"I'm truly sorry about this."
After hearing Fang Mo's statement, Urahara Kisuke spoke with unusual calmness: "I'm not angry or holding a grudge, but... I really don't know you."
"Ah, I've been advising you not to blindly study those things on the scientific side."
Upon hearing this, Fang Mo couldn't help but sigh: "Now look, you've researched yourself into a fool, even forgetting the most important person."
"I'm very sure I've never met you, nor could I possibly have a friend like you."
Urahara Kisuke was very serious, without his usual frivolous demeanor. His eyes, hidden in the shadow of his hat brim, were exceptionally sharp: "So... who exactly are you?"
"I am Ultraman."
Fang Mo answered with equal seriousness.
"Um..." After hearing Fang Mo's reply, Urahara Kisuke hesitated for a moment, then quickly said: "As expected... you still don't plan to reveal your true identity, do you?"
"Should I answer everything you ask? Wouldn't that make me lose face?"
Fang Mo spread his hands and then asked in return: "And according to the personality of you scientists, even if I tell the truth, what would it change? Would you believe it?"
"That's also true."
Urahara Kisuke admitted after listening: "Considering what you've done before, including deceiving Yoruichi, and attacking the captains of the Gotei 13 with lethal force... I really can't believe you."
"So, what do you want?"
Fang Mo retorted: "Shall we duel?"
"Let's not." Urahara Kisuke also shook his head upon hearing this: "Even after Captain-Commander Yamamoto launched his Bankai, he was still no match for you. I... better not take that risk, and Yoruichi probably wouldn't want to see us cross blades either."
"Right."
Fang Mo smiled upon hearing this: "If fighting won't work, and you won't believe what I say, then why bother asking?"
"At least I should find out your purpose."
Urahara Kisuke said, "Although I'm not clear about your origins, what if we could cooperate?"
"Speaking of objectives…"
Fang Mo glanced at Urahara Kisuke and suddenly realized something. This guy was the strongest technical talent in the Bleach world, with countless inventions under his belt. Perhaps he could unlock some modules or something. So, he directly said, "My goal is the Hōgyoku."
"Really?"
Hearing Fang Mo's statement, Urahara Kisuke also subconsciously nodded.
In fact, like them, researchers, they wouldn't easily believe what others say. However, strangely, they often trust their own judgments more. Urahara Kisuke had suspected that Fang Mo might want the Hōgyoku, and now that he had received the other's personal admission, Urahara believed him.
In fact, through Yoruichi's narration.
Urahara Kisuke had also tried to analyze the other's behavior patterns.
If you say he really had a grudge against the Soul Society, but he didn't destroy the Soul Society.
Although he had indeed made lethal moves against several captains, like the head captain, he didn't deliberately finish them off. So, in the end, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was still saved by someone. It felt as if the other party had merely rolled over an ant and wouldn't specially turn back to check on the insect's fate.
Such a powerful being suddenly appeared in the Soul Society at that time, Urahara Kisuke was sure his guess was absolutely correct, he came for the Hōgyoku.
But strangely… in the end, he actually let Aizen go.
Honestly, Urahara Kisuke was a bit puzzled. Was it because he wanted Aizen to continue developing and perfecting the Hōgyoku?
"If it's about the Hōgyoku…"
A lot of thoughts flashed through Urahara Kisuke's mind for a moment, then he asked, "How do you plan to use it?"
"Make a wish."
Fang Mo directly said.
"Huh?" Urahara Kisuke was also stunned after hearing this: "Isn't that thing used as a tool to break the boundary between Hollows and Soul Reapers?"
"That's what you think."
Fang Mo glanced at Urahara Kisuke and shrugged his shoulders.
In fact, what he said wasn't wrong. Urahara Kisuke believed that the Hōgyoku he created could break the boundary between Soul Reapers and Hollows because that's what he hoped for, so the Hōgyoku would help him achieve that.
According to Aizen, the true ability of the Hōgyoku is to realize people's wishes, materializing what they desire in their hearts.
Of course, this power of granting wishes is not provided by the Hōgyoku itself.
To fulfill a wish... the wisher must themselves possess the potential to achieve that wish.
For instance, if Aizen wishes to become stronger, to surpass both Soul Reapers and Hollows and reach a new dimension of power, then the Hōgyoku would stimulate his full potential, helping him realize this wish.
This is not to say that the Hōgyoku is incredibly powerful, but rather that Aizen himself has this strength. Whether it's Soul Reapers or Hollows, there is a limit to their power, like a kind of shackle, and the Hōgyoku merely helps Aizen break free from these shackles, allowing his power to be unrestricted.
This is also the reason why Fang Mo has always been fixated on the Hōgyoku.
If it truly relied on its own strength to grant others' wishes, then Fang Mo might not have regarded it so highly, after all, his wish is of a multiverse level, which would require energy that it definitely could not provide.
But if the Hōgyoku requires the user to provide energy, then it would seem more reliable.
"Is that so?"
After being rebutted by Fang Mo, Urahara Kisuke wasn't angry but just subconsciously touched his head, though he quickly changed his demeanor and smiled happily: "Ah, it seems I had been thinking too simplistically before."
"You switch styles this flexibly?"
Seeing this, Fang Mo also laughed: "What mode is this? Urahara Silly Assistant?"
"Hey, this isn't the right place to talk." Urahara Kisuke, now completely devoid of his previous calm and seriousness, laughed heartily: "I regret not meeting you sooner, there's a lot I'd like to discuss. How about we continue this conversation at my shop? It's also a good opportunity to take Mr. Kurosaki and others for treatment."
"Wow, you're even better at acting than Nick."
Hearing this, Fang Mo immediately retorted: "Regretting not meeting sooner... I think you'd rather we never met at all, right?"
"Haha, how could that be?"
Urahara Kisuke, pulling out a fan from nowhere, covered his mouth with a chuckle: "Mr. Fang Mo also said it, didn't he? We are old acquaintances. I suddenly remembered, it seems there indeed was such an occasion."
"Yoruichi's touch is simply too great."
Fang Mo suddenly said.
"..."
Urahara Kisuke was startled, then his entire face turned as black as coal.
"Hahahaha, that's more like it, just like Nick." The smile did not fade but shifted to Fang Mo's face: "Sorry, brother, I just really like petting cats too much. But don't worry, I now have my own little black cat, so I won't be sharing one with you anymore."
Speaking of which, Fang Mo directly called out, "Tekeli, come out."
"Chirp?"
Accompanied by a light chirp, a small black top hat suddenly peeked out from Fang Mo's shadow.
Following that quickly, a strangely shaped little black cat jumped out from the shadow, rubbed against Fang Mo's feet twice, then looked up at him obediently.
"Let me introduce, this is my little black cat, Tekeli."
Fang Mo directly picked up the little black cat from the ground and handed it to Urahara Kisuke, "Here, give it a pat and see if it feels better than your Yoruichi's."
"You'd better be talking about the cat."
Urahara Kisuke touched Tekelii with a grim face, but then he suddenly showed a somewhat surprised expression, "Huh? This feels..."
"What about this feeling?"
However, at this moment, Yoruichi's voice suddenly sounded behind Urahara Kisuke.
"Uh..."
Urahara Kisuke stiffened.
"Go on, why have you stopped talking?" Yoruichi put her arm on Urahara Kisuke's shoulder and said in a calm tone, "Tell me, whose touch is better, mine or its?"
"Yours is better, yours is better."
Urahara Kisuke quickly lowered his head and said.
"Chirp!"
Tekeli, not pleased with Urahara Kisuke's words, suddenly extended a small tentacle from its back and fiercely slapped Urahara Kisuke's hand away.
"Eh?"
Urahara Kisuke, hit, covered his hand and looked at Tekeli with a baffled face.
"Alright, let's go back," Yoruichi said directly upon seeing this: "This isn't the place for chatting, someone will definitely come by later."
In fact, Fang Mo also realized that Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi were doing this on purpose, clearly to ease the tense atmosphere. It must be said that the two indeed shared a tacit understanding; the atmosphere was indeed much better than at the beginning, at least there wasn't that feeling of drawn swords anymore.
After a temporary reconciliation, the following matters became much simpler.
Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi each took a wounded person, and then everyone returned to his shop, a cluttered, rundown grocery store.
Throughout the journey, everyone had their own concerns, so no one spoke.
Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi were pondering over Fang Mo's matters, while Orihime Inoue was worried about Ichigo Kurosaki, who was in a state of confusion due to his hollowfication. Even Fang Mo himself was contemplating how to quickly obtain the Hogyoku.
Fortunately, Urahara's shop wasn't far from the site of the incident, so it didn't take long for everyone to arrive.
Fang Mo looked up and saw that it was indeed a very ordinary grocery store. Due to its unremarkable appearance, there were hardly any customers. Urahara Kisuke opened the door and led everyone inside, where several clerks came forward to greet them.
Of course, these "clerks" were not ordinary people. The tall, middle-aged man wearing glasses named Tessai Tsukabishi, was the former Kidō Corps Captain in the Soul Society. As for the two children beside him, they seemed to be artificial beings of some sort. But considering the store hardly had any visitors, hiring real clerks would probably lead to financial loss.
"This injury is quite severe."
Upon seeing the injured, Tessai Tsukabishi took the initiative to approach: "Let me help with the treatment."
"Thank you," Urahara Kisuke nodded, then handed Ichigo Kurosaki and Yasutora Sado over to him. Orihime Inoue also followed to assist in the treatment.
"Now that we are here, shouldn't we have a proper talk?"
It was at this moment that Fang Mo also started to speak.
"Indeed, we should talk."
Urahara Kisuke nodded and then turned to enter the next room, sitting on the tatami mats. After Fang Mo and Yoruichi entered, he took the initiative to say: "Well... where should we start? How about everyone introducing themselves first?"
"Let's skip the nonsense and probing."
Fang Mo spoke out of character: "I'm pressed for time. Get me a portal to Hueco Mundo first. I'll deal with Aizen and then come back to explain everything in detail."