Hinamori Momo wasn't sure why she felt so uneasy.
Perhaps it was nervousness, or perhaps it was something else…
But the information source was accurate.
As a squad member, she couldn't interfere; she could only take things as they came.
With this feeling, the next day soon arrived.
A group of young men and women in Spiritual Arts Academy uniforms gathered outside the 1st Division.
She looked at the building before her with an unchanging expression, having been there more than once before.
But at this moment, a hidden current surged deep within her heart.
She heard that after Father became the Captain-Commander, the 1st Division's technology seemed to have undergone a revolution.
She really wanted to know what that revolution was and why it hadn't been popularized at home.
Once everyone had orderly entered the 1st Division, she finally found the answer.
Anyone with even a little technical skill was using computers for their work.
Retrieval and statistics could be completed with a single button, and the efficiency was astonishing, vastly different from the hard-working scenes she remembered.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni appeared behind the students at this moment and explained the current changes in the 1st Division to them.
This made some students who disliked fighting eager to try it out.
Leisurely, relaxed, and able to control their own time.
What a wonderful job.
Afterward, he also stated that computers were currently only popularized within the 1st Division.
Even if noble students wanted to purchase them, they would have to wait in line.
However, if they wished to experience it, Spiritual Arts Academy would offer information technology courses in the future, and everyone could actively sign up to participate.
Only then did she realize that it wasn't that Father had forgotten about her and her mother.
It was just that the production of these items was limited, so they could only be prioritized for those who needed them.
She signed up on the spot, and then, led by several Shinigami, the students began to tour various parts of the 1st Division.
Hinamori Momo was one of the guides, and she glanced nervously at the students behind her.
She knew this was a test from the Captain-Commander, intended to help her overcome her introverted personality.
But…
Why was Miss in her group?
Was it arranged by the Captain-Commander?
So that's it, yesterday's unease had come true, making her even more nervous.
She took a deep breath, trying to discard the chaotic thoughts in her mind one by one.
Then, she forced herself to be calm, striving to make her voice steady before officially dedicating herself to work.
Not far away, Yoriichi Tsugikuni watched the students being led in separate groups, and seeing Hinamori Momo stumble, he sighed softly.
This child… still needs more training.
"Captain-Commander."
At this moment, Chōjirō Sasakibe hurried over from behind.
He had a solemn expression and reported an ominous piece of news to Yoriichi Tsugikuni in a low voice:
"Something has happened. Do you remember Rinshiro Tsukishima, who was stationed in the Human World a few years ago? He's missing.
Of course, not missing like Shiba Isshin."
"Before he disappeared, he sent a distress signal to the Twelfth Division."
"However, when the Shinigami arrived at the scene, only the lingering reishi of a Menos Grande remained."
Menos Grande?
Yoriichi Tsugikuni frowned, turned around, and asked:
"Have you confirmed with Hueco Mundo? Who did it? Why did this happen?"
Logically, this shouldn't be. Although Menos Grande possess the technology to open Black Cavities.
But back then, after Kisuke Urahara sent some machines over, Harribel and others could detect any Black Cavity opened in Hueco Mundo in time.
Because of this, from that moment on, Menos Grande were removed from the Shinigami's enemy list, leaving only ordinary Hollows.
Now, a Menos Grande has appeared again without warning. Does this mean that those machines have lost their effectiveness?
Or…
Countless conjectures arose in Yoriichi's mind.
But he never considered the possibility of Harribel or Nelliel betraying their beliefs.
Chōjirō Sasakibe's expression was complex.
He looked around, confirmed that the reishi-blocking machines were operating, and lowered his voice again:
"It has been confirmed; this matter has no connection with Hueco Mundo."
"To be precise, it's related to the Forest of Menos, and it also seems to be inseparable from the Quincy."
"According to the information Rinshiro Tsukishima left before he disappeared, the Menos Grande he encountered was extremely special, seemingly possessing human physical characteristics."
"And for a Menos Grande to become human, there are usually only two possibilities: either self-evolution or being affected by the Hōgyoku."
"Harribel and Nelliel have already conducted a one-by-one count of all the Menos Grande from that year, ensuring no omissions."
"In other words, it can basically be concluded that that Menos Grande must have come from the Forest of Menos."
"Only there is a place where the machines cannot detect."
Upon hearing this, Yoriichi understood a few things.
In short, after so many years of changes in Hueco Mundo, a new batch of fallen individuals has emerged.
But his doubts did not lessen; instead, several more questions arose:
"What's going on with the Quincy? Why would a Menos Grande from the Forest of Menos be connected to the Quincy?"
Chōjirō Sasakibe shook his head helplessly and replied:
"This question, I'm afraid, you'll have to ask your Quincy clone. We currently have no definite clues."
"However, small holes left by arrows were indeed found at the scene. Those holes were very small."
"At first, we thought it was the work of the Quincy in the Human World, but after careful inspection, we found that this was not the case."
"They are all staying quietly in their homes, with no signs of going out."
"At the same time, if that Menos Grande was a Vasto Lorde, then the Twelfth Division would never have been unaware the moment it appeared."
"You should know very well that wild Vasto Lorde don't know how to suppress their reishi; even someone as strong as Coyote Starrk was plagued by this problem before."
"Therefore, there are only two possibilities for this situation."
Chōjirō Sasakibe lowered his eyes and slowly extended two fingers,
"First, that Menos Grande is not a Vasto Lorde, but an Adjuchas that has evolved into something similar to a Vasto Lorde due to some influence."
"Second, it is a Vasto Lorde, but it has learned to suppress its reishi under the influence of certain factors."
"No matter what factors influenced it, we cannot ignore it, because theoretically, only the Hōgyoku in the Three Realms can make a Menos Grande evolve."
"Based on this speculation, combined with the traces left at the scene, we have to suspect that the Quincy side has also mastered the corresponding technology."
"May I ask, when was the last time you exchanged information with your clone?"
As Chōjirō Sasakibe recounted the events, Yoriichi's expression gradually became solemn.
If all this was truly orchestrated by the Wandenreich, then he had indeed underestimated their ambition and methods.
To win the war, they would even utilize Hollows, which they considered poison.
Truly insane.
Shaking his head lightly, Yoriichi said, "It's been about three months, I understand what you mean, Chōjirō."
"While we are constantly developing and progressing, the Quincy have also not stood still."
"It seems an invisible war is about to begin again."
"I'll leave things here to you. For now, don't let anyone else know about this. When exactly did Rinshiro Tsukishima disappear?"
Yoriichi finished speaking and walked out of the 1st Division.
His steps were hurried, clearly indicating he was preparing to go to the Twelfth Division to contact his clone.
"Yesterday." Chōjirō Sasakibe quickly followed, replying, "I just received this news and immediately rushed to report it to you."
"Please rest assured, Captain-Commander, this matter has been strictly sealed off for now."
"Only Kisuke Urahara, you, and I are aware of the details."
"Very good." Yoriichi nodded,
"Keep it that way. Absolutely do not let a fourth person know. I'll trouble you to look after Miss a bit more."
"Yes." Chōjirō Sasakibe stopped, straightened his body, and responded loudly.
He quietly watched Yoriichi disappear at the end of the road, and although he didn't have too many worries, he couldn't help but feel a little wistful.
If it weren't for the Quincy's utterly unsolvable reishi modification technology, and Kisuke Urahara's Shadow Invasion Pill could only penetrate the surface but not deep inside,
Why would the Wandenreich be so arrogant?
However, looking at it from another perspective, perhaps it is precisely their arrogance that constantly pushes the Shinigami to accelerate their technological development.
In this world, having no external enemies is the greatest hidden danger.
…
Hueco Mundo.
Harribel stared coldly at the dark opening in front of her.
She pulled up the white mask covering her face slightly to conceal her current bad mood, then turned her head and asked a Menos Grande beside her:
"Gantenbainne, how long has it been since Harribel entered the Forest of Menos?"
"Have you detected any Black Cavity fluctuations?"
Gantenbainne glanced at the slightly old clock on his hand and shook his head gently, his expression equally grim:
"I apologize, Lady Harribel, but as always, there's been no movement."
"Ten minutes and five seconds have passed. In my opinion, Harribel has most likely met with misfortune."
Hearing this, Harribel took a deep breath and murmured:
"Dead? How truly terrifying, like a bottomless abyss…"
She paused, then asked, "Has there been any news from the Shinigami?"
Harribel was naturally well aware of the series of changes that occurred in the Human World last night.
For this, the fellow named Kisuke Urahara had specifically come to find her.
When Kisuke Urahara said the culprit was a Menos Grande with Quincy powers, Harribel initially didn't believe it at all.
Because every Menos Grande under her command was well-behaved and never caused trouble easily.
As it turned out, the problem came from an area beyond her comprehension.
The Quincy had, at some unknown point, set their sights on the ordinary, un-Arrancarized Menos Grande in the Forest of Menos.
This sudden turn of events caught Hueco Mundo off guard.
As the King of Hueco Mundo, Harribel immediately dispatched some capable personnel into the Forest of Menos to conduct investigations.
However, for some unknown reason, none of the Menos Grande sent to investigate returned.
Although she herself wanted to go deeper, the Menos Grande under her command were one more loyal than the last; they all expressed that they would rather take the risk themselves than let their King be in danger.
Thus, the current scene unfolded.
Facing Harribel's inquiry, Gantenbainne pulled out a communicator and looked at it, shaking his head:
"I apologize, Lady Harribel, still no..."
"Wait, a message has come through! Let me see... It's... it's Lord Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself coming to the Forest of Menos!"
His eyes instantly widened, and his voice became excited, as if he had seen a savior.
This impassioned tone drew the attention of the surrounding Menos Grande, and even Harribel's troubled thoughts were piqued.
She frowned, looking at Gantenbainne, and asked:
"What?"
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni is coming? Is the news true? If I remember correctly, isn't he the Captain-Commander?"
The Captain-Commander rarely leaves the Seireitei because he needs to oversee the entire situation.
Even if Yoriichi Tsugikuni leaves, there is still Yamamoto Genryusai to hold the fort.
But the latter's strength is completely incomparable to the former's.
If something unexpected were to happen, wouldn't the Seireitei be thrown into chaos?
Harribel couldn't help but feel a touch of emotion. She had to admit, the Shinigami were indeed Shinigami.
Such profound reserves and courage were truly incomparable for Hollows.
While they were still cautiously probing, the Shinigami directly sent their ace to resolve all problems in one fell swoop.
Gantenbainne confirmed the message repeatedly, his expression growing even more excited:
"The news is absolutely true; it's a message sent personally by Lord Kisuke Urahara."
"I believe with Lord Yoriichi Tsugikuni taking action, no matter how dangerous the Forest of Menos is, it will definitely be completely resolved."
"Lady Harribel, should we inform Lady Nelliel and Lord Starrk about this?"
"...No need." Harribel crossed her arms over her chest, thought for a moment, and replied,
"Since you can receive the message here, they certainly can too."
"There's no need to waste time and energy; just wait in place. With three locations, we don't know where Yoriichi Tsugikuni will appear."
Due to the vast extent of the Forest of Menos, comparable to the entire Hueco Mundo.
To fully understand the situation, the three Kings of Hueco Mundo each led three teams to conduct reconnaissance in three different locations.
Now, Harribel's side was considered a failure.
If the Quincy were not foolish and were well-prepared.
It was likely the same in other places.
Since nothing they did had any practical effect and would only lead to a futile reduction of their own forces, it was better to rest now and await support.
Hearing this, the Menos Grande gathered around the pit, found a relatively distant spot, and sat down on the ground.
They quietly discussed who Lord Yoriichi Tsugikuni truly was, while also worrying about the safety of their companions...
Seeing this, Harribel also found a random spot and sat down.
A short while later, Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sung, the three Menos Grande who had gone to investigate the Human World, appeared one after another.
As the most loyal subordinates, they immediately started arguing the moment they appeared, rushing to report the news to Harribel.
Harribel sighed as she listened...
None of it was of much practical use. She hoped Yoriichi Tsugikuni would arrive soon.
She truly didn't want to see any more sacrifices.
...
A few minutes later.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni appeared at Nelliel's location through a Black Cavity.
This former centaur had now completely transformed into a human form.
Dressed in clothes, with her Hollow hole concealed, her righteous expression made it impossible for anyone to tell she was a Hollow.
Upon seeing Yoriichi arrive, Nelliel was overjoyed.
She quickly stepped forward and informed Yoriichi of everything that had happened here, down to the last detail.
After understanding, Yoriichi did not act immediately. Instead, he pulled a badge from his pocket and handed it to Nelliel:
"Wear this. It's a communication badge developed using reishi waves."
"As long as we are in Hueco Mundo, no matter how far the distance or how many obstacles separate us, it will allow us to stay in constant contact."
"This Quincy attack is fierce, and no one knows how many Menos Grande in the Forest of Menos they have converted."
"What if they've set up an ambush in the dark..."
Yoriichi didn't finish his sentence, but his concern was self-evident; this was a necessary preparation.
After Nelliel took the badge, Yoriichi nodded, then leaped, jumping into the Forest of Menos.
It was only then that the slow-witted Nelliel suddenly noticed something was amiss...
How did she feel that Yoriichi Tsugikuni's spiritual pressure hadn't changed at all compared to decades ago?
Was this reasonable? It was utterly unreasonable.
As she pondered, a crisp notification sound suddenly came from her communicator.
She quickly picked it up and glanced at it; it was an encrypted message.
After some deciphering, Nelliel's pupils constricted, and she instantly understood everything.
Thus, disregarding the Menos Grande's dissuasion, after sending them back to the base, she also jumped in without hesitation.
...
At the same time.
On the other side.
Starrk looked at the disappearing figure of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a wry smile on his face.
Just then, his communicator also chimed with a notification.
He looked down, his pupils slightly constricted, and a hint of surprise and solemnity flashed in his eyes.
But he quickly composed himself, filled with many emotions.
"I never would have thought, I never would have thought, that to solve the crisis in the Forest of Menos, Yoriichi would actually split himself into four people."
"Three of them appeared at my location, Harribel's, and Nelliel's."
"The remaining one is holding down the Seireitei and Hueco Mundo... Truly impressive."
"If even he can't solve it... then Lilynette and I will just have to discuss moving."
"Luring the tiger out of its mountain, I don't know if it's true or not, but I should go back first."
The encrypted message on the communicator greatly concerned Starrk.
According to Kisuke Urahara's deduction.
This was very likely a meticulously planned operation to lure Yoriichi Tsugikuni or Yamamoto Genryusai into a trap.
The purpose was to confine the two of them in the Forest of Menos.
After all, looking at the entire world, only these two could properly resolve this crisis affecting the Three Realms.
Once they were ensnared, the Quincy could dispatch the Menos Grande hidden in the shadows to attack the Soul Society and occupy the surface of Hueco Mundo.
At the same time, since the main attacking force would be Menos Grande, the Quincy wouldn't feel bad no matter how many died.
Conversely, the spiritual pressure of these Menos Grande was generally above third-class, so the more that died, the more disadvantageous it would be for the Shinigami side.
In Kisuke Urahara's eyes, the Quincy would absolutely not miss this excellent opportunity to strike at the Shinigami.
Events unfolded exactly as he had guessed.
Two minutes after Starrk returned to base.
Rumble!
A dull and intense roar suddenly erupted, and the ground began to tremble violently, as if thousands of troops were galloping.
Starrk quickly went to the window and looked into the distance.
He saw hundreds of Arrancar Menos Grande charging majestically towards Las Noches not far away.
Their imposing aura and the Quincy spiritual pressure emanating from them clearly indicated their identity.
Even more, thousands of meters away from Las Noches, some had already begun to condense reishi to launch attacks.
For a time, Las Noches was engulfed in flames of war, with explosions echoing one after another, and flames soaring into the sky, illuminating the entire horizon.
...
Forest of Menos.
"How did you get in here?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni had just touched the ground and hadn't even stood firm when he heard a whooshing sound from above.
He looked up and saw Nelliel transform into a centaur and descend from the sky.
When her massive body landed, the ground instantly shattered, and sharp quartz fragments scattered everywhere, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Hearing Yoriichi's question, Nelliel raised her head.
As she pulled her hooves out of the shattered quartz ground, she tightened her grip on the quartz spear in her hand and said righteously:
"I know everything about you. You split yourself into four parts, didn't you?"
"You've become weaker. I can't let you risk it alone."
She lowered her head slightly, looking at Yoriichi with determined eyes,
"Please let me help you."
"If you are looking for the mastermind, please ride me. I can save you some strength and spiritual pressure."
"And you definitely won't be disappointed with my speed."
At these words, Yoriichi fell into a brief silence. He didn't need to think to know who had told Nelliel about this.
Yoriichi was about to refuse, because riding a centaur was simply... he couldn't find the right words to describe it at the moment.
However, before he could reply, Nelliel decisively extended her long spear and skillfully lifted Yoriichi onto her back.
Then.
Clatter.
She galloped away, her speed incredibly fast, the surrounding sand swirling everywhere from the strong wind she kicked up.
"Lord Tsugikuni, where are we going?"
Her calm voice slowly echoed through the quiet Forest of Menos.
Yoriichi, resigned, gripped his Zanpakuto and then chose a direction.
Since he was here, he would make the best of it. It wasn't bad to have someone willing to help.
Besides, there was still another him holding down the fort outside.
Even if the Quincy launched a surprise attack, the losses wouldn't be too great.