At noon, in the alleyways outside the White Road Gate in West Rukongai, the Visored gathered right on time.
"Damn… Tsuna really went all out. That's Bankai, isn't it?"
Even from this far away, they could feel the lingering waves of Sawada Tsunayoshi's Reiatsu. Having personally experienced Tsuna's Bankai, Kensei Muguruma couldn't help but comment.
The more chaotic the Seireitei became, the easier it would be for them to stay hidden.
"Enough gawking," Shinji said. "Once we're inside, we split up. We're all former captains and lieutenants—you each know places where you can lie low."
"When the execution begins, we meet at Sōkyoku Hill."
"No need to repeat it—we understand," Rose replied.
"One last thing," Shinji added seriously. "If you run into a captain-level opponent, do not use Hollowfication. We're not Tsuna. We won't survive Captain-Commander Yamamoto's wrath."
The warning came from experience.
The night before, Shinji had sensed Hollow Reiatsu inside the Seireitei—it had genuinely startled him. The only ones capable of using Hollow power inside were Ichigo and Tsuna, and both of their Reiatsu had flared up at the same time.
That was practically dancing on Yamamoto's bottom line.
If they also used Hollowfication before the real operation even began, Yamamoto wouldn't care about their intentions—he'd simply burn them to ash.
"Yeah, yeah, got it," Mashiro said impatiently. The White Road Gate had already begun to open—this was their chance.
"Got it, my ass!" Shinji flicked her forehead. "I'm talking about you—the one obsessed with wearing a mask."
Mashiro crouched down in pain.
Ever since getting hooked on "masked heroes" in the Human World, she struck transformation poses every time she fought, imagining herself as a champion of justice. Because of that, she constantly trained her Hollowfication.
As a result, she could maintain it far longer than anyone else.
While others could only use it for a few seconds as a power boost, Mashiro could fight freely in that state—eventually even abandoning her Zanpakutō in favor of Hakuda, just to deliver the "perfect rider kick."
Lisa sighed and rubbed Mashiro's forehead. How Kensei tolerated her as a lieutenant was beyond her.
"Shinji, it's about time," Lisa said.
"I know. Stay close."
Shinji gripped Sakanade's ring.
"Collapse… Sakanade."
A faint, nearly undetectable scent drifted toward the White Road Gate.
At the gate itself, a massive man stood holding it open, watching over the supply convoy.
This was Jidanbō Ikkanzaka—the guardian of the West Gate.
The White Road Gate was less a door and more like a liftable wall, requiring immense strength to raise—something only someone like Jidanbō could manage.
His gaze shifted toward Rukongai.
He noticed a group of people with their backs turned, seemingly preparing to leave for another district.
But something felt off.
They didn't look like ordinary Rukongai residents—their presence was different. Since when did Rukongai produce people like that?
Jidanbō glanced at the Shinigami stationed nearby. They had been temporarily assigned here due to the Ryoka intrusion, reinforcing security.
Strangely, none of them seemed to pay attention to that group.
Since the Shinigami said nothing, Jidanbō chose to ignore it as well. After all, strong individuals occasionally emerged from Rukongai—wasn't the current Squad 11 captain from the Zaraki District?
What he didn't know was—
The Shinigami had seen the group.
They simply didn't find it unusual.
That "out-of-place presence" Jidanbō noticed was something they were used to—it was the aura of those who had survived countless life-and-death battles.
Meanwhile, Jidanbō spent his days watching ordinary souls, so naturally it stood out to him.
"Hey, baldy… we're not exposed, right?" Hiyori whispered nervously.
"Relax," Shinji said confidently. "Even if we are, it won't stop us."
What Jidanbō saw as a strange group walking away—
Was actually the Visored, already under the influence of Sakanade.
In reality, they were calmly walking straight toward the gate.
Sakanade had inverted the perception of everyone nearby.
That was Shinji's plan—simple and effective.
As long as the nobles still depended on supplies from Rukongai, the gate would open—and he could walk right in.
The Visored strolled through the White Road Gate at a steady pace.
Too fast, and the illusion would break.
As they passed the guards, Mashiro even made a face at them—prompting Shinji to immediately yank her back. Any physical contact might expose them.
Once inside the Seireitei, things became much easier.
This was their territory.
After turning a corner, Shinji released Sakanade. The group quickly moved to a secluded area.
"Plan successful. Split up," he said.
They exchanged glances and vanished with Shunpo—everyone except Hiyori.
She truly had nowhere to go.
Just like she had said before, she would stick with Shinji.
The others had places to hide—their former divisions.
But Squad 12?
Hiyori had absolutely no intention of returning.
She knew exactly what kind of madman Mayuri Kurotsuchi was. Back then, she had fiercely opposed Urahara's decision to bring him out of the Maggot's Nest.
A hundred years later, there was no way Squad 12 still resembled what it once was.
There was nothing left there worth remembering.
Shinji glanced at her but didn't ruffle her hair this time—this was the Seireitei, and provoking her would only attract attention.
"Let's go."
He planned to hide near Squad 5.
He wasn't worried about Aizen—news of his "death" had already spread. Besides, Shinji had a hidden room there known only to himself.
After all, Urahara and Yoruichi weren't the only ones who knew how to keep secrets beneath Sōkyoku Hill.
Like him, the others headed to their former divisions:
Lisa → Squad 8
Kensei & Mashiro → Squad 9
Hachigen → Kidō Corps (to retrieve personal belongings)
All of them were seasoned veterans of the Gotei 13. Avoiding patrols was effortless.
Tsuna's battle had drawn nearly all attention away, making things even easier.
Rose and Love, however, didn't head straight to their divisions.
Before that, they wanted to visit someone—
An old acquaintance who had been dragged down because of them.
Inside a modest house in the Seireitei, an elderly woman sat upright, holding a cup of tea.
After taking a sip, she sighed at the distant fluctuations of Reiatsu.
"Troubled times… Good thing I retired."
Suddenly, her eyes sharpened.
She hurled the teacup toward a tree in the courtyard with a sharp crack.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
"Granny… it's me."
Rose stepped out from behind the tree, his refined figure unchanged.
He had come to see his former lieutenant—Chikane Iba.
Back when Rose was still a captain, the Hollowfication incident had forced him to flee, leaving Chikane Iba to bear immense pressure.
In most divisions, captain and lieutenant functioned as a unit. It was rare for only one to be replaced.
During his time in Squad 3, Rose's laid-back and somewhat timid personality meant much of the workload fell on Iba. She often forced him to handle his duties.
Back then, he had been a little afraid of her.
After leaving the Soul Society, that fear gradually turned into nostalgia.
Because of the incident, after training the next generation captain of Squad 3, Iba chose to retire.
"Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi… what are you doing here?" Iba's eyes flashed with shock, then turned sharp. "You shouldn't be here. The Seireitei is under lockdown. Leave immediately!"
Rose hadn't expected that even after all these years, she would still worry about him.
"Don't worry, Granny. I just came to see you," he said, casually sitting on the veranda.
She stared at him for a long moment, then went inside and brought out another cup of tea.
"Was this Ryoka invasion your doing?" she asked, kneeling beside him.
"No way. You know me—I'm not capable of that," Rose said, taking a sip.
After a brief silence, he lowered his voice.
"…I'm sorry, Granny."
He knew how much effort she had invested in him. Because of the incident, all of it had come to nothing.
She didn't dwell on the past.
She could see he had changed.
"What did you come back for?" she asked.
This was a test.
While retrieving the teacup earlier, she had also brought her Zanpakutō. If he showed any sign of going astray, she would stop him—even at the cost of her life.
Rose's gaze hardened.
"I came back… to settle what happened a hundred years ago."
"To take revenge."
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