"Hey, Kisuke, do you think the person coming could be Aizen?"
A man with rare blond hair asked Kisuke Urahara with a grave expression.
"It shouldn't be. This Reiatsu reaction is completely different from Aizen's. It's not even a Shinigami's Reiatsu," Urahara replied, not looking particularly nervous. After all, they had been on the run for decades; if Aizen hadn't found them in all this time, there was no reason for him to appear here now without any warning sign. "If I had to say, it actually feels more like the Reiatsu of a Quincy."
"Quincy? Aren't they already extinct?"
"They only wiped out the Quincies that were gathered together at that time. There might still be some scattered survivors hiding somewhere. The Shinigami aren't entirely without scruples in the World of the Living, so while they are extinct in name, in reality, many places haven't been searched seriously."
Lisa Yadomaru, the former Lieutenant of the 8th Division, naturally had some understanding of this.
"In short, we'd best negotiate with this Quincy gentleman who has suddenly arrived in Karakura Town. After all, this is still within the jurisdiction of the Shinigami. I actually don't mind being neighbors with him, but at the very least, he can't just brazenly shuttle back and forth between the Three Worlds through the Senkaimon like this."
Kisuke Urahara emphasized that the main goal this time was to show some muscle, not to fight with the other party, so that both sides could end up in peace.
"So, considering the hatred Quincies have for Hollows and their hatred for Shinigami, I can only trouble you all to observe from the shadows for the time being. It will be fine if just Yoruichi and I go to negotiate. Unless the situation becomes irretrievable, it's best not to make a move if possible."
"Got it, got it. You're just as long-winded as ever."
Hiyori Sarugaki kicked Kisuke Urahara in the shin.
"Do we look that impulsive?!"
"Your behavior has absolutely no persuasive power, Hiyori."
"Shut up! Baldy!"
"Who is a baldy?!"
Kisuke Urahara held his forehead. Seeing his former companions still so lively after experiencing such an ordeal was certainly a happy thing, but under these circumstances, could they please not bicker like this?
"Rest assured, Love and I will hold them back," Rojuro Otoribashi comforted. Among this group of people, only the two of them could be considered relatively steady.
"Anyway, I will go back now to respond to this Quincy gentleman. Perhaps we can get along peacefully just by wasting a bit of breath—Mr. Tessai Tsukabishi, I'll have to trouble you again."
The manager of the general store said words that even he didn't quite believe, and left the underground space with the former Grand Kido Chief. The two people who were originally noisy also quieted down.
"Is it really not Aizen?"
"Kisuke said it isn't, so it can't be."
"Tch, I was actually hoping it was that guy, so I could let him have a good taste of my new power."
Hiyori Sarugaki muttered, but she didn't leave impulsively. The shadow Aizen had cast over them was simply too great; that impulse was nothing more than surface-level bravado.
"Let's get ready too. In case the negotiation fails on both sides, we'll still have to fight. Hachi, we'll probably have to trouble you and Mr. Tessai Tsukabishi again when the time comes."
"Don't worry, we will deploy the barrier immediately."
Everything had been arranged on the Visoreds' side, but Suzuki Makoto would not be satisfied with mere negotiation.
At this moment, he was wearing a mask made of Reiatsu, and his figure was also concealed by armor shaped from Reiatsu. The reference object was those French soldiers under Jeanne's command from before, making his entire person look like a swordsman from the West, completely dissociating him from the original Suzuki Makoto.
"Are you the guy who was releasing Reiatsu so brazenly just now? Can you not be so arrogant? This is at least still within the protection range of the Soul Society. As a Quincy, you shouldn't wish to be discovered by the Shinigami of the Soul Society, right?"
Yoruichi Shihoin, draped in a black cloak, looked at the man before her and spoke carelessly.
However, the other party's next words caused her expression to change abruptly.
"Former Captain of the 2nd Division, Yoruichi Shihoin? I didn't expect that after fleeing the Soul Society, you would actually be hiding here."
"Who are you—how do you know me?"
The smile completely vanished from Yoruichi Shihoin's face.
"As for who I am, I only like to say it once, so let's wait until everyone is here. At the very least, the former Captain of the 12th Division and Director of the Department of Research and Development who fled with you, Mr. Kisuke Urahara, and the former Grand Kido Chief, Mr. Tessai Tsukabishi, haven't appeared yet, have they?"
After these two names were called out, only killing intent remained on Yoruichi's face. After all, knowing she was the former Head of the Shihoin family might be due to the activity among the Nobles, but being able to accurately name Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi proved that the other party was completely aware of that so-called "defection."
"Who on earth are you? From whom did you learn these things?!"
Throwing away the hindering cloak to reveal the rather revealing combat uniform underneath, Suzuki Makoto recognized at a glance that this was the outfit used when fighting Soi Fon.
It seemed Yoruichi had already completed Shunkō now and could use it as a combat method.
However, he did not pay attention to Yoruichi. Instead, his gaze fell on a seemingly empty spot.
Compared to Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu, this little visual trick was completely not worth mentioning.
Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi, whose expressions were equally grave, stopped hiding and appeared directly right there.
"This gentleman, could I trouble you to answer Yoruichi's question first? I am also quite curious about this matter."
"I have abandoned my name, but I will not abandon my identity as a Quincy. I come from the Wandenreich—a nation of only Quincies."
The three had no impression of this country, but they were very clear on one thing: a Quincy being able to accurately call out their three names, and showing not the slightest stage fright when facing them, was enough to explain the problem.
Because this meant that even facing three Captains, the other party felt the situation was still under his control!
"If Your Excellency is willing to have a good talk, then I would be very happy to invite Your Excellency to my home as a guest. At least there isn't too much conflict between us, is there? After all, you are targets hunted by the Gotei 13, and so are we."
"A talk is fine, but you must first prove that after hiding and dodging for decades, you still have the qualification to negotiate."
"Tch, what qualification do you have to make us prove our strength? For a guy who has been hiding and dodging for a thousand years, you sure talk big, don't you?"
Yoruichi Shihoin curled her lips in mockery, but in the next moment, the fine hairs over her entire body instantly stood on end.
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