"Senior, are you really not coming over to take a look?"
"A captain-class experimental subject is a rare treasure indeed."
The bright moon hung high in the sky.
The Seireitei was quite silent under the shroud of night; except for the occasional Soul Reaper patrolling with a lantern, there was no other movement.
Ren walked out of the Onmitsukidō and onto the street.
Behind him followed Shisui and Fushiguro Toji, who had just returned from the jujutsu world.
Shisui held a palm-sized Den Den Mushi. The snail wore black-rimmed glasses, had brown hair, and wore a warm smile on its face.
Its mouth opened and closed, emitting a gentle yet deep voice.
Holding the receiver, Ren spoke, "It seems everything is going smoothly on your end, Sousuke."
"How does it feel to have the esteemed captain of the Ninth Division reduced to experimental material in your hands?"
Mimicking the calm expression on the other end, the Den Den Mushi conveyed Aizen Sousuke's words.
"You are correct, Senior. Everything is going smoothly."
"Though Captain Muguruma Kensei is a righteous and brave man, his strength is somewhat lacking."
"Dealing with him didn't take much time. The process was quite easy, and I've gathered some excellent experimental data."
Hearing Aizen's words, Ren felt a sudden surge of amusement.
Aizen clearly had no idea about the memes surrounding Muguruma Kensei, but his unintentional mockery made it all the more seamless.
Suppressing his laughter, Ren gave Aizen a solemn warning.
"Next, with the disappearance of spiritual pressure from Muguruma Kensei and the others, the Gotei 13 will soon detect the anomaly."
"And Old Man Yama... he's always been decisive. He will definitely send a large number of people to investigate, possibly several captains."
"Sousuke, be careful. Don't let yourself suffer an unexpected setback."
The Den Den Mushi chuckled, Aizen's tone as steady as ever, revealing his internal confidence.
"Don't worry, Senior. I will act with caution."
As long as Yamamoto Shigekuni didn't come personally, Aizen would never fail.
As for the remaining captains—whether it was Kyōraku, Ukitake, or Unohana Retsu—he could handle them with ease.
Moreover, as the Captain-Commander, the old man needed to stay in the Seireitei and couldn't possibly leave the headquarters at this time.
Seeing how confident Aizen was, Ren didn't say anything more and hung up the phone.
*Click!*
He naturally trusted Aizen's abilities.
In the original story, Aizen had used a series of conspiracies to exile more than half of the Gotei 13 captains.
His talent went without saying.
The only concern now was whether Aizen would suddenly pull a fast one and give him an unexpected 'surprise' in the shadows.
After a moment's thought, Ren shook his head.
Aizen was a smart man, a deep thinker who preferred to plan before acting. He wouldn't do something so unwise.
He knew the consequences of provoking Ren.
Still, one had to remain vigilant and not grow careless.
Shisui put away the Den Den Mushi and asked with a worried expression, "My Lord, are we really going to let Aizen act entirely on his own?"
"It's fine."
Ren waved his hand.
"I have my own hidden hand by Sousuke's side to ensure things go according to my plan."
"Besides, the Hollowfication experiments are something he is determined to complete. He won't cause trouble at a critical juncture like this."
Shisui nodded, but the worry on his face didn't fade.
"Should we make any arrangements for the Twelfth Division?"
"If it's just Mayuri Kurotsuchi, he likely won't be a match for Urahara Kisuke."
The current captain of the Twelfth Division was Urahara Kisuke. Since becoming captain, he had established the Department of Research and Development.
After several years of development, it had gradually moved onto the right track.
The products they developed provided much convenience for the Soul Reapers' operations and were well-received by most.
Just as Ren had anticipated, Urahara Kisuke's intellect was beginning to shine, gradually changing the Soul Society.
And tonight, a large part of their plan was aimed specifically at Urahara Kisuke.
Urahara was exceptionally brilliant; it was hard to guarantee he wouldn't notice something.
Ren's lips curled into a faint, mysterious smile.
"There's even less need to worry about Urahara Kisuke. He's already walked into my trap; there's no escaping my grasp."
Hearing this, Shisui was slightly stunned.
He had always known about the spy near Aizen.
In fact, he was the one who had lured that person away from Aizen and was responsible for their secret communications.
But regarding Urahara Kisuke, he knew nothing.
When did this happen?
Ren's arrangements actually included things he didn't know about!
Shisui suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and simply nodded calmly.
Nearby, Fushiguro Toji looked at Ren with a smirk.
"Boss, it seems you have some big moves planned recently."
"Calling me over in such a hurry—what's the mission?"
Ren tilted his head slightly and glanced at him. "There's no need for you to act just yet. I called you here simply as an extra insurance policy."
Pausing, his brow relaxed as he asked, "During your time in the jujutsu world, how has Megumi been?"
"Him? Everything is the same as usual."
Toji scratched his head, unsure of what to say for a moment.
"Honestly, I'm not really qualified to call myself his father. I'm too embarrassed to see him, and the times we've met are few and far between."
"However, speaking of lately, something good actually happened to him."
At this point, his voice grew uncharacteristically high-pitched.
Ren asked curiously, "What is it?"
"He got married."
"Married? When?"
Ren did the math in his head. Based on the timeline, Fushiguro Megumi should be in his twenties by now.
Getting married was normal.
"Toji, we're friends after all. Why didn't you notify me about such a big event like Megumi's wedding?"
"It was just a while ago. Weren't you busy rebuilding the Shadow Realm back then, Boss? You were so busy your feet barely touched the ground. Where would you have found the time to join the fun?"
Toji's voice carried a hint of joy.
"That brat usually acts like he doesn't know me, but fortunately, when he got married, he still knew to invite his father."
Ren said somewhat regretfully, "You're treating me like a stranger. No matter how busy I was, I could have spared half a day."
"Even if I couldn't go, I could have sent someone with a gift."
Hearing this, Toji's expression became serious instead.
"Boss, frankly speaking, do you think it would have been appropriate for you to be there?"
"Who invites a Soul Reaper to celebrate their wedding? Not to mention a Soul Reaper's gift..."
"That sounds more like the start of a horror movie."
Ren was taken aback by Toji's explanation.
He really hadn't thought about it from that perspective.
Toji's reminder made him realize.
"Fair point."
Sigh, it was all because of his status as a Soul Reaper.
Now he couldn't even join in on the festivities.
While the two were chatting, a series of urgent transmissions rang out through the Seireitei.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The sound traveled from far to near, reaching every corner of the Seireitei.
"Emergency summons! Emergency summons!"
"All captains are requested to gather immediately at the First Division headquarters! An emergency situation has occurred in the Ninth Division!"
"The spiritual pressures of Captain Muguruma Kensei, Vice-Captain Kuna Mashiro, and others have vanished! An emergency meeting is being convened!"
"Repeat, all captains please gather immediately..."
Hearing the transmissions echoing everywhere, Ren turned to the two behind him with a light smile.
"It seems the Gotei 13 has reacted after noticing the anomaly."
"Shisui, Toji, let's go join the fun."
And see if they could add more fuel to the fire to make it burn even brighter!
......
Inside the Captains' Meeting Room at the First Division headquarters.
Yamamoto Shigekuni stood with a calm expression, watching the captains arrive in a hurry. He struck his wooden staff heavily against the floor.
*Thump!*
"This is an emergency. According to reports from Ninth Division personnel on standby at the front lines, Captain Muguruma Kensei, Vice-Captain Kuna Mashiro, and other members camped in the field have had their spiritual pressures vanish."
"The cause... is currently unknown!"
Yamamoto's beard quivered as he looked at the captains standing on either side.
Except for the missing Muguruma Kensei of the Ninth Division, the vacant post of the Tenth Division captain, and Kiganjō Kenpachi of the Eleventh Division, all other captains were present.
After hearing the news, every captain looked solemn, listening intently to Captain-Commander Yamamoto's speech.
"This is the worst situation the Gotei 13 has faced!"
Yamamoto defined the event.
"From the soul disappearance incidents in the Rukongai up until yesterday to the disappearance of the Ninth Division Captain, we, the Gotei 13, must stake our full honor on resolving this!"
"Therefore, considering the danger of the incident, several captains must be dispatched together to the scene immediately!"
*Thump!*
The staff struck the floor again, making a dull sound.
Just as he was about to appoint the captains, Urahara Kisuke rushed forward, his face filled with deep anxiety.
The captains all turned to look at him.
Yamamoto Shigekuni narrowed his eyes.
"Twelfth Division Captain Urahara Kisuke, do you have something to add?"
"Captain-Commander, please let me go as well!"
Faced with Urahara Kisuke's loud plea, Yamamoto Shigekuni refused decisively.
"No!"
Yamamoto had already decided on the personnel to be sent.
He wouldn't change it arbitrarily based on one person's opinion.
Urahara Kisuke's face grew frantic. "My subordinate also went to the scene, and there has been no contact yet. Perhaps—"
"Enough, Kisuke!"
Before he could finish, Yoruichi, standing among the captains, shouted to stop him.
"How unsightly! Kisuke, as a captain, you must not lose your composure now!"
Yoruichi looked at Urahara Kisuke, her voice sharp and piercing.
"You were the one who chose to send her there. Your current panic is a lack of trust in your own vice-captain—it's an insult to her!"
"Do you understand?!"
"But..."
Urahara Kisuke froze, muttering under his breath, unable to form a complete sentence.
Earlier that day, the Ninth Division members investigating the situation found an anomaly and sent a seated officer to the Twelfth Division to request technical support.
Urahara Kisuke had sent his vice-captain, Hiyori Sarugaki, to assist.
He had thought that with two Ninth Division officers there—including a captain—along with several seated officers, nothing would go wrong.
But now, the spiritual pressures of the entire Ninth Division team had vanished. There was no way Hiyori Sarugaki was safe!
Kyōraku Shunsui walked over, patted his shoulder, and pulled him to his side.
Yamamoto Shigekuni's gaze swept across everyone.
As the Captain-Commander, he had to remain in the Seireitei and couldn't move easily.
The Second Division monitored every movement in the Seireitei. Furthermore, as a Great Noble, Shihoin Yoruichi's status was too significant; for political reasons, he couldn't let her go to the front lines.
The same applied to Sixth Division Captain Kuchiki Ginrei, who was elderly and much weaker than in his prime.
The Fourth Division was a medical unit and could not go to the front.
Similarly, the Twelfth Division was the technical department. If Urahara Kisuke were harmed, subsequent analysis of the scene would come to a halt.
Thirteenth Division's Ukitake was frail and sickly, making it difficult for him to utilize his strength. If he encountered danger, he might even become a liability.
The Eleventh Division's Kenpachi hadn't arrived, and the Tenth Division's captaincy was vacant.
Yamamoto Shigekuni fell silent for a moment.
Calculating it this way, the manpower he could dispatch was pitifully small.
In that case, he might as well send everyone else!
"Third Division Captain Ohtsuibashi Rōjūrō, Fifth Division Captain Hirako Shinji, and Seventh Division Captain Aikawa Love—the three of you set out for the scene immediately!"
The remaining captains, while not going to the scene, still had tasks.
Yamamoto Shigekuni continued, "Second Division Captain Shihoin Yoruichi will remain on standby and dispatch members to monitor the Seireitei. Do not miss any unusual activity!"
"Eighth Division Captain Kyōraku Shunsui will be responsible for follow-up support!"
"Sixth Division Captain Kuchiki Ginrei and Thirteenth Division Captain Ukitake Jūshirō will guard the Seireitei!"
"Fourth Division Captain Unohana Retsu will be in charge of the wounded and on standby in the relief station!"
Hearing Yamamoto Shigekuni's arrangements, Unohana Retsu suddenly spoke up.
"Captain-Commander, considering there may be casualties, shouldn't I go to the scene?"
"The situation is still unclear; we cannot let medical personnel go to a dangerous front line!"
Yamamoto Shigekuni knew Unohana Retsu's concerns, but he had made other preparations.
"As for the scene... I have assigned others."
After reassuring Unohana Retsu, Yamamoto Shigekuni looked toward the main entrance.
"Enter."
As his voice fell, the main doors opened, and two tall figures entered the sight of everyone.
Under everyone's gaze, they walked to the center of the meeting room.
One wore a haori, held a staff, and wore glasses that obscured his eyes.
The other was stout and wide, with hands clasped together and a kind expression.
They were the two leaders of the Kidō Corps!
Tessai Tsukabishi!
And Hachigen Ushōda!
Seeing the two of them, Ukitake Jūshirō looked surprised. "It's the two Kidō chiefs. It's been a long time since we last met."
To the side, Kyōraku Shunsui adjusted his straw hat, his eyes glinting with a sharp light.
"Old Man Yama invited these two out. It seems this matter isn't going to be small."
Yamamoto Shigekuni looked at the two with a solemn expression.
"I have already explained the general situation."
"I would like to ask you two to accompany the captains to the scene."
Tessai Tsukabishi pushed up his glasses. "Understood."
Hachigen Ushōda nodded in agreement behind him.
Kyōraku Shunsui looked at the depressed Urahara Kisuke beside him, then at the two Kidō chiefs, deep in thought.
After a moment, he raised his hand and said to Yamamoto, "Old Man Yama, I have a proposal."
"What is it?"
"Since the situation at the front is unclear, isn't it a bit inappropriate for both Kidō chiefs to go?"
"Shunsui, what do you suggest?"
Hearing this, Kyōraku Shunsui tilted his hat and looked out the window behind him.
"How about letting the Grand Kidō Chief remain on standby? Instead, let my vice-captain take his place."
As his voice fell, Kyōraku's vice-captain, Yadomaru Lisa, suddenly poked her head in.
Logically, vice-captains were not supposed to attend the captains' meeting.
But Yadomaru Lisa couldn't contain her curiosity, so she had secretly followed and been eavesdropping outside.
Kyōraku Shunsui took it upon himself to let his vice-captain join.
"Don't worry, Old Man Yama. My little Lisa is very strong."
Yamamoto thought for a moment and eventually nodded in agreement with Kyōraku's suggestion.
Just then, a heavy voice sounded from the doorway.
"In that case, would you mind if I stuck my nose in as well?"
Hearing the voice, everyone in the room froze and turned their heads toward the door.
When they saw the newcomer, the reactions of the captains varied.
The newcomer was tall, wearing a black Shihakushō with a white haori draped over it.
He had a dignified and solemn appearance with a beard. His thick eyebrows rose upward like flames, and he had sharp phoenix-like eyes that were currently scanning the many captains in the room.
It was none other than Shihoin Ren!
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]