Time passed slowly.
Yet beneath the apparent calm of the Soul Society, a silent undercurrent of danger continued to spread.
Aizen Sōsuke's secret experiments—his covert manipulation of souls and the disappearance of Shinigami had finally begun to leave unmistakable traces.
Throughout the long history of the Soul Society, Shinigami casualties were not uncommon. Hollows attacked. Accidents occurred. Even entire patrol units had vanished during dangerous missions in the past.
However, what unsettled Central 46 and the Gotei 13 was not a single incident
But the frequency.
In recent years, the number of disappearances had risen sharply.
More troubling still was the pattern.
Many Shinigami who were reported as "killed in action" left behind no remains at all. In some cases, not even residual spiritual pressure lingered at the scene. Worse yet, ordinary souls living nearby vanished simultaneously, as though erased from existence.
When these incidents were combined with the recent discovery of the Wandenreich's shadow world beneath Seireitei and the confirmation that Quincy survivors still lurked somewhere in the darkness
It became impossible to dismiss the situation as coincidence.
Someone was acting from the shadows.
And it was deliberate.
Central 46 ordered an immediate investigation.
The Ninth Division was assigned to take the lead.
Rukongai — Outer District
The vast wilderness of Rukongai stretched endlessly under the dim light of dusk.
The sun had already set, leaving only a faint red glow along the horizon. Tall trees swayed gently in the evening wind, casting long shadows across the dirt paths.
This was the site of the most recent disappearance.
"Captain, this is the location of the 'June 63 Incident'," reported the Third Seat of the Ninth Division, Hisagi Shūhei, speaking cautiously. "Several souls vanished here but the patrol unit sent to investigate hasn't returned either."
Standing beside him was the captain of the Ninth Division.
Muguruma Kensei.
With sharp features, a stern gaze, and an imposing presence, he surveyed the area silently. His expression was grim.
"…This area is too quiet."
He turned slightly.
"Hisagi," Kensei said firmly, "take a squad and search the perimeter. Focus on locating the missing patrol members and identifying the cause of the soul disappearances."
"Yes, Captain!" Hisagi responded immediately, saluting before leading his team away.
Night was falling quickly.
In the early stages, soul disappearances had been sporadic. Recently, however, nearly all incidents had occurred after sunset.
That was why Kensei personally led this investigation.
He suspected that whatever was responsible preferred the cover of darkness.
And he intended to confront it directly.
As Hisagi's unit spread out, Kensei advanced deeper into the wooded area alone.
Suddenly
A terrified scream echoed through the forest.
Kensei's eyes narrowed.
Without hesitation, he used Shunpo, his form vanishing in a flash of motion.
He arrived at the scene instantly.
A young boy was sitting on the ground, frozen in fear.
Hovering before him was a Hollow mask, grotesque and twisted, its jaw opening wide as it prepared to strike.
Kensei moved before the child could even scream again.
His Zanpakutō flashed from its scabbard.
With a single, clean strike, the Hollow was cleaved straight through its mask and Hollow hole. Its form disintegrated into scattered reishi particles, dissolving into the night.
Silence returned.
Kensei sheathed his blade and turned to the trembling boy, extending a hand.
"Are you injured?" he asked calmly.
The child shook his head and accepted the help, rising unsteadily.
"W-What's your name?" Kensei asked.
"Hisagi… Hisagi Shūhei," the boy replied nervously. "Thank you, Shinigami-sama."
Kensei paused slightly.
The name lingered.
Before he could ask more, a voice rang out from nearby.
"Captain! Over here!"
It was Kuna Mashiro, the Ninth Division's vice-captain.
Kensei made a quick decision.
"Go home," he told the boy. "Stay inside after dark."
The child nodded repeatedly and fled.
Kensei rushed toward Mashiro.
She stood before a disturbing sight.
Scattered across the ground were torn Shinigami robes, bloodstained and damaged beyond repair.
Mashiro's expression was unusually serious.
"Ten uniforms," she said. "The exact number of Shinigami who were sent to investigate earlier."
Kensei clenched his fists.
"So they were all killed…"
Whoever the culprit was, they had dared to strike Shinigami within Soul Society territory itself.
An unforgivable provocation.
They searched the surrounding area thoroughly.
Yet aside from the destroyed uniforms, there were no bodies, no clear battle marks, and no lingering Hollow residue.
Nothing.
It was as if the victims had simply ceased to exist.
"…Did we really come all this way for nothing?" Mashiro muttered.
Kensei was about to respond
When his expression changed abruptly.
A distortion in Reiatsu rippled faintly through the air.
Shinigami perception did not rely solely on sight or sound.
To experienced captains, spiritual pressure itself was a sense.
And what Kensei felt now was wrong.
"Something's nearby," he said sharply. "That Reiatsu… it's unstable."
He immediately relayed the warning and moved with Mashiro toward the source.
They found him kneeling in a clearing.
A man in plain Rukongai clothing.
At first glance, he appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary soul.
But the moment Kensei focused on him, he realized
The man's spiritual balance was collapsing.
"Everyone, stay back!" Kensei ordered instantly.
The Ninth Division surrounded the clearing, weapons drawn.
The man convulsed violently.
His body began to swell unnaturally, his mouth opening in a silent scream of agony.
Then
White substance erupted from his skin.
In seconds, it engulfed his entire body.
A mask formed.
A Hollow was born.
The Reiatsu changed completely.
From human to monstrous.
From balanced to predatory.
"So that's it…" one Shinigami whispered in horror.
"The souls didn't disappear."
"They were transformed into Hollows."
The recent surge in Hollow attacks suddenly made sense.
"Captain, allow me to purify it!" a Ninth Division member volunteered.
Kensei nodded grimly.
But just as the Shinigami stepped forward
Another wave of distorted Reiatsu surged outward.
Then another.
And another.
Kensei's eyes widened.
"…This isn't just one."
All around them
More souls were undergoing the same transformation.
The night itself seemed to scream.
And somewhere, hidden far beyond their sight
Aizen Sōsuke watched his experiment advance to the next stage.
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