After the two were rescued, they were led away from the scene by this person.
The figure in black was very familiar with the roads, weaving through layer after layer of streets and successfully shaking off the pursuing Gotei 13 captains before arriving at a remote location.
The figure lifted a manhole cover and entered the underground drainage system of the Seireitei.
The three moved swiftly through the dim tunnels.
Under the guidance of the black-clad figure, after several twists and turns, the path ahead suddenly opened up.
What appeared before Urahara Kisuke was a vast underground space.
The surrounding walls were made of stone bricks, and it was not as dark as the passage they had just traversed; instead, it was filled with light.
There was no visible light source, yet the entire underground space was brightly lit as if under the sun.
The figure in black breathed a small sigh of relief upon reaching this place.
"This is a secret base established long ago. Ordinary Soul Reapers will never find this place, not even the members of the Fourth Division responsible for cleaning the underground passages!"
Hearing her speak so decisively, Urahara Kisuke felt a bit more at ease.
Stepping forward, Urahara scratched his head and said gratefully, "I truly thank you for saving our lives. Might I ask who you are?"
"There is no need for thanks. I did not step in to save you for that!"
The figure raised a hand, her voice stern and filled with a thick sense of reluctance.
"In fact, I had no intention or desire to save you at all!"
With that, the white-clad figure walked toward the deeper part of the space and waved her hand at the two.
"Follow me. The captains who were sentenced to death are right ahead."
Hearing this, Urahara Kisuke's brow relaxed.
That was good; it wasn't just the two of them—even Hirako and the others had been rescued together.
Although the person in white spoke brusquely, she had saved them after all.
Though she hadn't revealed her identity, after observing her during the escape, Urahara Kisuke could roughly guess who she was.
From the tone of voice, the movements during exercise, and that slender build, it was clearly a woman.
Beyond that, because the contact time was too short, Urahara Kisuke could not tell for the time being.
After exchanging a glance with Tessai Tsukabishi, the two quickly followed.
"No matter what, you are our benefactor for saving us," Tessai Tsukabishi added.
Urahara Kisuke nodded in agreement.
He suddenly remembered something and asked, "Um... you said before that you were entrusted by someone to save us. May I ask who that person is?"
The figure in white said quickly, "That lord is in the deeper layer of this space. You will understand once you see for yourselves."
Seeing that she was unwilling to talk more, Urahara Kisuke stopped asking.
The three of them quickly ran toward the interior.
Just as they reached the depths, they heard a crisp, feminine shout.
"Too slow. I've grown impatient waiting here."
"How much longer did you intend to make me wait?!"
The moment the voice rang out, the three turned their heads to look.
They saw a figure also wearing a stealth suit, with a slender build, standing with arms crossed over the chest.
Urahara Kisuke couldn't identify her for a moment, but from the tone of the speech, it was clearly an arrogant person.
Or rather, an elder of high status.
Behind this person lay Hirako and the other captains.
Hirako and the others were unconscious, piled unceremoniously together and leaning against the wall.
Beside them was a wooden crate.
The white-clad figure leading Urahara and Tessai hurried forward upon seeing this person and knelt on one knee.
"My deepest apologies, my lord."
"In order to shake off the arriving Soul Reapers, it took more time than expected."
The person in front heard the explanation, nodded, and her voice clearly softened a bit.
"Hmph, forget it."
"He was likely making arrangements in the shadows and could only look after my side, unable to take care of you."
Urahara Kisuke stepped forward, his mouth full of repeated thanks.
"I will never forget this life-saving grace."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Hirako and the others, finally landing on the wooden crate to the side.
Urahara Kisuke thought of something and hurried over to look at the contents inside.
A faceless, naked-skinned Gigai was lying quietly inside.
"This is..." Urahara's eyes shone with surprise.
This was a Gigai he had hurriedly manufactured after learning about the soul disappearance incidents.
When worn by a Soul Reaper, it could block the emitted Spiritual Pressure and maintain the spirit body in its original state.
Urahara had made it as a prototype, hoping it might be useful.
He never expected that he would see this thing while on the run!
With this Gigai, if he could replicate a few more for Hirako and the others to wear, though it wouldn't cure their Hollowfication, it could delay it for a long time.
During that time, he would have enough time to find a way to save them.
Urahara Kisuke suddenly stood up, turned around, and looked at the two figures in white.
"To even know about this... who exactly are you?"
"What, Kisuke? With your brilliance, have you still not guessed who I am?"
The figure standing in front laughed softly.
Reaching out to hook the mask on her face, she pulled it down gently, revealing her hidden face.
Dark skin, exquisite features, and those crystal-clear golden eyes.
Shihoin Yoruichi!
The other figure in white behind Yoruichi saw this and no longer hid, pulling off her own mask.
Her small features were tense, revealing a sharp aura, and her eyes were slightly narrow.
It was Suì-Fēng!
After revealing her true face, Yoruichi looked at the slightly stunned Kisuke.
The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, her voice full of teasing.
"Or is it that facing the death penalty has made you so frantic that you've lost your usual ability to think?"
Urahara Kisuke's eyes widened slightly, his face showing joy and surprise.
"Yoruichi... I never thought it would be you who saved us?!"
"Based on my understanding of Ren, he would never have allowed you to come out—!"
At this point, Urahara Kisuke's surprised expression suddenly froze on his face!
Looking into Yoruichi's eyes, his pupils instantly shrank to the size of pinpricks, and the joy on his face turned into endless horror in an instant!
"You shouldn't have come... you shouldn't have come to save us!"
"It's over, it's all over..."
Urahara Kisuke clutched his head, his face turning pale, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
Seeing Urahara Kisuke's reaction was so intense, Yoruichi blinked, her expression somewhat dazed.
Kisuke's reaction was a bit off.
Seeing her come to save them, shouldn't he be moved to tears?
How could he be like this now, as if he had seen some kind of flood or wild beast!
"Kisuke, what is over? I came to save you, and you're still unhappy?"
"No!"
Urahara Kisuke's voice was shrill, even breaking as it echoed in the underground space.
"Yoruichi, you are still being kept in the dark!"
"The mastermind who framed me and Hirako's group last night was your husband, Ren!"
Yoruichi's words caught in her throat, and her brow could not help but furrow.
Her gaze was filled with deep suspicion as she looked at the distraught Urahara Kisuke, a trace of disappointment appearing on her face.
Urahara Kisuke's words were exactly the same as the wild accusations from last night!
"Kisuke, is your mind still muddled?"
"Yoruichi... I really am not lying to you!"
Seeing that Yoruichi did not believe him, Urahara Kisuke had no intention of arguing.
But he knew that now was not the time to dwell on this.
He hurriedly turned his head and looked at Tessai Tsukabishi behind him.
"This place is not safe. Yoruichi being here must have been intentional on Ren's part!"
"We must take Hirako and the others and leave quickly—"
His words were only half-spoken before they came to an abrupt halt.
Looking at the entrance, Urahara Kisuke's body completely froze, and a look of despair appeared on his face.
Seeing his state, everyone also turned their heads to look at the entrance.
Three figures were standing there.
The man in the lead was tall, the corners of his mouth turned up in a faint, mocking smile.
Seeing this person, everyone's reaction varied.
Urahara Kisuke stood frozen on the spot, gritting his teeth hard.
Cold sweat poured down Tessai Tsukabishi's forehead, and he didn't dare speak.
Yoruichi's eyes crinkled and the corners of her mouth rose, showing a look of joy.
"I knew you couldn't leave me alone."
"Mister Serious, you really do have a tsundere side."
The person who arrived was Ren.
Ren stepped forward, followed by Toji and Shisui.
Coming to the center of the open space, he looked around at several people, his gaze landing on Yoruichi.
"Yoruichi, you are my wife. How could I truly leave you?"
"But it's also thanks to your actions today that I have the chance to have a good face-to-face talk with Kisuke."
With that, he looked at Urahara Kisuke.
Listening to Ren's words, Yoruichi's brow furrowed slightly.
Ren's current appearance, though the same as usual, always gave her a sense of strangeness.
"Ren... is something wrong with you?"
As soon as her voice fell, Urahara Kisuke's hoarse voice rang out.
"Yoruichi, can't you see it yet?!"
"What I just said is the truth! Ren is the mastermind from last night!"
Hearing Urahara Kisuke's words again, Yoruichi did not have the firm denial she had before.
She looked at Ren, and the sense of strangeness became more and more obvious.
"Ren, you..."
Ren did not look at her but continued to look at Urahara Kisuke.
He stared into Urahara Kisuke's eyes, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly in a look of appreciation.
"Kisuke, you really are excellent."
"To still think of finding a way out in such a desperate situation is truly remarkable!"
At the same time Ren's voice rang out, Urahara Kisuke's body stiffened.
The arm hidden behind his back suddenly lost all sensation.
A wave of coldness hit his shoulder, followed by a trace of numbness.
He jerked his head to look; his entire left arm, along with the shoulder, had instantly vanished.
Blood sprayed out, splashing onto his face and dyeing his entire vision red.
"Ahhh!!!"
Urahara Kisuke clutched the massive wound, and his face instantly lost all color.
Beside him, Shisui's eyes glowed with red pupils, and he held a short Zanpakuto.
On the bright blade, trails of blood remained, dripping down the edge.
And in his other hand, he held the arm that had just been severed from Urahara Kisuke!
"Shisui! What are you doing!"
Seeing this scene, Yoruichi's eyes shrank, and she looked at Shisui in disbelief.
Shisui did not answer; he only tilted his head slightly and looked at Yoruichi.
His face lacked the gentleness Yoruichi usually saw; instead, it was filled with coldness.
With a flick of his arm, he threw Urahara Kisuke's severed arm onto the ground like trash.
Ren took a step forward, his voice gentle as he looked at the incredulous Yoruichi.
"Yoruichi, don't blame Shisui."
"He is only faithfully executing my orders. Please do not blame him."
Yoruichi looked at Shisui, then at the one-armed Urahara Kisuke, and finally turned her head to look at her husband.
She gritted her teeth, her expression full of pain, as she spoke with difficulty.
"Ren, is what Kisuke said true?"
"Are you truly... the murderer who harmed Hirako and Kisuke's group?"
Yoruichi questioned him sharply, but in her eyes, there was still a final glimmer of hope.
She hoped Ren would speak out and deny it.
"No."
Ren shook his head.
"I deeply regret what happened to Hirako and the others. The one who truly harmed them is someone else."
Light radiated from Yoruichi's eyes, her expression becoming animated again, and a look of relief appeared on her face.
But then, Ren's next words instantly crushed that sliver of joy in her heart.
"And I only collaborated with him once."
Ren's words were as calm as ever.
But the content of his words made the joy on Yoruichi's face freeze, and her eyes were shrouded in a layer of gloom.
Ren continued: "With just a gentle push from behind, Hirako and the others were turned into that, and by the way, I took something from Kisuke."
As he spoke, he looked at Urahara Kisuke.
"Kisuke, you lied to me."
"You created such a good thing and didn't tell me."
"Sharing good things with friends is common sense. Looking at it this way, you really didn't treat me as a good friend."
"I've always treated you with sincerity, and this is how you repay me? It's truly heartbreaking."
Urahara Kisuke gritted his teeth hard.
Beside him, Tessai Tsukabishi stepped forward and used Kido to help him stop the bleeding.
Hearing Ren's words, Urahara Kisuke's expression suddenly became agitated.
"You... you are the one who is shameless!"
"Last night, you were indeed the one who sent someone to steal my Sphere!"
"I should have thought of it... when you came to see me before, I should have seen through your true nature!"
Ren waved his hand. "It's not too late now."
"Ren!!!"
Yoruichi roared sharply, the anger on her face beyond description.
"So you've been hiding this from me all along?!"
"You've been playing me for a fool and betrayed me! After I—"
As she spoke, her fists clenched until they cracked, and veins bulged on her face.
The fury in her heart could no longer be suppressed; her feet suddenly exerted force, shattering the ground as she prepared to rush forward.
But just as she moved, she suddenly stopped and looked ahead.
Several nearly imperceptible threads blocked her path.
A clear voice rang out behind her.
"Lady Yoruichi, please remain calm."
Yoruichi's eyes widened as she turned her head.
A tall, thin man was standing beside Suì-Fēng.
He wore a sharp suit, a monocle was clipped over his eye, and his fingertips were dancing nimbly.
Suì-Fēng was tightly bound by the threads.
It was especially obvious on her hands and neck, where the threads were almost cutting into the flesh, leaving traces of blood.
"Walter, even you..."
The man was Walter.
Yoruichi was horrified.
Not only did Walter appear silently without her noticing in the slightest.
More importantly, even Walter, a mere butler, was actually one of Ren's people!
At this thought, the fury in Yoruichi's heart burned even more fiercely!
Walter raised his hand, pointing his index finger up, looking at Yoruichi with a humble expression.
"It is a butler's duty to solve the master's problems."
"Please calm your anger, Lady Yoruichi. Stay still. Right now, with one flick of my finger, I could tear Miss Suì-Fēng into pieces."
"I have known Miss Suì-Fēng for some time, and I truly do not wish to kill her. Please understand, Lady Yoruichi."
Suì-Fēng hissed, "Lady Yoruichi, don't worry about me."
Yoruichi bit her lip and turned her head to look at Ren.
Her voice was hoarse and filled with uncontrollable rage.
"Ren, look at what you've done!"
"Even Walter and Shisui knew, but I, your wife, was kept in the dark!"
"Is this how you treat me?! Your own wife?!"
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]