After carefully reading through the report submitted by the Thirteenth Division, Matsumoto Rangiku finally understood
Her captain had not left out of laziness this time.
This was something serious.
The report had come directly from the Thirteenth Division. Under normal circumstances, matters concerning the Human World especially routine Hollow extermination and Konsō (Soul Burial) were handled internally by them.
For such a matter to be escalated and passed on…
It could only mean one thing.
This incident was abnormal.
And dangerous.
The report clearly stated that multiple Shinigami stationed in the Human World had lost contact, with a high probability of having been killed in the line of duty.
More alarming still
Within a single month, eight such cases had occurred.
That meant, on average, one Shinigami had vanished every few days.
Shinigami assigned to the Human World were not elite captains or lieutenants, but they were far from weak. They were more than capable of handling ordinary Hollows and maintaining balance in low-density reishi environments.
For such individuals to be eliminated in succession
Something far beyond normal Hollow activity was at work.
After grasping the situation, Rangiku couldn't help but sigh in frustration.
"That captain…"
"For something this serious, he just runs off alone without saying a word."
She folded her arms, clearly dissatisfied.
"He could've at least discussed it with us. Going off by himself like that… what is he trying to prove?"
However, Hitsugaya Tōshirō gave a different perspective.
"Precisely because it's dangerous… he chose to go alone."
His voice was calm, but firm.
"The captain is protecting us."
Rangiku froze slightly.
Hitsugaya continued,
"If the situation is as serious as this report suggests, then sending multiple officers could increase unnecessary risk."
"And if the enemy is capable of killing stationed Shinigami without leaving traces…"
His expression hardened.
"Then even seated officers might not be safe."
A brief silence filled the room.
In the end, Hitsugaya spoke the blunt truth.
"It's because we're not strong enough."
Those words carried weight.
Rangiku did not argue.
Because she understood
He wasn't wrong.
Hitsugaya clenched his fist slightly.
In that moment, he made a silent decision.
He would grow stronger.
Only by doing so could he stand beside his captain not remain someone who needed to be protected.
Meanwhile
In the Human World, within Karakura Town.
The Ishida family was a well-known household, with a long-standing history and a quiet reputation among the locals.
To ordinary humans, they appeared refined, traditional even somewhat old-fashioned. Their estate maintained a rigid structure, complete with household staff and formal etiquette.
But what most people did not know
Was that the Ishida family were Quincy.
Not only that
They were one of the few remaining pure-blood Quincy families.
However, their standing among Quincy was… complicated.
Roughly two centuries ago, a large-scale conflict erupted between the Quincy and the Shinigami.
The result was devastating.
The Quincy were nearly annihilated.
According to Soul Society's laws, Quincy who completely destroy Hollows rather than purifying them posed a threat to the balance of souls. Their continued existence risked destabilizing the cycle of reincarnation itself.
Thus, the Shinigami moved to eliminate them.
In the aftermath of that war, the Ishida family made a choice.
They agreed to coexist under the implicit observation of Soul Society.
Because of that compromise, a portion of the Quincy population was allowed to survive.
But among Quincy
This decision was seen as betrayal.
To many, the Ishida family had not preserved their kind
They had surrendered.
Over time, the Quincy population dwindled further. Pure-blood Quincy became exceedingly rare.
And yet
The Ishida family endured.
To maintain their lineage, they strictly adhered to bloodline purity.
A pure-blood Quincy must marry another pure-blood Quincy.
Otherwise, their descendants would become Gemischt Quincy (mixed-blood), weakening the family's heritage.
But in a world where pure-blood Quincy were nearly extinct
This was no simple task.
Until
They found her.
Kurosaki Masaki.
She was one of the last remaining pure-blood Quincy.
After losing her parents, she was taken in by the Ishida family and raised under their care.
The intention was clear.
In the future, she would marry Ishida Ryūken, the heir of the Ishida family, ensuring the continuation of their bloodline.
Ryūken, older and composed, treated Masaki with kindness but not with romantic affection.
To him, she was closer to a younger sister.
Instead, his heart leaned quietly toward Katagiri Kanae, a servant of the household who had grown up alongside him.
But such feelings…
Were not permitted.
For the sake of the family, personal desires had to be suppressed.
As for Kurosaki Masaki
She understood her role.
She tried, in her own way, to accept the future arranged for her.
But emotions were not something that could simply be forced.
For now, she focused on her studies.
One ordinary day
While sitting in class, Masaki absentmindedly gazed out the window.
Then
A flicker of black caught her eye.
A figure.
Moving swiftly across rooftops.
Her eyes widened.
"…A Shinigami?"
Though Quincy and Shinigami shared a history of conflict, Masaki herself did not harbor the same deep resentment as others.
If anything
She was curious.
But being in class, she could do nothing but watch as the figure disappeared.
After school
As Masaki walked home through Karakura Town, her thoughts still lingered on what she had seen.
Then
Suddenly
A shadow moved across her vision again.
She looked up.
There
A black-robed figure leapt across a utility pole, moving with incredible speed.
It was the same Shinigami.
Without hesitation, Masaki followed.
Though Shinigami possessed Shunpo, Quincy were not without their own movement techniques.
By gathering reishi beneath their feet, they could perform Hirenkyaku allowing them to move at high speed through the air.
Driven by curiosity, Masaki activated her ability and pursued the figure.
Unknowingly
She was stepping directly toward something far more dangerous than she could have imagined.
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