"Captain!"
The wounded Shinigami nearly broke down when the white-haori figure appeared.
Standing before Sombravida—
Tall, lean, blond hair with forward-falling bangs.
Slanted eyes.
Lazy expression.
But the reiatsu was steady. Controlled.
Sharp.
Sombravida narrowed his eyes.
That face—
Familiar.
Then it clicked.
Fifth Division Captain — Hirako Shinji.
This meant only one thing.
The timeline was roughly one hundred years before Ichigo's era.
Before Aizen's betrayal.
Before the Visored exile.
Which meant—
Aizen was still his vice-captain.
Sombravida's internal calculation tightened.
Ten years at most before Aizen begins accelerating events in Hueco Mundo.
Time was thinner than he thought.
Introduction
"You're the captain?" Sombravida asked calmly, stepping slightly in front of Nel.
"Hirako Shinji. Fifth Division Captain."
His tone was casual.
His reiatsu was not.
Sombravida felt it clearly—
Limiter released.
In the Human World, captain-class Shinigami operate under spiritual pressure restrictions unless authorized.
Hirako had already removed his limiter.
Meaning Soul Society took this situation seriously.
Sombravida understood immediately.
They sensed two Adjuchas-class signatures.
Near peak.
The Accusation
"I'll repeat," Sombravida said evenly.
"I have not attacked humans. I removed Hollows that gathered here. I only took reishi necessary for my companion's stabilization."
Hirako's expression flattened.
"You severed my subordinates' arms."
"They will survive. I avoided spiritual core damage. Your Twelfth Division can regenerate limbs."
"Arrogant," Hirako said coldly.
"You think being intelligent makes you different?"
Sombravida did not answer.
Because another reiatsu shifted.
Behind him.
The Second Captain
Clang—
Sombravida's blade intercepted a hidden strike mid-air.
A second captain revealed himself.
Tousled blond hair.
Green eyes.
Cane-like Zanpakutō.
Relaxed smile.
"Ahh, almost had you," he said lazily.
"Captain Hirako, you didn't distract him enough."
Sombravida exhaled slowly.
Twelfth Division Captain — Urahara Kisuke.
Now that was dangerous.
Benihime
Sombravida immediately fired a golden Cero toward Urahara.
"Scream, Benihime."
A hexagonal crimson shield unfolded.
Chikasumi no Tate.
The Cero detonated.
The shield cracked—
But held.
Both captains felt it.
That Cero carried density beyond standard Adjuchas output.
Peak Adjuchas indeed.
Limiter Bluff
"Shall we apply for full release?" Urahara mused casually.
"After limiter removal, our reiatsu increases several times."
Sombravida laughed.
"You already released it when you arrived."
He could read reiatsu structure clearly.
There was no suppression pattern present.
Urahara's eyes sharpened slightly.
The Hollow could analyze spiritual pressure accurately.
That made negotiations… complicated.
Vice-Captain Question
Sombravida shifted topics abruptly.
"Where is your vice-captain, Captain Hirako?"
Hirako's gaze sharpened instantly.
"Why?"
"I scanned the area. No lieutenant-level signature nearby."
At this point in time—
Aizen Sōsuke was Fifth Division Lieutenant.
If Aizen were present—
Kyōka Suigetsu's complete hypnosis would already have been activated.
Sombravida had sensed nothing of that nature.
Meaning Aizen was elsewhere.
Hirako hesitated briefly.
"…Evacuating civilians."
As expected.
Aizen was in the city.
Which meant—
Sombravida needed distance.
Immediately.
Temporary Withdrawal
Sombravida stepped back to Nel.
"How stable?"
"Borderline. I can fight briefly or escape. Not both for long."
Understood.
Sombravida sheathed his blade.
"Then we speak from a safer distance."
He shifted via Sonído.
Not teleportation.
True Hollow high-speed movement.
Hirako immediately followed with Shunpo.
Urahara stayed behind momentarily to stabilize the wounded officers.
Classic Urahara decision.
Confrontation in the Air
Several kilometers away—
The four figures hovered above an empty industrial zone.
Hirako pointed Sakanade forward.
"Enough games. State your purpose."
Sombravida answered plainly.
"I came for knowledge."
Silence.
"Communications theory. Signal infrastructure. Human technology."
Hirako blinked once.
"…You're joking."
"I am not."
Urahara arrived moments later.
Fan snapping open casually.
"And why would a Hollow require telecommunications?" he asked pleasantly.
Sombravida answered without hesitation.
"Hueco Mundo lacks structured information transmission. I intend to build one."
Urahara's smile faded slightly.
Now that—
Was unexpected.
The Aizen Warning
Sombravida locked eyes with Hirako.
"You distrust your lieutenant."
Hirako's expression froze.
"You keep him close because you suspect him."
Urahara's gaze flickered.
Sombravida continued calmly.
"He will betray you."
Silence fell.
The wind shifted.
Hirako's reiatsu fluctuated slightly.
"Careful," he said quietly.
Sombravida did not back down.
"If I wanted to escape, I would open a Garganta and leave. You cannot stop me in time."
That was not arrogance.
It was calculation.
Two captains could wound him.
Perhaps severely.
But stopping a prepared Garganta entry?
Unlikely.
Proposal
"So," Sombravida continued evenly,
"I propose a transaction."
"Information," he said,
"in exchange for sufficient reishi for my companion's stabilization."
Hirako almost laughed.
Urahara did not.
Because the Hollow's earlier analysis had been precise.
And because—
There was something in Sombravida's tone that did not feel like a lie.
Escalation
Hirako suddenly moved.
Shunpo.
Blade descending.
Sombravida parried one-handed.
Metal rang across the night sky.
"You really are impatient," Sombravida said softly.
Hirako's eyes narrowed.
"What did you mean earlier? About my lieutenant?"
Sombravida held his gaze.
"You already know."
Silence.
Sakanade remained unreleased.
If Hirako released it—
The fight would escalate immediately.
Sombravida watched carefully.
He did not want to fight under inverted perception.
Not here.
Not now.
Tactical Stalemate
Two captains.
One peak Adjuchas.
One newly stabilized peak Adjuchas.
Human World environment.
No desire for total war.
Hirako finally lowered his blade slightly.
"Talk."
Urahara observed quietly.
Sombravida exhaled once.
Good.
Negotiation window opened.
For now—
Suppression held.
But tension had only deepened.
And somewhere in the city—
Aizen Sōsuke was listening.
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