"Is your target the Seal Site?"
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto regained his composure, his singular eye narrowing dangerously.
It was highly likely that the enemy intended to use Chigiri Shijima's Bankai ability—reflecting damage—to create a stalemate. By binding Yamamoto here, they could proceed with their other plans at leisure.
However, even if he were trapped, the Soul Society still had another powerhouse who had trained in the Royal Palace—Sora Katori—guarding the area. He could support the Seal Site at a moment's notice.
But since the enemy had chosen to make their move now, they wouldn't have failed to account for Sora's presence.
The Seal Site was in imminent danger.
A trace of anxiety flickered in the Head Captain's eye.
"Do you think you can defeat me just by stealing Ryūjin Jakka?" Veins bulged on Yamamoto's remaining left arm as his spiritual pressure flared.
"Of course not."
Shijima shook his head calmly. "Even without your Zanpakutō, the Head Captain's strength is not to be underestimated. Hand-to-hand combat alone would be enough to kill most Captains."
"However... I don't need to defeat you. I only need to keep you here."
As soon as his voice fell, the air around the valley shimmered. More "Yhwachs" materialized from the shadows, surrounding Yamamoto and Saitō.
These were all Reigai created by Miyamoto Tetsuya!
Moreover, the real Yhwach had used his own ability to distribute a fraction of his power to each duplicate, granting them significant combat capability.
With Shijima's reflective Bankai and an army of empowered Yhwach clones, even if they couldn't defeat Yamamoto and Saitō, they could certainly stall them long enough for the plan to succeed.
...
The 'Hell's Eye' Seal Site.
The site was located in the center of a turbulent, raging river that cut through the landscape of Hell.
This river was exceptionally wide; calling it a lake would be more accurate. In the center of the rushing black waters churned a massive, terrifying whirlpool.
This giant vortex was known as the 'Hell's Eye'.
The Spirit Body of the Lord of Hell was sealed within a special dimensional pocket beneath the whirlpool's eye.
Since any object venturing too close would be sucked into the abyss, the Hell Expeditionary Force guarding this site was stationed on the riverbank. Furthermore, the entire perimeter was surrounded by high-level Spirit Wards. If an enemy breached the boundary, the garrison on the shore would be alerted instantly.
On the riverbank, a small team of Shinigami was conducting routine maintenance checks on the warning wards.
"This ward is starting to degrade."
Kakyo knelt down, inspecting a glowing talisman etched into a stone pillar.
"Let me handle it. You go rest for a bit, don't exhaust yourself!"
Seeing the fatigue on Kakyo's face, Sōya Azashiro stepped forward, urging her to take a break.
"It doesn't matter, this is the last one. Let's finish early so we can head back to camp."
Kakyo revealed a gentle smile, insisting on completing the task herself.
Both she and Azashiro were now high-ranking Seated Officers of the Kidō Corps. The heavy responsibility of maintaining the complex barriers naturally fell on their shoulders.
Trailing behind them were Kaname Tōsen, responsible for the security detail, and a squad of 9th Division Shinigami.
Kensei Muguruma was one of the Captains on rotation at the 'Hell's Eye' this year, so as his Lieutenant, Tōsen had accompanied the mission.
Walking a few paces back, although Tōsen's eyes couldn't see, his heightened senses painted a clear picture of the interaction between the two officers ahead.
He ground his teeth so hard he thought they might shatter.
I was the one who met Kakyo first!
"I've only been stationed in Hell for a few months... Have they become this intimate?"
Tōsen began to doubt whether volunteering for this mission with Captain Kensei was the right decision.
Originally, he had come to Hell to temper himself in the harsh environment, hoping to break through his limits and finally master Bankai.
He wanted to achieve Bankai before Azashiro. He wanted to prove his excellence to Kakyo!
But reality was cruel. Without Tōsen's constant presence to intervene, the relationship between Azashiro and Kakyo seemed to have blossomed rapidly. Kakyo felt like she was drifting further and further away from him.
Regret gnawed at his heart.
"Kaname, we've finished the maintenance. Let's head back to camp!"
Just as Tōsen was wallowing in his pain, Azashiro called out cheerfully. They had already finished repairing the ward.
"Mhm." Tōsen took a deep breath, forcing his voice to remain steady.
"What's wrong?" Azashiro tilted his head, noticing the stiffness. "Why do I feel like you're not happy to see us this time?"
"No, I'm just a bit tired from the spiritual pressure in Hell," Tōsen lied smoothly.
"That's good. You're rotating back to Soul Society next month, right?" Azashiro walked over and patted Tōsen on the shoulder, grinning. "Kakyo and I are getting engaged next month. You have to be there! We can't celebrate without you."
"What did you say?!"
Tōsen froze. The mask of calm cracked.
"Kakyo and I are getting engaged next month..." Azashiro repeated, pausing as he sensed Tōsen's strange reaction.
Azashiro's emotional intelligence regarding romance was notoriously low, and Tōsen was a man who buried his feelings deep within his heart. For years, Azashiro had remained completely oblivious to the fact that his best friend also loved Kakyo.
"Kaname, you are an important friend to both Sōya and me. I really hope you can come."
Kakyo's expression was somewhat complex.
She had known Tōsen longer than Azashiro and understood his subtle moods better. She had vaguely sensed that Tōsen's feelings for her went beyond friendship, but she had never encouraged it. To her, he was a cherished companion, nothing more.
Just as Tōsen opened his mouth to speak—to say something, anything—the warning Spirit Wards suddenly erupted.
WOOO—WOOO—
The piercing alarm stunned the group for a split second.
However, having just maintained the system, Kakyo and Azashiro knew exactly what the signal meant. They shouted in unison:
"Enemy raid!!!"
In the same instant, a massive beam of blinding light tore through the air, aimed directly at the group.
"Dodge! Quickly!"
BOOM—!
The attack was too fast. The beam of light exploded in the center of the formation before anyone could fully evade.
When the dust and smoke cleared, the ground was scorched black. Not a single person was left standing.
"Cough, cough, cough—"
Azashiro pushed a fallen comrade's body off himself, a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.
"That was... Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō?!"
Like Kakyo, his specialty was Kidō. He recognized the signature sound and destructive power of the Hado spell immediately.
Ignoring his own pain, he frantically looked around.
The caster of that spell was undeniably Captain-class.
"Kakyo! Kaname!"
Azashiro scrambled through the debris, finding Kakyo buried under a pile of shattered rock.
He pulled her out gently. Her condition was critical. Her internal organs had been severely damaged by the shockwave. Azashiro's hands trembled; his skill in Kaidō (healing kido) was insufficient to treat injuries of this magnitude.
Nearby, Tōsen also stirred, pushing away the rubble trapping him.
"Kakyo!"
Seeing the woman he loved broken and bleeding, a wave of dark resentment surged in Tōsen's heart.
Azashiro was right next to her! Why didn't he protect her?!
But the thought was fleeting. He quickly remembered that he, too, had been right there. He, too, had failed.
Suddenly, a strange voice drifted down from above.
"Oh? There are actually survivors. Did you hold back on purpose, Captain Obana?"
Azashiro looked up sharply.
Hovering in the air were several figures. Their white Captain haori and black shihakushō fluttered in the wind, a stark contrast to the desolate Hell landscape.