Soul Society, Seireitei.
Even though the sun was shining brightly, the Seireitei was still shrouded in an oppressive atmosphere. The patrolling squad members kept their hands on their sword guards, looking as if they were ready for battle at any moment.
On the training grounds of the Second Division, two petite figures collided and crossed paths at high speed, the clashing sounds of blades ringing incessantly.
The Shihakushō worn by Momo Hinamori and Rukia had been sliced open in several places by each other. Every strike they made carried their full strength; even if they accidentally cut a bloody streak on the other's body, they had no intention of stopping.
Their chests heaved slightly, stray hairs sticking to their skin by their ears, as fine beads of sweat flowed continuously down their fair skin.
Wiping the sweat from their chins, the two exchanged a look and tacitly walked to the nearby stone steps to sit down.
Staring into her own eyes reflected on the blade, Momo Hinamori spoke bitterly:
"Rukia, is practicing like this really useful for us now...? Even the Zanpakutō are gone... even if our Reiatsu has improved a little..."
Rukia pursed her lips tightly and did not answer.
After a long time, the two raised their heads in unison, looking toward the sky above Sōkyoku Hill—the place where the person they admired had departed.
"The Captain-Commander said that Muramasa will definitely attack the Seireitei again with the Zanpakutō."
"When that time comes, perhaps Teacher Soifon will also appear in order to retrieve her blade spirit..."
After saying this, Rukia took a deep breath and stood up again, holding her sword and walking to the center of the field, ready to start the second round of sparring.
Glancing at Yoruichi and Unohana who were watching from the side, Momo Hinamori listlessly carried her sword to follow the other's footsteps, though she was still muttering a bit in her heart.
Even Miss Yoruichi and Captain Unohana teaming up couldn't take down Teacher Soifon. No matter how hard the two of them tried, it would be of no use, right...?
They weren't protagonists in a novel who could suddenly explode with power just like that.
Leaning against the shadows of the wall, Yoruichi Shihōin spoke to Unohana Retsu beside her: "Say... how do we win now?"
"To whom are you referring, Miss Yoruichi?" Unohana watched the two sparring without looking away. "Win against Captain Soifon, or win against that Muramasa?"
Yoruichi Shihōin's eyes flickered, and she finally said insincerely: "Muramasa, I guess..."
"It seems... Miss Yoruichi also knows that with our current strength, we cannot beat Captain Soifon."
Unohana Retsu let out a self-deprecating chuckle.
"Tsk, being so pessimistic isn't like you."
Having her inner thoughts exposed, Yoruichi was a bit displeased.
"I have no choice but to be pessimistic, Miss Yoruichi."
"Do you know? The strength Captain Soifon displayed that day is already not far off from Yhwach, the King of the Quincy from a thousand years ago."
"In the battle back then, it was only with the help of Vice-Captain Sasakibe that the Captain-Commander barely managed to kill him."
"Although the current Captain-Commander is much stronger than a thousand years ago..."
However, if Soifon were to attack the Seireitei while the Captain-Commander was wary of Muramasa, the Captains without their Zanpakutō abilities would likely not be enough to fight her.
After pausing for a moment, Unohana Retsu changed the subject: "However, perhaps the future of the Seireitei will rely on you, Miss Yoruichi."
"Huh?"
Yoruichi Shihōin didn't understand.
"Has Miss Yoruichi forgotten that kiss between you and Captain Soifon?"
Unohana turned her head with a beaming smile to look at Yoruichi.
"Cough... that's enough out of you. By the way, have you found out where Muramasa is hiding?"
A rare shy blush actually appeared on Yoruichi Shihōin's honey-colored skin, and she turned her head away, no longer paying attention to Unohana's teasing.
...
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Rukongai.
The Zanpakutō had already entered Soul Society silently. Walking beside Muramasa, Kōga Kuchiki took a breath of the long-absent air, the bloodthirsty look on his face becoming increasingly manic.
Standing at the very front of the formation, Kyōka Suigetsu sensed his abnormality and glanced back lightly.
In an instant, the excitement Kōga Kuchiki had just built up froze; his smile vanished.
"Kōga Kuchiki, no matter how great your resentment is, you can only go find the members of the Kuchiki Clan, understand?"
Seeing that the other party dared not flare up, Kyōka Suigetsu threatened with a smile.
"What did you say?!"
"Shouldn't we concentrate on the First Division, seize the Captain-Commander's Ryūjin Jakka, and then destroy the Seireitei in one fell swoop?!"
Ignoring Muramasa's obstruction, Kōga Kuchiki angrily stepped forward to the three blade spirits in front and questioned them.
"Apologies, we have no intention of destroying the Seireitei, only a simple invasion."
"Destruction is just your wishful thinking, Kōga Kuchiki."
Suzumebachi turned around in the air, hands on her hips.
"You've got to be kidding..."
In the end, it was Kōga Kuchiki who unilaterally backed down, taking Senbonzakura and rushing ahead toward the Kuchiki Clan manor.
He was afraid that if he talked back any further, they wouldn't even allow him to seek revenge on the Kuchiki family.
"Alright, it's time for us to cause a scene too."
Tobiume and Sode no Shirayuki walked out side by side.
"Finally waited for this day." Tobiume stretched her waist. "I wonder what kind of expression Momo will have when she sees me?"
"Save it with your love-struck fool of an owner." Sode no Shirayuki rolled her eyes. "I wonder if Rukia has practiced properly after leaving me."
Haineko played with the fine sand in her hands: "I don't see it that way. Without their blade spirits, they should be hiding somewhere crying their eyes out right now."
Listening to the conversation of the blade spirits, Kyōka Suigetsu stood quietly to the side. She tilted her head slightly to look at Suzumebachi beside her: "Are you sure... Sōsuke will come?"
"Of course!" Suzumebachi puffed out her flat chest. "I already told her the news of today's attack back when we were in the World of the Living that day!"
Listening to Suzumebachi's solemn vow, Kyōka Suigetsu chuckled softly, causing the blade spirits around her to shudder without cold.
"That is good, that is good..." Kyōka Suigetsu's voice sounded as ethereal as a dream. "I... have wanted to teach Sōsuke a good lesson for a long time."
Although the tone was gentle, the surrounding air inexplicably dropped several degrees. Zangetsu silently shifted to the side, and Suzumebachi subconsciously shrank her neck.
Truly, like master like sword; the Zanpakutō of that scheming man, Sōsuke Aizen, was indeed an abnormal existence!
After a moment of silence, Zangetsu hesitated before asking: "Ichigo... will he come?"
Suzumebachi blinked: "That I don't know."
Hearing this, Zangetsu added in a low voice: "If possible, I do not wish to fight with Ichigo."
As his voice fell, the gazes of several surrounding Zanpakutō were cast over in curiosity.
"——?" Tobiume dragged out the syllable, her face full of gossip. "Since you don't want to fight your master, why did you run over here with us?"
Zangetsu was silent for a long time.
"If I didn't come here," Zangetsu finally said in a low voice, "I also wouldn't be able to... go to Ichigo's side."
Tobiume wanted to ask more, but was gently pulled by the sleeve by Sode no Shirayuki, who shook her head at her.
Seeing this, Suzumebachi clapped her hands, breaking the somewhat heavy atmosphere: "Alright, it's about time. That guy Kōga Kuchiki has been gone for a while; he should have already caused a commotion."
Boom, boom, boom—!
Explosions sounded one after another, mixed with the loud noise of collapsing buildings and rising dust, coming from the direction of the Kuchiki family in the Noble District, accompanied by obvious Reiatsu fluctuations and ground tremors.
On the Second Division training grounds, Momo Hinamori and Rukia stopped their movements simultaneously, turning their heads abruptly to look in the direction where the explosions came from.
In the distance, smoke and dust could be seen rising from the Noble District area.
Almost simultaneously, the figures of Sode no Shirayuki and Tobiume appeared silently on the roof of the Second Division barracks.
Sode no Shirayuki slowly raised her hand. The moisture in the air froze rapidly, turning into countless sharp ice spikes that shot toward the courtyard and buildings below!
Beside her, Tobiume waved the seven-branched sword in her hand forward. Several massive fireballs condensed out of thin air, dragging blazing tails as they smashed ruthlessly toward the Second Division's office building.
In an instant, a world of ice and fire transformed the Second Division station into a messy battlefield.
Further away, chaotic loud noises and shouts of killing came from other directions as well.
Sajin Komamura's Tenken transformed into a giant, collapsing houses wherever it passed.
The dust incarnated by Haineko mixed with the ice crystal storm created by Hyōrinmaru, executing an extremely rare cooperative technique, leaving behind deep gouges and shattered ice crystals.
In front of the First Division barracks.
The materialized forms of three Zanpakutō—Gonryōmaru, Katen Kyōkotsu, and Sōgyo no Kotowari—stood side by side, facing Chōjirō Sasakibe who rushed out of the barracks, as well as Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
"Oh my, oh my..." Katen played with her own hair tips. "I didn't expect such speed, Chōjirō..."
"Apologies, the way ahead is forbidden." Shunsui Kyōraku touched the bamboo hat on his head. "If possible, I don't want to draw my blade against Little Katen either."
By now, most of the Zanpakutō had matched up with their respective masters.
War was on the verge of breaking out, and the entire Seireitei had turned into a pot of chaotic porridge.
...
Second Division Courtyard.
"Tobiume!"
"Sode no Shirayuki!"
The voices of Momo Hinamori and Rukia rang out simultaneously. The two gripped the Asauchi in their hands tightly, staring dead at those two familiar figures on the roof.
"Why?!" Momo Hinamori's shout carried a sobbing tone. "Why attack the Seireitei?! Attack the Second Division?!"
Tobiume lightly covered her mouth with her wide sleeve:
"Hehe... Momo, you are still so naive."
"Attacking the Seireitei was not my idea; I am merely acting on orders."
"Acting on orders?!" Momo Hinamori's pupils constricted, and then anger surged in her heart. "You actually listened to the orders of that ugly guy Muramasa?! Tobiume! You have disappointed me too much!"
Compared to Tobiume's betrayal, Tobiume's low taste in aesthetics made Momo Hinamori break down even more.
The smile on Tobiume's face vanished instantly, replaced by a flushed look of offense: "Don't speak nonsense! I didn't listen to that guy Muramasa's orders!"
She put her hands on her hips, glaring at Momo Hinamori angrily: "I can tell you, the plan to invade the Seireitei was formulated by Lady Suzumebachi!"
"That's right." Sode no Shirayuki nodded in agreement from the side. "Just like you listen to Captain Soifon, it's quite normal for us to listen to Lady Suzumebachi, isn't it?"
____
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