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Currently at chapter 121
At the same time, the captain of the First Division was in the chamber.
In the room, eleven individuals draped in white haori stood silently.
"Is Tousen still not here?"
Komamura Sajin, wearing his customary helm to conceal his lupine visage, spoke in a low, concerned voice.
As a long-time friend of Tousen Kaname, he couldn't help but ask when he noticed his absence.
"Ah, on the way here, Captain Tousen mentioned he'd forgotten his haori, so Yiping went back to retrieve it."
Leaning casually against the wall, Ichimaru Gin answered with his ever-present smile.
"I see... I hope he hurries. The Head Captain does not appreciate tardiness," Komamura replied, his tone firm.
Hearing this, Komamura glanced toward the center of the room.
There stood an old man — short, perhaps no taller than 1.7 meters — his frame thin, but radiating an overwhelming aura. He had a prominent cross-shaped scar on the right side of his forehead, a heavy silver-white beard, and wore a purple obi belt over his uniform.
He was none other than Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 Divisions — the most powerful Shinigami of the past thousand years and the leader of the First Division.
"The Captain's Assembly will now commence."
At that moment, Yamamoto slowly opened his eyes, releasing a heavy, oppressive spiritual pressure that made the entire room grow tense. The captains instinctively straightened their postures.
"Captain, are we to wait for Tousen?" Komamura asked once more.
"If we delay an assembly of captains to wait for one individual, then what purpose do the rest of you serve?"
Yamamoto's voice was firm and laced with authority. Komamura immediately fell silent.
He was loyal to Yamamoto to the core — regardless of the man's decisions, Komamura would never question him again.
"By the way... is the Captain of the Thirteenth Division absent again?" Gin asked, eyes narrowed as usual.
"Yeah, you know Jūshirō's condition. He's been suffering from chronic illness for years. Just the slightest fatigue and he ends up coughing blood. He's on medical leave again."
Kyōraku Shunsui scratched his head, offering an explanation for his old friend and fellow student under Yamamoto.
Jūshirō Ukitake's health had always been frail, requiring long periods of rest to recover.
"Tsk tsk, that's a bit frightening. I hope Captain Ukitake recovers soon," Ichimaru Gin added with a vague wave of his hand and a slight nod toward Kyōraku.
"Silence."
Yamamoto's cane struck the ground with a resounding clack, and his eyes grew severe.
"This Captain's Assembly has been called for two reasons: one, the Soul Burial Training incident. Two, the appearance of an Arrancar of confirmed Vasto Lorde classification in Karakura Town."
"Several days ago…"
"A high number of Menos Grande, with the apparent ability to completely suppress their reiatsu signatures, appeared during the Soul Burial training exercise."
Upon hearing this, several captains turned to glance at Shiba Isshin.
Not out of suspicion — but because he had been directly involved.
"Although Captain Isshin of the Tenth Division responded promptly, and Captains Ichimaru and Aizen also arrived to support the scene," Yamamoto continued, "the casualties among the Shinigami candidates were severe."
"Both the Gotei 13 and the Department of Research and Development have since launched emergency investigations — but found no residual energy signatures, nor any trace of unusual Hollow activity."
As he spoke, Yamamoto's eyes opened slightly wider — and for a moment, a flicker like a spark of fire could be seen in their depths.
Those who knew him well understood — Yamamoto Genryūsai was now enraged.
Normally, the loss of a few Shinigami — tragic though it was — would not necessitate a full Captain's Assembly. But this was different.
The Soul Burial training exercise involved Shinigami cadets, future members of the Gotei 13 Divisions. Their destruction posed an existential threat to the Soul Society's future structure.
This was not simply a tragedy — this was an assault on the foundation of Soul Society.
The Captain-Commander turned his gaze toward the Twelfth Division.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri stepped forward with a twisted smile.
"Following multiple scans, I can confirm — there were no residual reiatsu readings left behind."
"This suggests," he continued, voice tinged with fascination, "that the enemy possesses some method of completely masking their reiatsu. Otherwise, it would be impossible for a force of Menos to slip undetected into a site that's been scanned thoroughly by our department."
He chuckled darkly.
"The enemy's methods are... quite amusing."
"Captain Kurotsuchi, those cadets were future Gotei 13 personnel. Please refrain from describing this as 'amusing'," Komamura Sajin said sternly, his frown deepening.
Ichimaru Gin picked up the thread with a tone of concern: "Still… I'm more interested in how the enemy managed to transport a group of Menos Grande into a zone that had been completely swept by our own personnel."
Isshin narrowed his eyes toward Gin and then glanced silently at Yamamoto. The Captain-Commander remained expressionless — and Isshin chose to say nothing.
This wasn't the time to discuss the possibility of a traitor within the Soul Society — not in front of the full Captain's Assembly.
Bringing up such a possibility could sow panic.
"Now then... what about the real Quincy — Kurosaki Kanbaru?"
Gin's smile returned as he deliberately changed the subject.
"Aren't we just going to let that one slide?"
He paused — then added with a glint in his eye:
"When did Shiba Isshin become so close with that boy, anyway? It's curious to see him advocating so strongly for him."
The meeting concluded not long after.
As the captains dispersed, Gin walked atop a corridor railing, arms folded behind his back, voice light and teasing.
"Say, Aizen — didn't you find it strange?"
"You mean Tousen's absence?"
Aizen's voice was calm, though his expression was unreadable.
"Yeah, it's just a captain's meeting. Lots of us have missed one before, haven't we?"
Gin remained nonchalant.
"Even so… Kaname Tousen has never missed a Captain's Assembly — not once. And just for a haori? He's taking far too long."
They stood before the Fifth Division headquarters.
With a faint, unreadable smile, Aizen stepped inside.
Along the way, he exchanged casual greetings with passing subordinates, his demeanor warm and composed.
Eventually, he reached the entrance to the underground laboratory — and gently pushed the door open.
Inside, chaos.
Destruction marred every surface.
"…Interesting."
With unfathomable eyes, Aizen muttered softly.
Ichimaru Gin's expression shifted for the first time. He opened his squinted eyes fully and rushed into the room.
Then—
He saw Tousen Kaname, lying in a pool of blood.
"Captain Aizen—! Captain Tousen… he's been killed!"
There was genuine shock in Gin's voice as his eyes swept the room.
Signs of battle were everywhere.
Even Tousen's Zanpakutō — Suzumushi — was shattered beyond recognition.
What kind of battle had occurred here?
To shatter Tōsen Kaname's Zanpakutō?
More importantly, why is there still no news being reported?
Ichimaru Gin's pupils contracted sharply, his face unreadable.
"I saw it," he muttered.
"I didn't expect someone to pull this off right under our noses…"
Aizen stepped over Tōsen Kaname's broken body and walked forward.
Then—his expression finally darkened.
The Hōgyoku… was gone!
His Reiatsu—draining steadily.
His life force—being pulled from him like threads unraveling.
There was no doubt now.
Yhwach had initiated the Fifth Auswählen.
And the target… was Kanbaru.
> "Because this infiltration into the Wandenreich stimulated Yhwach… this is his Fifth Auswählen?"
"The power is far greater than the last few... This time, he's serious."
Sensing the changes in his own body, Kanbaru's eyes flickered with rare killing intent.
With Yhwach, it would either be submission or slaughter. There was no third option.
---
> [An old man has noticed you again. Unfortunately, he won't help—just slapped a Holy debuff on you.]
[See? Still the most loyal system.]
[Yhwach may still be dormant… but your condition isn't ideal. I suggest fusing with the Hōgyoku immediately. Only a perfected Hōgyoku can counter Yhwach's Sanctified Absorption.]
[Unless, of course, you want to test how deep Yhwach's pool is. Your funeral.]
Shut the hell up.
Can you stop sounding like a dirty old monk every time? You'll make me misunderstand…
Fusion with the Hōgyoku to resist sanctification?
Exactly what Kanbaru had been preparing for.
But this time, he wouldn't just resist.
He would fight back.
Although his Reiatsu was rapidly draining, Kanbaru's regeneration was so immense that—for now—it remained within a manageable range.
He locked onto the faint signal of Kurotsuchi Mayuri's Reiatsu.
With a flicker, he vanished.
---
Whoosh!
A soft sound cracked the air.
"Huh? Who's there?"
"You're hearing things. Nothing made a noise."
"Maybe I drank too much last night."
Some patrolling Shinigami grumbled and slowly wandered off.
But Kanbaru had already long passed.
Flying feet, relentless steps—nonstop movement.
Even pure-blood Quincy masters wouldn't dare use Hirenkyaku in rapid succession. The technique burned Reiatsu like dry grass and wreaked havoc on the body.
They would normally reserve it for short bursts in battle or when charging into combat zones.
But Kanbaru was not a normal Quincy.
Having entered a fusion state enhanced by Bankai-level power and the Hōgyoku, he had long broken through the captain-tier ceiling and stood in another dimension entirely.
Under the reinforcement of inhuman physical capacity and boundless spiritual pressure, Kanbaru moved without consequence.
His movement far surpassed anything even pure-blood Quincy could achieve.
He passed by squads of patrolling Shinigami—none of whom even registered his presence. His speed was now beyond the range of dynamic vision that most Shinigami could capture.
Behind him, Neliel Tu Odelschwanck (Nelliel) kept up at impressive speed.
Soon, Kanbaru entered Squad 12 Headquarters, stepping into the Research and Development Bureau.
---
As he crossed the threshold—
A pale, eerie figure emerged from the shadows, seeping out from a wall like a ghost. He wore a white captain's haori, and a disconcerting grin.
"Ho ho ho ho…"
"What a surprise."
"I didn't expect you to come all the way into Soul Society to find me."
Kurotsuchi Mayuri's voice was slippery, unnerving. "How did you manage to infiltrate this deep—into Gotei 13 itself?"
He wasn't just curious. He was impressed.
After all…
This was Seireitei, the Shinigami stronghold.
With spiritual barriers and 24-hour patrols covering every blind spot.
Yet Kanbaru, a known enemy, slipped in without a single alarm.
Even Mayuri had to raise an eyebrow.
His gaze flicked over to Nelliel behind Kanbaru. Suspicion crept in.
This woman… doesn't seem human.
Kanbaru subtly stepped in front of Nelliel, shielding her.
"Is this place safe?" he asked quietly.
"Safe?" Mayuri blinked, then scoffed with theatrical offense.
"Are you questioning my security? I'm Kurotsuchi Mayuri."
---
He beckoned Kanbaru to follow, then gestured dramatically at a hall filled with cadavers.
"Look at this collection. These Menos Grande corpses are all black-market captures. Tragically—they're dead."
He sighed with disappointment.
Dead samples had degraded cells. Still useful, but limited.
Live ones… offered much more potential.
Mayuri glanced at Nelliel again.
This one… she's definitely not ordinary.
"You think Soul Society would let me run these kinds of experiments if my lab wasn't secured tight?"
Mayuri sneered proudly. "This is one of my secret labs."
"Only two people have unrestricted access here."
"One—myself."
"Two—my lieutenant, Nemu."
"Third seat Akon only accesses the outer zone. He's not allowed in here."
"Now follow me."
He led the pair deeper into the lab. Nelliel clung to Kanbaru's arm as the final sealed door opened with a hiss.
Inside—hundreds of square meters of sterile, glowing machinery.
In the center: a massive biotube.
Floating inside was a pulsating hunk of flesh, suspended in translucent nutrient fluid.
---
"That thing is…" Kanbaru narrowed his eyes.
Mayuri smiled grimly.
"Even if you hadn't found me, I would've come to find you."
"This is a clone—generated from the blood sample you gave me. From a Quincy Master."
A clone?
This was some next-level tech.
Kanbaru kept his face neutral, but inwardly, he wasn't surprised.
If Mayuri could make artificial Shinigami like Nemu, this was child's play to him.
"You're right," Mayuri nodded, still watching Kanbaru carefully.
"The Quincy Master gene is… problematic."
"Mixed-blood Quincy lack several key sequences—they can't inherit their Letzt Stil or Sankt Altar powers."
"But pure-blood Quincy?"
"They have dormant recessive genes—hidden potential."
Mayuri's face pressed against the glass, eyes gleaming.
Kurosaki Kanbaru... your genes—are special.
That's how a hybrid like you, missing core genetic sequences, can still wield powers greater than a pure-blood.
An evolution?
A mutation?
Something new entirely?
Kanbaru's bloodline surpassed conventional Quincy boundaries.
---
"I didn't come for a lecture."
"Just tell me—what's the status of that serum I requested? The one to help me awaken as a pure-blood Quincy?"
Mayuri blinked, then grinned darkly.
"Oh, that thing? Done."
He tossed a metal syringe to Kanbaru.
"Word of caution," he said with sadistic cheer. "It's still experimental. Administer it, and you may experience... well… catastrophic consequences."
"Possibly even death."
He stared at Kanbaru with gleeful curiosity, waiting to see if he'd flinch.
"Experimental?" Kanbaru echoed.
He activated his system view.
> [Experimental Serum: When injected by a hybrid Quincy, may trigger latent pure-blood activation. High chance of failure resulting in genetic collapse.]
[Luckily, you have Hōgyoku. That toy won't let you die from something this dumb.]
Mayuri wasn't lying.
This was the real deal.
The serum could awaken his pure-blood Quincy potential.
---
"Holy sanctification, is it?" Kanbaru muttered.
"Draining my Reiatsu and life force?"
His gaze grew calm.
Without hesitation, he stabbed the syringe into his neck.
At the same time, he raised his hand and summoned the Hōgyoku, pressing it directly into his chest.
A barrier shimmered to life, shielding the fusion from Mayuri's view.
> "Let's see who takes from whom, Yhwach."
> "This time—I take your power."
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