Conversation with Kisuke Urahara

In a somewhat dim room.

As Gaoyu walked in, he smelled a peculiar scent.

Gaoyu fanned his hand and said, "What a strange smell."

Kisuke Urahara, who was ahead of him, smiled kindly and said, "Ah, I just finished an experiment and sensed Mr. Gaoyu's arrival. I haven't had time to tidy up yet."

Gaoyu glanced at him and Yoruichi, then found a place to sit in the room.

"Alright, then it seems I've come at a rather inconvenient time."

Gaoyu looked around, finding nothing particularly novel.

Kisuke Urahara sat opposite Gaoyu, and at this moment, the smile on his face disappeared.

"Now, let's talk about some things regarding Mr. Gaoyu, just as I said before."

"I will judge whether you should be considered an enemy based on your answers, Mr. Gaoyu."

"But..." Gaoyu said with some helplessness, "I really don't know what to say. I'm just an ordinary Shinigami who accidentally learned Captain Aizen's plan, and I don't know why Captain Aizen didn't kill me."

"Anyway, I promised Captain Aizen not to leak his plan to anyone else, and in this situation, I can't leak it anyway."

"With Captain Aizen's abilities, even if I wanted to report him to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, wouldn't he manipulate it to make it seem like I was plotting rebellion and attempting to assassinate Captain-Commander Yamamoto?"

Urahara was a smart man, and he certainly wouldn't believe Gaoyu's words just like that.

So, after hearing Gaoyu's words, he just smiled and said, "Then tell me about your background."

"That's no problem," Gaoyu said immediately. "My name is Gaoyu Kouun. I'm from the Kou family, just a minor noble in Seireitei. I graduated from the Shino Academy about six years ago."

"Oh? You became a Vice-Captain in just six years?" Kisuke Urahara asked curiously.

This promotion speed could be considered extremely exaggerated, as Vice-Captains were already on par with Captains and belonged to the absolute upper echelons of Seireitei.

"I only became a Vice-Captain not too long ago," Gaoyu said sheepishly. "Because Captain Aizen wanted Vice-Captain Gin Ichimaru to be promoted to Captain, he had a Hollow possess the Captain of the Third Division."

"By chance, I killed the heavily injured Captain of the Third Division who was possessed, and then I was appointed Vice-Captain."

Gaoyu was very honest. He didn't intend to lie to Kisuke Urahara about something that could be easily investigated.

When making friends, you have to be honest!

"Mr. Gaoyu makes it sound easy, but to eliminate a heavily injured Captain within six years of graduation is not a simple feat."

"I must have some skills, right?"

"Then, Mr. Gaoyu, could you tell me about what happened when you were with Mr. Aizen?"

"That's no problem either." Gaoyu easily recounted the conversation he had with Aizen in Hueco Mundo.

Then he said, "Just as I told Captain Aizen, I remain neutral in the conflict between you. Therefore, please don't make things difficult for me, Mr. Urahara."

"I see." Kisuke Urahara frowned slightly, then suddenly asked another question.

"Then, is your current visit to the real world at Aizen's behest?"

"No, it's the Tsunayashiro Clan that sent me. The Kou family is an affiliated family of the Tsunayashiro Clan. I always have to come when the main family gives an order."

"Oh? And the mission?"

"I can't say. It's a top-secret mission, and even Captain Aizen doesn't know about it."

"Then forget it." Kisuke Urahara smiled, then stood up from his seat.

He walked up to Gaoyu and then said, "Mr. Gaoyu, you..."

"In Hueco Mundo, what was given to Mr. Aizen?"

"..." Gaoyu was silent for a moment, then said, "Although I wanted you to see it for yourself, it's not possible right now. It's a bit troublesome to retrieve a piece that I feel is sufficient in a short period of time."

"I see, I roughly understand now."

Kisuke Urahara also fell silent. He patted Gaoyu's shoulder and said, "We've talked enough this time."

"Then, could you do me a favor?" Gaoyu said. "Please give me a Gigai, a good quality one. Since I'm going to be carrying out a mission in the Human World, I can't always be in spirit form."

"No problem," Kisuke Urahara said. "Just follow me."

With that, he led Gaoyu outside and selected a Gigai.

Gaoyu caught the Gigai and then said, "Thank you, Mr. Urahara. Perhaps I'll visit again soon."

"Then you'd better hurry," Kisuke Urahara said with a smile. "This place is about to be discovered by Mr. Aizen. I need to leave before he finds it."

Gaoyu also smiled and then left.

After watching Gaoyu leave, the smile on Kisuke Urahara's face disappeared.

"Hey, why did you let him go?"

Yoruichi appeared behind him, puzzled. "He's Aizen's man. Do you really believe what he said?"

"What else?" Kisuke Urahara took a couple of steps forward, reaching the door. At this moment, he could see Gaoyu's retreating back as he was about to exit the alley.

He said slowly, "Do you think he's really just a Vice-Captain?"

"...Even if he's very powerful, there are two of us." Yoruichi also walked over, crossing her arms. "I didn't see anything unusual about that kid, anyway."

"To dare show up alone before us, knowing full well our feud with Aizen, is in itself the greatest anomaly."

Kisuke Urahara said softly, "Moreover, I can roughly understand why Aizen would arrange for him to be by his side."

"Why?"

"The reason is probably similar to the Tsunayashiro Clan's," Kisuke Urahara immediately stated.

"The Tsunayashiro Clan?"

Yoruichi frowned, becoming even more perplexed.

Seeing Kisuke Urahara acting like a riddle-master, she couldn't help but get a little angry. She kicked him in the rear and said with some annoyance, "Stop being mysterious and just say it."

Kisuke Urahara awkwardly rubbed his backside and chuckled, "Miss Yoruichi, as one of the Five Noble Clans, you should be very clear about this kind of thing. What is the Tsunayashiro Clan's top priority... what else could it be?"

"You mean..." Yoruichi also thought of it. Her brow furrowed even tighter, and then she suddenly showed a look of shock.

"This kid has a Soul King Fragment in his soul?!"

The Tsunayashiro Clan's actions were indeed somewhat abnormal. They suddenly sent a Vice-Captain to execute a mission in the Human World, and this Vice-Captain had almost severed ties with the Tsunayashiro Clan before.

It was practically as if he had offered himself up.