"Rukia, the next time I come back... it'll be to take you to the Senzaikyū. If you have anything you want to say to me, now's the time," Renji said as he looked at Rukia.
Rukia said nothing. She simply fell silent.
Her brother's mistrust. Her childhood friend's mistrust. That double blow left Rukia unable to find any words, so silence was all she could offer.
Seeing that she had no response, Renji let out a helpless sigh and turned to leave.
He didn't know when it had started, but somehow, he and Rukia had begun to drift apart.
Looking up at the sky, Renji muttered to himself, Yeah... when did it begin?
Elsewhere, Ichigo and the others followed Yoruichi through the Senkaimon, entering the Soul Society. On the way, they encountered Kūkaku's Kukaku's Cleanse, the Kōtotsu.
Thanks to Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka, the group managed to safely pass through the Dangai. However, due to contact with the Kōtotsu, they were thrown back to seven days before the current time!
And that wasn't all—at the very moment the Senkaimon opened above the Soul Society, the 12th Division had already detected the anomaly!
"Captain, there's an incursion by ryoka into Soul Society. Judging by the spiritual pressure, there should be five of them!" Akon reported to Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
"Oh? How interesting. Then what are you waiting for? Report this to Squad One immediately," Mayuri said with a twisted grin on his face.
"Yes, Captain!"
Meanwhile, Ichigo and the others were having a very different experience.
"So that's Seireitei?" Ichigo looked at the walled-off area at the center of Soul Society and thought to himself.
Before he realized it, he began floating toward Seireitei.
Yoruichi, shocked, immediately shouted, "Ichigo! Seireitei is surrounded by Sekkiseki Stone! Not even the combined might of all Shinigami could break in from the outside!"
But Ichigo's gaze remained firm. He was sure—he could make it through.
And under Yoruichi's stunned gaze, Ichigo slipped into Seireitei like a fish slipping into water, passing through unnoticed by any of the Shinigami!
But the others didn't share his ability and could only land in the outskirts—Rukongai, outside Seireitei.
The four—Tatsuki and the rest—looked at one another.
"Now what? Ichigo got in… what do we do?" Tatsuki asked.
Yoruichi sighed. "We don't have that kind of skill. If we want to get inside Seireitei, we'll need help from an old friend of mine."
Though clearly unwilling, the others could only accept it.
"Please be safe, Ichigo," Tatsuki whispered in prayer.
After one last unwilling glance at Seireitei, they followed Yoruichi to find her contact.
Meanwhile, at the White Road Gate, Gin Ichimaru was waiting—only to be disappointed.
"They've been out there for a while now… Don't tell me they can't even handle the gate guards?" he muttered while crouching lazily.
His overconfidence in the Sekkiseki had blinded him to the possibility that someone had already made it inside Seireitei!
After waiting a long time with no results and receiving notice of a captain-level meeting, Gin had no choice but to give up and head toward the 1st Division barracks.
Back in Seireitei, Ichigo was… lost.
He wandered the streets, completely unsure where he was going.
"Uh… I think I may have done something kind of stupid…" he muttered with a troubled look.
After all, he had absolutely no idea how Seireitei was laid out.
Yoruichi hadn't had the chance to explain anything before he'd jumped in—and no one had expected he'd actually succeed in entering.
Just then, a tough-looking Shinigami spotted the confused Ichigo and walked up to him.
"Which squad are you from, huh? We've got intruders in Soul Society, and you're just wandering around? Get back to your unit!"
Ichigo reacted quickly and said, "Sorry! I got lost. I'm with Squad Four—it's my first time out on a cleanup task, and I… can't find the way back!"
Why Squad Four? That goes back to the crash course Yoruichi had given them.
Squad One—Command, led by the strongest Shinigami, Yamamoto Genryūsai, with vice-captain Sasakibe Chōjirō.
Squad Two—Assassination and Detention, under Soifon with vice-captain Ōmaeda Marechiyo.
Squad Three—Support, under Gin Ichimaru and vice-captain Kira Izuru.
Squad Four—Medical, led by Unohana Retsu and vice-captain Kotetsu Isane.
Squad Five—Rescue and Emergency, led by Aizen Sōsuke and vice-captain Hinamori Momo.
Squad Six—Noble Affairs, led by noble house head Byakuya and vice-captain Renji.
Squad Seven—Seireitei Patrol, led by Komamura Sajin and vice-captain Iba Tetsuzaemon.
Squad Eight—Intelligence, led by Kyōraku Shunsui and vice-captain Ise Nanao.
Squad Nine—Prison Operations, led by Tōsen Kaname and vice-captain Hisagi Shūhei.
Squad Ten—Security, led by Hitsugaya Tōshirō and vice-captain Matsumoto Rangiku.
Squad Eleven—Combat Division, led by Zaraki Kenpachi and vice-captain Yachiru Kusajishi.
Squad Twelve—Research and Development, led by Kurotsuchi Mayuri and vice-captain Nemu.
Squad Thirteen—Real World Purification, led by Ukitake Jūshirō, with no current vice-captain.
Squad Four was the best choice. As a medical unit, their members were rarely seen, which made them perfect for disguise.
Hospitals also gathered information—people came and went constantly, and a stranger wouldn't be that noticeable.
The rough-looking Shinigami visibly relaxed. "Ah, Squad Four. Let me show you the way back—get going quickly!"
His tone was now much gentler. After all, no one in the Gotei 13 wanted to piss off the medics. Everyone needed them eventually.
Ichigo memorized the directions carefully and bowed. "Thanks, old man!"
"Don't mention it. Just go already!"
Ichigo nodded and ran off.
Seireitei forbade the casual use of shunpo, and Ichigo understood that much.
Elsewhere, the captain's meeting had also begun—heated discussion echoed in the 1st Division barracks.
(End of Chapter)
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