Since this incident involved Gikongan, it was clear that the Department of Research and Development was somehow behind it all.
But with Mayuri Kurotsuchi currently missing, finding the truth wasn't going to be easy.
Ichigo, Rukia, and Senna returned once more to the Seireitei to investigate, while Yoruichi created distractions to buy them time.
Inside the Twelfth Division's surveillance room, Rukia sifted through the backup records of the Dangai.
Not only did she find footage of Rangiku and Nanao, but she also discovered images of the mysterious green-haired girl that Senna had brought home.
And… a classified order from the Soul Society: terminate her.
—Back in the World of the Living—
The mysterious green-haired girl finally awoke.
After borrowing some clothes from Yuzu, she casually laid on the sofa, watching TV like she owned the place.
Later that night…
The green-yellow-haired man appeared outside Ichigo's house, bringing along Kira Izuru and Ise Nanao.
But the green-haired girl clearly sensed their arrival and fled the house the moment they showed up.
Unfortunately for her, that mysterious man had no intention of letting her escape so easily.
"Nōzomi Kujō, stop running! Come quietly!" Kira and Nanao shouted as they gave chase.
Nōzomi, however, showed no fear. She continued to run on her own terms.
Nanao, realizing pursuit alone wouldn't work, abandoned incantation and shouted,
"Bakudō #62: Hyapporankan!"
Dozens of glowing purple rods shot forward, forcing Nōzomi to drop out of the sky.
Yet even as she fell, she still wasn't afraid.
"Hadō #58: Tenran!" she shouted with a single hand.
A powerful wind storm blew Kira and Nanao back instantly.
She vanished again with a Shunpo.
Clearly, Nōzomi wasn't some ordinary girl—she was powerful.
She fled into a nearby factory—only to find that green-yellow-haired man already waiting.
"Bakudō #33: Sōkatsui!"
Three sharp golden beams shot at Nōzomi, attempting to bind her. But she easily sidestepped the attack.
The man took that opening to rush in and slam his staff into her gut, knocking her unconscious.
"Kira, Nanao—take her back," he ordered coldly.
But just then—
A blue spiritual arrow shot toward the three of them!
"Who's there?!" the man shouted, dodging the arrow midair.
It was Uryū Ishida!
"Forcing a girl to go back against her will… Pretty disgusting," Ishida said flatly.
The man raised a brow in surprise.
"Oh?"
"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"
A bolt of white lightning shot toward Ishida—but only struck the steel beam beneath him.
It didn't even scratch him.
Ishida leapt to the ground using Hirenkyaku, raising his bow toward the enemy.
His Seele Schneider could unleash over 1,200 shots per second—a barrage of high-speed, precise arrows.
But… this didn't matter.
The man dodged every single arrow with Shunpo.
Even Ishida's Reishi disruption blades were easily deflected with the man's staff.
What's worse—he cracked the mechanics behind them with just a glance.
Which meant—Ishida couldn't even use his trump card, the Seele Schneider combo.
So what could he do now?
Ishida jumped high into the air and unleashed his strongest technique—Rain of Light, the same move he once used against Ulquiorra.
Thousands of arrows rained down.
Though none struck the man, the collapsing water tower created a cloud of smoke.
Ishida used it to blink behind him and launched a Seele Schneider straight into the man's back!
The man collapsed, covered in blood.
Ishida lowered his bow in relief and turned to help Nōzomi—
But just then, he heard a voice behind him.
He turned—the man had vanished from where he fell.
He now stood on the wall, high above Ishida, completely unharmed.
And in just seconds, all his wounds had healed.
Then he released his Zanpakutō—his staff.
"Dance wildly, Raikō!"
With a pulse of green-yellow Reiryoku, the weapon transformed into a double-bladed halberd—something that looked far too violent for a scientist.
Staring at him in disbelief, Ishida raised his bow again.
But the man only grinned.
"There's no need for that. I never intended to give you time to understand anything."
He vanished.
In a blur too fast to follow, the man reappeared behind Ishida—his halberd slashing downward.
Ishida couldn't react.
"Impossible… that distance… how did he…!" he muttered as blood sprayed.
He collapsed, defeated.
—Meanwhile—
Back in Soul Society, Ichigo realized someone was targeting Nōzomi.
That same person had framed him.
"Rukia, we're going back to the real world," he said.
"I agree," Rukia nodded.
Senna added, "But the Soul Society's been taken over by those fake Captain-class Reigai. We'll never reach the Senkaimon in one piece."
Just as they were considering asking Rurichiyo for help, Yoruichi returned.
Ichigo smiled.
Of course! Former head of the Shihōin Clan—if anyone could do it, it was her!
Under Yoruichi's guidance, the group disguised themselves using Urahara's portable Gigai decoys and slipped past the Reigai.
As they reached the Senkaimon—
Reigai Byakuya appeared to block their path!
Yoruichi sighed, "Tch… troublesome guy. I'll hold them off. You all go!"
With that, she activated Shunko and charged in alone to stall not just Byakuya—but three Captain-class Reigai and several Lieutenants!
Ichigo didn't hesitate.
"Thanks, Yoruichi-neesan! Let's go!"
The trio leapt into the gate.
—Back in the real world—
Ishida was still on his feet, despite massive blood loss.
He stood between Nōzomi and the enemy, trying to shield her.
But deep down, he knew he couldn't win.
And he still didn't understand how the man had teleported so fast.
But the man had no intention of explaining.
He aimed another Byakurai directly at Ishida.
Just before the bolt could hit—
"Santen Kesshun: I Reject!"
Orihime arrived just in time, her triangle shield blocking the blast!
Chad and Tatsuki followed up from above!
"El Directo!"
"Burning Fist!"
Two powerful strikes rained down.
But their enemy casually dodged both with a single Shunpo.
Apparently in a hurry, he didn't want to waste time.
He spun his Zanpakutō—
—and vanished again.
In an instant, he appeared behind Chad and knocked him out cold with one strike!
Tatsuki moved to shield Orihime as she continued healing Ishida.
But the man wasn't about to let them go.
He raised his blade—just as it was intercepted.
CLANG!
Ichigo appeared, catching the blade mid-air!
"Who the hell are you?" Ichigo asked coldly.
The man smiled.
"Oh? Kurosaki Ichigo. You've returned. How interesting."
"My name is Inaba Kagerōza—Head of the Research Division at the Department of R&D. The one who orchestrated the Dangai incident, lured you back to Soul Society, and created the Reigai."
He said it all without shame.
Ichigo didn't care.
All that mattered was that he'd hurt his friends.
Ichigo's spiritual pressure exploded.
"You bastard!"
He charged in with a Shunpo and slashed—sending Inaba crashing through a window into a nearby factory.
But Inaba countered immediately, ambushing Ichigo from above with a deadly strike.
Ichigo was caught off-guard and knocked back.
Inaba didn't relent—he pursued in midair, ready to slash again.
But this time, Ichigo retaliated—sending him flying!
Ichigo regained his stance and shot after him, blade flashing as he struck for the head and heart.
But Inaba blocked every blow.
Even now, when Ichigo was at the lowest point in his powers—Inaba could barely keep up.
Rukia and Senna watched in awe.
"If he can make even Captain-class Reigai obey him, Inaba Kagerōza's strength must be terrifying," Rukia said.
Senna, though, didn't look worried.
"I've never seen Ichigo lose in battle," she smiled.
But Ichigo was getting frustrated.
It felt like Inaba could read his every move.
No matter how he changed his rhythm, Inaba was one step ahead.
After sending him flying with a charged strike, Ichigo frowned.
Inaba, completely unscathed, slowly walked forward.
"I must admit… I admire your strength. You pushed Aizen to the brink."
He raised his halberd and clanged it against the metal bars, smirking.
"But is this all the strength that beat Aizen? Surely… you've got more, Kurosaki Ichigo."
Ichigo chuckled bitterly.
That's usually his line.
This was the first time anyone had said it to him.
He instinctively reached for his second Zanpakutō—
But Rukia shouted, "Ichigo! Don't forget—your spiritual energy is still unstable! Using stronger power might make it worse!"
Ichigo sighed, releasing Muramasa from his hand.
He placed his hand over his face.
"You're the first one to see me like this…"
(End of Chapter)
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