Two days earlier, Seireitei, on the streets.
Takeda Itsuki, having narrowly escaped with his life, was still shaken. He glanced back repeatedly as if a monster were hunting him. Even now, he didn't understand what his opponent had done. His Zanpakutō, which should have been his most trusted partner, had suddenly spiraled out of control. The agony of his Bankai being forcibly deactivated still throbbed through his entire body.
After a few heavy gasps, he looked at the Squad 9 members behind him, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern. His voice was hoarse with lingering fear.
"You all head back to the barracks first. I am going to report the incident at the estate to Captain-Commander Yamamoto."
The Soul Reapers lowered their heads and obeyed, departing toward the barracks as a group.
Watching them leave, Takeda Itsuki knew all too well that his standing in the hearts of his subordinates had been severely compromised. Once word of today's events spread, his prestige within the Gotei 13 would plummet. The respect and admiration he once enjoyed would vanish, replaced by endless whispers of criticism and disdain.
The only solution was to face and defeat that woman, Shutara Senjumaru, in a fair fight.
But every time the thought crossed his mind, a phantom pain flared in his soul, as if reminding him of the horrific experience he had just endured.
Takeda Itsuki waited until the silhouettes of the soldiers had completely vanished before moving. However, he did not head toward the Squad 1 barracks. Instead, he changed direction halfway.
The Noble District.
Unlike other areas of the Seireitei, when Takeda Itsuki stepped onto these roads, the crowds vanished. He walked forward alone in the silence. Despite the lack of guards or checkpoints, he felt as though thousands of eyes were watching him from the shadows.
Lining the streets were magnificent gardens and landscapes that an ordinary soul would never see in a lifetime. Even though Takeda had visited many times, he was still captivated by the sight. At the break of dawn, the gardeners serving the nobility would begin their diligent work, offering their full mastery of the craft to maintain these works of art in a state of absolute perfection, fearing even the slightest negligence.
When Takeda reached the end of the road, a towering mansion loomed like a sleeping behemoth. A heavy sense of oppression washed over him. The longer he looked, the more he felt his own insignificance.
This was the true depth of the nobility.
An attendant was already waiting at the gate. He led Takeda Itsuki into a reception room and served tea and refreshments.
"The Head of the House will arrive shortly. Please be at ease and wait patiently."
With that, the attendant bowed respectfully and retreated. Every movement was executed with mechanical precision, as if following a centuries-old manual.
Takeda Itsuki took a long breath and tried to calm his mind.
Before long, an undisguised wave of spiritual pressure rolled in. Even from a distance, the heavy, intimidating aura was palpable, covering the entire reception room.
"I presume an uncontrollable variable has surfaced, Takeda-dono."
The man who entered was elderly, yet he brimmed with vitality. His sharp eyes seemed to flicker with sparks of electricity.
"Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to find me."
Takeda Itsuki's presence was completely overshadowed. He bowed respectfully and provided a detailed account of everything that had happened at the Yokota estate.
"Another business venture has met with an accident, I see."
The old man remained calm, his eyes showing no emotion, as if he had already anticipated such an outcome.
"But no matter. What was lost was merely inconsequential junk."
"Shutara Senjumaru will be heading to the Soul King Palace in a few days to be promoted to the Zero Division. When that happens, I will use the Central 46 to secure authority over the Shino Prison."
"Those minor nobles can simply endure a few more days of punishment. Consider it a lesson in discipline for them."
"As for Hueco Mundo, the Moriyama family will handle the contact."
"Takeda-dono, I must ask you to move around more during this period. This is the Moriyamas' first time handling such matters, and they are prone to making mistakes. I will have to trouble you then."
Despite the vast difference in their status, and the fact that Takeda Itsuki acted as a subordinate, the old man's attitude never wavered. He showed no anger, even though Takeda had failed the mission.
Takeda Itsuki lowered his head, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the favor. he carefully noted every detail the old man mentioned, determined not to fail again.
"Takeda-dono, never forget what we are pursuing."
"The Soul Society is nothing more than a restrictive cage. There is a wider, boundless world waiting for us. The long-cherished wish that our ancestors failed to complete will finally be realized in our generation."
"When that time comes, you will see a brand-new world!"
Takeda Itsuki took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. After a respectful salute, he turned and left the mansion.
Over the next two days, Takeda compiled the events of the estate into a formal report and submitted it to Squad 1. He expressed sincere remorse, stating that he should not have attacked Sixth Seat Naraku before clarifying the facts. Squad 1 issued a corresponding punishment, which Takeda accepted gracefully. The matter seemed to have reached its conclusion.
However, as he left the Squad 9 barracks and headed toward Rukongai to meet with the Moriyama family, he happened to pass through a relatively secluded alley.
A powerful sense of crisis surged in his heart. Takeda Itsuki did not hesitate; he instinctively erupted with his strongest spiritual pressure.
A soaring pillar of brilliant light shot into the sky. The unrestrained torrent of Reiatsu instantly pulverized the surrounding buildings and even cleared the clouds above.
Yet, despite this, the sense of danger did not recede; it intensified.
A plain, unadorned sword pressure appeared out of thin air, cutting through the torrent of Reiatsu like a hot knife through butter.
Squelch—
Accompanied by the sound of tearing cloth, hot blood sprayed violently. A gruesome wound tore across his body, stretching from his shoulder blade all the way down to his abdomen. It was a terrifying sight.
The intense pain triggered Takeda Itsuki's survival instincts. Before the assassin could land a fatal blow, he drew his sword with a roar.
Reiatsu swirled around his blade as a sharp shockwave swept through the alley. Buildings collapsed in an instant, but the move bought Takeda a brief moment to breathe.
From the empty shadows, a figure covered in the glow of Kidō stepped out slowly. Holding his sword at the ready, the figure swung again without a word.
"Who are you?!"
Takeda Itsuki retaliated in a rage. A flaming torrent of Reiatsu crashed down like a bursting dam toward the silhouette, while the ground groaned under the unbearable weight. Countless cracks radiated from the center of the battle.
After several rapid clashes, Takeda Itsuki realized that the opponent was not as strong as he had imagined. Although their swordsmanship was exquisite and their Flash Step was superb, there was still a flaw—one that couldn't quite be called a weakness, but was a gap nonetheless.
Their Reiatsu was slightly inferior.
Under the cover of the Kidō aura, Aizen frowned. No wonder even someone as overpowered as Naraku had struggled against Takeda Itsuki. This veteran Captain seemed to be quite formidable.
'Let's try that on him.'
Aizen's gaze gradually grew deep and profound.