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Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Crimson Rift into Seireitei

Soul Society

The sound of screaming echoed across the skies above Seireitei. After exiting the Senkaimon, everyone was thrown into the air. With the exception of Ren, none of them possessed enough control over Reishi to form footholds to stand on.

"Everyone, stay back!!" – shouted Yoruichi to the group as she clung to Ichigo's head, surprised by the effect and blown off Ren's shoulder – "Around Seireitei is a barrier made of Shakonmaku. If you try to force your way through, it will scatter your souls!"

At her words, shock and fear washed over everyone. Fortunately, Inoue reacted swiftly, stretching out her hands beneath them in a triangular form and shouting – "Sōten Kisshun!! ... I reject!!"

A radiant light shone from her hairpin as it morphed into a triangular shield beneath the group, allowing them to land safely and avoid colliding with the Shakonmaku. But there was one exception—Ren.

The shield did not cover him—or rather, Ren deliberately avoided it. He wasn't concerned about the Shakonmaku; he had the strength to cross it without harm.

"Ren!!" – cried Ichigo in panic as he tried to grab his twin brother, but Ren was falling too fast.

"Do not worry. The Shakonmaku cannot harm me." – Ren's calm, relaxed voice reached their ears, his composure easing their fears.

"What's he planning to do?" – muttered Tatsuki in confusion, narrowing her eyes at Ren, who placed his hands on the hilt of his sword while plummeting toward Seireitei, unfazed by the looming barrier.

"Could it be…?" – whispered Yoruichi, her golden eyes fixed on Ren's descending figure, one thought dominating her mind.

Before they could speculate further, Ren drew his blade and spoke in a steady tone – "Sakeru!... Yorugami no Mikazuki!"

In that instant, the simple black-bladed Shirasaya with a wooden hilt transformed into a red shirasaya with a scarlet blade—redder than sunset and more vivid than blood. Elegant yet simple engravings adorned the hilt.

Without a word, Ren swung Mikazuki. A bright crimson rift tore open a few meters before him. He dove into the rift in space and vanished from sight, leaving the others bewildered.

Ren disappeared into the spatial tear as if swallowed by the world itself, leaving behind only unsettling silence and wide, disbelieving eyes. A faint ripple resonated in the air, as though space-time had been ripped apart and stitched back together within seconds. Then—nothing. No trace, no Reiatsu.

"He vanished…" – murmured Ichigo, staring at the void where his brother had just been, heart pounding.

"Was… was that some kind of teleportation?" – asked Inoue, eyes wide as she stared at the torn sky.

"No… that wasn't mere teleportation." – Yoruichi replied quietly, her tone grave – "What Ren did was closer to slicing open space-time itself. That sword… I've never seen it before. But the energy he used resembled techniques from an era long before the founding of the Gotei 13."

"Then that means… he's inside Seireitei now?!" – asked Ishida, pushing up his glasses as he observed the shimmering spiritual barrier.

"Yes." – Yoruichi crossed her arms – "And illegally at that. If the higher-ups sense even a minor tear in the Shakonmaku, inspection squads will be dispatched immediately. We must move now!"

"But we still haven't found an entry point!" – cried Tatsuki, pointing at the massive azure barrier encircling Seireitei.

"We won't enter Seireitei directly." – Yoruichi shook her head, eyes shifting toward the north of Rukongai, where she could feel familiar Reiatsu – "First, we'll visit an old friend of mine. She has a way to get us inside. None of us can bypass the Shakonmaku unscathed like Ren did."

"An old friend…?" – Ichigo muttered uncertainly, but he didn't protest. Yoruichi's certainty was enough to follow her lead.

"Yes. With her help, crossing the Shakonmaku and entering Seireitei will not be a problem." – Yoruichi added, casting Ichigo a sideways glance. The person they were heading to meet was Shiba Kūkaku, cousin of the orange-haired boy, though Ichigo himself was oblivious, since Isshin had never revealed his past.

Though this was Ichigo's first encounter with Yoruichi, he voiced no objection to her decision. He could clearly see the bond she shared with Ren—and if his twin trusted her, then so would he.

And so, the group set out to find Kūkaku's aid in breaching Seireitei.

_

Seireitei.

A crimson rift opened in a hidden corner, and Ren stepped out, dismissing his Shikai and sheathing his blade nonchalantly.

"…Now, what should I do next?" – Ren muttered, scanning his surroundings. He found himself in one of Seireitei's countless alleys. While he knew much about the place from his past life's memories and Yoruichi's lessons, its geography remained unfamiliar.

"Fortunately, I haven't been discovered. That means I can move freely within Seireitei." – Ren murmured as he began walking, intent on gathering information. His plan was to infiltrate one of the Divisions—specifically, the 4th Division, which was the most suitable for stealth and information gathering. Their role in healing allowed interactions with many other Divisions, making it easier to collect intel.

More importantly, the Captain of that Division was not a combat-oriented type. Ren felt confident in his ability to disguise himself as a 4th Division member without being noticed. And even if things went wrong, he wasn't worried about escaping—a healing Division meant a non-combatant Captain.

A/N:As Mentioned before,Ren had only watched the first part of ∗Bleach∗ ,so he doesn't know Unohana's trueidentity or her real strength.

With this in mind, Ren set out to explore the area, searching for a route toward the 4th Division barracks.

Our dear, innocent boy has no idea what awaits him.

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