Bleach: The Fifth Division Captain

"This might not be the best time for idle curiosity, but I can't help wondering—"

Hachigen Ushōda tugged at the dark cloak draped over him, his tone full of intrigue.

"How exactly did you manage to suppress spiritual pressure this thoroughly?"

Even while rushing forward, he couldn't resist asking.

And while curiosity was commendable, there was something unsettling about discussing this now, under these circumstances.

In other words, unless his curiosity was overwhelming enough to justify such an interruption, he wouldn't have brought it up at this moment.

And, taking advantage of the topic—

Seiya also adjusted his cloak slightly and asked,

"I apologize if this is rude, but if possible, I'd also like to understand the reasoning behind it."

After all, even Aizen had praised this invention.

It was this very cloak that had allowed Kisuke to wound Isshin Shiba, setting off a cascade of events that ultimately led to Ichigo's birth.

In a way, this thing played a monumental role in history.

Reflecting on that for a moment, Seiya scrutinized the fabric more closely.

It was semi-transparent, like a plastic raincoat.

Yet wearing it felt airtight, almost suffocating.

And there was also a faint, unpleasant sensation emanating from it.

He had theorized about it before, but seeing it in person was something else entirely.

After a pause, Seiya mused aloud,

"I may be overstepping, but I've studied this kind of thing before."

"But I never found a solution… After all, everything in Soul Society is composed of reishi."

"Trying to weave something to suppress spiritual pressure is like pouring saltwater over tea."

Both substances had different purposes, yet when combined, they would inevitably merge into one another.

That was the crux of the issue.

"So, if it's purely about high-quality craftsmanship, I don't think it should be possible at this level."

Hachigen blinked in surprise, turning to scrutinize the young man beside him.

"Impressive. That's quite a logical perspective… I wouldn't have expected you to have such insight, Seiya."

After all, he hadn't known Seiya for long.

Up until now, his impression of the boy had been limited to the fact that he was allowed to sit in on Captain's meetings—a potential future Lieutenant at best.

Seiya merely gave a wry chuckle and replied lightly,

"It's just useless trivia. Nothing special."

Back to the main point.

What exactly was this cloak made of?

Even with all his knowledge, Seiya couldn't quite determine its true nature.

"…"

Kisuke fell silent for a moment before exhaling softly, as if resigning himself to the conversation.

With a hint of helplessness, he said,

"It's not anything particularly complicated. As Seiya pointed out, the key isn't in the craftsmanship—"

He paused briefly, then continued.

"It's the material."

Material?

That single word lingered in Seiya's mind.

His pupils dilated slightly as countless possibilities flashed through his thoughts.

And then—

A dry chuckle escaped him.

Was it really that?

"I used the remains of Hollows."

For a moment, silence stretched between them.

And then—

Hachigen's face went pale, sweat beading on his forehead as he let out a startled noise.

"…What?"

Wait.

Let's go over this again.

Hachigen adjusted his glasses, which had slipped slightly due to the sweat gathering on his brow.

His voice was sharp with urgency.

"Kisuke-taichō, are you saying… that this cloak, which conceals spiritual pressure, was created using the remnants of Hollows?"

His phrasing was cautious, but his tension was evident.

Meanwhile, Kisuke nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Allow me to correct you slightly—over 90% of the cloak's composition is Hollow matter."

"?!?!"

Hachigen visibly flinched.

For the more traditional inhabitants of Soul Society, Hollows were synonymous with disgust.

Even the mere idea of using their remains as materials was unthinkable.

But Seiya—

"Ah. I see."

His voice was calm, almost intrigued.

"That does make sense."

It was more than just understanding.

There was a certain excitement in his tone.

"I had my suspicions, but I never expected you to have actually implemented it, Kisuke-taichō."

Hollows.

According to Soul Society's textbooks, they were nothing more than corrupted souls.

Most lacked intelligence, taking on grotesque and twisted forms.

And the most distinct feature—

The gaping hole in their chest, symbolizing their lost hearts and insatiable hunger.

Hollows could not be reasoned with.

Hollows could not be negotiated with.

Hollows were meant to be exterminated.

That was the fundamental belief that shaped the role of the Shinigami.

To protect order, Hollows had to be eradicated.

That was simply how things worked.

Hachigen's reaction was completely natural.

But—

Was that belief actually true?

A sharp glint flickered in Seiya's eyes.

And in the next moment—

He denied it.

"Hollows have an innate ability to suppress their presence."

"That trait isn't universal, but the vast majority of them possess it."

"And I assume that's why you chose them as materials, Kisuke-taichō?"

Kisuke smirked slightly and glanced back at him.

"You really know your stuff, Seiya."

There was a sense of satisfaction in his voice.

Finding someone who could follow his train of thought so quickly was rare.

After all, Hachigen's panicked reaction was far more common.

Most people had no interest in understanding things outside their perceived reality.

For researchers, loneliness was inevitable.

And so—

"Why do you think Hollows have this ability?"

A trick question.

A clear trap.

But—

Seiya answered without hesitation.

"Rather than asking why they have it, it's more a matter of inherent differences between them and Shinigami."

For example—

"Even the weakest Hollows can, under the right circumstances, tear open a Garganta and travel between realms."

"Menos-class Hollows can actively manipulate barriers to rescue their own kind and return to Hueco Mundo."

"Some even use a movement technique similar to Shunpo—though theirs is called Sonído."

"The key difference? Ours is a burst of movement derived from compression. Theirs is a spatial leap."

He was not just speculating.

In the Thousand-Year Blood War, Ichigo had used Sonído, momentarily vanishing from enemy sight.

It was proof that the two techniques, while superficially similar, were fundamentally different.

"And from all of that, one thing is clear—Hollows have a natural ability to manipulate space."

It was a trait.

And it served as the perfect foundation for Seiya's next conclusion.

"They inherently have the power to distort space and conceal themselves."

So it wasn't a matter of "figuring out how" to suppress spiritual pressure.

It was a matter of harnessing what was already there.

And Kisuke Urahara—

Had given his answer.

For the first time since this discussion began, he smiled.

Seiya's knowledge was surprising.

But considering his history—his time interning with Kyōraku—perhaps it made sense.

Kisuke sighed dramatically.

"Ah… What a shame, Seiya-kun. I really should have fought harder to recruit you."

It was a sincere thought.

A mind like his would have thrived in the Twelfth Division.

Instead, he was stuck under Shinji.

What a waste.

Seiya only chuckled softly, brushing the comment aside.

"Let's keep moving."

For now, they had a mission to complete.

Still—

This conversation had given Seiya insight into something crucial.

"No wonder Kisuke was always ahead of Aizen."

"He's been studying Hollows far longer than anyone realized."

"It wasn't just the Hōgyoku. Even its byproducts were already being integrated into daily life."

A true innovator.

Aizen had every reason to view him as a threat.

And unlike in the manga, where these details were glossed over—

Here, the puzzle pieces were falling neatly into place.

His thoughts were interrupted when Hachigen suddenly spoke.

"There's movement up ahead."

…

And on the battlefield—

"Aizen Sōsuke!!!"

A desperate cry rang out.

And at the last possible moment—

A blade clashed against Aizen's descending strike.

Sparks flew.

And the man who had arrived at the critical moment—

Lowered his hood and smiled.

"Wow. That was close, huh?"

Seiya grinned.

"Looks like I made it just in time."

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Powerstones?

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