During the first holiday of the school year, the special group from Class 1–3 was about to embark on a rather unusual adventure.
As usual, everyone gathered in front of the Urahara Shop.
"Ichigo… Orihime… are you two going on a picnic?" Tsuna asked speechlessly when he saw Ichigo carrying a huge backpack.
"Orihime joined the baking club, remember?" Ichigo replied helplessly. "She made all of this. I couldn't exactly refuse."
"Um… Tsuna," Inoue Orihime asked awkwardly, "can these breads be taken to Soul Society?"
She hadn't thought about it while baking—only realizing the problem afterward.
"It shouldn't be a big issue," Tsuna said.
Then he turned toward Uryū.
"And you—wearing all white. Are you trying to stand out as much as possible?"
"And Chad, once your armor converts into Reishi, its defense will depend entirely on your Reiatsu. Are you sure you want to waste energy like that?"
Chad immediately removed the antique armor he had purchased and returned to his usual sleeveless outfit.
"Welcome, everyone."
At that moment, Urahara Kisuke opened the shop door.
"These are small gifts from our store."
Ururu and Jinta carried out a large box filled with black kimono-style outfits.
"Shopkeeper," Tsuna said while picking one up, "if it's a gift, I don't have to pay, right?"
He poked a hole in the fabric using Hadō #1 — Shō and infused a bit of Reiatsu.
The hole slowly repaired itself.
"Oh my, Tsuna," Urahara said proudly. "These clothes took quite a bit of effort to make. You can't measure them with money."
"Come on," Tsuna said lazily. "It's just old technology from somewhere."
He glanced at Urahara's own outfit.
Given how rarely Urahara changed clothes, Tsuna refused to believe it didn't contain some sort of self-repair mechanism.
"Well, it did require some thought," Urahara replied. "After all, your request was almost approaching one of Soul Society's four great inventions."
What Urahara referred to was the Shihakushō.
However, these clothes lacked the defensive capabilities of a true Shihakushō. They only possessed decorative and self-repair functions.
The inventor of the Shihakushō had already been promoted to the Royal Guard (Zero Division) due to that achievement.
"Except for Ichigo, everyone should change clothes," Tsuna said.
"Soul Society resembles the Edo period. Modern clothing will stand out too much."
"Especially you, Uryū."
Tsuna stuffed an outfit into Uryū's arms.
Even he changed clothes himself—his usual Shihakushō resembled a suit, which was equally conspicuous.
Soon everyone had changed.
Their clothes weren't pure black like Shinigami uniforms but dark gray, making them distinct from real Shihakushō.
"Alright, let's go!" Ichigo said enthusiastically, acting like the leader.
But the moment he turned around—
Urahara poked him in the forehead with a cane.
Ichigo's soul popped out of his body.
"Damn it!" Ichigo yelled while holding his head. "Why do you have so many ways to knock someone's soul out?!"
"Ichigo," Urahara said with a smile, "your vigilance still needs improvement."
"Just open the gate already," Ichigo grumbled.
His experience told him that arguing with Urahara would only get him teased further.
"Not yet," Yoruichi said as she jumped onto Ichigo's head.
After her earlier experience with Tsuna, she no longer dared climb onto his head.
So Ichigo became the new target.
"Not everyone is here yet."
"Not everyone?" Ichigo asked. "Who else would risk going to Soul Society for Rukia?"
"We would, baldy!"
A loud, childish female voice came from outside.
The door opened.
A group Ichigo knew very well walked in—
The Visored.
Unlike their usual modern clothing, they were now wearing authentic Shihakushō.
Some former captains, like Hirako Shinji, had tied their Captain's Haori around themselves instead of wearing it normally.
Just like Kurosaki Isshin, the haori symbolized their former captain status.
Not wearing it properly signified that they no longer belonged to the Gotei 13.
"Hiyori? Shinji? What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked.
"Of course we're going with you, baldy!" Hiyori snapped angrily.
"There are some scores we need to settle with a certain bastard!"
Ichigo didn't fully understand what she meant, but he accepted it.
Watching the Visored chatting with familiar people, he realized something else—
They still weren't the last to arrive.
"Sorry, sorry, we're late."
A lazy male voice echoed.
"Convincing those problem children to stay behind took quite a bit of effort."
"Ginjō," another voice said coldly, "it would've been easier if I stabbed each of them once."
"Tsukishima," Ginjō replied helplessly, "they're our companions."
"Ginjō?" Ichigo exclaimed. "You're coming too?"
"Yes," Kūgo Ginjō said. "I want to uncover the truth about my past in Soul Society. Might as well travel with you."
Ichigo suddenly realized something.
This group had become ridiculously complicated.
Some were here to rescue someone.
Some were here to settle scores.
Some were here to investigate the truth.
"Everyone's here," Yoruichi said as she jumped down.
"Let's go."
She led everyone to a door equipped with a Reishi Conversion Device, capable of converting human bodies like Ginjō's into Reishi.
Passing through the Senkaimon, they entered a dark, endless corridor.
The space resembled a long tunnel with no visible beginning or end.
"So this is Soul Society?" Ichigo asked, looking around.
It was hard to imagine Rukia came from a place like this.
"This isn't Soul Society," Hiyori scoffed.
"This is the Dangai—the space connecting the Human World and Soul Society."
"You reach Soul Society after crossing it, baldy!"
"Move quickly," Yoruichi said as she started running.
"Before the Kōtotsu appears."
"Kōtotsu?" Ichigo asked.
"Think of it like a cleaner," Shinji explained.
"It appears in the Dangai sometimes. Even most Shinigami can't deal with it."
"Keep moving. I'll bring up the rear."
"Bye~" Mashiro Kuna waved playfully as she ran past Ichigo.
"You're not leaving, Tsuna?" Shinji asked without turning his head.
Tsuna stood still beside him.
"The Kōtotsu will arrive soon," Tsuna said.
"I want to see how much you've improved."
Shinji sighed lazily.
"You really see through everything."
He slowly drew his Zanpakutō.
Just then—
A massive spherical object resembling a giant armored vehicle came charging down the Dangai.
The Kōtotsu.
Neither of them looked nervous.
They continued chatting casually.
Only when the Kōtotsu was about to swallow them did Shinji finally speak.
"Collapse, Sakanade."
His Zanpakutō released.
Spinning the ring on its handle lazily—
The enormous Kōtotsu suddenly turned around.
Tsuna blinked in surprise.
"Is the Kōtotsu considered a living creature? Sakanade's ability actually works on it?"
Sakanade's power activated through a scent released by the blade.
Anyone who smelled it would have their perception reversed.
"The trigger may be scent," Shinji explained calmly, "but the target doesn't actually need a sense of smell."
"I only needed to inject Sakanade's scent into the Kōtotsu."
The Zanpakutō returned to its sheath.
With the Kōtotsu moving away, the Dangai was temporarily safe.
Shinji had clearly deepened his understanding of Sakanade.
Normally the Kōtotsu moved according to the flow of Reishi within the Dangai.
Meaning Shinji had inverted its perception of that flow.
Tsuna couldn't help but admire it.
A Zanpakutō that dominated bosses with Shikai, but struggled against mobs with Bankai.
The more Shinji mastered Sakanade, the more terrifying he would become.
"So Tsuna," Shinji asked curiously, "what would you have done if I hadn't acted?"
"Stopping it or blocking it would've been easy," Tsuna replied.
The Rain Flame's Tranquility or the Lightning Flame's Hardening could both defend effectively.
But Tsuna had actually wanted to test whether the Sky Flame's Harmony could petrify the Kōtotsu.
Now that experiment would have to wait.
After chatting briefly, Tsuna and Shinji quickly caught up with the others.
After a long journey through the Dangai, everyone finally reached Urahara's preset exit.
A flash of light later—
They arrived in Soul Society.
Before them stretched rows of thatched houses.
A few pedestrians in simple kimono walked the streets.
Fortunately, Ichigo's group had already changed clothes and didn't look out of place.
"Looks like Kisuke set the exit in Rukongai," Shinji said.
"Brings back memories."
This area lay on the outskirts of Soul Society, with relatively poor living conditions.
Entering here would delay detection by the Seireitei as long as possible.
"Shinji," Tsuna asked, "we're heading to the Shiba Clan. What about you?"
"We're criminals in Soul Society," Shinji replied.
"We'll hide until you cause enough chaos."
The entire Visored group stood beside Tsuna with determined expressions.
"Tsuna," Shinji said seriously, "please drag that man out."
"We're counting on you."
"Don't worry," Tsuna nodded.
"This time he'll step onto the stage in front of everyone."
"You'll get your chance."
He tapped his communication earpiece.
"Remember to keep these on. Call for help immediately if anything happens."
The upgraded device was another creation of Urahara.
It contained a miniature Tenteikūra unit, divided into three communication channels.
"Understood."
"Masks on—move out!"
With Shinji's command, the Visored vanished using Shunpo.
"I'm heading to the Shiba Clan," Tsuna said.
"Yoruichi, please lead the way."
"Shiba Clan?" Yoruichi replied. "Got it. West Rukongai."
"Ichigo frowned.
"Why are we going there? Shouldn't we be rescuing Rukia?"
Tsuna sighed.
"Your old man asked me to take you there."
"Otherwise I wouldn't bother."
Tsuna remembered Isshin shamelessly begging him earlier.
Isshin simply feared Ichigo confronting him about abandoning his clan and division.
It was easier to let Tsuna handle the situation first.
"But—"
"Relax," Tsuna said.
"Rukia's execution is still far away."
"She'll be fine for now."
He followed Yoruichi forward.
For someone like Ichigo—
It was easier to show him the truth directly than try to explain it.
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