Spirit Pressure Interruption Gigai

"Don't thank me yet, I still have something to tell you."

Aoto's tone was light, but his words caught Shiba Kaien completely off guard.

"You can forget about returning to the Soul Society from now on. You're staying in the human world!"

"Huh?" That was the only reaction Kaien could muster.

"Don't 'huh' me!" Aoto glared at him. "This is the price you pay for surviving. Can't you feel the Hollow power still inside you? If you go back to the Soul Society now, you're as good as dead!"

Shiba Kaien focused his senses and realized that there was indeed a significant amount of Hollow power remaining within him.

Furthermore, it had completely fused with his soul; unless he wanted to be shredded to pieces, there was no way to eradicate it.

And if his soul were shredded, would he even be alive?

Once he confirmed this, Shiba Kaien could only slump in defeat.

"I've already spoken to Captain Ukitake about your situation; he will help testify that you died in the line of duty!" Aoto drew his Zanpakuto. "You'd better start thinking about how you're going to live in the human world!"

"But what about you, Aoto?" Kaien wasn't thinking about himself anymore. "Doesn't this make you the one who killed me?"

"Oh, so you know!" Aoto teased him. "Then why did you throw yourself onto Rukia's blade? Could that little girl have handled the responsibility of killing you?"

Kaien scratched his head, speechless.

"Don't worry about me, I can handle it!" Aoto continued. "In a dozen years or so, I'll tell Kūkaku that you're still alive. Until then, if she wants to beat me up, I'll let her! Who knows, maybe with your stimulation, she'll be able to recover the Kido potential she's been neglecting."

Hearing Kūkaku's name, Kaien finally realized what he would have to abandon if he left the Soul Society... It was too much; everything he had was there.

But even if he had to choose again, he would still choose to strike for the sake of Miyako.

Otherwise, he might as well have died.

But even after avenging her, Miyako would never come back.

Seeing Kaien hang his head in depression, Aoto tried to cheer him up. "I'm going to make a Gigai for you now. Use this time to think about what you want to do in the human world!"

"No need, no need, I have a Gigai right here!" Urahara Kisuke pushed a small cart inside, looking every bit the peddler. "I've already prepared everything Mr. Shiba needs to live in the human world. I guarantee it meets all your requirements!"

Aoto looked at the cartload of items and frowned. "I don't have the money to buy these!"

"No need, no need," Urahara Kisuke's small fan fluttered rapidly. "These are all included in the medical fees Mr. Hyakume paid earlier."

Aoto had paid so much, and Urahara Kisuke's grin was so obvious that even Yoruichi couldn't stand it, so Urahara had offered these as freebies to avoid another clawing from her.

Thanks, Big Sister Yoruichi!

However, even after accepting Urahara's items, Aoto began crafting a Gigai himself.

And it was the specific type of Gigai that only Urahara Kisuke knew how to make: the Reiryoku-blocking type.

For the current Kaien, the Gigai was the most critical factor.

It was fine inside Urahara's shop, which had a barrier that prevented spiritual pressure from leaking, but that wouldn't work once he stepped outside.

While ordinary Gigai could be seen by normal humans, their essence was still made of Reishi, so even if a Shinigami wore one, they could still be tracked by the Soul Society.

Only Urahara Kisuke's Reiryoku-blocking Gigai could consistently evade the Soul Society's tracking.

As for why Aoto knew how to make one... nonsense, Aoto had met Hiyori and the others so many times; it wasn't complicated, and if he hadn't learned it, he would have been a disgrace to his time serving in the Twelfth Division.

It was just that starting to build such a stolen technique right in front of the original creator... Urahara Kisuke suddenly felt that Aoto's skin was no thinner than his own.

"It's not that I don't trust you completely," Aoto said, glancing at Urahara. "It's just that you have too many tricks up your sleeve, and I can't keep track of them all. The Gigai is the most important thing for Kaien, and I can't leave that to anyone else. I hope you understand."

He said it so righteously that Urahara Kisuke had nothing to say.

After all, even Yoruichi knew that Aoto and Urahara didn't get along; it was perfectly normal for him to act this way.

However, Urahara Kisuke had actually known for a long time that Aoto could make a Reiryoku-blocking Gigai.

He had seen it with his own eyes when Aoto wore that type of Gigai to meet Hiyori and the others last time.

Soon, Kaien's Gigai was finished.

The fact that it was completely naked made Kaien rush over to cover it.

Kaien knew Yoruichi, so naturally, he was embarrassed.

Yoruichi, however, didn't feel the slightest bit of shame. Instead, she flashed a grin and said in a lecherous, middle-aged man's voice, "Nice physique!"

Kaien's face turned beet red, and he turned to glare fiercely at Aoto.

Aoto ignored him. "Check it yourself, Kaien. It's the body you'll be using, so if it's too big or too small, we can still adjust it now."

Kaien took a peek and said righteously, "It's too small! Double it!"

"What are you, an elephant? Double it?" Aoto was equally righteous. "Let's be realistic! If you double it again, it'll be hitting your throat!"

"Cough, cough, cough..." Kaien felt like his internal injuries were about to be aggravated by Aoto's words.

After a final adjustment, it was lengthened by half according to Kaien's standards.

Once he put on some clothes, Kaien climbed inside.

"As expected of Mr. Hyakume, this craftsmanship is truly excellent!" Urahara Kisuke praised. "I wonder if Mr. Hyakume takes orders for my shop?"

Aoto ignored him... Did he really think he could get him to work for him?

Aoto had left in such a rush this time that he hadn't brought the Gigai he had previously crafted, so he had to quickly fashion a temporary one for himself.

However, just as Shiba Kaien was settling in to watch the show, he suddenly realized that the Gigai Aoto had made was already wearing clothes.

Even though he was clearly capable of making one with clothes, Aoto had previously made him one that was completely naked.

It was definitely intentional.

And so, the two of them started fighting.

"Oh my, their bond is truly touching! As expected of classmates!" Urahara Kisuke chuckled.

Yoruichi nodded, though she couldn't quite empathize.

After all, she had been born the future head of the Shihoin Clan, so naturally, she had never attended the Shino Academy.

By the same token, the same held true for Byakuya Kuchiki.

As for why Shiba Kaien had attended, it only went to show that the Shiba Clan was simply different from the other noble families.

Even among the lesser noble families that were not part of the Five Great Noble Families, members being groomed as successors almost never attended the Shino Academy.

As for whether non-successors attended the Shino Academy, that was entirely up to each individual noble house to decide.