The Supreme Soul, Starting with Death

While studying the dark red spiritual energy within the transparent crystal, Kisuke Urahara struck up a conversation with Shiro, inviting him to chat. It was a rare opportunity to discuss things freely without worrying about saying the wrong thing and being sent to prison. Even while conducting his research, Kisuke Urahara didn't want to waste this chance.

Gu Shi flipped through the record again of how a certain cat had learned thirteen words in a day and was rewarded with a bowl of goat milk. Suppressing his expectations, he pretended to be indifferent and gave a light answer.

"At least in theory, there is a possibility of success."

Kisuke Urahara, his hand shimmering with the golden light of the Kido, peered through the dark red spiritual energy within the transparent crystal, trying to find any unusual changes. He then questioned Gu Shi's optimism with a slightly serious expression.

"The spiritual energy required is no small amount. Even with the support of Hueco Mundo, it will probably take a very long time. The longer it takes, the greater the chance of being discovered by the Seireitei. It's very dangerous."

Gu Shi turned another page of the document and calmly shook his head.

"It's similar in nature to Soul Society, but not in size. I just need a small space where my friends can live. It shouldn't take long."

"Even so, isn't that a bit too safe? Give me the barrier design blueprints, and I'll spend some time improving them when we get back."

"Oh, okay, thanks. The design drawings are on the floor; I'll have Bai bring them to you in a bit."

"You're welcome. However, I'd like to reserve a few spots in your little space. You've seen the information; those little guys' future situation is definitely not going to be good. Neither Soul Society nor Hueco Mundo is likely to accept them. I'll feel more at ease if they're settled with you."

"No problem. I set up this place to house my friends' families. But let me make this clear beforehand: I'm not responsible for taking care of the children. You'd better educate them properly before you send them over. If they dare to cause trouble or bite my hair after I've handed them over, I won't be so gentle."

"...Alright, I'll be stricter when we get back this time."

The two were busy with their own things, but it didn't stop them from chatting. Perhaps because of Gu Shi's threat to "hit the child," Urahara Kisuke fell silent after agreeing at this point in the conversation. He didn't speak again for a while, and Gu Shi didn't take the initiative to find a topic. The air between the two became quiet.

After a long while, Kisuke Urahara finally put down the crystal that he couldn't figure out no matter what he did, and looked at Gu Shi with a somewhat gloomy expression.

"Gu Shi, you speculate that the 'Lock of Blame' is the causal lock that changes the anchor, and that the causal lock has never actually disappeared, but has always been hidden within us. Have you considered a possibility...?"

Urahara Kisuke spoke seriously, but Gu Shi was still studying the document with her head down. She only asked casually, "What?" without looking up to meet his gaze. Urahara Kisuke could only continue speaking by himself.

"The chains of karmic retribution are anchored to hell, thus preventing those who have committed karmic offenses from leaving. So where are our chains of cause and effect anchored? Most likely, they are indeed anchored to the planet beneath our feet, right? Then, when we try to leave this planet, will the chains of cause and effect suddenly appear and prevent us from leaving?"

"...I guess what you really want to ask about is the meaning of Hell, right? Hell has the meaning of protecting the rules of Hell. No soul that is bound by the chains of blaming others can cause them any harm. Blaming others are powerless to resist their slaughter."

"So, if the chains of cause and effect truly link to Earth, are there also guardians in the present world called the Earth's Will, possessing power that we absolutely cannot resist, and in their presence, are we as fragile as willow catkins?"

Gu Shi finally looked up from the documents, met the increasingly serious expression of Urahara Kisuke, and made a final addition with a smile.

"And, is the Spirit King the embodiment of Earth?"

Chapter 170 Reversal

Kisuke Urahara remained silent. In the entire Soul Society, the title "Soul King" was sacred. Most people who mentioned the Soul King thought of him as a god worthy of everyone's respect, who had saved the world.

In legend, the Soul King not only destroyed the world's first Hollow, preventing it from endlessly devouring spiritual particles and ultimately threatening to consume the entire world, but also imparted knowledge and power to the Shinigami, creating the Soul Society as a pure land for them.

However, the legends about King Ling that the public knows are actually just general summaries. The real details have always been hidden under the dust of history, and no one can really explain them.

Although the Urahara family was a noble family, it was not a long-established family. The family library contained almost no records of the Soul King era, only a few words praising the Soul King's power.

Kisuke Urahara first learned the truth about the Soul King in detail five years ago when he captured Yami Saito and extracted the "Soul King's conspiracy to destroy the world" from Yami Saito's mouth.

Before that, even though he could freely access outdated military intelligence and participate in secret training exercises through Yoruichi, he was never allowed to access the Shihouin family's information about the Soul King.

It wasn't until Saito Yoruichi revealed a large amount of information about the Soul King that Yoruichi, worried that he might be misled by Saito Yoruichi and actually believe that the Soul King was secretly plotting some grand conspiracy to devour the world, opened up the Shihouin family's Soul King records to him.

After reading those documents, Kisuke Urahara was filled with questions for several days. As one of the four great noble families, the records of the Shihouin family should be reliable. But if the records of the four great noble families were true, then there were far too many unexplained secrets about the Soul King.

Where did the Spirit King come from? Nobody knows! Anyway, he was suddenly born when the world faced a crisis.

The Spirit King is said to be omniscient and omnipotent, so why did he allow the ancestors of the four (five) great noble families to betray and attack him? To dismantle his body and use his remains as wedges to maintain the stability of the Three Realms? I don't know!

When the ancestors of the Shihōin family left their records, they speculated that the Soul King foresaw a future crisis and that he had to sacrifice himself to save it, so he did not resist and tacitly approved of the nobles' betrayal.

Isn't the Spirit King supposed to be "omnipotent"? If he's omnipotent, shouldn't he be able to easily solve any problem? How could there be a problem that requires him to sacrifice himself to solve?

If the Soul King truly foresaw the future crisis and genuinely had no other solution than sacrificing himself, then it can only be said that he might have the ability to foresee the future, but he was by no means "omnipotent."

Furthermore, looking back at history from today's perspective, the ancestors of the nobles undoubtedly succeeded in their betrayal. It seems that their idea of ​​betrayal was not wrong. However, at that time, they did not know that they would succeed. Considering that the King of Spirit was truly "omniscient," how could those people have dared to have the idea of ​​betrayal?

Aren't you worried that the moment you have such a thought, the all-knowing Spirit King will see through it and punish you?

There are too many inexplicable questions surrounding the Spirit King. The more Kisuke Urahara reads about the Spirit King, the more suspicious this "god" seems.

He had kept his doubts to himself, not daring to discuss them with anyone. He comforted himself, thinking that he might just be overthinking things and being too suspicious. The Three Realms had been stable for so many years and nothing had happened, so there was no need to consider these things.

He did manage to reassure himself that he hadn't thought about the issue for a long time, but just as he was thinking about the "possibility of planets and the meaning of the present world," all sorts of doubts about the Spirit King suddenly popped into his mind again.

The Soul King, whom no Grim Reaper can rival, and the Intent of Hell, which no wicked person can resist—don't you think these two are very similar?

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Kisuke Urahara felt a deep fear. People regarded this "world" as their home, and the Grim Reapers considered protecting this home their greatest mission.

But if this isn't their home, but just a larger hell, and they are merely freer, unaware-of-the-identity sinners, then the sacrifices and protection of the Grim Reapers...

"Don't overthink it, Kisuke."

Gu Shi's calm voice interrupted Urahara Kisuke's thoughts. He looked up and saw that, unlike him who was filled with fear, Gu Shi seemed unmoved and smiled as he offered his advice.

"There's no point in continuing to think about questions that can't be proven or disproven. Worrying about them is just making things difficult for yourself. If you really want to explore, you should spend more time researching and creating something that can change the history of Soul Society. Once you're recruited by the Zero Division for your achievements, you can go directly to the Soul King's Palace and ask the Soul King himself."

“…You’re right, I should probably try to make a trip to the Spirit King’s Palace.”

Kisuke Urahara paused for a moment, then subconsciously clenched the transparent crystal in his hand, revealing a rather unfriendly smile, and added with a laugh.

"Of course, it's done through methods other than joining the Zero Squad."

Looking at Kisuke Urahara, who was radiating a dangerous aura, Gu Shi's lips twitched a few times, and he secretly complained to himself.

According to Kisuke Urahara, Aizen, who originally had ambitious plans to storm the Soul King's Palace, has recently shown signs of making a move. Why is Kisuke Urahara, who should be resolutely defending the Soul King's Palace, now acting as if he wants to launch a full-scale attack on it?

In the story, Aizen attempts to create the King Key and infiltrate the Soul King Palace. While "ascending to the throne of heaven" is certainly the main reason, Gu Shi believes that Soul Society is too boring and no one can be Aizen's opponent. Aizen's desire to find a challenging target is definitely one of the important reasons why he has his sights set on the Soul King Palace.

So, if Kisuke Urahara became the villain, demonstrating enough power and creating enough threat, would Aizen, in order to "play a game" with Kisuke Urahara, actually side with the protection of Soul Society, wait until Kisuke Urahara is defeated, and then consider starting a new game, jumping out to attack the Soul King Palace himself?

Hmm, I feel like it's not impossible.

Just as Gu Shi was fantasizing about what would happen in the "what if" scenario, Urahara Kisuke looked down at the transparent crystal in his hand that contained dark red spiritual power, and the dangerous aura in his smile seemed to intensify.

"Gu Shi, tell me, if I release a large amount of this spiritual power in the Spirit King Palace, will the Spirit King grow the Chains of Blame? Will the Gates of Hell open in the Spirit King Palace? If the Will of Hell and the Will of the Planet clash, who will ultimately prevail?"

...Well, I have to say, this is indeed a very interesting question.

Gu Shi had to admit that Urahara Kisuke was indeed Urahara Kisuke. Even the younger, more extreme version of him had the ability to easily persuade people. He really wanted to know if the Soul King would be dragged into hell.

Although, based on the movie, Ichigo Kurosaki was able to break the chains of guilt with just Bankai and Hollowfication, theoretically, even if the Soul King really grew chains on his body, he could easily remove them.

but……

I still really want to give it a try!

“…Okay! I’ll invest in this project! I’ll make time to stock up on this kind of spiritual power, and I look forward to the day when you can use it.”

Chapter 171 Dangerous Goods

"...Phew, discussing issues with you, Gu Shi, is truly an ultimate enjoyment. I've unknowingly spent so much time in the mortal world. I hope I won't get beaten up too badly by Yoruichi when I get back."

Several days had passed since they last talked about the Spirit King. Urahara Kisuke finally realized that if he didn't go back soon, the Execution Army would probably come to pick him up. He could only reluctantly say goodbye to Gu Shi.

At this moment, he seemed to have calmed down and returned to his usual harmless appearance, scratching the back of his head with a pitiful and easy-to-bully look.

As for whether he has truly "come to terms with it," Gu Shi believes that the fact that he enthusiastically named the dark red spiritual power "causal spiritual power" and took away several crystals containing causal spiritual power in one go is enough to provide the answer.

"Well, I hope both of your legs get broken, so you'll have a reason to keep asking the school for leave and go home to slowly work on your research."

Offering a sincere blessing, Gu Shi patiently reminded him again.

"Don't find me annoying, but I'll say it again, Kisuke, don't tell anyone about me, including Aizen who wrote to me. I don't think anyone in Soul Society besides you can accept being friends with a Hollow."

"Okay, I understand. Don't worry, I will never tell anyone about you unless you agree."

Urahara Kisuke didn't find Gu Shi's words too long, and nodded in agreement with a smile. After stepping out of the great barrier, he used Shunpo to run quickly into the distance.

"I'll bring you the improved barrier design next time I come. I guarantee it'll be much better than this lousy barrier you figured out yourself!"

From afar, Kisuke Urahara's loud laughter drifted over on the wind, seemingly mocking Gu Shi's barrier skills before leaving, not giving Gu Shi a chance to retaliate, which made him quite smug.

Gu Shi rolled his eyes, too lazy to pay attention to this guy's sudden childishness, closed the exit on the barrier, and walked towards the sea without stopping for a moment.

All the inspirations sparked by Kisuke Urahara needed to be verified upon returning to Hueco Mundo, and he planned to return to Hueco Mundo immediately through the underwater cavity.

Gu Shi walked quickly, while Urahara Kisuke, after running a distance, stopped. He randomly found a tree, jumped onto the topmost branch, lay down lazily, and looked at the sky with a somewhat melancholy expression.

"Could I... have been cursed by a plague god?"

After a long pause, Kisuke Urahara finally managed to squeeze out this thought.

He wasn't stupid. Gu Shi had just told him a few days ago that he was willing to be friends with anyone in order to gather as many people as possible to go to the stars with him. But then he turned around and said that the Grim Reaper wouldn't be friends with the Hollow, and repeatedly told him not to reveal his information.

This contradictory statement almost explicitly suggests that Aizen is the one with the problem.

Although he didn't know that Gu Shi was a Hollow and had never even been to Soul Society, how could he know that a certain student in Soul Society had a problem? But compared to Aizen, whom he had only known for a short time, Urahara Kisuke would definitely be more willing to trust Gu Shi, who was already a friend.

Let's assume for now that Aizen is the problem and be on high alert.

Of course, after returning, Kisuke Urahara would definitely investigate further on his own. After all, Gu Shi wasn't an infallible god; perhaps he had misjudged the situation.

However, the thought that "the gentle Aizen-senpai" might just be an illusion made Kisuke Urahara a little depressed.

In less than a month, he was first suspected of being involved in Hayato's death, and then suspected of being involved in Yuto's defection. He has not yet been cleared of suspicion.

Finally, someone in Soul Society could keep up with his train of thought and discuss research issues with him, and that person even acknowledged his talent. But it turns out this person might not be a good person behind the scenes!?

Is my luck really that bad? Is my luck cursed by the Spirit King?

Urahara Kisuke secretly added another note to his mind about the Soul King, basked in the sun for a while longer, finally calmed down, ran a little further away, and then opened the portal.

The portal will record the opening location. If it is opened directly inside Gu Shi's great barrier, it is hard to guarantee that Gu Shi's location will be exposed. It is better to open it further away.

Having passed through the oppressive barrier as always, Kisuke Urahara stepped out from the other side of the door. The moment he took his first step, he felt a terrifying gust of wind from a punch aimed at his head, and his face turned pale with fright.

"Wait! Don't hit me!"

Due to excessive nervousness, Kisuke Urahara's voice even cracked, becoming shrill like that of a pitiful girl about to be abused at home.

Yoruichi Shihouin planned to say nothing more and first give Kisuke Urahara a good beating. Counting the time he went out with Aizen before, it had been almost a month since Kisuke Urahara left Soul Society.

Kisuke Urahara hasn't graduated yet, so things are a bit easier. The supervision won't be too strict, and as long as the Criminal Investigation Department doesn't interfere, it's okay for him to wander around the real world.

However, if Kisuke Urahara continues this habit after officially joining the team and becoming a full-fledged Shinigami, he will definitely suffer a great loss. The Seireitei has very strict supervision over Shinigami. Any Shinigami going to the human world must report it. Except for members who are on duty to guard the human world, no Shinigami is allowed to stay in the human world for a long time. Captain-level Shinigami even have to seal a part of their spiritual power when they go to the human world.

When Yoruichi Shihōin was studying at the Detective Agency, she saw more than once that Shinigami who had just graduated did not take the rules seriously. Because they couldn't stand being alone, they would secretly run off to the human world to play. As a result, they were caught by the Detective Agency and severely punished. She absolutely did not want these punishments to fall on her friends' heads someday.

Therefore, she decided to give Urahara Kisuke a hard time this time, and make sure he couldn't get out of bed for three to five days, so as to teach him a lesson.