Facing the curious gazes around him, Gosuke spoke calmly.
"It's simple."
"I'll use my Zanpakutō's ability."
The moment those words were spoken, everyone present became slightly startled.
Because the abilities of Gosuke Shigure's Zanpakutō had always been something of a mystery.
Neither Isshin nor Ryūken had ever truly seen him fight seriously.
Even Kisuke who knew Gosuke better than most had only seen fragments of his true strength in the past.
Back in Soul Society, Gosuke rarely drew his blade.
And even when he did, he usually stopped at Shikai.
From the limited information available, most people believed Gosuke's Zanpakutō to be a lightning-type blade.
A Zanpakutō that combined swordsmanship with Kidō-like lightning techniques, coating the blade in destructive thunder and releasing electric attacks.
That was the public understanding of his power.
But now
After hearing Gosuke's words, Kisuke immediately realized something.
Gosuke had clearly been hiding more.
After all, Gosuke himself had just admitted he possessed little research into bloodlines.
Yet despite that, he still claimed he could preserve Kanae's soul.
That could only mean one thing.
"…A soul-type Zanpakutō?"
Kisuke unconsciously muttered the thought aloud.
Instantly, another person surfaced in his mind.
Aizen.
Back then, Sōsuke Aizen had publicly claimed that Kyōka Suigetsu was a water-type Zanpakutō.
Only later did everyone learn its true nature as a complete hypnosis-type illusion Zanpakutō.
And now Gosuke's situation seemed strangely similar.
The lightning aspect was likely only part of the truth.
Kisuke inwardly sighed.
As expected, veteran captains never revealed all their cards.
Then again, Kisuke himself was no different.
Very few people knew the true nature of his Bankai either.
A Zanpakutō represented a core portion of a Shinigami's combat ability.
Revealing too much about it only made it easier for enemies to prepare countermeasures.
Keeping its true power hidden was often far safer.
Still, another thought suddenly occurred to Kisuke.
He looked at Gosuke and said,
"Sensei… if I remember correctly, retired Shinigami aren't allowed to keep their Zanpakutō after officially leaving the Gotei 13."
"You should have surrendered your blade to the Eleventh Division years ago."
Hearing this, Isshin also reacted immediately.
That was indeed one of Soul Society's regulations.
Although some retired Shinigami still secretly retained weapons, officially speaking, a Shinigami who retired properly from the Gotei 13 was supposed to leave their Zanpakutō behind.
And Gosuke had retired through formal procedures.
Which meant
His Zanpakutō should currently still be inside the Eleventh Division barracks.
Isshin frowned.
"…You're not planning to return to Soul Society to retrieve it, are you?"
"Ryūken's wife doesn't have that much time left."
As they spoke, Kanae's condition visibly worsened once again.
Her life force continued fading rapidly.
This was the terrifying nature of Auswählen.
Everything belonging to her was being reclaimed by Yhwach at the bloodline level.
First her Quincy powers.
Then her vitality.
And once nothing remained
Her soul itself would likely be devoured next.
Because of Gosuke's earlier words, Ryūken had finally regained a trace of hope.
But now he suddenly learned that Gosuke did not even possess his Zanpakutō here.
For the first time, faint resentment appeared in Ryūken's gaze.
If the sword wasn't even here, why speak as though there was a solution?
Gosuke merely glanced at Isshin calmly.
"There's no need to panic."
"It's true that my Zanpakutō remained in the Eleventh Division after I retired."
"But…"
"The connection between a Shinigami and their blade is deeper than you imagine."
"For ordinary Shinigami, once the Zanpakutō leaves their hands, summoning it again is impossible."
"But for me…"
Gosuke's voice suddenly deepened.
"Come."
The instant that word was spoken
Everyone present felt a strange fluctuation spread outward from Gosuke's body.
It was subtle.
Yet impossibly profound.
The disturbance seemed to pass directly through space itself.
Soul Society.
Seireitei.
Eleventh Division barracks.
Deep within the captain's quarters existed a sealed storage room containing Zanpakutō left behind by retired members of the division.
Some belonged to former Shinigami who had already died long ago.
Others belonged to individuals still living quietly somewhere in the Human World.
Among them rested Gosuke Shigure's blade.
For years, it had remained motionless within its seal.
But now
A dense mist suddenly emerged around the Zanpakutō.
Within that mist, two faint silhouettes briefly flickered into existence.
Immediately afterward
Crack!
Blue lightning exploded across the room.
Space itself split open.
A narrow dimensional fissure appeared before the blade.
Then the Zanpakutō vanished directly into it.
Back in Urahara Shop.
Kanae's condition continued deteriorating.
Neither Isshin nor Ryūken could do anything except watch helplessly.
Kisuke suddenly narrowed his eyes.
As master of the barriers surrounding Urahara Shop, he was extremely sensitive to distortions in space.
And just now
He sensed one.
"…Interesting."
Blue lightning crackled suddenly through the room.
An instant later, the air itself split apart like torn fabric.
The phenomenon resembled a Garganta opened by Hollows, yet fundamentally different in nature.
From within the crack
A Zanpakutō flew outward.
It landed directly in Gosuke's outstretched hand.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, the atmosphere in the room subtly changed.
Gosuke looked at the others calmly.
"My blade has arrived."
Then, slowly
Almost nostalgically
He drew the sword.
Perhaps because he had not touched it in many years, his movements were unhurried.
There was no killing intent.
Only familiarity.
As though he were greeting an old companion after a long separation.
The room fell completely silent.
Everyone watched Gosuke's movements without speaking.
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