Facing Urahara's words, Shimo only smiled without answering.
He had no habit of laying all his cards on the table—especially not in front of Urahara, one of the Five Special War Powers.
Still, Shimo was impressed by Urahara's perceptiveness.
With just a rough sense of his spiritual pressure, Urahara had picked up that sothing was off. That alone spoke volus about his observational skill.
Indeed, Shimo had undergone so changes—changes linked to a recent "check-in reward" he had obtained in the Forest of nos: Soul Breakthrough.
As the na implied, it was a breakthrough in the very essence of the soul.
Hollowfication for Shinigami, or the Arrancar evolution for Hollows, were, in essence, both ways of breaking the soul's limits. But neither truly altered the soul's fundantal nature.
Whether it was a Hollowfied Shinigami or an Arrancar, their power might soar—sotis even surpassing certain Captains—but a Hollow was still a Hollow, and a Shinigami remained a Shinigami.
Any communication between their powers was already rare and difficult; to go even further, one would need to obtain new power altogether.
Shimo's Soul Breakthrough, however, was a change in the soul's very nature. This ant his potential and limits had been surpassed. At this mont, he now possessed the potential to exceed all boundaries.
Perhaps because his soul had only just broken through, his spiritual pressure had subtly shifted—enough for Urahara to notice.
"Oh, I see." Urahara chuckled when Shimo only smiled in response.
"My bad for prying. In any case, we're still friends."
He was wise enough to drop the subject.
"That's right—may our friendship last forever," Shimo replied with a smile. "Since we're friends, I'd like to trouble you with one more thing."
Urahara's face imdiately fell, cursing himself inwardly. Why did he have to bring up friendship? Now he'd be roped into more unpaid labor.
Shimo bent down and set Nel down on the carpet, pointing to the crack running through her mask.
"Is there any way to fix this?"
Urahara leaned closer, examining the clean break down the middle. His brows furrowed.
"The leaking reiatsu makes it impossible for her to maintain the sa density in her body. Shrinking her size is a form of self-protection. This isn't like the usual Arrancar abilities. Rather than calling it a regression, think of it as instinct."
Then ca a string of dense, technical jargon.
Shimo's head started to pound. He wasn't a researcher, and Urahara's technobabble was like another language.
"How about just giving a straight answer? Everything you just said is way beyond my understanding."
Urahara gave an awkward laugh.
"It can be fixed. It's not that difficult—just needs a bit of ti."
As soon as he finished, Shimo pointed at Dondochakka and Pesche.
"What about these two? I'm not asking you to restore their strength, just… change their appearance. They're way too ugly like this."
Dondochakka and Pesche looked at each other, then burst into tears.
"Rejected for our looks again!"
"Is it our fault we were born ugly?"
"This appearance-obsessed world is truly hopeless for Hollows!"
"Bawabawa!"
At so point, Dondochakka had released Bawabawa, and the three of them wailed together in an ear-splitting chorus.
Shimo spread his hands helplessly and looked at Urahara.
"Your call, Urahara-san. Or, if you don't mind, they can stay like this."
Urahara raised his cane toward the noisy trio.
"Bakudō #73. Tōzanshō."
Spiritual pressure surged from the cane, forming a transparent barrier that sealed all three inside. In an instant, the area fell silent.
"No problem," Urahara said casually. "If it's just changing appearances, that's easy."
"In that case, I'll trouble you with it," Shimo said sincerely. He never forgot when others helped him.
But before he could finish, Urahara raised a hand to stop him.
"No need for thanks—we're friends, after all. Helping each other is only natural."
From sowhere, Urahara pulled out a folding fan and began fanning himself.
"Actually, I have a little favor to ask you too. Nothing big—just eting soone."
His smile turned oddly mysterious.
"What is it?" Shimo asked curiously.
"Just a small matter," Urahara said, stepping aside.
Shimo's eyes widened, a bad feeling rising in his chest. Instinctively, he tried to use shunpo to leave—but the mont he turned—
"Where do you think you're going?"
A hoarse male voice ca from the mouth of a black cat.
"Shimo!!"
Ps: sorry for the late bonus
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