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For several afternoons, Kurotsuki Renya spent his days under the watchful guidance of Yoruichi Shihōin and Hiyori Sarugaki, delving into the intricacies of Kidō—specifically the Bakudō arts. Within just three days, he had successfully mastered Bakudō #61: Rikujōkōrō (Six Rods Prison of Light), Bakudō #62: Hyapporankan (Hundred Steps Fence), and Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku (Locking Bind).
His mastery was impressive—Renya's control over binding spells had already reached about fifty percent of their potential. He understood that true proficiency lay not just in incantation but in the harmony between thought and spiritual perception. With every repetition, with every meditative cycle under Yoruichi's supervision, Renya refined his reiryoku and mental precision.
Yet his training extended far beyond Kidō. With Urahara's guidance, he continued his research into spiritual field modulation—a process similar to the Hōgyoku's adaptive resonance, but stabilized for physical enhancement. Alongside that, he practiced Kaze Shunpō—a wind-assisted flash step designed to minimize sound and air distortion.
By Friday evening, Renya was finishing his training when a massive package slid through the barrier and stopped in the middle of the training ground, skimming lightly across the tatami as if carried by invisible hands.
Only a select few—Yoruichi, Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, and the Visoreds—could pass through this spiritual barrier freely. But this time, there was no one at the door.
The package tilted, rolled slightly, and then flopped to the floor.
A small black cat emerged gracefully from behind it and stretched lazily.
"Renya, your shipment's arrived," said Yoruichi, flicking her tail with a grin.
Renya's eyes lit up. "Senior Yoruichi!" he greeted, hurrying over.
She gave a small shake, scattering a bit of dust from her fur. "Urahara said you'd been requesting some… specialized items. He added a few extras he thought you could handle."
"That much?" Renya asked, eyeing the oversized bundle in disbelief.
"Mm," Yoruichi purred. "Some are your requests; the rest are his experiments. Let's open it inside before anyone in Karakura gets suspicious."
Renya carried the bundle into his room and untied the cords. Inside were numerous objects—gear, containers, and what looked like a folded mannequin wrapped in synthetic fabric.
Yoruichi padded closer, her golden eyes glinting. "Since your physical form's still that of a middle-schooler, I had Kisuke craft you a custom Gigai—a full-body shell styled as a student uniform. You'll blend in better among humans this way."
Renya nodded, inspecting the craftsmanship. It was almost lifelike.
Then a small silver orb rolled out of the wrapping, stopping near his foot.
"Yoruichi-senpai, what's this?" he asked.
"That," she replied, "is a Modified Soul Pill—a perfected version of the old Gikon prototype. It forcibly separates the soul from the Gigai while allowing the artificial body to function autonomously. Urahara refined it to prevent the body from collapsing or attracting unnecessary Human World attention."
Renya tilted his head. "So… I can only use it inside the Gigai?"
"Exactly. Lay the Gigai flat and lie down on it," she instructed.
He followed her advice—placing the Gigai on the futon, then lying back. A faint hum resonated, and his consciousness blurred. His six senses dimmed one by one, replaced by a soft floating sensation.
Moments later, he opened his eyes. His body felt… dull. His reiryoku flow was heavily muted, but his physical senses remained intact.
He flexed his fingers, testing movement. "Feels strange," he murmured.
Yoruichi nodded. "That Gigai's skeleton is laced with Reiatsu-suppressing carbon mesh—a failsafe. If someone from Seireitei tries to trace your reiatsu, the signal will scatter. Your recovery rate's practically zero in this shell, but at least you won't risk detection."
Renya sighed. "Guess that's the trade-off. At least I won't end up like Rukia after giving her powers to Ichigo."
Curious, he lifted the small capsule and swallowed it.
A burst of light—
Boom.
Renya's soul shot out of his Gigai, staggering slightly before finding balance. His artificial body sat motionless, staring blankly ahead.
"Um… can you talk?" Renya asked the Gigai.
The Gigai blinked once but didn't respond.
Yoruichi scratched its cheek with her paw. "Introduce yourself before I have to paw your face off."
The Gigai jerked upright, startled. "Ow! Fine, fine—my name is Chihiro."
Renya frowned. "You're male or female?"
"Male, of course," Chihiro replied dryly.
Yoruichi smirked. "Don't worry, he's not like Kon or Chappy. This one's a Combat-Type Modified Soul. Kisuke designed him for stability and discipline, not… mischief."
Renya raised a brow. "Combat-Type? What's that supposed to mean?"
"The Combat-Type Modified Soul," Yoruichi explained, "is an experimental strain created to enhance a Gigai's motor functions. Once implanted, it can amplify speed, reflexes, and coordination even without active reiatsu flow. Essentially, it's a combat-ready placeholder."
Renya nodded slowly. "So, what's Chihiro's specialization?"
"Reflex acceleration," she replied. "His reaction time is several times faster than an average human's—enough to evade attacks instinctively. Perfect for stealth missions or emergency evasion."
Renya crossed his arms thoughtfully. "So I should keep him inside the Gigai most of the time?"
"Preferably," Yoruichi answered. "He's sentient, but Modified Souls still degrade over time. His lifespan's around ten years unless Kisuke alters his soul matrix."
Renya's expression darkened slightly. "So… like Nemu's case under Mayuri."
"Exactly," Yoruichi said. "Except Urahara doesn't treat his creations as disposable tools."
Renya turned his attention to the rest of the package. Among the items was a black tactical cloak—the one he'd requested. Its outer layer was woven with energy-responsive fibers.
He also found a long strip of shifting fabric. "What's this one?"
Yoruichi hopped onto the table. "That's a Chameleon Veil, an optical camouflage cloth. It reads ambient light and adapts instantly to your surroundings. Perfect for silent movement."
He next picked up a small box of capsules.
"Those are Reiryoku Recovery Capsules—stabilizers for reishi flow," she explained. "And this one—" she gestured toward a tiny aerosol canister—"is Anti-Spirit Spray X. Repels low-level Hollows by disrupting their sensory field. Not much use against Menos-class enemies, but good for crowd control."
Renya grinned slightly. "Trust Urahara to think of everything."
"Oh, and these," Yoruichi said, pointing to several metallic beads, "are Electro-Magnetic Restraint Orbs. They generate a short-lived field that can immobilize weaker Hollows for a few seconds—long enough to escape."
Renya exhaled. "Understood. Please thank Urahara for me, Senior Yoruichi."
"Just him?" she teased, raising a brow. "Who do you think carried all this through the Dangai Path, hmm?"
Renya laughed lightly. "Then—thank you, Senior Yoruichi, for everything."
She waved her paw dismissively. "Don't mention it." After a pause, she added, "By the way, is there a spare room around here? I think I'll stay a while. I want to polish your Shunpō and maybe teach you Utsusemi—the afterimage step."
Renya nodded eagerly. "There's a room next door. I'll clean it up for you."
"Good," she said, pleased. "I'll let Shinji and the Visoreds know I'm moving in for a bit." With that, she leapt gracefully out of the room, tail swishing.
As the door closed, Renya turned to Chihiro. "You heard her. Go clean the next room."
Chihiro blinked. "Why me?"
Renya smirked and bonked him lightly on the head. "Because last week you told Hiyori I couldn't last three minutes against her. That earns you chore duty."
"Ouch, fine!" Chihiro grumbled, rubbing his head. He trudged out of the room, muttering, "Slave driver…"
Renya chuckled softly, watching him go. "Guess even an artificial soul needs a little discipline."
Outside, the night deepened—quiet, still, and heavy with spiritual pressure hidden beneath the mundane lights of Karakura Town.
For Kurotsuki Renya, this was only the beginning.
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