CHAPTER 185-186: The Illusion

Renji Abarai was grappling with a day that defied all his expectations of reality. What had started as an ordinary field trip with his classmates had spiraled into an extraordinary crisis, plunging him deeper and deeper into unimaginable dangers. The shock of narrowly escaping death had barely settled in his mind when the situation took another bizarre turn — he encountered a talking cat who had taken the form of his friend's pet.

He could've taken the cat as a hallucination if his classmates didn't see the same thing.

The sleek black cat had promised him safety, speaking in the voice of a wise old man. With no other options, Renji and his classmates put their trust in this unlikely guide. As they followed the cat through the streets of Karakura Town, Renji couldn't help but feel increasingly skeptical about his decision.

'What if the cat was a Hollow in disguise?'

The thought wasn't completely without a reason. He had seen Hollows take similar form to humans. Nothing stopped them from becoming cats.

Yoruichi suddenly stopped in front of a modest house, her piercing eyes scanning the area for someone or something.

"Yoruichi-san, are we here?" Renji asked, looking up at the sign hanging from the house. "Urahara Shop?"

"I sense Shiro."

Renji skeptically followed her gaze and spotted a familiar silhouette in the distance, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with lightning speed. Toshiro Hitsugaya, carrying Rangiku Matsumoto on his shoulders, landed gracefully in front of Yoruichi and carefully set her down on the ground.

"She's quite heavy," he grumbled between deep breaths, clearly exhausted after battling Espada. "Thanks, Renji. Tracking your Reiatsu was easy."

Renji couldn't help but shrug sheepishly. "I'm trying to control it, you know?"

"Shiro," Yoruichi interjected firmly. "What's happening over there?"

"The Vice-Captain is missing, and Kazuya Nii-san has taken down two Espada," Toshiro reported. "He's currently fighting the last one."

"Weren't there originally four?" Yoruichi asked. "Or was one of them not an Espada?"

"They betrayed their fourth."

"Animals," Yoruichi whispered, shaking her head.

"Wait, Toshiro." Renji grabbed onto Toshiro's shoulders. "You knew Yoruichi could talk?"

"Since day one," Toshiro replied with a shrug, brushing off Renji's hand. "Momo knows it too."

Renji clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I told him not to," Yoruichi interjected, tapping her paws impatiently against the closed door. "Urahara, open up already."

"Coming~," sang a cheerful voice from the other side of the door, its owner casually opening it as if he wasn't eavesdropping on them from the other side. "Ohhh, Yoruichi-san came with her friends.. a group of friends."

Yoruichi looked at him with an unamused gaze. Despite the chaotic spiritual energies swirling around the town, he seemed unfazed. It was obvious that he was putting on a facade. "Shelter these kids until the Soul Society acts."

Bringing the students here was an enormous gamble that could potentially sabotage their mission. However, she couldn't help it. Protecting innocent students took priority at the moment.

Kisuke responded with a warm smile, fanning his face with his hand in a comforting yet slightly annoying gesture. "Sure~. As long as they pay the price."

Yoruichi knew exactly what price he was referring to — the loss of their memories once this entire ordeal was over.

Renji looked visibly alarmed at the mention of the price. "What do you want...?" Renji asked, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "I mean, do you want Living World's currency?"

Yoruichi chuckled. The young Shinigami wanted to hide his financial situation at any cost.

"The price is obviously your soul," Toshiro said nonchalantly. "Yoruichi-san, can we trust this man?"

"Yeah. He is my old friend."

Kisuke waved his cane dismissively and kicked the door open. "You all can talk inside. Shoo now."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes at his carefree attitude and turned to address the students. "Follow me."

"Yoruichi-san, please don't take them to the basement~," Kisuke hollered. "You'll anger the guests."

Yoruichi's cat-like hiss reached him, making him chuckle.

The moment the door closed behind the last student, Kisuke's demeanor shifted. The tip of his hat raised slightly, revealing eyes that were suddenly sharp and penetrating.

"It's been a while… Aizen-san."

Unbeknownst to Yoruichi, Aizen had been silently stalking her through the night, concealed by his Reiatsu-concealing cloak and the twisted illusions of his Zanpakutō. But Kisuke, with his keen eye for detail and a heightened awareness of spiritual energy, could not be so easily fooled. He had spotted the small grains of Reiatsu bending light to conceal Aizen the moment he stepped out of his shop.

Yet, Aizen didn't undo his Kidō as if refusing to acknowledge defeat.

'Typical egoist behavior.'

Kisuke stood there, his gaze boring into the spot. As he began to doubt his instincts, an amiable chuckle echoed. A hand swept away an iridescent curtain of light, revealing Aizen in his seemingly harmless guise, a facade that fooled many but not Kisuke Urahara.

"Kisuke Urahara and Urahara Shop… quite a courageous move to hide in plain sight."

Never could Aizen have predicted such a foolish move from Kisuke Urahara, the only man who might come close to being his equal.

Kisuke clenched his fist around his cane. Aizen's deep voice and warm smile had haunted and mocked Kisuke ever since that night. Facing Aizen under the moonlight, he couldn't help but feel shivers. "...Forgive my prudence, Aizen-san. I'm still a criminal in the eyes of Gotei 13. I have no one but you to thank for that."

Kisuke suddenly drew his Zanpakutō from its sheath and pointed his blade at Aizen. "Awaken, Benihime."

The cane melded into a sleek sword, its hilt bending at the end. Aizen was one of the few individuals to witness his Shikai twice.

Without warning, Kisuke flashstepped behind and slashed Aizen's neck — his blind spot. The slash carried every bit of his hatred for the man who destroyed many lives for his amusement, for his ego. A burst of vibrant crimson energy surged forth in a sweeping arc, carrying more destruction than mid-level Kidō spells cast with long chants. A green hexagonal barrier suddenly emerged behind Aizen and enlarged in an instant. However destructive Benihime's ability may be, the hexagonal absorbed it all before discharging its dispersed energy towards Kisuke.

Seeing his surprise attack fail miserably, Kisuke retreated with Shunpo and hovered in the sky. "You have planted a Millón Escudo in your blind spot. So terrified of getting jumped, are we?"

He knew deep down that a single sneak attack wouldn't be enough to defeat Aizen, but he had to try. After all, innovation often comes from countless failed attempts. He could have never reached any breakthroughs if he gave up just because something seemed absurd on paper.

Aizen calmly observed Kisuke, as if he didn't register Kisuke's attempt to assassinate him. "Blaming others for your problems and responding to civility with hostility… When did you become such a 'loser'?"

"Look at me, Aizen-san. A middle-aged man who can't afford a salon visit because his candy shop isn't popular with kids. Isn't that the very definition of a loser?"

Kisuke attempted to deceive Aizen by self-deprecating humor, hoping to catch him off guard. But Aizen remained composed, refusing to give any hint of vulnerability that could be exploited.

Aizen shook his head as if deeply disappointed in Kisuke. "It's unfortunate that the imbeciles ruling the Soul Society ruined a brilliant mind. Had you utilized your full potential, no meager authority in this world could have stopped you."

"Life rarely goes in the direction we want it to go."

"The logic of a loser. A winner dictates the world as it should be, not how it should be."

"Let's agree to disagree." Kisuke placed a hand atop his hat and gazed up at Aizen with an unwavering smile. "What brings Aizen-san out here tonight? Are you not afraid of being seen with an exiled Shinigami like myself?"

"The creator of 'Hōgyoku'. I'm here for him."

Kisuke remained composed upon learning Aizen's reason for seeking him out. However, a flicker of surprise crossed his face when a ferocious roar echoed in the distance, reminiscent of a chilling night over a century ago. A night that forever altered the lives of many, including Kisuke.

"Aizen-san, you did it again… What do you get out of tormenting innocents?"

The implications of Aizen's actions were clear — he had once again set in motion the cruel process of Hollowification on unsuspecting victims. Aizen gave Kisuke more and more reasons to hate him.

"I'm simply giving Shinji more 'friends'. That is, if 'someone' can recreate their Hollow and Shinigami boundaries." Aizen smiled coldly, cockiness oozing from him. "Kisuke, hand me your Hōgyoku. I'll help them."

Kisuke obviously couldn't meet anyone from the Gotei 13, much less save those suffering through the Hollowification process. He had to rely on external help if he wanted to help the victims — the simple fact allowed Aizen the opportunity to make unreasonable demands.

"Help them, you say? Don't have your own Hōgyoku?"

Aizen retrieved his Hōgyoku from his pocket and held it up for Kisuke to see. "Unfortunately, it has lost most of its energy."

"I see." He lowered the tip of his hat, hiding his expression. "It's not my obligation to help those… At the end of the day, I'm an exile."

His selfishness weighed heavily on him as he thought of the potential lives at stake. But giving into Aizen's demands could lead to an even greater catastrophe — one that could spell doom for the entire Soul Society.

"Is that your stance? Will you show the same indifference to this?"

With a snap of his fingers, Aizen lifted the illusion he had placed on Kisuke.

A/N: Writing two of the most iconic characters in anime in the same scene was stressful not gonna lie, but I wouldn't have it any other way. This arc still has a few beats and a final showdown.

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