Death: Then stood in the sky.

"Nani?"

"Not human?"

Wo Ling Tie Zhai was startled and looked at Ni Lu with suspicion.

Without a doubt, this is a human girl... wait!

That mask?

Wo Ling Tiezhai's pupils contracted as he noticed a glimpse of a mask flashing beneath Nel's hood.

You won't be wrong!

This is definitely a fake mask!

So... is this girl's true identity actually a lie?

Moreover, this completely humanoid pose... must be at least an Arrancar of Adjuchas level or higher!

"Rest assured, Tetsuya."

Seeing that Tessai had switched to an attack stance, Kisuke Urahara grabbed his hand, preventing Tessai from casting the Binding Spell.

Grizzly Tessai: "Store manager!"

Kisuke Urahara emphasized, "I said rest assured, Tessai."

As he spoke, Kisuke Urahara glanced at Seiji's hand out of the corner of his eye—his thumb was already resting on the Zanpakuto.

What an impulsive idiot.

I almost got chopped down without even realizing it.

Then, Kisuke Urahara turned his gaze to Nel.

Very strange.

Is this really a Hollow, and an Adjuchas-level Hollow at that?

It has no offensive capabilities and its spiritual pressure is pitifully weak; however, its ability to conceal its spiritual pressure is quite ingenious.

And most importantly...

Compared to the Great Hollow's brutal nature, isn't she a little too docile?

Throughout, she stayed obediently by Ukitake Seiji's side, seemingly very dependent on him.

Kisuke Urahara squinted.

So... it's an experiment...

"Not an experimental subject, but a companion."

Aoshi ruffled Nel's hair, and seeing her enjoy it, he continued, "Her name is Nel, and she's my companion."

"So that's how it is. My companion? It seems I was too superficial and naive!"

Kisuke Urahara laughed heartily, then pulled his fisherman's hat down low: "But it's really something, that it instantly saw through my thoughts, how terrifying."

"Also, regarding her identity... she's Adjuchas, right?"

"This probably has nothing to do with you wanting to see me."

Aoshi did not answer.

But Kisuke Urahara thought he had found the answer.

As expected, he is an Arrancar of Adjuchas level. It's surprising that someone of this level is kept by his side and regarded as a companion.

"Stop with this pointless probing, Kisuke Urahara."

Aoshi said directly, "You and I both know that this meeting is not about discussing these things at all."

Has it all been seen through again?

What terrifying young people.

Urahara Kisuke, his mind racing, asked, "How is Aizen now?"

In the past few years, they have not actually lost their source of information, after all, they have Yoruichi Shifūin as a connection.

The problem is that they can't openly investigate everything related to Aizen; they can only deduce Aizen's current situation from some clues.

Therefore, Kisuke Urahara urgently needed more detailed information.

Qing Si succinctly stated, "There are no abnormalities for the time being, but I'm afraid he will make a big move soon."

Urahara Kisuke's eyes flashed slightly.

Is it a big move?

"Those Hollows that appeared in Karakura Town, besides their experiments, were also searching for your whereabouts, weren't they?" Seiji took a sip of hot tea, and seeing Nel's expectant look, he handed her the teacup.

Nilu immediately beamed with joy, picked it up, and gulped down several mouthfuls, not caring at all about the heat.

What Aoji said next completely stunned Kisuke Urahara.

Staring into Kisuke Urahara's eyes, Seiji slowly said, "Or to put it more bluntly, it's because of the Hōgyoku you possess."

"——!!!"

With a soft "poof".

The tea in his mouth sprayed directly onto the face of Tessai Goriya sitting next to him. Kisuke Urahara lost his composure instantly and stood up with a look of shock in his eyes. The existence of the Hogyoku was one of his biggest secrets, and only a very few people knew about it!

Kisuke Urahara immediately looked at Yoruichi Shifuin, but Yoruichi shook her head. Kisuke Urahara then realized that it was not Yoruichi Shifuin who told Seiji Ukitake.

Because he knew that Yoruichi would never lie or deceive him, just as she had never hidden the fact that she had only left the mortal world to monitor him.

So... did you gain insight into your research entirely through your own perspective and some clues?

What a terrifying mind!

That's amazing!

No wonder Yoruichi said that Ukitake Seiji was even more outstanding than she had imagined; don't be too surprised.

This is more than just excellent.

"When did you realize it?" Kisuke Urahara suppressed his surprise.

“Let’s start from the very beginning.” Aoshi spoke the truth, just as he had said before, he was a man who never lied.

Is this the beginning?

Kisuke Urahara was shocked again, not expecting that he had been discovered so early.

He calmed his breathing and asked, "Then how did you know about the existence of the Hogyoku?"

Aoji calmly replied, "From the time you began experimenting with the rukongai, the Shinigami and Hollows of the Gotei 13, and obtained initial results."

Kisuke Urahara seemed to realize something, and his pupils suddenly shrank.

"So that's how it was! It was around that time!"

"Captain Jushiro Ukitake of the 13th Division once brought you to visit me in my laboratory!"

"So you already figured it out back then!"

Kisuke Urahara was overwhelmed with shock. He had never imagined that Seiji's talent had reached such a level, possessing such astonishing potential at such a young age!

Ukitake Seiji, he even understood the true nature of the Hogyoku in just one glance!

You should know that in order to protect the Hogyoku and to hide it from being discovered, he had set up many seals on the Hogyoku!

But he still saw through it!

What a terrifying perspective!

Yoruichi Shifūin watched with a smile as Kisuke Urahara's expression kept changing. She knew that Kisuke Urahara would be taken aback by the talent that Seiji had displayed—even though she had warned him beforehand.

Yoruichi Shifūin was secretly thrilled. Although it was still a bit less than being able to control Aoji with one hand, it was still about to take off.

“You’re not wrong to think that way.” Aoji neither admitted nor denied it, but looked at Urahara Kisuke across from him.

Although riddle tellers deserve to die, being a riddle teller is really fun, and as long as you don't get beaten to death in a fit of rage, you'll definitely be useful.

There's no need for Aoji to elaborate further; Kisuke Urahara will naturally fill in the logical gaps in his mind.

"I knew it was so." Clearly, Kisuke Urahara had naturally accepted it all.

“So…” After a brief pause, Kisuke Urahara pulled his fisherman’s hat down, revealing only his eyes, “what is your purpose then?”

His tone was serious, completely unlike his previous carefree and relaxed manner.

At this moment, in Kisuke Urahara's eyes, Seiji had become just like himself and Aizen.

This is a treatment that Nekolidu could never experience.

"Just say it."

Aoshi said softly, "I need the Hōgyoku you have."

Chapter 41 The Unrepeatable Hogyoku

"So it really is the Hogyoku."

Kisuke Urahara wasn't too surprised, because with his exceptionally high intelligence, he instantly filled in more details in his mind.

He has the same illness as Jushiro Ukitake.

It is incurable.

On the verge of death.

Even with his genius-level inventions and specially formulated targeted drugs created for his own body, he could only delay his death, not completely cure his illness.

So they began to look for other methods.

Finally, he focused his attention on the Hogyoku in his hand.

so......

Is Seiji Ukitake trying to break through the limits of a Shinigami by using the power of Hollowfication, thereby evolving himself to a higher level and restoring his body?

If that's the case...

"Why don't you create a Hogyoku yourself?"

Kisuke Urahara asked in a deep voice, "You've clearly seen through the essence of the Hogyoku, so why don't you replicate that process and try it yourself... huh?!"

The conversation abruptly ended.

He looked at Seiji Ukitake, who was staring at him with an expression as if he were an idiot—was something wrong with what he said?

Of course not!

"Then why don't you replicate this process and create another Hogyoku?"

Under Kisuke Urahara's slightly dazed gaze, Seiji slowly said, "As the creator of the Hogyoku, no one knows better than you how to replicate this process. As long as we do a one-to-one restoration, there is a great chance of obtaining another Hogyoku."

"Are you afraid to try?"

"Or have you already tried but failed?"

Seiji's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Urahara Kisuke's mind, making him numb from head to toe, and shattering any sliver of hope he might have had.

My attempt to test you has been seen through again!

"Kisuke Urahara, you really aren't a good person."

Looking at the astonished Kisuke Urahara, Seiji said softly, "As the creator of the Hogyoku, and in the midst of a research frenzy, how could you not try to replicate this process?"

"But obviously, you failed. I can't tell how many times you failed, but you definitely didn't succeed in replicating it even once."

"This illustrates the fact that the creation of the Hōgyoku was accidental."

"Even if you know the entire process of creating the Hogyoku and replicate it one-to-one, you still cannot obtain a new Hogyoku. This is a characteristic that is completely different from the replicability that technology possesses."

It's impossible that Aizen didn't try to create another Hogyoku.

But the result is already quite obvious.