Chapter 40

"Captain Shiba, how did you arrive here? "

Twenty years prior, Shiba Isshin, the captain of Squad 10, vanished while on a mission in the human realm. The Gotei 13 dispatched numerous individuals to locate him in the human world.

After a year with no results, Hitsugaya Tōshirō, who held the third seat in the squad, was swiftly elevated to the position of captain.

"Haha, it's quite a hassle to explain. To sum it up, I've recently regained my abilities, so you can think of the former Shiba Isshin as deceased. "

"What matters most now is addressing the present adversary before us, right? "

Despite having narrowly blocked Reinhard's Cero, he has just restored his abilities, so he isn't at full strength.

"I tell you, bothersome foes keep appearing one after another. "

With the arrival of Urahara Kisuke and his associates, Fiander realized there was no other option, so he reluctantly sheathed his Zanpakutō, expressing, "That kid Ulquiorra is truly ineffective; he couldn't even stall them for a moment. "

"Since Mr. Urahara has arrived, I'll let them live, unless you wish to continue battling me? "

"Let's go, Reinhard, back to Hueco Mundo. "

After observing Fiander sheathe his Zanpakutō, no further actions were taken.

Urahara Kisuke regarded Fiander with an expression of disbelief and remarked, "Is Aizen truly capable of this with Hōgyoku? "

"Your Reiatsu is indistinguishable from that of a Shinigami. Don't tell me you're no longer an Arrancar? "

Urahara Kisuke's disbelief was evident in his eyes.

"No, I am indeed an Arrancar; I merely have the ability to present myself as either a Shinigami or an Arrancar at will. "

At that moment, Reinhard had already moved to Fiander's side, who gestured with his hand, tearing the air, and revealing a unique ability of the Menos Grande - the black void opened.

"By the way, little Captain, I hope you become stronger by the time we meet again. "

"After all, you can't always rely on luck to save you."

"And goodbye, Mr. Urahara Kisuke, Ms. Yoruichi, and Mr. Kurosaki… Isshin! I trust that we will cross paths again! "

After uttering these words, the forms of Fiander and Reinhard vanished from the human world.

What remained was a few severely injured individuals and the ravaged Karakura Town. Today marked a calamity for the city of Karakura.

The abrupt drop in temperature left many on the streets frozen in disbelief, particularly those near the battleground.

Consequently, following Urahara Kisuke's reconnection with Soul Society, a new assistance team will be dispatched, and the critically injured Madaramei Kikaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika, Abarai Renji, and Rukia Kuchiki will be sent to Urahara Kisuke's store for immediate medical attention.

Particularly Rukia and Ikkaku were the most seriously hurt. When confronted by No. 11 Arrancar Reinhard during combat, he was unrelenting, fighting with lethal intent.

Consequently, Inoue treated these two, as typical healing methods offered minimal chances for their complete recovery. Only through Inoue Orihime's time regression ability could their wounds be effectively healed in a brief span.

Simultaneously, Urahara Kisuke and Tessai Tsukabishi utilized their Kido to restore the devastation wrought by the battle. Otherwise, even after decades, the area would remain uninhabitable.

As darkness enveloped the scene, Matsumoto Rangiku and Hitsugaya Tōshirō, who sustained only minor injuries, opted to care for the injured in Urahara Kisuke's establishment, following Aizen's betrayal of the Soul Society and the revelation of the events from 100 years prior.

The Soul Society is diligently striving to maintain communication with Urahara Kisuke, as he is the only one who comprehends Aizen's actions; he has provided extensive insights concerning Hollows, Arrancars, and Hōgyoku.

In the living room, Yoruichi, with bandages wrapped around her hands and feet, along with Rangiku and Tōshirō in casts, enjoyed a meal laid out on the table. The day's skirmish had drained much of their spiritual and physical energy.

After Yoruichi polished off the last bowl of food, the trio reclined on the floor, contentedly rubbing their bellies.

"Ah - I'm stuffed. "

Urahara Kisuke entered and inquired about Yoruichi and the others, asking, "How are your injuries now? "

"The spiritual food is fantastic; it has really expedited our healing process. "

"As expected, you gleaned a lot from Hikifune Kiryu back in the day."

While complimenting Urahara Kisuke, Yoruichi removed the bandages from her hands and feet. She had not utilized reiatsu to shield her extremities during her skirmish with Yammy when colliding with his hardened skin, leading to significant bruising.

"What are your thoughts on the Arrancar who appeared today? " Yoruichi questioned. Tōshirō and Rangiku also regarded Urahara Kisuke with serious expressions, as today's battle was quite disgraceful.

With such a powerful entourage of shinigami, even with a captain leading the charge, being overcome by a single adversary is nothing short of shameful and humiliating.

"That Arrancar is unique. Based on the details you provided, it appears that he can employ Kidō abilities much like a Shinigami. "

"And unlike other Arrancar summoned by him, standard Arrancar usually unleash their true capabilities termed Resurrección when using their Zanpakutō. Resurrección signifies that an Arrancar releases the sealed spiritual core within their Zanpakutō, allowing them to transform into their authentic hollow form. "

"However, when he released his Zanpakutō, there was no alteration in his physique, nor did he emit the malevolent aura typical of a Hollow's Reiatsu. I speculate that he has transitioned from Hollow to Shinigami, rather than merely being an Arrancar. "

Absorbing Urahara Kisuke's logical evaluation of the existing data, it became evident that among all the intel from the Soul Society, only Fiander had engaged in direct combat against them up to that point.

Tōshirō then inquired with skepticism, "Shinigami transformation? Are you suggesting that hollows can turn into Shinigami? "

Previously, Aizen had addressed this question for Kurosaki Ichigo and others, leading the Soul Society to validate new insights about Hollows and Arrancars following the 12th team's investigations.

"An Arrancar remains an Arrancar. The Espada that battled alongside you transitioned from the soul realm of Menos Grande to join the Shinigami ranks. This revelation is something I never foresaw since such boundaries are typically insurmountable," he stated gravely.

"Given that they are two fundamentally opposing species, it is impossible for one to inject their soul into the other and forcibly alter their essence, even if they aim to enhance their power. "

"However, the other party directly converted the soul into a different entity. "

Urahara Kisuke meticulously clarified the issue to the group, prompting Tōshirō to interject, "When the Arrancar was departing, he referred to Captain Shiba as Mr. Kurosaki. . . Does this imply that Captain Shiba is indeed Kurosaki Ichigo's father, which could explain his disappearance two decades ago? "

Considering it was their first encounter in 20 years, Matsumoto Rangiku and Hitsugaya Tōshirō experienced feelings of uncertainty upon seeing each other again, leading them to seek further explanation from Urahara Kisuke.