Appearing before everyone was a man with light-blue hair and sharp sky-blue eyes. Pale green tear-like markings ran beneath his eyes, and several unruly strands of hair fell across his face. The right side of his face was covered by a jagged, tooth-shaped Hollow mask fragment. His white Arrancar uniform hung open at the chest, clearly revealing the Hollow hole embedded in his abdomen.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.
It was Grimmjow the former Sexta Espada standing there with a feral grin and an undisguised aura of violence.
"You weren't you arrested?"
Kurotsuki Renya narrowed his eyes as he looked at Grimmjow.
"Tch. You should be thanking me."
Grimmjow flashed forward in an instant, stopping directly in front of Renya. "Because of you, the Shinigami let me go. They told me to pass along a message."
Renya raised an eyebrow. "What message?"
Grimmjow's expression hardened slightly.
"By order of Central 46, you've been declared a traitor. From this point on, if you set foot in Seireitei or the Soul Society, you'll be arrested immediately and sentenced to death."
"…That's all?"
Renya nodded calmly. Compared to everything he had done, this verdict was surprisingly light.
He had stolen the Hōgyoku, an artifact capable of altering the boundaries between Shinigami and Hollow yet no execution squad had been dispatched, no covert assassination ordered. If Seireitei truly viewed him as an irredeemable threat, Yamamoto Genryūsai would have already acted.
Instead, they merely issued a conditional death sentence.
As long as he stayed out of the Soul Society, they would not touch him.
For treason, such a punishment was almost lenient.
Renya was not surprised.
From Seireitei's perspective, his crime had two possible interpretations.
The first: simple theft stealing the Hōgyoku without directly harming any Shinigami.
The second: a catastrophic act that could lead to the destruction of Seireitei if the Hōgyoku fell into the wrong hands.
If the second interpretation had been chosen, elite captains would already be hunting him.
But Seireitei chose the first.
Which meant Yamamoto Genryūsai had thought deeply about Renya's past actions.
Renya had fought for Seireitei, bled for it, risen to captaincy, and stood on the verge of being elevated into the noble class. His bonds were all there his comrades, his subordinates, and Soi Fon. To betray everything for the Hōgyoku alone made no sense.
Yamamoto could not have ignored that contradiction.
That contradiction was exactly what Renya wanted him to see.
By issuing a punishment that appeared severe yet imposed no real restrictions on Renya's current movements, Seireitei acknowledged that there was something hidden behind his actions.
That realization alone was good news.
Even if Seireitei had chosen the harsher path and sent forces after him, Renya was prepared. Soi Fon herself had already returned to report voluntarily, ensuring her position within Seireitei remained secure and giving her room to maneuver from within.
Still…
Renya glanced at Grimmjow again, puzzled.
"If Seireitei wanted to deliver a message," Renya said slowly, "why send you? Why not Urahara Kisuke… or Renji Abarai… or even Rukia Kuchiki?"
Grimmjow crossed his arms.
"Don't know. They just told me to pass it on. After that, Division Twelve ran a few tests on me, then kicked me out."
"Division Twelve…"
Renya's gaze sharpened. "I see."
He paused for a moment, then asked quietly, "What are you planning to do now, Grimmjow?"
Grimmjow shrugged.
"Go back to Hueco Mundo, I guess. Haven't decided what comes after."
Renya smiled faintly.
"Then how about joining me?"
Grimmjow's eyes narrowed. "You want me to submit to you?"
Renya met his gaze without flinching.
"Is my strength insufficient to make that decision convincing?"
Grimmjow laughed, but there was caution beneath it.
"That's not the problem. Tell me first
what are you actually planning? If you're thinking of attacking Seireitei, forget it. They let me go. I won't repay that by stabbing them in the back."
Destruction defined Grimmjow but even he had rules.
He would not slaughter the defenseless.
And he would only fight under conditions where both sides could truly clash.
Renya nodded.
"I have no intention of attacking Seireitei. I still care about it. What I seek is power, true evolution. I want to see what exists beyond Shinigami and Hollow alike."
Grimmjow studied him for a long moment… then grinned.
"Fine. As long as we're not enemies of the Shinigami, I'll follow you."
"Good."
Renya gestured casually. "Then come with me. My Hueco Mundo mobile force is still lacking a leader for one of its divisions."
"…A division?"
Grimmjow frowned. "What kind?"
"Communications and rapid response."
"…You're saying I'd be a glorified messenger?"
Grimmjow bristled.
Renya shrugged.
"These people beside me are divided into four squads. Tell me which one of them do you think you can defeat?"
Grimmjow's gaze swept over them.
Ulquiorra.
The top-tier Arrancar.
And then… Ginjo Kūgo and Tsukishima Shūkurō.
"…Who the hell are these guys?" Grimmjow muttered.
Ginjo smiled. "Interested in finding out?"
Grimmjow's bloodlust flared.
"Yeah. You look like the weakest."
"We're the support unit," Tsukishima said calmly. "Logistics and assistance."
Grimmjow cracked his neck.
"That's still better than being a courier. If I win, we swap roles."
Tristan stepped forward confidently.
"Then try it."
…
Far away, within Seireitei, a massive surveillance screen flickered to life.
Yamamoto Genryūsai stood with his cane planted firmly against the floor. Beside him, Mayuri Kurotsuchi adjusted his monitor with interest.
"So that's his organization…" Mayuri chuckled. "A mobile force operating out of Hueco Mundo. Nostalgic, isn't it, Captain-Commander?"
Yamamoto snorted.
"Stealing the Hōgyoku warrants death. He is not absolved simply because we delayed judgment."
Mayuri smiled thinly.
"Then what are your orders?"
Yamamoto's eyes narrowed.
"He has gathered powerful subordinates. A direct assault would lead to catastrophic losses. For now, we wait. Train the captains. Train the vice-captains."
"When they are ready," Yamamoto continued coldly, "we will arrest Kurotsuki Renya… and execute him."
Mayuri laughed softly.
"Then I suppose we'll let the boy live a little longer."
"Continue monitoring," Yamamoto said as he turned away.
After taking several steps, he stopped.
"If the surveillance device inside Grimmjow is ever destroyed," Yamamoto said quietly, "inform me immediately."