Arima put away his thoughts and said to Hikifune Kiryu: "The Twelfth Division is a research division filled with scientists. I have already retired and am no longer involved in technological development. I usually have no reason to visit."
"As for the Fourth Division, although it is a medical division, if you ever need assistance, you can ask its members to check your condition."
"Is that so?" Hikifune Kiryu gave Arima a meaningful look.
Then she said, "Well, Captain, I still hope you'll visit the Twelfth Division from time to time. Seeing you here in Seireitei brings me joy."
"I still remember my early days in the division," she added, her voice soft. "Your guidance has always stayed with me."
Arima listened quietly as Hikifune Kiryu reminisced.
Eventually, they passed through the Twelfth Division's main building and arrived at the Seireitei Research Institute, which was adjacent to it.
The Twelfth Division had a unique structure.
Similar to how the Second Division had sub-units, the Twelfth Division was split into two distinct parts.
One part functioned like any other division, consisting of standard personnel with combat capabilities.
The other part was comprised entirely of researchers.
For these scientists, combat prowess was secondary to their research abilities. They primarily worked at the Seireitei Research Institute, where they conducted various experiments.
Meanwhile, the combat-trained members of the division were responsible for patrolling and ensuring the security of their more vulnerable scientific colleagues. These researchers were considered invaluable assets, contributing to the development of Seireitei's technological advancements.
The captain of the Twelfth Division had to be proficient in both combat and scientific knowledge, making it one of the more challenging leadership roles within the organization.
Fortunately, the position of Twelfth Division captain rarely changed. Since it wasn't a frontline combat unit, its captains tended to have long tenures.
After entering a facility distinct from the main division headquarters, Hikifune Kiryu continued speaking with Arima.
"Besides, I don't believe you've truly abandoned technological research. If you had, you wouldn't have agreed to help me so quickly."
She stopped and looked at him intently.
Arima had not changed in appearance since she had first joined the division.
But in reality, centuries had passed.
Many things had changed, yet some had remained the same.
As their gazes locked, neither spoke for a long time.
Finally, Hikifune Kiryu led Arima to her research area and handed him some documents.
Arima quickly understood what she was working on.
"Temporary Soul."
That was the name of Hikifune Kiryu's research project.
Through years of study, she had discovered that the soul was fundamentally different from spirit particles—it contained its own will.
Shinigami were born with innate spiritual energy, but their growth depended on absorbing spirit energy from their surroundings, which in turn strengthened their own spiritual presence.
The efficiency of this process was determined by the strength of one's soul.
So, was there a way to enhance the soul itself?
Since a soul possessed its own will, it was impossible to simply fuse another soul into a Shinigami's body.
But what if an artificial soul could be created—one that had no will of its own, merely existing to supplement an individual's original soul?
Could this be the key to unlocking greater spiritual power?
Hikifune Kiryu's ideas were unconventional, but imagination was essential in research.
She had pursued this concept extensively.
However, creating an artificial soul was not simple.
While she had uncovered the fundamental structure of a soul, she was stuck on the final step of producing a functional temporary soul.
She understood the theoretical aspects, but her expertise in manipulating spirit particles was insufficient.
That was when she thought of Arima.
Initially, Hikifune Kiryu had no intention of seeking his help.
Even though he had once been her captain, Arima had long since moved beyond the ranks of the Gotei 13. He was now part of an entirely different entity, accountable only to the highest powers.
The Gotei 13, by contrast, was an organization deeply tied to the governing authorities of Soul Society.
But as she struggled to advance her research—and after hearing about his interactions with Unohana Retsu—she changed her mind and decided to seek him out.
For her, whether or not he could solve the problem wasn't the most important thing.
What truly mattered was that Arima had returned to the Twelfth Division.
And that she could once again stand beside him, listening to his insights just as she had in the past.
"This is a fascinating challenge," Arima remarked after reviewing her research notes.
Then he added, "And it holds immense scientific potential."
For Hikifune Kiryu, the primary objective was to strengthen the soul, thereby enhancing Shinigami's spiritual power.
But Arima saw far greater applications.
The concept of the "Temporary Soul" had the potential to revolutionize Soul Society.
He recalled the future innovations that would stem from this research.
"Soul Candy," a vital tool for Shinigami operating in the human world, was derived from this very theory.
Furthermore, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's experiments on artificial Shinigami likely drew upon similar principles.
Even the artificial beings created by Urahara Kisuke were built upon this foundation.
Arima realized that what Hikifune Kiryu had begun might be only the first step in something far greater.
○○○
Please Support me on patreon
patreon.com/IA_Extra13651
I really appreciate everything