As the Senkaimon emitted a dazzling white light, Asano Kiyoshi and his group, under the guidance of Shiba Miyako, stepped into the Dangai.
The moment they entered, Kiyoshi noticed a faint, clean fragrance in the air—something like laundry detergent, oddly pleasant yet strangely intoxicating. Just then, Miyako's gentle voice echoed through the space:
"Everyone, stay close to the Hell Butterflies and don't lose your way. Time flows differently in the Dangai than in the outside world. If you get lost here, the next time you find your way out might be many years later."
The students of the Shin'ō Academy visibly tensed. Surrounded by violet-red walls and jagged debris, a heavy silence fell over the group. The danger was real.
Kiyoshi quickly reined in his wandering thoughts. The Dangai wasn't just a space with distorted time—it was also patrolled by Kōtotsu, the dimensional sweeper that cleaned the realm every seven days. He had no desire to be treated like trash.
Following the footsteps of the official members of the 13th Division, the group sped through the gloomy, stifling tunnel of the Dangai.
Unbeknownst to them, three cloaked figures in black emerged silently from the shadows behind. Watching the Shinigami depart, they remained expressionless beneath their hoods. One of them, a man with silver hair and a mischievous voice, broke the silence:
"Oh my~ A rare trip to the Human World. I wonder if we'll run into anything fun this time. Don't you think, Captain Aizen?"
Before Aizen could answer, Tōsen Kaname, his fellow cloaked companion with violet dreadlocks, sharply cut in:
"This mission is to study hollow reiryoku composition and dimensional boundaries, not for your amusement! Maintain a proper attitude, Gin!"
Gin Ichimaru maintained his trademark sly, squinting smile.
"No need to be so serious, Captain Tōsen. With Lord Aizen here, there's really nothing to worry about."
He briefly opened his eyes just a slit, revealing dazzling irises that reflected the figure of a calm, scholarly man: Aizen Sōsuke.
Throughout their exchange, Aizen remained silent, observing the departing students with a faint, mocking smile. Then, without a word, he vanished with his two subordinates.
Their presence hadn't drawn any attention from the Shinigami or students.
About fifteen minutes later, a soft glow appeared in front of Kiyoshi—a traditional Japanese sliding door materializing at the end of the Dangai.
As the group approached, the door opened automatically. Just before exiting, Captain Shiba Miyako gave one last gentle warning:
"Everyone, remember to form reiryoku footholds before stepping out. The Senkaimon's exit point is random, and there's a good chance you'll appear in mid-air. Be ready. We don't want anyone falling to their deaths."
The students quickly formed footholds beneath them. Sure enough, when they stepped out into the Human World, they were suspended in the sky above a town. Below them were buildings mostly two to three stories high, with very few taller than five. It resembled a city from the 1950s or 60s.
For students who had only experienced the late Heisei era, these sights—buildings, cars—were fresh and fascinating.
Seeing their excitement, Miyako smiled and addressed the group:
"Please form groups of three. Each group will be supervised by an official squad member for konso (soul burial) training. The rest of you will follow me for the Karakura Town purification task. Listen—if anything unexpected happens, contact others immediately using kidō! Absolutely no solo action! You're not just responsible for your own lives—you carry the hope of Soul Society! From the moment you accept a mission, your life no longer belongs solely to you. Do you understand?!"
All the students responded loudly:
"Understood!"
The groups quickly formed. Unsurprisingly, Yumichika, Ikkaku, and Kiyoshi became a team. Their supervisor was the 12th Seat of Squad 13, a stern middle-aged man named Fambai Daigo, with a total combat value of 180.
Daigo had short hair and a long scar across his face, with a grim demeanor that didn't suggest he was easy to get along with.
He addressed the group with a typically cold tone:
"Let's go. There's a soul in need of burial at 7 o'clock. Remember, I'm not only protecting you, but also grading your performance. If you mess up, I'll report it honestly."
The pressure visibly hit Ikkaku, whose nerves were clearly on edge. Thus began the teams' konso training.
The act itself wasn't difficult, but Ikkaku still struggled with reiryoku control, which made the process bumpy. Fortunately, with days of support from Kiyoshi and Yumichika, he could now pass the practical exam.
To ease his nerves, Kiyoshi and Yumichika let Ikkaku go first. His subject was a downcast soul of a ragged man. Though he failed twice, he finally succeeded on the third attempt.
Yumichika passed with ease, and when Kiyoshi completed his task, their team had officially finished the trial.
But just as Kiyoshi performed the final konso—a surge of pure madness erupted around them, like a violent wave of spiritual pressure crashing down!
It was something none of them had ever felt.
Shinigami reiryoku always carried traces of emotion—anger, peace, happiness...
But this presence—this monstrous spiritual pressure—was utterly void of emotion. It carried only insane bloodlust and crushing hatred!
Then came a deep, guttural roar, echoing like it rose from the very depths of the earth.
A moment later, a gigantic figure wearing a pale-white bone mask appeared before them—sudden and terrifying!
Its monstrous form radiated a savage and corrupted aura. Bloodshot eyes locked onto them, gleaming with nothing but uncontrollable hunger and pure, devouring desire!