low-ranking Soul Reapers vanished into thin air while on routine patrol, leaving only their Shihakushō neatly folded where they had stood.

"What exactly happened to these missing advance team members?" Yamamoto asked, his voice as deep as a rumble from beneath the earth.

Liu Hao's expression grew grave. "To be honest, I can't be entirely certain either. But based on the clues available and later speculation, they were most likely victims of the early 'Soul Reaper Hollowfication Experiments.' When a forced fusion of Soul Reaper Souls and a Hollow's power fails, it may cause a phenomenon called 'soul suicide': the entire structure of the soul collapses completely, leaving behind only physical things like clothing. Of course, it's also possible... that they were transformed directly into Hollows."

The images continued. They saw Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division, lead an investigation team deep into the affected area and rescue Shūhei Hisagi, who was still a child at the time. Soon afterward, Mashiro Kuna discovered the missing advance team members' Shihakushō. The contrast between her innocent smile and the cruel reality was chilling.

Tension mounted in the images. Kensei Muguruma came under attack from an unknown assailant, and his team members fell one after another. Hiyori Sarugaki led a team in as emergency reinforcements, only to find a despair-inducing sight: the opponents she was fighting were none other than Kensei Muguruma and Mashiro Kuna, who had undergone complete Hollowfication.

"Wait!" Yamamoto suddenly spoke up. "Although Captain Hiyori was fighting them, she was clearly holding back. What did she realize?"

Liu Hao slowed the images. "She recognized them. Even though they looked like Hollows, and even though their Reiatsu had turned violent and unfamiliar, she still recognized her companions. She tried to awaken their consciousness, tried to find a way to save them—but it was all too late."

The images that followed were even more painful to watch. Although the captains who came to reinforce them managed to restrain the Hollowfied Kensei Muguruma and Mashiro Kuna, the situation spiraled completely out of control when Hiyori Sarugaki began showing signs of Hollowfication as well. Just then, Kaname Tōsen launched a sudden sneak attack, and the unsuspecting captains fell one after another.

Interspersed among these were scenes of Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi secretly heading to the site. They had clearly sensed some danger, but in the end, they were unable to prevent the tragedy.

When all the captains and Vice-Captains had entered a state of Hollowfication, the true mastermind finally appeared.

Sōsuke Aizen walked calmly out of the shadows with Gin Ichimaru, while Kaname Tōsen took his place respectfully behind Aizen. In that moment, every disguise was torn away, and the entire conspiracy was exposed beneath the starlight.

"Just as I thought..." Yamamoto said quietly, his voice carrying both anger and deep weariness.

In the images, Aizen was preparing to kill the Hollowfied captains and Vice-Captains when Kisuke Urahara finally arrived. The ensuing battle was brief and fierce. Using a specially made Gigai and an emergency suppression technique, Urahara barely managed to save them, only to fall completely into Aizen's perfect trap.

The final scene was the trial before Central 46. Faced with "conclusive evidence" and "eyewitnesses," Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, and the Hollowfied captains were all convicted. Yoruichi Shihōin helped them escape Soul Society, while the true culprit, Sōsuke Aizen, continued serving as Fifth Division Captain under the guise of an innocent victim.

A long silence fell over the Starry Sky Domain. Chōjirō Sasakibe clenched his hands into fists, his knuckles white from the force; Retsu Unohana's expression remained calm, but a cold light flickered in her deep violet eyes; Yamamoto closed his eyes, as if enduring a pain that reached into his very bones.

After a long while, the Captain-Commander opened his eyes and asked a crucial question. "How did Aizen do it? Shunsui Kyōraku saw him in the Seireitei with his own eyes at the same time, which gave him a perfect alibi. What exactly is Kyōka Suigetsu's true ability?"

Liu Hao did not answer directly. Instead, he swung the Imperial Sword again. New images unfolded, showing him explaining Kyōka Suigetsu's ability to Unohana—

In the images, Liu Hao showed Unohana an ordinary Asauchi. "Kyōka Suigetsu's true ability isn't simply creating illusions. It's 'Complete Hypnosis.' It can control all five of a target's senses, making them 'see, hear, touch, smell, and taste' anything Aizen wants them to perceive."

"What's more frightening," Liu Hao continued in the images, "is that this hypnosis is permanent. Once someone witnesses Kyōka Suigetsu's Shikai, they become a captive of Aizen's ability forever. From that moment on, Aizen can subject that person to Complete Hypnosis at any time and in any place, and they won't even realize they're being manipulated."

"At the trial a hundred years ago, every captain who attended the meeting had witnessed Kyōka Suigetsu's Shikai. So creating a perfect alibi was effortless for Aizen. All he had to do was make Captain Shunsui 'see' him handling official business in the Seireitei, while he himself was already at the scene."

When the images finished, Yamamoto's expression was terrifyingly grim. For the first time, the Captain-Commander who had protected Soul Society for a thousand years showed such an obvious sense of helplessness. Faced with an ability like that, no matter how great one's power or how extensive one's experience, it could all become meaningless.

"Those images you showed at the end..." Yamamoto said slowly, his gaze piercing toward Liu Hao like a searing blade. "They were from the future, weren't they? How exactly can you know these things?"

The central question had finally been asked. Liu Hao took a deep breath, knowing he could no longer avoid it.

"When my Zanpakuto achieved Shikai," he said, his voice echoing beneath the stars, "I touched the edge of the domain of time for the first time. At that moment, I glimpsed a trace of the river of time's course and caught fragments of the future."

Yamamoto's pupils contracted sharply. "The river of time? Your Zanpakuto is connected to time?!"

"Yes." Liu Hao admitted it openly, the Imperial Sword glowing faintly in his hand. "My Zanpakuto, the Imperial Sword, has a true ability that encompasses both time and space. This starry barrier is a manifestation of its spatial power, while the future images I showed are a superficial application of its power over time."

"You saw the outcome, didn't you?" Yamamoto's question went straight to the heart of the matter.

Liu Hao nodded solemnly. "Yes. In the future, that boy named Ichigo Kurosaki, Ryūken Ishida's son Uryū Ishida, and Sōsuke Aizen together saved the Three Worlds from the brink of destruction."

All three people present looked at him in disbelief. Chōjirō Sasakibe even repeated the words reflexively. "Aizen? Saved the Three Worlds?"

"That's right," Liu Hao confirmed. "Aizen's plot ultimately failed, and he was sealed in the deepest part of Muken. But during a future crisis that threatened the survival of the Three Worlds, Captain-Commander Kyōraku—by then, you were no longer serving as Captain-Commander—decided to release him so he could help Ichigo Kurosaki fight the true enemy."

A blade-sharp gleam flashed in Yamamoto's eyes. "Who was trying to destroy the Three Worlds?"

"Yhwach." Liu Hao spoke the forbidden name.

In an instant, the temperature within the Starry Sky Domain seemed to plummet. Yamamoto tightened his grip on his cane. Faint flame patterns appeared on the surface of the wooden cane that had accompanied him for a thousand years, and the surrounding stars seemed to tremble with it.

"It seems... he has already broken through the seal." The Captain-Commander's voice was as cold as polar ice.

"Yes," Liu Hao continued. "And Masaki Kurosaki's death was directly connected to Yhwach."

"Why did he kill Masaki Kurosaki?" Unohana asked. It was the first time she had taken the initiative to ask a question during the conversation.

Liu Hao gathered his thoughts. "I didn't see all the details clearly, but this is roughly what happened: to recover his full power, Yhwach activated a forbidden ability called 'Auswählen.' It can forcibly reclaim the powers of all Mixed-Blood Quincy, and in some cases, it can even directly absorb their souls, flesh, and blood."

"But you said Masaki Kurosaki was a Pure-Blood Quincy." Yamamoto keenly pointed out the contradiction. "Why would reclaiming the powers of Mixed-Blood Quincy affect her?"

"Because of White's contamination," Liu Hao explained. "Although Masaki Kurosaki was fundamentally a Pure-Blood Quincy, her soul had been deeply corroded by White's power. Under Yhwach's system of classification, she was categorized as a 'contaminated Mixed-Blood Quincy.' When Auswählen occurred, she was fighting a Hollow. The moment her power was suddenly taken away, she couldn't withstand the Hollow's fatal attack..."

He did not finish, but the outcome went without saying.

Silence fell over the Starry Sky Domain once more. Distant stars continued to burn, and nebulae rotated slowly. The grandeur and indifference of the universe set off the heaviness and solemnity of the moment.

At last, Yamamoto spoke slowly, his voice carrying a world-weariness and insight Liu Hao had never heard from him before. "It seems... my future self was no longer in that position. Otherwise, Shunsui would not have chosen to release Aizen."

It was not a question, but a conviction grounded in a thousand years of wisdom and a deep understanding of his disciple.

Then the Captain-Commander's gaze became as sharp as ever. "Yhwach... He's hiding somewhere in Soul Society at this very moment, isn't he? Otherwise, you wouldn't have been so cautious, immediately raising this barrier that isolates us from everything when you mentioned the future."