The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

"No need, three pieces are enough. It's inconvenient to carry more."

Gu Shi shook his head, took a stone, waved it around in his palm a few times, pondered for a moment whether the stone could be used as a weapon, and then threw the stone to Tian Peng.

"Alright, let's go home. Tianpeng, if you're bored on the way, think about what the small alchemy furnace should look like and how it should be processed."

As he spoke, Gu Shi patted the dirt off his body and then slapped the big rabbit on the head.

"Don't look so panicked. Do you think we'd abandon you? You know we might be attacked by the Grim Reaper. If you're not afraid of danger, come back with us."

The big rabbit hesitated for less than a second before ignoring the danger of death, revealing a carefree smile, and quickly followed Gu Shi, still smiling as it turned back to wave to Erlang.

"Master, hurry up! You're so slow, it doesn't look like someone who practices martial arts at all!"

Erlang's eyebrows twitched twice, and he threw the stone in his hand away.

"Traitor, watch out for hidden weapons!"

Seeing the large rabbit stagger after being hit, Tianpeng immediately stood up to "stand up for justice".

"Erlang, you've finally given yourself away! Which master uses hidden weapons? Tell me, which of the Eight Unorthodox Schools do you belong to?!"

"Actually, there really are heroes who use hidden weapons. When we get back to camp, I'll tell you the story of Little Li Flying Dagger, the story of the world's number one hidden weapon master."

"Great! I used to only dare to listen to stories underground, but this time I'm going to listen to spirit writing openly!"

"Ashido, what are you grinning about? If you don't catch up soon, I'll leave you behind!"

The four Hollows walked together noisily. If you only listened to their conversation, it would be hard to imagine that these were the brutal, ruthless, and dangerous Hollows repeatedly emphasized in the Bleach textbook. Listening to their laughter and banter, Ashido's lips unconsciously curled up slowly.

"Just come!"

Raising his voice in response, Death strode into the ranks of the Hollows, a faint smile on his face. He listened to their banter, occasionally offering a brief reply when the jokes turned to him.

……

"You're doing really well, big guy, not bad, not bad, it's great that you're still alive."

At the feet of the Great Hollow, a small Hollow resembling a wild boar trembled incessantly, seemingly enduring immense pain. Inside its belly, a Zanpakuto, already unsheathed, pointed directly at its brain. With just a little force, it could churn the brain matter into a mess from the inside.

"Follow them, I want to take back what's rightfully mine."

A cold, female voice rang out again from the Hollow's abdomen. The Boar Hollow trembled violently, daring not to resist in the slightest, and hurriedly started to chase after the Hollow in front.

"That's it!"

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out, and a short knife fell from the sky, instantly severing the head of the wild boar Xu. Then, it was nimbly spun half a turn in its master's hand, and then, along the severed neck, it pierced straight into the belly of the wild boar Xu.

A piercing metallic clang rang out as the short sword was parried by another. Immediately afterward, a golden light shield expanded, tearing the boar-like creature's body apart from the inside out.

Saito Yoru, enveloped in the golden binding spell, looked displeased, his eyes filled with surging killing intent.

"Ha! As expected of the Shihouin family, who are in charge of the secret service, have they picked up the bad habits of rats after spending so much time with those stinking rats hiding in the gutter? The heir of one of the four great noble families resorting to sneak attacks? How ridiculous!"

"Heh, not bad with words. But that's not surprising. 'Even if you're not very capable, as long as you shout loudly enough, you can make yourself seem powerful' is an old tradition of the Saito family. You are a famous 'genius,' so it's only natural that you learned the greatest skill for survival in the family at a young age."

Yoruichi Shihouin gripped her short sword tightly, her sharp gaze fixed on Yoruichi Saito, searching for any possible weaknesses, while her words were equally sharp and assertive.

Chapter 87 Am I dreaming?

The word "mockery" may sound unpleasant, but it is one of the compulsory skills for criminal soldiers. During group operations, one to three members are responsible for verbally abusing and mocking the enemy to attract their attention and attack their mind, while the other members take the opportunity to find weaknesses and attack. This is a tactic that every new criminal soldier must learn when joining the team.

Yoruichi Shihouin, as the future commander-in-chief of the Execution Army, received training in this area at a young age. She can utter all sorts of sarcastic remarks with ease and is highly skilled at poking people's sore spots.

This is proof of Yoruichi Shihouin's excellent learning ability, and also one of the main reasons why she doesn't have a harmonious relationship with her mother.

There's no way around it. A current criminal army corps commander and a future criminal army corps commander, these two people, if you put them together, record any conversation between them, do some minor formatting, and it can be published as a book called "100 Ways to Anger Someone".

Just like now, although Yoruichi Shihouin misjudged how much Saito Yoruichi valued his family, and her sarcasm towards the Saito family had no effect, the point that "he has no ability but makes a lot of noise" hit Saito Yoruichi's sore spot.

Saito Yoru's deathly pale face flushed with a hint of angry red; the "healthy" blush made her look more like a living person.

"Well, at least she looks like a human being now."

Gu Shi let out a cold laugh.

Yoruichi Shihouin's loud shout upon her entrance was so imposing that Gu Shi and the others, who hadn't gone far, naturally heard it.

Although seeing that repulsive face again at such close range was hardly a pleasant experience, Gu Shi had to admit that his mood suddenly improved considerably.

"Prepare for battle, and find an opportunity to kill that white guy!"

Without any hesitation, Gu Shi immediately made arrangements. Killing Saito Yoru would surely make him feel even better.

"Oh dear, this is a difficult situation. Our mission is to bring that young lady back alive. Mr. Great Void, could you please refrain from interfering?"

As soon as Gu Shi finished speaking, an exaggerated voice, as if it were performing a stage play, rang out next to him.

Gu Shi's pupils suddenly contracted, and he looked in the direction from which the sound came. He saw a blond Grim Reaper standing on Tian Peng's shoulder at some point. Before he spoke, no one, including Tian Peng, had noticed his presence.

Without a second thought, Tianpeng immediately unleashed all his spiritual pressure, his claws slamming down on his own shoulder.

Tianpeng's fighting style has never changed; it has always been so violent. She truly used all her strength in this claw strike, and a piercing sound of bones cracking rang out immediately. Tianpeng's shoulder visibly slumped down a large section.

"Oh my god, that's scary!"

The blond Grim Reaper had somehow gotten onto the big rabbit's shoulder, patting his chest lightly as if he were scared, but his face still wore an exaggerated smile that was so fake it made people's teeth itch.

"As expected of a Hollow, so violent! But is it really a good thing to lose a combatant before the battle even begins?"

While uttering seemingly concerned words, the blond Shinigami's hand had already landed on the hilt of his Zanpakuto, clearly intending to take the opportunity to finish off the injured Hollow and establish a greater advantage for the battle to come.

Tianpeng snorted coldly, not taking her injuries seriously at all. She took out a pill from her black robe, put it in her mouth, and bit down hard. Immediately, a surge of pure spiritual energy flowed into her body.

With a sufficient replenishment of spiritual energy, Tianpeng's broken shoulder, accompanied by a sickeningly loud sound of bones shifting, was restored to its original state in the blink of an eye, and his aura even slightly increased.

The blond Shinigami's fake smile froze, and he released his grip on the Zanpakuto, a strange warmth appearing in his eyes.

"This is truly astonishing! What did you eat? Who gave it to you? What's the principle behind it? How was it made?"

A series of slightly urgent questions came out of the blond Grim Reaper's mouth. His fake smile disappeared, and genuine enthusiasm and curiosity crept onto his face.

At this moment, Gu Shi finally recognized who the two suddenly appearing Grim Reapers were: Yoruichi Shihouin and Kisuke Urahara, the two future Captain-level Grim Reapers.

However, compared to the mature older woman and slovenly middle-aged man in the main storyline of "Bleach," they looked almost ten years younger at this moment, and could only be described as teenagers.

What is the strength level of these two at this point in time? They're probably not at the captain level, but vice-captain level... perhaps they already are? By the way, does the Shihouin family have any secret family techniques?

Most importantly, Yoruichi Shihouin is already here. Where is the Execution Force? Where is the Covert Force? She is the heir to the Shihouin family. Coming to such a dangerous place as Hueco Mundo, she couldn't possibly be without bodyguards secretly following her, could she?

How many guards are there? What is their strength?

"The pills that Tianpeng ate were called Tianpeng Pills, which she made herself."

With a quick thought, Gu Shi realized that he couldn't rashly provoke a conflict. He stopped Erlang from attacking and, while Tianpeng remained silent, indicating that he didn't want to answer, he answered the question on Tianpeng's behalf.

"I have already answered your question, Death. As a matter of basic courtesy, shouldn't you introduce yourself?"

"Uh, my apologies. My name is Kisuke Urahara. I haven't graduated yet, so I'm not a true Shinigami."

Kisuke Urahara used an exaggerated smile to cover up his astonishment.

Although Kisuke Urahara had been trying to communicate with Gu Shi and the others, he never expected the Hollows to respond to him. His incessant chatter was just a habit; he was used to using all sorts of nonsensical nonsense to distract his opponents during battles and then looking for an opportunity to strike them down.

To Kisuke Urahara's surprise, these Hollows were actually able to communicate. Not only could they answer his questions fluently, but they could also accuse him of being impolite.

[I was told I was impolite by Great Void? Am I dreaming?]

[When did the tyrannical Hollow become so intelligent? Shouldn't he be drooling, spitting out words like "I'll eat you, I'll kill you," and recklessly trying to kill me?]

Unconsciously, Kisuke Urahara became even more serious, carefully observing the Hollows. When his gaze swept over one of the Hollows, his pupils contracted sharply. Only then did he notice that there seemed to be an "impurity" that shouldn't exist in this group of Hollows.

Previously, the Hollow's clenched fist had blocked his view, but now that its palm was open, Kisuke Urahara realized that a Shinigami who looked quite powerful was standing in the Hollow's palm, looking at him with a complicated expression.

[Captured? No, he's in good condition; there's no sign of imprisonment.]

So, in that sense, it's betrayal!?

Chapter Eighty-Eight: Schemes

The moment the word "traitor" flashed through his mind, Kisuke Urahara's gaze sharpened instantly. But at that very moment, his sharp mind finally analyzed the complex emotions contained within the traitor's expression.

Regret, sympathy, shared suffering, guilt.

Kisuke Urahara could understand the guilt and regret. The guilt showed that this Shinigami still had some awareness of his role as a Shinigami, while the regret probably stemmed from the fact that his defection had been discovered and he was about to face the pursuit of the Execution Army.

If one insists on explaining it, Kisuke Urahara could come up with a possible explanation: perhaps this Shinigami lacks insight and thinks he's bound to die from being surrounded by four Hollows, so he might be pitying him as a dying man.

But what does it mean to feel sorry for someone who is in the same boat?

Kisuke Urahara squinted, took a deep breath, and his smile grew even brighter, his eyes narrowing into slits as he waved vigorously at Asido.

"Hey, so this Grim Reaper is here in Hueco Mundo too? Got some fun places to visit?"

Urahara Kisuke was as unserious as ever, while Asido was as serious as ever. He ignored Urahara Kisuke's eccentric behavior and just shook his head with some regret.

"How absurd must the nobles be to stop? It's one thing to abandon a mediocre death god like me, but you have such strength before you've even graduated. You are undoubtedly a true genius. Are you really just a pawn to be discarded in the eyes of the nobles?"

"Young man, take my advice and run away quickly. From the moment you got involved in the noble struggle, you can never go back to Soul Society. Hide in the human world, find a place where no one knows you, and live quietly by yourself."

After a few words of persuasion, Asido hesitated for a moment, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face, as if he was ashamed of what he was about to say.

“…Young man, you are a true genius and will definitely become stronger in the future. I know you must have resentment in your heart, but if possible, please do not take revenge on those Grim Reapers who guard the mortal world. They know nothing.”

Such was Asido's character. He couldn't bear to see such a brilliant genius be ruined so early because of the struggles among the nobles, but he was also worried that the young man would not be able to bear the injustice and, in his extreme state, resent all the Grim Reapers and take revenge on the innocent Grim Reapers who guarded the mortal world.

"Haha, you're joking, senior. You're advising me to go to the real world, but you're still staying in Hueco Mundo yourself. It's not good to be inconsistent in your words and deeds."

Kisuke Urahara was incredibly clever. After just a few words, he roughly understood what had happened to Ashido. The sharpness in his narrowed eyes lessened slightly, and he quietly changed to a more intimate form of address, continuing to probe for information, trying to find out whether this Shinigami was truly unable to return to Soul Society due to persecution by nobles, or simply defected because of personal desires.

According to the rules of Soul Society, no matter the reason, defection is defection. Anyone who tries to break away from the control of the 13th Division and the 46th Chamber must die. However, Kisuke Urahara has his own sense of justice, and he will only uphold his own justice.

If the defection was due to personal desires, there's nothing to say; just report it to the Execution Army. But if this Shinigami was truly involved in a noble conflict and would surely die upon returning to Soul Society, then Kisuke Urahara would not only refrain from reporting him to the Execution Army, but would actually offer him some assistance.

When it comes to playing mind games, Ashido, who has only known how to follow orders for the past two hundred years, is no match for Urahara Kisuke. Even the fact that the three Shinigami who left, including Ibuki, would most likely be imprisoned or killed by nobles on some pretext was analyzed for him by Gu Shi. When he heard Urahara Kisuke ask this question, he just thought that the young genius was arrogant and unwilling to believe his words, and he became a little anxious for a moment.

"This is different! I... I had no reason to continue living, so I simply settled in the Great Hollow Forest and killed as many Hollows as possible. You are still young; a safe place like the mortal world is more suitable for you!"

Kisuke Urahara's gaze immediately turned to Gu Shi and the others.

Saying he wants to kill Hollows in front of several Hollows, isn't this Shinigami being a bit too straightforward?

Although Kisuke Urahara is still considered a young person among the Shinigami, he has enough confidence in his ability to judge people.

He could tell that the Grim Reaper who was advising him to run away was the kind of Grim Reaper who had no guile and didn't think about anything except fighting and carrying out missions. Although what he said was a bit outrageous, it was all true.