News of the matter quickly spread through Ichigo's circle of friends.
After Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryū Ishida learned that Ichigo planned to go to Soul Society to save Rukia, they all came to the Urahara Shop to see if they could help.
"Kurosaki-kun, are you saying Kuchiki-san is going to die?" Orihime asked, her face full of worry.
"Yeah. Rukia has been sentenced to death! I'm going to bring her back," Ichigo answered solemnly.
"We're going too! After all, Kuchiki-san is our classmate."
Orihime, Chad, and Uryū Ishida spoke almost in unison.
"I understand how you all feel, but do you really have the ability to go to Soul Society? That isn't somewhere ordinary people can just barge into."
Ichigo sounded somewhat helpless.
"Kurosaki-san, if they want to go, let them go with you," Kisuke said with a smile.
"Huh? Hat-and-Clogs, are you kidding? Are you telling Orihime and the others to go there and die?"
Ichigo's eyes widened as he stared at Urahara in disbelief.
"Kurosaki-san, don't underestimate them! The three of them have already obtained abilities that are no weaker than yours. You simply never noticed."
Kisuke smiled mysteriously.
Ichigo looked toward Orihime, Chad, and Uryū in confusion.
He had never known that they possessed such powerful abilities as well.
Orihime and the others, however, nodded firmly, showing that they were willing to follow Ichigo to Soul Society.
"But before that, I still need to give the three of them some special training so they can use their abilities better. Otherwise, they won't be able to deal with Shinigami."
Urahara looked at the three of them.
"Are you willing?"
Hearing this, Orihime and the others hesitated slightly, but they soon became firm and shouted together.
"We are!"
Seeing everyone cooperate so well, Urahara nodded in satisfaction.
He looked at Chad, Orihime, and Uryū, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Then from today onward, we will enter special training mode!"
Orihime and Uryū readily agreed.
"No problem!"
Chad simply took a step forward, expressing his decision through action.
...
On the other side, after Isshin learned that Uryū Ishida also intended to go to Soul Society, worry could not help rising in his heart.
After all, Masaki had once been Ryūken's fiancée.
In the end, she had married Isshin as Ryūken's nominal younger sister, which meant that, in a way, Isshin had stolen Ryūken's wife. Ryūken was also technically his brother-in-law.
Now that Uryū was going to Soul Society, Isshin felt it was necessary to inform Ryūken.
After all, they were Quincy.
If Uryū accidentally provoked the Shinigami, the consequences could be unimaginable.
On top of that, Kazuma, that sneaky bastard, was also there.
He was ruthless toward Quincy.
If Uryū ran into danger, things would truly become terrible.
Thinking this, Isshin could not help quickening his pace and hurried toward Ryūken Ishida's home.
"Why are you here?"
Ryūken Ishida looked at the man before him with a trace of surprise in his eyes.
Although the two of them were relatives, because of various reasons, they had not interacted much over the years. Isshin's sudden visit naturally left him quite astonished.
"Do you know that Uryū is going to Soul Society?" Isshin asked directly.
"Oh? He's going to Soul Society?"
Ryūken raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a bit of curiosity.
"Looking at how calm you are, aren't you afraid he'll die in Soul Society?" Isshin frowned, sounding somewhat dissatisfied.
"Perhaps you don't know this, but because of his mother's death, Uryū's relationship with me has been very strained. Whatever he does, he won't tell me, and I won't interfere. If he wants to go to Soul Society, then let him go."
Ryūken shrugged, looking indifferent.
Seeing Ryūken's uncaring attitude, Isshin inwardly sighed, then dropped a heavy bombshell.
"That guy Kazuma, the former Seventh Division captain, is also in Soul Society."
The moment Ryūken heard this, his expression darkened.
A cold light flashed through his eyes, and his body trembled involuntarily.
The shadow Kazuma had left on him back then was still vivid in his memory.
He had nearly been killed by that man.
Ryūken clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth.
"Wasn't that damn bastard already dead?"
Isshin quietly looked at Ryūken, knowing he had successfully caught the other man's attention.
He took a deep breath and continued, "Unfortunately, that guy is alive and well. In fact, he's doing even better than before."
Ryūken fell silent for a moment.
"I'll find a way to teach Uryū a few trump cards to protect his life. Thank you for telling me."
...
By evening, the sun had gradually sunk toward the horizon, and a brilliant sunset spread across the sky.
Uryū Ishida dragged his exhausted body home after finishing an entire day of special training at the Urahara Shop.
"I'm back."
Uryū opened the door and called into the house out of habit.
His voice sounded somewhat low, carrying a trace of fatigue.
He knew only his father was at home, and the relationship between them had always been cold.
Hearing his son's voice, Ryūken Ishida sat up from the sofa and looked coldly as Uryū entered the living room.
Uryū did not stop for long.
He merely glanced faintly at his father and prepared to return to his room.
"You're going to Soul Society?"
Just as Uryū was about to leave, Ryūken suddenly spoke.
His tone was calm, but it carried an authority that could not be ignored.
Uryū stopped in his tracks, shock rising in his heart.
He did not know how his father had learned of this, but he did not intend to hide it.
"Yes. This is my decision."
Ryūken frowned slightly, displeasure flashing through his eyes.
"This has nothing to do with you," Uryū said stiffly, unwilling to argue too much with his father.
However, Ryūken only mocked his son.
"With your level, aren't you just going there to die?"
His words revealed clear disdain toward Uryū's strength.
After saying this, he extended his right hand.
A flash of light appeared, and an exquisite Quincy crossbow instantly formed in his hand.
Seeing the Quincy crossbow in his father's hand, Uryū's eyes widened, and shock appeared on his face.
He had never imagined that his father was also a Quincy, and that he possessed such powerful strength.
In Uryū's memory, his father had always been an ordinary human who had long since abandoned his Quincy powers.
But the reality before him forced him to reexamine everything he thought he knew about his father.
"You… how do you have such strong power?"
Uryū's voice was filled with shock and confusion.
He realized that his understanding of his father was far from enough.
Ryūken smiled faintly, his smile carrying a trace of contempt.
"I simply had no interest. You, on the other hand, lack talent. With your little bit of ability, you don't even reach one-tenth of my level."
Hearing this, Uryū felt somewhat unconvinced, but he also had to admit the gap between himself and his father.
Ryūken then continued, "If you want to go to Soul Society, then follow me. There is someone in Soul Society whom even I cannot defeat, and this person is extremely hostile toward Quincy. Back then, his reiatsu alone rendered me completely unable to move. Even now, I still cannot forget that scene."
After saying that, Ryūken walked toward the basement on his own, paying no attention to how Uryū might react.
Uryū Ishida stood frozen in place for several seconds, his father's words echoing through his mind.
Although he still had doubts and worries in his heart, he ultimately decided to follow Ryūken.