Ouetsu didn't immediately enter the mansion when the masked man went in and instead went around to another side to enter through one of the windows.
It would seem that the masked man already expected this as he ignored his actions and just slowly walked towards the direction of the basement. As soon as the masked man arrived at the door to the basement, Ouetsu silently appeared behind him.
Still wordless, the masked man opened the door and led the Shinigami deeper inside, and soon enough, they arrived at a small room with various barriers placed on it. Due to the intense amount of barriers present, even Ouetsu, who'd just recently started learning about Magic, couldn't help but marvel at the suffocation he could feel from it.
The masked man stepped into the room but Ouetsu didn't do the same and continued staring at him, "Did you really think that I'll enter a trap prepared by someone who invaded the Royal Palace just like that?"
"I was hoping that you would since you followed me quietly up to here." The masked man answered nonchalantly.
Ouetsu was a bit taken aback and asked again, "And what made you think that?"
"Because instead of Soul Society or the Seireitei, you're hiding from the other Royal Guards. More specifically, from Hyousube Ichibei."
Ouetsu was startled but didn't let it show on his face while repeating his question, "And what made you think that?"
This time, the masked man didn't immediately reply and contemplated his options. Since he knew that no amount of explanation could make him step into this room, he didn't bother answering him. However, if they want to discuss anything with substance, it's paramount to avoid Hell's gaze and the only way to do that surely is to leave the Human World, 'Should I risk it?' Kisuke thought to himself.
He could try to slowly gain his trust, but that would take too much time which he doesn't have right now and it's not even certain if he could do that in the first place.
On the other hand, if he risks it and fails, the entire Seireitei and Royal Palace will become aware of him. He would be lucky if they just ended up sending a few assassins and trackers. Worst of all is that Ichibei himself and the others from the Zero Division would be hunting him down.
However, if he's successful, he'd be able to obtain the assistance of one of the greatest weapons he could use against Ichibei.
After a few more seconds of contemplation, Kisuke sighed and placed his hand on his mask, 'Ah... Fuck it. Become a wanted man? Nothing really new. I also already prepared the girls' return trip in case of emergency or the situation became too dangerous. The rampage of Holy Power back then was a blessing in disguise.'
Because of that event, it became a lot easier for Kisuke to secure their retreat in case the whole world turned against them.
Ouetsu wondered what the masked man was trying to do until the latter pulled off his mask and it instantly and dramatically changed his appearance, "!?"
Kisuke, without his disguise, smiles at Ouetsu, "Shall we continue?"
Ouetsu calmed himself and thought about it for a few moments before stepping into the room and saying, "Fair enough."
Kisuke immediately closed the door behind him and fully activated the barriers prepared for the room.
"So that wasn't the full capability of this room," Ouetsu commented while looking around, feeling the intensity of Magic Power in the room thickened.
After putting the room in lockdown, Ouetsu thought that they'd start talking, but just as he was about to say something, Kisuke signaled him to stop, "Not yet."
Kisuke ignored the confused Ouetsu and placed his hand on the wall.
A few seconds later, a thin black line appeared on the wall and soon it turned into an opening that revealed a world with chaotic colors, "This is?" Ouetsu muttered in suspicion.
"The Dimensional Gap. We'll have to go through here to leave the Human World." Kisuke briefly explained before stepping out of the room.
Ouetsu followed him with curiosity and found the space they stepped into was so hostile that no normal person could ever survive, "This is way worse than the Garganta."
"This way," Kisuke called out, opening another portal and stepping into it.
As he had been doing, Ouetsu followed him and soon arrived at a familiar place full of dilapidated structures and perpetually dark clouds covering everything in sight, "...Could it be... The Zaraki District?"
"No better place to do an important and secret talk than under the lamppost, right?" Kisuke closed the portal and erased all of its traces.
Ouetsu sighed and said, "You really are full of surprises, Urahara-kun."
"It's always been my forte." Kisuke grinned at him, "Shall we use a random abandoned hut?"
"Preferably somewhere that doesn't smell so bloody."
"Then let's walk for a bit." Whether Kisuke could pull Ouetsu to his side or not will mostly depend on the latter's view on things and there's really little the former could do about it, 'I hope Kyouraku-san's state is accurate.'
.
.
.
With a warm tea prepared, Ouetsu immediately went directly on point, "So, what did you want from the Royal Palace?"
Kisuke took a sip of his tea before answering, "I already told the answer to Hyousube-san, but in case he didn't tell you, I said I wanted to confirm who the first Shinigami who was born from Hell made an agreement with."
Ouetsu became silent for a brief moment before asking, "And what did he say?"
Kisuke was happy that Ouetsu confirmed his words for him, 'This means he's more willing to cooperate than I expected.'
"Did you really think that he'll entertain my question? I'm just glad that I was able to escape unscathed. And I just really want to see if the one holding up the world right now is the King of the Quincies."
Ouetsu leaned back and took his cup of tea, "That's true. If you could get close like that to that thing, he wouldn't humor you unless he's incredibly interested in something."
"What's this? It sounds like you hate the lynchpin or something."
Ouetsu's eyes immediately rose up and stared directly at Kisuke. With a very serious expression, he said, "I really can't understand how others wouldn't. Even for the sake of maintaining the worlds."
Kisuke's hand froze as he shuddered at his voice that contained a little bit of hostility, 'Jackpot!'
Editors:
28th00
"Aren't you being too honest right now?"
Ouetsu took a sip from his cup before answering, "I'm just returning the favor."
"I see... Then I'm really glad that I took that mask off." Kisuke started calculating the moves he could make right now, "But even if you're returning a favor, isn't that a very dangerous statement for you? And the way you said it, what if Hyousube-san cuts you off? While you are the original maker of the Zanpakuto, it doesn't mean anything if you are a threat to the status quo. And I doubt you're the only one who could make a Zanpakuto right now so replacing you isn't really a big issue."
"Am I under the wrong assumption that this conversation will be secret?" Ouetsu finished his cup of tea and placed it down, "And don't you have alcohol instead? It'll be more fitting to the current atmosphere."
Kisuke smiled and waved his hand. In an instant, the tea cups disappeared and were replaced by a bottle of Japanese rice wine and two small cups.
"That's really a convenient skill." Ouetsu commented in awe while watching Kisuke pour alcohol into cups, "By the way, do you mind if I take a look at your blade?"
"Are you referring to Tiamat?"
"That's right."
Kisuke noticed how Ouetsu didn't refer to Tiamat as a Zanpakuto, 'I just used her twice yet he already noticed.'
Kisuke didn't mind so he took out the tanto blade from his sleeve and placed it on the table.
Ouetsu became quiet. Instead of immediately grabbing the blade, Ouetsu first observed it from multiple angles before carefully picking it up and pulling the blade out slowly.
As soon as the light reflected from the shiny surface, Ouetsu's eyes glistened, "It's as I've thought. Although the fundamental structure is that of a Zanpakuto, it's not one. The technique used in the creation of this blade is of an entirely different system. Impressive... What do you call it?"
"A Soul Gear, but it's nothing really impressive. I just studied two existing technologies and combined them into one."
Ouetsu's eyes landed on him, "You being humble really hurts my pride, you know? You didn't just successfully analyze how I structure an Asauchi to a frightening degree but you also used a completely different technology to manufacture it that didn't just mimic a normal Zanpakuto, but also became compatible with anyone with a soul, be it a Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy, Fullbringer, and finally, a normal Human, no training required. Was my Asauchi really that easy to make and modify to this degree of freedom?"
Kisuke was stunned for a bit before saying, "That... I apologize."
"Good. Because what you made here is really something ridiculous because I have a feeling that you trapped a very outrageous being within this blade."
"Isn't that just the same with Shihouin Clan's Byakko?"
Ouetsu looked down on the blade once again and said, "It's not. That guy willingly gets into Asauchis to pose as a Zanpakuto Spirit while yours... I can't even describe it properly. It looks like she was imprisoned but it also looks like she's willing to stay put and be used. And although I can clearly see Byakko, I can't gleam anything to the Spirit itself. Even then, I can still feel apprehension. Just what sort of being is she?"
But before Kisuke could even give an answer, the tanto on Ouetsu's hand began shining and it lit up the whole shack they were in before it left his hand and transformed into a young girl with light blue hair, pink eyes with star-like pupils, and prominent double curved horns.
Ouetsu found himself staring at her when she suddenly said, "That's not anything important, is it?"
Tiamat looked at her side and from the ground, a chair emerged, and sat down on it. She then put her hand forward and a small cup appeared on it, "Please."
"So you wanted a drink too." Kisuke smiled wryly and poured the wine into her cup.
Ouetsu, on the other hand, could only silently watch in shock because he could hardly believe what he just saw. When Kisuke had brought out the tea and alcohol earlier, he knew that he was summoning them from somewhere.
However, the little girl didn't do that. Instead, she very quietly summoned the Spirit particles from her surroundings and converted them to another form of matter casually. This reminded him of the 8th Kenpachi, 'No... Azashiro's ability is assimilation. This is clearly a direct manipulation of Spirit particles and to a far greater degree than even the Quincies. This is already in the realm of creation... Something that only the Spirit King is supposed to know how to do.'
Tiamat drank the wine with a blissful expression before turning back to Ouetsu. And as if reading his mind, she said, "You are overestimating me. I'm just a mere shadow of my former self so all the abilities I possess are locked behind my master's capabilities and understanding."
"...Then couldn't you just simply teach him how to use those abilities?" Ouetsu asked.
Tiamat asked for another cup and instead of answering him, she returned a question, "Can you teach anyone how to breathe? Pump their heart? Or think with their brain?"
"...N-no."
"And that's my answer."
Kisuke didn't have anything to say about this interaction because he actually already asked Tiamat how her ability manipulates Prima Materia but she couldn't put it in proper words and even if she tried, it's just gibberish to Kisuke, "Why have you come out?" he asked after pouring Tiamat's third cup.
"This is actually my only time to properly observe this Soul Society of yours. And I had the same question when I first saw it." Tiamat answered and downed her cup before continuing, "Why did your Spirit King create such a dysfunctional world?"
Editors:
28th00: Very valid question, Tiamat-Larva.
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