Chapter 530 - 530 See You Again, Safe And Sound

Living World, Karakura Town, Urahara Shop.

"Oh my, what a rare guest. I didn't expect Captain Hitsugaya to visit my humble shop so late."

Kisuke said, somewhat surprised to see Toshiro arriving suddenly.

"Urahara-san, let's skip the pleasantries. I have important business with you."

Toshiro said directly.

"Important business? What is it? Hmm... this little girl... is she an Arrancar?"

Kisuke was about to ask Toshiro what the matter was when he suddenly noticed Nel behind him.

"Hello, my name is Nel. Although Nel is indeed an Arrancar, I'm just an insignificant little bug, not a great, important person."

Nel hugged Toshiro's arm tightly, looking at Kisuke with some curiosity and fear.

Coming from Hueco Mundo to the Living World, suddenly arriving in a strange environment, Nel felt some unease, but her lively personality also made her very curious about everything in the Living World.

"Urahara-san, although Nel is an Arrancar, she is not our enemy. She is a friend I made when I was the Commander of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, leading the army to campaign in Hueco Mundo. And the matter I need to discuss with you is also related to Nel."

Toshiro said seriously.

"Oh? What is it exactly?"

Seeing Toshiro's solemn demeanor, Kisuke also became serious.

"Actually, this is what happened. Earlier, Nel suddenly came to the Living World from Hueco Mundo and told me..."

"So, not only Nel's friends Pesche and Dondochakka, but the entire Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force is in danger. The reason Aizen chose to attack Nel and the others, as well as the Expeditionary Force, is clearly to lure us into sending a rescue party to Hueco Mundo, thereby dispersing and weakening our strength, and then seize the opportunity to have the decisive battle while holding a numerical advantage."

Toshiro explained the whole situation to Kisuke from beginning to end.

"I see..."

Hearing Toshiro's words, Kisuke's expression also became very grave.

"From this incident, our previous assumption that the 'decisive battle would be in winter' was completely wrong. Aizen clearly wants to have the final battle ahead of schedule. It seems there is still much we don't know about the Hogyoku."

Kisuke couldn't help but frown.

Previously, based on the seal within the Hogyoku, Soul Society had deduced that Aizen would need at least four months to fully awaken it, and that he wouldn't start the decisive battle before then.

As allies with a common enemy, Soul Society had also shared this deduction with Kisuke, who had strongly agreed with it.

Because the seal on the Hogyoku was set by Kisuke himself, he knew it best. The time he deduced matched Soul Society's... he also believed Aizen needed at least four months to awaken it.

But now, Aizen's actions clearly indicated he was about to start the decisive battle early, proving that he had already fully awakened the Hogyoku, not needing the four months they had assumed.

'This is troublesome. I didn't expect Aizen to awaken the Hogyoku from its slumber so quickly. It seems my understanding of the Hogyoku is far inferior to Aizen's. At this rate, I wonder if that thing I made will even work...'

Kisuke felt some concern.

He was clearly very surprised and worried that Aizen had awakened the Hogyoku ahead of schedule.

In fact, Kisuke was not only dejected because Aizen had fully awakened the Hogyoku so quickly. Most importantly, he suddenly realized how little he knew about it.

Actually, ever since Aizen obtained the Hogyoku, Kisuke had held almost no hope of killing him. Because once Aizen fused with the Hogyoku, he would become something like an immortal being.

In that state, Aizen could not be killed. In Kisuke's view, even peak Shinigami fighters like Yamamoto and Toshiro might be able to defeat Aizen in battle, but they could never kill him.

So, Kisuke had been secretly researching a method to completely seal Aizen after his complete fusion with the Hogyoku.

After much research, he had indeed made some progress, developing a method to completely seal the Hogyoku's master when their power weakened and their resolve wavered.

But now, Kisuke suddenly realized he still knew too little about the Hogyoku, and was very worried that his sealing method might not work.

"Urahara-san..."

Seeing Kisuke suddenly lost in thought, Toshiro called out, puzzled.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I suddenly thought of something else. My apologies. Now, Captain Hitsugaya, since you know Aizen's attack on the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force and Nel-san's friends is meant to lure us into sending a rescue party, thereby dispersing and weakening our strength before the decisive battle, what have you decided to do, Captain Hitsugaya?"

Kisuke stared intently at Toshiro.

"I have already explained this matter to Genryusai-sensei. He has strictly forbidden me from going to Hueco Mundo to rescue them!"

Toshiro said in a deep voice.

"Well, knowing the Captain-Commander as I do, his making such a decision isn't too surprising."

Kisuke wasn't very surprised by Toshiro's answer.

When Kisuke was still in Soul Society, he had heard some rumors about Yamamoto. He knew that in the past, Yamamoto had been a cold, ruthless man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, called the Sword Demon.

Although Yamamoto had changed a lot in recent years, a leopard cannot change its spots. It wasn't surprising that he would make such a ruthless decision.

Kisuke couldn't help but sigh, shaking his head. "Ah well, from a rational standpoint, the Captain-Commander's decision is indeed correct. But from an emotional standpoint... sigh, it's a shame about the hundreds of Shinigami in the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force..."

"That is only Genryusai-sensei's decision!"

Toshiro suddenly interrupted Kisuke. "Although Genryusai-sensei has forbidden going to Hueco Mundo to rescue them, I never said I would obey that order!"

Hearing Toshiro's words, Kisuke was stunned for a moment, then looked at him with great surprise.

"How interesting. I didn't expect you, the Vice-Captain-Commander, the next Captain-Commander, the successor personally chosen by Yamamoto, to disobey his orders."

Kisuke said, pressing down his hat.

"I have decided to go to Hueco Mundo to rescue the Expeditionary Force and Nel's friends. I came to ask you to help open a passage to Hueco Mundo. You won't refuse, will you?"

Toshiro looked into Kisuke's eyes.

Kisuke was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke. "Alright. After all, I defected from Soul Society years ago. I have no obligation to obey Captain-Commander Yamamoto's orders."

…

Urahara Shop, Underground Space.

Thud!

Kisuke's cane suddenly tapped the ground. He began to chant solemnly, "My right hand is the stone that bridges worlds. My left hand is the blade that binds reality. The black-haired shepherd is hung from a chair. Stratus clouds come, and I strike down the ibis..."

Huum!

With Kisuke's chant, a Garganta suddenly appeared in the space.

Then Kisuke explained, "This is the [Garganta] used by Arrancar, like the Senkaimon used by Shinigami. But you can't see the path inside, and there are whirlpools formed by Reishi Currents. Well, these things probably won't affect you, so I won't say more. Just walk towards the darkness, and you should reach Hueco Mundo!"

"I understand. Thank you, Urahara-san. I hope we can see each other again, safe and sound."

Toshiro waved his back to Kisuke and walked straight towards the Garganta with Nel.

"Captain! Wait!!"

A sharp cry suddenly sounded.

"Hmm?"

Toshiro turned and saw Rangiku, Sojiro, and Ashido suddenly appear in the underground space.