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Twelfth Division, Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
The large screen's vivid red, eye-catching "Alert" warning finally stopped flashing, and the deafening alarm that had echoed throughout the underground laboratory also ceased abruptly.
Urahara Kisuke looked up, letting out a long sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
"How fortunate, all the important things are safe and sound. Luckily, I had the foresight to store and preserve the experimental data and research findings separately," he muttered softly.
"Kurotsuchi Mayuri, how are things on your end? Have you lost any valuable items?"
"Hmph, I'm not the Director; how could I have the privilege of having a special place to store my research findings?"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri showed no trace of disappointment or sadness on his face; instead, he sneered indifferently, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, there's nothing valuable here; all my research is in its initial stages."
"Even if they stole those materials, it wouldn't matter?"
"Completely useless!"
"In that case, the situation isn't particularly bad."
Urahara Kisuke's expression became slightly more serious as he analyzed:
"This invasion only lasted a brief ten minutes."
"The intruder first created chaos on the surface to divert our attention, then seized the opportunity to infiltrate the underground laboratory… Hmm, quite swift and decisive actions!"
"Although it appears we haven't lost any significant research findings for now, we don't know what he did during those ten minutes."
"Also, he caused extensive damage to the Shinigami Research and Development Institute this time… The cleanup and aftermath will not be easy."
"While I'm worried that the cleanup costs will be an astonishing figure, you know the biggest problem isn't that…"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri said indifferently:
"I don't know what you're worried about, but since your experimental results are still there, it means he didn't discover your 'private stash.'"
"If he had seen the experimental data, he would know that it was an accidental discovery of yours, something that might not be reproducible even with the data."
"That's true," Urahara Kisuke nodded. "However, this invasion still needs to be reported. It would be great if Captain-Commander Yamamoto could allocate some repair funds."
"That's none of my business, but this intruder clearly knows the Shinigami Research and Development Institute very well. You must find a way to deal with this," Kurotsuchi Mayuri said. "My research is entering the next phase, and I don't want this to happen again."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Urahara Kisuke expressed his displeasure. "You're the Deputy Director of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute; how could it be none of your business?"
"Ridiculous. As the Deputy Director of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, besides doing experiments and research every day, have you given me any other authority?"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri turned and left, completely uninterested in continuing to chat with this shameless fellow.
...
Aozaki Reiji pushed open the door, looked up at the pouring rain, wiped the rainwater from his face, and walked into the luxurious mansion the Tsunayashiro Family had given him.
The door to the antique and elegant bathroom slid open. The bathwater was just the right temperature. He sat in the tub, then looked back.
Through the exquisite wooden window, the other side was a desolate, drizzling rain curtain. The cool breeze made him feel refreshed.
A woman with short pink hair stood by the window, dreamlike and ethereal, as if she might dissipate with the soft wind.
She looked in his direction, took two steps forward, sat on the edge of the tub, and a faint smile played on her lips.
"You're quite beautiful," Aozaki Reiji said softly, leaning against the tub's edge and looking up at her captivating face.
"This is the body you've given me; this is the image you wanted to give me in your heart. I merely chose to accept it!" Enrakyoten's voice echoed in every corner of the bathroom.
"Your personality changes quite a lot, woman! You weren't like this before," Aozaki Reiji teased.
"After all, I've existed for a million years. Of course, I know how to adapt when dealing with people. Now you can't shake me off, Goshujin-sama~ (Master)."
Enrakyoten reached out and hooked Aozaki Reiji's chin, enunciating the title that would make an ordinary person feel embarrassed.
This woman is the Zanpakuto that has been passed down through the Tsunayashiro Family for a million years.
Aozaki Reiji took her from Tsunayashiro Tokinada, preserving the intangible true form of the Zanpakuto spirit, while the blade itself, having lost its essence, disintegrated into spirit particle fragments.
He had already performed the operation of accepting a Zanpakuto's true form once before.
Urozakuro still resides in his inner world, and this woman is now in the same situation.
At this moment, a distinct, ethereal connection had clearly formed between Aozaki Reiji and this woman; "Master" was not a jest or sarcasm, but an accurate reflection of their current relationship.
Enrakyoten, this Tsunayashiro Family heirloom Zanpakuto, was unceremoniously… possessed by Aozaki Reiji!
Enrakyoten wore a shimmering silver Valkyrie battle armor, with long, slender silver armored boots. From her waist downwards, her legs were covered by a layer of pure white, feather-fan-like feather decorations.
This attire made Aozaki Reiji feel a profound sense of familiarity, as the person before him seemed to be modeled after "Lightning Sister."
She and Shinra Bansho should have traveled to the world of final fantasy together, embarking on a thrilling and exhilarating crystal fantasy adventure! Aozaki Reiji thought.
He had always been fond of the final fantasy game series.
The movie titled "final fantasy VII: Advent Children" led him into that world full of fantasy.
Although the movie's plot was not complex, its exquisite character models deeply captivated him.
Since then, he began to play the series and embarked on his own crystal fantasy journey.
He wondered if the future development of this world would be the same as his previous life.
But even if it were the same, it seemed of no use, as he lacked the talent for game development, and Square Enix had not yet been founded; it would likely be decades before the games were released…
Wait…
With so many geniuses around, doing something secretly is indeed hard to ask for their help openly, but developing games doesn't seem to be something that needs to be hidden.
Especially a playful fellow like Urahara Kisuke would definitely not refuse. He might even be moved to tears by my brilliant idea!
"This armor looks a lot like what Quincy used to wear! Could it be that you like Western knights?"
"But Shinra Bansho and the others wear kimonos; your tastes are truly hard to fathom!"
Enrakyoten looked down at the armor on her body, "And this design is really strange. I've seen Quincy armor that completely covers the entire body."
"This armor leaks a bit here and there. Can it really provide defensive effects?"
"You don't understand this. With our strength, do we still need the protection of armor?" Aozaki Reiji nodded proudly. "Half-covering and half-revealing can display a hazy beauty. This is noble aesthetics!"
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