Old Friends Reunite
After the deep and heavy conversation at Urahara Shop, Liu Ziyun followed Kisuke Urahara and his group out of the store and embarked on their journey to the Visored's Secret Base. Night had fallen, and the streets of Karakura Town appeared quiet and eerie under the moonlight, with a few nocturnal cats occasionally flitting across the rooftops, making soft noises.
Their route was extremely secretive, deliberately choosing alleys and abandoned areas with no surveillance, no pedestrians, and even few streetlights. Liu Ziyun could sense that Kisuke Urahara had established a fairly complete intelligence and defense network in the World of the Living —although it couldn't compare to the Gotei 13 in Soul Society, it was still a remarkable achievement for an exiled organization.
About half an hour later, the group arrived at the edge of the city. This area used to be an industrial zone, but with the relocation of industries and urban development, most of the factories have been abandoned, leaving only rusty factory buildings and overgrown open spaces, like scars on this prosperous city.
Kisuke Urahara stopped in front of a building that looked no different from any other abandoned factory.
Liu Ziyun focused his senses and immediately discovered the peculiarity of this place—the entire factory was enveloped by an almost invisible yellow Barrier. It was not an ordinary defensive Barrier, but a complex Kidō array that combined multiple functions such as concealment, protection, and early warning. Even more ingenious was that this Barrier was also connected to the surrounding spiritual veins, continuously drawing faint Reishi from the earth to maintain its own operation, requiring almost no additional energy input.
Liu Ziyun noticed that all creatures that approached this place—whether wild cats, rats, or even insects—instinctively avoided the building. This wasn't because they sensed the presence of the Barrier, but because the Barrier contained some kind of "dispelling" spell, causing ordinary creatures to subconsciously avoid the area.
[A decent setup.] Liu Ziyun thought to himself. [While it can't compare to the Technology Development Bureau's defense system, it's top-tier in the World of the Living environment.]
"This is it," Kisuke Urahara said, raising his cane and gently tapping it on the seemingly empty air in front of him.
Thump, thump, thump.
After three soft sounds, ripples spread across the yellow Barrier, like pebbles being thrown into a calm lake. The ripples spread and recombine, eventually opening a square portal in the Barrier, just large enough for one person to pass through. Inside the portal, the factory buildings were vaguely visible, a stark contrast to the dilapidated exterior—the interior had clearly undergone careful renovation and maintenance.
Kisuke Urahara was the first to enter, Liu Ziyun, and Yoruichi Shihōin (still in her black cat form) and Tessai Tsukabishi also entered in turn.
The moment Liu Ziyun stepped into the factory, he sensed a familiar Reiatsu fluctuation—mixed and violent, yet forcibly suppressed and bound by some force. It was the power of Hollowfication, the power of the Visoreds.
The interior space of the factory is much larger than it appears from the outside. Clearly, space expansion technology was used here, transforming the original factory of a few hundred square meters into a complex space of several thousand square meters. The interior is divided into multiple areas: Living Area, training area, medical area, Research Area... Each area has clear boundaries and functions.
When Liu Ziyun's gaze swept across the training area, he saw those familiar faces.
Shinji Hirako, Love Aikawa, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Kensei Muguruma, Hachigen Ushōda Lisa Yadōmaru, Mashiro Kuna, and Hiyori Sarugaki —all eight of them were standing there, clearly having received the signal sent in advance by Kisuke Urahara.
Shinji Hirako saw Kisuke Urahara, who was the first to enter, he gave him his signature, slightly lazy smile, "Kisuke, what brings you here? Did Yoruichi kick you out again and you have nowhere to go..."
His words came to an abrupt end.
Because right behind Kisuke Urahara, a figure wearing Black Cloak and a hooded jacket walked in. Strange silver patterns flowed across the Black Cloak, perfectly concealing the wearer's figure, aura, and even presence. But what caught Shinji Hirako's attention even more was that the person was holding a black cat—a black cat he knew all too well; it was Yoruichi Shihōin's cat form.
When that figure pulled back his hood, revealing a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar to them, the atmosphere in the entire factory instantly froze.
"Liu... Ziyun?" Shinji Hirako's voice trembled with disbelief.
The others standing behind him were also stunned. Love Aikawa's hand instinctively pressed on his Zanpakuto, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi's expression became wary, and Kensei Muguruma frowned directly. Hiyori Sarugaki made no attempt to hide her hostility—in her opinion, Liu Ziyun, her old friend who had "done nothing" in the Hollowfication Incident, did not deserve to be here at all.
Liu Ziyun looked around, a signature, slightly cynical smile on his face, "Yo... it's been so long, are you too excited to speak? Hirako. And you guys— Love, Rōjūrō, Kensei, Hachigen, Lisa, Shiro-chan, Hiyori. Everyone, it's been a long time."
This greeting, instead of easing the tense atmosphere, made the air even more heavy.
Shinji Hirako's expression turned cold, and his usually half-open eyes snapped open, flashing with a dangerous light. "Liu Ziyun, what brings you here? Although you were brought by Kisuke, without a legitimate reason, you might stay here forever."
There was no threat in his tone; he was simply stating a fact—in this Secret Base, they had the power to keep any uninvited person out.
Liu Ziyun's smile widened, but his empty eyes held no mirth. "Oh... you've learned Hollowfication, so you're speaking with more confidence now? You want me to stay? Then let me weigh the power you unexpectedly gained from being used as Aizen's test subjects."
These words were like a slap in the face, landing squarely on the faces of everyone present.
"You--!" Hiyori Sarugaki was the first to lose her temper. She took a step forward and placed her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakuto.
But Shinji Hirako raised his hand to stop her. He looked at Liu Ziyun with an unusually serious expression. "Liu Ziyun, what exactly do you want? If you're here to mock us, then you can leave. We don't have time or the inclination to play this kind of game with you."
"A game?" Liu Ziyun laughed, a chilling laugh tinged with unease. "Hirako, you think I crossed two worlds, risking being discovered by Aizen, to find you just to play a 'game'? You underestimate me."
He surveyed everyone present. "I told you, I'm here to test your strength. Since you want revenge, to reclaim everything you've lost, then let me see if you have the qualifications, the power."
He paused, then continued, "Alright, let's not waste any more time. I assume you've built training grounds to master the power of Hollowfication? Lead the way."