CHAPTER 62: A Useless Gigai


    <span style="font-weight:400">As the Garganta gateway whispered shut behind him, Kazuya was met with an expanse that sprawled out in stark contrast to the world he’d left behind. Not a lush field of verdant green, but rather a barendscape that stretched out before him. This ce, as barren as it was, felt like a slice of paradise when contrasted with the dark nightscape of Hueco Mundo. The sole reason for that was the pseudo-sunlight cast over everything, a byproduct of a kidō spell.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yoruichi had directly brought them to the huge underground chamber under the Urahara Shop.


    <span style="font-weight:400">M Rose’s eyes swept over the vista. “W-Whoa? It’s so bright!” Her excitement was reminiscent of a small-town individual stepping foot into a gleaming metropolis for the first time. “Skull, we''re finally seeing the light!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The rest of the group seemed equally awestruck, though they chose to express it in the silent marveling of their surroundings, unlike Api, who wanted to maintain a cool image.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It’s rather nice…” Ciri said, feeling the sunlight caress her skin. She tilted her head towards Yoruichi. “Mister Cat, is this your home?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yoruichi couldn’t help but chuckle at the misconception around her gender and form. It seemed like they had ignored Kazuya’s direct boration on her shapeshifting ability and took her cat form as her real form. “Nope. Just a training ce for Kisuke. Speaking of that guy. Kisuke, get your ass down here!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">"Coming,ing." The response came from a door hundreds of meters above them, and momentster Kisuke appeared, casually jumping down to join them. He curiously observed them, Harribel in particr. “This lowly merchant Kisuke Urahara is humbled by your appearance.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Stop with the useless ttery.” Yoruichi almost rolled her eyes. “These are Kazuya’s friends. More human-looking than we expected, right?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Certainly, Yoruichi-san.” Kisuke turned to Kazuya, his lips slowly curling into a smile. “Kazuya-san, to think you befriended a Vasto Lorde and high-level arrancars… are you attempting to build an army of powerful Hollows for revenge?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He was talking about Kazuya’s ‘past’ with Aizen, which Harribel and others weren’t aware of.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The word ‘revenge’ reverberated around the underground space. This stirred Api and Harribel, their gazes fixating on Kazuya with a newfound curiosity and suspicion.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Is it about Baraggan?” Harribel connected the dots to the wrong individual. “If so, he’s already been dealt with.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Bara—”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya cut Kisuke with a friendly smile. “Yup, Baraggan. He was such a pain in the ass.” He gave the shopkeeper a sidelong nce and a wink. “Right, Urahara-san?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He’d rather keep the stuff about his ‘Shinigami’ past away from them. The unstable and passionate Api might just swear revenge on Aizen for him. It would needlesslyplicate their rtionship.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kisuke covered his face with his paper fan, hiding a devious smirk. “Of course, Kazuya-san. It’s not like you have enmity with anyone outside of Hueco Mundo.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">His face twitched at Kisuke’s obvious attempt to troll him. Being in this situation, he couldn’t speak much lest the rest came to know about his ‘made-up’ past with Aizen.


    <span style="font-weight:400">His silence, however, led the others to specte, their imaginations filling the nks with wild possibilities.


    <span style="font-weight:400">A small, knowing smile curled the edges of Sung-Sun''s lips, her sleeve raised to her mouth as if to cover up her smile. “Interesting.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya shook his head, swearing to get back at Kisuke at ater date. “Urahara-san, have you started working on the Gigai I ordered?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He promptly shifted the conversation to Gigai which was necessary for everyone to move freely. After all, Kisuke only had this space to keep them. He was more of a bedroom guy than a cave guy.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘I gotta buy my own ce in this town.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Fortunately, his voice saved him the effort of workingborious jobs.Why work when he could scam—guide wealthy women with his voice?


    <span style="font-weight:400">“There are some problems,” Kisuke whispered as he looked up. “Tessai-san, get me the Gigai.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya watched in anticipation as a white, humanoid figure tumbled down from the high entrance. With a swift motion, Kisuke jumped into the air and caught the figure with his cane, gently lowering it to the ground.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“This is it, a generic Hollow Gigai… But it''s not going to be of much use to anyone here.” Kisuke voiced his doubt, thinking the Gigai wouldn''t fit Api. He had crafted it with the assumption that Kazuya’s friends would be ordinary Hollows, not Arrancars of Adjuchas and above ss.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Api stared at the humanoid body. “What is a Gigai?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The question was echoed by M Rose and Sung-Sun, their understanding of Shinigami tools being quite limited.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yoruichi poked the Gigai’s leg with her paw. “Gigai is what Shinigami use to interact with humans. Sometimes it’s necessary to obtain knowledge. The ones Kisuke makespletely conceals Reiatsu. Even the sharpest Shinigami won’t be able to track you.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Even M Rose, typically the least sharp, grasped the purpose of the Gigai from Yoruichi’s simplified exnation. “Skull wanted these for us?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">There was a note of appreciation in her voice as she realized that Kazuya wasn''t just looking for a way to hide them; he was searching for a means to help them integrate with humans and experience a life that only he could ess as a Hollow with his mysterious ability.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The sentiment was mirrored in Ciri''s softened gaze.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Api pressed her head affectionately against his arm. “Sung-Sun was wrong… I knew you wouldn''t betray us.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kazuya was taken aback at the mention of betrayal. He was about to question it when a familiar Reiatsu prickled his senses.


    <span style="font-weight:400">ncing up, he caught sight of the one person who should never see him surrounded by Hollows in his Hollow form. “Damn it…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">His life as a Quincy had run its course, but he was unwilling to sever his bonds with Izumi and Lisa just yet. Yet, with Lisa''s arrival, it seemed all but guaranteed.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘No, not like this. There should be a way.’</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">His ever-optimistic and maniptive mind began to weave a new plot.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yoruichi, who hadn’t seen Lisa for years, tilted her head. “Why is Lisa Yadōmaru dressed as a maid? Why does she look so lost?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She had only ever seen Lisa berating Shunsui Kyoraku with borderline cold faces. Seeing Lisa shocked was apletely new sight.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Kisuke took a step back from the group as though trying to fade into the background. “This escted to the moon. Yoruichi-san, get some popcorn. We’re about to be subjected to peak cinema.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yoruichi sharpened her gaze. “Is there a rtionship between her and Kazuya?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“There is,” Kisuke confirmed, fluttering his fan. “I’ll exinter.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The mere prospect of the impending chaos put a mischievous grin on his face.