In a dimly lit room.

  As soon as Haruki walked in, he caught a whiff of a peculiar smell.

  He waved his hand in front of his nose and said, "What a strange odor."

  Urahara Kisuke, who had entered before him, smiled amiably and said, "Ah, I just finished an experiment and noticed your arrival, Mr. Haruki. I haven't had time to up yet."

  Haruki g him and Yoruichi, then found a spot to sit down in the room.

  "Alright, it seems I came at a bad time."

  Haruki looked around but didn't see anything particurly iing.

  Urahara sat down across from Haruki, and the smile on his face faded.

  "Now, let's talk about some of your matters, Mr. Haruki, as I mentioned earlier."

  "I'll decide whether to treat you as an enemy based on your answers."

  "But," Haruki said with some helplessness, "I really don't know what to say. I'm just an ordinary Shinigami who actally found out about Captain Aizen's pns. I don't know why Captain Aizen hasn't killed me."

  "Anyway, I promised Captain Aizen not to reveal his pns to others, and given the circumstances, I 't really leak them either."

  "With Captain Aizen's abilities, even if I tried to report him to Captain-ander Yamamoto, he'd probably manipute it to look like I lotting a rebellion and attempting to assassinate Yamamotht?"

  Urahara was a smart man, and of course, he wouldn't just take Haruki's words at face value.

  So after hearing Haruki's expnation, he simply smiled and said, "Then tell me about your background."

  "That's no problem," Haruki replied immediately. "My name is Haruki Murakami, from the Murakami family, a minor noble house in the Seireitei. I graduated from the Shin'ō Academy about six years ago."

  "Oh? You became a vice-captain in just six years?" Urahara asked curiously.

  This promotion speed was quite extraordinary. After all, a vice-captain was already sidered part of the captain css, belonging to the absolute upper echelon of the Seireitei.

  "I just became a vice-captaily," Haruki said sheepishly. "Captain Aizen wanted Vice-Captain Gin to be promoted to captain, so he had a Hollow parasitize the captain of the Third Division."

  "I happeo kill the severely wounded, parasitized captain of the Third Division, and then I ointed as vice-captain."

  Haruki was ho. He didn't see the point in lying to Urahara about something that could easily be verified.

  When making friends, hoy was key!

  "Mr. Haruki makes it sound easy, but killing a wounded captain within six years of graduation is no small feat."

  "I have to have some skills, right?"

  "Then, Mr. Haruki, could you tell me about your iions with Captain Aizen?"

  "That's no problem either," Haruki said casually, reting his versation with Aizen in Hueundo.

  Then he added, "As I told Captain Aizen, I'm ral in your flict. So, please don't put me in a difficult position, Mr. Urahara."

  "I see," Urahara frowned slightly, then suddenly asked another question.

  "So, is your ing to the human world on Aizen's orders?"

  "No, it's the Tsunayashiro family who sehe Haruki family is a vassal of the Tsunayashiro family. When the main family gives an order, I have to ply."

  "Oh? What's the mission?"

  "I 't say. It's a top-secret mission. Even Captain Aize know about it."

  "Fair enough," Urahara smiled, then stood up from his seat.

  He walked over to Haruki and said, "Mr. Haruki, you..."

  "What did you give Captain Aizen in Hueundo?"

  "..." Haruki was silent for a moment, then said, "I'd like to show you, but nht now. Taking out a piece so soon would be troublesome for me."

  "I see. I think I uand now."

  Urahara also fell silent. He patted Haruki on the shoulder and said, "We've talked enough for now."

  "Then, could you do me a favor?" Haruki asked. "Could you give me a Gigai? A high-quality one. Since I'm on a mission in the human world, I 't keep wandering around in my spiritual form."

  "No problem," Urahara said. "Follow me."

  With that, he led Haruki outside and picked out a Gigai.

  Haruki took the Gigai and said, "Thank you, Mr. Urahara. I might e back here for a visit soon."

  "You'd better hurry," Urahara said with a smile. "This pce is probably about to be discovered by Captain Aizen. I o leave before he finds us."

  Haruki also smiled, the.

  After watg Haruki leave, the smile on Urahara's face disappeared.

  "Hey, why did you let him go?"

  Yoruichi appeared behind him, puzzled. "He's one of Aizen's people. Do you really believe what he said?"

  "What else could I do?" Urahara took a few steps forward, reag the door, where he could see Haruki's back as he was about to leave the alley.

  He said slowly, "Do you think he's really just a vice-captain?"

  "...Even if he's strong, there are two of us," Yoruichi walked over, crossing her arms. "I didn't see anything particurly unusual about that kid."

  "The fact that he dared to appear before us alone, knowing about our flict with Aizen, is the most unusual thing in itself."

  Urahara said softly, "And I think I uand why Aizen keeps him by his side."

  "Why?"

  "It's probably for the same reason as the Tsunayashiro family... more or less," Urahara said immediately.

  "The Tsunayashiro family?"

  Yoruichi frowned, even more fused.

  Seeing Urahara ag like a cryptic riddler, she couldn't help but get annoyed. She kicked Urahara it and said irritably, "Stop being so mysterious. Spit it out."

  Urahara awkwardly rubbed his butt and ughed. "As a member of the five great noble families, Miss Yoruichi, you should know very well what the Tsunayashiro family is most ed about... what else could it be?"

  "You mean..." Yoruichi also realized, her frown deepening. Then, suddenly, she looked shocked.

  "That kid has a fragment of the Soul King in his soul?!"

  The Tsunayashiro family's as were indeed unusual this time. Suddenly sending a vice-captain to the human world on a mission, especially one who had almost severed ties with the Tsunayashiro family.

  It was almost as if they were throwing themselves at him.