Mayuri Kurotsuchi had no idea how Yoruichi Shihōin had gotten wind of it.
But the ironclad fact was this: he, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, really was the first person to spread the news about Nemu.
And it all went back to those years—back to that string of collaborations he'd had with Higashino Shuuichi and the Tsunayashiro family.
Those deals taught Mayuri one simple truth: there are no eternal enemies—only eternal interests.
As long as it served his interests, there was no one he couldn't work with.
Of course, that "working with" could never become too deep.
Information that would sell out an "ally" was absolutely not allowed to be sold.
Otherwise, Mayuri would go from a sought-after prize to everyone's thorn in the eye in an instant.
So, guided by that flexible mindset, Mayuri began cooperating with all kinds of people without the slightest burden on his conscience.
So long as the other party could bring him benefit, he could hand over the necessary information or take the necessary actions as repayment—
Regardless of whether that person's identity ran counter to Soul Society's overall interests.
And regardless of his personal feelings.
That was why even he—who had once loathed Kisuke Urahara and wanted to surpass him—had accepted Urahara's terms in secret.
Namely: Urahara would trade all of his research成果 from the period after leaving Soul Society, in exchange for Mayuri's actions and intelligence support over the coming stretch of time.
Put simply, Mayuri would act as Urahara's inside man in Soul Society.
Mayuri had no reason to refuse such an exchange.
Urahara's offer was generous.
He even allowed Mayuri the right to refuse any trade.
So long as Mayuri had even the slightest reluctance, he could unilaterally terminate the cooperation at any time.
Naturally—considering Higashino Shuuichi's situation, and the current power structure within Soul Society—Mayuri wasn't foolish enough to spill the truth about Higashino Shuuichi.
"Playing both sides" was the perfect description of Mayuri as he was now.
As for Yoruichi Shihōin—
If she had come with "sincerity," Mayuri would have been more than happy to toss her a few unimportant scraps of information.
Unfortunately, she hadn't.
She had come to demand answers and assign blame.
In that case, he wouldn't be giving her face.
Shut his mouth. Show her out.
Yoruichi—completely pinned down—was so furious she felt like she could explode.
But right now, she truly couldn't do anything about Mayuri.
After all, it wasn't like she could actually turn on him, let alone start a fight, right?
With no other choice, Yoruichi could only leave the 12th Division barracks in a foul mood and use her own methods to return to the Human World.
She had to find Kisuke Urahara and get a straight answer.
What, exactly, was he trying to do?!
Did Urahara not understand what consequences would follow if Central 46 arrested Nemu at a moment when she was already standing in the storm's eye?
Or did Urahara truly intend to rely on those first-generation captains' reigai (spirit replicas) in his hands—take advantage of Soul Society's chaos, counterattack, and crown himself master of Soul Society?!
Yoruichi honestly couldn't see through Urahara anymore.
Ever since the day Urahara had admitted to her with his own mouth that he'd hidden many things from her—and had no intention of ever coming clean—
Yoruichi had felt that Urahara had changed.
Later, Urahara had even deceived the other Visored and led them into an assault on Soul Society.
That time… could be called the most dangerous moment Soul Society had faced in the entire era.
It had been not long after Higashino Shuuichi was thrown into Muken.
Back then, Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's injuries from fighting Higashino Shuuichi still hadn't healed;
Seireitei itself had nearly been smashed to pieces by Higashino Shuuichi;
Two captains of the Gotei 13—Shunsui Kyōraku of the 8th Division and Sōsuke Aizen of the 5th—had to guard the entrance to Muken to prevent another Kenpachi Azashiro-like incident;
Sajin Komamura of the 7th Division and Kenpachi Zaraki of the 11th had both been crippled by Higashino Shuuichi, while Retsu Unohana of the 4th had no heart for battle;
Meanwhile, Gin Ichimaru of the 3rd Division, Isshin Shiba of the 10th, and Kaname Tōsen of the 9th had to keep Hueco Mundo in check, suppressing the Menos that were stirring restlessly.
It could be said that after Higashino Shuuichi's rampage, Soul Society's usable combat power had sunk to its lowest point in centuries.
If Yoruichi hadn't led the Visored to turn on Urahara at the last moment… that day, Urahara might truly have taken Soul Society.
But that same incident was what drove the rift between Yoruichi and Urahara to its peak.
From then on, they completely parted ways.
Yoruichi led the remaining Visored alone, relying on the technology Urahara had once provided, hiding and moving through the Human World.
And from time to time, she would slip back into Soul Society to see how the winds were shifting—whether there was any chance to clear the Visored's names.
Life should have stayed that quiet and uneventful forever.
Until the day before yesterday—when Yoruichi heard that Nemu had been bound and captured.
She urgently sought out Kūkaku Shiba and had her apply to Kabuma Sayako for the right to use the Eizō Hall.
Then, using the Eizō Hall's rewind, she traced the "source" back to Mayuri.
But Yoruichi didn't believe Mayuri was the true source.
First, Mayuri had neither motive nor reason to do this.
Second, it was only after Nemu went to the Human World once and came back that this whole chain of events unfolded.
If that wasn't a coincidence, then it had to be a long-premeditated plan.
And in the Human World… who else had that ability?
Yoruichi didn't even need to think to know the answer.
"So this is what you came to ask me, after not seeing me for so long?"
Standing on the balcony, Kisuke Urahara smiled as he gazed into the distance.
"I could ask you other things," Yoruichi said behind him, staring at a back that now felt unfamiliar. "But the problem is—would you answer any of them?"
"Then, Yoruichi… why do you think I'll answer this one?
Or rather—even if I admitted my goal was to make the shinigami Higashino Shuuichi left behind turn against Soul Society… what could you do about it?"
Urahara didn't turn around. He simply looked outward and spoke with calm ease.
Yoruichi fell silent.
She truly didn't know what she should do.
"Do you want to help the shinigami Higashino Shuuichi left behind, or do you want to help Soul Society deal with those troubles?
Either way—you don't have the status or the qualifications anymore."
In the flattest tone, Urahara stated the most brutal reality.
"You can only watch.
Otherwise, you—or Lisa Yadōmaru and the others—no matter who returns to Soul Society, you'll be treated as enemies.
All you'll do is make the chaos worse."
With merciless precision, Urahara shattered every last illusion Yoruichi was clinging to.
He knew that deep down, Yoruichi still hoped Soul Society would become better and better.
But the problem was—Soul Society didn't necessarily welcome Yoruichi Shihōin anymore.
Yoruichi sank into even deeper silence.
She had only seen the consequences Nemu's arrest might bring… and had completely forgotten what her own identity was now.
She was no longer the head of the Shihōin family.
And the wavering nobles in Soul Society no longer hoped she would return.
They had found a better choice.
Compared to Yoruichi Shihōin—who had been gone from Soul Society for a hundred years—Kabuma Sayako, head of the Kabuma clan and likewise one of the Four Great Noble Houses, was clearly a more suitable bet to stake everything on.
Leaning against the wall outside the door, Higashino Shuuichi was silent as well.
What did they call it—searching everywhere only to find it effortlessly?
This was exactly that.
It was just that the relationship between Yoruichi and Urahara was far worse than Higashino Shuuichi had imagined.
He had never expected his old design to produce such an absurdly effective result.
Yoruichi had found him, yes.
But from the look of it… what Yoruichi knew might not even be as much as what Higashino Shuuichi himself knew.
Still, Yoruichi hadn't come empty-handed with "good news," either.
At the very least, she let Higashino Shuuichi know that in two days, Nemu would be publicly executed on Sōkyoku Hill.
Same familiar recipe—
Just with a different heroine.
As for the male lead…
Higashino Shuuichi lowered his gaze to his hands.
He knew perfectly well that such a ridiculous verdict could never have come from a normal deliberation of Central 46.
Even the traditional Central 46 he'd once dealt with had never carried out a judgment this extreme.
So there was only one possibility—
This "trial" was Aizen's arrangement.
And as for Aizen's purpose… Higashino Shuuichi felt there was no need to think about it anymore.
It was one hundred percent to build himself a flawless stage entrance.
If that was the case, and Higashino Shuuichi wasn't there in person to witness Aizen standing above all heavens… wouldn't he regret it for the rest of his life?
But with Higashino Shuuichi's current identity—and with Urahara watching him at all times—if he wanted to return without exposing his mask…
He needed a reason that was perfectly reasonable, and could stand up to scrutiny.
"Heh…"
Suddenly, Higashino Shuuichi couldn't help but laugh.
He was laughing at himself—at what nonsense his brain had been chewing on.
A reason?
Didn't he have a ready-made one right now?
Without greeting, without knocking, Higashino Shuuichi shoved open Urahara's door in one motion.
He didn't step inside. Under the gaze of both Urahara and Yoruichi, he simply stood in the doorway and said evenly,
"Sorry. I overheard some of what you were saying.
But that shinigami you mentioned—Nemu—she's the female shinigami I saved last time, right?"
Yoruichi frowned, then nodded.
"Then I understand. Could you prepare a way for me to go to Soul Society?
You shinigami might not really get it, but us humans—especially Quincies like us—
We believe that if you save someone, you save them all the way, and if you lend a hand, you see it through to the end.
Since that Nemu is facing execution because of me, I can't just ignore it.
Otherwise, wouldn't saving her in the first place have been completely pointless?"
Higashino Shuuichi was saying this to Urahara.
After hearing it, Urahara froze for a brief moment.
Because that familiar sensation came again.
On Higashino Shuuichi, Urahara seemed to glimpse the shadow of another boy with orange hair.
That shadow was extremely vague—aside from that striking orange, Urahara couldn't see anything clearly.
And the sensation vanished in an instant.
Most people would chalk something like that up to an illusion, but Urahara didn't see it that way at all.
Because every time that sensation appeared, thoughts that didn't belong to him would surface in his mind—
And his actions and behavior would unconsciously follow those sudden thoughts.
For example: back then, when he chose to notify Tessai Tsukabishi and have him accompany him to rescue the shinigami who had suffered hollowfication;
For example: back then, when—despite already sending Yoruichi—he suddenly decided to personally lead a team, rush from the West Administration to the East Administration, and even snatch the key from that Quincy family before Higashino Shuuichi could;
And for example: right now—there was a voice in his head insisting, over and over, that he should not agree to Higashino Shuuichi's request.
Urahara guessed that this might be what people called the Soul King's will.
The Soul King had never truly died. He had been influencing the world in this way all along.
But Urahara no longer intended to keep acting according to the Soul King's will.
Whether it was the first time in the West Administration, when he tried to defy that will and tore up his cooperation with Miyazaki Sakai Masato;
Or later, when he took advantage of an opening and nearly led a group of first-generation captains' reigai (spirit replicas) to seize Soul Society;
Or even earlier, when he abruptly set in motion his plan to help Aizen fully merge with the Hōgyoku—
Urahara had been repeatedly probing the boundaries of how much the Soul King's will could influence him.
After countless attempts and tests, Urahara had essentially reached a conclusion:
The more he refused to "listen to the Soul King," the weaker the Soul King's influence over him became.
Using a modern Human World expression—if you keep resisting to the very end, even the Soul King will eventually give up trying to "treat" you.
Was the Soul King strong?
In the known history of Soul Society, the Soul King's power was beyond question.
He was the being who, by his own strength, created the Three Realms.
And yet—even a Soul King that strong had people he could not influence.
So what about Kisuke Urahara?
Urahara had once thought about that.
Could he become an existence that surpassed the Soul King?
Could he reach a place even the Soul King could not reach?
The answer Urahara could think of was only two words:
Hell.
He would conquer Hell—Jigoku.
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