[Spiritual Cases Arc] Part 104: Creeping Terror - The Bounts and The Sealed Sword Frenzy

Urahara's shop fell into a momentary hush as Yoruichi dropped the bombshell about the Bount. Ichigo, unable to contain his impatience, leaned forward.

Before Urahara started talking, Yoruichi handed him a small vial containing a liquid with a faint glow at its center. Urahara examined the vial with a mix of curiosity and caution.

Urahara: "This reishi came from the Bount?"

Yoruichi simply nodded and there was a momentary silence, filled with unspoken concerns.

Ichigo: "And what's a Bount?"

Tatsuki: "And why does it sound like it's about to ruin our day?" - She asked, crossing her arms.

Yato couldn't help but feel the weight of the situation intensify. As Urahara explained the origin of the mysterious liquid from the Bounts, Yato's mind raced with the implications. His gaze shifted from Urahara to Yoruichi, silently exchanging glances that spoke volumes.

Yato: 'If the Bounts became canon... what else could follow? Those three modified souls, maybe? Geez... things just keep getting worse.' - He thought.

Urahara: "Back when I was part of the research and development institute, during one of my investigations, I stumbled upon remnants of a spirit that looked like this. It was a new type of spirit with a special component surrounded by a human soul. Upon further investigation, I discovered a family with unique abilities called Bounts."

Uryū: "A family with unique abilities?" - He inquired, noticing a certain resemblance.

Urahara: "Though they are few, I would say they are akin to the Quincys in that regard. As you already know, Quincys utilize their powers to absorb Reishi from the environment and employ these abilities to destroy Hollows. Bounts, on the other hand, use their powers to absorb souls, taking them for themselves. While Quincys age and die normally like any human, Bounts can live forever if they continue absorbing human souls... at least that's what I discovered, but I've never had the chance to encounter one face to face."

Yato: 'I know a few Quincys who seem to defy the laws of aging...' - He pondered, his gaze distant as he absorbed Urahara's explanation.

Ichigo: "They live forever?" - His voice was tinged with a mixture of incredulity and annoyance.

Urahara: "Yes. Since they're constantly absorbing human souls, over time, they've even been called vampires."

Yato: "If the legend of vampires came from these guys, I guess witches must exist too..." - He couldn't resist making a comment, which elicited a slight chuckle from Urahara.

Urahara: "Well, who knows what lurks in the shadows of this world..." - Urahara's response was cryptic, his tone hinting at a deeper understanding of the mysteries that surrounded them.

Yoruichi: "As for Bounts, they usually absorb souls after someone passes away. However, during my investigations, I stumbled upon a peculiar case. There was a Bount who seemed to be luring a person, intending to absorb their soul while they were still very much alive."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, the intrigue evident on his face, while Yato absorbed the information with a thoughtful expression.

Yoruichi: "And there's more..."

Yato: "More? What else is going on?" - He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Soi Fon: "We don't fully understand the Bounts' motives or their endgame, but their recent activities have inadvertently weakened an ancient seal in the Tagayama Mountains. It's as if they're setting off a chain reaction that could have dire consequences."

Uryū: "And what exactly is sealed there?"

Soi Fon: "His name is Baishin...A powerful shinigami who was part of the Gotei 13... 400 years ago. According to records, this shinigami went mad at some point and wiped out everyone who crossed his path, including high-ranking officers like lieutenants. Apparently, he attempted to escape to the world of the living, but some captains of that time pursued and sealed him. Still, two of the captains were killed before the shinigami was completely sealed. Because of these events, Soul Society is on high alert and has cut off all communications with the world of the living, and closed all Senkaimon."

Soi Fon's expression was serious, reflecting the gravity of the situation as she shared the information. Uryū furrowed his brow, absorbing each detail intensely, while Yato and the others watched with growing concern.

Rukia: "So that's why I've been having trouble getting in touch with the Soul Society... But if all the portals are sealed shut... it means…" - She cast a quick, worried glance at Urahara.

Urahara: "Precisely. It means a lot of those lost souls wandering around the city won't have a way into the Soul Society."

Ichigo: "What do you mean by that?"

Urahara: "Kurosaki-san, as you already know, one of a shinigami's duties is to guide souls so they can proceed to the Soul Society. However, the Konsō isn't the only way for souls to move on to the other realm. The function of the Konsō is to send souls directly to the Soul Society, but it's not the only method. A soul that is completely at peace can go to the Soul Society on its own, but they need to make the journey through the Dangai..."

Yato: "So, it's like we're caught between a rock and a hard place... Souls either remain stuck here in the world of the living or end up trapped in the Dangai, with that gooey train possibly turning them into roadkill..."

Everyone tensed up at the situation, and the interior of the shop fell silent once again.

Ichigo: "So what do we do now?"

Yoruichi: "Before we start hashing out any plans..." - She folded her arms and directed her gaze towards a seemingly vacant corner of the room. - "You've been lurking around long enough. Why not show yourself now?"

Yoruichi's words broke the tense silence, prompting everyone to shift their attention to the seemingly vacant corner. As if emerging from an invisible cloak, a faint silhouette slowly materialized, gradually gaining clarity until it revealed the figure of the 12th Division's lieutenant, Nemu Kurotsuchi.

Nemu stood with an air of detached calmness, her presence exuding an eerie tranquility. She surveyed the group with her impassive gaze, her expression unreadable. Despite the tension in the room, she remained composed.

Nemu: "Apologies for the intrusion." - Her voice was soft.

Soi Fon narrowed her eyes, studying Nemu with a hint of suspicion.

Soi Fon: "How did you get here, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi? All Senkaimon gates were sealed."

Nemu remained unfazed by the question, her demeanor unwavering.

Nemu: "I received orders from Captain Kurotsuchi to accompany you to the world of the living before the lockdown of the gates."

Soi Fon's skepticism lingered, her gaze unwavering as she continued to assess Nemu's presence.

Soi Fon: "Orders or not, you shouldn't have followed me without my knowledge."

Nemu's response was delivered with an almost robotic precision, devoid of any emotional inflection.

Nemu: "No, Captain. I did not follow you the entire time. I simply took advantage of Captain Kurotsuchi's orders to assist Yasakani-sama, should he require any assistance."

Soi Fon: "And why would Kurotsuchi order you to assist this human specifically?"

Nemu's response was prompt, her voice unwavering as she clarified the situation.

Nemu: "Assisting Yasakani-sama was not an order from Captain Kurotsuchi. It was a personal decision on my part."

Soi Fon's suspicion heightened at Nemu's unexpected revelation. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the 12th Division lieutenant.

Soi Fon: "A personal decision?"

Instead of responding directly to Captain Soi Fon's question, Nemu silently approached Yato with her usual composed demeanor, her footsteps barely making a sound against the floor. As she reached him, she stood behind him with a respectful posture, her presence emanating an air of discipline and loyalty.

Yato: "Hey, Nemu? How's it going?" - He inquired casually.

Nemu: "I'm well, thank you for asking, Yasakani-sama." - She responded with a reserved politeness, her expression unchanged.

Yato: "Did that Mayuri guy do something to you?" - He inquired, his tone tinged with concern, as Nemu settled behind him.

Nemu: "No, Yasakani-sama," she replied stoically, her expression as inscrutable as ever.

Yato: "Good." - He sighed with relief, then turned his gaze back to Urahara. - "I'd hate to have to go back to Soul Society just to knock one person around." - He added, a hint of nonchalance in his voice, which elicited a mix of puzzled and amused reactions from the group.

Yoruichi: "Hoh..."

Ichigo smirked at Yato's remark, recognizing the familiar bluntness in his speech, while Rukia shook her head in mild exasperation. Tatsuki couldn't help but chuckle softly at Yato's straightforwardness.

Orihime: "It's true! Yasakani-kun once told us that Nemu-chan had adopted him as her father!" - Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she recounted the lighthearted story.

Urahara: "Well, I'd love to hear more about how that came to be, but for now, let's focus on the current situation." - He quipped in a playful tone. - "As Yasakani-san presumed, souls are going to end up trapped… which means while we're sorting out the Bounts and Baishin situation, someone's gotta handle Konsō for all the souls in the city."

Rukia: "What about the shinigami responsible for the other towns?"

Yoruichi: "We've already briefed them on the situation."

Uryū: "But what are the chances of the Bounts or even this Baishin attacking the shinigami while they're busy with the Hollows and performing Konsō?"

Urahara: "If we consider that the Bounts waited for you all to go to Soul Society before they started moving, I suppose they might want to avoid direct conflict with someone powerful, which means Yasakani-san and Kurosaki-san may not be their focus."

Tatsuki: "I feel offended now…" - She murmured, crossing her arms and looking slightly annoyed.

Urahara chuckled softly at Tatsuki's remark before continuing.

Urahara: "Don't worry, Arisawa-san, it's not personal. The Bounts are likely strategizing, focusing their efforts on weaker targets to avoid unnecessary confrontation with the Gotei 13. After all, they seem to be quite adept at staying under the radar."

Yato: "So, if they're avoiding direct conflict with the shinigami, that means they'll target the souls who are least protected, right?"

Urahara: "Precisely. They'll likely go after those who are vulnerable and unable to defend themselves effectively. That's where our focus should be..to protect those who are at risk and prevent the Bounts from gaining any more power. Baishin, on the other hand, may prove to be a different kind of threat. From what we know of his history, he's not one to shy away from direct confrontation. If he's released from his seal, he'll likely go after anyone and everyone who crosses his path, regardless of their strength."

Yoruichi: "Which means we need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Baishin's release could unleash chaos unlike anything we've seen before."

Tatsuki: "So, what's our plan?"

Urahara: "Glad you asked!" - He exclaimed excitedly, folding his fan shut.

Then, the doors to the back of the shop swung open, and three individuals emerged to join the small gathering.

The first was a small girl with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was dressed in a pink, fur-trimmed coat.

To the left of the girl stood a bespectacled man with a thin mustache and long two-tone hair, black on the right and yellow on the left, cascading down to his upper back and ending in a point. He wore a gray top hat and matching boots.

On the right side of the girl stood a young man clad in a fur coat, with a zippered mask partially revealing his soft red hair and green eyes.

Urahara: "These are Ririn, Kurōdo, and Noba. They're Mod-souls that I've added something special to each of them. Since the Bounts can blend in as ordinary humans, they can only be detected by the thin layer surrounding their spirits, but of course, that layer is almost imperceptible... So, I used that sample as a basis to implant a sensor in these mod-souls. Each of them has the ability to detect the Bounts, as well as their own special abilities."

Yato: "And you already had something like this prepared? It's like you were expecting the Bounts…" - He remarked casually, raising an eyebrow.

Urahara: "Oh, not at all." - He replied with a playful grin. - "Just a stroke of luck, I suppose. But my plan is to assign one of these special mod-souls to each of you."

Tatsuki: "But there are only three of them. How's that gonna work?"

Urahara: "Given your current circumstances, especially since Ishida-san here is without his powers…"

Ichigo: "Wait, what!?"

The Quincy merely averted his gaze, a mixture of frustration and resignation evident in his expression, but he remained silent.

Urahara: "Noba will be with Sado-kun." - As the mod-soul's name was mentioned, Noba zipped up his mask, concealing his face completely. - "Kurōdo will be with Inoue-san." - The man with the distinctive two-tone hair tipped his hat in a gentlemanly gesture. - "And as for Ririn, she'll be with Ishida-san." Ririn, the blonde girl, reacted with a pout, her cheeks puffing out slightly as she crossed her arms.

Ichigo: "And what about the rest of us?"

Urahara: "Well, I took the liberty of implanting the same sensor in Kon, Kurosaki-san. So, as long as you keep him around, he'll also be able to detect the Bounts. As for Arisawa-san, she already possesses an incredible detection ability. With everything going on, she'll probably stick close to Inoue-san, and her instincts might help her identify the Bounts on her own."

Nemu: "If you allow me to analyze this sample, I can also detect the presence of the Bounts."

Urahara: "So, I guess you'll be sticking close to Yasakani-san?" - Urahara glanced at Nemu with a curious expression, waiting for her confirmation.

Nemu: "Yes." - Her response was short and to the point.

Yato: "Just one question…" - Yato's eyes shifted to Urahara, his expression a mix of curiosity and suspicion. - "If these Bounts were already causing trouble when we weren't around, why are you only introducing these mod-souls now?" - His tone was skeptical, his arms crossed over his chest as he awaited an explanation.

Urahara: "Actually, I had planned to introduce them earlier and have you go through some trials to train you in certain aspects, like reasoning ability and teamwork, but…" - Urahara paused, his gaze drifting momentarily as if recalling something. - "Thanks to something I realized, that wouldn't make sense anymore." - His tone was cryptic, leaving the others curious.

Rukia: "And what exactly made you change your mind?"

Urahara responded with a gentle smile, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief as he glanced at Yato.

Urahara: "Well, Kuchiki-san… the reason I changed my mind… was Yasakani-san."