In just over a year, with Mayuri Kurotsuchi's intellect, discovering a few secrets was hardly a challenge.
Shimo hadn't deliberately concealed his powers either.
He understood all too well—excessive secrecy often invites more trouble than it avoids.
By displaying just the right amount of strength, he could deter potential threats before they even formed.
As the research progressed, the project had clearly reached a bottleneck.
This, for someone like Mayuri, was the most dangerous period.
He was the type to do anything to achieve a breakthrough—and unfortunately, Shimo had become the key variable in his research.
They'd once discussed topics like the fusion of the soul and the Dangai space.
And the best experimental subject? None other than Shimo, who possessed spatial abilities.
Regardless of the risks, Shimo had gained much from participating in the research on the Dangai.
The most significant breakthrough—his mastery of time acceleration.
At present, even without releasing his Zanpakutō, Shimo could triple the flow of time around him.
True supersonic speed—the real deal!
Smack!
On his way back to Fourth Division, Shimo was once again ambushed.
A classic black throwing weapon, laced with a paralyzing spiritual pressure compound and electrical shock triggers.
Shimo didn't even turn his head, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Can't you give me a break?"
"I really don't know where Yoruichi-san is!"
From behind a massive column's shadow, a petite figure stepped out slowly.
"Impossible!"
"She taught you all the Shihōin Stealth Steps, didn't she?"
Soi Fon locked eyes on Shimo's retreating back.
"But Urahara Kisuke knows them too, right?"
Shimo shrugged with growing helplessness. "Why don't you go question him instead?"
"We've gone over this for more than a year."
"Let's just drop it already."
Soi Fon's face remained stubborn—just like her personality.
"I must know Lady Yoruichi's whereabouts!"
Shimo sighed. "Then keep chasing."
"I'll be on my way."
As soon as his voice fell, his body began to dissipate like a mirage.
"A clone…?"
Soi Fon's face twisted in disbelief.
Even with her extensive experience, even with her own skill in Shunpo, she couldn't fathom what she'd just witnessed.
Shimo's movements were seamless—so much so that by the time she realized what had happened, he had already vanished.
Biting her lip, Soi Fon's eyes blazed with frustration.
"I will catch you next time!"
When Shimo reappeared, he had returned to Fourth Division's barracks.
"Seriously, what rotten luck…"
"Does Second Division and the Onmitsukidō have nothing better to do?"
"She's been stalking me daily!"
Ever since the early days of his research on the Dangai, Soi Fon had somehow caught wind of it.
Then she'd begun staking out the location—day in, day out—just to catch a glimpse of him.
The reason? Shimo's use of the Shihōin family's stealth techniques.
Naturally, Soi Fon assumed that meant he knew where Yoruichi was.
But that kind of thing wasn't exactly something you blurted out.
Shimo had guarded Yoruichi's secret well.
What followed was a full year of hide-and-seek with Soi Fon.
"Thankfully... that aggravating period is finally over."
Lazily lying on a rocking chair, Shimo was ready to enjoy a well-earned vacation.
With no daily missions, the only way to grow stronger was through self-training.
And over the past year, he'd barely wasted a moment.
Now that the Dangai research was complete, it was time for a short break.
After all—balance between work and rest is the key to true progress.
"Lieutenant Shimo, reporting!"
Rokushima Yusuke's voice called from outside the door.
"It's unlocked. Come in yourself."
Irritated, Shimo lazily tossed the book in his hand over his face.
He hadn't even had time to warm up the chair, and already trouble was brewing?
Yusuke burst in, drenched in sweat and completely flustered.
"Sh–Shimo-sama!"
"Eleventh Division's Third Seat Madarame and Fifth Seat Ayasegawa—"
"They're both critically wounded—on the brink of death!"
"Our captain is already on the scene!"
Smack!
Shimo flung the book from his face and sat up, shocked.
"Injured again from sparring?"
Yusuke shook his head, still catching his breath.
"No—it happened during a mission on the northern outskirts of Rukongai!"
Shimo's expression sharpened. He instantly recognized the gravity of the situation.
"Gather all necessary medical gear. We're heading to Eleventh Division's barracks—immediately!"
The moment he finished speaking, he vanished via Shunpo.
Maximum time acceleration.
The space around him shivered. His Shunpo reached the limits of what was possible.
In just a few heartbeats, Shimo crossed the vast distance to Elevent Division's compound.
Spatial Perception—
A skill he had grasped during his time in the Dangai.
Shimo could sense fluctuations in spirit particles across a fixed range.
No matter how subtle the disturbance, it couldn't escape his notice—
Unless the attacker was manipulating space itself.
Two faint, familiar spiritual pressure signatures came into focus.
North barracks, Eleventh Division.
Click—
"No need to open the door, it's Shimo."
A gentle voice echoed from within the room, putting everyone at ease.
For Unohana, Shimo's spiritual pressure was unmistakable.
He had barely arrived before she recognized it.
The moment he entered, he saw the two lying on the beds—barely clinging to life.
Their spiritual pressure was so weak it was nearly undetectable.
Their bodies were mangled, their flesh nearly torn to pieces.
Ikkaku was in worse shape—limbs broken, collapsed on the bed like a rag doll.
Fortunately, Unohana's healing had stabilized them.
But full recovery? That would be a long road.
"They're too weak."
Unohana frowned.
"Powerful healing Kidō would overwhelm them."
"At best, my efforts can only keep them out of immediate danger."
Shimo said nothing, but he understood.
Since Shinigami are spirit-based lifeforms, healing Kidō synchronizes with the patient's own spiritual pressure to stimulate repair.
But in this state?
One wrong surge, and it could kill them outright.
"This kind of condition…"
Shimo's face hardened. "We'll have to rely on Mayuri Kurotsuchi."
"Hopefully he's invented something for cases like this."
Unohana asked, "Should I let Minazuki swallow them?"
Shimo nodded silently.
Unohana's Zanpakutō transformed into a massive, flat creature with a single eye in its head.
Its sharp teeth were fearsome, but its demeanor was gentle—no doubt a reflection of its master.
Once the two wounded were swallowed, Unohana and Shimo stepped onto Minazuki's back.
Destination: Twelfth Division's barracks.
Minazuki moved swiftly, and they soon arrived.
"Mayuri!"
From above, Shimo called out sharply, spiritual pressure erupting to cover the area.
Ikkaku and Yumichika's lives were hanging by a thread—there was no time to waste.
Inside his lab, Mayuri's hand slipped from the shock of Shimo's overwhelming spiritual pressure—
Crash!
A vial shattered. Purple liquid splashed over his hand, melting it instantly.
Mayuri's face contorted in rage.
"That damn bastard again!"
"This is the thirty-eighth experiment he's ruined!"
"One of these days, I'm stuffing him in a bottle!"
Injecting himself with a syringe, his wrist quickly regrew with wriggling flesh.
Still fuming, he stormed outside—just in time to see Minazuki descend.
"What in the world…?"
Mayuri blinked, uncharacteristically lost for words.
"They're critically injured," Shimo said bluntly.
"Healing Kidō doesn't work. You're the only option left."
Though they weren't close, a year of interaction had made formalities unnecessary.
Mayuri's interest was piqued.
"Where are they?"
At Unohana's signal, Minazuki regurgitated the two patients, leaving them covered in thick saliva.
Mayuri didn't mind the mess.
Crouching beside them, his eyes spun unnaturally.
"Spiritual pressure entangled, life force extremely weak."
"Apply flesh-regrowth agent, plus a reiatsu purification pellet."
"And support it with healing Kidō."
"Then let's begin," Shimo said, activating a mass healing Kidō.
Green light bathed the wounded.
Unohana watched closely, surprise flickering in her eyes as she observed Shimo's technique.
Mayuri cackled as he pulled out two syringes and injected the patients.
Then he retrieved two black pellets—
—And, to everyone's horror, shoved them into the patients' eye sockets.
"Good thing their eyes were injured too."
"Otherwise I couldn't have gotten them in."
"Make sure the squad reimburses me. These aren't cheap, you know."
Just then, under the glow of healing Kidō, the wounds began rapidly mending.
Minutes later, their spiritual pressure stabilized.
Seeing this, Shimo deactivated the healing Kidō.
"They've stabilized—but it'll take time before they wake up."
Unohana gave a final check.
Shimo, though burning with questions, knew he would have to wait.
---
Two Days Later.
Fourth Division Medical Center.
Ikkaku slowly opened his eyes, staring at the white ceiling in confusion.
"Where… am I?"
Suddenly, his eyes widened—something had returned to him.
"Yumichika—run!"
He sat bolt upright, then realized where he was.
Fourth Division's infirmary.
Seeing Shimo's familiar face, Ikkaku flopped back onto the bed.
"Phew… we're alive."
"Talk about lucky."
Whack!
Shimo flicked his forehead with a loud crack.
"Cut the crap. What happened?"
"If not for a patrolling Shinigami who found you two…"
"Eleventh Division would be down two seated officers."
Ikkaku shot up again.
"Where's Yumichika!?"
Shimo pointed. "Next room. Still out cold."
"Should wake in about half a day."
Hearing that, Ikkaku finally relaxed.
The room fell into silence.
Shimo waited patiently.
Finally, a hoarse voice broke the stillness.
"While on patrol near northern Rukongai… we encountered a Hollow."
Shimo frowned.
"This Hollow… wasn't like any we'd ever seen."
"Tall, cloaked in black armor… and its Hollow mask resembled a bull's head."
As Ikkaku recounted his memory, a clear image formed in Shimo's mind.
As the image crystallized—his heart stirred with unease.
"This… sounds like White?"
Shimo's eyes gleamed with shock.
White—had appeared early?
---
One Day Later.
The Gotei 13 convened a sudden meeting.
All lieutenants and seated officers ranked above were summoned to First Division.
The topic?
The mysterious Hollow that had attacked Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika—
White.
---------------------///
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