Urahara's Thousand Layers of Schemes

A full month had passed since the Star-Extermination Siege. After securing the Senkaimon inside the Sternritter Fortress and completing the rotation of troops at the Plain of Slaughter, the Star-Extermination Force finally returned to the Seireitei.

In that month, the Jianzhu Zhiwang operation had also reached its halfway point. The Quincy in the Rukongai were either killed or captured, and even those lucky enough to escape found themselves walking straight into another trap while attempting to reach the Sternritter Fortress. By now, it could be said that almost no traces of Quincy remained within the Soul Society.

"Diezuka Hiroe is back? Where? The 4th Division?! What happened to him!"

Yoruichi had barely set foot in her home, her seat not even warm, when she heard the news that Hiroe had returned and was currently at the 4th Division. She immediately flared up and sprinted toward the 4th Division in a frenzy!

Hiroe, the commander-in-chief, had not actually returned with the Star-Extermination Force. Or rather, in the eyes of the force, their commander had only stepped out of retirement for a temporary mission; once the job was done, he had returned to his life of leisure.

He had returned to the Seireitei eight days before Yoruichi and the others. As for his presence at the 4th Division, it wasn't because he had sustained any injury, but rather...

"Unohana! Tell me, is my leg ruined?" Hiroe sat in a recliner, grabbing Unohana's small hand with both of his and gripping it tightly. "I'm still young, I don't want to walk with a cane! You have to save me!"

"You, you're not a child anymore; you should be more composed. Besides, you're a well-known figure in the Seireitei now. If others saw you like this, wouldn't it be a laughingstock?"

Unohana smiled as she pulled her hand away, her gaze focusing once again on his sturdy right leg. She touched it with her fingers and asked softly, "The spiritual pressure blockage still has no sensation. How did you manage to do this to yourself?"

"I don't know, maybe I was just too impatient with my training these past few days." Hiroe covered his mouth with his right hand to hide his smile, his words slightly slurred. "But after you helped me massage it with Kaido just now, I felt a little something!"

"Wasn't there no reaction just a moment ago?"

"But there is now! Maybe the massage time was just too short, so the effect was slow to show?" Hiroe insisted earnestly, "Why don't you help me massage it for a bit longer, Unohana?"

"Don't be so troublesome!"

Just then, a voice rang out from behind Hiroe. "Just chop it off and study it slowly. You can always reattach it later anyway!"

Hiroe's heart skipped a beat. The voice was a bit gruff, but he could tell it was a woman's. The tone was calm, yet it felt like the silence before a storm. Most importantly, it was Yoruichi's voice!

"Hey Yoruichi, long time no see! You look even healthier than before!" Hiroe turned his head with a squinting smile, forcing an expression of joy as he greeted her. However, Yoruichi acted as if she hadn't seen him at all, walking straight up to Unohana. "Or just be decisive and remove all four of his limbs to prevent the injury from spreading. What do you think, Unohana?"

"That sounds reasonable~" Unohana said, nodding slightly, her slender chin bobbing on the tip of her index finger as if deep in thought. "I heard there's a treatment method in the living world called surgery. This would be a perfect time to try it out!"

Hiroe watched as Unohana stood up to retrieve a saw, his throat bobbing with a loud gulp. She's joking, right? No, wait—if it's Unohana, she might actually be serious!

"I won't let you have any scars, so don't you worry~" Unohana said, smiling as she made wild gestures with the saw over Hiroe's leg.

Her voice was so gentle, her smile so sweet. Yet, Hiroe felt as if he were standing in an ice cellar; a bone-chilling cold crept up his spine, and he had no heart to appreciate the view.

Is this really about whether or not I'll have scars? Hiroe waved his hands frantically. "No need, Unohana!"

"No need? But a spiritual pressure blockage is a serious problem; we can't be careless~" Unohana said, making a motion as if to saw down.

"I really don't need it! I'll go back and massage it myself. And I have my teacher—yes, my teacher!" Hiroe shrank back until he was pressed against the chair with nowhere left to go. He immediately turned to Yoruichi and said, "Quick, help me up! I want to go home!"

Seeing Yoruichi standing with her arms crossed, acting as if she hadn't heard him, Hiroe could only wink and gesture frantically, his hands pressed together in a prayer-like motion, shaking like a chick pecking at grain. Big sister! Have some mercy on me!

I really can't stand this shameless man. I rushed over the moment I heard he was back, and look at him—enjoying a massage from a beauty!

Still, he had been scared enough; she couldn't actually let Unohana saw off his limbs. Yoruichi rolled her eyes, grabbed Hiroe's arm, and draped it over her shoulder. After bidding Unohana farewell, she helped Hiroe away.

Watching their retreating figures disappear, Unohana smiled and shook her head, tossing the saw onto the table. This little guy... sometimes I really don't know what kind of person he is.

As Hiroe and Yoruichi stepped out of the 4th Division, they ran straight into Urahara Kisuke, who had likely rushed over upon learning Hiroe was there.

"What kind of trick is it this time?" Urahara looked Hiroe up and down. He didn't believe for a second that Hiroe would let himself get injured to the point of needing the 4th Division—under any circumstances!

"A new Kido, specifically designed to cut off the flow of spiritual pressure," Hiroe said with a straight face, rubbing his leg with his right hand. "I came here to test if Unohana could detect and break it."

"Bullshit! I think you just wanted to touch Unohana's hands!" Yoruichi suddenly interjected, ruthlessly exposing him.

"Am I really that despicable in your eyes? Even if—even if I wanted to touch Unohana's hands, is that so wrong?" Hiroe spread his hands, looking incredulous. "You two have been living it up at the Royal Palace for over a hundred years while I've been working like a dog in the Soul Society! Is it so wrong to seek a few perks for myself?!"

"And whose fault is that? It's your own problem!"

"..."

Whenever these two got together, they were prone to arguing, and sometimes even fighting. Seeing the signs, Urahara quickly stepped between them to separate them.

It was strange, though; Hiroe and Yoruichi's bond only seemed to grow stronger through these bickers. As Hiroe put it, being with Yoruichi made life feel vibrant.

By the time the three of them reached their secret base beneath Sokyoku Hill, Hiroe and Yoruichi were laughing and chatting again, leaving poor Urahara squeezed to the side once more.

They had come here because Urahara felt they had much to discuss after their reunion and needed a place without interruptions. Plus, he had learned a few things at the Royal Palace and wanted to show them off.

"Alright, we're here, so stop holding back!" Hiroe sat cross-legged and gestured to Urahara. "Please, start your performance!"

"Don't be so impatient. Before that, we must relive the days of old. Thinking about it really brings back memories!"

Watching Urahara's intoxicated expression, Hiroe was full of confusion. Fortunately, the other man didn't keep him in suspense, pulling a scroll of blueprints from his robes and spreading it out before Hiroe.

Seeing what was on the blueprints, Hiroe's face turned green. This is a construction project! Connecting it to Urahara's words, the "memories of old" referred to that night they spent digging holes!

"Time flies, doesn't it~" Yoruichi rolled her neck and pushed up her sleeves, her knuckles cracking. "Just like last time, you dead-eyed fool, you're responsible for two-thirds!"

"Digging by hand?"

"No duh!"

Hiroe clutched his head and stood up reluctantly. My head hurts! I really don't understand why Urahara would be nostalgic for this!

Wait! What was Urahara doing back then? Hiroe tried hard to recall. It seemed he was... moving dirt? So, "days of old" and "nostalgia" were actually just excuses to mess with him! He looked up, and sure enough, Urahara was standing there with a mischievous grin and his hands behind his back.

"Sigh~!" Hiroe let out a long sigh and helplessly rolled up his sleeves. The longest road I've ever walked is the path of your and the old man's schemes. I really have it hard!