The routines of Soul Society continued uninterrupted. But at the same time—
In the World of the Living, something unknown yet profoundly significant was quietly unfolding.
"Kurosaki-kun~ There's something important I must tell you."
"Please be at [REDACTED] by 12:00 on [REDACTED]…"
"I will meet you there."
He'd read that little note in his pocket countless times now.
The handwriting was familiar—clearly Urahara Kisuke's.
That irreverent shopkeeper hadn't been seen since the war with Hueco Mundo. Even the Urahara Shop had been shut down, vanished without a trace.
Ichigo Kurosaki had assumed it was over. But just days ago, a black cat had leapt onto his windowsill and dropped off this note.
Yoruichi Shihōin.
"Wait!" he'd called—but she'd already vanished, leaving nothing behind but the paper.
Since the war, Ichigo had returned to his daily life. But it wasn't the life he wanted.
Because he hadn't seen the final moments himself.
Because after Seiya Arima and Aizen Sōsuke had left Soul Society together, he had been forcibly expelled back to the Human World by the Gotei 13.
And now, he knew nothing about what had happened since.
Only tidbits from Rukia.
"So… Seiya lost, didn't he…"
Otherwise, Soul Society would've been flipped upside down by now.
Haunted by this uncertainty, Ichigo couldn't shake the unease building inside him.
And today, clad in his school uniform, he arrived at the appointed place at the appointed time.
It was a field of rubble on the edge of Karakura Town—one of those places he rarely visited.
"Urahara-san? Urahara—?"
Thunk.
Something hit his head, making him stumble.
He turned. A black cat, licking its paw, gave him a mocking smirk.
"You're late, Ichigo."
"Yo—Yoruichi-san?!"
A swirl of black mist—and the dusky-skinned goddess emerged, unclothed, grinning mischievously as she slung an arm around his shoulders.
"Long time no see~ How've you been?"
"I—I—I—I—I—I'm f-f-f-f-fine—"
"Wait, what? Are you stuttering?!"
"Just put some clothes on!"
He fumbled to toss her a coat, cheeks burning, trying to compose himself.
Back to business.
"Yoruichi-san, I got your note… What's going on?"
Before she could answer, another voice cut in.
"Kid, maybe take a look around before you start asking questions?"
That square-jawed man in black shihakushō, walking with a cocky swagger—
Kurosaki Isshin was digging in his nose, scowling at his son.
"D—Dad?!"
"Yep. What's with the shocked face?"
Why wouldn't I be shocked?!
"Where the hell have you been?! Do you know how worried we've been?! Yuzu and Karin could barely eat—hell, we've been making calls to the police nonstop!"
"The clinic's in chaos—do you know how little is left in our bank account?!"
"You planning to make us drop out of school and get jobs?!"
Isshin flinched.
"S-Sorry…"
Sorry? Really?!
"You irresponsible bastard," came another voice.
A stranger in a crisp white suit, sleek hair, glasses.
Ichigo didn't recognize him—but he looked strangely familiar.
And beside him—
"Ishida Uryū?!"
Wait.
"Didn't you say you were on leave to take care of family stuff?!"
Uryū, cold and aloof as always, adjusted his glasses.
"Tch… You really fell for that excuse?"
Before Ichigo could react, Urahara Kisuke popped up from the ground like a daisy.
He fluttered his fan, grinning.
"Everyone's here? And here I thought I'd be the late one—ahaha, embarrassing."
Too many surprises—what the hell is going on?
The missing Yoruichi and Urahara. His father, absent all this time.
Even Uryū—his classmate—was in on something Ichigo hadn't heard a word about.
What were they planning?
"Kurosaki-kun looks confused. Isshin-san, you didn't tell him anything?"
Urahara gave Isshin a look.
The latter averted his gaze, muttering excuses about "free-range parenting" and "boys grow up on their own."
Which earned him the legendary Kurosaki family flying kick.
"You irresponsible maniac!!"
"PUAGHH!"
Even Ishida and his father had to look away, suppressing twitching smirks behind glasses.
"Ryūken… Is this how all the Kurosakis are?"
"If it's Masaki… I suppose I understand."
Once locked in bitter silence, Ishida father and son had reconciled—thanks to Seiya Arima.
After learning the truth about the Ishida lineage and Yhwach, Uryū had come to terms with the past and rejoined his father's side.
The chaos was getting out of hand.
Even Urahara couldn't help but grimace.
"Okay, okay—let's settle down. We've got work to do."
The Quincy pair, the brawling Kurosakis—
This… is family? Urahara mused.
Isshin pulled away after one last punch, grinning.
"You're 100 years too early to beat me!"
"You actually hit your son?!"
Finally getting serious, Isshin rubbed his chin.
"Let me make this short. I've been gone because I was working on something… important."
"Ryūken helped. And your classmate here? Couldn't have done it without him."
Ichigo's curiosity deepened. Something even Uryū was part of—without telling me?
"So what is it?!"
"Impatient brat. You're nothing like your mother."
Right, what was I saying again?
"Ah yes—you wanted to know what's going on in Soul Society?"
Ichigo nodded vigorously, about to speak—when his dad casually said:
"You can't contact them anymore. We made sure of that."
Wait… what?
"Exactly!" Urahara chirped. "Mimicking Rukia's voice got kind of addictive."
What the hell?! Why?!
As if hearing his thoughts, Urahara's expression grew grave.
"Because of the man inside you, Ichigo-kun."
Seiya Arima.
"Even without me saying it, you can probably guess what happened."
"Aizen Sōsuke and Seiya Arima's rebellion? Suppressed by the Soul King himself. Seireitei's been rebuilt with new order."
"As for the two of them…"
"Aizen was committed to Muken as experimental material."
"Seiya Arima was sentenced—execution by hanging."
Yoruichi stepped forward with confirmation.
"The Shihōin family's records verify it. Even if there are discrepancies, they're minor."
Experimental material… Hanging…
Ichigo's breath caught.
"Th-Then why…"
"Does it matter to you? That's what you're wondering, right?"
Urahara closed his fan, expression dark.
"Because it matters very much."
"This affects the future of all three worlds. Every soul. Every life."
"Please prepare yourself, Ichigo."
"Because what we're about to tell you… is an insane, almost incomprehensible plan."
"Regrettably—"
"The one who devised it… wasn't me."
"But Seiya Arima. That imprisoned, condemned man."
"And damn it all… His intellect and heart still leave me in awe."
Then Urahara explained. Simply. Calmly.
What Seiya had planned.
"Simply put—Seiya Arima is now an ordinary soul."
"But that's part of the plan."
"He entrusted the next phase to us."
From his robe, Urahara drew a glowing orb.
Something alive. Fragile. Pulsing softly.
"What is that…"
"A refined creation. Not just mine—Kurotsuchi Mayuri also contributed."
"Fused gigai techniques, zero-growth soul cultivation, artificial vessels—all combined."
"And this—"
"Though its form has changed, it's something you'd recognize, Ichigo."
Urahara paused.
"This is one of Seiya Arima's Bankai abilities."
"A being called… Kinnara."
"...?!"
"But—his Zanpakutō was destroyed…"
Urahara nodded.
"Of course."
"But your Yaksha power still remains, doesn't it?"
Ichigo froze.
"That's right."
"Just like Yaksha resides within you—Kinnara is a power constructed outside the body."
A god of music. A performer. A 'non-human human.'
A being who could be rebuilt to defy fate.
"Seiya prepared all this before he even fought the Gotei 13."
"He entrusted Kinnara to me, with a plan—"
"The Plan to Cultivate the Strongest Quincy."
First:
"It required time. Lots of time."
Second:
"To infiltrate the Wandenreich, we needed artifacts and allies—like the Ishidas."
Third:
"Yhwach knows all his descendants. But with Kinnara reborn through artificial means, and with Mayuri's tech…"
"…he can't see it."
No past. No future.
Only the now.
And the fourth—most crucial—step.
Urahara laid a hand upon the orb.
"Using the Yaksha inside Ichigo…"
"We'll implant Seiya Arima's memories into Kinnara."
And so—
A war planned by Seiya Arima.
A war only he could wage.
His own "Thousand-Year Blood War"—
—begins now.
----------
Powerstones?
For 20 advance chapters: patreon.com/michaeltranslates