It was only then that Rikka noticed, and she felt a surge of fear.
"Hey!"
"There are Shinigami! Looks like we've caught a big fish!"
From the dilapidated village ahead, burly men with fierce expressions emerged one by one.
"Stop!"
"I am Rukia, Vice-Captain of the Thirteenth Squad of the Gotei 13!"
"Attack me, and you'll face the consequences!"
Rukia stood with her sword raised, issuing a stern warning.
"Who cares about you!!"
However, for the lawless Zaraki District, they had no fear of Shinigami whatsoever.
"Everyone, let's go! Catch those three little girls!"
The burly men, armed with various weapons, swarmed forward.
Megumi said with a speechless expression, "How can there be people like this in Soul Society too?"
Rikka excitedly said, "Bring it on!"
"The Evil King's True Eye User isn't afraid of you!"
Rukia raised her sword to meet the challenge.
She said, "I'll hold them off. Megumi, you and Rikka find a place to hide first!"
Megumi pulled Rikka back.
"Huh?"
"Where did those two women go?"
After chasing them, the crowd found that the two had vanished into thin air, their presence completely undetectable.
In fact, the two girls were just hiding in a nearby alley. Megumi had used an invisibility skill, masking their presence.
"Bakudo #21: Sekienton!"
Rukia also had no intention of prolonged combat. After confirming that the two were hidden, she quickly cast an illusion spell.
She summoned a large cloud of smoke and disappeared.
"Cunning Shinigami!"
"Search for them!"
The burly men were unwilling to give up and dispersed in groups of two or three to search.
— — —
After leaving the Yotsuya family, Tenya immediately went to the beach.
"This is where Rikka and the others disappeared."
Tenya activated his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
With his powerful ocular abilities, he quickly found the spatial distortions.
"Kamui!"
Tearing through space, Tenya successfully invaded the Dangai.
This is the boundary between the Human World and Soul Society.
"Were Rikka and the others transferred midway through space?"
"It seems someone is indeed behind this."
Tenya snorted coldly. He didn't like to stir up trouble, but if anyone dared to harm those close to him, they had to be dealt with severely.
Swish!
Tearing through space once more, Tenya successfully invaded Soul Society.
Seireitei.
Research and Development Institute.
"Intruder detected!"
"Coordinates: 134, 589."
"Report to Captain Kurotsuchi immediately..."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri was busy tinkering with strange things in the lab.
He casually said, "Why report to me? Clearing out intruders is something other squads should do, don't bother me."
"Alright, send the information to all Squads."
Upon receiving the information, each squad reacted differently.
"Oh my~ An invasion, how rare."
Eighth Squad Captain Kyōraku Shunsui was nonchalantly drinking sake.
Second Squad Captain Soi Fon sternly rebuked her subordinates, "An invasion, and our Second Squad didn't receive any intelligence at all!"
"What exactly does your intelligence team do?"
Eleventh Squad Captain Kenpachi Zaraki's face was filled with bloodthirsty excitement.
"Finally, something fun to do!"
"Let's go quickly, lest other squads capture the intruder."
Tenth Squad Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro, who looked like a boy on the surface, was unexpectedly mature.
"Proceed with caution."
"Anyone who can break into Soul Society is by no means ordinary."
Sixth Squad Captain Kuchiki Byakuya gazed into the distance, remaining silent.
"...."
For some reason, he had a vague premonition that he might know the invading party.
Ninth Squad Captain Tōsen Kaname spoke righteously, "Arrest the criminal."
Third Squad Captain Ichimaru Gin said nonchalantly, "Everyone is already taking action, so I'm not needed, am I?"
Fifth Squad Captain Aizen Sōsuke appeared to be a gentle man.
"Momo, just in case, always be ready for rescue."
"Yes~ Captain Aizen, you're so kind."
Seireitei West Gate, Hakutōmon.
Ikkanzaka Jidanbō was lazily sitting on the ground, guarding the gate into Seireitei.
In the three hundred years he had served as the Hakutōmon guard, the number of intruders he had encountered could be counted on one hand.
After all, no idiot would dare to invade Seireitei, which was guarded by the Gotei 13.
The last time he encountered an intruder was a hundred years ago...
Swish!
Tearing open space, Tenya swaggered to the front of the Seireitei gate.
Through Soul Perception, he could confirm that Rikka and her group should be in the Rukongai area.
However, he was not in a hurry to find Rikka and the others. Instead, he came directly to Seireitei to find the mastermind behind this.
"Huh?"
"Who are you?"
"Do you have a pass?"
Although Jidanbō saw Tenya, after a century of peace, he subconsciously didn't consider Tenya an intruder.
"Hello, I'm looking for Aizen Sōsuke." Tenya's objective was clear.
In his opinion, the one causing trouble behind the scenes was most likely this great villain of Soul Society, Aizen Sōsuke.
"How dare you call Captain Aizen by his name..."
"Which Squad's Shinigami are you?"
Jidanbō frowned deeply, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at the man before him.
"I'm not a Shinigami." Tenya shook his head.
"What? You're not a Shinigami?"
"Are you from Rukongai?"
"Entering Seireitei without a pass is a serious crime!"
Jidanbō's expression changed, and his eyes suddenly became sharp.
"Move aside." Tenya walked past him.
"Stop!"
"Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Seeing the other party ignore his warning, Jidanbō became angry, raising the large axe in his hand, and then...
Thud!
An invisible immense force pressed Jidanbō to the ground.
"Hiss~"
"This Reiatsu..."
"Impossible!!"
Jidanbō's face showed fear.
Such terrifying pressure...
He had only felt it in the presence of some Captain-rank Shinigami.
Tenya couldn't be bothered to waste words with the minor soldier in front of him and directly passed through the Seireitei gate.
"Hey! Who are you?"
"Jidanbō was actually knocked down?"
Passing Shinigami on patrol, seeing Jidanbō, the gate guard, fall, all showed expressions of disbelief.
"Hello, do you know where Aizen Sōsuke is?" Tenya asked in a friendly manner.
"Presumptuous!"