Soul Society, Rukongai District.
In the provisional base of the Department of Research and Development, located near the ruins of Seireitei, reconstruction and research work was underway. Its location offered convenient access to the devastated zone and allowed temporary adjustments to blueprints based on the terrain.
Vice-Director Akon hadn't slept in days.
There were plenty of reasons for that—his superior was a research-obsessed maniac, and his subordinates, all former Maggot's Nest residents, had zero sense. Akon felt like meat stuck between stale bread—suffocated by pressure from every side.
"Akon-san! Akon-san!"
As he reviewed modified schematics in the lab, hearing someone call from behind made Akon's soul nearly leave his body. His voice cracked from fatigue as he looked back with dead eyes full of corporate despair.
"What now…"
His zombie-like state startled the others, but they quickly composed themselves.
—Sorry, but there's no time for sympathy now!
"Response—reaction—big reaction!"
Rubbing his stiff neck, Akon stepped out from behind his desk.
"Calm down. Even if the sky falls, we start by calming down. Panic doesn't solve anything."
It sounded like empty platitudes, but Akon genuinely believed it. However…
The two subordinates before him clearly weren't listening, still frantically pointing at readings.
"The detector… response… from Hueco Mundo…"
Akon pieced it together.
Expression steady, he asked, "The detector, huh? So Aizen's made another move?"
Unlike the original storyline, with the Research Bureau mostly destroyed, resources were limited. A simplified detector had been built with support from several captains. It couldn't track individual targets but could detect spiritual pressure fluctuations and identify anomalies with a binary "yes" or "no."
Thus—
Thanks to Seiya's deliberate suppression of intel, the development of Arrancar had gone entirely unnoticed by the Soul Society.
"You're detecting two captain-level reiatsu signatures leaving Hueco Mundo… heading to the World of the Living?"
Hueco Mundo was still considered a barbaric wasteland to them. The idea of captain-level entities emerging from it seemed absurd.
Akon's thoughts were like the others: Aizen and his group must be on the move again.
Honestly—
His first reaction was exasperation. Soul Society was in ruins—who had the time or capacity to worry about Hueco Mundo?
As a researcher, devoting precious resources to this felt like a waste—an incredibly painful one.
Still…
He understood the sting of betrayal and felt more sympathy than judgment.
"This should just be ignored, logically. But if something goes wrong, the captains will complain…"
"And if it causes a panic, the captains will get scolded by the Head-Captain…"
"And then that blame trickles down to me. I won't sleep again this month…"
Ugh.
Just thinking about it gave him a migraine.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he turned to his subordinates.
"Go inform the Head-Captain and let him decide."
Big or small, Akon didn't want this responsibility. This was his "last resort" option.
They nodded, about to leave—when the next group of squad members stormed in, waving fresh reports and panting heavily.
Before Akon could rise—
"Urgent report!"
"The detector picked up additional signals after the first wave!"
"We've analyzed them and confirmed—"
It wasn't two signatures.
"It's five!!!"
Akon's pupils shrank. Even as a non-combatant, he knew what that meant.
Danger was imminent.
Almost instantly, Akon shouted, "Contact the Captain! Alert the other Divisions—get this info to their captains! Also, dispatch someone to the Head-Captain immediately!"
His instructions were sharp and decisive.
This was beyond his pay grade now. It was time for the big guns.
True leadership empowers subordinates, and Akon was proving it now.
Everyone rushed out, but before they could even leave, someone blocked their path.
"Tch. What's with all this running around? Akon, you're slacking from overwork, huh?"
It was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Captain of Squad 12 and head of the Research Bureau, strolling in with Nemu.
Akon tried to salute, stumbling a little.
"Captain…"
"No need. Our division was never one for formalities. That's not what matters now."
More importantly—
"The key now isn't tradition—it's progress."
He grinned wide, exposing teeth.
His mood visibly surged.
"Five captain-level reiatsu! That means Aizen has likely completed some kind of research using the Hōgyoku!"
"New data! New samples! Far better than squabbling with those noble brats over reconstruction!"
"This is what we should be doing!"
Mayuri was practically bouncing with glee.
"Nemu!"
"Yes, Lord Mayuri."
"Notify all captains immediately, using the fastest method!"
He grinned like a kid in a candy store.
"Let them all know what's going on in Hueco Mundo!"
Still salty over the humiliation from the Zero Division, Mayuri was eager to redeem himself with useful inventions—and put that woman in her place.
Akon, still somewhat rational, tried to dissuade him.
But it was useless.
Nemu obeyed without hesitation.
Bakudō #77 – Tenteikūra.
As Nemu's spiritual pressure rose and the spell activated, the transmission spread across the temporary base.
Akon gave up.
Whatever. Let them do what they want. Corporate apathy had fully consumed him.
"Uh, excuse me…"
One of the squad members hesitated again.
Mayuri turned, still beaming.
"What? Stammering like that doesn't suit our division. Out with it."
The man hesitated, then said quietly,
"The signal from Hueco Mundo… it's not heading to Soul Society."
Mayuri's face stiffened.
"...???"
Forget the chaos brewing in Soul Society for now.
In the World of the Living—
The air began to ripple, distort, compress—until finally—
Rippppp.
Space tore open like shredded cloth.
A cluster of shadowy figures emerged, taking in the unfamiliar scenery.
"Hoh? So this is the 'real world' Aizen-sama spoke of?"
"Doesn't look like it's worth destroying."
"No interest…"
"Don't get careless. We have a mission."
"Who cares? I hear our target's strong. Let me test him first!"
There were many of them.
And despite wildly different personalities, they all gathered here under one thing: power.
"I'm starving~"
A massive figure lumbered ahead, stepping into the human world.
Thud…
As his foot touched down, all of Karakura Town seemed to shudder.
Those with spiritual sensitivity immediately felt it.
At Urahara Shop—
Tessai suddenly froze while moving crates.
Sweat poured from his muscular frame.
"Wh… What is this…"
No simple word could express his shock.
Before he could speak—
Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi burst through the doors, grim-faced.
"Tessai-san…"
"I can already sense it. Unbelievable… but it seems…"
Kisuke's voice grew heavy.
"Aizen's understanding of the Hōgyoku far surpasses mine…"
Meanwhile—
In school, Ichigo Kurosaki leapt up.
"You've gotta be kidding me!"
Even his weak detection couldn't miss such an enormous spiritual pressure.
No doubt about it.
Hollows had invaded the real world.
He pulled out his Substitute Shinigami badge and exited his body, dashing toward the danger.
"Ichigo!"
Chad and Orihime followed.
He wanted to tell them to stay back—but knew they wouldn't listen.
So he gave up.
Stopping those monsters came first!
Everyone began reacting—moving into position for the looming battle.
But disaster didn't wait for permission.
On the ground, a massive man in a white coat opened his mouth wide.
"Not hungry? Guess I'll eat first."
An invisible suction force—
Like a black hole pressing down—
People within hundreds of meters collapsed unconscious.
Their semi-transparent souls were ripped free and drawn to him.
As he chewed…
Hundreds of lives were erased.
A blue-haired man with a wicked grin glanced his way.
"How's the taste?"
The huge man with dark skin and strange protrusions on his head frowned thoughtfully.
"Hard to describe… flavorful, but light. Hm. Unusual, but rare."
So—
"Let me try more."
No regard for life. Such was a Hollow.
He opened his mouth again—
Zap!
A flash of blue-white light streaked from afar, striking his face.
Spurt—
Caught off guard.
"What the hell?! Who attacked me?!"
"Above you."
A cool, cold voice.
The Arrancar looked up—
And saw Uryū Ishida floating mid-air.
He had returned to his Quincy form, standing on air with his bow drawn and gaze sharp.
He'd acted first.
But—
'Why didn't that even leave a scratch?'
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Powerstones?
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