"But it's still just the Commander-General's speculation. We can't cancel a major noble event over a maybe," Unohana's voice floated softly from behind Higashi Shuuichi. "So only vice-captains and above were briefed. Since you're currently 3rd Seat… you weren't informed."
Her words were logical, reasonable, perfectly phrased. And to Shuuichi—who'd already raised his guard—they sounded exactly like someone shouting "nothing to see here" while standing on a pile of corpses.
"True, true," Shuuichi replied with a genial nod. "Even if you gave the Hollows a hundred guts, they'd never dare charge into Soul Society in force. Causing trouble in Rukongai's one thing, but this? No way."
Unohana smiled. The same soft, inscrutable smile she always wore.
Thankfully, Gin Ginjirou arrived at just the right moment, giving Shuuichi a graceful excuse to withdraw.
"They've released the Hollows! Let's go—our post is West Rukongai, 62nd District!"
Gin was nearly bouncing.
"…Why there?" Shuuichi asked, flashing into a Shunpo to match the pace.
"Because that zone only has standard Hollows," Gin said with smug satisfaction. "Least dangerous, least contested. Nobles don't care for it, and the other Shinigami prefer flashier targets. I snatched our assignment right away. Easy!"
He'd clearly come prepared.
Shuuichi was less enthused. It ran counter to Aizen's instructions—but after Unohana's earlier probing, he wasn't about to risk drawing more suspicion.
After all, if he failed Aizen, the worst that would happen was a cold scolding. But if Unohana caught him red-handed…
He didn't want to think about it.
They arrived at the 62nd District soon after. According to the festival plans, this zone, along with 64, 66, 71, 73, and 75, were designated hunting areas. The spacing was intentional—meant to prevent nobles from "kill-stealing" one another.
This event wasn't just a bloodsport—it was performance. A show of strength. Reputation-building. And it had to be fair.
The perimeter was guarded jointly by the Tenth and Second Divisions.
Normally, only a handful of Shinigami volunteered to join the nobles inside the zones, keeping the numbers tight. But today, something was off.
There was a captain already present.
"S-Shihouin-taichō?!"
Gin stammered the name, wide-eyed.
Great, Shuuichi thought. So much for heroics. With her here, nobody else is getting a moment in the spotlight.
That was what Gin was thinking too, down to the last syllable.
The infamous Captain of the Second Division, Shihouin Yoruichi, met their arrival with a casual wave. "Hey! You two are the Shinigami assigned to this zone, yeah?"
"Yes, Captain Shihouin," Shuuichi replied with a respectful bow. "Didn't expect this area to be under your personal supervision."
But truth be told, Shuuichi wasn't surprised at all.
Kensei had already hinted this was a trap. It only made sense to have at least one captain in each of the six zones. If anything, only having Yoruichi here seemed too thin.
But then again, considering her capabilities—peerless Shunpo, impeccable combat strength—she was more than enough.
No matter where the Hollows showed up, she could intercept them instantly.
Having two captains here would've been a waste of resources.
"It's not really supervision," Yoruichi said with a wave of her hand. "I'm just here to hang out. Don't mind me. You two do your thing—I won't interfere unless I absolutely have to."
That casual tone belied the dangerous edge behind it. Shuuichi knew her reputation well.
He responded calmly, because he knew something was going to happen. That was inevitable.
Gin, however, was visibly devastated. His dream of charming a noble heiress with dazzling battlefield bravado had just imploded.
Should've stayed in the Sixth Division. At least there, he could've earned overtime and inched closer to funding that dream glasses shop.
Not long after, the noble contingent arrived.
Twenty-nine participants—sixteen men, thirteen women.
Balanced.
Shuuichi gave them a cursory glance… until a small figure caught his eye.
"…Sui-Fēng?"
He wasn't sure. The girl couldn't have been more than ten. But there was something unmistakable in her stance—her expression.
A child, yes. But unmistakably her.
Shuuichi dug through his memory, flipping through nearly forgotten lore. Yes. Yes. That was it.
Fēng Family, minor nobility, long affiliated with the Shihouin clan. Their members had long served as personal assassins.
And now, with the family all but extinct, they'd sent little Sui-Fēng out early—to gain experience. Probably as a form of desperate investment in the family's survival.
But the problem is… this world isn't the same as the one I remember.
Here, Aizen's Hollow tech had evolved faster—much faster—thanks to Shuuichi's decade of supplying high-grade Shinigami reishi.
Which meant…
They had new tricks.
One in particular was the Death Knot—a reishi construct that could absorb all spiritual energy within a fixed radius, functioning as a potent defensive field.
It was invented by Szayelaporro. And guess who got to test it first?
Higashi Shuuichi.
His verdict? Annoyingly effective.
If you didn't break the Knot's threshold damage, the Hollow behind it was untouchable. Kidō and ranged attacks? Useless.
But it had a weakness. Melee worked just fine.
Shuuichi had no idea if Aizen would deploy it during this incident. The thing had been shelved after the test, never officially released.
But if it did show up… it'd cause chaos.
Just as Shuuichi was pondering all this, the nobles began unleashing their power—Kidō, speed, martial displays—raining down on standard Hollows.
It had begun.
Then—
裂开
Three Garganta portals ripped open right near his position in the 62nd District.
"They're here at last…"
"…They really came."
Two minds, opposite edges of the field, reached the same thought at the same time—Shuuichi and the silent figure lurking nearby: Shihouin Yoruichi.