Seireitei, Thirteenth Division Barracks.
On this day, under the summons of Captain Jushiro Ukitake, all the Shinigami of the Thirteenth Division had gathered for their routine meeting. The topic, as usual, revolved around the status of their assigned missions.
However, one person among them was clearly distracted: Rukia Kuchiki.
Not long ago, she had suddenly received a message from Lin Xuan, informing her that he had arrived in the Soul Society. This news had filled her with excitement.
But the meeting showed no signs of ending soon.
Rukia Kuchiki wanted to slip away unnoticed, but Captain Ukitake caught her immediately. Trying to escape under his watchful gaze would only cause more trouble.
Left with no choice, she remained seated. After all, she couldn't very well tell her captain she needed to go meet someone in the Rukongai. That would only raise more questions.
So Rukia sat there, her mind a thousand miles away, growing more restless by the minute.
*I hope nothing happens!*
She silently prayed, wishing the meeting would end quickly so she could go find Lin Xuan and the others.
Of course, she wasn't worried about Lin Xuan getting into trouble in the Rukongai. She was worried that some reckless fool in the Rukongai would provoke that man.
*I hope I'm not too late. And if something does happen, I hope it doesn't blow up too big!*
As she sat there, lost in worry, she failed to notice that Ukitake, who appeared to be listening to his subordinates' reports, had been watching her the entire time.
Ever since he caught her trying to slip away, he had kept a close eye on her.
Seeing the troubled expression on Rukia's face, Ukitake frowned slightly. *Is Rukia in some kind of trouble? But why won't she tell me?*
Attendance at this meeting was mandatory for all members.
Although it was a routine report, if someone had an urgent matter, they could inform him, and he would make allowances based on the situation.
That was precisely what puzzled Ukitake. If Rukia truly had an emergency, she only needed to say the word.
Yet she remained silent.
Ukitake decided he would have a proper talk with Rukia after the meeting.
But just then, his expression froze.
A glowing screen suddenly appeared in his field of vision, startling him.
The other Shinigami present were also stunned. Then, their expressions shifted to one of alertness and surprise.
" Take cover! "
At Ukitake's command, in an instant, every Shinigami drew their Zanpakutō and assumed a defensive stance.
But after a long moment of vigilance, no danger appeared.
The Shinigami breathed a collective sigh of relief, their attention now shifting to the mysterious screen that had materialized out of nowhere.
Soon, everyone was staring in astonishment.
" Is that... Gin Ichimaru?
" Ukitake exclaimed in surprise.
He immediately recognized the figure in the screen locked in combat with a man in a black robe. It was none other than the captain of the Third Division, Gin Ichimaru.
What shocked him even more was that someone of Ichimaru's caliber was only fighting on equal footing with his opponent.
Who was this man?
And what was happening? Why had this screen suddenly appeared? Was someone invading the Seireitei?
While the others were stunned, Rukia Kuchiki's jaw dropped.
She immediately recognized the man fighting Gin Ichimaru. It was one of the men from Lin Xuan's group. She remembered his name was Itachi Uchiha.
Just moments ago, she had been worried about Lin Xuan causing trouble in the Soul Society.
And now, in the blink of an eye, he had already started a fight with the Third Division Captain, Gin Ichimaru?
What kind of move was this?
Rukia's expression shifted erratically. She felt like she could barely breathe.
Wasn't Lin Xuan here to help her deal with Aizen?
She had been racking her brain, trying to figure out how to get Lin Xuan and his group into the Seireitei. How had things escalated to this point?
At that moment, it wasn't just the Thirteenth Division. All the other Shinigami in the Seireitei were in an uproar.
The sudden appearance of the live-streaming screen had startled many.
Byakuya Kuchiki, Shunsui Kyōraku, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and the other captains of the Gotei 13 all wore expressions of surprise.
However, they remained calmer than the others. Although they didn't understand what was happening, they knew it was likely caused by some special ability.
And for now, it didn't seem to pose any immediate danger.
What truly captured their attention was the battle playing out on the screen.
" What's going on? Who is that fighting Gin Ichimaru?
"
" Judging by the background, it looks like they're fighting near the Seiryūmon Gate. Let's go check it out!
"
" Who is that man in the black robe? He's actually holding his own against Ichimaru!
"
Soon, many Shinigami in the Seireitei began rushing toward the Seiryūmon Gate.
At the Shin'ō Academy.
In one of the classrooms, a man wearing a haori was teaching a calligraphy class. It was Sōsuke Aizen.
The sudden appearance of the screen made him pause mid-sentence. A flicker of surprise crossed his face.
The students in the classroom also began to stir restlessly.
But Aizen quickly regained his composure.
Gazing at the screen, his eyes narrowed slightly. *It seems things are going to be far more interesting than I imagined.*
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T/N:
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