Chương 364: Chapter 364: 110 Years
110 years later.
Above the Seireitei, the barrier known as the Soul Shield Membrane was struck by an energy sphere formed from a Spirit Core. It was poised to break through the Soul Membrane and descend into the Seireitei.
"Intruders are coming! Intruders are coming!!"
Alarms rang out throughout the Seireitei as Shinigami relentlessly struck gongs, warning of the threat.
In an instant, the once-quiet and tranquil Seireitei burst into activity. Numerous Shinigami wielding their Zanpakuto emerged from their squads, preparing for patrols!
In the office of the Captain-Commander of the 1st Division, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni:
*Cough, cough...*
Yamamoto put down the documents on his desk, coughed twice, and gripped his wooden cane. Despite his frail, elderly appearance, he left his desk, walked over to the edge, leaned on his cane, and squinted up at the dark energy sphere in the sky.
The Seireitei had enjoyed a rare century of peace.
This peace was a rare respite, but the future remained uncertain. When that man returns, Yamamoto wondered, would there still be days as peaceful as these?
The commotion throughout the Seireitei made Yamamoto recall a hidden chapter of history from a century ago.
Yamamoto noted that the energy sphere had broken through the Soul Membrane, yet remained a short distance from the dark sphere. Veins appeared slightly on his hands gripping the cane, but he relaxed when he saw that the distance between them remained unchanged. He calmly stared ahead.
"Captain-Commander, there are intruders. According to our observations, there appear to be four or five of them. The Soul Membrane might be breached soon," reported Chojiro Sasakibe, the Vice-Captain of the 1st Division. A man of noble appearance, with white hair, a small mustache, and white eyes, he was ever-loyal to Yamamoto.
"Notify all division captains. Have them prepare to act and eliminate the intruders with haste," Yamamoto ordered.
Chojiro straightened slightly, surprised.
For just four or five intruders of unknown strength, mobilizing all the captains seemed a bit... excessive, like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly.
Currently, the Gotei 13 was at its peak strength, unlike a century ago when many captains were lost. Now, the vacant captain positions had been filled, and the Gotei 13 had regained its former strength.
A century ago, following an attack by a mysterious Hollow, several captains—Kyōraku Shunsui, Hirako Shinji, Muguruma Kensei, Aikawa Love, Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō, and Kiganjō Kenpachi—were corrupted and turned into Hollows, attacking everything in sight.
They were captured and imprisoned, but the Central 46 ordered their execution.
Urahara Kisuke, sensing something more nefarious, deduced that the captains' transformations were not due to some unknown Hollow, but a deliberate act by someone within the Seireitei. Lacking time to find the true culprit, Urahara, with the help of Shihōin Yoruichi, 8th Division Vice-Captain Yadōmaru Lisa, 9th Division Vice-Captain Kuna Mashiro, and 12th Division Vice-Captain Sarugaki Hiyori, orchestrated a jailbreak to save the captains.
Yamamoto did not intervene and only learned about the rescue after it happened, via Chojiro Sasakibe's notification. It was subtly understood that Yamamoto allowed it, though Chojiro never learned why.
That period was the most vulnerable time for the Seireitei.
Multiple captains were lost, Urahara Kisuke and Shihōin Yoruichi absconded with two vice-captains, Kuchiki Ginrei of the 6th Division died from severe injuries, and Unohana Retsu of the 4th Division went to find a successor for the title of Kenpachi.
During that time, almost all the captain-level combat strength of the Gotei 13 was lost.
Only Yamamoto Genryusai remained to hold the fort, and over a century, new talents gradually filled the captain positions.
But now was not that time of weakened strength; now, with many captains present in the Seireitei, mobilizing them all seemed like overkill. However, Chojiro understood that the Captain-Commander's orders were absolute and could simply reflect Yamamoto's extreme caution.
"Yes, Captain-Commander."
Chojiro nodded and left to inform the captains.
Due to the incidents from a century ago, there were now many new faces among the captains:
2nd Division Captain Suì-Fēng (Soifon), small in stature but fierce in demeanor, received the order and immediately instructed her Stealth Force and patrol personnel to prepare an ambush at the predicted landing site of the intruders.
3rd Division Captain Ichimaru Gin smiled with narrowed eyes, looking up at the energy sphere about to breach the Soul Membrane, and began devising a plan, though his gaze often lingered on the dark sphere.
4th Division Captain Unohana Retsu, calmly arranging flowers, gently stroked her Zanpakutō with a warm smile after receiving the Captain-Commander's orders from Vice-Captain Kotetsu Isane.
5th Division Captain Aizen Sōsuke, wearing his usual friendly expression and glasses, began instructing his subordinates on how to deploy strategically.
6th Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya, stationed in the new noble quarter, elegantly ran his fingers along his Zanpakutō.
'If Kurosaki Ichigo oversteps his bounds, I will personally grant him an honorable death.' he thought.
7th Division Captain Komamura Sajin, a towering figure in a wooden mask, stepped out of his barracks and headed toward the energy sphere's predicted landing point to stand guard and prepare to capture the intruders.
The 8th Division, still without a new captain, had its duties overseen by Ukitake Jūshirō.
9th Division Captain Tōsen Kaname, blind yet perceptive, felt the Seireitei's atmosphere tense as if facing a great threat.
The intruder invasion and the Captain-Commander's orders had put all the captains on high alert.
10th Division Captain Hitsugaya Tōshirō, regarded as a once-in-a-century genius, was the youngest of the captains. Calm and serious, he immediately organized his division's defenses upon receiving the command.
11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, with his vice-captain perched on his left shoulder and his sword slung over his right, rushed out, eager to find and fight the intruders.
12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi showed little interest in the matter, heading back to the 12th Division's Research Institute with his vice-captain.
13th Division Captain Ukitake Jūshirō, having just risen from his sickbed, walked over to the window, gazing at the energy sphere in the sky.
With a *boom!*, the Soul Membrane shattered, and the energy sphere's stability was disrupted, causing four beams of light to scatter in different directions across the Seireitei.
All the captains' eyes followed the scattering light.
One beam brushed past the dark sphere.
Suddenly, a large hand emerged from the dark sphere, grabbing Ishida Uryū as he passed by.
In the 1st Division office, Yamamoto Genryusai's expression darkened at the sight.
°°°
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