Time flew by. Two years later.
"Ring ring ring ring—"
Piercing alarm bells suddenly rang throughout the 12th Division's Department of Research and Development!
In an instant, warning lights above nearly every monitor turned flashing red!
The Department erupted into chaos.
This level of alarm hadn't sounded in ages!
Akon, Deputy Director of the Department of Research and Development, rushed to the observation team Soul Reapers' side. His expression was unprecedentedly grave as he barked:
"What's the Shutara level?!"
"D-Deputy Director, current alert intensity is four... It's serious."
"Hm? Serious?"
Akon's gaze swept across the observer's face, somewhat strangely:
"If it's serious, why does your report sound so... unhurried?"
"Eh? ...Ah, my deepest apologies! Previous situations were all minor. Each time, slight adjustments were sufficient..."
The observer answered carefully. He naturally knew his performance was inappropriate.
However, hearing this, Akon nodded.
Similar alarms had occurred before. They'd indeed resolved them without much effort.
But before he could speak, another change occurred.
From the overhead speaker, another observer's panicked voice suddenly transmitted:
"At position 902 North 0201, one hundred twenty Hollows eliminated!!"
"At position 6603 West 8983, fifty-one Hollows eliminated!"
"Boundary light correction zero-two-four degrees!"
"Notify the correction action team!"
As the words fell, a white-uniformed team member immediately appeared at Akon's side.
"Third Seat Akon! We can't stop the Hollow elimination actions!"
"If this continues, in a few days, the boundary between Soul Society and the World of the Living will..."
Hearing this, Akon's expression darkened. He shouted:
"Isn't that obvious?!"
"If there's no other news, withdraw!"
"M-my deepest apologies!"
The team member hastily bowed and quickly retreated.
He naturally understood the situation was critical. No wonder the Deputy Director was this angry.
Akon stared at the slowly displayed data on screen, teeth clenched.
Moments later, he quickly left the observation room, heading toward an adjacent chamber.
Unsurprisingly, upon entering, he saw Mayuri Kurotsuchi's back. He too was watching the surging data on the monitor.
Akon truly couldn't believe this situation:
"Captain... what... what's happening?"
Hearing this, Mayuri didn't turn his head. Instead, he slightly widened his eyes, crossing his hands:
"Tch... Need you ask?"
"Those who can completely eliminate Hollows like this... can only be them."
"...Quincies!"
The moment those words fell, Akon's pupils contracted sharply.
Earlier, he'd made similar speculations but couldn't believe them.
After all, that should be... a race that disappeared long ago.
However, now hearing it from Mayuri's mouth, he had to believe.
The Quincies... seemed to have returned!
Yet while his expression showed shock—
He didn't notice that Mayuri, facing away from him, wore an excited smile.
His eyes locked onto the screen as he muttered to himself:
"Hehehe... Nearly two years now. Soul Society... is finally about to become interesting again..."
At this time, in the 1st Division Captain-Commander's office.
"That concludes the 11th and 9th Divisions' reports regarding the Rukongai soul disappearance incidents."
"Next, we await the 10th Division's report."
Chōjirō Sasakibe stood to the side, speaking respectfully.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto faced away from him, one hand on his cane, speaking quietly:
"Mm. Understood."
"Then I'll take my leave to receive the 10th Division's report."
Chōjirō bowed before withdrawing from the office.
This location, at the very center of the 1st Division, was generally used for the Captain-Commander's handling of Gotei affairs.
After Chōjirō departed, Yamamoto pondered.
This Rukongai soul disappearance incident had been reported by patrolling Soul Reapers.
Originally, he'd thought it similar to Aizen's soul experiments, so he immediately dispatched several divisions to investigate.
However now, from the investigation reports, it wasn't that at all.
"Not caused by Hollows or outsiders, but... some Rukongai residents within the villages... taking away fellow Rukongai inhabitants."
This was the conclusion reached by both the 9th and 11th Divisions.
They'd investigated completely different locations yet reached identical conclusions—proof enough of the truth's bizarre nature.
But just then, suddenly, footsteps sounded behind Yamamoto.
Following that, faint and eerie spiritual pressure emerged.
Yamamoto's spiritual perception was incredibly sharp. He instantly turned, speaking quietly:
"Who's there?"
Standing there were actually seven figures wearing pure white military uniforms.
Their entire bodies were shrouded in pure white, arms hidden within. Only their faces—pitch black, completely obscured.
Those areas seemed to block light itself. Pure black forming stark contrast with pure white.
Upon hearing Yamamoto's words, the leader slowly stepped forward.
A calm, thin voice transmitted from that pitch-black visage:
"First meeting, Gotei 13 Captain-Commander, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto."
"We've come..."
"To declare war on you."
Final Arc: Invisible Empire Thousand-Year Blood War—Officially Begins!
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