Evening had settled, and the first shades of night crept across the sky.
A furtive figure slipped quietly into the Sixth District, stopping at the massive gates of the Shihōin estate.
"Kisaragi-sama?"
The guarding Shinigami glanced at the darkening sky, then at the anxious expression of the young boy standing before him, his face twisting into an expression of strange surprise.
"Please wait here for a moment."
Without wasting time on further questions, the guard activated Shunpo, disappearing in an instant to report the visitor.
Soon he returned, his expression even stranger than before.
"Please, follow me. The head of the family is in the study."
The guard led the way with utmost respect, moving quietly as if to avoid disturbing anyone. Winding through a pair of secluded alleys, Kisaragi Akira soon arrived at the study.
"Come, come!"
Yoruichi, dressed in a loose night robe, her purple hair cascading over her shoulders, gestured to the chair beside her with impatient claps.
"I was just about to come find you, but you came on your own," she said.
"The matter regarding the fixed assets you had Ōmaeda handle for resale is already underway. In less than two weeks, it should all be converted."
"Do you plan to turn it directly into cash, or...?"
Akira froze for a moment. He hadn't expected Ōmaeda Nozomi's efficiency to be so fast—barely two days, and it was already scheduled. Seeing this, it was clear that he should start preparing for the shrine expansion plan. He silently hoped the Ise family would be cooperative.
"I came for another reason," Akira said, regaining focus.
Yoruichi blinked at him, fixing him with a piercing gaze.
"Have you thought it through?"
Akira blinked, momentarily confused.
"Thought what through?"
"Marriage into the family, what else?"
Yoruichi pointed at the Shihōin family crest on the desk, smiling. "Thanks to you, I am now the twenty-second head of the Shihōin family. Once the next Kinjū Noble Council convenes, this will be communicated to the other nobles and the Gotei 13. Even as a family consort, you won't be disgraced."
Akira fell silent. Great—another one with designs on him.
"Let's put that aside for now," he quickly changed the topic. "I need your help investigating something."
Speaking quickly, Akira recounted the entire situation, leaving no detail out. He knew Yoruichi's specialty in intelligence gathering would make her indispensable.
The stealth units of the Shinigami's covert task force operated in the shadows of the Soul Society, handling execution, assassination, infiltration, and information gathering. Yoruichi, though not yet officially in office, was undoubtedly one of the best among them—a rare asset. Not using her would be a waste.
"Rebels, assassinations, unknown parties..." Yoruichi murmured, analyzing the situation with a serious expression.
"I think I've seen the files before. Wait a moment."
She turned her back and began rifling through the shelves, bending gracefully as she sifted through the documents. The curve of her waist was clearly visible to Akira, a testament to the complete trust she had in him—or perhaps, he suspected, she was doing it deliberately.
"Found them!"
Yoruichi returned with a stack of files, placing them neatly on the desk and flipping through them.
"Something feels off," she murmured. "From Ōmaeda's analysis, the general course of events is clear—but the most critical part is missing. The Gotei 13 sent Shinigami to investigate why Hollows appeared in the Soul Society. Those who tried to assassinate them clearly aimed to silence them. But the third party—what was their goal? What role did they play?"
She examined the traces at the scene. "From the marks, it seems this third party was aligned with the Gotei 13, but what they actually did is completely unknown. It's as if some force erased all other traces aside from spiritual pressure."
Yoruichi had proven herself reliable in a pinch. Within a few sentences, she outlined the core situation.
Akira furrowed his brow, searching his memory for any relevant clues. He wasn't one to remember fine details—just keeping the general plot from his previous life's anime was already impressive. Plus, the timeline he was now in was likely hundreds of years before the story officially began. And with so many variables—like Sōsuke learning to cook, and apparently quite well—tracking the sequence was nearly impossible.
"Hey, don't overthink it!" Yoruichi said, closing the files and patting his shoulder with a smile. "Let's start by checking North Rukongai, District 54, like Captain Urahara suggested. We might find new leads."
Akira nodded. "That's the only option."
North Rukongai, District 54.
The environment here was somewhere between Zen'tei Temple and Gyakukotsu—barely livable. The streets were empty and bleak, with wildlife occasionally darting between buildings instead of humans.
"According to Captain Urahara, the missing souls are from District 54. They were led by the head of a gang in the West Third Ward," Yoruichi reported. "He's been terrorizing the locals, taking whatever he wants, even controlling the food supply for the West Third. There are seventy-nine members, including him."
She frowned at the desolation before them. Normally, even with limited Shinigami patrols, the district wouldn't be this abandoned.
"Let's investigate the surrounding area," she said. Their eyes met in silent agreement.
They split up, extending their spiritual pressure to survey the area. Because of potential rebel involvement, they brought no additional Shinigami. Any battle could easily endanger others, as neither Akira nor Yoruichi were inclined to protect others in combat.
It wasn't long before Yoruichi found a clue.
"Akira, here."
He Shunpoed to her side, following her gaze to a muddy patch covered in footprints. The prints were mixed in size and direction, seemingly chaotic, yet they didn't indicate a battle.
"They were drawn together by something and then moved collectively," Yoruichi analyzed. "It seems they anticipated the Shinigami investigation and deliberately disrupted the final traces."
"What now?" Akira asked, helpless. He wasn't good at tracking—better at cutting down foes than following them.
Fortunately, intelligence gathering was Yoruichi's specialty. Working together, they could manage a balance.
She bent low, tracing the mud with her fingers, drawing intricate hand signs, spiritual energy radiating from her fingertips. Within moments, she uncovered a new lead.
"Hmph, not bad at all. Erasing every trace isn't so simple," she said proudly.
Akira watched her closely. She chanted:
"Heart of the south, pupil of the north,
Fingers of the west, toes of the east,
Gather with the wind, scatter with the rain!
Bind Path 58: Toe-Grasping Sparrow!"
The symbols on the ground blazed with brilliant light, cryptic numbers flickering as if transmitting information. When they ceased, Yoruichi's face lit up.
"Coordinates confirmed. Northwest corner, North Rukongai District 57, spot 348."
"Let's move," Akira responded. In an instant, the two Shunpoed toward the target.
North Rukongai, District 57.
Nested within the mountains was a massive building, its structure woven into the terrain. Countless Kido patterns shimmered faintly, veiling its existence. Inside, dozens of black-clad figures gathered. They wore uniformized armor but no squad insignias—the unmistakable marks of rebel forces.
"How many times have I told you not to harm civilians?! Not. One. More. Time!"
Jin Godoy, a brutish man with a scowling face, roared at his subordinates.
"Our mission could be compromised by worthless trash! Fail, and we all commit seppuku!"
"Idiots! Useless! Morons!"
His voice echoed through the cavernous building. The underlings dared not reply, fearful of drawing his wrath.
Once the shouting subsided, one timid subordinate spoke:
"Lord Godoy, we haven't sent anyone out. The missing souls from District 54 aren't connected to us."
Godoy froze, utterly shocked.
"Yes, Lord Godoy. During your absence, we obeyed orders and didn't leave the base once," others chimed in, turning the room into a cacophony of explanations.
"All right!" Godoy finally said, his eyes flashing. "Since the disappearances aren't linked to you, there's no need to worry..."
Before he could finish, voices from outside pierced through the Kido veil. The Kido amplified the sound, letting those inside prepare for intrusion.
A girl's voice spoke first: "This should be the place."
"Are you certain?" another voice replied—one that sounded familiar, though Godoy couldn't place it.
"Yes. My Toe-Grasping Sparrow has never failed. And the mountain traces indicate a slight anomaly in the northwest corner, likely due to the Kido disguise."
Even the dullest rebels realized they were discovered.
Godoy sneered: "No need to panic. It's just a scouting team. By the time they report, we'll have vanished."
Before he finished, an explosive impact shattered the Kido. The building's roof crumbled under the force. Sunlight streamed in, dispersing the darkness.
"Found you, sewer rats!"
The rebels turned to see a boy standing on the wreckage, laughing brightly.
"One, two, three… sixteen."
"Yoruichi, cover me—don't let them escape."
Before she could speak further, Akira Shunpoed into the base like a falling star.
Godoy reacted first, his face twisted in rage. He drew his Zanpakutō, transforming it into a spiked kanabo.
"Good! Bring it on!"
The onslaught ignited Akira's combat spirit. He clenched his fist, high-pitched screeching filling the air.
Muscles tensed, energy surged.
Genryu: Fistflow!
Having been refined by Yamamoto, Akira's perfected technique now unleashed unprecedented destructive power.
Boom!
Godoy felt incomprehensible force surge through his limbs as he was flung through the air, carving a perfect arc and embedding into a wall.
One strike—instant kill.
Akira tore through the rebels like a tiger among sheep, perfectly demonstrating the brutal precision of Genryu.
In moments, the elite rebel forces were piled into a heap.
The rebel stronghold—obliterated.
This adaptation keeps all characters, plot points, and action intact while flowing naturally for English readers, with Japanese-style names and terminology consistent with the supernatural school setting.