Your support on Patreon keeps me inspired and driven to keep writing! 🥰
By joining, you'll unlock access to 50+ advanced chapters and help fuel the journey.
Join here ➤ https://patreon.com/HACKDWORLD
Gosuke Shigure knew a thing or two about the woman Kyoraku Shunsui had gone to see.
Of course he did—he'd read the original Bleach story.
Not just the anime adaptation either. The manga, which held far more depth and detail.
To be honest, back in his previous life, Gosuke had mixed feelings about the manga's ending.
It felt rushed.
As though the creator had been pressured to wrap things up quickly, throwing out character deaths like lunch boxes at a relief center.
Meaningless sacrifices piled up.
Take Ukitake JĹ«shirĹŤ, for instance.
When Soul Society faced collapse, he finally stood tall. For once, it looked like he was going to show the full extent of his power—a power that had been hinted at for decades while he seemingly held back under the guise of chronic illness.
But then… bam. Just as he offered his life in some grand cosmic ritual, it failed. Pointlessly.
He died anyway.
Looking back, Gosuke often felt that Ukitake would've made more impact if he had just stuck to fighting the Sternritter with his ZanpakutĹŤ instead of activating the Kamikaishin Mimihagi. His death left behind more regret than heroism.
So yeah, Gosuke had regrets about the manga.
A lot of them.
Which was why, in his first life in this world, when he awakened in the Soul Society with knowledge of what would come, he had been incredibly excited.
Unfortunately, he'd arrived a little too early.
His consciousness had been transferred more than two thousand years prior to the main storyline—a period rarely touched on in canon. The only major detail from that era was the foundation of the Gotei 13 by Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni. The Twelve Divisions, the current political structure, the Central 46… all of it was still forming.
Despite the inconvenient timing, Gosuke had been born into nobility—one of the Great Families, no less. He'd risen through the ranks quickly, easily making his way to the heights of Shinigami power.
His original plan had been to live quietly until the start of the storyline.
Then, once Ichigo Kurosaki appeared, he'd planned to be a behind-the-scenes mentor figure. Occasionally helpful. Maybe dramatic. A legendary old man with mysterious insight.
But fate had other plans.
He died.
And not a metaphorical or storybook death—just plain, tragic death.
Then… miraculously, he woke up again—reborn once more into the same world, this time as Gosuke Shigure.
This second life made him wary.
He couldn't afford to die again. Not when he didn't know whether he'd get another shot. There were no guarantees of another rebirth.
And Gosuke Shigure was not a man who gambled recklessly.
Returning to the present…
The woman Shunsui had gone to meet?
Gosuke recognized her from the story.
She was Shunsui's sister-in-law.
Kyoraku Shunsui, as fans of the original story might recall, was the second son of the aristocratic Kyoraku family. His relationship with his elder brother had always been rocky, but things thawed after his brother married—a woman of remarkable beauty and grace.
Her presence mellowed the tension between the siblings, and Shunsui started visiting more often.
Odd as it sounded, it was the truth.
Then the woman became pregnant.
By all accounts, this should have been a joyous moment.
But not long after, Shunsui's older brother died unexpectedly.
Tragedy struck, and tradition followed.
The woman's family name was Ise.
According to the Ise Clan's rigid customs, a widow—especially one pregnant with a child—must be brought back to the main house. No matter how noble the husband's family might be, the Ise did not yield in this matter. Even the Kyoraku family couldn't oppose it.
So Shunsui could only watch as his pregnant sister-in-law was taken back to the Ise estate.
But he never forgot her.
Nor the child she carried—his elder brother's posthumous heir.
Every so often, Shunsui would make the pilgrimage to this secluded part of Seireitei to visit her.
Was it love? Duty? Guilt?
Perhaps all three.
Gosuke Shigure silently mused whether this counted as a secret rendezvous.
With no answers, he chose to take a walk around the Ise estate.
As expected, the architecture was heavily inspired by the design of ancient shrines—hence the nickname Ise Jingu.
It was sacred ground. Not just physically, but politically and spiritually.
And Gosuke, knowing his place, didn't intrude. He walked along the perimeter, admiring the layout.
Then—
"Who are you?"
The voice was soft, almost inaudible, but it made Gosuke pause.
He turned toward the sound, but saw no one at eye level.
It wasn't until he looked down that he spotted her.
A young girl. Delicate features. Intelligent eyes.
Gosuke's brows lifted in surprise, but he smiled and replied gently,
"Just a traveler passing through."
The girl tilted her head.
"A traveler?" she echoed, doubtful. "But I've lived here all my life. No one ever comes here. No travelers."
"You're not a traveler," she said with certainty. "You came with that man, didn't you?"
Gosuke blinked. "That man?"
The girl nodded. "Yes. That man. I don't know who he is, but my mother sees him sometimes. Every time she does, she sends me away. I once tried to sneak a peek, but I didn't see his face clearly."
Her voice dropped to a near-whisper.
"He came again today. And now you're here, too. You must be with him."
She looked at him, eyes filled with quiet hope.
"Can you tell me… is he my father?"
Gosuke's expression shifted subtly.
"So you've never met your father?"
The girl shook her head, her expression dimming.
"Not that I remember. But I know I must have one."
Gosuke exhaled slowly. "I see…"
He already knew who this girl was.
Even without her signature glasses, the setting and her features made it obvious.
Ise Nanao.
Vice-captain of the Eighth Division under Kyoraku Shunsui in the original story. In the Thousand-Year Blood War, she would later wield the Hachigyōken—the Eight-Mirror Sword—and face an enemy so powerful even Kyoraku's Bankai couldn't defeat it.
And she'd win.
She might have looked delicate, but in that moment, she had stood taller than giants.
Gosuke had always respected her character—both for her strength and her subtlety.
He never expected to meet her like this. A child. Innocent. Clutching at hidden truths.
Hearing her question, he hesitated.
It wasn't his place to say anything.
Kyoraku Shunsui and Nanao's mother had both made the choice to hide the truth. That, in itself, meant something.
And so, with a soft expression and a heavy heart, Gosuke said nothing.
The answer would come in time.
___________
Loving the story? Support me on Patreon to unlock early access to advanced chapters! We're already at Chapter 123, with 3 new chapters dropping every two days
Prefer a one-time purchase? You can also grab the entire fanfic collection on Patreon with lifetime access—no subscription required.
Don't miss out—own the full journey forever and help keep the story alive!
đź”— patreon.com/HACKDWORLD