Chapter 354: Kujō Nozomi's Concerns
Living World, a certain hospital.
A group of corporate slaves in suits carrying briefcases waited anxiously outside the emergency room.
Their biggest cash cow, the handsome and compliant superstar named Ulquiorra, lay unconscious inside.
It was just a normal commercial shoot - who would have thought he'd suddenly collapse halfway through and die!
He'd been at the hospital for quite some time now, with no heartbeat or breathing, showing no signs of recovery.
When the doctor delivered the death certificate, everyone slumped to the ground in despair.
"It's over... the company's biggest money maker, worked to death by us."
"I can't face the section chief, I can't face Director Ishida!"
"Wah... Mom, I'm going to be fired, no company will ever want someone like me again... I'm socially dead!"
Just as everyone fell into despair, footsteps approached.
Seeing who it was, they all started in surprise.
"D-Director Ishida..."
Ryūken nodded at them, adjusting his glasses:
"Go get the hospital to process Ulquiorra's transfer paperwork."
"...Huh?"
The employees looked bewildered.
One person couldn't help but approach and whisper:
"Director Ishida, Mr. Ulquiorra has already..."
"I know."
Ishida cut him off calmly.
"Don't worry, Ulquiorra is just in a physiological state of suspended animation from overwork."
"Transfer him to Ishida Hospital immediately, he can still be saved."
Hearing this, the employees exchanged glances.
Had the director gone mad?
Though they didn't believe Ishida Ryūken's words, since the director had given the order, they had no choice but to carry it out.
Before long, Ulquiorra, who had been in cardiac arrest for an extended period, was delivered to Ishida Hospital.
After more than half an hour of "resuscitation," Ulquiorra regained vital signs, remained fully conscious, and could engage in normal conversation.
After the initial shock subsided, the employees' gazes toward Ishida Ryūken suddenly transformed.
This director wasn't just invincible in business—his medical skills were truly unparalleled!
He actually revived someone who had been in cardiac arrest for over two hours?
This was no longer mere medical skill.
This was divine magic!
From this day forward, we are all followers of Director Ishida!
...
...
Seireitei was thrown into turmoil.
The nobles were shocked to discover that many of their secretly cultivated subordinates, whom they had painstakingly trained with great effort, had recently vanished without explanation.
Following the clues, they discovered that the perpetrator was none other than Satoru!
Though they knew Satoru was not to be trifled with, the nobles could no longer remain seated as the provocation had reached intolerable levels.
They flocked to the Mikami Family, demanding an explanation.
Amid the clamor, Satoru stepped outside.
Upon seeing Satoru, the nobles gulped and instinctively wanted to retreat.
But then, they quickly regained their composure.
"Lord Mikami! This is too much!"
"Our subordinates neither provoked you nor acted against the Seireitei. Why did you kill them so mercilessly?!"
Hearing this, Satoru raised an eyebrow.
He slowly walked up to the crowd and scanned the area.
Every noble who met his gaze felt a chill run down their spine.
Suddenly, to everyone's shock, Satoru moved at a speed almost invisible to the naked eye and struck out with a slap!
A noble who had just been denouncing him along with the others had his head shattered on the spot!
Witnessing this unbelievable scene, the nobles froze for a moment before erupting into frantic screams.
Many collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably, tears and mucus streaming down their faces.
A few of the braver ones tried to flee.
But before they could move, Satoru's Reiatsu descended from above, pinning them in place.
"Don't be afraid. Look closely—what is he?"
Satoru pointed at the noble he had just killed.
The crowd instinctively followed his gaze.
They watched as the noble's body slowly crumbled, weathered away, and turned into a pile of sand.
Left behind was a red Gigai pill.
Staring at the scene before them, the nobles were stunned.
What... was happening?
Satoru crouched down, picked up the Gigai pill, and showed it to them.
"Everyone, as fellow nobles, I won't hide the truth from you."
"Earlier, I claimed that Kisuke Urahara and his associates created a batch of fake Shinigami who infiltrated the Seireitei."
"That statement was only half true."
"Fake Shinigami do exist, but they weren't made by Kisuke Urahara. They come from invaders lurking in the shadows!"
"Someone is hiding in the darkness, using special methods to create these artificial Shinigami and secretly placing them in every corner of the Soul Society, replacing the original beings."
"If nothing has gone wrong, this noble whose identity was replaced has likely already been murdered!"
Hearing this, the nobles widened their eyes.
Goosebumps broke out all over their bodies.
If Satoru's words were true, the Soul Society was now facing an unprecedented crisis of terror!
The thought that their friends, guards, or even family members might be disguised artificial souls made the nobles shudder uncontrollably.
"Lord Mikami, what should we do?!"
"The Seireitei is a crucial hub maintaining the balance of the Three Realms. It must not fall into chaos!"
"The Gotei 13... Aren't you currently overseeing the Gotei 13? Please send someone to protect us immediately!"
Satoru raised his hand, gesturing for calm.
"Everyone, do not panic."
"At this moment, the Gotei 13 is actively responding to this incident!"
"I have mastered a secret technique to distinguish artificial souls. As long as we eliminate them one by one, we will surely defeat the enemy and ensure everyone's safety!"
Hearing this, the nobles' eyes lit up.
Satoru continued:
"Those guards you thought I killed had already been replaced by artificial souls. I never intended to harm any of you—I've been fighting to protect you all along!"
The nobles showed hesitant expressions.
Although they still harbored some doubts, the memory of Satoru casually eliminating one of their own—revealed to be an artificial soul in disguise—made them somewhat inclined to believe him.
Weighing their personal safety against the value of the slain guards, they gritted their teeth and resolved to support Satoru.
"Captain Mikami, we leave everything in your hands!"
"Please resolve this incident quickly..."
"Thank you!"
After seeing off the nobles, Satoru turned to Suì-Fēng who had emerged from the side.
"Well, Suì-Fēng? What did I tell you earlier?"
"They still ended up thanking me."
Suì-Fēng nodded with a complicated expression. Lord Mikami truly excelled at being utterly ruthless when it came to disregarding human decency.
"Suì-Fēng, take Rangiku, Gin, and Kaname with you. Eliminate all the nobles on this list."
While Suì-Fēng was deep in thought, Satoru handed her a list.
The young woman took it, scanned the long series of names, and showed a surprised look.
"So many people... have they all been replaced by modified souls?"
"Impossible." Satoru shook his head.
He sighed, "Less than one-tenth of these actually have problems."
"The rest are powerful figures I've been meaning to deal with but lacked proper justification for until now."
"Now that we finally have this modified soul incident as an opportunity, of course we should seize it to send these people on their way."
Suì-Fēng: "..."
As the Punishment Force continued its operations, nobles discovered that many around them had disappeared.
Realizing so many of their associates had been infiltrated by modified souls, the nobles felt both terror and reluctant admiration.
Truly worthy of Satoru... though he was troublesome as an enemy, having him on their side was remarkably reassuring.
Meanwhile, Aizen wasn't idle either.
After cleansing Central 46, he used Kyōka Suigetsu's ability to make the guards protect the area and prevent outsiders from entering.
Thereafter, he stationed himself at the center and issued numerous political decrees in the name of Central 46.
Most of these were proposals that would have been nearly impossible to pass under normal circumstances.
Currently, with nobles living in constant fear and unable to sleep peacefully at night, only a handful noticed the problems.
And these few were typically as cunning as foxes who could read the situation clearly.
With their heads still intact, they naturally wouldn't step forward to be the first targets.
Thus, the power structure of Seireitei began to rapidly transform.
The Shinigami were cheering.
The spy-hunting game was highly entertaining. Though there were occasional casualties, they normally suffered more deaths during missions.
Even during regular training, serious injuries occasionally occurred.
Minor casualties meant nothing to them.
Their boring daily lives had suddenly gained entertainment, and they were thoroughly enjoying it.
The common people were also cheering.
They were surprised to discover that many nobles they did business with had changed their transaction methods, providing more open and transparent information.
Upon hearing these requirements came from Central 46, the commoners felt deeply moved.
They had always thought nobles were inhuman creatures, never expecting there were good ones among them.
Technical professionals were cheering too.
Previously, many of their research projects required layer upon layer of approvals, with procedures taking at least ten days to half a month—unless you claimed to be from the Mikami Technical Bureau.
Now, Central 46 has issued an order to establish a special review panel for research projects. All research applications requiring approval must receive a reasonable response within three working days.
Many research projects previously backlogged at the Twelfth Division have now been put on the agenda.
Similar situations are occurring throughout the Soul Society...
...
...
In a research laboratory at the Mikami Technical Bureau branch of the Twelfth Division.
Inaba Kagerōza stood before a large screen, his brow furrowed tightly.
Ever since Satoru and the others returned, he had been making preparations, waiting to engage in a battle of wits with these guys, expecting back-and-forth confrontations.
Yet after waiting all these days, there hadn't been the slightest movement.
Although he had hidden himself very deeply and was difficult to find, the modified captains he sent out weren't exactly well-concealed either.
Aside from eliminating a fake Kensei Muguruma on the day they returned, Satoru and his team hadn't taken any action in all these subsequent days!
What was even more absurd was that during this period, rumors were spreading everywhere about his modified souls being purged.
After multiple verifications, he confirmed that while some of those purged did contain traces of the modified souls he had dispersed, the vast majority had nothing to do with him at all.
Has Satoru gone mad?
What is he doing... killing innocents to claim merit?
Is this what he's really like?!
Inaba Kagerōza was enraged.
It seemed he had thought too highly of Satoru.
This guy was just a brute with empty strength, completely disregarding the Seireitei!
After his brief fury, he suddenly blinked.
Wait, his goal was to destroy the Soul Society and take revenge on those who looked down on him before, those nobles who obstructed his research.
If Satoru was an incompetent leader, wouldn't that align perfectly with his needs?
Though his feelings were somewhat complicated, after some consideration, Inaba Kagerōza decided to maintain his position and observe a bit longer.
With this thought, he began walking toward his chair.
Suddenly, a voice sounded behind him:
"So... this is your hiding place."
"Not as concealed as I imagined."
Hearing this voice, Inaba Kagerōza nearly jumped out of his skin.
He leaped up abruptly and turned to look behind him.
There stood Satoru, who had somehow appeared in the room, curiously observing the surrounding furnishings.
"Satoru?!!"
Inaba Kagerōza shrieked, his voice cracking with panic.
"Yep, it's me, it's me."
Satoru nodded, pulling up a chair for himself and sitting down.
"Kagerōza, have a seat."
He gestured with his chin toward the seat opposite him.
Inaba Kagerōza: "..."
He wanted to tell Satoru that it was his chair.
But due to the latter's bizarre method of appearance, he found himself at a loss for words and could only instinctively follow Satoru's instruction.
After Inaba Kagerōza sat down, Satoru nodded with satisfaction.
Inaba Kagerōza stared blankly at the man before him.
The laboratory door hadn't even opened—where had this guy come from?
He was a man of few words. After joining the Gotei 13, his inability to master his Zanpakutō's power had made him the target of his colleagues' mockery, further cementing his somewhat low self-esteem and introverted nature.
Although he had now become the master of the modified souls, attaining extraordinary status and power, centuries of habit weren't so easily broken.
Through a screen, he could freely boast and sneer at Satoru.
But face-to-face with such an imposing presence, his confidence instantly withered.
After a moment's hesitation, he ventured cautiously:
"You are... Captain Mikami, right?"
"What brings you to the Twelfth Division?"
Hearing this, Satoru grinned.
"Look at what you're saying... Since I called you by name directly, of course I'm here for you."
Inaba Kagerōza fell silent for two seconds.
The constrained smile vanished from his face, replaced by an icy gloom.
"As expected of Captain Mikami. It seems all those previous actions were just an act to lull me into complacency."
"Since you've found this place, you're certainly not here for idle chatter."
As he spoke, his Reiatsu began to surge.
But before he could do anything, Satoru raised his hand:
"Hold on. We can talk first."
Talk?
Inaba Kagerōza frowned, wondering what he could possibly have to discuss with this guy.
One was a villain seeking to destroy the Soul Society, the other the successor to the Captain-Commander—theoretically, their relationship should be as incompatible as fire and water.
Satoru pulled out a notebook, his expression turning serious.
"Teacher Kagerōza, I've always been curious—where did you obtain the data for the Spearhead Project?"
"To my knowledge, the person in charge of the Spearhead Project was Sōya Azashiro. After he was imprisoned, all materials related to the project were ordered destroyed by Central 46. There's no way any should have leaked out."
Hearing this, Inaba Kagerōza's lips curled into a smirk.
So that's what Satoru wanted to ask.
If Satoru had questioned him about boring concepts like "righteousness," "duty," or "integrity," he wouldn't have said a word.
But if they were discussing this topic, he was suddenly wide awake.
Under Satoru's gaze, Inaba Kagerōza perfectly fulfilled a villainous boss's obligatory exposition duty:
"Regarding that, I actually have to thank you, Captain Mikami."
"Just as you said, over two hundred years ago, the Spearhead Project was abruptly terminated, and all data was ordered destroyed."
"At the time, I desperately tried to salvage the materials, but the Shinigami sent by Central 46 had already stormed our research institute."
"In my desperation, I came up with a solution."
"First, I used equipment to convert all the Spearhead Project data into special Reishi particles that could only be decoded with a dedicated device."
"Then, using my Zanpakutō's ability, I opened a gate to the Dangai and threw those Reishi particles into the Kōtotsu."
"The investigation by Central 46 was extremely thorough. All materials transferred out by others were discovered and destroyed. Only the copy I threw into the Kōtotsu left no trace for Central 46 to follow."
"After that, I've been waiting for an opportunity to retrieve those documents."
"Originally, I thought it would take at least several decades before I could accomplish this. I never expected your battle with Captain-Commander Yamamoto in the Dangai would directly shatter the Kōtotsu!"
"At the location where you fought, I brought instruments to extract samples and indeed found the special Reishi I had thrown in back then!"
"It was precisely this unexpected fortune that allowed me to restart the Spearhead Project and create these replicas!"
Hearing this, Satoru showed an expression of sudden understanding.
So that's how it was - hidden inside the Kōtotsu.
He had originally thought Inaba Kagerōza launched this rebellion because he targeted the opportunity when Head Captain Yamamoto wasn't around.
Now it seemed this person might not have thought that far ahead at all - he simply retrieved the documents and immediately began reproducing his research from back then, putting it into action.
Thinking about it this way, he was quite the man of action, with strong execution capabilities.
Raising his hand, he adjusted the glasses he had taken from Aizen.
"I roughly understand the situation now... I'm quite honored to have been able to help Teacher Kagerōza."
"Teacher Kagerōza, I have another question."
Under Satoru's repeated address of "Teacher," Inaba Kagerōza's expression visibly improved, with a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
His sitting posture also relaxed from its initial stiffness.
"As everyone knows, the products of the Spearhead Project were merely replacements for ordinary Shinigami, meant to be consumed as cannon fodder. Their actual combat power couldn't even compare to lieutenant-level - a single lieutenant could easily handle over a dozen of them."
"What method did you use to make these modified souls possess such powerful strength?"
Hearing this, the smile disappeared from Inaba Kagerōza's face.
"Captain Mikami, if you were a researcher, would you share the core content of your research with others for free?"
"Especially when the other party is your opponent?"
"Opponent? What opponent?"
Satoru stood up angrily, looking around.
After a few seconds, he sat back in his chair:
"Rest assured, Teacher Kagerōza, there are only the two of us here - no opponents!"
"..."
Inaba Kagerōza's expression became complicated.
What's with this guy?
Whether as Eleventh Division captain or acting captain-commander, he shouldn't be such an unreliable person.
Though he really wanted to complain, this wasn't his style.
After several seconds of silence, he narrowed his eyes.
"Captain Mikami, it's not impossible for me to answer you."
"But, in exchange, I want to examine your body."
Satoru was taken aback.
"This examination... is it the proper kind?"
"What do you mean?"
Kagerōza was puzzled.
Since when did physical examinations come in proper and improper varieties?
However, he didn't particularly care about this.
Without waiting for Satoru's response, he continued:
"I've replicated most of the captains and lieutenants in Seireitei."
"I've also replicated most of the seated officers from the Eleventh Division."
"All these operations were completed successfully."
"Although there were some issues with the replication process for Shinji Hirako, Sōsuke Aizen, and Kaname Tōsen, I adjusted their Reishi samples by pushing them back several decades and successfully replicated them."
"Only you... no matter what method I use or how much Reishi I collect, I cannot replicate you."
"What exactly is wrong with you four, especially you? Why does such a unique situation occur?"
"I'm very eager to figure this out. So, as long as you let me examine your body, I'll tell you how I managed to replicate Captain-level fighters!"
Hearing Inaba Kagerōza's words, Satoru stroked his chin.
Himself, Sōsuke, Kaname, Shinji Hirako...
What commonality did these four share?
After a few seconds of thought, a look of realization crossed his face.
That's right - all four of them had undergone Hollowfication and mastered Hollow power.
Pushing the Reishi samples back several decades likely meant he had replicated their pre-Hollowfication versions.
These versions were quite outdated.
Seeing Satoru remain silent, Inaba Kagerōza suddenly showed an angry expression.
"As I thought! Those were all lies to deceive me!"
"You people always talk so sweetly, approaching others on your own terms without considering their feelings, then being the first to run away when you find they don't have the value you imagined!"
"Those damned nobles are like this, those garbage Shinigami are like this, and you're no different!"
Watching Inaba Kagerōza's sudden outburst, Satoru raised an eyebrow.
Sounded like a psychologically wounded, withdrawn child.
Quite the classic villain setup.
He shook his head:
"It's not exactly deception... mainly because I promised Sōsuke earlier that only people he approves of can examine my body and conduct research on me."
"Although I'm quite easygoing, having made a promise, it wouldn't be good to break it."
Inaba Kagerōza sneered:
"A ridiculous excuse."
"But it doesn't matter... Satoru, I've been waiting for you here for a long time!"
"If you hadn't come and stayed hidden in the Living World, that would have been one thing. But since you've delivered yourself to my doorstep, don't blame others!"
As he spoke, he swiftly drew his Zanpakutō:
"Dance wildly, Raikū!!"
In a flash of light, the sword in his hand transformed into a long pole with blades at both ends.
Gripping this double-headed long sword, Inaba Kagerōza began spinning rapidly like a performer on stage.
With his movements, a spatial portal materialized out of thin air.
Several figures emerged from the spatial portal one after another.
Yoruichi Shihōin, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Shunsui Kyōraku, Kenpachi Zaraki, Jūshirō Ukitake.
A full five Captain-level fighters appeared together before Satoru!
Looking at the five Captains he had summoned, Inaba Kagerōza showed a smile.
"What do you think, Satoru!"
"I know you're strong in combat, but what does that matter? I have five Captains here, two of whom are veteran top-tier combatants of the Soul Society!"
Observing the Captains before him, Satoru crossed his arms and nodded.
"Truly formidable, unstoppable!"
Disregarding actual combat and just looking at Reiatsu intensity, these captains were actually a bit stronger than the originals.
It was just absurd.
How was something so unreasonable even created?
Inaba Kagerōza first smirked proudly.
Then, he frowned.
Despite being in a desperate situation, this guy Satoru still maintained a condescending, instructive attitude.
This guy probably hadn't realized his predicament yet.
He gripped his Zanpakutō and pointed forward:
"Take him down!"
Without hesitation, the five captains drew their Zanpakutō and charged at Satoru.
In the small laboratory, Satoru walked among the five captains, occasionally twisting his waist or tilting his head to dodge their slashes.
After taking a few steps and evading several attacks, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi by the neck.
Crack!
Under Inaba Kagerōza's astonished gaze, Satoru twisted and snapped Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi's neck.
Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi's body went limp, collapsing to the ground with his neck grotesquely twisted.
Pop!
His body shattered into sand, leaving only a red Gigai pill behind.
After taking down one, Satoru didn't pause for even a moment.
He stomped forward, using the momentum to throw a punch—
Double·One Bone!
Jūshirō Ukitake flashed in front of him, blocking his path.
He raised his arms, and over a dozen layers of Reiatsu shields materialized in the air.
Satoru's punch struck them, erupting in a shockwave of air, but it failed to injure Ukitake.
Satoru wasn't surprised by this.
Among all the captains, Ukitake was undoubtedly one of the strongest.
As long as his tuberculosis didn't flare up, his combat ability was on par with Shunsui Kyōraku.
Many believed that when the two of them confronted Yamamoto at Sōkyoku Hill, Yamamoto had held back.
In reality, Yamamoto rarely went all out in most battles.
Especially his Bankai—he would never use it unless absolutely necessary.
Facing this rebellion from his two disciples, Yamamoto had already adopted a serious stance in his normal state.
Even so, he hadn't been able to swiftly defeat the two troublemakers, which spoke volumes about their strength.
The moment Ukitake blocked him, Satoru seemed to sense it and immediately retreated.
Shunsui Kyōraku's black greatsword sliced through the air where he had just been standing.
"My, my… As expected of our junior brother, dodging so effortlessly."
Shunsui adjusted his straw hat and smiled at Satoru.
"Sorry, Satoru. We don't want to do this either."
Ukitake wore a complicated expression as he apologized.
Looking at the two before him, Satoru felt a bit conflicted.
His instincts told him that these two "senior brothers" were fakes, artificially created modified souls.
But whether by sight, Reiatsu perception, or even their demeanor, they were almost indistinguishable from the originals.
Inaba Kagerōza's replication technique was truly unnerving.
He drew his Zanpakutō and raised it overhead.
CLANG!!!!
Amid Kenpachi Zaraki's roaring laughter, a terrifying force traveled down the blade and surged into Satoru's arm.
Behind him, Kenpachi Zaraki bared his teeth in a beastly, ferocious grin.
Gripping his sword with one hand, he pressed down with all his might, trying to break Satoru's defense.
Satoru remained expressionless. While holding back Kenpachi's strike, he glanced at his two fake senior brothers.
"Where's the copy of our teacher? Why isn't he here?"
Kyōraku blinked, remaining silent.
Ukitake seemed to want to explain, but ultimately said nothing.
Satoru, however, appeared to understand something and nodded:
"So that's it. I get it now. It's because Instructor Inaba's technical skills are limited, so he couldn't replicate the Captain."
Hearing this, Inaba Kagerōza couldn't hold back.
He angrily retorted, "It's just a material issue! My technique itself is flawless... It's Yamamoto Shigekuni's Reiatsu that's too powerful—no material can contain his soul, which is why it couldn't be created!"
Satoru chuckled slyly.
"Actually, I didn't really understand what these two seniors meant. I was just testing the waters."
"?!"
Inaba Kagerōza's face darkened, feeling as frustrated as if he'd been kicked by Komamura.
Just as he was about to say something, he saw Satoru suddenly exclaim in surprise and look over in his direction.
Staring at Inaba Kagerōza, Satoru showed a puzzled expression.
Among the several Captains present, there was one person whose real and replicated versions he could distinguish even without relying on intuition.
That was Jūshirō Ukitake.
The real Jūshirō Ukitake had a mysterious power within his body, silently protecting his internal organs.
Though he had never asked about it directly, based on various fragmented pieces of information he'd gathered from his past life browsing the internet, he inferred that it must be the "Soul King's Right Arm" inside Ukitake's body.
Its aura was very similar to the Soul King's fingertip fragment within Rangiku.
Because he hadn't sensed it in the fake, he found this detail somewhat intriguing.
And it was precisely this curiosity that made him suddenly detect a faint trace of a Soul King Fragment's aura emanating from Inaba Kagerōza's location.
While fending off the several people entangled around him, he quickly scanned Inaba Kagerōza from head to toe.
Nothing.
None of the body parts emitted any fluctuations of a Soul King Fragment.
Then, there was only one answer!
Yoruichi, who had been hiding in the corner without making a move, saw Satoru distracted and seized the opportunity without hesitation.
She pushed off with her feet, instantly crossing half the room's distance.
Lightning-infused Reiatsu surged from her shoulders, accelerating her fist with tremendous force as she slammed it toward Satoru!
At the same time, Kyōraku and Ukitake both cast Kidō.
Kenpachi Zaraki released his terrifyingly dense Reiatsu, all of it pressing down on Satoru.
The combined attack of five top-tier Captains would surely spell doom for even Soul Society's sturdiest shield, Hinamori Momo!
Yet, faced with this terrifying onslaught, Satoru showed no reaction. He merely spoke slowly:
"Bankai!"
BOOM!!!!
A massive pillar of Reiatsu erupted, shattering the Technical Department's roof and shooting straight into the sky!
The intense shockwave sent Yoruichi flying backward, slamming hard against the wall.
The Kidō spells released by Kyōraku and Ukitake were instantly shattered.
Even Kenpachi Zaraki, with his overwhelming Reiatsu, couldn't control his body and was forced back several steps.
Having repelled the Captains, Satoru grinned wildly and charged straight at Inaba Kagerōza.
His massive metal claw aimed directly for Inaba Kagerōza's chest!
"!!!"
Inaba Kagerōza's face twisted in horror.
He tried to react, but his body, lacking real combat experience, couldn't keep up with Satoru's insane speed.
By the time he had raised his Zanpakutō halfway, Satoru's metal claw was already at his chest!
But the expected pain never came.
The metal claw stopped right in front of his chest, as if blocked by something invisible.
Under Inaba Kagerōza's somewhat astonished gaze, Satoru maintained his forward clawing posture, pausing in place for half a second.
Then, he abruptly flew backward.
"Argh! I can't take it anymore!!"
With a thunderous crash, Satoru smashed through the wall and crashed into the adjacent room, sending clouds of dust billowing everywhere.
Inaba Kagerōza's face was full of shock and suspicion.
He glanced at the direction where Satoru had flown out, then looked down at his own chest, shifting his gaze back and forth several times.
Then, as if discovering a new continent, his eyes suddenly lit up with an excited expression.
"Satoru... was directly blasted away by the Reiatsu I erupted in a critical moment?!"
"Heh... Hahaha!!"
"So that's it! I've already become this powerful?!"
Inaba Kagerōza was ecstatic.
Shunsui Kyōraku's replica slightly frowned.
"Lord Inaba, I suspect there might be some trickery here..."
As the strongest presence on the scene, he hadn't detected any such capability from Inaba Kagerōza.
In his view, Satoru clearly could have directly pierced through Inaba Kagerōza earlier, yet inexplicably stopped.
While he couldn't rule out some miraculous phenomenon occurring with Kagerōza, he thought it more likely that Satoru had voluntarily withdrawn.
Hearing Shunsui Kyōraku's words, Inaba Kagerōza frowned.
He thought Kyōraku was talking nonsense.
As the mastermind behind the entire incident, killing him would resolve everything.
Satoru wasn't a fool - why would he hold back at such a critical moment?
What just happened was clearly some marvelous phenomenon occurring within him, similar to a breakthrough in combat or unleashing extraordinary strength in desperate situations.
He opened his mouth to say something.
But immediately after, he suddenly realized something with alarm.
"Damn, that room is..."
"Hurry! After him! Stop that guy!"
Following Inaba Kagerōza's order, the four captains rushed through the hole Satoru had made into the adjacent room.
Kagerōza himself didn't hesitate either, grabbing Raikū and jumping through.
Waving his hand to disperse the dust in the air, when he saw the scene before him, he wore an expression as if he'd just screwed Komamura.
In the room, a tall glass cultivation tank stood upright, connected to various pipes and wires.
The problem was, the thing that should have been soaking inside the tank was gone.
A hole had been broken open in the outer wall of the tank, and the nutrient fluid inside had spilled all over the floor.
The object that had been soaking inside, along with Satoru, who had been blasted away by the impact, had vanished without a trace, their whereabouts unknown.
"Sa! To! Ru!!!"
Inaba Kagerōza's furious roar echoed through the research institute.
...
...
Eleventh Division, a secret laboratory.
This was a newly constructed temporary laboratory that Aizen and Satoru had set up after returning to the Soul Society.
Uncertain about how many people Inaba Kagerōza had replicated or how many laboratories had been compromised, Aizen had decided to abandon all their previous labs.
At the moment, Aizen was sitting in front of a screen, intently reviewing data.
Hearing the sound of the door opening behind him, he placed his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutō and spoke without turning his head:
"Back?"
"My name is Satoru."
"What are you talking about?"
"This is my first time in the Seireitei."
Hearing Satoru's two completely unrelated responses, Aizen nodded and moved his hand away from his Zanpakutō.
He turned around, intending to ask what gains had been made from this mission.
But when he turned and saw Satoru's appearance, Aizen's face darkened.
This guy was carrying a young girl slung over his shoulder.
The girl was wearing only a simple white dress, which was heavily wrinkled, as if it had been wet before and forcibly dried using Satoru's Reiatsu.
She lay unconscious over Satoru's shoulder, looking like a piece of luggage.
What in the world had this guy been doing at the Twelfth Division?
"What is this?"
"Hmph, don't be shocked when I tell you."
Satoru, still carrying the girl, placed one hand on his hip.
"This is the mastermind behind this entire incident!"
"?"
A question mark appeared above Aizen's head.
On their first day back in the Seireitei, he had located the man named "Inaba Kagerōza" based on Satoru's description.
At that time, Satoru had confirmed it was definitely this man.
How could it have changed in the blink of an eye?
Just as he was about to ask Satoru if he was in his right mind, the guy continued:
"The mastermind... the key character needed!"
Originally, he had mostly forgotten the settings related to the Reigai arc.
It wasn't until his conversation with Kagerōza just now that the plot details started flooding back into his mind.
Especially after seeing this green-haired girl, he became certain of his memories.
"This girl and Inaba Kagerōza are two individuals split from the same soul, somewhat similar to Starkk and Lilynette."
"When the Reigai project was abandoned, one of the researchers responsible for the project split his soul into two, thus evading capture by Central 46 and successfully transitioning from the open to the shadows."
"Inaba Kagerōza represents the ambitious, dark side, while this girl embodies the kind, bright side."
Aizen was somewhat surprised.
As expected of a researcher capable of participating in the Reigai project—their methods were remarkable and clearly demonstrated their abilities.
He stood up and examined the girl's condition.
"Quite weak, and shows signs of long-term exposure to sedative medications. Her physical condition is poor."
"Fortunately, I prepared a life-support chamber, originally intended for Inaba Kagerōza. It's perfect for her use now."
"After a few days of recuperation, she should recover."
After directing Satoru to place the girl into the tank and adjusting some data, Aizen sat down to listen to Satoru recount the mission's details.
Since the target was a participant in the Vanguard Project and skilled in scientific research—potentially possessing special methods—Aizen hadn't equipped Satoru with any signal-transmitting devices to avoid detection.
When Satoru mentioned that Inaba Kagerōza possessed a Soul King Fragment, Aizen's expression shifted to one of realization.
"I see... That explains it."
"That explains it..."
He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and pondered for a moment.
After a few minutes, he reopened them.
"From your description, the fragment within Inaba Kagerōza must be the 'Breath of the Soul King.'"
"Breath?"
Satoru was taken aback.
Could something like that even fragment?
Aizen explained plainly, "To put it simply, it's the Soul King's lungs."
"As the creator of the world, the Soul King's breath can freely absorb and release Reishi."
"He likely used this ability to infuse the modified souls with vast amounts of Reishi, creating entities far surpassing the originals."
Hearing this, Satoru nodded in understanding.
Gazing at the green-haired girl submerged in the tank, Aizen curled his lips into a smile.
Inaba Kagerōza...
What a generous man he was.
Just from this incident alone, the conveniences and gains he had brought were almost unimaginably abundant.
Once he captured him and placed him in a tank, he would surely provide him with the highest quality nutrient solution.
...
...
In a daze, Kujō Nozomi slowly opened her eyes.
What greeted her wasn't the dim laboratory or the nutrient solution with occasional bubbles, but an unfamiliar ceiling.
Where... was she?
As confusion set in, she suddenly noticed a head leaning in from the side—
"Ohayō, onii-chan, time to wake up."
"If you don't get up soon, I'll..."
Trailing off, the man flashed a peculiar smile, as if everything was left unsaid.
Startled, the girl instinctively sat up, shrinking against the wall and pulling the blanket over herself.
Then, as if remembering something, she glanced down at her body beneath the covers.
Thankfully, she was wearing clean, tidy clothes.
...
Wait?
Under Satoru's smiling gaze, she looked down again.
These weren't the clothes she had worn in the cultivation tank!
The realization of her new attire exploded in her mind like fireworks.
Who had changed her clothes?!
As if guessing her thoughts, Satoru smiled and said:
"Don't worry, I changed your clothes myself. No one else saw."
That's exactly what I'm worried about!
Kujō Nozomi stared wide-eyed, momentarily speechless.
But soon, her expression shifted from shock and anger to surprise.
A Captain's Haori... Was he a captain of the Gotei 13?
No, he could be an imposter, a replicated being.
She frowned slightly, deep in thought.
Seeing her silence, Satoru pointed to the side:
"Have something to eat first. Sōsuke said you've been in the tank for too long and shouldn't eat regular food, so I had someone prepare some congee and such."
With that, he walked over, sat in a chair, and picked up a game console to play.
The girl turned her head and glanced at the meal tray beside her.
As the aroma of food reached her, her stomach emitted a soft growl.
However, even so, her long period of confinement had filled her with distrust toward everything around her.
She took a deep breath:
"You... who exactly are you? Why am I here?"
While skillfully opening the game interface, Satoru chuckled:
"Knowing five hundred years past and five hundred years future, I am the omniscient and omnipotent man whose wisdom surpasses all ages and talent illuminates the world... Captain of the Eleventh Division, Satoru!"
Though most of his attention was already focused on the game screen, he could now recite this introduction unconsciously and without any pressure.
As soon as he finished speaking, the girl suddenly widened her eyes.
"You're Satoru!"
"Indeed."
Satoru lifted his chin and opened the online connection interface.
Looking at the man sitting there, Nozomi Kujō even forgot about her meal.
She got off the bed and came directly before Satoru.
"You're really Satoru?"
"Genuine as can be."
"Can you show me your Zanpakutō release?"
Under the girl's nervous yet somewhat expectant gaze, Satoru drew Risō Jakumetsu and recited the release command.
Twin blades burning with blue flames came to rest on his knees.
Seeing these Zanpakutō, the girl seemed to shed some heavy burden, her eyes gaining more luster.
Then, she showed a serious expression.
"Captain Mikami, I have important information to report!"
Hearing this, Satoru had no choice but to put down his controller.
Retrieving pen and paper from the Shadow Space, he nodded:
"Go ahead."
Under Satoru's gaze, the girl began recounting Inaba Kagerōza's experiences, abilities, and various intelligence regarding the Vanguard Project.
She held nothing back, as if she had long resolved to disclose everything.
"...And that covers the entire sequence of events."
"Captain Mikami, you are now the only one in the entire Seireitei whom Inaba Kagerōza cannot replicate—the only one capable of saving everything!"
"You must stop his scheme!"
Staring at the blank sheet before him, Satoru felt as frustrated as if he'd been tricked by a cat.
After listening for so long, it was all information he already knew.
He might as well have been gaming instead.
Still, he had to admit, watching Kujō Nozomi recount everything with such a stoic expression was its own kind of pleasure.
After a moment's thought, he adopted a serious expression.
"Asking me to stop Kagerōza isn't impossible."
"But it depends on your sincerity."
"Sincerity?"
The girl was slightly taken aback.
Just as Satoru was about to continue, a figure Flash Stepped into the room.
Suì-Feng's gaze was icy, her face expressionless as she reported:
"Scum-sama, there is a disturbance at the First Division barracks."
"A group of replicated captains are confronting the original captains."
Hearing this, Nozomi's heart sank.
Inaba Kagerōza had made his move.
No doubt, her escape had provoked him.
As two halves of a split soul, they must reunite to restore the original's full power.
Kagerōza would never allow half his strength to remain adrift...
She had to make a choice.
Should she keep running, ignoring everyone else's fate?
Or sacrifice herself to buy time for Satoru and the others to find a path to victory?
Instinctively, she looked to Satoru, wondering what this man was thinking.
She saw him break into a wide grin.
"Good, very good."
"Everything is proceeding as planned... I'll gladly claim this victory!"
"BWAHAHAHA!!"
Watching the man laugh heartily like a diving club member exuding thick villainous energy, Nozomi fell deep into thought.
Had she really chosen the right person...?