"Alright, alright, what a pain."
Ichigo complained loudly, "Don't go dying in some random corner, Rukia!"
Rukia turned back and saw Ichigo impatiently carrying that oversized blade, but beneath his orange hair, his eyes held a hint of barely concealed concern.
She didn't say anything more, only took a deep look at Ichigo before dragging her severely injured body away, disappearing step by step into the night.
It wasn't until that petite figure had completely vanished that Ichigo finally withdrew his gaze, looking down at his own getup and the exaggerated large sword in his hand.
"What kind of mess is this..." He scratched his head in frustration and let out a long sigh.
…
Meanwhile, on the silent streets of Karakura Town.
Rukia leaned against the cold wall, each step sending sharp pain through her abdomen. Cold sweat soaked the hair on her forehead.
At this moment, she had lost all her Shinigami powers, making her even weaker than an ordinary soul.
"I can't return to the Soul Society for now." She panted, forcing herself to calmly assess her current situation.
The top priority was to find a place to settle down and figure out a way to restore her Reiatsu.
However, as a Shinigami who had lost her powers, staying in the human world in a spiritual state for too long was not only dangerous for herself… her soul would also be eroded by the human world's atmosphere, eventually dissipating entirely.
"Damn it." Rukia bit her lip in frustration, "Unless absolutely necessary, I really didn't want to go see that shady merchant..."
But right now, it seemed she had no other choice.
In the human world, only Urahara Kisuke could provide her with a special container… a Gigai.
A Gigai, invented by the Technology Development Bureau, was a disguise body that allowed Shinigami who had lost their powers or needed to hide their identities to live in the human world like ordinary humans.
Not only did it protect the soul from the human world's erosion, but it also helped Shinigami gradually recover their Reiatsu.
'Though it'd likely come with a hefty price tag thanks to that shady merchant...'
She raised her head, identified the direction, and relying on memory, hobbled toward that inconspicuous corner of Karakura Town.
She didn't notice.
About a hundred meters away, on the edge of a high-rise building's rooftop, another figure stood silently, like a statue.
Sasuke hadn't gone far.
He simply watched as that figure trudged step by step toward a certain predetermined direction.
Finally, when the figure turned the street corner and was about to disappear from his view, the corner of Sasuke's mouth curled up into a barely noticeable smirk.
He muttered a few words to himself.
"...Saves me the trouble."
The next moment, his figure also vanished, leaving only an empty rooftop behind.
The night grew darker, the broken moonlight barely illuminating the remote street corner.
Rukia, dragging her exhausted body, finally arrived in front of a shabby-looking grocery store.
Seeing this familiar place, she finally let out a sigh of relief and raised her hand, preparing to knock on the wooden door.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch the door, a figure appeared soundlessly by her side like a ghost.
Rukia's movement instantly froze.
She spun around sharply, and upon recognizing the person, her face filled with vigilance.
"Uchiha Sasuke, you followed me?!"
Sasuke didn't look at her. His arms were crossed over his chest, his gaze completely fixed on the wooden sign that read 'Urahara Shop'. His eyes were unreadable.
Hearing Rukia's accusatory question, he seemed to snap back to attention, replying in a flat tone laced with a hint of sarcasm, "Since we're companions, isn't it only natural to be concerned about your injuries and to ensure you've reached your destination safely, Kuchiki-san?"
His words left Rukia speechless, her face alternating between pale and flushed with frustration.
Sasuke slowly shifted his gaze from the sign to Rukia's small face.
"Urahara Kisuke, correct?"
Rukia's pupils constricted sharply, "How do you know that name?!"
It was important to remember that Urahara had been exiled from the Soul Society over a hundred years ago.
So Rukia was confused that a recent graduate from the Shin'o Academy actually know this name.
Sasuke didn't answer her question. Instead, he looked past her, his eyes scanning the seemingly ordinary store.
"It seems I've found the right place."
Just as the two were locked in a standoff, the atmosphere tense and unyielding, the shop's old wooden door suddenly creaked open on its own.
A man wearing a green-and-white striped bucket hat, using a small fan to partially cover his face, peeked out. Only his smiling eyes were visible.
"My, my, it's not good for two esteemed guests to be quarreling right outside my humble shop. Whatever the matter is, why not come inside for a cup of tea and discuss it slowly?"
…
Inside, under the dim lamplight, the aroma of tea wafted gently.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Rukia said, sitting formally on the tatami mat, holding a warm teacup in both hands as she politely expressed her thanks.
Sasuke, meanwhile, leaned against the wall, silently observing the room and the seemingly harmless man before them.
"Not at all, not at all. Having Kuchiki-san grace us with your presence truly brings honor to my humble shop."
Urahara maintained his smiling demeanor, lightly tapping his palm with his fan, "So, could you tell this humble merchant what wind has blown such a distinguished guest to my rundown place? From the looks of it, you seem to have encountered quite a bit of trouble."
Rukia set her cup down, her expression serious as she explained the incident that led to her losing her powers and her request for a Gigai.
"Oh~ I see."
After listening, the smile on Urahara's face didn't change in the slightest, as if all of this was within his expectations, "But transferring Shinigami powers to a human is a serious crime. Kuchiki-san's courage is truly extraordinary."
Despite his teasing words, his actions were swift. He called towards the inner room, "Ururu, Jinta, bring out the item prepared for our guest!"
Soon, two children struggled to carry a human-shaped object out. It was precisely the Gigai Rukia needed.
"Thank you for your trouble," Rukia said, relieved, and immediately entered the Gigai. Although her face was still pale, her spirit seemed much better.
"Alright, since the matter is settled, I'll take my leave first." She stood up, preparing to go.
"Wait a moment."
Urahara stopped her, "Kuchiki-san, it seems you've forgotten something."
He pulled out a peculiarly shaped device from under the counter, resembling a woodpecker, and handed it over with a grin.
"You probably need this too, right?"
"The Memory Replacement Device, an exclusive product of this humble shop, fair to all ages. Just give your target a light tap, and they'll forget everything about Shinigami and Hollows, replacing their memories with an ordinary incident like being caught in a gas explosion."
"It's quite convenient for cleaning up the messes you leave behind."
---
Check out My Patreon For 40+ Advanced Chapters:
Pat reon.com/IamPoorGuyToo