"Renji, you've gotten rusty. You can't even handle a brat like this."
Byakuya's voice carried a trace of dissatisfaction and reproach.
A look of shame appeared on Renji's face. He lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry for embarrassing you, Captain!"
After saying that, he took a deep breath and pulled himself together again.
However, Byakuya only raised a hand, signaling that he did not need to act any further.
"That will do. Since I have already made a move, you can simply watch from the side. I have no desire to waste any more time here."
The moment his words fell, Byakuya's figure flashed, appearing behind Ichigo like a ghost.
His speed was so fast that Ichigo had no time to react at all.
Ichigo stood rooted in place, holding his broken blade with wide eyes and a face full of shock, as if he still had no idea what had happened.
Then, suddenly, a sharp pain came from his back, and blood sprayed out.
He lowered his head and looked at his wounds, his heart filled with confusion.
'What's going on? Did I just get cut twice?'
Ichigo muttered to himself.
He tried to struggle, but strength gradually drained from his body. In the end, he collapsed powerlessly to the ground and lost consciousness.
At that moment, Ichigo's Saketsu and Hakusui had been severed by Byakuya.
That meant even if Ichigo survived, he would lose his Shinigami powers. In truth, Byakuya had already shown mercy.
If Ichigo had not resembled Shiba Kaien, Byakuya might have cut him down with a single strike.
Byakuya decided to leave Ichigo there and let fate judge him.
After all, his Shinigami powers had already been taken back. Whether Ichigo lived or died would depend on his own fortune.
If he survived, that would be his luck.
If he died, then he could only blame his own weakness.
"Renji, open the Senkaimon. We are returning."
Byakuya called Renji over, then turned and left with Rukia, leaving Ichigo alone in a pool of blood, his life hanging by a thread.
Rumble.
Thunder suddenly cracked overhead.
A sudden downpour ruthlessly beat against Ichigo's body. Half-conscious, he seemed to see a man in a bucket hat and clogs.
Perhaps it was nothing more than a hallucination before death.
...
At that same moment, inside the manor in Karakura Town, a man who had been petting a cat stopped moving.
He lifted his head and looked into the distance, a faint, almost imperceptible light flashing through his eyes.
"So it has begun?" He murmured softly.
The cat in his arms looked up at him in confusion and asked, "What has begun?"
The man smiled faintly and gently stroked the cat's head.
"Go back, Yoruichi. Go find Urahara, he knows what happened. But you must keep everything that happened here highly confidential. You don't want them to become cannon fodder later, do you?"
After saying that, he placed the cat on the ground.
Yoruichi stared at Kazuma, her eyes filled with confusion and doubt.
She did not understand why Kazuma had suddenly said this, much less what he planned to do next.
"What are you going to do?"
Yoruichi frowned, a hint of worry in her tone.
Kazuma smiled faintly, his expression full of confidence.
"What I'm going to do is none of your concern. You only need to know that it's time for you to go back."
As he spoke, Kazuma voluntarily left his gigai and returned to his long-absent Shinigami form.
Holding his Zanpakutō, he opened a Senkaimon.
Then, without hesitation, he stepped inside, his figure disappearing from the room.
Yoruichi looked at the place where Kazuma had vanished, her heart full of questions.
But she knew Kazuma must have his own plan, and all she could do was choose to trust him.
With that, she turned and left, sprinting toward the Urahara Shop.
...
Inside the Captain-Commander's resting room, a spatial ripple flashed, and Kazuma's figure appeared.
He had finally returned.
After more than ten years away, he had once again come back to Soul Society.
The Captain-Commander, who had been drinking tea, raised his eyes slightly and glanced at the newcomer.
"So you still remembered to come back?"
"Of course I had to come back. Our plan has already begun!"
Kazuma wore such a smug, annoying expression that anyone looking at him would feel an urge to punch him.
"Oh? I thought you had forgotten about this matter long ago."
The Captain-Commander's tone carried a trace of teasing.
"Haha… how could that be? Captain-Commander, you must be joking."
Kazuma laughed dryly and scratched his head.
"I have always kept our plan firmly in mind."
The Captain-Commander personally poured Kazuma a cup of tea and asked with a faint smile, "Then, would you like to taste this fragrant tea?"
However, Kazuma answered without the slightest hesitation, "No thanks. For me, fine wine suits my taste better."
As he spoke, he took out his small wine flask from his robe, took a light sip, and revealed a satisfied expression.
After that, Kazuma put down the flask, looked at the Captain-Commander, and slowly said, "Captain-Commander, next, you will receive a summons from Central 46 about Rukia privately transferred Shinigami powers to a human. Her execution can no longer be avoided."
Hearing this, the Captain-Commander slowly opened his half-closed eyes.
His gaze was deep and sharp, as though he wanted to see through Kazuma and reach the truth behind his words.
He spoke slowly. "The Kuchiki Clan are nobles, and their status is significant. This incident did not alarm the Second Division precisely because we wished to give the Kuchiki family some face. But would Central 46 truly sentence Rukia to death?"
The corner of Kazuma's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a sly smile.
"If Central 46 were still controlled by those rotten old men, Rukia would at most be imprisoned for several hundred years. But the one issuing orders now is Aizen. Those old men have probably long since died."
Hearing this, the Captain-Commander's expression instantly darkened.
He slammed the table and rose in anger.
"What?"
Kazuma quickly stepped forward and gently patted the Captain-Commander's shoulder, comforting him.
"Captain-Commander, please calm down. Although Aizen's actions were unexpected, in a certain sense, he has helped us solve a major problem. After all, those old fossils in Central 46 had rotted beyond saving. They should have disappeared long ago, shouldn't they?"
The Captain-Commander frowned slightly.
The anger on his face gradually faded, and he fell into brief silence.
A moment later, he slowly raised his head and stared sharply at Kazuma, asking in a serious tone.
"You did not discuss this matter with me beforehand."
Kazuma smiled faintly and said softly, "Captain-Commander, you have become merciful. Some things were bound to happen this way. I did not discuss it with you because I was worried you would be too softhearted."
A complex emotion flashed through the Captain-Commander's eyes, as though Kazuma's words had touched something in him.
He sighed deeply, then asked, "Then why are you telling me this now?"
The corner of Kazuma's mouth rose again, showing another sly smile.
"I'm afraid that once you arrive at Central 46 later and discover that they are all dead, you will become furious. After all, in Aizen's understanding, you are already under Kyōka Suigetsu. If I don't tell you in advance and Aizen notices something wrong, that would be troublesome."
"Captain-Commander! Central 46 has summoned you."
Chōjirō's voice sounded from outside the resting room.
"I know, Chōjirō. You may withdraw first. I will go shortly."
The Captain-Commander adjusted his state of mind, then gave Kazuma a deep look.
"Captain-Commander, hurry and go. I'll wait here for you to return."
How could Kazuma not understand what the Captain-Commander meant?
He was afraid Kazuma would take off running again!
After receiving Kazuma's reply, the Captain-Commander rose and headed toward Central 46.