Visiting the Second Division's Urahara Kisuke

Siwei Yan scratched his hair in annoyance and quickly left the Ninth Division barracks. He walked along the river beside Runlin An, heading west of Seireitei.

His destination was the Forest of Swords, or more accurately, the Second Division barracks adjacent to it.

The current situation left him no time to leisurely sunbathe and calculate his drinking money.

The previous title of "Soul Society's Most Beautiful Zanpakuto" had already attracted many bored individuals to pry and challenge him. Now, he had inexplicably gained the title of "Most Beautiful Noble Young Master"...

This was practically putting him on the spot!

Yan Si knew very well that he was not of noble birth.

Even after climbing to the fifth seat in the Ninth Division, in the eyes of those arrogant noble lords, he was merely a slightly stronger "high-class servant."

A non-noble, bearing a title like "Soul Society's Noble Young Master," which sounded like it belonged to the upper class?

It was obvious how many narrow-minded nobles would be displeased and feel offended.

Of course, with Captain-General Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni acting as a mountain to suppress them, the nobles wouldn't dare act recklessly within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads openly.

But this absolutely did not mean they wouldn't play dirty! Those private soldiers forbidden for nobles to keep were not weak at all.

His spiritual power hadn't even stabilized at the Lieutenant level yet. Even with extensive combat experience, he couldn't withstand them playing tricks and striking from the shadows!

He had to start a new book as soon as possible! Only by constantly growing stronger could he have the confidence to deal with these troubles.

However, before that... he wondered if the thing he asked that guy to make was ready yet?

As his thoughts churned, he arrived at a barracks with a stern style and heavy security.

The towering walls and hidden sentry posts all indicated the special nature of this place.

This was the Second Division barracks, in charge of covert operations.

The two guards at the entrance had clearly heard the recent rumors.

Seeing Yan Si approach, their gazes immediately focused on him, scrutinizing him for a long time before finally exchanging glances and muttering softly:

"Tch, he's just a bit fair-skinned, has a slightly melancholic look, and carries a scholarly aura..."

"Exactly, what's so great about that? I think I'm even more handsome!"

Siwei Yan had no interest in offering "service with a smile" to such "non-fan" bystanders' evaluations.

He completely ignored the whispered conversations of the two at the entrance and walked straight in with a blank expression.

The Second and Ninth Divisions often collaborated due to their related duties.

The Second Division was responsible for assassination, interrogation, investigation, and execution, while the Ninth Division managed prisons.

Simply put, the Second Division was the secret police that apprehended people, and the Ninth Division was the detention center that held them.

Therefore, members of both divisions were quite familiar with each other.

Yan Si walked familiarly towards the depths of the Second Division barracks, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the shadows beneath the walls and the corners of the eaves.

As expected, even I, this "celebrity," can't avoid being monitored the entire time here...

He ignored the hidden gazes and walked straight down the corridor towards a secluded corner of the barracks, finally stopping in front of a seemingly unremarkable, even somewhat dilapidated, door.

"Knock, knock, knock."

He reached out and knocked on the door.

Sounds of frantic activity immediately came from inside the room, accompanied by the sound of something being knocked over.

A few seconds later, the door was pulled open with a "whoosh."

A young man with messy hair like a bird's nest, heavy bags under his eyes, and a wrinkled Shinigami uniform stained with unknown smudges appeared at the door.

It was Urahara Kisuke.

"Oh! Isn't this old friend Yan Si! What brings you here?" Urahara Kisuke plastered a smile on his face and reflexively tried to invite Yan Si inside.

But after glancing back at the mountains of clutter, scattered parts, and leftover snack bags piled up in the room, he awkwardly retracted his hand and chuckled sheepishly.

Yan Si twitched the corner of his mouth, too lazy for pleasantries, and got straight to the point: "Urahara, is the thing I asked you to make ready?"

He deliberately emphasized his tone, reminding him: "That's a full forty thousand Rings! You slapped your chest and guaranteed it was fine back then, don't tell me it's not done yet."

Urahara Kisuke's body visibly stiffened for a moment.

He turned his head with difficulty, his gaze wandering, unwilling to meet Yan Si's eyes.

"N-no way it's not ready yet?" Yan Si's gaze instantly turned cold. "It's been ten days! How did you guarantee it to me back then?"

The Urahara Kisuke before him was just an unknown ordinary soldier in the Second Division.

Yan Si had originally thought that this research genius chose the Second Division over the Twelfth Division because of Shihoin Yoruichi.

However, after interacting with him, he discovered that Urahara Kisuke didn't know Yoruichi at all before!

The reason he was in the Second Division was simple: no other division wanted him upon graduation, and his grades were decent, so the academy forcibly assigned him there.

Making a research genius study interrogation and assassination all day must have been incredibly difficult.

It was only after Yan Si recommended him to Yoruichi, suggesting Urahara focus on developing interrogation tools and special equipment, that this small "research institute" came to be, saving him from going out on missions.

But the Second Division clearly wouldn't allocate much funding to such "unconventional" projects, leaving Urahara Kisuke as poor as a church mouse.

Yan Si even suspected that this guy had diverted his 40,000 Ring research and development funds to some strange personal hobbies!

"Brother Yan Si! Don't worry! I've made the device!" Urahara Kisuke quickly assured him, sensing the coldness in Yan Si's tone, and swore to the heavens.

He pointed to a corner of the room covered by a large black cloth, "The device is right there! The effect you requested is absolutely no problem!"

Yan Si followed his gaze, walked forward, and reached out to pull off the black cloth with a "swish."

A machine with a... very abstract design appeared before him.

It looked like a giant, rusty iron barrel with only two lonely buttons, embodying Urahara's signature style of rough practicality.

"If it's done, then why were you hesitating just now?" Yan Si frowned. The appearance didn't matter as long as it worked.

Urahara Kisuke quickly leaned in to explain:

"This 'Spirit Particle Isolation Device' absolutely meets your requirements! Once activated, it can form a barrier that completely isolates spiritual power leakage within a range about the size of this room! It guarantees that even if there's thunder and lightning inside, not a trace of spiritual pressure fluctuation will be detected outside!"

Yan Si nodded in satisfaction; a room-sized range was sufficient.

"Alright, I'll take this then." With that, he made a move to lift the heavy "iron barrel."

"Wait! Brother Yan Si! Please wait a moment!" Urahara Kisuke quickly stopped him, his face showing an even more awkward and embarrassed expression.

"That function is indeed fine, but... this machine, it can't be moved."