Time—rewind, just a little.
Seireitei, First Division Headquarters.
After Kenpachi Azashiro vanished during the chaos, several captains stood in stunned silence, the echo of his departure still lingering like a bad omen. The room, once buzzing with debate, had fallen into a heavy, reflective hush.
Hitsugaya Toshiro, still young and far removed from the older histories of Soul Society, furrowed his brows in confusion. He turned slightly to face the other captains, his voice tinged with skepticism.
"Is what he said... actually true?"
Kuchiki Byakuya stood against the wall, arms crossed, face as expressionless as ever. In truth, he had not smiled once since returning from Hueco Mundo more than a year ago. In that time, his training had intensified, far surpassing his earlier efforts. The humiliating defeats—first to Aizen, then to Mazuru—had scarred his pride deeply. Each training session since had been nothing short of grueling.
He spoke without turning his head.
"I do not know him well. But a man like him would have no reason to lie."
"Why not?" Toshiro asked, puzzled.
Ukitake Jushiro let out a long sigh before Kyoraku Shunsui answered in his usual laid-back tone—though now with a rare sharpness in his gaze.
"Azashiro Soya is... how should I put it? A straightforward kind of lunatic. He may be brutal, even twisted, but deception has never been his way. When he saw that continuing to fight would mean annihilation, he surrendered without hesitation. That takes... clarity."
"Then..." Toshiro pressed cautiously, clearly intrigued now, "What exactly did he do back then?"
It was Unohana Retsu who took it upon herself to reveal the truth, her gentle tone contrasting the gravity of her words.
When Toshiro learned that Kenpachi Azashiro had once tried to convert all of Rukongai into warriors to invade Hueco Mundo, his eyes widened in shock. The man wasn't just a battle-hardened criminal—he was a fanatic with a vision of war that bordered on apocalyptic.
'He's insane.' Toshiro thought. There was no other way to frame it.
But what intrigued him even more was something else entirely—how did they defeat such a person?
He recalled how, during that brief confrontation earlier, Kenpachi Azashiro had managed to fuse with the Seireitei itself, turning the very soul of Soul Society into his armor. If he could escape from Muken using that ability... what power had actually stopped him before?
He asked the question directly.
To that, Shunsui responded solemnly.
"It's likely because Team Zero was about to intervene."
"Team Zero?" Toshiro stiffened in disbelief. "Even they got involved?"
It was hard to imagine. Even when Aizen declared open war, even when Mazuru took over Hueco Mundo, Team Zero had remained still—silent observers in the shadows.
And yet, Kenpachi Azashiro had stirred them into movement.
The implication made the room even heavier.
After some discussion about past events, the group circled back to the most pressing question: the whereabouts of the female arrancar who had been spoke of by Azashiro.
"If Azashiro Soya is seeking her, then she must be vital to his plans," Yamamoto Genryusai said grimly. "Which means finding her comes first."
He turned to the man best suited for such a task.
"Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Can you locate her?"
The captain of the Twelfth Division smiled in that maddening way of his.
"Tracking an arrancar? How elementary."
Within hours, Gotei 13 had pinpointed her last known location.
She hadn't fled to the Human World.
No. She had returned to Hueco Mundo.
"A return to Hueco Mundo at a time like this..." murmured Shunsui.
"That's not something you just do."
Ever since Mazuru seized control of Hueco Mundo, it had become a forbidden territory for Soul Society. Arrancar had attacked Seireitei en masse. Noble Street had been bombed. Azashiro had escaped. And now, this woman—the origin of it all—had fled right back to the enemy stronghold.
"It's not just coincidence." Byakuya said, jaw tightening. "This reeks of... that man's design."
No one asked who "that man" was. They all knew. Kyo Mazuru.
"This makes things complicated." Shunsui muttered. "Knowing Azashiro Soya's methods, he'll chase her wherever she runs. Even if that place is Hueco Mundo."
"In one sense." He continued, "It might be fortunate. Two of Soul Society's greatest threats might meet... and destroy each other."
"But if this is all orchestrated by Mazuru, then that outcome is unlikely."
Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.
"Shunsui. What's your recommendation?"
Shunsui's eyes opened slightly—serious now, with no trace of his usual laziness.
"Whether we're stopping Azashiro Soya or tracking the female arrancar, the answer's the same. We go to Hueco Mundo."
It was a logical step. But a dangerous one.
After further debate, the expedition party was chosen:
Kyoraku Shunsui himself
Zaraki Kenpachi, eager as always for battle
Ashido, vice-captain of Thirteenth Division and a former Hueco Mundo veteran
Zaraki had a very personal reason—he wished to measure himself against the previous Kenpachi, the deranged veteran who once led the Eleventh Division. It would be a fight worthy of legend.
No one objected to his involvement.
Ashido's motive was equally simple. He knew Azashiro from old times and had been absent during the prior conflict. He wanted closure—and revenge.
Shunsui, however, kept his reasons private.
For the past year, he had been plagued by suspicions. Why did Mazuru provoke just enough chaos to avoid full-scale retaliation? What was the purpose behind the Soul Society invasion?
He needed answers. Or, if there were none to be found, he would resolve the conflict in his own way. He had seen Nanao suffer in silence for over a year. Enough was enough.
…
Mazuru stood within the halls of Las Noches, his crimson eyes flickering as the spiritual signatures of the arriving party entered Hueco Mundo. He felt them. Not just one—but three.
"So many guests... all for Roka?" he muttered, amusement creeping into his voice.
Ichimaru Gin stood beside him, arms folded, a faint smile on his face, but said nothing.
Ashido's power was no joke. Though technically a vice-captain, his long survival in Hueco Mundo had elevated his strength to captain level. Then there was Kenpachi Zaraki. And finally... Shunsui himself.
Mazuru's eyes narrowed.
"Interesting."
He turned to Gin.
"Gin, take care of Las Noches for a while. I'll step out."
Gin nodded without question.
He understood.
An old friend had returned to Hueco Mundo.
It would be rude not to greet him.
*****
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