Not long after the Garganta in Hueco Mundo closed, alarms rang out across the entirety of Karakura Town.
Ear-piercing sirens mixed with the roar of collapsing buildings. On the screen, the disaster site looked as if it had been struck by a massive meteorite.
The television reported urgent news: A suspected series of large-scale gas pipeline explosions. Schools across the city were suspended, and residents were being urgently evacuated.
Inside the Ishida villa, Uryū Ishida held his mobile phone, speaking with Ichigo Kurosaki.
"Hello, Ichigo." Uryū's voice was very low. "That was definitely not a gas explosion. I felt a very strong Spiritual Pressure."
"Spiritual Pressure? Uryū, what are you talking about?"
Ichigo Kurosaki was writing out exercise problems at his desk, occasionally looking up at the high-rise buildings emitting black smoke in the distance.
"It's just the recent gas explosion..."
"Sorry, my mom seems to be calling me downstairs. Hanging up now, Uryū."
Beep—
As the sound of the call disconnecting rang in his ear, Uryū Ishida pushed up his glasses, put down the phone, and picked up a notebook.
This was left behind by his grandfather, Sōken Ishida. It was a notebook recording the history of the Quincys, documenting everything about the Wandenreich.
Seireitei, First Division Assembly Hall.
Chōjirō Sasakibe stood to the side, reporting on the battle situation:
"Seventeen injured, all of whom are Seated Officers or lower-ranking soldiers stationed in the World of the Living. No fatalities.
"Additionally, the Quincy side was also indiscriminately attacked by the opposing party.
"The enemy... only one person made a move.
"Based on the descriptions from the injured and the analysis of the residual Spiritual Pressure at the scene, the opponent's strength is estimated to be at the Vice-Captain level or above."
The room fell into silence. A mysterious person with strength equivalent to a Vice-Captain or higher appearing in the World of the Living was no small matter.
"Could it be that group, the Visoreds?"
Standing within the queue of Captains, Soifon raised her head and looked toward Chōjirō Sasakibe.
"It was not the Visoreds, Captain Soifon."
Mayuri Kurotsuchi raised his hand, looking past the queue toward Soifon in the front row, and grinned.
—Signaling that he wasn't intentionally refuting his patron's face.
"I conducted a deep analysis of the residual Spirit Particle samples extracted from the injured, as well as the Spirit Particle residue collected from the scene.
"The results are very interesting. No components of Hollow Spiritual Pressure were detected, nor was there the unique Spiritual Pressure of Shinigami Kidō or Zanpakutō."
Speaking to this point, Mayuri Kurotsuchi cracked his mouth open, revealing a bizarre smile:
"On the contrary, it consists of extremely pure Spirit Particles!
"The purity of these Spirit Particles and the method of their usage perfectly match the Quincy combat data recorded in our database.
"Therefore, my judgment is—the culprit is a Quincy."
By the end, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's voice became increasingly excited.
Could it be a civil war between Quincys?
The Captains looked at each other in blank dismay. None of them really believed that the current Quincys still possessed such formidable strength, but the written report in black and white couldn't possibly be a lie.
Friction with the Quincys in the World of the Living had been uninterrupted over these years, but everyone was aware of their upper limits.
—At most, they were at the level of a Seated Officer.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto remained seated in the main seat with his eyes closed, his wrinkled face betraying no emotion.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi scratched the mask on his face and continued to supplement: "Additionally, monitoring data shows that the number of Hollows in the Karakura Town area is decreasing sharply."
Once this sentence came out, even if it was a civil war between Quincys, the Gotei 13 could no longer sit idly by. Hollows could only be slain by Shinigami.
Thud—
The walking stick struck the ground heavily, and the Captain-Commander slowly opened his eyes:
"Things having reached this stage, we can only settle this quickly..."
"So then, who will go to the World of the Living to handle this matter?"
Almost the instant the Captain-Commander's voice fell, Soifon took a step forward, standing in the center of the Assembly Hall.
She raised her head slightly, looking up at the Captain-Commander: "Your Excellency, Captain-Commander, please let me go."
The Assembly Hall was quiet for a few seconds.
Unohana's eyes flickered, raising some doubts in her heart—why was the figure of Soifon always unavoidable when it came to missions in the World of the Living? However, the other party was indeed the most suitable Captain for this mission.
The Captain-Commander looked at Soifon silently. A few seconds later, he slowly nodded: "Granted."
Karakura Town.
When Soifon appeared at the door of the Ishida house, Kanae Katagiri, who was watering flowers, immediately put down the watering can and walked over.
"Captain Soifon? Why have you come? Please, come in quickly."
She welcomed Soifon into the living room, then turned and shouted upstairs: "Ryūken, Uryū! Captain Soifon is here!"
Urgent footsteps soon came from the stairs.
Uryū Ishida walked down the stairs holding an old notebook: "Big Sister Soifon?!"
Following slowly behind him was Ryūken Ishida. He walked to his wife, Kanae Katagiri, put his arm around her shoulder, and nodded to Soifon with a complex expression: "Captain Soifon."
Ryūken knew what had happened back then from his father, and he was also clear that when Soifon appeared at the Ishida home next, their peaceful life would come to an end.
"Big Sister Soifon came this time... because of the attack incident in Karakura Town, right?"
Uryū Ishida guessed.
Soifon nodded, then shook her head.
At this moment, Ryūken Ishida whispered something to Kanae Katagiri and patted her back.
Immediately, Kanae Katagiri spoke: "You guys talk, I'll go prepare some tea and snacks."
At this, Soifon's gaze turned toward the kitchen: "Is your mother's health okay?"
"Not too good." Uryū Ishida clenched his fists tightly. "Because of the 'Holy Selection,' Mother's body has been consistently weak..."
Ryūken sat to the side, silently rubbing the space between his brows.
If possible, Ryūken Ishida didn't want his own son to take risks.
But this time, the person without talent seemed to be himself.
After a simple chat, Soifon discovered that the preparations made by the Ishida family were greater than she had imagined. Uryū Ishida had completely recognized the danger he was about to face.
Thus, Soifon took out Sōken Ishida's pass to the Gate of the Sun from back then and placed it on the table.
"Grandfather told me..." Uryū Ishida picked up the pass. "When the pass to the Gate of the Sun returns to my hands, I only need to follow Big Sister Soifon's arrangements."
Soifon looked toward Ryūken Ishida, who was sitting on the sofa.
Meeting her gaze, Ryūken slowly nodded.
The next moment, Soifon's gaze fell back onto Uryū Ishida: "Then, please reveal the information of my appearance to the Wandenreich, and use this to exchange for an opportunity to join the Sternritter..."
After finishing speaking, leaving behind the coordinates of an uninhabited forest in the suburbs, Soifon rose and left.
Inside the Wandenreich.
Haschwalth sized up the travel-worn Uryū Ishida before him with interest, though he didn't seem to believe his words.
"You are saying that you picked up the pass dropped by that fellow, and you also want to join the Empire and participate in the Knighthood assessment?"
"Yes. She... that person in black clothes seemed to be injured and ran to the forest in the eastern suburbs of Karakura Town."
Uryū Ishida reported the location neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"Hmm..." Haschwalth continued to ask, "As far as I know, you are Sōken Ishida's grandson?"
Uryū Ishida froze for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Yes. I have always wanted to take revenge for my grandfather..."
"A little interesting. However, before I verify your intelligence, please stay here for now."
As Haschwalth passed by Uryū Ishida, he raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder.
____
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